Friday, April 1, 2011

The Maze of Bones, by Rick Riordan

The Maze of Bones, by Rick Riordan, is the first book in the series 39 clues. Amy and Dan Cahill go to their grandmother's funeral and attend a secret meeting there. William McIntyre, the person holding the meeting, gives them a choice of a million dollars or a quest to find 39 clues and get the hidden answer to be the most powerful people on Earth. There were people who chose the money but Amy and Dan choose the quest which is very dangerous. Amy and Dan Cahill along with their au pair, Nellie Gomez, travel to Paris, France in search of a clue that Benjamin Franklin hid there after their grandmother sets their large family off on the quest. William McIntyre (the person that first told Amy and Dan about the clue hunt) told the seven teams to trust no one. Unfortunately, Amy and Dan didn't do what William had said. While on the journey, they discover that there is more to their family than they were led on to believe.

This first book is very interesting because it makes you think about what you would do if you were the characters. This book is action packed and adventurous. I recommend this book for anyone that likes to read action and adventure books.


-Reviewed by Daniel S., grade 9.

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Toad Rage, by Morris Gleitzman

Toad Rage, by Morris Gleitzman, is about Limpy, a cane toad from Australia, and his mission to enlighten the humans on why cane toads really aren't that bad and why they should stop flattening them with their cars. Limpy got his name due to an unfortunate accident. As a tadpole he got his leg flattened by a passing vehicle. Because of that, when he runs he limps while going in circles. But with him always in such a hurry, what's going to stop him from going in circles all day? Well, his brother and sister of course. Will our heroes ever get to show the humans that cane toads have feelings, too, or will they be squished? This is a delightfully grim tale. It has to be one of the most unique stories you will ever read. How often are your protagonists toxic cane toads? The story is very funny but it has many dark undertones that make you smile without knowing why. Sadly, the plot isn't a very deep one and the story isn't good for those who like a deeper meaning in what they read, but if you like to laugh you will get a kick out of this short novel. I'd say fans of comedy and adventure will get the most bang for their buck with this one. -Reviewed by Ashot C., grade 9.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Shug, by Jenny Han

The book Shug, by Jenny Han, is about a twelve-year-old girl named Anne Marie Wilcox (or "Shug") who's having trouble with boys and appreciating her body. Her neighbor is a boy she's known her whole life named Mark. When they started junior high school, she started liking Mark and always worried her body was not pretty enough. She was always compared to her high school sister who is gorgeous and intelligent. Her mom never does anything and always drinks wine. Then, all of a sudden when she started tutoring this bad boy named Jack, she started changing her opinion about her body and about Mark. This book is a great exaple of pre-teens' lives. This book is great for the girls in sixth grade going to seventh. I read it during the summer and I really got the chance to relate to this book. It has a hint of family trouble and a lot about boys. I love this book. I will have to say this book is my favorite book of the summer. Some places I took it to were the beach and the shopping mall. I hope you have a splendid time reading this book. I recommend it a lot. -Reviewed by Anonymous, grade 8.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Prince Among Slaves, by Terry Alford

Prince Among Slaves, by Terry Alford, is the remarkable story of ABD Rahman Ibrahima, a west African prince who was sold into slavery at the age of 26 and released nearly 40 year later through the help of U.S President John Adams. This is a true story of an African prince sold into slavery in the American south, so it's a non-fiction story that I think happened in 1762. I like that it's a non-fiction book because I love stories that are true and actually took place. I recommend this book to my best cousin because he loves books that are about slavery and princes and kings. I felt great for reading this book because it's one of my cousin's favorite books and I can recommend it to him. -Reviewed by Norvik