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Prey - Michael Creighton
Article posted January 10, 2008 at 06:07 PM GMT0 •
comment (6) • Reads 5572
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Michel Critchton out did himself with the book Prey. This sci-fi is a wonderful mix of action, suspense, and griping fear. The book is written in first person. Jacks wife works for Xymos technology a company that works with nano technology. The company releases a swarm of the nano cameras into the surrounding area of Nevada. It failed and got blown away but not before they programmed it to self advance. Two weeks later the swarm shows up and can stand wind… breakthrough. They try to contact it and they can’t now they have a self-advancing swarm that wants to kill. The swarm can reproduce, is self-learning, and can problem solve for all purpose it’s alive and we are their prey. -Mit Erhym-
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Article posted January 10, 2008 at 06:07 PM GMT0 •
comment (6) • Reads 5572
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Click – One Novel, Ten Authors
Article posted January 10, 2008 at 06:05 PM GMT0 •
comment (5) • Reads 552
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Imagine a novel written by 10 award-winning authors, and you’ve got the book Click. Famous authors like Eoin Colfer, Gregory Maguire, David Almond, and others join together to write one unforgettable novel about photography, family, and finding out who you really are.
When George “Gee” Keane dies of a sudden and unexpected heart attack, his family is devastated, especially his granddaughter Maggie. Gee was a famous photojournalist, and he traveled to places all around the world to take pictures of natural disasters, wars, and other devastating events. When Maggie sees one of Gee’s pictures in the local newspaper it leads her on a quest to discover who Gee really was – including some things that were probably better left alone.
This book is amazing for many reasons. You learn about Gee through stories of people that he met in his travels. In each chapter you learn about how those people touched his life and how he affected them. The book introduces you to people from different countries in each chapter, people like Annie, Lev, Vincent, Min, Jiro, and Afela as well as his two grandchildren, Maggie and Jason. Click leads the reader on a journey through places such as a rocky, solitary beach in North England, a filthy prison in Korea, Dublin, Ireland in 1972, war-torn Japan, a run down village in Australia, and a futuristic New York renamed NuTu. Each chapter is a story within the story, and they are magically weaved together to reveal the real Gee.
Another reason that this book was so amazing is because 10 different authors wrote it. Each author brings his or her own writing style to their chapter, as well as a touch of their home country. There’s something for everybody in this book, from outrageous fantasy to futuristic sci-fi to realistic and historical fiction. When I read this book, I couldn’t put it down. Each new chapter brought a new story and characters that made the story new and interesting. I would suggest that anybody who wants to read a book that’s just a little bit different should read this. This book grabbed me from the very beginning and hooked me until the unexpected and surprising ending.
-Phyllis Doyle-
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Article posted January 10, 2008 at 06:05 PM GMT0 •
comment (5) • Reads 552
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Lord Brocktree - Brian Jacques
Article posted January 10, 2008 at 06:02 PM GMT0 •
comment (6) • Reads 550
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Lord Brocktree is about a badger-warrior who befriends a motley group of animals. Dotti is a hare-maid, Ruff is an otter-sailor, and Gurth is a mole-chef and son of Rogg Longladle.
The badger’s named Brocktree. He is on a quest to calm his kingdom of Salamandastrom (the legendary mountain) from the fearsome wildcat lord Ungatt Trunn who drinks wine from the skulls of his enemies. Ungatt Trunn the Conqueror of the World. He Who Makes the Stars Fall and the Earth Tremble.
Little does Brocktree know an army of hares, otters, shrews, moles, mice, and squirrels will wage war agents the massive blue hordes of Ungatt Trunn. Both armies will give their bloodworth of blood and vinegar.
Dive into the spellbinding story of the Redwall trilogy, master writer Brian Jacques. In his thirteenth novel in the epic gloriously to life, dramatically revealing the power and beauty of true friendship. If you liked Redwall you will love Lord Brocktree.
-Headly Lamar-
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Article posted January 10, 2008 at 06:02 PM GMT0 •
comment (6) • Reads 550
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The Rainmaker - John Grisham
Article posted January 10, 2008 at 06:00 PM GMT0 •
comment (6) • Reads 526
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Rudy Baylor was down on his luck. He was always in the wrong place at the wrong time. His future job with a great firm was swept away like the morning mist. He was left out on the streets until he was hired by one of his friend’s lawyer. This was another disaster because a week into the job his boss was arrested for owning and running strip clubs in Memphis. Rudy did manage to get one good thing out of these jobs. He was able to get a case that was handed down the ranks until it dropped on his tiny desk one day. Rudy was so excited to be given a case that he took it head on. The case is against an insurance company who denied coverage, which lead to the death a boy. Rudy was determined to make the company pay the price.
The Rainmaker was one of the best books that I have ever read. It really goes into depth about the life of Rudy and how insurance companies rip off the little people. In this book you feel connected to the main character and to the family that is abandoned by the insurance company. I hope that you read this book and feel the same bond I did.
-Justin Case-
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Article posted January 10, 2008 at 06:00 PM GMT0 •
comment (6) • Reads 526
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Sold - Patricia Mccormick
Article posted January 10, 2008 at 05:58 PM GMT0 •
comment (5) • Reads 559
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Lakshmi is thirteen years old, and the last time she saw her family was months and months ago. Lakshmi had been living with her mom and baby brother in Nepal. Meanwhile, her selfish stepfather gambles away all of her mothers hard earned money. Lakshmi feels that it is her duty to leave her mountaintop home to make money that she will send home to her poor family. She talks to a storeowner in the village, and he tells her that she can go and work in the big city as a maid for a rich woman. Little does Lakshmi know, that she will be smuggled into India, and be forced to sell her body to pay back a mysterious debt.
I think that Sold is a very powerful look at human slave trafficking all over the world. I would recommend this book to someone who wants to be inspired to do something good for the world. I loved the way Patricia Mccormick has written in a poetic form, as a journal from Lakshmi’s point of view.
Sir Puff Guff J
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Article posted January 10, 2008 at 05:58 PM GMT0 •
comment (5) • Reads 559
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A Child Called It - David Pelzer
Article posted January 10, 2008 at 05:55 PM GMT0 •
comment (7) • Reads 753
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A Child Called It tells the story of a small boy named, David, who gets brutally abused by his mother. David tries to escape many times but always ends up becoming his mother’s slave again, Every day poor David has to go to school in ratted clothes that haven’t been washed in months. All David wants is to fit in and be loved. Many times David gets caught stealing food from other kids lunches and even from the grocery store. But, this just leads to more abuse, and more of his mothers “Games.”
David’s father ignores the abuse by working 24/7. When he is home he ignores the abuse by getting drunk, and pretending that David doesn’t exist. What will happen to David? Will he escape or will he be his mother’s slave and punching bag forever?
I would recommend A Child Called It to anyone. I could never put it down. It was definitely a “page-turner.” This book was a very easy read so anybody at any reading skill level could read this book.
Whenever I read this book it brought out a lot of emotion. For Example: Whenever David’s mother was playing one of her “games” with David I felt more and more sorry for him. I was also thinking. “David, run away get out of here, tell your teachers.” Not only did I feel emotion towards David, I began to Hate David’s mother. How could she do that to her OWN son?
“Mother would “forget” to feed me any dinner. Breakfast wasn’t much either. On a good day I was allowed leftover cereal portions from my brothers.”-David Pelzer
Edie Appleskate
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Article posted January 10, 2008 at 05:55 PM GMT0 •
comment (7) • Reads 753
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Elsewhere - Gabrielle Zevin
Article posted January 10, 2008 at 05:52 PM GMT0 •
comment (8) • Reads 412
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“I am dead,” Liz thinks. And then she says it aloud to hear how it sounds: “I am dead. Dead.”
Fifteen-year-old Liz Hall is a normal teenage girl until she wakes up one day on a cruise ship. Not knowing where she is or why she is there, she decides it’s all a dream. As days go past Liz starts remembering more and more, until she finally realizes she is deceased.
The ship eventually stops in a town called Elsewhere. Liz is greeted by her long dead grandmother and soon learns that she is to stay in this town slowly getting younger until she starts her life over again, as a baby. When she is seven days old she will be taken back to earth to start her life as a different person. Liz is less than thrilled about the whole thing.
Eventually she makes new friends and gets a job while living in Elsewhere. While reading this book you may ask yourself what your own reaction would be in the same situation. Elsewhere is an attention grabbing, unique and amusing book that makes you wonder how you yourself would feel in the main character’s shoes. It’s interesting to see Liz and her friends slowly change. It’s sad to see the main characters life slowly end, but at the same time you see another one begin.
I would recommend Elsewhere to fans of fantasy and anyone who is curious about life after death. Elsewhere is a creative novel that I think adults, kids, girls and boys could find interesting.
Oliver Town
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Article posted January 10, 2008 at 05:52 PM GMT0 •
comment (8) • Reads 412
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Heat - Mike Lupica
Article posted January 10, 2008 at 05:47 PM GMT0 •
comment (9) • Reads 274
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Michael Arroyo had always been the best player on his team but he never knew that being the best could turn out to be so complicated. Michael, his brother Carlos, and his dad are immigrants from Cuba trying to find happiness in America. But happiness soon turns to disaster when Michael’s father dies leaving Michael and Carlos by themselves in the Bronx. Carlos is not yet 18, so he is not yet old enough to be Michael’s legal guardian. At the time Michael only had one love… Baseball.
But being good also has its downsides, a few rival coaches start to wonder how old Michael really is but with no father and no mother there is a whole country between him and his age in Cuba. This book will capture every true baseball fan and shows a boys love for the game along with many struggles, a hero, and a dream.
Quentin de Nile
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Article posted January 10, 2008 at 05:47 PM GMT0 •
comment (9) • Reads 274
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Among the Hidden - Margaret Petersen Haddix
Article posted January 10, 2008 at 05:46 PM GMT0 •
comment (17) • Reads 449
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Luke is a third child in a town that only allows two children per family. For his whole life he has been hiding, but he has had some freedom. His backyard is full of trees that he can play in and not be seen by the Population Police who are on the look out for third children. Everything is good until the government decides to cut down all the trees in his backyard to build new houses. Now Luke’s only place for freedom is destroyed.
The day Luke’s mom calls him in for dinner he knew that that would be his last time outside and he wanted to take in the moment. All Luke could do now was sit and wait in his room for the rest of his life…or so he thought???
As Luke is in his room one day he spots what he thinks is a girl’s head in a window of a house that already has two kids living in it. Suddenly a burst of hope is thrust into his heart. Now all he needs is more information about this kid. What better way to get to know her than to go over to her house yourself? Luke knows the consequences of being caught by the Population Police so he has to be sneaky. Fortunately, his mom was just hired for a job at a local factory. He then figures out that he will have the house to himself. His brothers will be at school, his mom at work and his dad in the fields.
But no!! Luke couldn’t do that. How would he ever get the nerve to go to her house? Would he risk his life to meet his new neighbor? What new surprises will he encounter? Will his life change in dramatic ways? Find out the answers to these questions and more when you read this touching story.
Among the Hidden is just one of the adventurous stories in this six book series which include Among the Imposters, Among the Brave, and Among the Betrayed. This first book in the series includes themes such as love, sadness, family and lots of trust.
Martha May
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Article posted January 10, 2008 at 05:46 PM GMT0 •
comment (17) • Reads 449
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The Boy in Striped Pajamas - John Boyne
Article posted January 10, 2008 at 05:38 PM GMT0 •
comment (4) • Reads 282
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The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat demanding more. This compelling work of historical fiction is set during World War II takes you on a journey with two nine year old boys and, a fence. This fence isn’t any old fence though. This fence separates two totally different lives that were destined for each other; one of power and money and one with every right a human should have stripped away. These boys are able to establish a friendship that against the greatest odds might have lasted forever. Unfortunately, forever…
John Boyne’s writing style makes this adventure come to life painting a distinct picture that you will remember forever. Beautifully intermixed with the plot John adds a dreadful twist to the end that you don’t want to miss.
Lord Humphrieg
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Article posted January 10, 2008 at 05:38 PM GMT0 •
comment (4) • Reads 282
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About the Blogger
Mrs. Jewett is the library/media specialist at Whatcom. She has been in education for over 30 years and loves books, kids, and motorcycle riding!
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