Book Bites Reviews

Alosha by Christopher Pike
Review by Paige
Ali is a normal 13 yr. old girl until she goes to the woods to stop the lumberjacks from cutting down trees, and she ends up running into trolls. She's earning powers!!! My favorite character is Farble because he is a troll who doesn't talk much. I like this book because it is supernatural.

Beastly by Alex Flinn
Review by Katelyn
Kyle's life is perfect and he was most likely going to be Homecoming King. Then one day a "weird ugly" girl is at school but no one knows who she is and he decides to play a trick on her and asks her to the dance. They decide to meet at the dance and then he brings someone else and she leaves. After the dance, she is in his room and it turns out she is a witch and then she turns him into a beast. He has to get a true loves kiss in two years in order to break the spell. My favorite character is Lindy. I loved this book.

Still Life by Louise Penny
Review by Tori
And artist is murdered. Who is the murderer? My favorite character is Clara because she is observant. I loved this book because I love the theme.

Bad Blood by Marianne Mancusi
Review by B-Liz
Sunny almost gets her boyfriend taken away. My favorite character is Rayne because she comes at the end and
kills the bad guy. I loved this book because it was action packed.

Girls That Growl by Marianne Mancusi
Review by B-Liz
Rayne has to join the cheerleading squad. My favorite character is Rayne because she is amazing. I loved this book.

Night School by Marianne Mancusi
Review by B-Liz
Sunny gets taken by fairies. My favorite character is

Rayne because she is a boss. I liked this book because it is funny.

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
Review by Tori
10 People are stuck on Indian Island and people are dying according to a nursery rhyme. I liked this book because it was mysterious.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Review by Paige
A boy who is hiding in the graveyard because a killer, Jack, is after him. My favorite character is Liza because she is a witch and is kind to Bod. I loved this book because it is about a boy growing up in a graveyard.

Flush by Carl Hiassen
Review by Hannah
Noah Underwood's dad sinks a casino boat in an attempt to stop the owner from dumping illegally, but he ends up in prison for a time. The Coral Queen, the boat, is back in business within days.


Other Titles Discussed
Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi
Zel by Donna Jo Napoli

Book Bites Reviews

Eon: Dragoneye Reborn by Alison Goodman
Review by Tori
Eon is a girl pretending to be a boy. She struggles to become a dragon eye. My favorite character is Eon (real name Eona), because she is a strong character. I loved this book because it is very very nerve wracking.

Attack on Titan by Hajime Isayama
Review by B-liz
A town has to survive huge beasts. They also have to live under a king. My favorite character is Mikasa because she is better than everyone. I liked this book because there is lots of battles.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Review by Paige
A boy who was named Nobody Owens when he came to the graveyard. Jack killed his family and now his family are ghosts. When he meets a girl named Scarlet who can oddly see him, he takes her around the graveyard. My favorite character is Nobody Owens because the ghosts gave him permission to enter the graveyard so he can go through walls. I liked this book because the writing is good and it is mysterious.

Alice in the Country of Clover by Mamenosuke Fujimaru
Review by B-liz
Alice gets expelled from Hearts and has to adjust to the new life. My favorite character is Boris because he is funny and cute. I loved this book because they are entertaining and well written.

Monique and the Mango Rains by Kris Holloway
Review by Paige
A girl who is a peace corps person goes to West Africa to help the people. She is living with Monique, a person who handles childbirth. My favorite character is Monique because she has a strong character. I liked this book because it is about the life in West Africa.

The Year of Billy Miller by Kevin Henkes
Review by Destiny
Billy Miller falls off a two story balcony and is in the hospital. Then before 2nd grade, he thinks he is not smart enough. My favorite character is Sally.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
Review by Tori
Harry discovers he is a wizard and goes off to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. My favorite character is Harry Potter because he's the main character. I loved this book because it was very enjoyable to read.

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey
Review by Hannah
The world is under an attack from an advanced society of aliens. 16 year old Cassie Sullivan is one of Earth's last survivors, and the story follows her as she tries to eliminate the forces of those invading her planet. My favorite character is Cassie's brother Sam because Sam is very funny and adorable and he is also wise beyond his years. He is what keeps Cassie fighting when she feels like giving up.

Other Titles Discussed:
Shatter Me by Taherah Mafi
Fallen Angel by Heather Terrell
Maze Runner by James Dashner

Book Bites Reviews

These books were read and reviewed by the members of Book Bites, an informal book discussion group for grades 4-8. Call today to join us on Thursdays @ 4:30.

Rump by Liesl Shurtliff
Review by Hannah
There is a 12 year old boy who was only given half of his name, in a kingdom where your name is your destiny. When he finds out he can spin gold, he trades it for food. However, whenever he trades, he can't tell what he will be given. The only thing he can ask before he makes a trade is, "What will you give me?" He has to accept whatever is offered. Then he mus travel through the kingdom and find his surviving relatives and find the rest of his name to unravel his curse.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
Review by Tori
A beautiful romance between Kate and Heathcliff. I don't have a favorite character. I liked this book because it was entertaining.

The Fifth Wave by Rick Yancey
Review by Paige
Cassie is in the Fifth Wave. Aliens are taking over the world disguised as humans. Cassie's mom has died from a virus the aliens put out. Now she only has her little brother Same and her dad to survive the Fifth Wave. My favorite character is Cassie because in other books the girls are very weak but in this book she is strong. I liked this book because it was unique because the aliens were different.

Divergent by Veronica Roth
Review by B-liz
Beatrice has to choose a new faction to live in. My favorite character is Eric because he is cruel and mean and harsh. I loved this book because it is action packed.

Other Titles Discussed:
Virals by Kathy Reichs
Pure by Julianne Baggott

Instead of a book review, today I offer the best books of the year for teens, as chosen by the American Library Association. Each year a committee of librarians is chosen to read most of the books published for teens and they choose a select few. Click on each one to check it's availability in our system.

Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in literature written for young adults:

Winner:

Midwinterblood by Marcus Sedgewick
Seven linked vignettes unfold on a Scandinavian island inhabited--throughout various time periods--by Vikings, vampires, ghosts and a curiously powerful plant.

Honor Books:

Kindgom of Little Wounds by Susann Cokal
On the eve of Princess Sophia's wedding, the Scandinavian city of Skyggehavn prepares to fete the occasion with a sumptuous display of riches. Yet beneath the veneer of celebration, a shiver of darkness creeps through the palace halls.

Maggot Moon by Sally Gardner
What if the football hadn't gone over the wall? On the other side of the wall there is a dark secret. And the devil. And the Moon Man. And the Motherland doesn't want anyone to know. But Standish Treadwell--who has different-colored eyes, who can't read, can't write, STandish Treadwell isn't bright--sees things differently than the rest of the "train-track thinkers".

Navigating Early by Clare Vanderpool
The Odyssey-like adventure of two boys' incredible quest on the Appalachian Trail where they deal with pirates, buried secrets and extraordinary encounters.








YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults
Winner:

The Nazi Hunters: How a Team of Spies and Survivors Captured the World's Most Notorious Nazi by Neal Bascomb
A spy mission, a Holocaust tale and a first class work of nonfiction.








Finalists:
Go: A Kidd's Guide to Graphic Design by Chip Kidd

Imprisoned: The Betrayal of Japanese Americans During World War II by Martin W. Sandler

Courage Has No Color: The True Story of the Triple Nickles, America's First Black Paratroopers by Tanya Lee Stone

The President Has Been Shot! The Assassination of John F. Kennedy by James L. Swanson

Book Bites Reviews

These books were read and reviewed by the members of Book Bites, a book discussion club for grades 4-8. We meet on Thursdays @ 4:30. Call today to register and join us.

Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell
Review by Tori
Outliers is a book about a different perspective on success. I loved this book because it is interesting and eye opening.

Divergent by Veronica Roth
Review by Paige
A girl, Beatrice, is with the Abnegation faction. When she turns 16 she and her brother go to the ceremony where you pick the faction you will live your life with. My favorite character is Beatrice because she is the main character and the book is in her point of view. I liked this book because it was very unique and supernatural.

Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
Review by Katie
*Spoilers Included*
A slightly overweight fiery red haired girl named Eleanor moves back in with her mother and devil-like stepfather, starting a new school. Being the new girl is already hard, but having the queen bee of the school, Tina, makes it harder. Having no empty seat to sit in on the bus, she sits down next to a part Korean kid named Park. After many weeks of Eleanor sneaking peeks at Park's comic books, Park leaves her some to borrow every morning. The is the start of their friendship and ultimately their relationship. They know their romance won't last forever, but they're willing to risk it. I loved this book because they tried so hard to maintain their relationship as a couple and when it didn't last, they still cared about each other.

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
Review by Destiny
Annemarie and her family are trying to keep their friend safe from the Nazis. One day the act like she's their daughter and take her to their uncles house. My favorite character is Annemarie. I liked this book.

Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Review by B-Liz
This book is about vampires in Dallas, a vampire themed restaurant and cute people. My favorite character is Keiren because he is strong and a werewolf. I loved this book because it is funny and interesting.

Other Titles Discussed
The Tiger's Curse by Colleen Houck
Eat Brains Love by Jeff Hart

Youth Services Librarian, Chrissy Braun recommends:

Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World's Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Informative of both the Manhattan project itself and the KGB efforts to steal it's secrets, this book is well done. I enjoyed the more personal descriptions of the scientists and spies involved instead of sticking to the facts.Oppenheimer and Hill especially seemed very interesting indeed. I learned so much and the interesting little factoids kept me moving right along. (Oppenheimer forgetting his date, the bomb plans in the tissue box, and Feynman played bongos.)

Click here to find a copy of this book in our library catalog.

Book Bites Reviews

Divergent by Veronica Roth
Review by Katelyn
Beatrice grew up in Abnegation (selfless) faction, but she doesn't feel selfless. At the choosing ceremony, she chooses Dauntless (brave). After this, she is known as Tris, and pretty much becomes a different person. She comes out first of he initiation class and then there is a war between the Abnegation and Erudite factions. My favorite character is Will because he is really funny and smart and I like how he is dating Christina but they always fought before.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Review by Melody
A house of four people soon becomes on, a baby. This book is about a baby who survives with a bunch of ghosts, and can't see his dead family. I loved this book because I hate creepy stuff and actually like this wonderful book.

Devil's Kiss by Sarwat Chadda
Review by B-Liz
The Templar's save the world from the tenth plague. There is a love triangle. There is also a psychic. My favorite character is Michael because he was undercover. I loved this book because it was action packed and a new twist on every page.

Other Titles Discussed:
Fire and Ash by Jonathan Maberry