Thursday, August 12, 2004

The Last Book in the Universe by Rodman Philbrick


This is a dark story about a boy named Spaz that is living in a dangerous civilization after the world as we know it was destroyed after a giant earthquake. The world has gone back to survival of the fittest except for a genetically altered few that have separated from the rest in a paradise called Eden. Spaz must get from one side of the Urb, the destoyed city in which he lives, to the other through several warring territories to see his sick sister. He enlists the help of an old man who is writing a book about his life that nobody knows how to read and is hoping for one last adventure. He also is accompanied by a small street boy and girl from Eden. Together they must save his sister and find their places in the world. This is a great story with frightening possibilities dealing with renewed prejudices that come from being uneducated. Katie M.

Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul on Love and Friendship


This book, titled CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE TEENAGE SOUL ON LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP, was an inspiring book to read. The stories in this book are very interesting to read beecause they are written by people about my age. This book had stories about breaking up, love, friendship, family, hard times. and growing up. I enjoyed reading this book and I could relate to some of these stories in this book. LISA D.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J. K. Rowling


When I read HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN, I liked it. When Harry goes to Hogwarts, the Prisoner of Azkaban has escaped from Azkaban. When Harry and his friends Ron and Hermione find out that Ron's pet rat, Scabbers, is a killer, they are surprised. You should read Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and adults should read it, too. Ronak P.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling


HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS is a wonderful book that I read. It is Harry's second year at the magical school Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It is a great adventure book for kids to read. Will Harry win against the big and deadly basilisk? Find out for yourself when you read HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS. Ronak P.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J. K. Rowling


I read HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE, and it was great. It is Harry's first year at Hogwarts. He and his new friends Ron and Hermione quickly find out lots about the Sorcerer's Stone. In the end they were wrong about who was trying to steal the stone. So read the book and you'll find out what happens. Ronak P.

Fences by August Wilson


FENCES is a play by August Wilson and takes place from 1957 to 1965 in the vicinity of Pittsburgh. Troy Maxson, the main character in the play, was a great baseball player. Despite his incredible batting average, he never got a chance to have a career in baseball because of the color of his skin. Troy's son, Cory, has a talent in sports just like his father, however, Troy will not let Cory follow his dream of becoming a football player since he got turned down in baseball because of his race. He didn't want Cory to go through what he had went through. Because of his father's decision to cut him from the team, Cory begins to see Troy as someone who is holding him back. Throughout the play, the writer sets up a dramatic storyline, but at the same time amusing moments are mixed in to make an interesting conglomeration of writing both dramatic and comical. This is why I appreciate the structure of this play and its writing style. Fences tries to keep an imporant message throughout the book. The message is, give one another a shot at their goals and treat each other the way that you would want to be treated because we are all created equal. Bob P.

Heir to the Empire by Zahn


This wasn't the best Star Wars book I've read. It brings out more characters and species, but the story line dragged. The author creates minimal suspense and waits too long to reveal the mysteries. Han Solo tries to create alliances with smugglers for the New Republic. Leia is continually attacked by aliens and learns they have a connection to Vader. We learn of Chewie's world, with cities among the trees. The Empire has employed a new Jedi for their plans. Ultimately, the story is good enough, but it lacked the suspense of the other Star Wars books. Ellen D.

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur C. Doyle


The book is set at the end of the 19th century and portrays the cases of the famous English detective, Sherlock Holmes, through the eyes of his loyal assistant, Dr. Watson. Whether it's the solving of a royal family case or discovering a plain old man's secret, the readers become thoroughly interested in the brilliance of the observing eye of the man with a large magnifying glass in his pocket.

Personally, I liked the stories very much. The writing was easy to understand but still managed to paint a picture of the settings and the people involved. Karolina D.