Teens Have Their Say: Book Reviews, Page 2

here's what teens THINK about books they've read,
movies they've seen or CDs they've listened to

I want to do this too!

Do these books sound good? Check the Library Catalog, place a hold, and see for yourself!

Reviews are published in your own words but some spelling may be corrected. Reviews may be edited for length.

See more: Page 1 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8
Reviews of the Harry Potter books

The Book of Three (Chronicles of Prydain, #1)
By: Lloyd Alexander
Juv Fic SF

Taran, the Assistant Pig-Keeper, determines to save the kingdom of Prydain from evil.

It's a fun book for all ages to enjoy. About a struggle between good and evil. Filled with good guys and bad guys the whole family can enjoy.
Branson R., age: 13

Jemmy
By: Jon Hassler
YA Fic

Since her Chippewa mother is dead, seventeen-year-old Jemmy's alcoholic father has insisted that she quit school to care for her younger siblings. But on her way home on her last day of school, she gets caught in a fierce snowstorm, and is rescued by Otis and Ann Chapman, who have moved to rural Minnesota from the city. Otis is a well-known painter, and he sees in Jemmy the model he needs to complete a mural of the Maiden of Eagle Rock. Jemmy soon finds that the Chapmans have rescued her in more ways than one...and that there's a whole world outside of her family's dreary existence, a world she can conquer, if only she has the courage to fight....

This is a story of a half-Indian, half-white girl named Jemmy. Her mother is dead and her father is an alcoholic so she is forced to quit school to take care of her two younger siblings. Her life seems hopeless until she is unexpectedly rescued by the Chapmans. She learns a lot about herself and her abilities.
Kelsey M., age: 14

The Crooked Banister (Nancy Drew mysteries, #48)
By: Carolyn Keene
Juv Fic M

While helping the police find the owner of a mysterious house with a crooked staircase and an unpredictable robot, Nancy Drew, girl detective, also helps capture a swindler.

It was a good mystery and I had a really hard time putting it down because it was so interesting.
Shelby S., age: 12

Rakkety Tam (Redwall series, #17)
By: Brian Jacques
Juv Fic SF

Two warrior squirrels lead the battle against Gulo, a bloodthirsty wolverine who will stop at nothing to recover the Walking Stone that will give him the authority to rule the lands of ice beyond the Great Sea.

It's about a squirrel named Rakkety Tam, an abbey named Redwall and an abbot named Humble. And a flesh eating savage named Gulo. Not for children under 7.
Branson R., age: 13

The Book Without Words
By: Avi
Juv Fic SF

Thorston, an alchemist who has spent his life trying to decipher the secret to immortality contained in the Book Without Words, is on the brink of realizing his dream when he drops dead, leaving Odo, a talking raven, and Sybil, a servant who was about to be sacrificed to Thorston's plan, to reap the rewards of his work.

It doesn't start dull like some other books. Something big happens at the beginning that could cause the death of a 13-year-old girl, Sybil. She must find a green-eyed child with the help of a talking crow that wasn't always a crow.
Tiffani T., age: 13

A Ring of Endless Light (Austin Family series, #4)
By: Madeleine L'Engle
YA Fic

During the summer her grandfather is dying of leukemia and death seems all around, 15-year-old Vicky finds comfort with the pod of dolphins with which she has been doing research.

This amazing book is just too good to set down. In this book, Vicky, like any other teenager, is going through some rough times. Besides having three totally different guys on her back, her grandpa is also dying from leukemia. Through this summer, Vicky has to learn that even in the darkness of death surrounding her, she must also be open to the ring of endless light.
Kali G., age: 12

The Penultimate Peril (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #12)
By: Lemony Snicket
Juv Fic

The Baudelaire orphans disguise themselves as employees of the Hotel Denoument and find themselves pursued by the evil Count Olaf and by others.

This story starts with three kids who lost their parents in a fire. It shows us of the benefits and nonbenefits of being evil or good. I would recommend this book to anyone.
Jordan T., age: 13

Fugitive (Undercover Girl, #2)
By: Christine Harris
Juv Fic M

Jesse's assignment involves tracking down a man named Ari and bringing him to C2 headquarters. However, she does not know why he is wanted or what his connection is to the Peace First organization, which she has been ordered to infiltrate.

It had good action. Great characters that were awesome. It was really realistic. I thought the whole genre pretty cool. I love reading books that are mysterious.
Rebekah T., age: 12

Stormchaser (The Edge Chronicles, #2)
By: Paul Stewart
Juv Fic SF

In his continuing adventures, Twig, now sixteen years old, joins the crew of his father's sky pirate ship and embarks on a dangerous mission to collect the powerful stromphrax, a substance that purifies water and also prevents the city of Sanctaphrax from floating away.

This book is more adventurous than the first. It tells a story about a boy named Twig. He has just found his father, who is a sky pirate. Twig has to learn how to sail a sky ship and collect stromphrax for a floating city, Sanctaphrax. It is a great story and will have you on your toes.
Margaret P., age: 12

Eragon (Inheritance, #1)
By: Christopher Paolini
Juv Fic SF

In Alagaesia, a fifteen-year-old boy of unknown lineage called Eragon finds a mysterious stone that weaves his life into an intricate tapestry of destiny, magic, and power, peopled with dragons, elves, and monsters.

This is a very original book. Centered around a dragon and her human companion, this plot twists and turns, revealing many unexpected adventures. The characters in this book are fresh and exploding with diversity. A very worthwhile read for anyone with a taste for fantasy.
Katie A., age: 15

It has a slow start, but patient readers are rewarded with an exciting second half and a climactic ending. The book draws inspiration from countless other fantasy stories. The setting was similar to Middle Earth and the plot, for the most part, follows the plot of STAR WARS/ It isn't particularly original but ERAGON is still an enjoyable book that I would recommend to everyone who likes other fantasy novels.
Max W., age: 15

I strongly recommend ERAGON as a book. You should [read it] because it is exciting and adventurous. It's about a boy named Eragon and his dragon, Saphira. In the book, Eragon ventures in the spine hunting for a deer for dinner and he accidently finds a blue stone. He thinks he can sell it for meat. A few days later, a dragon hatches from the stone and Eragon realizes the stone was a dragon's egg and he is told from Brom that he is a dragon rider and that's where the story begins!
Joelle D., age 12

The Naming (Pellinor, #1)
By: Alison Croggon
YA Fic SF

A manuscript from the lost civilization of Edil-Amarandah chronicles the experiences of sixteen-year-old Maerad, an orphan gifted in the magic and power of the Bards, as she escapes from slavery and begins to learn how to use her Gift to stave off the evil Darkness that threatens to consume her world.

This story has many twists and turns. It pulls you in from the very first sentence and holds your attention throughout the entire book. The main character, Maerad, is daring and intriguing.
Katie A., age: 15

The Cat Ate My Gymsuit
By: Paula Danziger
YA Fic

When the unconventional English teacher who helped her conquer many of her feelings of insecurity is fired, a junior high student uses her new found courage to campaign for the teacher's reinstatement.

It doesn't really help you understand about it because I like books that tell you where they are going but this didn't. So I wouldn't ever read it again.
Shelby S., age: 12

There's a Bat in Bunk Five
By: Paula Danziger
YA Fic

On her own for the first time, fourteen-year-old Marcy tries to cope with the new people and situations she encounters while working as a counselor at an arts camp.

It talks about a girl named Marcy Lewis who went to a camp for writing and a girl named Ginger ran away and it turned out that she ran from her parents and that she never seemed to be treated right.
Shelby S., age: 12

Soul Moon Soup
By: Lindsay Lee Johnson
YA Fic

After her father leaves and Phoebe and her mother struggle to survive in the city, Phoebe finally goes to the country to live with her grandmother, where she learns family secrets and hopes her mother will return for her.

This story gives you a great look at life! It makes you treasure all of the small things you're given. I love how Phoebe truly learns to make the best of each day, and how she learns to live with what you've got. I think everyone should read this book for then they will be full of eating this book; that is in itself...Soul Moon Soup.
Kali G., age: 12

Nightmare (Undercover Girl, #2)
By: Christine Harris
Juv Fic M

Jesse's assignment involves infiltrating a camp to find two undercover agents, but she finds much more than she had originally expected.

I love mysterious books and if it wasn't a good book, I would not have read it. The characters were awesome too. I would want to read this because it's a great book for kids who like suspense and books that keep them on their tiptoes.
Rebekah T., age: 12

See more: Page 1 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8
Reviews of the Harry Potter books

Reviews are published in your own words but some spelling may be corrected. Reviews may be edited for length.

	The Book of Three (Chronicles of Prydain, #1) By: Lloyd Alexander Juv Fic SF Taran, the Assistant Pig-Keeper, determines to save the kingdom of Prydain from evil. It's a fun book for all ages to enjoy. About a struggle between good and evil. Filled with good guys and bad guys the whole family can enjoy. Branson R., age: 13
	Jemmy By: Jon Hassler YA Fic Since her Chippewa mother is dead, seventeen-year-old Jemmy's alcoholic father has insisted that she quit school to care for her younger siblings. But on her way home on her last day of school, she gets caught in a fierce snowstorm, and is rescued by Otis and Ann Chapman, who have moved to rural Minnesota from the city. Otis is a well-known painter, and he sees in Jemmy the model he needs to complete a mural of the Maiden of Eagle Rock. Jemmy soon finds that the Chapmans have rescued her in more ways than one...and that there's a whole world outside of her family's dreary existence, a world she can conquer, if only she has the courage to fight.... This is a story of a half-Indian, half-white girl named Jemmy. Her mother is dead and her father is an alcoholic so she is forced to quit school to take care of her two younger siblings. Her life seems hopeless until she is unexpectedly rescued by the Chapmans. She learns a lot about herself and her abilities. Kelsey M., age: 14
	The Crooked Banister (Nancy Drew mysteries, #48) By: Carolyn Keene Juv Fic M While helping the police find the owner of a mysterious house with a crooked staircase and an unpredictable robot, Nancy Drew, girl detective, also helps capture a swindler. It was a good mystery and I had a really hard time putting it down because it was so interesting. Shelby S., age: 12
	Rakkety Tam (Redwall series, #17) By: Brian Jacques Juv Fic SF Two warrior squirrels lead the battle against Gulo, a bloodthirsty wolverine who will stop at nothing to recover the Walking Stone that will give him the authority to rule the lands of ice beyond the Great Sea. It's about a squirrel named Rakkety Tam, an abbey named Redwall and an abbot named Humble. And a flesh eating savage named Gulo. Not for children under 7. Branson R., age: 13
	The Book Without Words By: Avi Juv Fic SF Thorston, an alchemist who has spent his life trying to decipher the secret to immortality contained in the Book Without Words, is on the brink of realizing his dream when he drops dead, leaving Odo, a talking raven, and Sybil, a servant who was about to be sacrificed to Thorston's plan, to reap the rewards of his work. It doesn't start dull like some other books. Something big happens at the beginning that could cause the death of a 13-year-old girl, Sybil. She must find a green-eyed child with the help of a talking crow that wasn't always a crow. Tiffani T., age: 13
	A Ring of Endless Light (Austin Family series, #4) By: Madeleine L'Engle YA Fic During the summer her grandfather is dying of leukemia and death seems all around, 15-year-old Vicky finds comfort with the pod of dolphins with which she has been doing research. This amazing book is just too good to set down. In this book, Vicky, like any other teenager, is going through some rough times. Besides having three totally different guys on her back, her grandpa is also dying from leukemia. Through this summer, Vicky has to learn that even in the darkness of death surrounding her, she must also be open to the ring of endless light. Kali G., age: 12
	The Penultimate Peril (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #12) By: Lemony Snicket Juv Fic The Baudelaire orphans disguise themselves as employees of the Hotel Denoument and find themselves pursued by the evil Count Olaf and by others. This story starts with three kids who lost their parents in a fire. It shows us of the benefits and nonbenefits of being evil or good. I would recommend this book to anyone. Jordan T., age: 13
	Fugitive (Undercover Girl, #2) By: Christine Harris Juv Fic M Jesse's assignment involves tracking down a man named Ari and bringing him to C2 headquarters. However, she does not know why he is wanted or what his connection is to the Peace First organization, which she has been ordered to infiltrate. It had good action. Great characters that were awesome. It was really realistic. I thought the whole genre pretty cool. I love reading books that are mysterious. Rebekah T., age: 12
	Stormchaser (The Edge Chronicles, #2) By: Paul Stewart Juv Fic SF In his continuing adventures, Twig, now sixteen years old, joins the crew of his father's sky pirate ship and embarks on a dangerous mission to collect the powerful stromphrax, a substance that purifies water and also prevents the city of Sanctaphrax from floating away. This book is more adventurous than the first. It tells a story about a boy named Twig. He has just found his father, who is a sky pirate. Twig has to learn how to sail a sky ship and collect stromphrax for a floating city, Sanctaphrax. It is a great story and will have you on your toes. Margaret P., age: 12
	Eragon (Inheritance, #1) By: Christopher Paolini Juv Fic SF In Alagaesia, a fifteen-year-old boy of unknown lineage called Eragon finds a mysterious stone that weaves his life into an intricate tapestry of destiny, magic, and power, peopled with dragons, elves, and monsters. This is a very original book. Centered around a dragon and her human companion, this plot twists and turns, revealing many unexpected adventures. The characters in this book are fresh and exploding with diversity. A very worthwhile read for anyone with a taste for fantasy. Katie A., age: 15 It has a slow start, but patient readers are rewarded with an exciting second half and a climactic ending. The book draws inspiration from countless other fantasy stories. The setting was similar to Middle Earth and the plot, for the most part, follows the plot of STAR WARS/ It isn't particularly original but ERAGON is still an enjoyable book that I would recommend to everyone who likes other fantasy novels. Max W., age: 15 I strongly recommend ERAGON as a book. You should [read it] because it is exciting and adventurous. It's about a boy named Eragon and his dragon, Saphira. In the book, Eragon ventures in the spine hunting for a deer for dinner and he accidently finds a blue stone. He thinks he can sell it for meat. A few days later, a dragon hatches from the stone and Eragon realizes the stone was a dragon's egg and he is told from Brom that he is a dragon rider and that's where the story begins! Joelle D., age 12
	The Naming (Pellinor, #1) By: Alison Croggon YA Fic SF A manuscript from the lost civilization of Edil-Amarandah chronicles the experiences of sixteen-year-old Maerad, an orphan gifted in the magic and power of the Bards, as she escapes from slavery and begins to learn how to use her Gift to stave off the evil Darkness that threatens to consume her world. This story has many twists and turns. It pulls you in from the very first sentence and holds your attention throughout the entire book. The main character, Maerad, is daring and intriguing. Katie A., age: 15
	The Cat Ate My Gymsuit By: Paula Danziger YA Fic When the unconventional English teacher who helped her conquer many of her feelings of insecurity is fired, a junior high student uses her new found courage to campaign for the teacher's reinstatement. It doesn't really help you understand about it because I like books that tell you where they are going but this didn't. So I wouldn't ever read it again. Shelby S., age: 12
	There's a Bat in Bunk Five By: Paula Danziger YA Fic On her own for the first time, fourteen-year-old Marcy tries to cope with the new people and situations she encounters while working as a counselor at an arts camp. It talks about a girl named Marcy Lewis who went to a camp for writing and a girl named Ginger ran away and it turned out that she ran from her parents and that she never seemed to be treated right. Shelby S., age: 12
	Soul Moon Soup By: Lindsay Lee Johnson YA Fic After her father leaves and Phoebe and her mother struggle to survive in the city, Phoebe finally goes to the country to live with her grandmother, where she learns family secrets and hopes her mother will return for her. This story gives you a great look at life! It makes you treasure all of the small things you're given. I love how Phoebe truly learns to make the best of each day, and how she learns to live with what you've got. I think everyone should read this book for then they will be full of eating this book; that is in itself...Soul Moon Soup. Kali G., age: 12
	Nightmare (Undercover Girl, #2) By: Christine Harris Juv Fic M Jesse's assignment involves infiltrating a camp to find two undercover agents, but she finds much more than she had originally expected. I love mysterious books and if it wasn't a good book, I would not have read it. The characters were awesome too. I would want to read this because it's a great book for kids who like suspense and books that keep them on their tiptoes. Rebekah T., age: 12

8/13/07 Duluth Public Library, 520 W. Superior St., Duluth, MN 55802

8/13/07
Duluth Public Library, 520 W. Superior St., Duluth, MN 55802