Author Archives: Linna C.

Book Review: The School for Good and Evil, by Soman Chainani

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“Sophie had waited her whole life to be kidnapped. But tonight, all the other children of Gavaldon writhed in their beds. If the School Master took them, they’d never return.”

Every year in Gavaldon, the School Master kidnaps two children and takes them to the School for Good and Evil to be trained to survive their own fairy tale – or so they say.

Best friends Agatha and Sophie are complete opposites. Sweet Sophie is like a princess with her kindness and fancy dresses, and gloomy Agatha seems fit for the School for Evil. But when they are whisked into the Endless Woods, Agatha gets sent to the School for Good to take classes like Beautification, Good Deeds and History of Heroism, while Sophie is sent to Evil to take Henchman Training, Special Talents and Curses & Death Traps! But maybe this mistake is just the first step to discovering their true selves.

In this book, nothing is as it seems. It is filled with creatures that only exist in fairy tales, like the golden goose, werewolves, and witches. Suitable for people of all ages, pick up this book at a bookstore or your local library for a great read. I am waiting eagerly for the release of the second book, A World Without Princes, which comes out in mid-April so that I will be able to find out what happens next.

-Linna C., 7th grade

Book Review: Peter Nimble and his Fantastic Eyes, by Jonathan Auxier

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peter_nimble_coverPeter Nimble and his Fantastic Eyes is probably my favorite book that is not part of any kind of series. In it, a young blind boy named Peter Nimble, after a misremembered nursery rhyme, embarks on a magical journey to save the world after meeting the Haberdasher and stealing a box full of what feels like eyes. Along his way, he ends up in the Just Deserts, meets Sir Tode, and helps save HazelPort from the clutches of the evil Lord Incarnadine and his army of apes.

All in all, I really love this book and have reread it over and over again. This book is filled with just so many things that make you want to smile and laugh. I would consider it to be of the action-adventure and fantasy genres, and is appropriate for people of all ages, though geared more towards kids in 4th-7th grade.

There are a lot of events throughout the story that will make you think about what is going on. Also, it is one of those books that has a thief as the hero in the end, and for some reason, that small factor makes it all the more enjoyable. I would highly recommend this fantastic book to anyone, and I would give it the five stars that it truly deserves.

-Linna C., 7th grade

Book Review: I Funny, by James Patterson

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i_funny_coverI Funny stars a boy whose name is Jamie Grimm. His dream is to become the world’s greatest stand-up comic. Or, in his case, the world’s greatest sit-down comic. His legs are paralyzed, so he has to use a wheelchair. He doesn’t live with his own family- they died in a car accident- so instead he lives with the Smileys. Their name is really ironic, after all, they never smile, and they never laugh, so it’s impossible for Jamie to practice his jokes on them. And, even worse, there’s the threat of Stevie Kosgrov. He also lives with the Smileys, and he loves to pick on Jamie and beat him up.

Luckily, Jamie’s got friends that help him get back up and keep going, including his Uncle Frankie, who used to be a yo-yo champion and runs a diner, and Jamie’s best friends, Joey Gaynor and Jimmy Pierce.

This book is filled with jokes and is sure to make you laugh. I think it’s just amazing how James Patterson writes adult novels, young adult novels, and children’s books and still manages to make all of them great for that specific age group. I Funny is one of his children’s books, and is part of a side series to the Middle School series and in the sequel, I Even Funnier, (spoiler alert) there is actually a part in which Rafe Khachadorian meets Jamie Grimm! I can’t wait to find out if there is going to be a third book to this fantastic series!

-Linna C., 7th grade

Manga Review: Ultra Maniac, vol. 1, by Wataru Yoshizumi

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ultra_maniac_coverCool Ayu Tateishi is a popular girl who everybody wants to be like. But all that is about to change when she meets Nina Sakura. This seemingly normal girl isn’t all she looks to be. She’s a witch. Or rather, a witch that got flunked out of magic school and came to Earth to study abroad.

Nina decides to reveal her secret to Ayu, and decides to help Ayu with her magic as much as she can. Unfortunately, this results in disaster for poor Ayu.

This series follows Nina and friends on their countless misadventures. Other characters include Tetsushi Kaji, Ayu’s boyfriend, and Hiroki Tsujiai, who soon finds out Nina’s secret. There is also an anime for the series, and there are some manga-exclusive characters and some anime-exclusive characters. The plot and storyline are probably slightly different in the anime as to the manga.

I really think that this series is flat-out great. It seems a bit childish at times, but when those times pass, the story is great. Even though it is a shojo manga, there are some action-packed tidbits. This series is yet another one of those books that is there to make you laugh. Even though the title sounds a little stupid (I thought that at first too), take a look inside. As they say, don’t judge a book by its cover!

-Linna C., 7th grade

Book Review: My Brother is a Big Fat Liar, by James Patterson

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my_brother_coverGeorgia Khatchadorian’s big brother Rafe had a knack for getting into trouble, and when she attends the same school that he did, everyone thinks that she is just like him! Georgia has her mind on proving them wrong, but it is not going to be easy. With the constant threats of Mini Miller and the Princesses, it is going to be pretty hard to get things done. There are also other things thrown into the mix to make things even harder, like dances and teachers that get angry just hearing the word “Khatchadorian.”

This hilarious book by James Patterson is a companion to the Middle School series. Showing previous characters from the series in a different light, and introducing new ones, in my opinion, the cast of characters is just perfect. There is Rafe, who from Georgia’s point of view is absolutely evil, Mini-Miller, who is trying to get revenge on behalf of his big brother, Miller (read Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life) and Missy Trillin and the Princess Patrol, who try to make Georgia’s life as terrible as possible.

There are also people who try to help Georgia, though. Some of these characters include Sam, who is kind if like Georgia’s first crush, Rhonda, who is dangerous in a good way, and Jeanne, who isn’t as bad as Georgia first thought she was.

Feeling down, looking for a good laugh, or simply have extra time on your hands? Read this book. You’ll probably bust your guts out laughing.

-Linna C., 7th grade

Manga vs. Graphic Novels

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manga_gnEven though graphic novels and manga have many differences, they are alike in some ways, one of them being that they mostly use art to tell their story. For scenery, what in a normal book would take a few sentences only takes one frame in these kinds of books.

Manga are not the same as what you might think of as comic books. Manga reads right to left. Graphic novels and comic books read left to right. Though these differences are evident at first glance, most people still don’t know the difference between graphic novels and manga. At first I didn’t know the difference either, but over time I have come to recognize their characteristics and can now tell them apart.

One of the differences, as previously mentioned, is that manga reads right to left, while graphic novels read left to right, the way we are used to. The reason that manga reads “backwards” is because that is the traditional way the people read in Japan. The only publishing conversions that are made from Japan to America are that it is translated from Japanese to English, and that maybe the translator put in some notes. When manga first started being published in the U.S., publishers would “flip” the pages as to not to confuse readers as much. However, there was a downside to this. For example, a poster in the background saying, “Happy Birthday”,would read, “yadhtriB yppaH”. To preserve the original format, publishers now publish them right to left.

For me, another difference between manga and graphic novels is just the feel of the art. Manga has a more flowy style, while graphic novels have a choppier feel to them. Most manga also have titles that were not fully translated into English, and an example of a graphic novel could be a more modern version of a comic book.

Personally, since I have been reading manga for a long time, I feel that graphic novels are a tad tacky. Nevertheless, I love reading either manga or graphic novels in my spare time, and both kinds are usually enjoyable for people of all ages.

-Linna C., 7th grade

Book Review: The Magic Thief, by Sarah Prineas

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magic_thief_coverThe Magic Thief is one of my all-time favorite books. It really keeps me hooked. I recommended it to both my mom and my dad, and when they read it, they liked it too! As you can clearly see, this is a good book for all ages, though I think that it is geared more towards readers in their teens.

The story opens with the introduction of a young thief named Connwaer. He sees a man in the streets, and pickpockets him. What he gets is a wizard’s locus magicalicus, a special stone that lets a wizard use magic. The stone begins to glow brightly, and the man who we now know as a wizard comes back and invites Conn to dinner. While at the dinner table The wizard, whose name is Nevery, tells Conn that his locus magicalicus will probably kill him. Suddenly, the stone becomes cold and heavy and begins to pull Conn into a dark hole. Nevery asks Conn what his name is, and then shouts a spell that saves Conn from certain death. Nevery says he is interested in Conn because his locus magicalicus didn’t kill him right away, and takes him in as his apprentice.

This is only the first book in a trilogy. The second book is The Magic Thief: Lost and the third book is The Magic Thief: Found. Those books are just as good, maybe even better than this one. I love this series a lot and I believe that if you read it, you will love it too. There are currently three copies in the Mission Viejo Library; I recommend that you place a hold or pick up a copy and read.

-Linna C., 7th grade

Manga Review: Never Give Up vol. 1, by Hiromu Mutou

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never_give_up1Once upon a time, there was a girl named Kiri Minase. She wanted to be the “princess” of a boy named Tohya Enishi. Kiri set her life’s goal at the age of four: to marry Tohya. Years pass, and Kiri still hasn’t given up on her goal. However, there is only one problem, that she looks like a boy! She wants to be as girly and feminine as possible so that she can become the perfect princess for Tohya. However, when her mom hires Tohya in her modeling agency, Kiri decides to follow to protect him and enters the world of modeling as a boy! But then things start getting a little tricky when people start falling in love with Kiri’s male self, and Kiri is kissed by a boy who isn’t Tohya!

This book is a sweet read, and the plotline is superb. It is absolutely hilarious most of the time and will probably make you laugh out loud, or at least laugh inside. Although at times it can get a little confusing, sometimes that added factor is just the thing to make you laugh. I really loved this book. If you ever see it, pick it up and give it a try.

There aren’t any copies in any of the libraries in Orange County, but there is always a chance that you’ll stumble upon it in one of your local bookstores. On a scale from 1 to 10, I would give it an 8.5. As I said before, it can get a little confusing sometimes, nevertheless, I would still recommend this book.

-Linna C., 7th grade

Manga Review: Shugo Chara! vol. 1, by Peach-Pit

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shugo_chara1Who do you want to be? Fifth grader Amu Hinamori is everything a fifth grader would want to be. She’s smart cool, and popular. But she has a secret: she’s tired of being that exterior character that isn’t the real her.

One night she prays to her guardian angel that she can be born as a different person. The next morning when she wakes up, there are three eggs in her bed! While at school, she does something mean to the guy she loves, and later that day, she suddenly bursts out in an assembly that she loves him. Embarrassed and upset, she runs away, wishing that she had a hole to hide in… and falls into a hole at a construction site and lands on a boy. He starts sniffing around her and swipes one of her eggs! Suddenly, a worker starts dumping dirt into the hole, and Amu worries that she will be buried alive, but one of her eggs hatches and gives birth to a mini person called a guardian character whose name is Ran, and helps her get out of the hole. However, the same guy that was in the hole with her suddenly sprouts cat ears, saying that he will get her other eggs too!

I really love this book series. It is one of my all-time favorite manga series. The artwork is at times sophisticated, but here and there are some little doodles. I love the blend. I also love the texturizing in the beginnings of some of the chapters. And the way that they introduce the concept of the story is fantastic. On a scale from 1 to 10, I would probably rate it a 9.5. It is also great for laughs, so try to pick up a copy at your local library, you will not regret it.

-Linna C., 7th grade

Book Review: The Phantom Tollbooth, by Norton Juster

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phantom_tollbooth_coverThe Phantom Tollbooth is a classic novel in which everything is taken seriously, and misinterpretations are common. There is an Island of Conclusions (you get there by jumping) and a car that goes without saying.

There is a young boy named Milo. He is always bored and has extra time. Then, one day a package arrives in Milo’s room, addressed to “Milo, who has plenty of time.” Inside is a genuine turnpike tollbooth. Milo hops in his car and drives through the tollbooth, beginning his journey to the Lands Beyond.

On his travels, he meets the whether man (after all, it’s more important to know whether there will be weather than what kind of weather there will be), Tock, the watchdog (who goes tickticktick), the Humbug, and many, many more. He embarks on a great journey to The Castle in the Air to bring back the princesses Pure Reason and Sweet Rhyme. He faces many challenges, comes face-to-face with monsters like the demon of insincerity and the Terrible Trivium. His friends help him along the way and come forth to help him face the demons, even Canby (who went to show that he was as brave as can be but stayed back to show that he was as cowardly as can be). When Milo returns back home, he begins to enjoy his life, and realizes that there is always something to do right there.

The Phantom Tollbooth is a great book that has been enjoyed by readers of all ages for over 50 years. I recommend reading it, because you will never know what comes next.

-Linna C., 7th grade