Archive for the 'Teen Reviews' Category
September 10th, 2012 by fjacksonem
Dizzy looks forward to only one day every year: her birthday. Not because of the presents she gets, or the parties she has, but because of a letter. This letter is not a normal letter, even if it might be to someone else. This letter is from her mom, her mom that she hasn’t seen in 8 years. But this year is unusual. One day, she comes back to school and she sees a complete stranger in her house talking to her dad. The stranger also says she is her mom. Dizzy is thrilled and even happier when her mom, aka Storm, wants her to travel with her. She thinks Storm convinced her dad into traveling and sets off to the life of a hippie. While at a festival, her mom leaves Dizzy with one of her friends and goes off to her boyfriend. Storm isn’t the mom she thought she would be. But at the festival she meets Finn, who she shares a first kiss with. She also meets Mouse, a boy who is like a little brother to her. The hippie-traveler life is fun, but she does miss her other life.
This book was really interesting, so I recommend Dizzy for girls in 6th-8th grade.
Cynthia Johnson
W.T. Clarke Middle School
8th Grade
July 2nd, 2012 by fjacksonem
Every few years, Willa Havisham and her mother, Stella Havisham, pack their bags and move, right when Willa starts to get used to the place. Willa has a few wishes: to make friends, to find true love, and her biggest wish- to find a great dad who both she and her mother will like. So far, her wishes never seem to come true.
But, when they move to Stella’s hometown, Cape Cod, all of Willa’s wishes start to come true. She befriends a girl named Tina, and adores a classmate, Joseph Francis Kennelly, and best of all, finds someone who is capable of being a perfect dad and husband. Suddenly it seems as if her wishes stop coming true! Can she reverse it so the wedding planner can plan her own wedding? Or will Willa and her mom have to take out the suitcases and move again?
The Wedding Planner’s Daughter was funny and romantic. I recommend it to 6th-8th graders.
Cynthia Johnson
Clarke Middle School
8th grade
May 17th, 2012 by fjacksonem
Since the Boston Red Sox sold Babe Ruth to their hated rivals, the New York Yankees, thus starting the so called “Curse of the Bambino”, they hadn’t won a championship. Time after time, the Red Sox had their championship hopes taken away from them. However, when the team goes on sale, a group of men become determined to turn that around, and take the team to the promised land once again.
From page one, author Seth Mnookin chronicles the team’s past, to their victorious present, and their title chasing future. The author’s exclusive clubhouse access provides the reader with hundreds of never before seen interviews. From struggles to triumphs, the reader gets an in depth look at how every member of the team felt about it.
I’d recommend Feeding the Monster for sports fans in 9th grade and up.
Damien Whikehart
Grade 7
Woodland Middle School
September 10th, 2011 by fjacksonem
COME JUNETEENTH by Ann Rinaldi is a historical fiction novel about a girl, Luli, and her friend, Sis Goose. This is Sis Goose’s journey when she finds out that she is free. Since Sis Goose, whose real name is Rose, lived with Luli and her family her whole life, she and Luli are more than friends they are like sisters. When Sis Goose finds out that she has been free for more than two years and Luli and her family didn’t tell her, she was shocked. Yankee soldiers took over the house and were the ones who told Sis Goose, Luli’s pa is dying, and Sis Goose wants to live in the house with the Yankees where trouble erupts. To find out what happens to Sis Goose, Luli and her family, read COME JUNETEENTH by Ann Rinaldi.
I RECOMMEND COME JUNETEENTH AND ALL THE OTHER BOOKS BY ANN RINALDI TO MIDDLE SCHOOLERS WHO LIKE HISTORICAL FICTION.
Lauren Moerler
Grade 6
W. Tresper Clarke Middle School
September 6th, 2011 by fjacksonem
Cynthia Johnson reviews Ann Brashares’ SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS.
This is the first time that best friends Carmen, Lena, Bridget, and Tibby don’t spend their summer together. But how do they communicate? Through the Pants. Not just ordinary pair of pants, the Traveling Pants. They will also write letters to each other. The Pants surprisingly and magically fit everyone even though everyone had a different body shape. These Pants will help make the girls more confident, make the girls look very good, and the pants are very lucky. They also make the girls fall in love.
Carmen will be going to her father’s house in South Carolina, but finds out a surprising secret her father kept from her until her visit. Lena will be going to Greece to her grandparents, but her grandma is trying to force her to do something Lena doesn’t want to do, until something bad happens. Bridget will be going to soccer camp in Baja; she shows her soccer skills and finds a forbidden love. Although Tibby will be staying home and getting a job, she will also find a friendship that will last forever, even after death.
The girls will have their ups and downs, but things will always be resolved. Carmen, Lena, Bridget and Tibby will meet new friends and see old friends. They will get angry, frustrated, find love, and a bunch of other emotions. Perhaps the Pants will keep them together when they are separated, and maybe the pants will work their magic. Who knows what the pants will bring.
THIS BOOK WAS INSPIRATIONAL AND FUNNY, SO I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO 7th, 8th AND 9th GRADE READERS.
Cynthia Johnson
Grade 7
W. Tresper Clarke Middle School
September 1st, 2011 by fjacksonem
![SCANDALS RUMORS AND LIES JACKET COVER].jpg](http://yabooklog.nassaulibrary.org/oldblog/SCANDALS%20RUMORS%20AND%20LIES%20JACKET%20COVER%5D.jpg)
Do you love horses and drama? If you do then you should definitely read “SCANDALS,RUMORS, LIES” from the series “Canterwood Crest” by Jessica Burkhart. Everyone is going crazy when the anonymous gossip blogger featuring Sasha & Co. is turning secrets into campus-wide scandals. The big question that everyone wants answered is who’s the hater? The suspense is probably killing you now, but after reading the book we still don’t who the hater is. So, after this book try the next book in the series and try to find out who the hater is.
Lauren Moerler
Grade 6
W. Tresper Clarke Middle School
July 8th, 2011 by fjacksonem
THEODORA TWIST by Melissa Senate is an exciting novel about a teenage movie star’s journey to clean up her bad girl act by living with a regular teenage girl and her family in her old house and going back to her school for a reality T.V. show. In “Theodora Twist” Theodora learns how to go back to her regular life even with the other students treating her like the celebrity she is. Also Emily learns to live her regular life with a twist. The story goes back and forth between the two girl’s point of views adding another twist. I recommend this book to middle school girls who aren’t looking for a regular novel, they’re looking for one with a twist.
Lauren Moerler
W. Tresper Clarke Middle School
Grade 7
May 26th, 2011 by fjacksonem
The United States has fought many wars over the last one hundred and thousands of books and movies retell their stories. Here is a short selection of books and movies selected by Andrew Wilmarth, a history buff and available at the East Meadow Public Library.
SHOOTER by Jack Coughlin
Shooter is an autobiography of Gunnery Sergeant Jack Coughlin one of the top ranked Marine Snipers. In the book, Jack tells us of his time he spent in the Iraq war and a few operations before, including some sniping duty he had in the Philippines. He is able to describe in detail how he prepares for a kill, how he is able to actually do it, and how he is able to deal with what he has done afterward. Although Jack very often tries to play the “tough guy” routine he is able to make an emotional story out of a job that requires you to be as emotionless as possible. Another plus is that it doesn’t cover the usual war biography cliché of whether war can be justified. A good read for those who enjoy learning of others accounts of war.
THE D-DAY COMPANION by Various
This is a rather interesting book as it is written by various historians and history professors. It is a very factual book of the invasion of Normandy in 1944 as it tells the story of D-Day through the actual tactics used by both sides. Interestingly, the German account of the battle is also able to seep its way in and gives the book an interesting character. A good read for those who are looking for a more interesting look into the invasion of Normandy and the rest of World War 2.
CHICKENHAWK by Robert Mason
Chickenhawk is a very detailed biography of a Helicopter pilot, named Robert Mason, during the War in Vietnam. He is able to tell his journey from when he started in flight school, into the war itself, and how he had to deal with himself after the war. It uses very harsh language throughout the novel and is able to depict what life was like for some in Vietnam. Out of all Vietnam books I have read, this one is the most personal and most emotional.
THE GREEN BERETS by Robin Moore
The Green Berets is a book that grabbed my attention quickly. It is an account of a journalist who joins the Green Berets and trains with them, even though he is a civilian. He then goes to fight in Vietnam with the forces there, specifically the Green Berets. Although he changes some characters’ names and their personality he is able to preserve the realism and paints a picture of what the Green Berets are all about. Interestingly, it was written in 1965, a climax in the war’s fighting.
SINGAPORE: THE JAPANESE VERSION by Masanobu Tsuji
This book is a Japanese story about Japan’s capture of Singapore before World War 2 and tells of their side of the attack on Pearl Harbor. It is obviously different from most war books and novels because it is entirely comprised of accounts from the Japanese side of the battle at Pearl Harbor, and their campaign against the UK in Singapore. It is told by Japanese POVs during the time of World War 2.
HELMET FOR MY PILLOW by Robert Leckie
This book is one I have read before this project. It is perhaps one of the best accounts of a soldier during World War 2. Robert is able to make a gritty image of his time he served in the United States Marine Corps while keeping it on a very realistic level. In fact, much of the story for the HBO Miniseries, “The Pacific” (which I recommend watching), is based off of events that Robert Leckie experienced. It has fantastic storytelling and remains one of my favorite books I’ve ever read.
In addition, there are a lot more resources that cover the topics of World War 2, Vietnam, The Civil War, and other 21st century wars in the reference area of the Library. Unfortunately these books can’t be taken out of the library, so if you want to read them you need to read them in the library. It is worth it though, as many of the books are 1st editions and have been written during or immediately after these wars. Another bit that is interesting is the Time magazines you can find there. It is always interesting to see the points of view that were popular back then.
If you can handle viewing a bit of gore, I also recommend seeing the movies “ENEMY AT THE GATES” (A story of a Russian sniper in battle torn Stalingrad) , “SAVING PRIVATE RYAN” (The historical fiction story of a squad at Normandy, “APOCALYPSE NOW” (A great film that focuses on the state of mind of a soldier in Vietnam), or “THE HURT LOCKER” (An Academy Award winner focusing on Iraq).
Andrew Wilmarth
Grade 12
East Meadow High School
February 8th, 2011 by fjacksonem
The book, ANYTHING BUT TYPICAL by Nora Raleigh Baskin, is about an autistic boy named Jason. Anywhere Jason goes there’s a problem but when he writes on the Storyboard website, he turns into a different person. When Jason posts one of his stories a girl reads it and really likes it. So, they start to talk and share their different stories with each other. Since Jason has talked to her, he hasn’t been having any problems in school.
Every year there is a Storyboard convention Jason always wanted to go. Because he’s been doing well in school, his parents decide to take him. The girl he shares his stories with is also going. The one thing going through Jason’s mind is will she hate me or will she like me?
I would recommend this book to middle school students, both boys and girls.
Lauren Moerler
Clarke Middle School
Grade 6
February 7th, 2011 by fjacksonem
Do you enjoy Harry Potter? Do you love books jam-packed with adventure? Are you interested in Greek mythology? Are you getting sick listening to all these questions? If so, you might want to check out Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Rick Piordan. In this book, Percy Jackson realizes he is a demigod (the child of one of the gods), and he is the son of Poseidon, and starts going to a camp called Camp Half-Blood, a camp especially for half-bloods like him. There, he meets Annabeth Chase, the daughter of Athena, and Grover the satyr (half human, half goat.) He learns that someone has framed him of stealing Zeus’s lightning bolt, or as the title suggests, “The Lightning Thief.” He goes on a quest with Annabeth and Grover to clear his name and return the lightning bolt to Zeus. The series is compiled of five books, each leading closer and closer to the great Titan war against Kronos, the evil Titan lord. At one time, the gods broke Kronos into pieces and dropped all his remains into Tartarus. Luke, a previous camper at Camp Half-Blood, tries to bring Kronos back to his true form. He wants to bring down Olympus because he thinks the gods have been in charge for too long. I recommend this series to anyone in grades 6-9 in need of an adventure!
The titles of the Percy Jackson books are:
The Lightning Thief
The Sea of Monsters
The Titan’s Curse
The Battle of the Labyrinth
The Last Olympian
I hope you enjoy these books as much as I do!
Written by: Nicole Innvar
Grade 8
Woodland Middle School