“Interesting Readers Society - Book Reviews by Young Adults - School Library Journal” plus 1 more |
| Interesting Readers Society - Book Reviews by Young Adults - School Library Journal Posted: 04 Oct 2009 04:54 PM PDT Raschke, Erik. The Book of Samuel. St. Martin's/Griffin. October 2009. ISBN: 978-0-312-37969-8. Gr 7-11. The Book of Samuel tells about an inspiring journey of a young boy in inner city Denver. The book begins with his father leaving his humble family and setting out on a religious quest of his own making. As his father leaves, Samuel's journey begins. This story deals with racism, friendship, undying family love, overcoming the odds, poverty, and ultimately, making the best of everything. I liked the cover because it was somewhat free and spirited like the story itself but with a mood that set the tone. I would have preferred a slightly older boy on the cover. The book's most gripping feature was the boy's innocence. Throughout the tale, he adds humor and mock disappointment to make even the most serious of circumstances enjoyable and entertaining. The character's voice is pure and incredible. I surprisingly was not disappointed in the book for any particular reason except when the plot felt a little gapped, but otherwise it was an awesome book all around. – Jason P., age 14
Jane Turner is a high school senior and a barista at a coffee shop called Wired Joe's. Her job consumes most of her time, and because she spends so many hours around coffee drinkers, she's starts to notice some patterns. Certain types of people buy certain drinks. Jane starts writing down her observations, and soon it develops into a quasi-science she calls "Espressology." This leads her to set up people on blind dates based on their drink of choice. When her boss finds out, he decides that her matchmaking should be the store's holiday promotion—and suddenly Jane's in way over her head. The cover was very cute, and definitely fit the book cover—light colors, a steaming coffee cup, and a couple in place of a logo on the cup. The cover art was simple, interesting, and gives readers clear insight to its contents. I also absolutely loved Jane's little coffee profiles, which were sprinkled throughout the book. They were often funny and seemed accurate, even if I don't know as much about coffee and the people who drink it as Jane does. I wish that there was an appendix in the back with even more personality descriptions; it'd be fun to consult it before ordering at Starbucks. I expected light and fluffy, and that's exactly what I got. – Lisa M., age 15
Hate seems to be everywhere in our world today. And when you add the ups and downs, the hormones and mood swings of high school, the amount of hate seems to explode. Hate List is about recovering from hate after Nick, one student at Garvin High, lets it consume him. Valerie was Nick's girlfriend until he opened fire on the high school cafeteria last May. She got shot trying to stop him, and ended up saving one of the people she hated most. Then Nick turned the gun on himself. Now Valerie is left trying and pick up the pieces of her now mangled life, which involves parents who hate each other and a school that seems to hate Valerie for the list she helped Nick create. She also can't figure out where she stood in Nick's life, where she stands with the girl she saved, or even with herself. This stunning novel shows the poison that hate can create within all of us and how it's possible to overcome before it's too late. The best aspect of the book is most definitely the characters. They are so colorful, from the clean-cut Detective Panzelle to the purple-loving Bea. The characters truly make this story. Hate List is a stunning portrayal of high school life. It focuses on very tough issues that many high schoolers face, especially in the face of tragedy. It has some amazing characters too: Valerie is a very deep, troubled girl who is trying to find her way; Heiler is her guide and mentor as he tries to help her pick up the pieces and start anew; Jessica is a testament to how we can all change for the better. Together they create an extraordinary cast in this amazing novel. The cover shows that the novel is full of tears and darkness, but also beauty in the last place we expect it. -Rachel M., age 16
Jessica Hunsucker's mother is the type of person you would remember once you met her. She has a charming and yet influential personality that overcomes any doubts you may have of her -- besides the fact that she sold her daughter to the devil in exchange for becoming president of the United States. Enter the world of once normal Jessica Hunsucker who is plunged into a realm of evil political plots, a dashing demon by the name of Brad, what it means to love, suburban hell, and what the true meaning of the word "evil" is. I like the cover because it reflects the flames of Jessica's inner conflict and of literal hell, and the devil-horned doll illustrates how she is a charming and nice girl who somehow ended up in the wrong place. I especially liked the quote in the upper corner, "What's a nice girl like you doing in a place like hell?" The book's strongest feature is Jessica's attachment to the demon Brad. She only knew him for a short while, but still found herself attracted to him in ways that aren't normal. True, she had other guys involved in her life, but she still stayed true to Brad, which really helped form a sense of her character. I was disappointed with how strangely the story began though. I couldn't quite make sense of everything until later, but when I got it, it clicked really well. I liked the humor and side characters that helped balance out all the lead characters that led the story. – Jason P., age 14
In The Ask and the Answer, Todd and Viola are in the town of Haven, which is now known as New Prentisstown. Mayor Prentiss has taken over and is dictating several new laws, among them that women and men must be separated. Viola is under the care of a healer, Mistress Coyle, and Todd is with the Mayor, working with Davy Prentiss, Jr. When a war begins between the Ask and the Answer, there's one problem—Todd is part of the Ask, and Viola is part of the Answer. At the same time, the settlers are coming ever closer to New World, and whoever can reach them first will have all the power. Will Todd and Viola be able to reconcile with each other and overcome both of the corrupted leaders? The thought process of the characters is interesting, especially when they can all hear each others' thoughts. The way that Todd and Viola are set against each other, trying to choose what's right between two wrong leaders, is a unique struggle of good versus evil. I liked the cover, especially the words along the bottom that look like screechy noise and the presence of two moons in the sky, the color scheme, and the title's font. The only thing I didn't like was that there was a line of men on horseback, because while Todd and the Mayor have horses, most of the soldiers didn't so it's not very representative. Still, overall I liked the cover. The book is compelling because it shows how differently people react when they can hear each others' thoughts. The way that men first blamed the Spackles and then the women for the problems in Prentisstown is a prime example of scapegoating, and the way that the book portrays war is very true. The only reason I was disappointed with the book was that it was sad and depressing, but I guess that's all part of war. - Anne H., age 16
Diary of a Witness tells the heartbreaking story of an outcast named Ernie, who was always picked on. His severe obesity and lack of friends made it easy. But one day, when a freak accident occurs, his best (and only) friend Will finds that his world is thrown into chaos. As other high school students gradually amp up their bullying tactics, Will spirals deeper into a depression, Ernie's battle against obesity isn't going all that well, and then Ernie finds himself making the toughest decision of his life. Catherine Hyde does an incredible job giving insight to how mean high school students can get, and how devastating the psychological effects can be. Written brilliantly, start to finish, readers will be cheering for Ernie the whole way through. High school students will get the most out of this, and I think all of them should be required to read it; however, junior high students will enjoy it too. The cover is a little misleading, but in the end it makes sense. Just like a bomb, Ernie's and Will's lives begin ticking down, and they have to make decisions when all odds are against them. What makes this book so compelling is that it's so real. Some students really go through what Hyde describes on a day-to-day basis. She shows in such clear light how important compassion is and how the people who need it the most rarely get it. The story is heart wrenching, yet engaging. She does a wonderful job of making deep characters, while moving the plot along at a good pace. Some scenes did drag on a bit and there was one in the beginning about fishing that felt like it went on forever. However, I'm glad I didn't put it down, because later in the scene it started to get better. - Michael R., age 14 The Interesting Reader Society (IRS--"teens, not taxes!"), is a library teen advisory and reading group for kids in grades 6-12 from the Poudre River Public Library District in Fort Collins, CO. Currently, there are about 40 members with an average of 25 teens per monthly meeting. IRS is also one of the 15 2009-2010 national teen reading group appointees for the Teens' Top Ten/YA Galley project of the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). |
| Food for Thought: Are you a whiz of the fizz? - Tri-City Herald Posted: 07 Oct 2009 02:27 PM PDT People may speak different languages but there's one that may be universal to all lovers of Coca-Cola. It's the "ahh" sound you make after that first sip on a hot day or the "phsst" sound of the bubbles being released. If you can mimic those sounds you may find yourself with a starring role in an upcoming Coca-Cola commercial along with other fans worldwide. From now through Oct. 15, you can visit the Coca-Cola page on Facebook at http://CokeURL.com/soundsofcocacola and upload personal audition videos showcasing your own spin on the "Sounds of Coca-Cola." According to Shy Drohan, vice president of sparkling brands for Coca-Cola, the company is looking for fun videos "that make us thirsty." There are five categories: ice cubes dropping into a glass; pouring a Coke over ice; the fizz as it's poured; that first sip; and the "ahh" moment of refreshment. So grab a case of Cokes, moisten your vocal cords and start recording your videos. Full details of the contest can be found at the website above. Seasonal closures If you haven't stocked up on apples, potatoes, squash and other produce that will keep into the winter months, best visit the farmers markets and produce stands soon. They'll all be closing for the season in the next few weeks. The Kennewick Farmers Market was the first to close on Sept. 3 and the Benton City Community Market closed Oct. 4. They'll be followed by the Pendleton Farmers Market on Oct. 16; the Hermiston Farmers Market on Oct. 17; the Richland Market at the Parkway on Oct. 28; and the Ephrata Farmers Market, the Walla Walla Valley Farmers Market, the Columbia Basin Farmers Market & Craft Bazaar, Prosser Farmers Market and the Pasco Farmers Market, all on Oct. 31. Hermiston festival The Blue Moon Saloon and Western Wine Festival runs from 7 to 11:30 p.m. Saturday at the Hermiston Conference Center, 415 S. Highway 395. New read The book: Food Made Fast: Baking is published by Williams-Sonoma. Cost: $18 Best for: This streamlined baking book has more than 90 color photos and 40 recipes that go together fast, yet are tasty and sure to appeal to anyone with a sweet tooth. Get more: Read more book reviews and literature news in Sunday's Desert Living. *Loretto J. Hulse: 582-1513; lhulse@tricityherald.com. To receive a recipe via e-mail each Tuesday register at tricityherald. com and click on newsletters. If you already are registered, click on edit account and newsletters to select Recipe of the Week. This exclusive recipe does not appear in the newspaper. |
Springer, Kristina. The Espressologist. CIP. Farrar. Sept. 2009. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-374-32228-1. Gr 7 and up.
Brown, Jennifer. Hate List. Little, Brown. Sept. 2009. ISBN: 978-0-316-04144-7. Gr 10 and up.
Kaye, Marilyn. Demon Chick. Henry Holt. Sept. 2009. ISBN: 978-0-8050-8880-9. Gr 9-12.
Ness, Patrick. The Ask and the Answer. Candlewick. Sept. 2009. ISBN: 978-0-7636-4490-1. Gr 8 and up.
Hyde, Catherine Ryan. Diary of a Witness. Knopf/Borzoi. Aug. 2009. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-375-85684-6; PLB $19.99. ISBN 978-0-375-95684-3. Gr 7 and up.| You are subscribed to email updates from Book-Reviews - Bing News To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
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