Book Review: Flipped, by Wendelin Van Draanen

Posted on November 26, 2013 by Leila S.

I have seen Flipped on many bookshelves and had never thought it would interest me. So when it was assigned as an 8th grade required reading book for English, I did not get too excited. However, after reading it, I regret having passed it by so many times. It was that good!

What makes this novel unique is the way the story is written. Each chapter switches off between Julianna and Bryce, the two main characters in the story. This writing style enables the reader to understand how each character is feeling. Even though the way the story is written is complex, the plot is actually quite simple.

The novel begins when Bryce moves into the vacant house across the street from Julianna. That was when they were in second grade. From the time Julianna first saw Bryce, she knew they would be best friends. However, Bryce did not share her idea from the very beginning. He tries to avoid her as much as she tries to follow him.
Major events throughout the book test their soon-to-be friendship. At times, they wish the other were not in their lives at all. However, by the end of the book, the thoughts of both characters have ‘flipped.’ They have each learned about each other and realized what they had missed when they first met. This part shows the moral of the book about looking beneath the surface and not making snap decisions about a person before you get to know them.

My favorite part of the book was the ending, because it was very sweet and left me wondering what was going to happen next. I did not feel like there was too much of a cliffhanger, though the ending did leave some of my questions unanswered.

I could relate to this book when the characters were changing their minds about each other. I know that in real life, I change my mind on some things frequently. One minute I have made a decision, and the next moment, I have questioned myself and then completely change my mind. For example, this occurs on insignificant decisions like what to wear or more important decisions such as what elective to take in school.
I would rate this book a 9.5 out of 10 and would definitely recommend it to younger teens. You certainly do not want to pass it by at a bookstore or library like I did so many times. You will regret not reading it!

-Leila S., 8th grade

Diary Of A Wimpy Kid: Book One vs Book Eight

Posted on November 25, 2013 by Satej B.

I recently went to the Jeff Kinney author signing event in Mission Viejo at the beginning of November. I got some photos, an autograph and of course the brand new Diary of a Wimpy Kid book #8: Hard Luck.

For this month’s blog I decided to do a comparison… between two Diary of a Wimpy Kid books! Book number 1 and 8. In Book 1, Greg is stuck in middle school with a bunch of morons…. but when will his life change? He dreams of being a super famous person when he grows up. But until them…..? In this story some events happen. For example during Halloween, Greg and his best friend Rowley have a “haunted house.” Greg types out flyers saying that is starts at 3 pm. But before he knew it was already 2:30 pm and they hadn’t even started to assemble the house!!! So they had to cut many things from their original blueprint. When a kid comes in, he is too scared to leave. So they have to call Rowely’s dad, who’s not too happy…

Book One was very interesting and full of laughter.

Book Eight, Hard Luck, is a brand new book. In the story, Greg has to deal with a lot of obstacles. Rowley , his best friend thinks he is too good for Greg since he has a girlfriend, Abigail. Greg has to also avoid the “Mingo” gang. They are a group of teens who live in the woods. Greg is on the search for a new best friend; will he find one? Or will he be forever alone?

Book One, I think, was better because of its humor. Greg had many funny adventures in it. It always made me want to read it over and over. I think i have read it almost six times already. Book Eight is good but it is a little bit more serious. Don’t get me wrong- Book Eight is good and you should definitely get it- but I like Book One better.

These two books are in a series which O recommend from ages 8-15 years, boy or girl.

-Satej B., 7th grade

Book Review: House of Hades, by Rick Riordan

Posted on November 25, 2013 by Nicole G.

The last book in the Heroes of Olympus series ended with a real cliffhanger. Actually, Percy and Annabeth were falling off a cliff into the depths of Tartarus. Rick Riordan’s dedication sums it up perfectly:

To my wonderful readers: Sorry about that last cliff-hanger. Well, no, not really. HAHAHAHA. But seriously, I love you guys.

I was so excited that I finished it the day it was released. I wouldn’t go so far to say the wait was completely worth it, because I still wished it was available as soon as I finished Mark of Athena, but such is life if you don’t wait for an author to finish a series before you start reading.

The chapters interchange between adventures on the Argo II and the terrors of Tartarus Percy and Annabeth must endure. The characters have a deeper relationship with each other and begin to act more like a team. The prophecy is almost complete, though I anticipate some twist at the end like in the first series. All of the seven half-bloods have their perspective in this book (Percy and Annabeth have the most chapters), and major changes are happening to them.

First of all, Hazel embraces The Mist, the magical force that make things appear to be what there’re not. Frank makes Mars proud, growing and discovering his own importance. Leo has his tool belt stolen, catches his clothes on fire, and might just find a love interest. Jason is questioning his Roman heritage, after seeing Camp Half-Blood and feeling more at home there than he ever did at Camp Jupiter. Piper confronts some old enemies and charmspeaks machinery. Nico, though not one of the seven or has any chapters from his perspective, is probably one of the characters we get to understand the most after he faces a god.

As for the couple in Tartarus, their time there is very bleak. If they thought they knew the hard life of a half-blood, it can always get worse. Drinking lava water to survive is the least of their worries. Can monsters even be killed in Tartarus? There are some funny moments there; Percy and Annabeth make such a cute couple. And, after several books of suspense, Percy’s sword can actually work as a pen. Very helpful tool when you are stuck in a place where monsters reform and even the gods never visit!

What I loved was the incorporation of old characters from the first series, as well as a major role of someone in the demi-god files. Some old monsters are back swearing revenge on Percy (Somehow they are never happy being vaporized for some reason) as well as new immortal enemies. Meanwhile, campers from Camp Jupiter arrive at Camp Half-Blood. Will a battle arise? Who, if anyone, will sacrifice their lives?

House of Hades is building up for the big finale. The ending in this book doesn’t have a cliff hanger aspect, but still, why does it have to be so long for the next one? Begin countdown for Blood of Olympus.

-Nicole G., 10th grade

Book Review: Beautiful Darkness, by Margaret Stohl & Kami Garcia

Posted on November 22, 2013 by Sabrina C.

Ethan Wate and Lena Duchannes grew closer and closer in the first book in this series, Beautiful Creatures, when they tried to ward off evil spirits. After the horrifying night of Lena’s Sixteenth Moon, they are not looking forward to another battle. Unfortunately, they soon learn that Lena will have to face another Claiming, when a Caster decides to be Light or Dark.

They start to worry and try to find answers, but the Seventeenth Moon gets nearer and they start to give up. Just when things are bad enough, Lena starts to pull away. Ethan is angry, but more confused, when he sees her with another guy. He and his friends try to find Lena and save her from her depression, when she thinks she is going Dark. He tries to think positive. Maybe this isn’t the end for them, but maybe it is.

This is the second book of the Beautiful Creatures Saga. In this book, they meet some new friends and uncover some dangerous secrets. It was a really entertaining book. I couldn’t put it down. Every chance I got, I would read. The authors leave great cliffhangers at the end of chapters. I was really surprised at some parts. When the story ended, I was sad because it was so good. I’m happy there is another book in the series, though. I hope everyone else loves this book as much as I do.

-Sabrina C., 8th grade

Book Review: Voyage of the Beagle, by Charles Darwin

Posted on November 21, 2013 by Phillip Xiang

Over the summer, my family visited the Galapagos Islands. Fascinated by the diversity of the animals and ecosystems, I came home and read Voyage of the Beagle by Charles Darwin.

The entire book documents the second voyage of HMS Beagle, which sailed around the world visiting different lands. The original purpose of the voyage was to survey the coasts of South America. While the seamen surveyed, Darwin would embark on land to observe the geography and wildlife. Based on the observations of animal diversity, Charles Darwin eventually developed his theory of evolution. Famed for its controversial ideas, his newly published book quickly gained fame.

Darwin’s story begins in 1821. The entire book consists of multiple journal entries, each documenting his observations of the surrounding geology and ecosystems. Similar to a scientific journal, Darwin describes the fine details of many plants and animals. Besides his botanical reports, the story is much like any other entertaining novel. After all, Darwin did circumnavigate the globe, exploring relatively uncharted regions.

photo of Galapagos Islands birds by flickr user Michael R. Perry

Even though Charles Darwin didn’t think of his theory of evolution during the journey, it is clear that his thought process was hinting towards it. For example, Darwin stated that it seemed as though the animals there were merely a modified version of a previous creature. Reading this book, I could really tell that Charles Darwin was a very intelligent person. His skills in observation and deduction are considerable for a person in his twenties. He has a very distinct personality that shows in his book, particularly influenced by the time period in which this was written.

Considering the scientific importance and the controversy, Voyage of the Beagle is an excellent read for everyone. Although the language is almost two centuries old, most of the sections are fairly easy to understand. Sometimes I skimmed over the botanic studies and documentations, but most of the book was still adventurous enough for me. So, if you want to learn how the idea of evolution came to life, this exotic adventure is perfect for you.

-Phillip X., 8th grade

Book Review: Willow, by Julia Hoban

Posted on November 20, 2013 by Meagan R.

The book Willow by Julia Hoban is a very touching story. Personally I think you would have to be mature enough to read this book– it’s definitely not for all ages. The background of the story is that this girl Willow was out with her parents and her parents had a drink or two and they couldn’t drive, so they have Willow drive. Willow drives down this road in the rain and spins off the road and crashes into a tree, which kills both of her parents but she is still alive and has to live with her older brother and his wife or girlfriend and their daughter.

This girl Willow has to go to a new school and she cuts herself to release her pain. Her brother doesn’t know that, but she does because she can’t stand her stress and pain, so she cuts herself with a blade or anything she can find. One day she bumps into this guy and she tries to get away from him, but he finds her stash of blades in her backpack and she tries to stop him from telling her brother, but he has this sense where he needs to help her stop and can she trust him and let go of her blades? Or does she ignore his help and continue?

Personally I love this book; it gave me a new view of life and the pain people put themselves through to feel better, and it was really sad but a real eye-opener. I found out about this book because I was at the bookstore and I saw it on the shelf and I thought, “this seems interesting,” so I went to my public library and got it. I think it’s an amazing book, but I think 13-year-olds or older can read this, because you have to be really mature.

-Meagan R., 8th grade

Book Review: Half-Moon Investigations, by Eoin Colfer

Posted on November 20, 2013 by Maya S.

Half-Moon Investigations, a mysterious detective story by Eoin Colfer, is about a boy named Fletcher Moon who walks straight into the wrong fighting ring. The story starts out with Fletcher Moon, private eye, coming to school ten minutes early to find out he should have quit his detective business for good. He walks into a fighting ring with a Sharkey fighting in it.

Now the Sharkey family is a rule-breaker family. If there ever was a rule that was to be broken, the Sharkeys would go far out of their way just to break it.

This time in the fighting ring there was the tallest, biggest kid in the school and Herod Sharkey. They were in a headlock waiting for Mr. Detective Fletcher to show up. They then send Fletcher on a life-changing case.

Fletcher believes he has solved the case, but every afternoon he is asked to visit a different person’s house. He is working for many people when he discovers his badge is missing. At this point in the story, I think the Mission Impossible theme song should begin. There is a conspiracy appearing behind all of the smiling, innocent faces. Fletcher goes out on his own exploration turning away from FBI to CSI. He finds himself in the hospital the next morning with a small concussion and a broken wrist. He is not done yet with his new CSI job. He creeps out of the hospital only to find himself back in the hospital hours later with a burnt-out torch in his hand. What is happening? Fletcher makes an unlikely friend, is treated differently, and uses his smarts to solve the mystery.

He gets his badge back, mentors another detective-in-training, and is a hero to new friends and an enemy to old. As a film, I would recommend the song Smooth Criminal by Michael Jackson during the credits, because it reflects how Fletcher feels during the entire book.

I think Eoin Colfer did a fantastic job with this book! I have his Artemis Fowl series, and I found a few connections between the different genres. I love the detective aspect of this story, and Mr. Colfer wrote as though he was the detective. I would definitely rate this book a 10 out of 10 for its wonderful detective characteristic and the superbly written story.

-Maya S., 6th grade

Book Review: Starlight, by Erin Hunter

Posted on November 19, 2013 by rwong2002

Out of all the ten books I have read of the Warriors series, this one was my most favorite. Starlight, by Erin Hunter, is a story about wild cats that move into a new home. They have to learn how to survive in surroundings that are much different from their past home, as the forest is now being destroyed by Twolegs (humans).

The four clans of warrior cats– Thunderclan, Windclan, Shadowclan, and Riverclan– try to settle in their new home by seeking food, shelter, and boundaries to set up defenses to protect their own territories. When the Windclan leader dies and there is no place for the clans to speak with Starclan, the clans’ warrior ancestors, the cats think that all hope is lost. But one certain character will not give up in order to unite the clans together. Will Brambleclaw succeed or will chaos take over?

Throughout the whole Warriors series, I have grown to love the main characters’ personalities. All of the cats are very skilled warriors who are caring, courageous, honorable, and selfless. In addition, they fight like leaders to protect each of their clans. There are many scenes in the book when the warrior cats fight and this is what made Starlight so fast-paced. The suspense made me want to keep reading to the next chapter and I couldn’t put the book down! In my opinion, I would rate this book an eight out of ten and would recommend it to kids ages ten to sixteen who enjoy fantasy and action.

-Riley W., 6th grade

Book Review: Ostrich Boys, by Keith Gray

Posted on November 18, 2013 by Will R.

When their best friend, Ross, accidentally bikes in the path of an oncoming car and gets hit, Blake, Kenny, and Sim are devastated. At Ross’ memorial service, when no one seems to be incredibly sad, Blake, Kenny and Sim become angry; first spraying graffiti on their History Teacher’s house, and then another classmate’s house, in retribution for the way those people had treated Ross in life. Now, the three boys turn off their cell phones, steal Ross’ ashes, run and the story’s narrative is set.

In Ostrich Boys, by Keith Gray, the three protagonists start from their hometown in England, and escape from their parents, taking Ross’ ashes with them to give Ross a proper burial in Ross, Scotland. On their journey, the boys learn how to accept each other, and experience many heart pounding and exciting moments, only to find the FBI looking for them, and to uncover a shocking truth.

Ostrich Boys is one of those books you will want to read just by glancing at the front cover and title. Although this book is not on the popular radar, I would definitely recommend it. However, this book is probably only for teens 13 or 14 and older. Ostrich Boys is a find and one you will likely enjoy.

-Will R., 9th grade

Book Review: Out of My Mind, by Sharon Draper

Posted on November 15, 2013 by Anmol K.

Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper is a beautiful novel about a special eleven-year-old girl named Melody. She is extremely smart, and has an incredible memory. Despite all the amazing qualities that Melody has, nobody is aware of them. They all think that she is not capable of learning anything. But, why is that? – Melody cannot walk or talk or write because she has a condition called Cerebral Palsy.

Once Melody turned five she was enrolled into a school. Melody was not with the “typical” kids. Instead, she was in a special program for children with special needs. She had been in the program for five years. Now she is in 5th grade and is eleven. Melody does not like the fact that she cannot express what she wants to say. After some online research, she discovers a device called the Medi-Talker. The device just needs to be controlled by thumbs, which she is very much capable of. She asks her parents for the Medi-Talker. Would her parents say yes to it, will she be able to use and communicate like she always wanted to? Well, you have to read this heartwarming book to find out her great achievements despite her limitations.

I loved this book! It had been such a long time since I read a good book like this. My favorite part was Melody’s positive spirit despite all she had been through with her life. I would recommend it to anybody who needs an uplifting story like this.

-Anmol K., 7th grade

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