DOVER-SHERBORN MIDDLE SCHOOL LIBRARY
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DOVER-SHERBORN MIDDLE SCHOOL LIBRARY
All original artwork by Cynie Linton
BOOK REVIEWS
Book Review by: Julia Henken Title: The Secret Hour Author: Scott Westerfeld Genre: Contemporary Fantasy Summary: At Midnight time stops for a select few. During this time dark and terrible creatures roam and the special abilities of the select few are enhanced. To the group, the creatures are like wild animals- they don’t mess with you, if you don’t mess with them. Until Jessica moves into town. She’s different from the others, who are, during the day, social outcasts. Jessica is tidy, bright, and popular, and at midnight she’s a magnet for these terrible creatures. Why are they all after her? Everyone is scrambling to find the answers to this very serious question. Why I liked it: It was a great read and felt, to me, that is was written for me. I love books that aren’t quite so otherworldly and could be believed. The characters are very full and you can truly see what their personalities are and how they interact with others. The setting is also detailed to the point where you can see it in your mind’s eye- another thing I truly love. The plot was realistic and believable in how it moved, though as far as content goes, you’ll have to decide for yourself. Recommended for: 6th grade and up. Anyone who loves fantasy and may be tired of otherworldly settings. And for anyone who has ever thought that magic could be real.
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Reviewed by:
Anugraha R |
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Why I liked
it: I liked
this story because it had a lot of suspense. Another reason that I liked it was
because it had some unexpected outcomes. When I was reading the book I could
picture myself in it.
Recommended
for: I
would recommend this book to people who like a lot of adventure and suspense. I
think that boys and girls could read this book.
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Reviewed by: Leigh C. Starred rating: **** (four out of five)
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Summary: Black Mirror is a story about a poor girl named Francis and her dead brother, Daniel. In the beginning everyone believes that he died of a heroin overdose, because he had been doing drugs for years. But when Francis joins a community service group Daniel was part of, she uncovers a huge, horrible lie involving Daniel’s long-time girlfriend. With the help of some friends, she brings the lie to the limelight and learns many new things about herself and her brother along the way.
Why I liked it: I really liked this book and gave it
4 stars because it kept my attention until the very end and never had a dull
moment. Sometimes I was shocked, sometimes I was scared, and once in the story I
cried. Black Mirror is different from anything I have read before because it has
a really amazing plot twist about three fourths through the book that I could
never have guessed.
Recommended for: I would recommend this book for 6th and 7th graders
because even though it is short and not a very hard reading level, it has mature
themes and is very sad and a little scary.
Book Review by: Ms. Woodward
Title: Nory Ryan's Song
Author: Patricia Reilly Giff
Genre: Historical fiction
Summary:
This book is set in 1845 Ireland, where the terrible potato famine has set in.
People are starving to death, and Lord Cunningham is trying to force the Irish
people off of their land. Nory's sister Maggie leaves for Brooklyn, New York,
where Nory hopes to join her one day, when she can gather the money. In the
meantime, Nory's father doesn't return one day, and she must find a way to keep her sister, little
brother, and grandfather from starving.
What I thought:
This is a good story that kept me reading right up to the last page. It is
really sad in some places. I also learned a lot about what Ireland was like
during the potato famine. I didn't know that the English were in Ireland
at that time, making life even more miserable for the Irish! If you are looking
for a good read that is fairly short, I highly recommend Nory Ryan's Song.
Recommended for: I think this book would be good for
anyone in 6th, 7th or 8th grade!
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Book Review by: Ms. Bell Title: Spellbound Author: Janet McDonald Genre: Realistic fiction |
Summary:
Spellbound is a glance into the life of
sixteen-year-old, high school dropout, Raven Jefferson. When we first meet Raven
she is a single mother, living in the Brooklyn projects with her working mother,
and spending her days taking care of her two and a half year old son, Smokey.
Raven and her best friend Aisha, are in the same situation and they would face
the same deadend future except that Raven has not lost her ambition to better
herself and succeed. Raven's older sister, Dell, having provided the role model
that education opens doors to life beyond the projects, encourages Raven to seek
opportunities, allowing her to be the champion of her own life.
What I thought:
I enjoyed the style of writing and the character
development. The plot moved along quickly, predictably, and left me with an
upbeat feeling. I liked the fact that all the characters had integrity, pride
and were self-reliant despite the less than perfect choices they might have
made.
Recommended for: I would recommend this book for eighth grade students.