Tuesday, August 03, 2004

Demon in My View by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes


The thrilling sequel to In the Forests of the Night, DEMON IN MY VIEW, captivates readers of all ages. This fast-paced novel depicts 17-year-old social outcast, Jessica, as she is confronted by the dark and mysterious characters of her thought-to-be-fictional book, the most frightening of whom is Aubrey, the all-powerful vampire featured in Atwater-Rhodes' previous book. This book was highly entertaining and pleasantly out-of-the-ordinary. Tanya J.

Macaroni Boy by Katherine Ayres


It is 1933, and the Great Depression has taken its toll on Amerians everywhere. A young boy named Mike Costa is growing up in the Strip. In fact, his father and uncles own the Costa Brothers: Fine Foods warehouse. When Mike's grandpa starts getting sick, Mike and his best friend, Joseph Ryan, try to figure out what is making Grandpa feel so bad.
MACARONI BOY is one of my favorite stories. One part I like about this story is Mike and Joseph's friendship. They would do almost anything for each other. Another thing I like is the mood. Even though times are rough, everyone tries to make the best of it. I also like how the story is set in Pittsburgh. I give MACARONI BOY a double-thumbs-up! Bruce H.

The Giver by Lois Lowry


This is a story about a boy named Jonas. Jonas lives in what some today would think a perfect world, a world without war, greed, winter, or animals. He thinks so until the Ceremony of Twelve, when twelve-year-olds get their careers. He gets the Receiver of Memories as his. While in his training with the Giver, he realizes the truths about the place in which he lives. He also realizes that he needs to do something about it. My favorite part of this book is when he meets the Giver. It is very interesting how Jonas grows to learn that where he lives is not a good place. This is my favorite of Lois Lowry's books. Everyone should read it! Sylvia H.

Dicey's Song by Cynthia Voigt


When Dicey and her two brothers and her sister get abandoned the summer before, they end up at her grandmother's house where they think their troubles are over, but they aren't. The whole story is how Dicey and her brothers and sister start their new life while dealing with going to school, making money, parents dying and helping their sister, Maybeth, learn how to read. But while they are doing or going through all this, they are trying to stay close as a family. I loved this book so much. It was so interesting how they dealt with their troubles. Before you read this book you should read the prequel it called Homecoming. I liked both of these books a lot I think you will too! Sylvia H.

The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi


This book is about a girl named Charlotte who is put on a ship with a bunch of pirates. One day one of the crew is murdered, and she is blamed for it. Her friend, Zachariah, who was accused earlier of something else, helps her try to find out who really murdered the man. Once she finds out who it was, it is quite a struggle to get the truth out because she doesn't know whom to trust. Finally she tells someone, and then he betrays her. The thing I like most about this story is the way she had to do the dare so that she could become the crew's friend. I loved the way the book was written too. Sylvia H.

Lily's Crossing by Patricia Reilly Giff


This book, LILY'S CROSSING, was about a girl named Lily Mollahan. Every year Lily went to Rockaway by the Atlantic Ocean to spend her summer. This year at Rockaway, her best friend, Margaret, and her family have moved to a wartime factory town to live, and Lily's father has gone overseas to fight in the World War II. Then, Lily met a boy named Albert who was a refugee from Hungary. They meet, and they rescued a kitten someone has abandoned in harbor. After that, they became great friends. Lily told him she had lost her mother and was staying with her grandmother, and Albert said both his parents got killed for writing newspapers about how much they hated the Nazis and Hitler. Also, Albert's sister, Ruth, is sick in a hospital in France. At the end of the story, Lily's father comes home and Albert is back with his sister. Lisa D.

Streams to the River, River to the Sea by Scott O'Dell


STREAMS TO THE RIVER, RIVER TO THE SEA was about a Shoshone girl named Sacagawea. It was an evening in late summer when Sacagawea was gathering berries with her cousin, Running Deer. A group of Minnetanees captured Running Deer and Sacagawea and killed many people from her village, including her mother. Sacagawea was taken to a village ruled by chief Black Moccasin. One day, she escaped and came upon a small island. As the nights grew colder, one morning she was rescued by a man named Toussaint Charbonneau. He married Sacagawea because he thought he had rescued her, even though Sacageawea didn't like him. After Sacageawea had a baby, two men named Lewis and Clark came to their camp. Sacagawea went along with the men, because they needed her to be their guide and interpret for them as they explored the Mississippi. Sacagawea went with them on foot, horseback, and by canoe, which was a four thousand mile journey. Lisa D.