Chasing Redbird

Chasing Redbird
Reviewed By: McKenna Billeck
By: Sharon Creech
Published By: HarperTrophy
261 pages


Zinny's summer started out exactly bow any other summer would have started.  She was 13, and she was looking forward to being out of school and adventuring on her own time.  But, on one of these adventures, Zinny discovered something she hadn't known about before that could change everything.  As she was walking, she stumbled upon an old trail cutting through the woods.  At first, it was just an old trail, but she realized that if she could clear it, it could finally make people notice her; she wouldn't be a nobody anymore if she did something great.

This project, as she soon found out, would not be a one day ordeal.  This clearing of the trail would take all summer.  Although, this project wouldn't be so ordinary either.  This trail was the key to all her questions, as well as a place that she could call her own.  This trail had the possibility to unlock the answers to her Aunt Jessie's death, and as to why her family was so unorganized and un-understandable.  The only way to answer these questions though was to find out where the trail went.

Dear Nobody

Dear Nobody
Reviewed By: Danielle Bleier
By: Gillian McCain
Published By: Hamish Hamilton
336 pages

This book is about a girl named Mary Rose.  She writes in her diary each day with no filter.  She explains everything about her life in detail because she thinks that no one will ever read it.  She speaks of her struggle with substance abuse, horrible boyfriends, and conflicts with family.  This story is an emotional roller-coaster and feels so real when reading it.  I found this book very hard to read.  It touched on some rough topics and pushed the edge of a published book.

This is a very mature book.  I would recommend this book for mature teens about 15 and up.  Some content will be hard for younger audiences to understand.  This book was written by a teenager so she relates to many teens going through rough situations.  Overall I really enjoyed reading this book and the realness with this book and the intensity that this book contained.

Unpath'd Waters

Unpath'd Waters
Reviwed By: Grace Anderson
By: Frank Harris
Published By: The Plimpton Press
303 pages


Unpath'd Waters is a book by the author Frank Harris...is a novel including several short stories.  From tellings about Jesus, miracles, and magic, Harris links each short story to another, intertwining the plots of each text to the one before.  With each short story taking place during older times, it is easy to imagine yourself in the shoes of each character being depicted.

If you like reading realistic fiction books, while also being entered into the realm of the stories being told, I suggest that you read this book.  With Frank Harris's use of imagery, descriptive language, and ability to give the reader a distinct insight into each characters life, it is impossible to take this book out of your hands.

Tim Tebow
Publisher: Harper Collins
258 pages
Reviewed by; Olivia Bradley


                                                             Tim Tebow

                                  Tim Tebow is homeschooled throughout all his school years. He plays football at a public school though and then transfers to another school for football. He transfers because the other school wasn't giving him the coaching he needed to progress onto college football. Tim goes on and eventually plays for the Denver Broncos. Throughout his life, he relies on God for his strength and knows he wouldn't be where he is today without him. His hard work all paid off.
If you love inspirational books then this is a book for you! It tells all about his childhood and how he got where he is today. It's a true story. Also, if you're an athlete this would be a great book for you. I recommend it for everybody, especially Christians and athletes.

John Boyne
215 pages
Reviewed by; Maricela Deveney


                                                      The Boy in the Striped Pajamas


                                                  The Boy in the Striped Pajamas takes place during the Holocaust. The main character is a nine year old named Bruno. His father is a general in the Nazi army and the first scene shows how they are moving to a new house due to his father's move. Bruno discovers that there is a "farm" in the backyard but in reality, it's a concentration camp.
Being the adventurous, little kid Bruno was, he went to the concentration camp gates where he met a little boy that was his age. Ever since that day he saw the boy, he started bringing him food and visiting him everyday. They both aren't influenced by Hitler's idea so they develop a friendship and defy the odds.

Scat

Scat

by Carl Hiaasen

reviewed by Alma Ubrano

Knopf

371 pages

Scat is about the endangered Florida Panther. A teacher, Mrs. Starch and her students go to a field trip to Black Vine Swamp. two of the students, Nick and Marta, start recording the trip after hearing a strange sound. After a wild fire starts the teacher goes to find the inhaler for Libby, another one of the students. Something happens and the students haven't seen their teacher, not even the next day, so the students are asked questions by detectives. They begin to think it's a student named Duane, since he has a record of pyromania. They find notes by Mrs. Starch saying she left for a family emergency, but they don't believe it since no family is listed on her paperwork. Nick and Marta got o her house and they figure that there are panthers in the swamp and that the Diamond energy Company has been drilling holes for oil, they eventually team up with the teacher and two other students by the names of Twilly and Smoke to save the panthers and get the Diamond Energy Company arrested.

This book I would recommend to people who like a little bit of mystery. The book makes you wonder a lot and makes you question many things that happen throughout the book. It's a book that makes you think and it gets you to try and figure out things while they're happening in the book.

The Help

The Help
by: Kathryn Stockett
reviewed by: Karla Rodriguez
Penguin Books
464 pages

The Help takes place in Jackson, Mississippi during the times of segregation. The three main characters are Aiblileen, Minny, and Skeeter. Aibileen and Minny are maids to "friends" of Skeeter. Skeeter decided she wanted to take the risk and interview Aibileen and Minny, whichwas very dangerous for them because they were black which made them at a high risk of getting killed or thrown into jail if they got caught. They agreed as long as their identities weren't exposed. They convinced other black maids to do it as well but they were all hesitant at first. When the book came out people were going crazy because they didn't know if their maids were in this book.

I would recommend this book to people who like a good laugh here and there in a quite serious book. If you like books that are made up with characters but have some historical meaning to them this is the book, it talks about segregation but it also has it's own unique plot. If you like a book with a movie very similar to it this book has a movie and they're pretty identical not much is changed from it.

The Girl Who Wrote in Silk

The Girl Who Wrote in Silk
by Killi Estes
reviewed by Courtney Ritchey
Sourcebooks Landmark
400 pages

The Girl Who Wrote in Silk was actually written by a mutual friend of my family. Kelli Estes, living in Seattle, set her book in the Seattle area. I really appreciate her doing so because it added something different to her writing; she probably experienced some of the things in her book firsthand. The plot line follows a young woman named Inara who has taken over her deceased aunt's estate in Orcas Island. Her aunt, knowing how much the island estate meant to Inara, left everything to her, asking that she turn the estate into a bed and breakfast. Inara quickly jumped in on the plans to transform the old manor into a beautiful modern hotel. In the midst of building and remodeling , Inara stumbles across an ancient-looking embroidered sleeve hidden under the stairs. As she researches where the sleeve came from, we readers learn about who created the sleeve: a young Chinese girl named Mei Lien who lived a century before Inara. The book goes between the story of Mei Lien and how she was torn from her family, and Inara's as she tries to decipher the mystery that led Mei Lien to hide just the sleeve under the stairs. This book had some unexpected twists and turns, and it was by far my favorite book that I have read all year. It was heart warming at times, and yet heart wrenching in other aspects. Mei Lien's story opened my eyes to the severe racism that used to be directed towards the Chinese in my old hometown. It really was an amazing story, based on true historical events, and was so beautifully written, I would read it again and again.

Four

Four (Divergent series)
by: Veronica Roth
reviewed by: Brooklyn Taylor
285 pages

There were four main parts to this book. The first part is called The Transfer, and it gives you a glimpse into what Tobias' life was like while he still lived at home with his father even before h met Tris. The second section of the book was called The Initiate, which portrayed what Tobias went through as he was transferring from abnegation to become a dauntless. This "chapter" talks about all of his dauntless friends that he makes and the training he had to overcome before being dauntless. The third part of the book, The Son, takes place right after Tobias fully joins abnegation and gets his new job. Where we finally see Tris come into play for the first time. the last piece of the book is called The Traitor and we can begin to see a bond of trust beginning to form between Tris and Tobias, as he begins to share more and more secrets about his life and the faction with her.

This book was really cool because it takes place in the same time frame as the first book. Divergent. However, there are several small parts of this book that were not included in the first book. Which I found interesting. I would not recommend this book to someone who has not yet read the other three Divergent books. I also thought that Tobias was much more descriptive, which I liked. But he isn't as exciting of a character as Tris. But regardless, it was still fantastic.

Saint

Saint
by: Ted Dekker
reviewed by: Cole Rost
West Bow Press
347 pages

Carl is an assassin that works for the X Group, an undercover black ops group that is in Hungary. Carl originally had his memory wiped when he first joined. He does not remember life before the X Group. Carl is one of the best snipers in the world, able to put a bullet into a ten inch target from three thousand yards away. He is given a simple task for his first real world mission, but one event leads to another, and Carl is led through a crazy quest to discover the truth of who he really is.

I would recommend this book to high school students who enjoy stories about the military. This book has a major plot twist, and makes you appreciate how well this author writes in the perspective of Carl.

Guns, Germs, and Steel

Guns, Germs, and Steel
by Jared Diamond
reviewed by: Isaac Casebolt
W.W. Norton
480 Pages

This nonfiction book was made specifically for information on world history. The book has a lot of great facts for learning about the history of the world and even helps to connect different historical happenings. It even has opinions from the author that definitely put together an apposing argument. It is filled with great knowledge, facts, and a different part of history that many people don't usually try to explore and connect to our everyday lives.
There are many different types of people that would love to read this interesting and factual book. The first type of people who would love this book are the people who love history. Another type of person that would love it is teacher for a variety of reasons, for example: a resource for information, a task for students to study, and also a reference for a lesson plan. The last type of person that would absolutely love this book it the person who loves to just stuff their brains with as much knowledge as possible.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
by: J.K. Rowling
reviewed by: Chase Hoffman
317 pages

For twelve long years, the dark and forbidding fortress of Azkaban held an infamous prisoner named Sirius Black. Convicted of killing thirteen people with a single curse, he was said to be the heir apparent to the Dark Lord, Voldemort. A evil and cunning man he was it was always said he would escape. Now their worst fears have come true, he has escaped, leaving only two clues as to where he might be headed: Harry Potter's defeat of You-Know-Who was Black's downfall as well. and the Azkaban guards heard Black muttering in his sleep, "He's at Hogwarts... he's at Hogwarts." Harry Potter isn't safe, not even within the walls of his magical school, surrounded by his friends. Because on top of it all, there may be a traitor in their midst. With a new threat on the loose Harry and his pals must once again save Hogwarts, but also save themselves.

I would recommend this book to 6th graders all the way up to adults. It's a fun mix of magic and mystery that will always keep you guessing about what's coming around the next turn.

The Girl Who Wrote in Silk

The Girl Who Wrote in Silk
Kelli Estes
Sourcebooks Landmark
400 Pages
Reviewed by: Courtney Ritchey

The Girl Who Wrote in Silk, a USA Today Bestseller, was actually written by a mutual friend of my family. Kelli Estes, living in Seattle, set her book in the Seattle area. I really appreciate her doing so because it added something different to her writing; she probably experienced some of the things in her book firsthand. The plot line follows a young woman named Inara who has taken over her deceased aunt's estate in Orcas Island. Her aunt, knowing how much the island estate meant to Inara, left everything to her, asking that she turn the estate into a bed and breakfast. Inara quickly jumped in on the plans to transform the old manor into a a beautiful, modern hotel. In the midst of building and remodeling, Inara stumbles across an ancient looking embroidered sleeve hidden under the stairs. As she researches where the sleeve came from, we readers learn about who created the sleeve; a young Chinese girl named Mei Lien who lived a century before Inara. The book goes between the story of Mei Lien and how she was torn from her family, and Inara's as she tries to decipher the mystery that led Mei Lien to hide just the sleeve under the stairs. this book had some unexpected twists and turns, and it was by far my favorite book that I have read all year. It was heart warming at times, and yet hear wrenching in other aspects. Mei Lien's story opened my eyes to the severe racism that used to be directed towards the Chinese in my old hometown. It really was an amazing story, based on true historical events, and was so beautifully written, I would read it again and again.

Saint

Saint
Ted Dekker
West Bow Press
347 Pages
Reviewed by: Cole Rost

Carl is an assassin that works for the X Group, an undercover black ops that is in Hungary. Carl originally had his memory wiped when  he first joined. He does not remember life before the X Group. Carl is one of the best snipers in the world, able to put a bullet into a ten inch target from three thousand yards away. He is given a simple task for his first real world mission, but one event leads to another other, and Carl is led through a crazy quest to discover the truth of who he really is.

i would recommend this book to high school students who enjoy stories about the military. This book has a major plot twist, and makes you appreciate how well this author writes in the perspective of Carl.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
J.K. Rowling
317 Pages
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Reviewed by: Chase Hoffman

For twelve long years, the dark and forbidding fortress of Azkaban held an infamous prisoner named Sirius Black. Convicted of killing thirteen people with a single curse, he was said to be the heir apparent to the Dark Lord, Voldemort. A evil cunning man he was it was always said he would escape. Now their worst fears have come true, he has escaped, leaving only two clues as to where he might be headed: Harry Potter's defeat of You-Know-Who- was black's downfall as will. And the Azkaban guards heard Black muttering in his sleep, "He's at Hogwarts... he's at Hogwarts." Harry Potter isn't safe, not even within the walls of his magical school, surrounded by his friends. Because on top of it all, there may be a traitor in their midst. With a new threat on the loose Harry and his palls must once again save Hogwarts, but also save themselves.

I would recommend this book to 6th graders all the way up to adults. It's a fun mix of magic and mystery that will always keep you guessing about what's coming around the next turn.

Hate List

Hate List
Jennifer Brown
Little, Brown and Company
405 Pages
reviewed by: Dani Zamora

This book is about Valerie. About her struggle of coping with the fact that her boyfriend was the school shooter. The one who killed multiple students, teachers, and injured others, including her. It all seemed like a dream, like any minute she was supposed to wake up and get a call from Nick. But Nick is dead, and she has to continue her life without him. She has to learn to deal with the people at her school and all the people that comment on the shooting. After all, she had a part in it. She did write in the notebook, she did send those e-mails with Nick. She had a big part in this tragedy and people want her to pay. it is a hard struggle, but she has to do it.
I recommend this book to someone who likes to read along with someone's struggle and likes to see what comes out of hard work and dedication. I don't recommend this book to someone who doesn't like reading about shootings and how someone can just wake up and do that to people.

I Am Legend 
Reviewed By: Mikey
Written by: Richard Matheson
320 Pages

I Am Legend is about a man who is a survivor of the apocalypse, Robert Neville, and his self given mission to find a cure for the cause of the apocalypse, vampirism and his quest for companionship with anyone still alive. I would recommend this book for anyone who enjoys a good horror book with a good story line.

The Name of the Wind
Reviewed By: Bethany
Written By: Rothfuss Patrick
662 Pages

The book The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss is a great read! The descriptive detail in which the author writes this fascinating tale is invigorating! I was immediately sucked into the magical world of the main character, Kvothe. Kvothe is a part of a troupe with his family . They are a traveling troupe, the best in the whole country. With Kvothe's family troupe travels a man very well taught and knowledgeable in the arts of sorcery, and all things magical. Kvothe is engrossed by this man and his teachings and spends a great deal of time with him.

However. one day something tragic falls upon the troupe, rumors spread that evil has returned to the land and that the roads are no longer safe. The tragic event that befalls our young characters, troupe and family has the main character on his own. Kvothe spends many years growing up quickly and fending for himself. Quarreling with guards and other children of the street. He is a beggar and a thief just so he can get his daily bread. Life is rough and unfair to him until one day he is allowed into the college of magic and his life begins to change....

A Howl in the Night
Reviewed By: Stephanie
Written By: Lorelei Sutton
299 Pages

After trying to survive through endless bullying, loneliness, and taunts, Mona decides to end it all. On one cold winter night, she travels deep into the woods, hoping that she would perish and the awful pain would fade away from her miserable life. However, not everything works out as smoothly as she hoped. To start with, a mysterious, devastatingly handsome man saves her from certain death, introducing himself as Xavier. He tells her that his is a werewolf, and Mona is his mate. Next she is taken to a mysterious home filled with excitement and chilling thrills throughout this piece of land. After all she has kissed the face of death several times before, but this is only the beginning.

I feel as though most teen girls ages 16-18 would love this book. It's love struck power would leave most people anticipating for the next chapter. It's filled with mixed romances and frustrating terror.

The Count of Monte Cristo

The Count of Monte Cristo
By: Alexandre Dumas
Barnes & Noble Inc.
1065 Pages
Reviewed by: Eliza Stucki

This book is about a young sailor named Edmond Dantes. He has absolutely everything going for him when he is thrown in prison on false charges. While in prison he meets an abbe who helps him figure out who wanted him in prison. When Dantes escaped, he made it his goal to get revenge on all those who convicted him, taking a new name, the Count of Monte Cristo.

I would recommend this book to everyone! It is a classic that has romance and adventure. it keeps you hooked by adding  new characters throughout the book and by filling out characters along the way. It is not a classic that is boring or anything, it is long but so worth it.

The Candy Shop War

The Candy Shop War
Brandon Mull
Shadow Mountain
354 pages


Nate, Summer, Trevor, and Pigeon are a group of friends who come across this new candy store.  The sweets sold there are amazing and the owner Mrs. White offers them a deal, if they help here with chores and help her sell treats she will reward them with special candy.  They soon learn to love the candy and their supernatural qualities. They learn that in order to obtain this magical candy their missions get harder and harder and more dangerous the farther that they succeed, and before they realize it, they are wrapped up in a dilemma that could end up resulting badly on all of them.

People who would enjoy this book are people who enjoy fantasy and magical books.  There are some intense parts in the book so I would not recommend this book for smaller children.  It is a very entertaining book, but those who don't enjoy unrealistic books would not enjoy this book.

Allegiant by Veronica Roth

Allegiant by Veronica Roth
Katherine Tegen Books
526 pages

The Allegiant: a group of rebellious people including former leaders of Amity and Abengation that are trying to keep Evelyn from taking over and doing things their way. Evelyn  and the factionless: Trying to get the factions back in order and trying to get her son, Tobias, to run a super army. And in the middle of it all, Tris Prior. Everyone has finally mad it outside the wall, with agony and loss, they're there, and its nothing like thy expected. Everything starts to crumble around them. Relationships start to shake, friendships die, and lives are lost. And all because of the Bureau of Genetic Welfare. I would recommend this to anyone who likes a dystopian society. I wouldn't read this until you have read Divergent and Insurgent first. Don't watch the movies first. They are nothing like the books and the books are better.

Mockingbird

Mockingbird
Kathryn Erskine
Scholastic Inc.
224 pages


Caitlynn suffers from Asperger's, meaning it is difficult for her to recognize her emotions and feel the emotions of others.  The only person whom she felt could understand her was her brother, Devon.  But when Devon is killed in a school shooting, she struggles immensely figuring out how she can understand the feelings and emotions of other people.  And learn that life isn't just black and white, there is a beautiful world out there and she just has to learn to accept that.

People who would enjoy this book would be people who like to understand how those who struggle with different syndromes think.  Since the book is written from her mind, it shows a lot of the thought process that someone that has Asperger's Syndrome may go through.  I would not recommend this book to younger children or even to young teens because they might not fully understand or comprehend the full meaning to the story.  This book is very emotional.

The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games
By: Suzane Collins
Publisher: Scholastic
374 Pages
Reviewed by: Tanner Ackerman

This book is an amazing book full of shockers and exciting parts. Two young people names Katniss Everdene and Peetah Malark were selected as tribute for the Hunger Games. The Hunger Games is a game where one female and one male are selected from each of the 12 districts. Then they battle until their is one left.

I would recommend this book for people who are into action and adventure. Some people that I have asked said this book is a little too rough knowing kids are getting killed for presidents entertainment.

If I Stay

If I Stay
By: Gayle Forman
Publisher: Dutton Penguin
210 Pages
Reviewed by: Karla Rodriguez

If I Stay is a book about a talented cellist who was in a terrible car crash with her family. She's stuck in between life and death; and as she notices she's in a coma, she sees all of her family as they died on the scene where the car crash happened. She sees all of her family and her boyfriend come and visit her. She has to choose between life or death which she found more difficult than she would've thought.

This book is recommended for people who love suspense and a little bit of romance. This book is filled with anticipation and it is filled with emotion. It's more of a "girly" book per say, but if you like reading slight romance novels it's definitely a must on your reading list.

Ender's Game

Ender's Game
Reviewed By Braden
By Orson Scott Card
Tom Doherty Associates, LLC
324 Pages

Ender's Game is in the future about a boy that was from a wealthy family. His older brother went to fight in the war against the aliens, so that made him want to because his brother was dead. He went to the academy that his brother went to and trained hard, yet got bullied by the other kids. He had sort of an anger issue, so he didn't take it well. While on the practice field he was smart, and good at what he did. He had one friend and she helped him through everything she could. Then the war came...

The Sky is Everywhere

The Sky is Everywhere
Reviewed By Marina
By Jandy Nelson
Penguin Group
288 Pages

The Sky is Everywhere is a book about a teenage girl facing her very tough life. This girl is heartbroken because her sister died. She is sick of everyone talking about her sister. Her sister's death is a lot to handle, but everyone is acting differently towards her. Her whole life revolved around her sister. She now has to start her own life and with that comes responsibilities.

This book is mainly for teenagers in high school.