Gathering Blue

Title: Gathering Blue
Author: Lois Lowry
First Published In: 2000
Reader's Rating: 2/5 - It was okay.

Excerpt: "Take pride in your pain; you are stronger than those who have none."

In a Nutshell: Kira is an orphan with a twisted leg. Living in a place where people who can't work are thrown out, she faces a dangerous situation. Fortunately, her extraordinary talent for weaving spares her from banishment. She is even provided with a new home, a new job, and a new friend. But as Kira learns more about her new surroundings, she discovers shocking truths about everything she, and everyone else, has ever believed in.

The Good Stuff: The author's writing style is quite good. The characters are pretty believable as well, and I love how Kira, Thomas and Jo are artists. I could relate to what they were going through. 

The Not-So-Good Stuff: The story ended too vaguely for me. I guess it would have been helpful to read The Giver beforehand (the first book in the series) but I didn't even know that Gathering Blue was part of a series.

Reader's Say: Gathering Blue was an okay book. Even though it's not one of my favorites, I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the titles written by Lois Lowry. She is definitely a talented author.

Holes

Title: Holes
Author: Louis Sachar
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Year of Publication: 1998
Reader's Rating: 4

In a Nutshell: Stanley Yelnats is a middle-school-aged boy who was accused and pronounced guilty of stealing a pair of shoes owned by a famous athlete. The truth was, the shoes actually fell from somewhere up above and hit Stanley on the head but, of course, no one really believed him. His punishment was to spend eighteen months at Camp Green Lake, a camp for troubled youth (specifically, male youth). After arriving, Stanley saw that there was nothing green at the camp nor was there a lake. It was a dry desert area, where the campers were made to dig a hole every day that was five feet wide and five feet deep each. Working in the hot sun would turn a bad boy into a good boy, the camp said. But Stanley realized that they're not just "being turned into good boys." The warden was using them to look for something hidden under the sand. But what could it be?

The Good Stuff: I loved that the author is teaching kids something as well as entertaining them. Friendship was the main theme of Holes but what I loved most about it was the optimism and perseverance shown by the Yelnats family. The book was also written in a way that was interesting yet it wasn't sloppy. The story ties up together nicely.

The Not-So-Good Stuff: I felt like this book was saying that everything is controlled by destiny or fate. Of course, this is not something I believe in. I don't believe in fate or luck. I believe in the orderly plan made by Someone who is all-knowing, the Master Creator (if it wasn't rather obvious already, I'm talking about God). It's alright, I guess, to read this book, provided that the reader knows what to believe and what not to.

Reader's Say: The story is very good. There's also a movie adaptation of the novel and I highly recommend watching it. It's the only movie I've watched that stays really close to the book, to the point that the characters in the book and movie have the exact same lines. My parents also watched it and they liked it so I take it it's not a "bad" book. :)

Olive's Ocean

Title: Olive's Ocean
Author: Kevin Henkes
Publisher: Harper Trophy
Year of Publication: 2001
Reader's Rating: 2 - It was okay.

Excerpt: "Olive Barstow was dead. She'd been hit by a car on Monroe Street while riding her bicycle weeks ago. That was about all Martha knew."

In a Nutshell: Martha Boyle, twelve years old, receives a small envelope one morning from a lady who claimed to be Olive Barstow's mother. Inside she finds a page from Olive's journal and is shocked to find her name on it. She and Olive had never been friends and had never even spoken with each other, but they went to the same school and were in the same class. Now she can't stop thinking about her. They had such eerie similarities with each other. She hopes to forget about her when she goes on a trip to see her grandmother, but even there she was reminded of Olive. She didn't know that this trip would change her.

The Good Stuff: It was written well.

The Not-So-Good Stuff: It's a little weird how this book was in the children's section. It had some not-for-children words like "a*shole" and "sh*tty" and a small kissing scene. How inappropriate! The story was a little (a little!) shallow to me as well. Also, I didn't like the way Martha and her brother treated their parents and each other.

Reader's Say: I don't mean to be rude here but I didn't really like this book. It was a little weird and a tiny bit shallow. Maybe that's just me, but I don't recommend this book at all.

The Mysterious Benedict Society

Title: The Mysterious Benedict Society
Author: Trenton Lee Stewart
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Year of Publication: 2007
Reader's Rating: 4 - I really liked it.

Excerpt: “You must remember, family is often born of blood, but it doesn't depend on blood. Nor is it exclusive of friendship. Family members can be your best friends, you know. And best friends, whether or not they are related to you, can be your family.”

In a Nutshell: A special ad appears in the paper, looking for gifted children. This ad unites four very different yet very special children, the final four chosen to take on a secret and dangerous mission that only the most intelligent and resourceful children could complete. These four--Reynie, Kate, Sticky, and Constance--must take on challenges that not even adults could solve, whether physical, mental, or even emotional. Will they reach success after all?

The Good Stuff: I loved how this book was very thought-provoking (it gave me a little head knowledge on Morse code too). I also loved the immense vocabulary it contained! This book is for kids, not even teens, yet it had words that I didn't know the meaning of. The characters were also good.

The Not-So-Good Stuff: The parts about the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened and the mind-controlling definitely creeped me out.

Reader's Say: I loved reading this book, and I'm looking forward to reading the sequel. I also liked how the puzzles were mind-bending yet possible to answer by kids and teens. I especially liked the one at the end, to find out Mr. Benedict's first name, which was directed to the readers. The illustrations were also very good! I loved the illustrator's style; the fonts were so perfect!

The City of Ember

Title: The City of Ember
Author: Jeanne DuPrau
Publisher: Yearling (Random House Books)
Year of Publication: 2003
Reader's Rating: 3.5 - I liked it.

Excerpt: “There is so much darkness in Ember, Lina. It's not just outside, it's inside us, too. Everyone has some darkness inside. It's like a hungry creature. It wants and wants and wants with a terrible power. And the more you give it, the bigger and hungrier it gets"

In a Nutshell: Ember is an underground city, created many years before by the Builders as a shelter to preserve the human race. Enveloped in darkness, its only light comes from bright electric lamps that hang overhead. Ember's inhabitants know nothing of the world above them and are perfectly content with how things run at Ember. Their small city, however, wasn't made to last forever. The once full storage houses of food and supplies are now running low.The lights are starting to flicker, causing blackouts wherein the people wonder whether the lights have breathed their last. Not one of them knows anything about what's beyond the darkness, but escape seems like the only option. Some of the citizens of Ember, though, are skeptical. Where would they go? Is there another world they could escape to? What is beyond the darkness?

The Good Stuff: The main characters of the story, Lina and Doon, are quite nice. DuPrau finds a way to make the friends heroes without them having to develop feelings for each other (a typical storyline among books and movies nowadays). Their relationship extends no more than best-friendship. I also liked how Lina was caring to her grandmother and sister, a trait that isn't as shown in today's books and movies.

The Not-so-Good Stuff: The only thing I didn't like about the book was the lack of vocabulary. It contained ordinary words, which isn't really a bad thing, but I particularly love books that have a wide vocabulary.

Reader's Say: The City of Ember was a fun and exciting read. Lina and Doon's lack of knowledge for common objects such as candles and boats amused me. I recommend reading this book along with the rest of the titles in the Books of Ember series. I also suggest watching the movie because it stays fairly close to the book.

The Friendship Doll

Title: The Friendship Doll
Author: Kirby Larson
Publisher: Delacorte Books
Year of Publication: 2011 [Yes, it's new!]
Reader's Rating: 4

Excerpt: " I feel a twinge inside my muslin chest, under the left side of my kimono. Since the day I was created, I have never had a moment of feeling unwell. What is causing this pain now?
I have heard it does hurt a bit, Miss Japan comforts me.
What does? I ask.
Being awakened.
What do I do to make it stop?
But Miss Japan gives no answer."

In a Nutshell: The Friendship Doll tells of the life and experiences of Miss Kanagawa, a Japanese doll sent from Japan to America, and how she meets four different girls, each with different stories. Bunny, the mischief-maker, is the first she meets. Then Lois, the dreamer. Then she meets Willie Mae, who, as the book says, not only awakened her heart but also broke it. And Lucy, her truest and most faithful friend.

The Good Stuff: The book is very well written. The story is just amazing (it's a Newberry Honor winner, after all!). I can't even describe it. The best part was the ending; it almost got me emotional! This book is a definite must-read.

The Not-So-Good Stuff: I don't really think there were any in this book.

Reader's Say: I enjoyed the story. I think Kirby Larson is a really good author. Now I want to read more of her books!

Serendipity Market

Title: Serendipity Market
Author: Penny Blubaugh
Publisher: HarperTeen
Year of Publication: 2009
Reader's Rating: 3

In a Nutshell: Mama Inez knows that magic is everywhere and, somehow, connected to everything. She invites ten people to the Serendipity Market to tell their stories, every one of them unique and--from a distance--very different from one another. But look closely, and you'll find a common ground in each story--magic.

The Good Stuff: One of the main things I liked in this book was the vocabulary. Works by people with a wide vocabulary just blow me away, and this was one of them. I loved the way the author wrote; it was brilliant. Also, I loved how some of the stories are classic fairy tales but with a twist. They may be told from a different character's point of view, for example, like the lizard-turned-coachman from Cinderella.

The Not-So-Good Stuff: I hope you've taken it into your head by now that this book is about magic and fairies and the like. I'm a Christian and I don't really approve of magic and folklore (faeries, elves, giants, etc.). It made me feel a little uncomfortable reading about them, especially Maisie's story about the elf queen. It made the book a little dark. And one little thing that I didn't like: the Princess and the Pea retold version, where the prince is gay. I have nothing against gays but I really liked the original story better.

Reader's Say: This was an okay book. The topic was fine except that there was an overuse of magic. The vocabulary was beautiful. I liked it half-half. I would recommend it for the construction (vocabulary, grammar, etc.) but not for the content.

The Hangman's Curse (the Veritas Project #1)

Title: The Hangman's Curse (the Veritas Project #1)
Author: Frank Peretti
Publisher: STL (?)
Year of Publication: 2001
Reader's Rating: 4

In a Nutshell: Basically, the Veritas team (Elijah and Elisha Springfield, teenage twins, and their parents, Sarah and Nate) is a special team, privately and secretly funded, and is called to take on those especially strange cases no one else has solved from a Christian perspective. On this book, they take on The Hangman's Curse, the mysterious ghost of Abel Frye. So far three kids from Baker High are in the hospital because of it and it's the team's job to find out why. Is it some sick practical joke done by human hands or are spirits really involved? And so the investigation begins. But they soon find that time is running out. More and more victims have been targeted, students and teachers alike, and two kids have been found dead. The Veritas team must find a way to stop this before things get out of control. Or have they already?

The Good Stuff: This book is Christian fiction, by Christian author Frank Peretti. This series, I should say, talks about Truth and presents its case against what man has been taught about things like God and creation. I should also say that this book was definitely not "preach-y" just because it's Christian. There's actually not much in it about Christianity; it talks more about Truth (hence the name Veritas, Latin for truth). Also, the story was absolutely thrilling! It really had me in suspense.


The Bad Stuff: Like I said, there's not much about Christianity in the story. It was a good story but there wasn't as much information that I wanted, especially coming from Frank Peretti, one of my favorite authors. When I read this book, it felt like reading horror. It's not that scary, of course, but I'm not really used to reading horror so, for me, some parts were definitely creepy.


Reader's Say: I liked it, but there could have been more. The ending reminded me too much of a certain movie. The story was awesome but since this book is supposed to be about Truth, I think there should have been more about that.

I'd Tell You I Love You But Then I'd Have to Kill You

Title: I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You
Author: Ally Carter
Publisher: Hyperion
Year of Publication: 2006
Reader's Rating: 3.5

In a Nutshell: Cammie Morgan has been nicknamed the "chameleon." At most schools, that's a bummer. Everyone wants to be noticed, right? But at Cammie's school, it's a gift that every student would want to possess. The Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women is not your average all-girls school. Passers-by would take one look at it and think: boarding school, snotty girls, rich dads, and perfectly trimmed gardens. But that's exactly what the Academy wants them to think. Because in reality, the Gallagher Academy subsitutes social studies for Covert Operations, English for Ancient Languages, science for Protection and Enforcement, and...you get the idea. In short, the Gallagher Academy is a spy school. And it's been training Cammie for hard spy life and impossible situations ever since. But then she meets Josh, a normal everyday teenager. Sure she can hack into his computer, throw him to the sidewalk in a split-second, and speak fourteen different languages, but when it comes to this, she's totally tongue-tied. And now, it's love vs. duty, spy vs. teenager. Which will she choose?

The Good Stuff: The concept is so unique. I mean, how many books have you seen where the girl falls for the guy and becomes totally speechless around him, but also happens to be a spy? Well, you might have seen some but I haven't. It was a good book. I loved the author's way of telling the story. It was funny too, and I LOVE funny books. :)

The Not-So-Good Stuff: The genre for this book is, of course, romance so expect *dun dun dun* kissing. BOO. I suppose all YA romance books have this, but it was still a turn-off for me. I guess this wouldn't be considered a bad thing, but I strongly disagree with kissing before marriage. So there.

Reader's Say: I loved Carter's style of writing. It was so witty. The story was great but in the end my reaction was sort of like this, "Wait, what? That's it? That's what happens?" It kind of dwindled in the end but it was okay. I'm still looking forward to the sequel. :)

The Book Thief

Title: The Book Thief
Author: Markus Zusak
Publisher: Knopf Books
Year of Publication: 2006 (first published 2005)
Reader's Rating: 4.9

The Book Thief is a historical fiction, set in Nazi Germany during World War II, and is narrated by Death.

Excerpt: "I wanted to tell the book thief many things, about beauty and brutality. But what could I tell her about those things that she didn't already know? I wanted to explain that I am constantly overestimating and underestimating the human race-that rarely do I ever simply estimate it. I wanted to ask her how the same thing could be so ugly and so glorious, and its words and stories so damning and brilliant." 

"It's just a small story really, about, among other things:
* A girl
* Some words
* An accordionist
* Some fanatical Germans
* A Jewish fist fighter
* And quite a lot of thievery" 

In a Nutshell: Liesel Meminger was only nine years old when her brother died and her mother left her in the care of foster parents, a silver-eyed father and a swearing but loving mother, and disappeared. On that day, a book was left lying in the snow, with Liesel picking it up. The Grave Digger's Handbook. Not an interesting choice, but it started and kindled her love for books. Liesel soon learns to read, with the help of her foster father, and since then, has loved books and words, stealing them and taking them in from anywhere, whether from the Nazi book-burnings or from the rich mayor's library, anywhere. But her life is changed when her foster parents decide to hide a Jew in their basement. She then realizes how powerful words are and how powerfully they can destroy.

The Good Stuff: Have you ever heard of Owl City, the singer of Fireflies? Have you listened to many of his songs? Did you notice how crafted and poetic they sounded? The Book Thief is written exactly like that. The scenes and the events are so richly described, and so poetically. So that's definitely a good thing for me. Also, the story. It was so wonderfully written and it was so touching and kind of horrifying in a way. It not only told of the adventures of someone living during the Holocaust; it was deep. It was a very good read.

The Not-So-Good Stuff: The constant swearing! Like I said in my previous review, WWII books usually contain a lot of swearing, but this book had the most. I winced every time I read those darn swear words (even though most of them were in a different language). It was a big turn-off, but, really, it was their (the Germans') culture to swear a lot and usually, they're meant to be friendly, like Liesel calling her best friend Saukerl (I think that's sort of a male pig of some kind). But still, I'd have given this book a 5 if it wasn't for the swear words. :( It also has kissing, but only once. :(

Reader's Say: I loved this book. I absolutely loved it (it's just those stupid swear words and the kissing). I do have to say something about it, and it's this: if you like happy endings, if you like sugar-coated stories, if you don't want to know about what the Germans did before, then do not read this book. I have to say that it was so sad. I almost cried! I felt heartbroken when *he/she/they* died (don't worry, I won't be saying who). I also got kind of annoyed at the author because he put who died in the middle of the book! Haha! But other than that, I absolutely loved it so much. It was heartwarming and touching and everything else rolled into one. With what I said about the swearing, you probably won't want to read it but please do. It's a very nice story.

Run, Boy, Run

Title: Run, Boy, Run
Author: Uri Orlev
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin/Walter Lorraine Books
Year of Publication: 2003
Reader's Rating: 3.5

In a Nutshell: Srulik Frydman is a young Jewish boy living in the streets of Poland, in the Warsaw ghetto, to be exact. His father was nowhere to be seen, along with his brothers and sisters. On a plan to escape the ghetto, his mother suddenly disappears, leaving him alone in the world to care for himself. He sets off and, miraculously and accidentally, runs into his father.

Excerpt: "Srulik, there's no time. I want you to remember what I'm going to tell you. You have to stay alive. You have to! Get someone to teach you how to act like a Christian, how to cross yourself and pray... The most important thing, Srulik," he said, talking fast, "is to forget your name. Wipe it from your memory... But even if you forget everything---even if you forget me and Mama---never forget that you're a Jew."

And so Srulik Frydman becomes Jurek Staniak, a blond Gentile Pole. Remembering his father's words, he soon finds himself joining a gang, living in the forest, and even working from farm to farm, posing as a Gentile---anything to stay alive. Follow Srulik on his journeys and adventures as he keeps one step ahead of the Nazis, trying to survive.

The Good Stuff: It was an absorbing read. I couldn't put the book down. This book is full of suspense and action.

The Not-So-Good Stuff: Run, Boy, Run was filed in the Young Adult section, and for a good reason. This isn't one of those books you could read to ten-year-old's. A lot of scenes are described violently, and because only Jews were circumcised at that time, there are some mentions about male anatomy and stuff that isn't for young children. A lot of WWII books also usually contain swear words and this was one of those books. :((

Reader's Say: I liked this book (only the not-so-good stuff were really a turn-off). It was kind of a horrifyingly awesome story and, as you know, I love World War II books, so it was really nice. It went third in my favorite WWII books, with Behind the Secret Window as second and Number the Stars as first. All in all, it was a good read (it's just really those not-so-good stuff that bother me!)

Flipped

Title: Flipped
Author: Wendelin van Draanen
Publisher: Random House
Year of Publication: 2001
Reader's Rating: 2.5 [Please see my post on ratings because a 2.5 for me doesn't mean that I don't like it! :)]

In a Nutshell: Juli Baker has always thought of Bryce and his brilliant blue eyes as dazzling and dreamy, ever since the second grade, in fact. Meanwhile, Bryce Loski has always thought of Juli as weird and annoying, ever since the second grade. The story jumps back and forth between Juli and Bryce and tells things about their families, school, and each other from their point of view. Things get a little more complicated and change when Juli and Bryce reach their teen years. Bryce suddenly starts seeing Juli in a different light and finds that he's flipped for her once crazy, now cool ways. Juli, on the other hand, sees past Bryce's "brilliant blue eyes" and wonders if he's really as dreamy as she thought. What will happen to Bryce? What will happen to Juli? Will it work out in the end?

The Good Stuff: The story was okay. No kissing, but...(see below)..

The Not-So-Good-Stuff: Someone did try to kiss someone. :( I also don't like the way Bryce's sister acts. The story, like I said, was okay but I felt like it ended abruptly, and needed something more. I think there's a sequel but I'm still not so sure.

Reader's Say: I love how the title fits perfectly with the story. Juli feels one thing about Bryce, and he feels another about her. Towards the end, they flip and feel the opposite of what they first felt.The story isn't very deep, but it was okay (my mom loved it, though, and I have no idea why).

Fairest

Title: Fairest
Author: Gail Carson Levine
Publisher: Harper Collins
Year of Publication: 2006
Reader's Rating: 3.5 [Please see my post on ratings. :)]


Excerpt: I was born singing. Most babies cry. I sang an aria.
Or so I believe. I have no one to tell me the truth of it. I was abandoned when I was a month old, left at the Featherbed Inn in the Ayorthaian village of Amonta. It was January 12th of the year of Thunder Songs.

Fairest is set in the world of Ella Enchanted (another of Levine's books), in the land of Ayortha, where Ella's friend Areida (from Ella Enchanted) was born. Aza, the main character, is even the step-sister of Areida.

In a Nutshell: The innkeeper's daughter, Aza,  is slightly different from her fellow Ayorthaians. She definitely isn't the fairest of them all. Some even say she was an ogre's cousin. But her looks she compensates with her voice. Ayortha is a land of singers, but no one can compare with Aza's singing. She develops a talent she calls illusing, which only she can do. What started out as a hobby for fun, the new foreign Queen Ivi discovers it and uses Aza secretly for her own selfish purposes. Aza is made a lady-in-waiting and is made to live at the castle, and even meets Prince Ijori, but things start turning for the worst. Ayortha's loving king fell sick and may be dying, and the people are suffering under Queen Ivi. What will happen to the kingdom of Ayortha? Will the people discover Queen Ivi's secrets? What will Prince Ijori think of Aza when he finds out her secret as well?

The Good Stuff: This book was very interesting, as I love fantasy novels and, especially, Gail Carson Levine (the author). Fairest has action, comedy, and romance all in one.

The Not-So-Good Stuff: Kissing, another problem with today's books and movies. I can't tell who would be kissing who (because that would be a spoiler!), and I know it sounds "romantic", but I do not like it when people (who aren't married or something) kiss. :(

Reader's Say: It was alright. Those who have read (or watched) Ella Enchanted will definitely love Fairest. It's a pretty thick book and there are lots of things that happen to Aza, making it a good read. :)

Behind the Secret Window

Title: Behind the Secret Window
Author: Nelly S. Toll
Publisher: Dial
Year of Publication: 1993
Reader's Rating: 4

In a Nutshell: This book is about the experiences of a young girl during World War II (I quite like WWII books) as she and her mother hide from the Nazis in a Gentile couple's home, in a secret compartment near their window; hence, the name "Behind the Secret Window." It is sort of like an autobiography, nonfiction, of course.

Reader's Say: This book was one of the best World War II books I've read. I thought it was thrilling and sad. It was written well. Thumbs up to Nelly Toll. :)

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Title: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Author: Roald Dahl
Publisher: Puffin
Year of Publication: 2005 (first published 1964)
Reader's Rating: 4.5 [Please see my post on ratings. :)]

In a Nutshell: Little Charlie Bucket has always loved chocolate. He passes by Willie Wonka's chocolate factory, the biggest in the world, on the way home from school every day, sniffing at the delicious aroma. But he only gets to taste chocolate once a year, on his birthday, because his family is very, very poor and every day their meals would always have to be cabbage soup. One day, Mr. Wonka randomly inserts five golden tickets in his chocolate bars, inviting the owner of the chocolate to his ginormous factory, with a free lifetime supply of chocolate. Charlie, as with the rest of the world, goes crazy with excitement, but his hopes soon fall as he remembers that he only gets one bar a year. Will he get a golden ticket? What surprises await him?

The Good Stuff: Charlie Bucket is a great character and so is his family. They are very poor, but they always share what they have (and a bit more) with each other. Though they wish they could have a better home and better meals, they are content and happy with what they have.

The Not-So-Good Stuff: There are other characters in the story that aren't so great (in fact, they're amazingly horrible), but don't worry. The author discourages them and contrasts them with Charlie and Mr. Wonka.

Reader's Say: Roald Dahl is an awesome author and this book is, by far, the best he's written. I loved reading the book so much. Willie Wonka made me laugh. He's awesome.

The Lost Hero

Title: The Lost Hero

Author: Rick Riordan

Publisher: Hyperion Books

Year of Publication: 2010

Reader’s Rating: 5

The Lost Hero is the first book in Rick Riordan’s second series about Greek mythology, Heroes of Olympus. The Lost Hero takes off about five or so years after the last book of Percy Jackson and the Olympians (Riordan’s first series). It takes place during modern times; even the Greek gods are a bit more modern. Please take note, this review is almost exactly like my review of Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief.

In a Nutshell: The Lost Hero tells of the adventures of Jason, Leo, and Piper—three newly found demigods—as they take on a quest to save Hera, the wife of Zeus, who was kidnapped. They journey all over the continent, seeking information about the kidnapper and his or her whereabouts. The story ends when Hera is freed and the young demigods find out about an enemy even more powerful than the gods—and even the Titans—themselves.

(I make the story sound so plain! It’s really more complicated than that.)

The Good Stuff: The book is really nice, especially if you’re a fan of Greek mythology and/or the Percy Jackson books. Plus, the characters are hilarious. Funny books written for kids by people over the age of thirty are rare, so if you’re looking for laughter this is a good book to read.

The Not-So-Good Stuff: This book does not say anything about God. In fact, the book is about gods (boo, it makes me feel guilty!). The author also has a worldly view, not very Christian-like. The book is pure awesome for non-Christians, but for Christians…hmm, think about it first. For those of you who are Christians, I read the book and enjoyed it but I always remember that Jesus is the true God, and there is no one else. I also have to be careful not to let the book (or Greek mythology as a whole) take over my thinking.

Reader ‘s Say: Although this book doesn’t say anything about God, it made me realize how awesome He is. The Greek gods can be kidnapped. Who can kidnap God?! The Greek gods don’t know everything. God knows and sees everything; He is omniscient. The Greek gods aren’t the most powerful beings. God is the most powerful Being ever. He wasn’t even created. He was always there. He’s the beginning and the end. There are a lot more things I realized, but they would be too much to put in here. God is truly awesome! :D

Monday With a Mad Genius

Title: Monday With a Mad Genius (Magic Tree House #38)

Author: Mary Pope Osbourne

Publisher: Random House

Year of Publication:

Reader’s Rating: 4

The Magic Tree House series is about two children, Jack and Annie, who found a magical tree house that can take them anywhere they want to. The series is very educational and very helpful. Suggested ages would probably be for 7-11 year olds but I love them and I read them. :) Historical fiction, though.

In a Nutshell: On this book, Jack and Annie are whisked off to Florence, Italy, in the early 1500’s. They spend the whole day with the great artist Leonardo da Vinci and witness many of his great projects and paintings. They were there when he tested his flying machine and when he painted a fiasco. Jack and Annie also learned that Leonardo da Vinci wrote in his notebooks backward. Leonardo was left-handed and said it was easier to write that way. Jack and Annie were also there when he painted Mona Lisa and had even met her in person.

The Good Stuff: Everything in the book is true (except for Jack, Annie, and the magical tree house, of course). That’s what makes it very helpful and educational.

The Not-So-Good Stuff: There isn’t really not-so-good stuff. It’s just that the series is written in a language for 7-11 year olds. It’s very simple, the stories are short, and the books are all really thin.

Reader’s Say: All in all, this book was great. I enjoyed reading it (plus, the drawings are really nice). :)

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief

Title: Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief

Author: Rick Riordan

Publisher: Hyperion Books

Year of Publication:

Reader’s Rating: 5 [Please see my post on ratings to learn more. :)]

The first book in the series, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, this book is set in modern times; even the Greek gods are a bit more modern.

In a Nutshell: The story is about twelve-year-old Percy Jackson, a not-so-ordinary kid for two reasons: one, he’s dyslexic and has ADHD; two, he’s a demigod. That means he’s half-mortal, half-god. Lately, monsters and gods, supposedly just myths, seem to be after him. Apparently, Zeus’s master lightning bolt has been stolen and all fingers point to Percy. Now he, along with two friends, must retrieve the bolt and bring it back to Zeus before he declares war. But it isn’t as easy as that. Percy and his friends discover something more powerful than Zeus himself.

The Good Stuff: The book is really nice, especially if you’re a fan of Greek mythology. Plus, the characters are hilarious. Funny books written for kids by people over the age of thirty are rare, so if you’re looking for laughter this is a good book to read.

The Not-So-Good Stuff: This book does not say anything about God. In fact, the book is about gods (boo, it makes me feel guilty!). The author also has a worldly view, not very Christian-like. The book is pure awesome for non-Christians, but for Christians…hmm, think about it first. For those of you who are Christians, I read the book and enjoyed it but I always remember that Jesus is the true God, and there is no one else. I also have to be careful not to let the book (or Greek mythology as a whole) take over my thinking.

Reader’s Say: Although this book doesn’t say anything about God, it made me realize how awesome He is. The Greek gods don’t know everything. God knows and sees everything; He is omniscient. The Greek gods aren’t the most powerful beings. God is the most powerful Being ever. He wasn’t even created. He was always there. He’s the beginning and the end. There are a lot more things I realized, but they would be too much to put in here. God is truly awesome! :D

Anne of Green Gables

Title: Anne of Green Gables
Author: L. M. Montgomery
Publisher:
Year of Publication:
Reader's Rating: 3.5 [Please see my post on ratings. :)]

In a Nutshell: Anne Shirley is a spirited, young girl with a huge imagination who is accidentally adopted (by a brother and a sister who have no children) and comes to live at Green Gables. Her adventures are nonstop, from dyeing her hair green to getting her best friend drunk (accidentally, of course).

The Good Stuff: Anne is imaginative and smart, just the type of person I want to be. Her adventures may include outrageous things, but she always, always learns from her mistakes and does try to be better. The language in the book is great for all ages (except for really young children, of course, say five or six).

The Not-So-Good Stuff: I don't really think there were any "not-so-good stuff." Sometimes, though, I'd skip a few sentences because they weren't written in modern language and I couldn't understand (but the rest of the book is still very, very understandable).

Reader's Say: I loved it. Anne is so awesome. This book actually contains her first years at Green Gables, when she was eleven or twelve, to the time when she was about sixteen. I was kind of dismayed at that because I wanted to hear more about her growing up years, but it was okay. The story compensated for it.

The Mother-Daughter Book Club

Title: The Mother-Daughter Book Club
Author: Heather Vogel Frederick
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Year of Publication: 2007
Reader's Rating: 3.5

In a Nutshell: Emma, Jess, Megan, and Cassidy are four very different girls. Emma is a major bookworm, Jess lives on a farm, Megan is the fashion-loving shopaholic, and Cassidy is the tomboyish sports fan. Even though they're not at all alike, they are united by a book club their mothers founded. Middle school soon starts and the four girls find that it's going to be much harder than they thought, but it's well worth it what with the adventures and mishaps of secret crush poems read aloud, a sleigh ride, Cassidy wearing a dress, and the four girls finally getting together to become friends.

The Good Stuff: A lot of modern girl books usually contain language and behavior that isn't very good (shopping all the time, too much text lingo, and siblings fighting a lot) like The Clique (sorry to all Clique fans!), but this book didn't really have that much bad behavior, and that's rare.

The Not-So-Good Stuff: I don't think it really has not-so-good stuff.

Reader's Say: I loved reading this book (plus, the cover is so cute)! I could relate to the characters, especially with Emma's love of books and writing and Megan's artistic style and fashion sketchbook. I would love to read it again and again because I feel like it inspires me somehow (I keep remembering Emma wanting to be a writer and Megan wanting to be an artist). All book-lovers will definitely enjoy reading this book.