Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

by Jeff Kinney

Published by Amulet Books

Genre: Humor, realistic fiction, friends and society

Pages: 217

This book is about Greg Heffley. Greg is told by his mom that he should keep a journal, so this is it. It is about his misadventure with school, friends, and family. Also it is about the cheese touch.

I thought this book was so funny because I have three younger brother and this story reminded me of them in differnt ways. it was definitly a great caricature of adolescence.

Size 12 is Not Fat

Size 12 is Not Fat

By Meg Cabot

Published by Avon Trade (2005)

Genre: Realistic Fiction, Body and self, Friends and society, Accomplishment

Disclaimer: Sexual content, violence, death

Pages: 345

Heather Wells used to be a famous singer until she decide she wanted to sing her own stuff. She was dumped by her famous boyfriend and is living in an apartment above his brother, Cooper. Heather works at a resident hall where a couple of girls died, supposedly while elevator surfing. Heather disagrees with the police on that one and tries to figure out who their murder could be.

I hated this book. It left me with a bad feeling, probably because of how dirty it is. There must be sexual content on every page. I would not recommend that anyone read this book.

Monster

MONSTER

By Walter Dean Myers

Published by Harper Collins Publisher Inc. (1999)

Genre: Multicultural, Friends and society, violence

Disclaimer: violence, death, some sexual content

Pages: 281

Steve is a 16 year old kid that is accused of being part of a murder. He was sent to prison where life is so terrible that the way he was able to deal with was to record the events in the form of a movie script. Most of the book is his trial where there is a chance of him getting life in prison.

This book was powerful. I just wanted to cry for Steve the whole time. I wanted him to be able to be safe and to see his brother and be a good example for him. From the way his story is recorded , that's what Steve seems to want.

The Day it Snowed Tortillas

The Day it Snowed Tortillas

By Joe Hayes

Published by Cinco Puntos Press (2003)

Genre: Multicultural, short stories, humor, folk tales

Pages: 144

This is full of short stories that are folk tales from New Mexico. One was about a wise wife. Another was a Cinderella story. There was also some about a lier and two men in a graveyard and the ghost story of La Llorona. The stories were in Spanish, with the English translation.

I laughed so hard when I read the story about the drunks listening to "St. Peter" and "Diablo" splitting up the souls. But I have two Spanish roommates that grew up hearing the stories of La Llorona and it was fun reading that story and hearing their versions of that story.

The Looking Glass Wars

The Looking Glass Wars

By Frank Beddor

Published by Penguin Group (USA) Group (2006)

Genre: Fantasy, Adventure

Disclaimer: Violence

Pages: 384

Alyss, a little girl with a powerful imagination, just happens to be the princess of Wonderland. Redd is Alyss's aunt and Redd is mad that she isn't queen. She invades Alyss's home and kills Alyss's parents. A good family friend saves Alyss, but it takes them both to a completely different world where Alyss struggles to keep her identity. In Wonderland, all those that are faithful to white magic stuggle to save the Kingdom from Redd. Unfortunately, they dont know Alyss is alive, until she returns, but there is still the question of whether or not she is up to being queen.

I loved this book. My heart cried for Alyss's friend, Dodge. I can't wait to see how his character evolves through the next books. I also loved the maze that Alyss went through, I thought it was masterfully done. I really loved what was done with Alyss's character. I like the caliber of person the author made her.

American Born Chinese

American Born Chinese

By Gene Luen Yang

Published by Roaring Book Press (2006)

Genre: Multicultural, graphic novel, humor, friends and society

Disclaimer: Adolescent drama, and monkeys!

Pages: 240

This has three different stories going on. First you have the story of the Monkey King that tries to be more than he is and is taught he is just a monkey. Then there is Jin who is trying to be cool and get the girl. Lastly is Danny, who can't figure out why his cousin from China is trying to ruin his life. They are brought together in a really cool way in the end.

I loved the soap in the armpits part. That was so funny! I also liked how it was all brought together in the end. This was an easy and fun book to read.

Blood Secret

Blood Secret

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By Kathryn Lasky

Published by HarperTeen (2006)

Genre: Multicultural, Historical Fiction, Religious

Disclaimer: Some sexual content, some violence

Pages: 304

After Jerry's mother disappeared when she was eight years old and after that she just stopped talking. She spends several years in orphanages and at age 14 she goes to live with her great aunt. One evening she goes into the celar and finds an old chest of her ancestor's momentos. As she goes through them she views parts of their lives and learns about the impact the spanish inquistion had in driving her family from thier Jewish heritage.

The first chapter is just not worth reading. For the most part I liked the rest of the book. I never knew much about the spanish inquisition. It was awful! Those poor people. I liked that in coming to know her heritage and the things her family has had to go through that it helped her heal. It showed how important it is to learn about the past.

Artemis Fowl

Artemis Fowl

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By Eoin Colfer

Published by Talk Miramax Books (2002)

Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Science Fiction

Disclaimer: Some swearing

Pages: 277

Artemis Fowl II is a 12 year old boy genius and criminal mastermind. He discovers the secret of the faries and decides to use his information to rebuild his family's fortune. He kidnaps a LEPrecon officer named Holly Short and holds her ranson for gold. He gets in quite a bit of trouble and his household even has to fight off a troll!

I couldn't decide whether or not I liked Artemis. He is a villan and did some very not nice things, but you knew the reason behind it and it made him more human. it was a fun stoy, though. I loved that Holly's last name was Short. I really liked the guy with tinfoil on his head.

This is a fan made trailer.

Bound

Bound

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By Donna Jo Napoli

Published by Simon and Schuster Children's Publushing Division (2004)

Genre: Family, Multicultural, Historical Fiction, Religion

Pages: 186

This is a Cinderlla story about a Chinese girl named Xing Xing. Her mom had died several years before and her dad about a year before. She lives with her step mother and half sister. Her step mother is desperate to get her own daughter married and binds her feet. Xing Xing isn't treated well by her remaining family, but she does what they expect from her so she doesn't get sold into slavery, which is not good for a girl her age. She takes comfort by visiting her father's grave and a fish she believes to be the reincarnation of her mother. When her step mother starts does things that are dishonerable Xing Xing is saved by her mother.

This is a very sweet story. I loved how the author did the whole fairy godmother thing. I also like the way Xing Xing changed through the story. One of the ways the author seemed to show this was by letting us see how the stepmother was changing for the bad. I believe the author also pulled everything together well in the end. Quick read.

Locked Inside

Locked Inside

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By Nancy Werlin

Published by Dell Laurel-Leaf(2000)

Genre: Death, Body and Self, Accomplishment

Disclaimer: Death, Some violence

Pages: 272

Marnie feels constantly watched because she is the daughter of a famous of a famous singer had passed away. She responds by deviating from the norm in her boarding school society and becoming deeply involved in an online game called Poliapolis and trying to defeat the character called Elf. During a short break she stays at the school so that she can get some extra help with her school work and she is kidnapped by a teacher claiming to be her long lost half sister. Her Elf attempts to save her and they end up in the situation together, stuggling to find a way to escape.

I love this book, it was one I couldn't put down. It was so intense and pretty clean as well. I loved how the main character changed throughout the book the things she learned. This is a must read.

Briar Rose

Briar Rose

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By Jane Yolen

Published by Tom Doherty Associates (1992)

Genre: Historical Fiction, War, Holocaust, Internment Camps

Disclaimer: Violence, Death

Pages: 241

Becca grew up listening to her Grandma (Gemma) tell the story of Sleeping Beauty. Before Gemma died she told Becca that she was Briar Rose from the Sleeping Beauty story and made Becca promise to find out more. The family new nothing about Gemma's past because Gemma never talked about it. As Becca goes through Gemma's stuff she starts to piece together a few things that leads her to Poland, where she finds out some sad truths about what her grandma went through during WWII and the sad truths behind the Sleeping Beauty story she grew up with.

I have mixed feeling about this book. I though it was very well written and that the message was powerful. I learned about what the Polish went through during WWII and also other people that were affected and discriminated against during that time, including homosexuals. I learned alot, but it also left me feeling sad. I know I will never look at the Sleeping Beauty story the same way again.

Other books by Jane Yolen I've enjoyed:

• Dragon's Blood
• Heart's Blood
• The Queen's Own Fool
• 12 Impossible Things Before Breakfast (Short Stories)

Leaving Simplicity

Leaving Simplicity

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By Claire Carmichael

Puplished by Annick Press (2007)

Genre: Science Fiction, Friends and Society, Utopia/Dystopia

Disclaimer: Some swearing

Pages: 250

This book is about two teens, Barret and Taylor, that learn about the dark truth of the society they are living in. Barret is originally from a place called Simplicty. Simplicity is a small farming community that lives without modern conveniences like electrity and even a mail service and it teaches about the evils of "the chattering world" and especially advertising. He is forced by his aunt to leave Simplicity to enter the chattering world when his careprovider, his uncle Paul, dies. His Aunt Kara Trent works for the "Ads-4-Life Counsil and is a big part of the advertising that dominates the chattering world. Taylor is Kara's daughter and grew up in this society of advertising. As Barrett is trying to adjust to this loud society, him and Taylor learn about the dangers of advertising and the forces behind it. They also learn about how far people will go to gain power.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I found Barret's perspective on advertising and the other things that are going on in the chattering world fascninating. This book also made me think more about advertising, even though this story takes place in a futuristic world I was amased to see how many parallels there are to our own society.

Other young adult books by this author:

• Adds R Us (sequel to Leaving Simplicity)
• Incognito
• Fabricant
• Originator