BHS is a YALSA Library this year! The students of the Book Club are reading Advanced Reading Copies (ARCs) of books before they are available for sale! Then OUR students will review these books and help select the top 10 Young Adult Books of the year! We are one of 15 clubs in the country and the ONLY high school in Illinois reviewing for YALSA!
I Love My Librarians!!!
Thursday, March 05, 2009
Lovi's Classes Make Their Recommendations!
What do you think of these books!
For some tips on GREAT books to read, checkout the books that Ms. Lovi's classes are recommending!
Simply click on "comment" and then give us your feedback!
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Daily Book Review
When reading the book Raiders Night, by Robert Lipsyte I was intrigued by many aspects of this story. In this riveting story Lipsyte thoroughly depicts the capacity for cruelty in a high school student. He also emphasizes the power of trust. This book was very interesting to me because the main character, Matt, is having the best year of his life. he is a senior at Nearmont High School, the captian of the football team and his good looks win him all of the girls. it appears that he will be having the best year of his life at Nearmont and his football career will be soaring. In the start of this book Matt, Tyrell, Pete, and Brody are very close and are practically inseparable. They work out together, they hang out after school and they all have a lot in common with each other. Matt is the captain at the time but it may be going to his head. “Quads and glutes win games,” Matt said. He wanted everybody to be able to perform to the best of their ability so that the team would be recognized and he could be scouted. But this may be perceived differently by the other team members. This is only a great book for anybody in high school or above because it is inappropriate at times, but it sends a great message about leadership and how to operate as a team. If everybody quit and went on their own every time they did not get what they wanted, nothing would ever be accomplished. Also there is a lot to be learned about high school athletics. I definitely was not aware of the corrupt actions demonstrated by the athletes of this generation. This book is great for any high school student and anybody in sports. When reading this book your life will be changed. I know that anybody that reads this book will be greatly influenced and I definitely was as well. Danny K.
Sad. Depressed. Angry. Upset. Confused. Excitement. Hope. These are the emotions of the book Taken, by: Chris Jordan. In which a widow, a single mother, who runs a catering business faces twists and turns. She loses her beloved son to a viscous cold hearted kidnapper and murderer. “ Tomas? Not to worry, Mom Tomas is in a safe place. A sneer on the lips. Very pleased with himself. But the gun never wavers. Very steady hands. Hands that scare me almost as much as the gun. Hands that must have touched my son.” That quote took place right when Ms.Bickford scrambled home to find her child was not home. Every mothers fear, to come home to a complete stranger with a gun and there child no where to be found. This book takes you on a journey where Kate reaches out to find her son Tomas with the help of many local detectives. With authorities in disbelief of her case, they accuse her of murder of a local cop and of abducting her own son. Chris Jordan takes you through the devastation and trauma of having a love one disappear. It wouldn’t ever happen to me, I wouldn’t ever get kidnapped. Truth is every day about 2,185 children under eighteen go missing. With the authors extreme detail and intense pictures he places in your mind you feel as if anyone could get kidnapped. The Bickfords were ordinary people in Connecticut suburbs just living there normal everyday weekend at Tomas baseball game. And there it happened, in just five minutes her son was gone. The writers short quick chapters help you place ideas and main events all together. Chris elaborates throughout the book on small details which makes this book even more pleasurable to read. My recommendation for reading Taken, is for the readers who are puzzle solvers, and like gorgy mysteries. If you can’t stand reading and get bored after the first few pages, this books for you. Within the first few pages the author gets you hooked. Its not only a book children are ages should read, it’s a book everyone should read. It really gets a sense of what reality is like. That you don’t just live in a little bubble where nothing like this happens. It happened to this unfortunate young boy, this makes the reader aware it could happen to you . While reading this novel you will get chills down your spine just hearing the cold killer talk. Chris Jordan makes it seem like anyone could get kidnapped, abducted, drugged up and accused for murder and held at ransom. Will you be next?, Emma Woods 7th hour.
Slaughter House-Five: Review Another classic Vonegut novel, Slaughter House-Five is more then a book, it is a thundering social comment on what is wrong with our world and how we can better ourselves, as relevant as it was in 1969 to present day. The story is set in several time periods, as time is perceived through a different lens in this book. This is because the main character and storyteller, Billy Pilgrim, has adopted a Tralfamadorian philosophy. This means seeing in a fourth dimension and cycling back in forth between significant times and occurrences in the novel. Initially, the book is about a young man named Billy trying to write an anti-war book about WWII. He begins to recall his experiences, referring to the tragic American bombing of Dresden many times. One of the most memorable quote’s is a dialogue between Billy and a partner who he is writing the book with. It goes like this: “Is this an anti-war book?” “Yeah, I suppose so.” “Here’s an idea, why don’t you write an anti-glacier book?” Now, to make this clear, the beginning is about Billy trying to write a book. He then gets lost in his memories and adventures through time and is now telling the story from the first person. The story is filled with clever and insightful satire, punctuated with poignant black humor at which one is not permitted to laugh; dejection and misery with no tears. The fact that this novel is written in a cyclical process, moving forward and looping backwards, ultimately ending with the beginning, can make this difficult to read. That being said, I am unable to gleam any negatives from this book. Kurt Vonegut is a mix between George Orwell and Chuck Palahniuk, awaking a fourth dimension to our lives and hearts, while denouncing humans in general and allowing us to sympathize with people we never could have done before. This book is for someone looking to push the boundaries of common perception and truly expand their knowledge and intelligence. It is not a simple, cozy story that one can curl up with, it is for true intellectual expansion and life changing perceptions, told through a loose story. Dylan W, 7 L
Raiders Night, the masterpiece written by the acclaimed author Robert Lipsyte, portrays new player hazing to the utmost extremity. It is about Matt Rydek, the all-star wide receiver and co-captain for the Raiders. He lives among the residents of Nearmont. I can say without a doubt that this all happens during modern times because most of the football players “juice” to get bigger and stronger. The inclusion of cell phones and computers also helps me solidify this hypothesis. Matt and the team go to the annual football camp, where intense football training occurs. A new kid named Chris Marin shows up, and cant help but be a big showoff. He is destined to take the other co-captain’s secondary position at tight end, and he gets extremely jealous. The hazing incident that crosses the line happens on Raiders Night, the last night of the camp where freshmen get inducted into true Raiders football players. The initial reaction when I first opened the first page is Lipsyte’s writing style of being not very descript, but having a short and easy-to-follow sentences that keep the great storyline going. It is quite astounding. Lipsyte also uses language usually associated with high school aged adolescents, which includes swearing and many references to drugs, and alcohol. I can’t help but assume that these boys are also very sexually active, as the occasional reference about how they “scored” at the party or what happened with their girlfriends the night before. I enjoyed Raiders Night almost beyond compare, mostly because I can relate to many aspects that occur. The overall meaning of the book, in my opinion, is that people should never keep emotions bottled up inside of them, but rather always get them out some way or another. I recommend this book to eighth graders and above, with the exception of a mature seventh grader. I also recommend Raiders Night to mostly a male, but a female could read it just as well and get the same amount of enjoyment as I did. This book is one that will surely loom on my mind for months to come. Jocko S. 7th Hour
It’s Kind Of A funny Story “ Its so hard to talk when you want to kill yourself. That’s above and beyond everything and its not a mental complaint – it’s a physical thing, like it’s physically hard to open your mouth and make the words come out. They don’t come out smooth and in conjunction with your brain the way normal people’s words do; they come out in chunks as if from a crushed-ice dispenser; you stumble on them as they gather behind your lower lip. So you just keep quiet.” Its Kind Of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini is an uplifting novel that takes place in Manhattan. It illustrates a smiling and heartwarming theme, as Craig Gilner is introduced to new people with problems like depression just like himself. What lead Craig to his depression was, what most people recall was the best time of their life, going into high school. He thought by getting accepted into his dream high school ( Manhattan’s Executive Pre- Professional High School) his career and future would be locked in. Craig starts to deal with an excessive amount of stress, where almost committing suicide – he checks himself into the nearest hospital. That’s where he finally realizes in life. He also meets a teenage girl, Noelle, who scarred her face with scissors, but happens to make a significant impact in Craig’s life. He is at the hospital for a total of five days; and throughout those five days he meets and experiences a variety of people and things that h e once thought he would not be encountered with. This story was written one week after Vizzini was let out of the Methodist Hospital in Park Slope, Brooklyn. November 29. 2004 all the way until December 3, 2004 was when Vizzini experienced his life changing trial with many different people. The story has been told through the eyes of Craig. This gives the reader more attention towards his thoughts and the way he thinks. Vizzini creates an attitude where you are wanting a happy end, but Craig (and everyone else) are faced with many challenges with each other and themselves. This is a novel for teenagers to adult. Anyone who prefers or enjoys books that leave you with an impact that keeps you smiling, but also keeps you considerate of other people’s problems, then this is a book for them. Caroline T., 7th hour
Hope, joy, promise, pity, remorse, fear, anger, and disgust are just a few of the endless whirlwind of emotions you will feel while readings Ellen Hopkins first novel Crank. Hopkins ability to so accurately depict the life of a high school addict is impeccable. Kristina Snow is a your typical high school junior focusing on school grades, and family. Like most she constantly feels alienated from the fast moving world around her, however, her loneliness hides a secret or two. While visiting her father those secrets are revealed. Now, back at home in Reno, Nevada with her mom, stepdad ,and little brother, she tries to hide them again. As she spirals downhill a mountain of new overwhelming problems emerge. Hopkins unique writing constantly keeps the story interesting. Also the poetic format helps express Kristina’s thoughts. feelings, and evils in greater detail. Kristina seems to be sharing her diary, however, she only uses dates in her poems if they are significant. The graphic events are written in much detail, so I would not recommend this book for anyone under the age of at least 13. Any one who enjoys poetry would love this novel. After finishing the novel your view of troubled teens will change drastically. This book is not only great for high school students, it is great for parents to understand the reality and brutality of loneliness and high school.
Shadow people People from different forms of life brought together by a common goal; revenge. Shadow people by Joyce McDonald takes place in a time of madness, and misunderstanding. Gabriel, Alec, Lydia and Hollis all met up one day in an abandoned Boy Scout camp. At first they seem to not like each other. But as they keep meeting they grow more accustom to their company. Then they form a diabolical group called the Lords of Destruction. Gabriel comes from a family torn apart by his brother Bens murder. Lydia has a father who thinks the worlds out to get him. So he has his family sever any ties to other families and the press. He also has plans if the government ends. No wonder she’s going nuts. Alec is an ex-con with a long history of offences. Some include illegal drugs and weapons and vandalism. But as for Hollis, the boy at age 15 is much different than the rest. He’s already going to M.I.T and he also organizes the plans that they make. And the plans are life changing. People will get hurt, dreams crushed and lives changed. As a show of power they trash a train station to show their not messing around. But was that the only reason? The book is set up in a way so that after each paragraph has a cliffhanger so you keep on reading. I give this book a 8 out of 10 for its plot and diverse characters. I would recommend this book for ages 13 and up for multiple uses of drugs and may be taken literally by young readers.
Did you know that being a test pilot in the 1960’s was the sexiest job around? But that’s not what attracted future freefall record holder Joe Kittinger. From the Amateur writer Johnny Acton comes the never before released in the united states The Man Who Touched The Sky. A true story recalling the testing of the effects of gravity on joe kittinger, an air force test pilot. who goes from a young teenage boy racing speed boats for cash. To being put in a giant helium balloon and sent up over 100,000 feet to jump out at the edge of space. Just to test the effect of gravity on high altitudes on a human. Joe Kittinger had a life or death choice to make at 100,000 feet, but only a few seconds to do so. With Johnny Acton’s extremely addictive, intensive and exhilarating style of writing you will be glued to the pages until the very end. He exemplifies the characteristics of an extremely good and experienced writer in this book. I would recommend this book to everyone. But to the hardcore enthusiasts of aeronautics, aviation, and parachuting. this book will have you on the edge of your seat making you excited to turn the next page. this book will put you in the scenario and feel like you are there!
It By: Stephen King This was probably may favorite Stephen King book because it shows Stephen King’s talent as an author. It will draw you in and attach you to the action with the ingenious use of plot and lively characters. With vivid descriptions of each scene, he makes you feel like your part of the action The beginning of the book starts innocent enough with a boat made from newspaper floating into a rain filled storm drain after a flood. But something was wrong, very wrong, indeed. The small town of Derry, Maine in the summer of 1958 was inhabited by something, something that feeds on the towns children. It was a shape shifter that would form itself into the worst fears of the children but its favorite shape was a clown. It would prey on the innocent children and their fears before finally devouring their bodies. However, this summer would be different. Seven teen-age children who were considered losers by the other children escaped its evil clutches and would stand together and face the horror that lived in the sewers and kill it. The seven children made a vow that year, sealed in blood, to return if “It” returned. Twenty years later when the clown suddenly appeared after a boy was thrown over a bridge by two other boys, they would all have to return to Derry to fulfill their vow. But one was driven to suicide after knowing that he could not face the evil afain or return to Derry with the other six. The Story flips between the summer of 1958, when they had confronted the evil, and now, when a single phone call sends their worst fears into reality as the monster has returned to Derry. Although this book was very great, I wouldn’t recommend this to many people. This book contains a plethora of foul language and mature content. Mature readers and people who can read detailed books and people with a love of horror will enjoy It very much. –Colin B. 8th Hour
The book Raiders Night by Robert Lipstyle is action packed and full of Drama. It all starts with a football team trying to win the championship game. It ends with an attempted murder and various other allegations. Matt, the star wide receiver, who was guaranteed a division one scholarship, gets entwined in the drama of Raiders pride night. The things that occur threaten to wreck the season and Matt’s chances of getting a scholarship and playing pro football. When his dad finds out he freaks and jumps all over Matt it puts them at each others throat the whole book the excitement never ends. Find out what happens in the book Raiders Night. This book is an excellent read that will make you not want to put it down. I recommend this book to any high school athlete because it really shows the affects of hazing and how it can get out of hand. This book is very enthralling I read the whole book in one sitting you will not want to stop reading Raiders Night. This book is a very easy fast pace read you will just fly right through it. Robert Lipstyle is a creative genius it is amazing how all the little details come together at the end and keep you guessing. Just when you get one idea of what’s happening it will change it keeps you guessing and excited to read the whole time. This book really depicts youth athletics with parents yelling, coaches getting mad, and one bad seed ruining it for every one. This book has it all and is guaranteed to keep you trapped in its madness. Trevor S. period 8
Being his first book John Green really blew me away with it. Looking for Alaska is about a 16 year old boy; Junior in High school, named Miles Halter, or as his friends call him at Culver Creek, Pudge. He is bored of his school that he is in right now since he is not a very popular kid. He decides that he wants to attend that boarding school that his father went to when he was a teenager, Culver Creek in Alabama. He wants to try to get some friends and experience new things and maybe even encounter a “great perhaps”. He meets a lot of new people such as Alaska, Colonel, his room mate, Takumi, Lara and more, and along with that he encounters many new experiences. Smoking, drinking, partying, girls, freedom, Pudge was having the time of his life at his new school. He was getting closer and closer to people as the days went by. Even though he was having a great time, one night they had a little too much fun and that’s when everything went downhill.
The way that John Green wrote the book is like as if he was a teenager at the time. Yet, the vocabulary is still at a pretty high level. The way he writes shows that he wants to try to connect with the age level that is reading this story. He does not write the book with chapters, he has the book in two halves, a before and an after. The text is also separated by days. For example it would say 20 days before and so on until you get to the other half, after. I like this aspect in the book because it draws you in more you want to know what it is that these days are leading up to. This book will really grab you in and you wont want to stop reading it until it’s done.
Teenagers will really enjoy this book because it is easier for them to relate to unlike other books such as Romeo and Juliet or Tom Sawyer. Also people that like to read book about other teens and their struggles through life and how they face it would enjoy this book. I know that I definitely enjoyed this book and recommend it to all teens.
In the book Crank by Ellen Hopkins, she describes the story of a girl’s descent into an addiction. Kristina is a perfect daughter; gifted high school student, quiet, and never snooping into trouble. Bree, the other side of Kristina (which appears during her trip to her Dad’s) takes over and is the exact opposite of Kristina. Bree is fearless. Bree meets a boy who introduces her to the monster. The monster is crank, better known as crystal meth. Crank takes her on a wild and ecstatic ride which leads her downhill to a struggle for her mind, soul, and life when she returns home to her Mom’s. The main character is Kristina Georgia Snow and Bree, two people in the same body. Kristina, the perfect one who is close and loyal to her family with a lot of promise. Bree is the crazy side of Kristina. She is fearless, careless, addicted to drugs, and does everything Kristina wouldn’t do. Adam is another main character who introduces her to crank. Two other characters who are both her boyfriend’s and crank supplier’s were Brendan and Chase. Brendan wants her for sexual reasons while Chase wants her because he cares for Bree and loves her. The story took place in two main locations; her Mom and Dad’s houses. Her Dad lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico where the weather is very warm. Her Mom lives in Reno, Nevada where the Junes are much chillier and breezy. In conclusion this story is a thrilling read filled with an abundance of suspenseful action. The fact that this book has been based off a true story teaches you lessons that have occurred in a girl’s life. The style of writing the author chose was very poetic. It was a collection of short poems that were interesting, enjoyable, and creative. I would recommend this book to readers who are mature enough to understand many of the book’s situations. The minimum age level I feel the reader should be is fifteen and in high school.
Crank Ellen Hopkins’s second book, Crank, is a literal map of what is happening to teenagers around the country. Crank is about a girl, Kristina, who is the perfect daughter. She gets perfect grades, loves her family, and has great friends. That is until she meets her father and his friends who introduce meth to her. Soon meth takes over and slowly conquers Kristina’s life. Everyone calls the new Kristina, “Bree”. She, is much different from Kristina because unlike Kristina, Bree enjoys attention, boys, drugs and ignores those who used to mean the most as well as her academics. Bree is slowly destroying Kristina, if Kristina ever wants a shot at a normal life again, she will have to get rid of Bree. Ellen Hopkins has a unique style of poetic writing in all four of her books; Burned, Impulse, Crank and Glass. Ellen’s writing has attracted readers of all separate genres from all over the country. Her style has redefined poetry for many readers. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading, simply because this book has revolutionized my view over the English language. I never liked poetry until I read this extremely creatively written book. The only problem with the book is that on occasion, I would not know what order to read the words in because of the interesting format of the paragraphs. Overall, Crank is one of the best books that I have ever read. After finishing this book, I felt upset that Kristina’s journey had come to an end. I was so absorbed into the text, that I would not have had a problem if it simply went on forever. This book is certainly one of the more compelling books of the decade, and is a must read for anyone with a love for English. Stop by at the library some time and read this book, it is definitely worth your time. Ethan Fang
Imagine if you were beaten everyday and had the feeling no one loves you. Souad has written an autobiography called Burned Alive. She has lived this brutal life, in a tiny village of West Bank, occupied by Israelis. The cause of her pain was punishment for disobeying rules that today we consider to be disgusting. For instance, in her village if a girl was born they were worth as nothing. They were not allow to go to school, no privileges. Then if a boy were born they had lots of privilege’s, treated as a prince. Another cruel rule they had is if a girl got pregnant before marriage, people would think of her as a “Charmuta” or a whore. Souad had broken this rule. Therefore, she has a risk of torturing punishment. Will she live, commit suicide, or even run away? Souad’s narrative describes her a sad and difficult life. It’s not descriptive of herself, but is more detailed on the atmosphere of her society. I believe that she written Burned Alive, to show the danger on how the capacity of evil people have. For instance, since Souad had so many sister’s, her mother killed most of them when they were born, secretly. Her mother would then fake cry. This makes me in great disbelief because Souad did not remember some of her sister’s, so it was always a mystery what happened to them. Even though, Souad’s story was very violent, I consider it to be a life lesson. If you like to learn the value of life and how easily it could be changed. I guarantee, if you read this novel it will give you a different look at life. I give this book a 10 out of 10 because I now look at life different, so you should too!!!!!!!!!!!
All the books Ellen Hopkins has written, such as Crank include drugs and how out of hand people can get with them. She writes new, intense, refreshing novels, these books give everyone something to think about even if you have never done drugs or been in a serious relationship with someone. In Crank the main character Kristina, a seventeen year old, soon turning eighteen, who is into her family, school, and friends, gets out of hand with drugs when she goes to visit her addict of a father for the summer in New Mexico. Not only does she meet ‘the monster’ of drugs, she also meets Adam who shows her things she never dreamed of doing. They, Kristina and Adam fell in love for the summer and never continued their relationship past the summer except for exchanging of notes here and there. Now Kristina has an alter ego, Bree, who is everything the old Kristina wasn’t, she’s charming, sneaky, and a slave to ‘the monster’. When she has to go home to a strict family back in Reno, Nevada she has to try to ditch the bad habits she picked up to save her family from pain of her new person, Bree. Now Bree’s taken over her life driving it right in the ground. The old Kristina is still inside her soul trying to claw her way out, but can she get to the surface and save herself from major problems before something terrible happens and spare her family from pain? As the story progresses, Kristina has to find herself and overcome many obstacles to try to overcome addiction. In her conquest she discovers a whole different side to her than the sweet goody-two- shoes everyone knows her as. You learn about drugs, alcohol, and the affects it has on people including what happens under the influence. Ellen Hopkins takes the reader to a whole other level then just reading, but maker you feel as if you’re really in the book going through these moments Kristina is going through. The unique chapters make it easy to show Kristina/Bree’s feelings and actions. The chapters are written in poems, so although they might be hard to read at times, they make the book even more worth reading. I, personally, suggest this book to people who like depressing books, because this book in particular doesn’t have a happy ending but an ending that makes you wondering what’s going to happen next. I wouldn’t suggest this book to children under thirteen or fourteen because of some sketchy remarks and subject matter. If you can also connect with the contents of Crank, that is a huge advantage so you can understand what the characters are going through. When you know what the characters are going through it makes the world of a difference when reading and trying to understand why things are happening. There are many cliff hangers all through this book making you stay up late reading just so you can find out what’s next. This book may not have had a lot of detail but it makes you use your imagination, like a good writer would make you do. Ellen Hopkins has drawn my attention and the attention of many people like me. I would suggest this book to anyone as a good read that keeps your mind entertained for hours.
“Life was good until I met the monster. After, life was great. At least, for a little while.” Ellen Hopkins’s book Crank is about a girl named Kristina who is a gifted high school junior who is quiet and doesn’t like to cause trouble. Life is pretty much good for her until she meets the monster, crank. After that, her life is turned upside down into a wild ride trying to keep her new life and habits secret from her super strict mother and her stepfather Scott. She struggles with school, friendships, boys, and trying to keep her life in check.
I would give the book a solid 7 out of 10 stars. I enjoyed the plot of the story, it sucked me in from the moment I started reading. Kristina has some pretty crazy adventures, and they were addicting. The book wasn’t boring at all,at times it was very intense. The only thing I didn’t like about the book is the format the author wrote it. At times it was confusing at what point to start reading and who was saying what.
I would recommend this book for someone who likes adventure, problems, and most of all, excitement and intensity. I would put an age limit to 14 and up due to material and situations in the book.
“Everybody has problems. Some people just hide their crap better than others.” This is just one of the many themes in the novel, It’s Kind of a Funny Story. Ned Vizzini has written an interesting yet inspiring story about a young teenage boy, Craig Gilner, who goes through deep depression. All the pressure of the honors high school he attends, along with girls, drugs and regular high school drama, leads Craig to suicidal thoughts. When Craig gets himself checked into a psychiatric hospital, he encounters experiences that he never thought would ever happen to him. The people he meets in Argenon hospital in Brooklyn, NY open his eyes to the real world. Craig realizes that it could be so much worse out there and that he has it pretty good on his own. He has a supporting family, an intelligent brain and the gift to draw. Noelle, another patient, and Craig encourage each other throughout the book and try to look at their problems with humor. While in the hospital, Craig starts to rekindle his love to do artwork. The atmosphere of the hospital soothes Craig and decompresses his anxiousness. Vizzini manages to somehow not only let Craig feel sheltered, but for the reader to feel comfortable and open. In addition to this intriguing novel, Vizzini expresses his thoughts through Craig’s point of view. Unlike other authors, Vizzini has experienced what his character has gone through. For example, when he was a teenager, he spent five days in a psychiatric hospital and went through depression just like Craig. One of the sayings that Vizzini follows in real life is, “It’s the simple things in life that matter.” In his novel, Craig realizes this and it greatly impacts the outcome of the story. In the beginning of the book, Vizzini describes Craig as worrying a lot and having low self-esteem. All the pressure that he put on himself is finally getting to him and it affects him negatively. When he enters the hospital and starts to make art again, his thoughts change from panicking to relaxed and just taking things slowly. This novel is supposed to be about how serious depression is and what can happen to overly stressed kids but Vizzini again manages to make this novel humorous. I think teenagers should read this book because they would be able to relate to Craig’s situation. Every high scholar has those days when all they want to do is hide and never face the real world. This book would help kids fight depression with a positive attitude. I would rate this book a 7 out of 10 because it does have some good themes throughout the book and is easy to relate to.
Slaughterhouse-Five Time is supposed to be seen like a stretch of the Grand Canyon, all at once. While humans are only able to see certain parts at a time. That is wrong, and that is why humans grieve at death. Billy Pilgrim is taught this among other things by the Tralfmadorians in Slaughterhouse-five. While Billy is living a somewhat non-exciting life, he gets thrown into the military during WW2. Billy is poorly equipped and as a result, soon gets captured. During his imprisonment Billy is transferred to work in Dresden, Germany. While there Billy is one of the very fortunate to survive the infamous “Dresden Fire Bombing”. After this horrific event, Billy goes home to marry and live as normal of a life as he can-which happens to be extraordinarily difficult for him. Billy does not go through life in an arranged way. He traveled through some parts of life blankly and quietly. Billy Pilgrim was thrown around his life like a cat going through a carwash. Billy Pilgrim was “Unstuck” in time. Having to write a scattered and distorted trip through the life of a brilliant man takes a clever hand. In Slaughterhouse-Five Kurt Vonnegut is able to capture the beauty and strangeness of many decades of events. Writing in third person format this mysterious work of art will throw the reader into a story in which they learn to love, and hate, many different characters. This novel will keep the reader flipping the pages and begging for more. For attempting to stop a glacier, Kurt Vonnegut does a terrific job. Being an anti-war book, this book is also historically accurate for parts. However, at parts this book presents a spin on modern humanism and culture and presents some extravagant ideas on why we are the way we are. Therefore I would recommend this book to anyone ho enjoys anti-war novels, science fiction, and enjoys pleasantly deranged views and ideas on humanity.
Another classic from Richard Matheson, who brought you I am Legend and The Incredible Shrinking Man; Hell House will leave you questioning your belief in the afterlife, and perhaps your sanity as well. Hell House revolves around Dr. Lionel Barret and his expedition to what is referred to as "The Mount Everest of haunted houses". Accompanying him is the psychic Benjamin Fischer, who is the only survivor of the 1940 expedition to Hell House; Florence Tanner, a religious medium; and Barrett's wife, Edith, who comes along to keep her husband company. This all takes place in 1970 in the state of Maine. The team is enlisted by a dying millionaire named Rolf Deutsch, to find out, by scientific means, if there is life after death. But, there is a catch; they only have one week to figure it out! With time against them, Barret and team race to collect evidence and conduct experiments. However, there is a powerful unseen force, a deadly force, watching their every move. I picked this book up after reading I am Legend, and I'm glad I did. Richard Matheson's attention to detail is outstanding and unparalleled to most horror writers today. The story has a history behind it, which makes the plot deeper and adds a lot of character to the novel as a whole. What really accented the plot were the small details such as record players turning on by themselves, and hollowed out books used to hide things. There were also scientific explanations for the poltergeist activity, for example, left over human energy making rocking chairs move by themselves. There is only one small issue that I am disappointed with, and that is the fact that there were only four members of Dr. Barret's team. Adding more characters would have opened up a whole new list of possibilities which would make the story a whole lot better. Overall, this book deserves a 9/10, only because there were so many missed opportunities to add more characters. I would recommend this book to people who enjoy thinking deeply about what they are reading.
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Daily Book Review
When reading the book Raiders Night, by Robert Lipsyte I was intrigued by many aspects of this story. In this riveting story Lipsyte thoroughly depicts the capacity for cruelty in a high school student. He also emphasizes the power of trust. This book was very interesting to me because the main character, Matt, is having the best year of his life. he is a senior at Nearmont High School, the captian of the football team and his good looks win him all of the girls. it appears that he will be having the best year of his life at Nearmont and his football career will be soaring.
In the start of this book Matt, Tyrell, Pete, and Brody are very close and are practically inseparable. They work out together, they hang out after school and they all have a lot in common with each other. Matt is the captain at the time but it may be going to his head. “Quads and glutes win games,” Matt said. He wanted everybody to be able to perform to the best of their ability so that the team would be recognized and he could be scouted. But this may be perceived differently by the other team members.
This is only a great book for anybody in high school or above because it is inappropriate at times, but it sends a great message about leadership and how to operate as a team. If everybody quit and went on their own every time they did not get what they wanted, nothing would ever be accomplished. Also there is a lot to be learned about high school athletics. I definitely was not aware of the corrupt actions demonstrated by the athletes of this generation. This book is great for any high school student and anybody in sports. When reading this book your life will be changed. I know that anybody that reads this book will be greatly influenced and I definitely was as well. Danny K.
Sad. Depressed. Angry. Upset. Confused. Excitement. Hope. These are the emotions of the book Taken, by: Chris Jordan. In which a widow, a single mother, who runs a catering business faces twists and turns. She loses her beloved son to a viscous cold hearted kidnapper and murderer. “ Tomas? Not to worry, Mom Tomas is in a safe place. A sneer on the lips. Very pleased with himself. But the gun never wavers. Very steady hands. Hands that scare me almost as much as the gun. Hands that must have touched my son.” That quote took place right when Ms.Bickford scrambled home to find her child was not home. Every mothers fear, to come home to a complete stranger with a gun and there child no where to be found. This book takes you on a journey where Kate reaches out to find her son Tomas with the help of many local detectives. With authorities in disbelief of her case, they accuse her of murder of a local cop and of abducting her own son. Chris Jordan takes you through the devastation and trauma of having a love one disappear.
It wouldn’t ever happen to me, I wouldn’t ever get kidnapped. Truth is every day about 2,185 children under eighteen go missing. With the authors extreme detail and intense pictures he places in your mind you feel as if anyone could get kidnapped. The Bickfords were ordinary people in Connecticut suburbs just living there normal everyday weekend at Tomas baseball game. And there it happened, in just five minutes her son was gone. The writers short quick chapters help you place ideas and main events all together. Chris elaborates throughout the book on small details which makes this book even more pleasurable to read.
My recommendation for reading Taken, is for the readers who are puzzle solvers, and like gorgy mysteries. If you can’t stand reading and get bored after the first few pages, this books for you. Within the first few pages the author gets you hooked. Its not only a book children are ages should read, it’s a book everyone should read. It really gets a sense of what reality is like. That you don’t just live in a little bubble where nothing like this happens. It happened to this unfortunate young boy, this makes the reader aware it could happen to you . While reading this novel you will get chills down your spine just hearing the cold killer talk. Chris Jordan makes it seem like anyone could get kidnapped, abducted, drugged up and accused for murder and held at ransom. Will you be next?, Emma Woods 7th hour.
Slaughter House-Five: Review
Another classic Vonegut novel, Slaughter House-Five is more then a book, it is a thundering social comment on what is wrong with our world and how we can better ourselves, as relevant as it was in 1969 to present day. The story is set in several time periods, as time is perceived through a different lens in this book. This is because the main character and storyteller, Billy Pilgrim, has adopted a Tralfamadorian philosophy. This means seeing in a fourth dimension and cycling back in forth between significant times and occurrences in the novel. Initially, the book is about a young man named Billy trying to write an anti-war book about WWII. He begins to recall his experiences, referring to the tragic American bombing of Dresden many times. One of the most memorable quote’s is a dialogue between Billy and a partner who he is writing the book with. It goes like this: “Is this an anti-war book?” “Yeah, I suppose so.” “Here’s an idea, why don’t you write an anti-glacier book?” Now, to make this clear, the beginning is about Billy trying to write a book. He then gets lost in his memories and adventures through time and is now telling the story from the first person. The story is filled with clever and insightful satire, punctuated with poignant black humor at which one is not permitted to laugh; dejection and misery with no tears.
The fact that this novel is written in a cyclical process, moving forward and looping backwards, ultimately ending with the beginning, can make this difficult to read. That being said, I am unable to gleam any negatives from this book. Kurt Vonegut is a mix between George Orwell and Chuck Palahniuk, awaking a fourth dimension to our lives and hearts, while denouncing humans in general and allowing us to sympathize with people we never could have done before. This book is for someone looking to push the boundaries of common perception and truly expand their knowledge and intelligence. It is not a simple, cozy story that one can curl up with, it is for true intellectual expansion and life changing perceptions, told through a loose story.
Dylan W, 7 L
Raiders Night
Raiders Night, the masterpiece written by the acclaimed author Robert Lipsyte, portrays new player hazing to the utmost extremity. It is about Matt Rydek, the all-star wide receiver and co-captain for the Raiders. He lives among the residents of Nearmont. I can say without a doubt that this all happens during modern times because most of the football players “juice” to get bigger and stronger. The inclusion of cell phones and computers also helps me solidify this hypothesis. Matt and the team go to the annual football camp, where intense football training occurs. A new kid named Chris Marin shows up, and cant help but be a big showoff. He is destined to take the other co-captain’s secondary position at tight end, and he gets extremely jealous. The hazing incident that crosses the line happens on Raiders Night, the last night of the camp where freshmen get inducted into true Raiders football players.
The initial reaction when I first opened the first page is Lipsyte’s writing style of being not very descript, but having a short and easy-to-follow sentences that keep the great storyline going. It is quite astounding. Lipsyte also uses language usually associated with high school aged adolescents, which includes swearing and many references to drugs, and alcohol. I can’t help but assume that these boys are also very sexually active, as the occasional reference about how they “scored” at the party or what happened with their girlfriends the night before. I enjoyed Raiders Night almost beyond compare, mostly because I can relate to many aspects that occur. The overall meaning of the book, in my opinion, is that people should never keep emotions bottled up inside of them, but rather always get them out some way or another.
I recommend this book to eighth graders and above, with the exception of a mature seventh grader. I also recommend Raiders Night to mostly a male, but a female could read it just as well and get the same amount of enjoyment as I did. This book is one that will surely loom on my mind for months to come.
Jocko S. 7th Hour
It’s Kind Of A funny Story
“ Its so hard to talk when you want to kill yourself. That’s above and beyond everything and its not a mental complaint – it’s a physical thing, like it’s physically hard to open your mouth and make the words come out. They don’t come out smooth and in conjunction with your brain the way normal people’s words do; they come out in chunks as if from a crushed-ice dispenser; you stumble on them as they gather behind your lower lip. So you just keep quiet.” Its Kind Of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini is an uplifting novel that takes place in Manhattan. It illustrates a smiling and heartwarming theme, as Craig Gilner is introduced to new people with problems like depression just like himself. What lead Craig to his depression was, what most people recall was the best time of their life, going into high school. He thought by getting accepted into his dream high school ( Manhattan’s Executive Pre- Professional High School) his career and future would be locked in. Craig starts to deal with an excessive amount of stress, where almost committing suicide – he checks himself into the nearest hospital. That’s where he finally realizes in life. He also meets a teenage girl, Noelle, who scarred her face with scissors, but happens to make a significant impact in Craig’s life. He is at the hospital for a total of five days; and throughout those five days he meets and experiences a variety of people and things that h e once thought he would not be encountered with.
This story was written one week after Vizzini was let out of the Methodist Hospital in Park Slope, Brooklyn. November 29. 2004 all the way until December 3, 2004 was when Vizzini experienced his life changing trial with many different people. The story has been told through the eyes of Craig. This gives the reader more attention towards his thoughts and the way he thinks. Vizzini creates an attitude where you are wanting a happy end, but Craig (and everyone else) are faced with many challenges with each other and themselves.
This is a novel for teenagers to adult. Anyone who prefers or enjoys books that leave you with an impact that keeps you smiling, but also keeps you considerate of other people’s problems, then this is a book for them.
Caroline T., 7th hour
Crank Review
Hope, joy, promise, pity, remorse, fear, anger, and disgust are just a few of the endless whirlwind of emotions you will feel while readings Ellen Hopkins first novel Crank. Hopkins ability to so accurately depict the life of a high school addict is impeccable. Kristina Snow is a your typical high school junior focusing on school grades, and family. Like most she constantly feels alienated from the fast moving world around her, however, her loneliness hides a secret or two. While visiting her father those secrets are revealed. Now, back at home in Reno, Nevada with her mom, stepdad ,and little brother, she tries to hide them again. As she spirals downhill a mountain of new overwhelming problems emerge.
Hopkins unique writing constantly keeps the story interesting. Also the poetic format helps express Kristina’s thoughts. feelings, and evils in greater detail. Kristina seems to be sharing her diary, however, she only uses dates in her poems if they are significant.
The graphic events are written in much detail, so I would not recommend this book for anyone under the age of at least 13. Any one who enjoys poetry would love this novel. After finishing the novel your view of troubled teens will change drastically. This book is not only great for high school students, it is great for parents to understand the reality and brutality of loneliness and high school.
Alexa A.
7th Period
Shadow people
People from different forms of life brought together by a common goal; revenge. Shadow people by Joyce McDonald takes place in a time of madness, and misunderstanding. Gabriel, Alec, Lydia and Hollis all met up one day in an abandoned Boy Scout camp. At first they seem to not like each other. But as they keep meeting they grow more accustom to their company. Then they form a diabolical group called the Lords of Destruction. Gabriel comes from a family torn apart by his brother Bens murder. Lydia has a father who thinks the worlds out to get him. So he has his family sever any ties to other families and the press. He also has plans if the government ends. No wonder she’s going nuts. Alec is an ex-con with a long history of offences. Some include illegal drugs and weapons and vandalism. But as for Hollis, the boy at age 15 is much different than the rest. He’s already going to M.I.T and he also organizes the plans that they make. And the plans are life changing. People will get hurt, dreams crushed and lives changed. As a show of power they trash a train station to show their not messing around. But was that the only reason? The book is set up in a way so that after each paragraph has a cliffhanger so you keep on reading. I give this book a 8 out of 10 for its plot and diverse characters. I would recommend this book for ages 13 and up for multiple uses of drugs and may be taken literally by young readers.
mike p. 7th
Did you know that being a test pilot in the 1960’s was the sexiest job around? But that’s not what attracted future freefall record holder Joe Kittinger. From the Amateur writer Johnny Acton comes the never before released in the united states The Man Who Touched The Sky. A true story recalling the testing of the effects of gravity on joe kittinger, an air force test pilot. who goes from a young teenage boy racing speed boats for cash. To being put in a giant helium balloon and sent up over 100,000 feet to jump out at the edge of space. Just to test the effect of gravity on high altitudes on a human. Joe Kittinger had a life or death choice to make at 100,000 feet, but only a few seconds to do so.
With Johnny Acton’s extremely addictive, intensive and exhilarating style of writing you will be glued to the pages until the very end. He exemplifies the characteristics of an extremely good and experienced writer in this book.
I would recommend this book to everyone. But to the hardcore enthusiasts of aeronautics, aviation, and parachuting. this book will have you on the edge of your seat making you excited to turn the next page. this book will put you in the scenario and feel like you are there!
Sir Thomas H. IV 7th hour
It
By: Stephen King
This was probably may favorite Stephen King book because it shows Stephen King’s talent as an author. It will draw you in and attach you to the action with the ingenious use of plot and lively characters. With vivid descriptions of each scene, he makes you feel like your part of the action
The beginning of the book starts innocent enough with a boat made from newspaper floating into a rain filled storm drain after a flood. But something was wrong, very wrong, indeed. The small town of Derry, Maine in the summer of 1958 was inhabited by something, something that feeds on the towns children. It was a shape shifter that would form itself into the worst fears of the children but its favorite shape was a clown.
It would prey on the innocent children and their fears before finally devouring their bodies. However, this summer would be different. Seven teen-age children who were considered losers by the other children escaped its evil clutches and would stand together and face the horror that lived in the sewers and kill it. The seven children made a vow that year, sealed in blood, to return if “It” returned.
Twenty years later when the clown suddenly appeared after a boy was thrown over a bridge by two other boys, they would all have to return to Derry to fulfill their vow. But one was driven to suicide after knowing that he could not face the evil afain or return to Derry with the other six. The Story flips between the summer of 1958, when they had confronted the evil, and now, when a single phone call sends their worst fears into reality as the monster has returned to Derry.
Although this book was very great, I wouldn’t recommend this to many people. This book contains a plethora of foul language and mature content. Mature readers and people who can read detailed books and people with a love of horror will enjoy It very much. –Colin B. 8th Hour
The book Raiders Night by Robert Lipstyle is action packed and full of Drama. It all starts with a football team trying to win the championship game. It ends with an attempted murder and various other allegations. Matt, the star wide receiver, who was guaranteed a division one scholarship, gets entwined in the drama of Raiders pride night. The things that occur threaten to wreck the season and Matt’s chances of getting a scholarship and playing pro football. When his dad finds out he freaks and jumps all over Matt it puts them at each others throat the whole book the excitement never ends. Find out what happens in the book Raiders Night.
This book is an excellent read that will make you not want to put it down. I recommend this book to any high school athlete because it really shows the affects of hazing and how it can get out of hand. This book is very enthralling I read the whole book in one sitting you will not want to stop reading Raiders Night. This book is a very easy fast pace read you will just fly right through it. Robert Lipstyle is a creative genius it is amazing how all the little details come together at the end and keep you guessing. Just when you get one idea of what’s happening it will change it keeps you guessing and excited to read the whole time. This book really depicts youth athletics with parents yelling, coaches getting mad, and one bad seed ruining it for every one. This book has it all and is guaranteed to keep you trapped in its madness.
Trevor S. period 8
Looking for Alaska by John Green
Being his first book John Green really blew me away with it. Looking for Alaska is about a 16 year old boy; Junior in High school, named Miles Halter, or as his friends call him at Culver Creek, Pudge. He is bored of his school that he is in right now since he is not a very popular kid. He decides that he wants to attend that boarding school that his father went to when he was a teenager, Culver Creek in Alabama. He wants to try to get some friends and experience new things and maybe even encounter a “great perhaps”. He meets a lot of new people such as Alaska, Colonel, his room mate, Takumi, Lara and more, and along with that he encounters many new experiences. Smoking, drinking, partying, girls, freedom, Pudge was having the time of his life at his new school. He was getting closer and closer to people as the days went by. Even though he was having a great time, one night they had a little too much fun and that’s when everything went downhill.
The way that John Green wrote the book is like as if he was a teenager at the time. Yet, the vocabulary is still at a pretty high level. The way he writes shows that he wants to try to connect with the age level that is reading this story. He does not write the book with chapters, he has the book in two halves, a before and an after. The text is also separated by days. For example it would say 20 days before and so on until you get to the other half, after. I like this aspect in the book because it draws you in more you want to know what it is that these days are leading up to. This book will really grab you in and you wont want to stop reading it until it’s done.
Teenagers will really enjoy this book because it is easier for them to relate to unlike other books such as Romeo and Juliet or Tom Sawyer. Also people that like to read book about other teens and their struggles through life and how they face it would enjoy this book. I know that I definitely enjoyed this book and recommend it to all teens.
Crank
By Ellen Hopkins
In the book Crank by Ellen Hopkins, she describes the story of a girl’s descent into an addiction. Kristina is a perfect daughter; gifted high school student, quiet, and never snooping into trouble. Bree, the other side of Kristina (which appears during her trip to her Dad’s) takes over and is the exact opposite of Kristina. Bree is fearless. Bree meets a boy who introduces her to the monster. The monster is crank, better known as crystal meth. Crank takes her on a wild and ecstatic ride which leads her downhill to a struggle for her mind, soul, and life when she returns home to her Mom’s. The main character is Kristina Georgia Snow and Bree, two people in the same body. Kristina, the perfect one who is close and loyal to her family with a lot of promise. Bree is the crazy side of Kristina. She is fearless, careless, addicted to drugs, and does everything Kristina wouldn’t do. Adam is another main character who introduces her to crank. Two other characters who are both her boyfriend’s and crank supplier’s were Brendan and Chase. Brendan wants her for sexual reasons while Chase wants her because he cares for Bree and loves her. The story took place in two main locations; her Mom and Dad’s houses. Her Dad lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico where the weather is very warm. Her Mom lives in Reno, Nevada where the Junes are much chillier and breezy.
In conclusion this story is a thrilling read filled with an abundance of suspenseful action. The fact that this book has been based off a true story teaches you lessons that have occurred in a girl’s life. The style of writing the author chose was very poetic. It was a collection of short poems that were interesting, enjoyable, and creative.
I would recommend this book to readers who are mature enough to understand many of the book’s situations. The minimum age level I feel the reader should be is fifteen and in high school.
Troy K.
Period 8
Crank
Ellen Hopkins’s second book, Crank, is a literal map of what is happening to teenagers around the country. Crank is about a girl, Kristina, who is the perfect daughter. She gets perfect grades, loves her family, and has great friends. That is until she meets her father and his friends who introduce meth to her. Soon meth takes over and slowly conquers Kristina’s life. Everyone calls the new Kristina, “Bree”. She, is much different from Kristina because unlike Kristina, Bree enjoys attention, boys, drugs and ignores those who used to mean the most as well as her academics. Bree is slowly destroying Kristina, if Kristina ever wants a shot at a normal life again, she will have to get rid of Bree.
Ellen Hopkins has a unique style of poetic writing in all four of her books; Burned, Impulse, Crank and Glass. Ellen’s writing has attracted readers of all separate genres from all over the country. Her style has redefined poetry for many readers. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading, simply because this book has revolutionized my view over the English language. I never liked poetry until I read this extremely creatively written book. The only problem with the book is that on occasion, I would not know what order to read the words in because of the interesting format of the paragraphs. Overall, Crank is one of the best books that I have ever read.
After finishing this book, I felt upset that Kristina’s journey had come to an end. I was so absorbed into the text, that I would not have had a problem if it simply went on forever. This book is certainly one of the more compelling books of the decade, and is a must read for anyone with a love for English. Stop by at the library some time and read this book, it is definitely worth your time. Ethan Fang
Burned Alive
By: Souad
Imagine if you were beaten everyday and had the feeling no one loves you. Souad has written an autobiography called Burned Alive. She has lived this brutal life, in a tiny village of West Bank, occupied by Israelis. The cause of her pain was punishment for disobeying rules that today we consider to be disgusting. For instance, in her village if a girl was born they were worth as nothing. They were not allow to go to school, no privileges. Then if a boy were born they had lots of privilege’s, treated as a prince. Another cruel rule they had is if a girl got pregnant before marriage, people would think of her as a “Charmuta” or a whore. Souad had broken this rule. Therefore, she has a risk of torturing punishment. Will she live, commit suicide, or even run away?
Souad’s narrative describes her a sad and difficult life. It’s not descriptive of herself, but is more detailed on the atmosphere of her society. I believe that she written Burned Alive, to show the danger on how the capacity of evil people have. For instance, since Souad had so many sister’s, her mother killed most of them when they were born, secretly. Her mother would then fake cry. This makes me in great disbelief because Souad did not remember some of her sister’s, so it was always a mystery what happened to them. Even though, Souad’s story was very violent, I consider it to be a life lesson.
If you like to learn the value of life and how easily it could be changed. I guarantee, if you read this novel it will give you a different look at life. I give this book a 10 out of 10 because I now look at life different, so you should too!!!!!!!!!!!
Tim C. Period 8
All the books Ellen Hopkins has written, such as Crank include drugs and how out of hand people can get with them. She writes new, intense, refreshing novels, these books give everyone something to think about even if you have never done drugs or been in a serious relationship with someone. In Crank the main character Kristina, a seventeen year old, soon turning eighteen, who is into her family, school, and friends, gets out of hand with drugs when she goes to visit her addict of a father for the summer in New Mexico. Not only does she meet ‘the monster’ of drugs, she also meets Adam who shows her things she never dreamed of doing. They, Kristina and Adam fell in love for the summer and never continued their relationship past the summer except for exchanging of notes here and there. Now Kristina has an alter ego, Bree, who is everything the old Kristina wasn’t, she’s charming, sneaky, and a slave to ‘the monster’. When she has to go home to a strict family back in Reno, Nevada she has to try to ditch the bad habits she picked up to save her family from pain of her new person, Bree. Now Bree’s taken over her life driving it right in the ground. The old Kristina is still inside her soul trying to claw her way out, but can she get to the surface and save herself from major problems before something terrible happens and spare her family from pain?
As the story progresses, Kristina has to find herself and overcome many obstacles to try to overcome addiction. In her conquest she discovers a whole different side to her than the sweet goody-two- shoes everyone knows her as. You learn about drugs, alcohol, and the affects it has on people including what happens under the influence. Ellen Hopkins takes the reader to a whole other level then just reading, but maker you feel as if you’re really in the book going through these moments Kristina is going through. The unique chapters make it easy to show Kristina/Bree’s feelings and actions. The chapters are written in poems, so although they might be hard to read at times, they make the book even more worth reading.
I, personally, suggest this book to people who like depressing books, because this book in particular doesn’t have a happy ending but an ending that makes you wondering what’s going to happen next. I wouldn’t suggest this book to children under thirteen or fourteen because of some sketchy remarks and subject matter. If you can also connect with the contents of Crank, that is a huge advantage so you can understand what the characters are going through. When you know what the characters are going through it makes the world of a difference when reading and trying to understand why things are happening. There are many cliff hangers all through this book making you stay up late reading just so you can find out what’s next. This book may not have had a lot of detail but it makes you use your imagination, like a good writer would make you do. Ellen Hopkins has drawn my attention and the attention of many people like me. I would suggest this book to anyone as a good read that keeps your mind entertained for hours.
Crank Book Review
“Life was good until I met the monster. After, life was great. At least, for a little while.” Ellen Hopkins’s book Crank is about a girl named Kristina who is a
gifted high school junior who is quiet and doesn’t like to cause trouble. Life is
pretty much good for her until she meets the monster, crank. After that, her life is turned upside down into a wild ride trying to keep her new life and habits secret from her super strict mother and her stepfather Scott. She struggles with school,
friendships, boys, and trying to keep her life in check.
I would give the book a solid 7 out of 10 stars. I enjoyed the plot of the story, it sucked me in from the moment I started reading. Kristina has some pretty crazy adventures, and they were addicting. The book wasn’t boring at all,at times it was very intense. The only thing I didn’t like about the book is the
format the author wrote it. At times it was confusing at what point to start reading and who was saying what.
I would recommend this book for someone who likes adventure, problems,
and most of all, excitement and intensity. I would put an age limit to 14 and up
due to material and situations in the book.
Grace O'Brien P.8
It's Kind of a Funny Story
By: Ned Vizzini
“Everybody has problems. Some people just hide their crap better than others.” This is just one of the many themes in the novel, It’s Kind of a Funny Story. Ned Vizzini has written an interesting yet inspiring story about a young teenage boy, Craig Gilner, who goes through deep depression. All the pressure of the honors high school he attends, along with girls, drugs and regular high school drama, leads Craig to suicidal thoughts. When Craig gets himself checked into a psychiatric hospital, he encounters experiences that he never thought would ever happen to him. The people he meets in Argenon hospital in Brooklyn, NY open his eyes to the real world. Craig realizes that it could be so much worse out there and that he has it pretty good on his own. He has a supporting family, an intelligent brain and the gift to draw. Noelle, another patient, and Craig encourage each other throughout the book and try to look at their problems with humor. While in the hospital, Craig starts to rekindle his love to do artwork. The atmosphere of the hospital soothes Craig and decompresses his anxiousness. Vizzini manages to somehow not only let Craig feel sheltered, but for the reader to feel comfortable and open.
In addition to this intriguing novel, Vizzini expresses his thoughts through Craig’s point of view. Unlike other authors, Vizzini has experienced what his character has gone through. For example, when he was a teenager, he spent five days in a psychiatric hospital and went through depression just like Craig. One of the sayings that Vizzini follows in real life is, “It’s the simple things in life that matter.” In his novel, Craig realizes this and it greatly impacts the outcome of the story. In the beginning of the book, Vizzini describes Craig as worrying a lot and having low self-esteem. All the pressure that he put on himself is finally getting to him and it affects him negatively. When he enters the hospital and starts to make art again, his thoughts change from panicking to relaxed and just taking things slowly. This novel is supposed to be about how serious depression is and what can happen to overly stressed kids but Vizzini again manages to make this novel humorous.
I think teenagers should read this book because they would be able to relate to Craig’s situation. Every high scholar has those days when all they want to do is hide and never face the real world. This book would help kids fight depression with a positive attitude. I would rate this book a 7 out of 10 because it does have some good themes throughout the book and is easy to relate to.
Kate A
Period 8
Slaughterhouse-Five
Time is supposed to be seen like a stretch of the Grand Canyon, all at once. While humans are only able to see certain parts at a time. That is wrong, and that is why humans grieve at death. Billy Pilgrim is taught this among other things by the Tralfmadorians in Slaughterhouse-five. While Billy is living a somewhat non-exciting life, he gets thrown into the military during WW2. Billy is poorly equipped and as a result, soon gets captured. During his imprisonment Billy is transferred to work in Dresden, Germany. While there Billy is one of the very fortunate to survive the infamous “Dresden Fire Bombing”. After this horrific event, Billy goes home to marry and live as normal of a life as he can-which happens to be extraordinarily difficult for him. Billy does not go through life in an arranged way. He traveled through some parts of life blankly and quietly. Billy Pilgrim was thrown around his life like a cat going through a carwash. Billy Pilgrim was “Unstuck” in time.
Having to write a scattered and distorted trip through the life of a brilliant man takes a clever hand. In Slaughterhouse-Five Kurt Vonnegut is able to capture the beauty and strangeness of many decades of events. Writing in third person format this mysterious work of art will throw the reader into a story in which they learn to love, and hate, many different characters. This novel will keep the reader flipping the pages and begging for more.
For attempting to stop a glacier, Kurt Vonnegut does a terrific job. Being an anti-war book, this book is also historically accurate for parts. However, at parts this book presents a spin on modern humanism and culture and presents some extravagant ideas on why we are the way we are. Therefore I would recommend this book to anyone ho enjoys anti-war novels, science fiction, and enjoys pleasantly deranged views and ideas on humanity.
Cooper N, 8TH Period
Another classic from Richard Matheson, who brought you I am Legend and The Incredible Shrinking Man; Hell House will leave you questioning your belief in the afterlife, and perhaps your sanity as well. Hell House revolves around Dr. Lionel Barret and his expedition to what is referred to as "The Mount Everest of haunted houses". Accompanying him is the psychic Benjamin Fischer, who is the only survivor of the 1940 expedition to Hell House; Florence Tanner, a religious medium; and Barrett's wife, Edith, who comes along to keep her husband company. This all takes place in 1970 in the state of Maine.
The team is enlisted by a dying millionaire named Rolf Deutsch, to find out, by scientific means, if there is life after death. But, there is a catch; they only have one week to figure it out! With time against them, Barret and team race to collect evidence and conduct experiments. However, there is a powerful unseen force, a deadly force, watching their every move.
I picked this book up after reading I am Legend, and I'm glad I did. Richard Matheson's attention to detail is outstanding and unparalleled to most horror writers today. The story has a history behind it, which makes the plot deeper and adds a lot of character to the novel as a whole. What really accented the plot were the small details such as record players turning on by themselves, and hollowed out books used to hide things. There were also scientific explanations for the poltergeist activity, for example, left over human energy making rocking chairs move by themselves. There is only one small issue that I am disappointed with, and that is the fact that there were only four members of Dr. Barret's team. Adding more characters would have opened up a whole new list of possibilities which would make the story a whole lot better. Overall, this book deserves a 9/10, only because there were so many missed opportunities to add more characters. I would recommend this book to people who enjoy thinking deeply about what they are reading.
Josh m, 7th period
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