2003 Books:

Books that weren't nominated for the 2004 BBYA list  (or the 2004 CLA YA Book of the Year Award)

Elaine Marie Alphin. Picture Perfect.
  • The ending, while being possible, is way too farfetched to be classified as a YA book, I'd expect something like that in a book by Stephen King or something. I love how the redwoods are wound into the story, but it's obvious at the end the author wants the story done. Or else you just have to be  older than 9th grade to understand this book 'cause obviously I didn't.3Q 2P. Gr 10-12. CS, 14.

David Amsden. Important Things That Don't Matter

  • I really liked this book! It was very easy to get into, and I loved how it showed him growing up through a bunch of short stories that were connected. The beginning of each chapter (or story I guess) was a little confusing, just getting all the new characters straight and figuring out how much he had aged since the last story. The whole book was really funny in a sad sort of way, especially the dad. I thought the scene where the dad is raving about the Honda and steps in the cheese was great. "The cheese is down." Also, the author is only 5 years older than me, which is very cool. 4Q 4P. BM, 15.
  • I really enjoyed this book. It was endearing yet scary and still you could laugh along with it. The whole story line is well organized. The thought and work that this book involved is clearly evident in the narration. The characters are well developed and fit their roles. This book does have some parts with subject matter that wouldn’t be understood by most pre-teens but it is a great book for both teenage girls and boys. 5Q 5P. KH, 15.
  • I can sum up the plot of this book in a sentence: the guy tries to write his autobiography, but only manages to terrify youth across the land. Period. End of story. Maybe David Amsden had an awful childhood, but if anyone else reads this book, their childhood is going to be scarred. 1Q 1P. CS, 14.
  • Important Things That Don't Matter was a pretty good book. The description was well done, and the plotline was well thought out. I've read quite a few books similar to this; so it's not all that unique. It was enjoyable to read, but not incredible. 4Q 3P. Gr 7-11. VM, 13.

Janet S. Anderson.  The Last Treasure

  • This was a pretty cool book. It was fast moving. There never was a dull moment. I didn't want to put this book down. The characters weren't dumb and ditzi and they weren't perfect. A draw back in this book was that there where to many people. I couldn't keep them all straight in my mind. The other draw back was that this book was predictable. I almost always knew what was going to happen. Nevertheless this world needs a book once and awhile that is fast paced and predictable. This would be that book. 4Q 4P. Below Gr. 7 - 11. EH, 16.

Colin Angus. Lost in Mongolia: Rafting the World's Last Unchallenged River

  • Book was great. Depicts the true story of how a group of people traveled the whole length of the Yenisey river. 5Q 5P. MF, 12.
  • Wow, I have sooo impressed with this book. It was amazing. All the problems that these guys went through went okay. I am going to go buy the first book soon. 5Q 5P. GF, 12.

Tracy Barrett. Cold in Summer

  • I enjoyed the mystery and the details they give us about everything. I also enjoyed the puzzels and the riddles that made me think. I can't think of any reasons on why I dislike this novel. 4Q 4P. E, 13. 

Max Barry. Jennifer Government

  •  "Jennifer Government" is one of the few teen novels I've read and reviewed that has immediately struck me as smart. It's a look at the world as an almost entirely free market economy. Ah, capitalism and all it's wonders. Not only well written, but witty, and the author seems to have a very good grasp of what he is talking about. The novel is fast paced, funny, and a hell of a good read. A book I'd buy for my own collection.
    My last thoughts: make this into a movie. It'd be a cult classic for sure, if not a blockbuster. 5Q 4P. JL, 17.

Fleur Beale. I am not Esther.

  • I don't know what to say about this book. The characters weren't very special, but you still wanted to know what happened to them. The plot is very original. The cult made me realise what some persons life may be like. Nothing really jumped out at me as being really good or really bad it was just a book that I could get throught fairly easily, yet it left me thinking about how fortunate I am to be able to choose how I live, and have the freedom to do something for myself. I'm not going to nominate it but i still think that people should read it. 3Q 4P. KH, 15.

James Bennet. Faith Wish

  • This book was intensely religious. As I am not of a Christian faith (or any other), maybe its message did not come across to me.. If you were of a Christian faith maybe this book might do something for you, but as for me it is a lost cause. The ending was very unsatisfactory in that [ed censor] Anyways, at the end of the book you don't know who is right, the girl, Anne-Marie, dies when her complete faith (which came about very suddenly and with little reason) that if she jumped off a cliff after fasting for a few days she would be taken into the lord's arms and .... do something other than fall to her death on the streambed below. her sister on the other hand, as I mentioned earlier, won a contest by cheating, the character putting her on the same level as her sister. At the funeral (for Anne-marie) the sister gets mad at one of the leaders of the religious cult..? that Anne-Marie was involved in and the leader dimply says, something like "it was the way the lord wished". The sister then felt humiliated that she had not helped Anne-Marie earlier and throws her medal into the grave. For some this may be a dramatic ending, but for me it was just plain stupid. *Again I am sorry for ruining the ending* 1Q 1P MC, 14.

Lucy Jane Bledsoe. Hoop Girlz.

  • So simple. But there's a message I like in here. If you don't get what you want, make it so you get what you want. If just proves that you're stronger. Probably if this book was given to someone younger, they'd nominate it, but while the book was readable, the ending didn't come too soon or too quick. 3Q 4P. CS, 14.

Lillian Boraks-Nemetz  & Irene N. Watts. Tapestry of Hope: Holocaust Writing for Young People.

  • I've never been fond of short story books, and although some stories included were well-written, this book didn't exactly kindle my fondness for short stories. There are a couple stories in here that after you read them, make you pause, then go back and read again. Take 'All there is to know about Adolph Eichmann' by Leonard Cohen, for example, page 149. Only 39 words, mind you, yet amazingly striking. 4Q 4P. CS, 14.

Marshall Boswell. Trouble with Girls.

  • 'Trouble with Girls' was good to begin with, but slowly lessened in quality until the end, where it was terrible. 'Trouble with Girls' is a collection of true short stories, about a young man growing up. The first few stories were amazing, well-written, funny, and kept me hooked. However, after I got about halfway through this book, I had to force myself to keep on reading. I think this book should maybe be divided in two. The first half, sure I'd nominate. The secong half however, I think adults would find much more interesting and easy to relate to. 4Q 3P. Gr 7-12+. VM, 13.
  • I found this book kinda dissapointing, because the first few stories, when he's still growing up, are very funny and interesting to read. When he starts to get older though, the stories start to follow the same story line, and really just don't draw me in. I find the main character's obsession with Joyce somewhat annoying and don't like the sense of legarthy that falls over him. 3Q 5P. HO, 13.

Kate Brian. The Princess and the Pauper

  • Although the whole 'princess and pauper switch places'idea is a bit out there, I thought that this book was extremely well done. It was a definite 'beach read', but it was also funny, and had a satifying ending. 4Q 4P. JW, 16.
  • The Princess & The Pauper was a fun-to-read but not that well written book. I read it quickly, but after I was done it was gone from my mind. Quite a Cinderella story really, it turns out perfect in the end and when you start it you know it will. Never in this book did I feel sorry for, happy for or feel anything for the characters. They were fun, and they meant well- but really they were all pretty shallow and boring. The Princess & The Pauper was an enjoyable, quick-read; but I definately do NOT nominate it. 3Q 3P. Below Gr 7 - Gr 9. VM, 13
  • This was a pretty good book, though DEFINETLY a girly book! It was funny at parts, and held my interest throughout most of it. Although it was VERY unrealistic! I mean, come on, a princess who wishes she wasn't a princess, trades places with poor girl who would just love to be a princess, not very realistic. But I still enjoyed it all the same. I think the author could have improved it by making it a little less predictable, with a few more unexpected twists and turns. Overall, a pretty fun book to read. 3Q 4P. AA, 13

Susan Mcgee Britton.  The Treekeepers.

  • Most of the book was pretty good, but I really think it could have used another, better ending... 4Q 3P. Below Gr. 7. AR, 15.
  • This book can be described in one word: cute. This is a good fantasy for younger readers, but older readers may find it too short and simple. The storyline could have been expanded a bit more, but otherwise it was quite enjoyable. In this book, Susan McGee Britton has spun a tale along the lines of Philip Pullman's The Goldan Compass (however it's is not as "in depth" as Pullman's works). Overall this is a fairly decent book.   3Q 3P. Below Gr 7. AP, 15.
  • There was nothing specifically wrong with this book except for the fact that it was too young. If I had read it when I was maybe 8 it would have done more for me, but at the age of 14 it loses some of it's novelty. I read the other review and I understand the comparison to The Golden Compass. In fact I would say that it is a very toned down version of it with just a few names switched. When i say this I am not comparing it to the original, indeed it could never do that I am just putting the two side by side and laughing at thefalseness of the replica. (I think I may have been a bit mean to this story... maybe I am in a critical mood tonight. To be honest I didn't think it was bad just...young...) 3Q 2P.  MC, 14.

Melvin Burgess. The Ghost behind the Wall

  • The Ghost behind the Wall is a very unique ghost story. Of course, I haven't read many ghost stories, but from what I have read it stands out quite a bit. I enjoyed this book because it starts out with a kid pretending to be a ghost. Twelve-year-old David sneaks around in the ventilation shafts in his apartment buliding, and plays pranks on his neighbor. Though the pranks are all quite harsh and cruel, they make the reader want to keep reading... to find out if David gets caught. When David bumps into a real ghost, the whole story completely twists. Now it's David being haunted, and the real ghost laughing. This book is funny, unique, heat-warming, scary and has a terrificly surprising twist to the finish. I reccomend it for people within the ages of 10-14, but probably anyone could enjoy it. 4Q 4P. VM, 13.

Meg Cabot. Haunted.

  • Haunted is the fifth book in Meg Cabot's Mediator series. And while it's somewhat of a guilty pleasure, I will admit that I've read every single installment that Cabot has made up to date. What can I say? They're interesting reads. While literarily, they're not too intellectual, or even grammatically correct, the Mediator series has a lot to offer. Romance, intrigue, ass-kicking, ghosts, and a girl as paranoid and unpleasant as I am. The only thing missing really, is depth. And while I wouldn't say that this is the most stimulating of novels, I'd recommend this to anyone looking for something fun, short, and slightly melodramatic. 3Q 3P. JL, 16.

  • The mediator series are awesome. In my opinion meg cabot it's really good the way she describes everything it's good.  haunted it's my favorite meg cabot books and those deserve a nomination. every1 that reads her books gets so excited and can't stop till they r finish. Trust me i am a victim of her works.4Q 5P. S, 14.

  • Haunted by Meg Cabot was a fun book to read, but only that - I didn't feel moved or engrossed while reading it. It's a book that will appeal to females for the most part, as Cabot's writing is strictly girl-oriented; she uses phrases like, "...was melting like a Maybelline Lipstick in the sun...", which most guys tend to have a hard time relating to.
    It's also part of a series, so at times I found myself slightly lost when reading it - the main character's past is complex, and the author has a hard time retelling events from the past clearly.
    I didn't feel that I got to know the characters, so it was hard for me to really care about them. Looking back on the story, I realize that there wasn't a very concrete plot, either. There were many small problems going on, but for the most part there wasn't anything that the main character had to find or fix or solve. There was no character growth, and almost no climax to the book. Perhaps the book is meant to set up more climactic elements in the next novel in the series, but even so, this book doesn't have enough in it to stand on its own. Haunted was the type of book that I have come to refer to as a "Beach read" - easy, fun, but no substance. It didn't leave much of an impression on me. It's enjoyable, but shouldn't, in my opinion, even be nominated. 2Q 3P. HK, 14.
  • i think this is a good book for girls. the story makes more sense if you read the 4 books before this one in the series. Then you know the characters better and their personality traits. alot of the time i felt like i WAS the main character and when she did exactly what i would have done, i felt relieved... it's a good book overall, but a little on the odd side (ghosts!). The ending of the story makes you want to know how everything works out, so i can't wait until the next book in the series is out (if there is another). 5Q 4P. DW, 14

Meg Cabot. Princess in Waiting.

  • So far, it is the best book in the Princess Diaries series. It is very realistic, about Mia's life. She seems exactly how a 15 year old girl would be. Even though she is Princess of a country, she still wories about the little things in her life, (her boyfriend, clothes, friends). I especially liked the part about her obsessing about losing her favourite pair of underwear, instead of the movie made about her life! 5Q 5P. LW, 14.
  •  This book was a terrible dispointment. I liked the first three book, and waited for this book with much anticipation. However, it was horrible. The characters were not funny anymore and just came off as annoying. The plot went nowhere. All the events became painfully predictable. There is no way that someone could read the book with out reading the previous three, and it was painful to read even with the background information. 2Q 2P. KH, 15.
  • Princess in Waiting wa
  • ie). Sadly, Princess in Waiting was definately not as good as the first three. It did not have much of a plot, and was definately not as funny. Princess in Waiting had the feel that Meg Cabot wrote it simply for the sake of writing, and not for the sake of good ideas. 4Q 3P. VM, 12.
  • i thought the book was very well done. it kept me laughing a lot of the time... especially the parts about prince rene lip syncing to enrique eglasies and using a scepter as a microphone.... it's very funny how mia constantly thinks that her boyfriend is going to dump her over not-so-big things [like the fact she canceled a date becuz she HAD to attend a royal ball]. i thought the author had a good imagination with all the talking about moon rocks, star wars underwear and a very fat cat... i don't think boys would read this book though. it's more for girls. 5Q 4P. DW, 14.
  • I should have learned my lesson long ago, and stopped reading Meg Cabot's 'Princess Diaries' books. Although they are superficially amusing, all that they ultimately manage to do is irritate me with their sheer stupidity. Granted, younger readers enjoy them, but Mia's adventures are just too cutesy for me. 3Q 5P. Gr 7-9. JW, 16.
  • s a very exellent book. It was very funny and included all of the same lovable characters from the first three princess diaries (ex. fat lou

Meg Cabot. Princess Lessons.

  • Though some people are seriously in need of the advice in this book, I found it to be shallow, and, to be frank, with the potential to offend/demean a lot of people. Let's face it, the whole 'Princess Diaries' series is more beach read than intellectual challenge, but 'Princess Lessons' is just a collection of advice that most of us will never use (after all, how many of us will have occasion to use an oyster fork?) 3Q 4P. JW, 15.
  • Princess Lessons is a disapointing, boring, no plot-line kind of book. There's not really much to say, I couldn't get passed the first chapter. Then again, if you like reading about different ways of removing hair from your legs... maybe you'll think this book came from heaven. Read with extreme caution! 2Q 2P. VM, 13.

John L. Casti and Werner DePauli. Godel.

  • Not many people would enjoy it, but there are all sorts of interesting ideas and math stuff in there. 3Q 2P. Gr 10-12+. A, 12.

Norma Charles. All the Way to Mexico.

  • It was very humorous throughout the book. Great characters. Very good plot. 4Q 5P. LC, 12.

Esme Raji Codell. Sahara Special.

  • It's okay for a quick fix book, but as for a book that's going to sit on my shelf within easy reach all the time and witll ALWAYS be my FAVORITE bedtime story, well, that spot is reserved for another book. I must say though I LOVE the teacher. It's those characters that keep you going through the book. 3Q 4P. Gr 6-7. CS, 14.
  • I love this book. It was great i liked everything but the end. 5Q 4P. D, 13.

Catherine Clark. Frozen Rodeo

  • This book had everythng! Excitement, mystery, crime, romance and a touch of weird. It was a perfect read for me in every way. I could really relate to PF or Flemming about her parents sometimes. The part about the wonderful guy was great too and then she meets the right guy and doesn't even know it. All though the reader knows right away what will happen in the romance part. The parts about the wierd bus driver were great too, but I especially liked it when she caught her french teacher trying to rob her gas station. The Lamase clases she took with her mom were also hilarious! 5Q 5P. CL, 15.
  • I love the cover to no end! On to more important matters, the book itself is really entertaining. It is a bit typical, in the way that it appeals to the general group of teen girls aged 12-16 maybe 17. The plot is original in the details but relatively easy to predict. It was an entertaining read, perfect for those times all you want to read is fluff. 4Q 3P. KH, 15.
  • There are definitely parts of this book that will make you chuckle, but this book drags a bit in the middle with Flemming's ever present complaining. I found myself thinking often of how this book is like a readable version of "My life is a toilet". There was a bit too much whining and chasing after Steve (you can do WAY better than that, girl) but overall, there was enough humour to hold the story together. 3Q 4P. JI, 17.
  • It was quaint. Nothing about it jumped out as amazing, but it was smooth and relaxing to read. Sort of a no-brainer summer novel. 4Q 3P. KH, 18.
  • Fun summer reading, but just fluff. 3Q 3P. Gr 7-11. A, 17.

Eoin Colfer. Artemis Fowl: the Eternity Code.

  • I loved how it grabbed you right from the beginning, when [ed. censor.] I had to keep reading. I also love the characters, my favorite is definitely mulch diggims...he has such a great personality + I love his sense of humor. This book had tons of great events in it that kept me reading from beginning to end. This is the best of all 3 Artemis Fowl books. 4Q 4P. Gr 6-9. EW, 14.
  • i like the way the author writes it it keeps you reading and interested. i like the way he blends fairies and humans.and so far he has writen 5 books for people who like the series, so that there are more of the books to read. these books are awsome!!! 5Q 5P. LB, 11

Ilene Cooper. Jack: The early years of John F. Kennedy

  • Jack was an excellent book. Concentrating on JFK's early years as a child, his story is told with accounts from family and Jack himself. It follow's every aspect of Jack's life, from schools he attended to ilnesses he had, to girlfriends. The story also includes much of Jack's luxurious life, supplied by his father, who was rumored to make his fortune in bootlegging and insider trading. The original family photos also add that little something to Jfk's story. Two thumbs up! 5Q 4P. Gr 7-11. EH, 13.

Shutta Crum. Spitting Image

  • This book was alright, not super interesting, not very unique. I guess it might be a possibility for the kid's book of the year; but definately not for the YA award. It was a good idea for a story; but it just wasn't a page-turner at all. 3Q 3P. Below Gr 7. VM, 13.

Rebecca Fjelland Davis.  Jake Riley - Irreparably Damaged

  • I think this book was a decent read. There was no particularly exceptional qualities. It is simply written well, with interesting enough characters, and a decent, if not a little predictable, plot. I think that the main character seemed a little juvenile, and the character of Jake Riley was stereotypical. This is a typical book about a boy, written by a woman, so some of it is a little unrealistic. It however deals with subject matter that may be a little mature for the age group that would really enjoy the plot and narration of the story. 4Q 4P. G 7-12. KH, 16.

Deal With It!

  • At first I assume this book would be silly advice you could find in any teen magazine. I was wrong! This book is so full of information it's unbelievable. I love how the included websites at the end of every section. Every teenage girl needs this book. 4Q 4P. CD, 17.

Melissa de la Cruz and Karen Robinovitz. How to become Famous in two weeks or less.

  • This book was, to say the least, interesting. I certainly learned quite a bit; though I doubt that my knowing how to bribe desisgners will come in handy for me in the future... This book was fun, fairly well written, and I suppose to some people it could proove useful. 4Q 3P. VM, 13.

Deal With It!

  • At first I assume this book would be silly advice you could find in any teen magazine. I was wrong! This book is so full of information it's unbelievable. I love how the included websites at the end of every section. Every teenage girl needs this book. 4Q 4P. CD, 17.

Charles de Lint. Waifs and Strays.

  • It was very relaxing to read. You sort of sink into this fantasy world full of your childhood imaginings. It was like being five again and remembering all the games I used to play where I was a fairy or a dragon. It was also extremely inspirational. Never wanted to write so bad. But... It was no Anne Mcaffrey or Terry Pratchet. Good, but not...delightful.4Q 3P. KH, 17

Grace Dent. LBD, it's a girl thing

  • WOW! This was the best book of the last lot I read. The characters seemed realistic, and so did the plot. I loved the conflict between Catwalk and LBD, and the ending! I liked how this book was written, and think it would be intresting to see how it would have been written from Fleur or Claude's perspecive. It was very funny and well written! 5Q 5P. Gr 7-11. LW, 14.
  • i loved it! it was british and funny, kind of like georgia nicholson. in this book, ronnie, fleur, and claude acheive great things at only the age of 14. i thought i liked the parts where panama was publicly embarassed and when ronnie was arguing with her dad, and pulled her thong up higher. that was sooo funny. everyone HAS to read this book. well the girls at least. 5Q 5P. Gr 7-9. DW, 14.

Kathy Dobie. The Only Girl In The Car

  • This was a really interesting story. It feels a little strange to read since it is all true. Wonderfully written, I didn't want to stop reading it. This book was really different from all the other coming-of-age books I've read. I liked reading about her big family and I loved all the stuff about how close she was with her brothers and sisters. I think a lot of stuff in this book could make people uncomfortable, so it's not for younger readers. The ending was very nice, inspiring. 5Q 3P. BM, 15.

Ann Downer. Hatching Magic

  • This wasn't the bes of books, but it was still pretty good. I liked how the author decided that wyvrens shoud be not in the traditional sense. 4Q 4P. AR, 15.

Diane Duane. A Wizard Alone [ed. comment: Oh, boy!]

  • I though that this book did a good job of tying up the loose ends left by the previous novel in the series, especially the illness of Nita's mother. The author didn't gloss over her grief, but instead had the character work through and resolve it. Both of the main charcaters, Kit and Nita, were strong presences in the story- the author didn't favour one over the other. The storyline was updated to fit the times- although Kit and Nita haven't grown up, their world had changed from that of the 1980's, when the first book was written, to today's. 4Q 4P. JW, 15.
  • Good book, as per usual when reading this series. Nice lead in from the last book - easy to follow, and a believable transition between. Writing style is excellent as always - but seems as if it's less technical than the previous. Perhaps the author's trying to gear it so that the story is easier to follow? Interesting use of autism as a character trait - a different approach to her usual sorcery-based stories. Wonderful series, but not quite recommendable to someone who hasn't read the others. 4Q 4P. JL, 16

Diane Duane. Wizard's Holiday

  • In Wizard’s Holiday, Duane departs from the single storyline format that she has generally kept to for the previous novels in the series, and develops two separate plots, but a common theme. The premise of the book is that Nita, the main character from most of the previous books, and her wizardly partner, Kit, are signed up for a magical ‘exchange program’ by Nita’s little sister, Dairine, whose adventures back on Earth make up the other plot. Nita and Kit are sent to a world that seems to be paradise, where people are not doomed to a life of pain and, eventually, death, as we are on Earth. However, this world is also stagnant- the people are not living up to their potential as a species, and simply exist in a Utopia where there is no pain beyond stubbed toes.
    Dairine, on the other hand, is required to deal with three houseguests, Nita and Kit’s counterparts, whose misadventures and quirky personalities add a touch of comic relief to the book. Sker’ret the giant purple centipede, Flif the walking, talking tree (who sees a salad bar like PETA sees all you can eat steak dinners), and Roshaun the arrogant alien prince bring new perspective to Duane’s wizardly world, which has developed into a nuanced and fascinating setting over the past six books.
    While the characters are dealing with entirely different problems- Nita and Kit must decide whether to ally with the Lone Power, the creator of entropy and the enemy of wizards everywhere, in order to allow the people of Alaau, the world that she and Kit are staying on, to progress out of their rut and into a new level of existence, and Dairine must cooperate with her guests to stop the Sun from going nova, both adventures have a common theme. Duane deals with predestination- to paraphrase her, ‘the Powers put you where you need to be’, and the difficulties inherent in maturing, both in wizardry and in life.
    Although the Young Wizards books are full of magic and adventure, they are driven by their characters, and all of the major and minor characters ‘have their page’ in this book, developing both the storyline and the series as a whole. Wizard’s Holiday was a well-written, well-developed book, and Duane should be lauded for her amusing, engaging prose. Gr 7-12+ 5Q 4P. JW, 16
  • I loved everything about this book, if it had been any better I would not have been able to read it, I would have gotten so absorbed by it. The old characters were as real and convinceing as they have been prviousely and the new characters had just as much depth, with their own histories and problems that definitly couldn't be taken in at a glance. The most impressive example of this was the character Roshaun. Over the corse of the book Diane Duane managed to change Roshaun from someone I viewed as an annoying, spoiled jerk to one of my favourite characters as readers were shown facets of his personality that hadn't been apparent at the beginning of the novel. The plot was incredible, the tension never stopped for a moment and the end was something no one could have guessed. Diane Duane's fascinating and original take on magic contines to be an important faucet to the story that adds depth to the plot and affect it in suprising ways. As in previous books the characters must deal issues that alter their choices and sometimes affect the outcome of events that will affect the world, or universe. I was also very impressed with the world building in this novel, even when the different planets and dimensions were only talked about, I still got a clear picture of them and at least part of what it must be like to live there. The Young Wizards series is by no means dragging on, this new chapter is just as powerful as all the rest and I eagerly look forward to reading more about the people and worlds that Diane Duane has created. 5Q 5P. RS, 13

TOP

Daniel Ehrenhaft. The Last Dog on Earth

  • This was really well written, I would have given it a 5P but people who didn't usually like books like this probably wouldn't actually give it a try so they wouldn't find out about it. It would probably make a really good book for reading in school because there's so many issues you could discuss, such as bonds between pets and pet owners, parenting issues (children not getting along with parents) and epidemiology and disease control. The characters were really well done so you really got a feel for them. The other bit of this book that was really impressive was that you would always figure out the big questions, such as who the immune dog was, a chapter or two ahead of the characters but that would actually make the suspence greater because you'd be wondering when they'd figure it out as well as what would happen. The newspaper clippings and emails scattered through out the story were really helpful because they let you follow what was happening to affect the story... 5Q 4P. RS, 13.
  • This book is so sad, I practrically almost cried! The dog is unloved, and the boy adopts it during a mad dog disease outbreak, and the dog is the only one immune to it. It then gets hurt and is kept alive until the boy comes out of a coma... 5Q 5P A, 15

Eve Eliot.  Insatiable

  •  I thought this book was amazing! I latched onto the characters almost immediatly. This book made me want to cry because I was so attached onto the characters so quickly. it is a good book to read, and it opened my eyes to the problems of eating disorders. 5Q 5P. LW, 14.

Erik E. Esckilsen. The Last Mall Rat.

  • The Last Mall Rat is a very weird, very good book. The idea was very unique and intruguing, and the plot kept me hooked 'till the last page. I thought that this book really showed how someone can commit a crime, but not really be all that bad very well. There was just enough going on to keep me a little confused, but still able to follow what was going on. The book was truly remarkable, especially for the author's first novel, and I would highly reccomend it for everyone. 4Q 5P. VM, 13

Pamela Espeland. Life Lists for Teens.

  • How do you nominate a book of lists? My favorite list is 27 Clues You're a Remarkable Reader. I think I qualify for all of them except for 1 or 2. Is that a good or bad thing? This book is cool with some of the lists, but the others - ummmmm - well, the good part is that it covers all bases, so while I don't need depression help, there's people that do and they can find some help in this book.  4Q 3P. Gr 8-9. CS, 14.
  • I really liked this book it has moved me and helped me be a better person in school, meantaly, and physicaly. It has great tips to help you in school to talk properlay and act proporly and helps you in many other things. 5Q 3P. Gr 10-11. D, 12.

Jasper Fforde.  Lost in a good book.

  • I loved this book as much as I loved it's prequel - last year's "The Eyre Affair". However, there are 2 reasons I chose "no" for whether it should be on the final list. Firstly, I have been told that many teens might not have the classic literature background to fully understand the story, and I agree with this. I do think that Lost In a Good Book could act as a great stepping stone into exploring the world of classic books. It certainly has for me, but still, without any background whatsoever, it could be a difficult story to understand. My other reason for saying "no" is that this book, while it could stand alone, would probably be very strange to a reader who has not been slowly introduced to the strange world of Thursday Next by way of The Eyre Affair.  "if a book is good enough to be BBYA, it should be able to stand alone..." On a personal level though, I thouroghly enjoyed this one and wish I could say yes to a nomination. 5Q 4P. JI, 17.

Dennis Foon. The Dirt Eaters

  • I liked this book. It was easy to read and had a good feeling about it. The story is charming and I would like to read the rest of the series. You get attatched to the characters and want to know what will happen to them after the story ends. I did find the story a little young to appeal broadly to youth in grade 11 or 12 but it is still a good read. 3Q 4P. Gr 7-11. NT, 17

John D Freyer. the Books of Magic- the Invitation

  • This book was much better when I first sat down and skimmed through it. It wasn;t much of a read, but it was good for a few laughs... 4Q 3P. Below Gr 7- Gr 12+. AR, 15.

Ron Fridell. Global Warming

  • Global Warming is an excellent non-fiction book. This book was very interesting because it presents the reader with two different hypothesis'. One, that people and pollution are completely to blame for global warming. And two, that people are in no way to blame for the earth's rapid heating. It was very interesting to read about these to ideas and the experiments that have been done to prove each of these theories correct. Global Warming is a very informative book to read that gives you more than what they teach you in science class. 5Q 3P. VM, 12.

Nancy Garden.  Meeting Melanie

  • Given that I am a HUGE Nancy Garden fan, I was thrilled to see that hse has a new book out. However, this just set me up for a huge dissapointment. The plot was not terribly exciting, given the plot lines of some of her other books, such as 'The Year They Burned All The Books', 'Meeting Melanie' was quite tame and even a little boring at times. If the most exciting thing she can come up with anymore is a secretly pregnant sister of a friend, then my interest in her work is going to wane. The level of spereation between the main character and Melanie's sister was too much for the story to be that exciting. Besides that, it was pretty damn obvious that the hut was being repaired for Mary Scarlet the moment that it was discovered.
    The bare obviousness of the entire plot line left me deflated and a little dissapointed. Nancy, what happened? 3Q 3P. Below Gr 7 - Gr 9. K, 18.

Gail Giles. Dead Girls Don't Write Letters

  • This was the best mystery I have read in a while! It was a very good mystery that kept me holding on till the end! 4Q 4P. LW, 14.
  • I enjoyed this book. I didn't feel it had enough detail though. It felt as if the main character was only exposing the surface of her family and not any background information, or not enough anyway. It needs more details! The characters voice was great! I liked how she always seem to say the wrong things at the wrong times. The whole story line is fairly good, and it is a great mystery. 4Q 4P. KH, 16.
  • I didn't like the ending (last couple of pages) it didn't really make sense [ed censor.]  4Q 4P. Gr 8-9. ER, 14.

Susan Glick. One Shot

  • I loved this book! The characters were very real, and I liked the growth in Lorrie. I liked how all of the characters bonded throughout the book, and you could tell the change in their relationships. 5Q 5P. Gr 7 - 11. LW, 14.

Mitchell Graham. The Fifth Ring

  •  I throughly enjoyed this book! But I suppose that's because it's exactly what I look for in a Sci-Fi Fantasy. That's also my preferred genre of choice. I liked this book because it dealt with incidences that were so fantastical, yet was described to be realistically possible. I mean to say, as way-out some of the ideas seemed, they were made believable and possible by the author's writing skills and creativity. However, I don't think it should make the final list because it is intended for extremely mature readers, and contains some, for lack of a better word, gorey stuff. Canibals, murders, and a bloody war... need I say more? It has a bit of everything: romance, humor; good times and bad. My favourite character was Collin, as he was constantly humerous and is the epitome of loyal to his friends. It's unfortunate that not many people read Sci-Fi Fantasy, but it has always appealed to me because it has an element of fantasy as well as reality. I really enjoyed this book, but I again must stress that it's fairly mature. 4Q 3P. SM, 15.

Adele Griffin. Overnight.

  • The book was okay. I didn't really like it much. It was a bit boring. The book did not have many exciting parts or suspenceful parts. 4Q 3P. AM, 13.

Margaret Peterson Haddix. Because of Anya

  • very good story, beliveable, good characters, for abit ofa younger audience but still very intersting and engaging. touching story, informative about hte desease, you relaly feel for anya. emotions are portrayed very well. 4Q 5P. CM, 15.

Shannon Hale. The Goose Girl

  • I thought that this book was extremely well written.  I found it easy to relate to Ani.  I would definately recomend this book to anyone who likes fantasty. 4Q 4P. Below Gr 7 – Gr 11. JB, 13.

Lian Hearn. Grass For His Pillow

  • There was no fault in its continuation from Across the Nightingale Floor, in fact it made the first book's rather raw ending make sense to me...(a hopeless romantic though I am)... She made this book believable and likable through her pure talent, though I can't help but wonder why Kaede had to miscarry...no doubt it will all be explained in the third book in the series. Well done and kept me avidly reading to the end, I'm looking forward to Brilliance of the Moon! 5Q 5P. Gr 7-12+ MC, 14.

Jennifer L. Holm. The Creek

  • This book was fun to read...up until the end, which spoiled the entire thing. Penny - the twelve-year-old protagonist - is not a magnificent character. Transparent and whiny, I found it difficult to take her seriously, and found it even more difficult to actually care what happened to her.
    The novel isn't very good at creating a suspensful atmosphere, and falls flat on its face when it attempts its ludicrus climax. We find out that the villain of the story is NOT Caleb Devlin, the supposedly horrible boy who 'terrorized' the town years before. That's okay - it's a nice twist to realize that the killer wasn't who you've been led to believe it is.
    However, as a reader, even before I found out who the real villain was, I found myself wishing it WAS Caleb, just because I knew even before the book was finished that no one else was going to be able to fit the role of the murderer to a satisfactory level. [ed censor!] I thought this solution was bizarre and twisted - a group of preteens driven to attempted murder. They were trying to stop someone whom they were convinced was a truly diabolical person by killing him. How is that right or moral? How is that supposed to make the reader want Penny to win this battle?
    Understand that, yes, I realize the point that the book is trying to make - that we have a tendency to blindly accuse the usual suspect because it's easy, and we want to. But the ending is so ridiculous that it shatters lessons learned and overpowers any urge to take the book seriously.
    So as the book nears its final chapters, the villain is revealed, and the pure unbelievability of it all hits the reader between the eyes. An ELEVEN YEAR OLD is able to outwit and outsmart the police? An ELEVEN YEAR OLD gets away with murder, when so many other killers throughout history, older and far wiser, did not? Please don't insult my intelligence. The climactic chapter was clumsily written, predictable, melodramatic, and worth nothing more than a good chuckle.
    Illogical and meaninglessness, 'The Creek' tells a promising story, right up until halfway through, when things stop dancing on the border of nonsensical and dive right in, head first. 1Q 3P. HK, 14.

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Mary Hooper. Amy.

  • This book shows how good things come out of bad situations. Amy finds her new, wonderful friend Beaky, out of the rubble of her "relationship" with her internet man. This book is in a way educational about the dangers of meeting strangers on the internet. 3Q 3P. CD, 17.

James Howe. 13

  • i thought this book was a good display of life at 13. The stories are all realistic, and since I have already passed through that stage, I found them to be accurate. Each story is a little different but well written! 4Q 5P. Below Gr 7 - 9. LW. 14.

Erin Hunter. Warriors, Into The Wild

  • After handfuls of mediocre literature, books I couldn't get into because of their dull begginings, books that stifled my imagination, Warriors was an inspiration. I take it from the title and the ending that there will be sequels, sequels that I am looking forward to with great excitement and anticipation. this book fills the imagination with all the possibilities. It was like an original take on the Watership down idea, but with cats. For cat owners everywhere, this book is a delight, showing the way a cat culture might work. Firepaw is a delightful hero, and all the cats fill your heart with joy. If you have a cat, I assure you that after reading even one chapter in this book, you'll want to curl up with your cat while you read the rest. Savour this novel, it is a delight. 5Q 5P. Gr 7-11. K, 18.
  • This book is great! Its just that there are alot of charictors to now and places to know but thats why they have maps and pages whith peoples names and who they are on it. But either than that this was a great book. 5Q 5P. Gr 7-9. D, 13.

Erin Hunter. Warriors Book 2: Fire and Ice

  • This is a really good book aboout wild cats, the second in a series. Though it has a common type of hero Fireheart (he can be related to Harry Potter, ect.) But it was a good read anyway. 4Q 3P. AR, 15
  • I was disapointed with the dicline of quality in Erin Hunters' writing. After 'Into The Wild' I thought her work could onyl get better, bit Fire and Ice had the feeling of being redone. It was as though she had used the same manuscript as before, only switching around the words. Soem of the sentences even repeated themselves, the one that stood out most in my mind was right near the begging when, twice within three pages she write 'Firheart remembered Redtail, he was the clans old deputy and everyone had loved him very much' or something along those lines. For a final and now availablecopy I was disapointed with the mediocre quality and repetative nature.  3Q 3P. K, 18

Geoffrey Huntington. Demon Witch.

  • 'Demon Witch' was creepy and very interesting. It was a sequel, but I could still understand it. The author told about the first book, without rewriting it, and still gave the information needed. The dialog got a bit confusing though, as it is written in present tense. It’s a terrific read for magic and fantasy lovers, and it’s filled with dozens of surprises. It involves characters from the middle ages, time jumps and hellholes; the concept was very interesting. It was like 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' in a Stephan King setting. Definitely a keeper. 5Q 4P. Gr 7-11. TL, 12.

Glen Huser.  Stiches Winner, 2003 Governor General's Award

  • hmmmm.... I am not 100% sure what to write about this book. I think I got the wrong message form this book because most of the time I thought the main character was gay but the last couple of pages of the book made me think that he wasn't gay. To sum it up I was confused. I did like the fact that this boy was into puppets. I have never read a book about a kid into puppets which made this book different. I liked this book because it was about a minority but I worry that because of that kids might not want to read it. 3Q 3P. EH, 17.
  • Glen Huser has this special gift to write about things that are everyday, ordinary things, but everyday, ordinary things that no one else would think of and make you believe. He wrote this book in the same manner that he wrote Touch of the Clown, enough the same so you could tell it was the same author but completely different. 4Q 3P. Gr 7-8. CS, 14.

     

Carla Jablonski. the Books of Magic- the Invitation

  • I like how the author had made the book out of a graphic novel series. But it wasn't too exceptional besides. 3Q 4P. Below Gr 7.AR, 15.

Brian Jacques. The Angels Command

  • I really liked how, in the second story the man they were searching for was sewed into a bear's skin... a very cruel and unusual punishment! 4Q 4P. Gr 7-9. AR, 15.

Brian Jacques. Triss.

  • Triss put as a slave who must return to save her people was a very good beginning, but it sort of got repetetive after a while... aside from that, this was a really good book. 3Q 4P. Gr 7-9. AR, 15.

Michael Jordan. Hush Hush: The dark secrets of scientific research.

  • Hush hush was an eye-opener. Who knew that fluoride was unhealthy, and that 2/3 of America's water is governed by law to supply it to its citizens? Hush hush is full of exciting scientific cover-ups. I gave a bad popularity rank because I don't believe many people would enjoy learning about how governments pull the wool over our eyes "for the sake of national security". High school and older readers would enjoy Hush Hush very much, however younger elementary and Junior High students could be disturbed by some of the books' content. 4Q 3P. Gr 10-11. EH, 13.

Kathleen Karr. Gilbert & Sullivan Set Me Free.

  • This book was alright in my opinion. It wasn't exactly my genre, but it was well written and I think many people would enjoy it. It reminded me somewhat of Chicago, whch I think might get people to read it. It had a cute plot and was well delivered. 4Q 4P. Gr 8-12. CD, 17.

Elizabeth Kay. The Divide

  • I like the sci-fi, but I think this was meant for a bit of a younger audience. Overall it was pretty good, but I couldn't get into it as much as I would've liked. 3Q 3P. Gr 8-9. CD, 17

Natalie Kinsey-Warnock. Gifts From the Sea.

  • This book is for younger children. I think someone like my younger sister Taylor who is nine would like this book. The story line of this book was very predictable. One thing I liked about this book was the pictures. This was a cute story but it is definitely for younger children. 3Q 2P. Below gr 7. EH, 16.

Amy Goldman Koss. gossip times three

  • Gossip times three was an ok book, it's a beach read but I wasn't really expecting much more. It's kind of wierd because I could totally see myself, or one of my friends writing a book just like this. That either means that the author is very good at imagining how a Junior High girl would write... Or, it means that the author's writing style is very, very undeveloped. Who knows, anyways; not a great book but it wasn't terrible. 3Q 3P. VM, 13.
  • the author of this book is obviously obsessed with the number THREE. everytime this number is mentioned the author CAPITALIZES it. but anyway, its not bad for a book all about gossip and junior high crushes and friendship betrayal. at the end of the book i correctly guessed who the author was!! the book is about THREE close friends and two of them start fighting over a boy. that ruins their friendship. u get to see how they fix it...... 5Q 5P. D, 14.
  • Okay first of all whats with the THREE, TRIANGLE, TRIPLETS, THIRTEEN???????? second of all if i counted how many times you went off subject i'd be 80 years old and third how many times do you have to say the same thing obver and over and over and over and over again !!!??? 4Q 4P.  D, 13.

Christina Lamb. Sewing Circles of Herat.

  •  A beautifully written book on the forgotten people of Afghanistan in a compelling first-person narrative. 5Q 5P. PM, 15.

.Alison Lester. The Snow Pony.

  • This is another good story for young readers, especially those with a love for horses (namely young girls). Personally, I thought it was quite vute, but moved a little too quickly. I would have liked to have seen the plot drawn out a bit more. However, younger readers probably won't notice this. The Snow Pony is reminisent of The Pony Pals series and will probably attract similar readers. 3Q 3P. Below Gr 7. AP, 15.

Brigid Lowry. Guitar Highway Rose

  • I heard about this book a couple years ago on an Australian web site and have been wanting to read it since then. I think the cover is absolutely gorgeous. I loved the story and the way it was written, but it probably isn't for everyone. I thought the way the author divided everything up into little sections with titles and constatnly switched perspectives was very exciting and made the book very unique. I loved all the descriptions of everthing in this book, because everything in it is beautiful. Flowers, beaches, sparkly clothing, hippy dresses.. very nice atmosphere. I thought Pippa, Asher and Rosie were all awesome characters. I don't think this book would appeal to everyone, because of the odd way it's written and its fairy tale-ish story but I adored it. 4Q 4P. Gr 7-11. BM, 16.

Catherine Macphail. Missing

  • Missing was a superb mystery book. Though I do not usually enjoy mystery novels, this one kept me hooked until the last page. This had threats, blackmail, missing people and even ghosts. It was funny, scary and uplifting all at the same time. I loved the crazy mother very much, she injected humor just when the book was getting too sad. This is a definate must read.5Q 4P. VM, 12.

Katie Maxwell. The Year My Life Went Down the Loo.

  • I liked how the book went through the feelings a teenager gets being moved away from her home and discovering new territory, in humour. 5Q 5P. Gr 8-9. TC, 13.

Richard Maurer. The Wright Sister.

I loved the book because it was written from a different angle. Mostly you see books about her brothers. I thought the book was great becuase I read how she influenced them and how it felt from her point of view And the sad parts in their lives. 5Q 3P. AM, 13.

Geraldine McCaughrean. Stop the Train. [winner: Carnegie Medal]

  • I really thought it was strange at how they didn't try to stop the train in the way they actually stopped it in the end in the first place. 3Q 3P. AR, 15.

Carolyn Meyer. Doomed Queen Anne.

  • Likes: well written, the connection to the other books, like "Mary, Bloody Mary" was very cool, the characters were very well developed. Dislikes: too many characters that were hard to keep track of. 4Q 4P. SS, 14.
  • I liked how it showed the situation through Anne's eyes. It was a good book. 4Q 4P. JK, 12.
  • I really loved the book, but I think it will appeal only to people who like history. It's nice how the author tells what happens and how Anne is feeling, before, and during the time when she's queen. Too many books skip one or the other. 5Q 4P. SC, 16.
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Russell Moon. Blood War
  • I got this out thinking it would be better than it actually is. The author could really use a better editor. The stroy is a rush, rush, rush. He really needs to slow it down. Good idea, but too fast.2Q 2P. AR, 15.
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Peter Moore. Blind-Sighted.

  • This is a book that I could really get behind. I think it would appeal to almost anyone. There characters were very original.My favotire was Callie. I liked how the author put in such diverse characters, the burn outs, Kirks mother and Hal, and then Callie all had extremely different personalities. 4Q4P. KH, 15.

Nicola Morgan. Mondays Are Red

  • 'Mondays Are Red' is a very interesting, well-written, unique book. It was fun to learn about the disease synthesia, as I had never heard about it before. I think it's very important though, that people know that this book is partly about synthesia; but also partly fantasy. This book takes the little voices in your head, that tell you to do bad things, to a whole new level. It was interesting how "Dreeg" changed shape depending on how Luke was feeling towards him. I liked the ending of this book, and I think it leaves a lot of room for a sequel. 5Q 4P. VM, 13
  • The description in this book was amazing. Everything about the tastes, and colors and textures was wonderfully written, but the plot didn't make any sense. You don't know what is really going on most of the time and you don't know why the characters do the things they do. The characters don't have their own personalities, they could have been anybody. If you're going to read this book, read it for the vivid descriptions but don't expect much of a story. 3Q 2P. Gr 7-11. BM, 15.
  • This was definetly a change from the boring, fluffy, cheery, norm.! It was so deep and captivating. This was AMAZING for someone's first novel. The way Nicola Morgan displays words makes you want to never put the book down. 4Q 4P. MH, 15

Lensey Namioka.Half & Half.

  • The book was very funny and easy to relate to. I like the book because it's one girl's journey of discovery and I find it easy to understand. 5Q 4P. AM, 13.

Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. Patiently Alice

  • I have offically out grown 'The Alice Books" while reading this book I realised that it is nothing more than a sex ed book made into a novel. The characters are unbearably shallow and the story is your typical pre-teen novel. Maybe if I was 12 again I would enjoy this, but at age 16 I couldn't. 3Q 3P. KH, 16.
  • I love the "Alice" series and have been reading them fo quite a few years now, but I have to say that this is without a doubt the BEST "Alice" book yet! Maybe it was because for once, they were close to the same age as me, but still, the conflicts in this book were ones I could relate too and I loved the added twist of the girls adventures at camp!!! They were hilarious! I was very surprised about the steps that Elizabeth took in this book and was horrified about the interaction or lack of it between Pamela's parents. This book is a great light read and teaches that life is not something you can count on and predict, but forever changing. 5Q 5P. CL, 16.

Georgia Nicholson. Dancing in My Nuddy Pants.

  • This was just as hilarious as the other ones in this series. An amazing read, that kept me laughing out loud! If you have a chance pick this one up. This is as funny as the rest in the series. 5Q 5P. LW, 14.
  • this book was awesome. i dont read it in public of course because i'm laughing my head off at the stupid things in this book. i think its hilarious that the author put characters like libby, naomi the sex kitten and angus in this book. who knew that a 3 or 4 yr old would "relieve" herself in her sisters closet and call everyone "bad boy" . i loved this book as well as the 3 books before it. 5Q 5P. DW, 14.

TOP

Joan Lowery Nixon. Nightmare

  • I have read almost all of Joan Lowery Nixon's book, and was disapointed that she didn't have any recent ones. I was very happy that she had a new book, and really enjoyed it. It was a little different then some of her other books, but since I have out grown those I really liked the change. 4Q 5P. Below Gr 7 - 9. LW, 14.

Bjarne Reuter, translated from the Danish by Tiina Nunnally. The Ring of the Slave Prince.

  • Now this is an excellent book. Despite the fact that you can sometimes tell that this novel was translated(eg. grammar differences), I found it to be quite wonderful. The plot takes the reader down many twists and turns and just before you forget the main plot line, it takes you back again. This is what you could call a "coming-of-age" story. The cover caught my attention and the content more than fufilled my expectations. Whether it is assigned or just picked up by a curious reader, this book should be enjoyed. 4Q 4P. Gr 7-11. AP, 15

Tracy Porter. A Dance of Sisters.

  • I like how the book ended. Unlike the cover suggests, this book had a happy ending. It wasn't sappy, unbelievably happy, it was realistic, just right happy. I love Meia Noite, the Brazil dancing teacher. He was so carefree and loving you just found yourself liking him. 4Q 4P. EW, 14.

Michel Rabagliati. Paul has a summer job

  • This is the very first graphic novel I have ever read, and I am quite impressed with this format. It's like a giant comic book, but so much more. "Paul has a summer job" is a sweet story about a guy who drops out of school in pursuit of the "real world". When he eventually ends up as a counsellor at a camp for underprivileged kids, he runs into his fair share of adventures as he learns the ropes of dealing with kids and the great outdoors. The story isn't spectacularly innovative, but it's heartfelt and beautifully augmented with simply black and white drawings. While this may not be the peak of great literature, I would definitely recommend this book or other graphic novels to reluctant readers and those looking for a change of pace. 4Q 4P. JI, 17.

Carolyn Reeder. Before the Creeks Ran Red.

  • Considering this book took me 4 months to read, whereas another of the same size would take me maybe 3 days, what does that tell you about the book? I mean, it starts off well enough, but it's a bit of a shock when 1/3 of the way through it switches narrators...[ed for length] 2Q 1P. CS, 14

Reiji Saiga Sora Inoue. Samurai Girl Real Bout High School

  • As graphic novel-manga loving person, I enjoyed this first installment of Real Bout High School. It has quite a few funny moments combined with various fight scences and romantic "fluff." This series should do very well. That being said, I personally think only people familar with the graphic novel-manga genre will take a look at this book. The art is quite well done and the translating isn't too bad. Manga fans will like this series for sure, while a curious "non-fan" may be drawn in by it's cover. Overall this is a very well-done graphic novel. 4Q 3P. Gr 7-11. AP, 15.

Ann Rinaldi. Or Give Me Death

  • Wow! I just finished reading this book and was it ever an adventure. The story line was really exciting with lots of twists and turns and lots of little stories all happening at once. I liked this book because the ending was completely unexpected. I gasped. Some of the history and places and people confused me. This book is a historical novel about the Revolutionary War but I couldn't even tell who's side the family was on until the last page which drove me crazy because the book acted like you know everything about the revolutionary war and that all the places and people should all make sense to you. The first half of this book is written from the view point of the oldest daughter, Patsy. She likes this guy but their relationship seemed really weird to me because they acted like they had been married for 10 years when she was only 16 so this kind of annoyed me. Then just when I was starting to like Patsy the view point changed and Anne, her younger sister, was telling the story. At first this really bugged me because I wanted to find out was happening in Patsy's mind but then I got into the story and grew found of Anne. I liked the second half of the story better the first half. I think over all this was a really great book and I enjoyed reading after what was true and what wasn't. I whish the history hadn't been presented in such a confusing matter because it really made the story hard to read. 3.5Q 4P. EH, 16.

Jason or Stein Riverton. The Iron Wagon.

  • I dont like this book because of the subject and it is a little confusing. 5Q 2P. Below Gr. 7. D, 12.

Diane Roberts. Made You Look

  • I thought that this was a great fiction book but it could have had a a bit more detail and it could have moved a bit slwer either than that it was a great book. Oh and the Title doesnt really suit the book it should have been called Masquerade Mania. 5Q 3P. Below gr 7 - Gr 9. D, 13.

Madeleine E. Robins. Point of Honour

  • This book was good in the fact that it was creative: there is certainly no other storylines like this one, in that it is unique. However, I wasn't really satisfied with it, it is hard to say why, but I think that it is because of 2 reasons:
    1) Perhaps the whole topic of the book was a bit off on me (all the references and descriptions of the work of whores..?)
    2)Though the ending is understandable and reasonable... I didn't like it. To conclude, a good effort but definately not one of my favorite books. 3Q 3P. Gr 10-11. MC, 14.

SF Said. Varjak Paw. [winner, Smarties Award]

  • This was a great book, How it's set all seriously about a house cat who goes out into the world trying to find a dog to save his family. One of the funny parts is when he tries talking to a dog, but it really is a car he's talking to.5Q 4P. AR,15.

Shelly Swanson Sateren. Cat on a Hottie's Tin Roof.

  • Definitely cute. Got some style - flair to its writing. And it's based on a topic that most kids can relate to. Characters were somewhat mediocre, and I wasn't too fond of the slang used on occasion. Enjoyable story, but a little stereotypical. Feel good book nonetheless. 3Q 4P. JL, 17.
  • When I started to read the book I though oh brother a tween book, not for me, but I was mistaken. Soon I was taken into the world of Cat (cathy) carlson. Even though I think the character should have been made a year or two older, I really attatched to her. She seemed like the perfect character to go through her situation, any other character wouldn't have worked. I especially liked the ending, and how it went past the whole "geek" theme of the rest of the book. However I thought that the author went a little overboard with Cat's life. I mean she comes from a major brainiac family, and didn't even know about anything in the real world! I think this made the author say that book-smart people should be ashamed of who they are. How come no one ever writes a book about popular, smart and athletic people they do exsist out there! 3Q 3P. LW, 14.

Ellen Schreiber. Vampire Kisses.

  • I loved every page of this novel. I truly couldn't put it down. I can not choose what part of this novel I liked best because the whole book was great. 5Q 5P. Gr 8-9. ER, 14.
  •  liked this book because lots of teens can probably relate to Raven. Raven is an outcast but in the end finds her place. There is humor in this book which lightens up dark situations. I love how Ellen portrays Raven. A tough girl with an outstanding attitude. 5Q 5P. IGr 8-12. MB, 14.

Ellen Schwartz. I love yoga; a guide for kids and teens

  • This book made me laugh!! (it's not suppose to) I felt like I was reading a script for an infomercial. Like they have to write everything they posibly can about yoga so I'll "PURCHASE" yoga! The author didn't have to write 50 pages of boring junk at the begining of the book to get you interested in yoga. If you pick up this book, you're going to be interested in trying some stuff out. I didn't even get to the warm up on page 51 because I was too annoyed by reading this boring stuff! Also, color illistrations would've been more exciding. 1Q 2P. Below Gr 7 - Gr 12+. MH, 15.

Virginia Frances Schwartz. Messenger.

  • This book was SO boring. I got to page 138 of 277 pages and nothing had happened. I did not like the way this book was written from a little girls point of view because I couldn't relate to her and she wasn't abel to bring a lot to the story. Maybe this story gets better but in my opinion a book should hook you right from the beginning. This book did not. Nothing happened in this book. Every timeI tried to read it I just wanted to fall asleep. 2Q 1P. Gr 7-11. EH, 16.

Marcus Sedgwick. Dark Horse.

  • This was a really weird book. It was good but it was really unusual because of how foreign it all is. There are alot of components from other really good books but the combination of them was a little overwhelming. I liked how the author told the story by jumping back and forth between two times and having one of the characters narrate so that you see the events unfolding. I liked how in the end Sig still found it in his heart to forgive mouse. 4Q 4P. NT, 16.
  • The Dark Horse is definitely on the top ten list of the best books I’ve ever read. It involves a coastal native tribe (no time specified) and a small, mysterious girl, dubbed Mouse, found in a wolves cave, dirty, naked and dumb, and adopted. As the story gets on, a mysterious box is found, none but mouse can open. Maybe it’s her strange powers, not even her can explain. But soon, with the box come a stranger and strange events, and Mouse’s past, starts unfolding.
    This book was so good because there are more and more surprises as I turned the page, and Mouse turns out to be very different then everybody thought. 5Q 4P. Gr 7-11. TL, 13.

TOP

Dyan Sheldon. Planet Janet.

  • This book was absolutely hilarious- I wouldn’t recommend reading it anywhere public, because I was laughing the whole way home on the bus, and got some…interesting… looks from the people seated near me. The characters were well-drawn, Janet in particular, and I thought that the plot of the book was interesting and original. The reader got a real sense of Janet as a person, and although she was a completely self-absorbed hypocrite, she was funny and engaging. Kudos to Sheldon for the character of Janet’s mother, the “Mad Cow”- the epithet was great (it was that particular name that made me want to read the book in the first place). The only thing that I didn’t like about this book was the fact that “very” was abbreviated to “v”- it was unnecessary and irritating. Overall, Planet Janet was fabulous, from its first page to its last. 5Q 5P. JW, 15.

Jocelyn Shipley. Getting A Life.

  • You know who needs a life? The person you wrote this book. This book was so pointless. All it was was a girl complaining about her life. Every time I tried to read this book it made me want to lose my lunch. The girl in this book knew all these neat people but instead of getting to know them she stays closed minded and complains and tries to be popular. This book was so lame I didn't even finish it.1Q 1P. Gr 7-9. EH, 16.
  • The back summary doesn't do it justice. I really like Zach, the Easter Bunny thing was cute, but I couldn't believe Carly didn't pick up on [ed censor], how could she forget that? ... 4Q 5P. Gr 8-9. CS, 14.

Shooting the Rat.

  • Very broad, probably more for poetry lovers than anything, but definitely inspirational. There's something for everyone in a collection this diverse and beautiful. 4Q 4P. Gr. 7-12. KH, 18.
  • This book was crazy. The poems and stories I read in this book made no sense what so ever. I had no clue who or what this book was about. I was completely lost when I read this book. I think the writes of this book tried to make it "deep". It was so deep I drowned. This book is a waste of trees. 1Q 1P. Gr 10-12+. EH, 16

Nancy Springer. Blood Trail.

  • Blood Trail is a simple, slightly boring who-dunnit that is not really suitable for any age of readers. Blood Trail is not suitable for older readers because the writing style is simple, and the plot-line is straight-forward. On the other hand, Blood Trail is not suitable for younger readers because it involves a very horrific murder that is described in full detail. I thought Blood Trail was a very poorly written mystery/who-dunnit/whatever... This is because the writing style was boring and repetitive, and you know "who-dunnit" after only the first few pages. 3Q 3P. VM, 13.

Ian Stewart. Ambushed: A War Reporter's Life on the Line

  • Ambushed was an eye opener to say the least. It convey's and brings attention to the suffering and war in western Africa in a very intense fashion. The war and corruption depicted in Ambushed appeared to be quite monotonous; if I hadn't read the prologue I may have stopped reading it. Part II of the book is very powerful. It's an incredible survival story. I would love to read another novel by the author who's comprehension of describing intensity is mesmerizing. 4Q 3P. EH, 13.
  • I've always wanted to be a journalist, and after reading this brutal account, it only made the fire burn stronger. This book was powerful and amazing, I had to read it twice. I loved how Ian included so much about the African people and their struggles. I just loved, loved, loved this book. 5Q 5P. Gr 10- 12+ CD, 17.

Todd Strasser. CON-fidence

  • I was very disappointed with this book because I have read other books by this author and loved them. CON-fidence, however, was a very boring, typical preteen girl book. The character's were so completely dense and naive that it made me want to scream. Enjoy! 4Q 3P. VM, 13.

Robert Sutherland The Adventures of Tommy Smith.

  • There were parts of this book that were pretty good, but a lot of it I seemed to find myself skimming over it in a lot of places because although the story was written okay, I wanted to get to the end of the book, just to find out what happened, just to get it over with. And then he tears up the paper and claims that there is no Tommy Smith. Geez man, of all the oppotune times, this would be the time to admit that Tommy Smith really does exist. Question: Why did Mr. Charles Grimmond write that paper? It was almost as if he knew that he wouldn't be able to testify, as though he knew that he would have to go save Tommy and Timothy and die trying in the attempt to do so. I like the stuff that is wound in about the horses though. That's cool, and makes Tommy (or Allan, which ever you prefer) seem even more real. By learning to survive by his wits, he develops the special talent of calming horses with his mouth organ, something that will make people want him to stick around, feed him... 3Q 3P. CS, 14.

Diane Swanson. Tunnels!

  • Tunnels was a really good book. It had a nice fast pace and each short story was accompied by a map or diagram to show how everything was performed, whether it was saving hostages or breaking into bank vaults. everything was explained clearly and had a surprising novel type flow to it. Very good read, i would recommend it to anyone. 5Q 4P. EH, 13.
  • Very cool stories. Gripping and the fact that they are true make them even more interesting. 4Q 3P. LC, 12.

Cecily von Ziegesar. All I Want is Everything: gossip girl #3

  • She is awesome. The pleasure that u get reading all the bad things these girls do is great. The way u just want to live there lives is great. These is the best gossip girl book and i can't wait for the next 1. Because u just want more and more. Because every1 that reads these knoes it's naughty but they all knoe they love gossip girl.5Q 5P. S, 14.
  • This book was one of the best i've read this year. i would recommend it for gr8-10 girls. all it is basically, is an overview of [rich] self-absorbed teenagers in new york. it was a funny book, especially the part where a girl is caught in the park without any pants on. or another part where a different girl finds out her mother is pregnant with her stepfathers child. there was alot of sexual content in the book, but these days its hard to find something without sex, drugs or violence anyway.5Q 4P. D, 14.

Judy Waite. Shopaholic

  • 'Shopaholic' was a huge disappointment to me, I was expecting much better. The main character is, well, not all that bright. True, Taylor is going through a rough time, and maybe she has reasons for doing the things that she does in this book... However, that does not make reading about her making terrible decisions interesting or fun. At the end of this book, there is supposedly supposed to be a twist ending, a surprise- but I could tell what was going to happen by the end of the first chapter. I definately do not think that this book deserves a nomination. 3Q 3P. VM, 13

Barbara Brooks Wallace. Perils Of Peppermints

  • I really like this book exept for 3 reasons
    1)they could have spent a little more time explaining about Emily's stay at Sugar Hill Hall
    2) a liked the book at the begining then slowly the book turned from a fiction book to a mystery book
     and 3)it was a bit confusing about sugar hill hall...they made it sound good at times and bad at times so u dont really know if its a good place or a bad place either than those 3 reasons i thought that this was an awsome book! 4Q 4P. D, 13.

Sally Warner.This isn't about the money

  • I like the way Janey deals with the death of her parents. It didn't really have a large plot to capture me though.3Q 2P. MH, 14.

Steven Weissman. White Flower Day/I Saw You

  • I did not like this book it was not that great i dont know just everthing about it was soo stupid.Like i could make a beter book.OMG. 5Q 2P. Below Gr. 7. D, 12.

Gloria Whelan. The Impossible Journey

  • The story line of this book was great but that's all it was, a story. I didn't really get to know the characters. The book just told a story saying first they went here and then they went there. The story was hard to believe. I couldn't really believe that two city kids could make a journey of 1,000 miles with out knowing very much about the out doors and still be alive at the end of it all with out to many hardships. This book had a good main idea but the writer didn't develop it well. 3Q 3P. EH, 16.
  • I really think this book is very realistic for something that happened almost a century ago. I especially like that the whole family was united at the end. One thing about this book though that I didn't really like was that the journey seemed to kind of jump from here to there. I think it could have been a bit smoother. 4Q 3P. SC, 13.

Jaqueline Wilson. Lola Rose

  • I really enjoyed this book!! It was funny, and had a good plot. My favourite character was Lola Rose, and I enjoyed all of the conflicts, and how the money didn't last all that long. It was a very good read, and has been my favourite of this authors books. I thought the cover really stood out which was why I picked it. 5Q 4P. Gr 7-11. LW, 14

Laurel Winter. Growing Wings

  • I loved it because it was fiction with some of life's problems mixed in. I read it in 2 days, so it is not very long (195 pages). This is my new favorote book. 5Q 5P. RG, 10.

Wish 1

  • I liked this book because personaly i like anime and it is also a good fantesy book. Many people might not read this it mainly just depends on if you like anime or not.The pictures are very clear so if you are confused then you can just look at the pictures. Some people might get confused while they are reading because it was writen in japan so you have to read it the japanese way (back to front right to left.) 4Q 4P. Below Gr 7 - Gr 12+. D, 12.

Elvira Woodruff. The Ravenmasters Secret.

  • The ending ties everything nicely together with Forrest receiving the 'scope back. This book is really good for showing that there was other things besides beheadings and hangings within the Tower Walls. Sure, you had the beheadings and hangings, but within those walls, it was also a totally different world. And I liked the glimpse I got into that world. 4Q 4P. Gr 8-9. CS, 14.

Lisa Yee. Millicent Min, Girl Genius

  • Millicent Min, Girl Genius was an ok book, but I doubt that many people would agree. The main character, Millicent (an 11-year-old high school student) is-well- as much as I hate the saying a goody-good. She thinks that she's better than her peers, she tries to use big words which gets incredibly annoying aftyer a while, and she is just plain obnoxious. Though the book is very realistic, and I know a lot of people just like Millicent, it doesn't change the fact that I find it incredibly hard not to dislike Millicent. That's pretty much how I feel about the entire book. VERY realistic, I could definately believe that this is a true story- but still not all that fun to read. Millicent Min, Girl Genius was a quick read, not all that exciting, and definately not likable. 3Q 3P. Below Gr 7. VM, 13.
  • This was a pretty good book. I found the main character, Millicent Min to be pretty annoying. She made some very stupid decisions that resulted in her having no friends, and that bothered me. I also kindof felt sorry for her, because she had no friends and stuff. The book was fairly realistic and written pretty well. 3Q 3P, AA, 13

Lawrence Yep. The Traitor.

  • Good book and idea, but it could have had more oomph. 4Q 3P. AR, 15

Jane Yolen and Robert J. Harris. Atalanta and the Arcadian beast

  • It had a nice plot and flowed easily. I enjoyed the strong willed, free-spirited character of Atalanta.
    For some reson, it was hard for me to get through this book. It took me a while to finish it. I think this is beacuse this book is probally for younger people.
    I read "Hippolyta", another book by these authors and enjoyed it more. MH, 14. 3Q4P.

Marly Youmans. The Curse of the Raven Mocker.

  • This book is good in the general idea of it, but it is designed to be a children's book, not a young adult's book. The characters were okay and reasonably developed, but they left something to be desired. The setting and the culture were again interesting, but not interest grabbing like some... *Assasins of Tamurin*...(I like that book)... anyways... I did not actually check up to see if the legends were actually part of the Cherokee beliefs, it is possible but I find it unlikely. This book was an okay read but that was just it... average, plain average. 3Q 2P. MC, 14.
  • It was fascinating and really got you kept going. Every night when I fell asleep, I stared at the ceiling and wondered what would happen in the next chapter. And another great thing is all the characters seem so real and believeable. Magpie Joe is one of my favorites. And even though a small bird peddler in the middle of the woods seems unlikely, you know in your heart that somewhere out there, there's a guy just like him. And in case you get confused, in the back there's "An Adantan Glossary" to translate all the funny words.  5Q 4P. RB, 12

 
 

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This site was last updated 06/20/08