Best of Tohickon Library
Ms. Levesque, Period 3
Review for The Girl who was Suppossed to Die, by April Henry
Camille Basilii
Ms. Levesque
English Language Arts A
October 28, 2013
Review of The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die by April Henry
Who am I? Where am I? What is going on? Why are 2 men whispering about my fate out of earshot? I search my brain for answers but everything inside seems to have disappeared into a haze which is impossible to part. I strain to hear anything but all I get is, “Okay, now go finish her off.” Whatever is going on Cadence Scott has no clue why she is the one to be killed and how she even got into this mess in the first place. The girl who was supposed to die made it, but she had to live through some gruesome experiences to get to the other side of that fog and pick out every little detail from the past, and clue in on why she is being hunted down for something she didn’t think she was a part of. This book is a fantastic read for ages 10 and up. This rating is concerned with violence for mature audiences and actions for those of a little more sophisticated nature. A large amount of reality is included in the book because in reality this could very well happen knowing that crazy people are among us at this moment plotting what to do to satisfy their violent needs. This book is recommended for those who like realistic fiction and are into suspenseful reads. The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die, by April Henry, is a short book with a lasting impression using great description and cliff hangers beyond belief making you want to finish the book and snatch up every last bit. What I really liked was that you never knew what would pop out of the plot; one minute Cady would remember how to do a simple thing like how to drive, but next she couldn’t remember her own identity, and what she was supposed to do. The main problem in this story is that Cadence Scott’s family is all mixed up into an evil plan to destroy U.S. enemies with a Hantavirus bio attack, and Cady’s parents are trying to put an end to it. The CEO of Z-Biotech frames Cady and she is wanted everywhere, but will she ever save her family from a life of fake crime and death? Characters include Cadence Scott, her baby brother Max, a mother, a father, fake Aunt Liz, who is really Z-Biotech’s senior vice president of marketing named Elizabeth Tanzir, Michael Brenner, Kirk Nowell, who is CEO of Z-Biotech, Officer Dillow, James, and Ty. The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die does open up an opportunity for a sequel that could possibly tell about Cady’s life after all the tragic events and how they affected her family. I definitely recommend this book to young teens who like a book with lots of twists and turns and a very happy ending that doesn’t leave you unsatisfied.
Review for The One and Only Ivan, by Katherine Applegate
Sophie Griffiths
Ms. Levesque
English Language Arts A
October 28, 2013
Review of The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
The One and Only Ivan, by Katherine Applegate, is a story of a gorilla that lives in Big Top Mall, where there is a small circus. Before being taken to Big Top Mall, Ivan lived in a jungle across the ocean with his mom, dad, and sister, Tag. Before being called Ivan, his family called him Mud. Ivan has lived at the mall almost his whole life with the elephant, Stella, and the dog, Bob. Ivan is an artist, and when a new baby elephant, Ruby, comes to live with them, he paints her pictures of what it is like out in the wild. He also tells her about a zoo, and when there is a tragic incident involving Stella, Ivan makes a promise to get Ruby to a zoo to live a better life. The story unfolds a new problem or a new friend in every chapter. Applegate does a fantastic job of using words to create a beautiful picture of a story. The book is realistic fiction, except for the fact it is written in the perspective of a gorilla. If you like sad books, or books about animals, this book is for you. If you are looking for a new and different book from anything you have read before, this book is definitely for you because the just the thought of what a gorilla is thinking is a fabulous idea that only certain extravagant authors can conjure up. I recommend this book for kids in grades five through eight because it is sad and has some concepts that are hard to understand for younger kids. The book is very moving, heartwarming, and it is definitely a page-turner.
Review for The Land of Stories, by Chris Colfer
Kyra Kendrick
Ms. Levesque
English Language Arts 7A
Period 3
Review of The Land of Stories: The Enchantress Returns by Chris Colfer
Grade Level: 5-8
Rating:
Alex and Conner Bailey return to the Land of Stories after a year of only having memories from the first time they went. Memories of battling the Big Bad Wolf Gang and the Evil Queen, being captured by goblins and trolls, and even stealing Cinderella’s glass slipper to get them home. They even remember finding out that their grandmother was THE Fairy Godmother. But this time they are going, not for pleasure or even mistake. They are going there to save, not only the Fairy-tale world but also, the world. The Enchantress from Sleeping Beauty is rising again and aiming to take control of all 9 kingdoms. Alex and Conner are the only people who can stop her. Do you believe two 13 year olds can save two worlds, whilst their mother and grandmother held captive?
This book is a perfect read for grades 5 to 8 who love fantasy books that have an adventurous flare to it. You will enjoy it if you like books by Rick Riordan like the Lightning Thief or The Lost Hero. I loved the plot and style of the book. It is very descriptive and you can visualize it perfectly. At the end of each chapter, you will be stuck on a cliff-hanger. Even the last page is a cliff hanger. The author is on the young side, so, the dialect is great and you can understand everything that the character is feeling. Also, he had a briliant idea to incorporate so many Fairy-tale characters that everyone grow up knowing and loving, which makes it easier to relate to. The book is about 500 pages but it is such a page-turner and you will not be able to put it down. This is a modern twist on classic story that is gurenteed to grab your attention.
Review for Double Identity, by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Molly O’Callaghan
Mrs.Levesque
English Language Arts A
October 28, 2013
Double Identity by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Double Identity by Margaret Peterson Haddix was definitely an unsatisfying book for me. Its title and cover struck me as adventurous and a great read but inside it was very dull. Take the main character. Her name is Bethany and wasn’t a very interesting person to have the book centering around. She has long hair and glasses and doesn’t have any character traits that really stand out. It doesn’t help that she is in a gloomy town where she went to live right in the start of the book. Although I did like some of the things she did in the town. Such as going to the Y and fast food restaurants. That was one of the few positives in the book because I could relate to it. The beginning however lacks shine and is lackluster with no hook. The real adventure doesn’t start until about a quarter-way through. This is when Beth finds out she has a late twin “sister” Elizabeth and that’s why her parents dropped her off at an aunt’s house she never heard about. The book drags on about how she researches a man who has something to do with her father and Elizabeth. She eventually finds out she is a clone of Elizabeth and the ending doesn’t give much detail about what happens next. It sure wasn’t a good book for me but I would perhaps recommend it to a young reader in about 5-7th grade who likes futuristic books that are short. The author’s style is decent though witch was one of the reasons that I read it all the way through. If you’re not like me and are interested in books like this like this I would recommend the shadow children series also by Margaret Peterson Haddix. It’s a little slower pace but still a good series for a wide range of readers.
Molly O’Callaghan
Mrs.Levesque
English Language Arts A
October 28, 2013
Double Identity by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Double Identity by Margaret Peterson Haddix was definitely an unsatisfying book for me. Its title and cover struck me as adventurous and a great read but inside it was very dull. Take the main character. Her name is Bethany and wasn’t a very interesting person to have the book centering around. She has long hair and glasses and doesn’t have any character traits that really stand out. It doesn’t help that she is in a gloomy town where she went to live right in the start of the book. Although I did like some of the things she did in the town. Such as going to the Y and fast food restaurants. That was one of the few positives in the book because I could relate to it. The beginning however lacks shine and is lackluster with no hook. The real adventure doesn’t start until about a quarter-way through. This is when Beth finds out she has a late twin “sister” Elizabeth and that’s why her parents dropped her off at an aunt’s house she never heard about. The book drags on about how she researches a man who has something to do with her father and Elizabeth. She eventually finds out she is a clone of Elizabeth and the ending doesn’t give much detail about what happens next. It sure wasn’t a good book for me but I would perhaps recommend it to a young reader in about 5-7th grade who likes futuristic books that are short. The author’s style is decent though witch was one of the reasons that I read it all the way through. If you’re not like me and are interested in books like this like this I would recommend the shadow children series also by Margaret Peterson Haddix. It’s a little slower pace but still a good series for a wide range of readers.
Review for The 5th wave, by Rick Yancey
Hallie west
Ms. Levesque
English language arts A
October 28, 2013
The 5th Wave, by Rick Yancey
In Rick Yancey’s the 5th wave, Cassie (Cassiopeia) the main character, a 16 year old, is left to fight for herself, alone in an alien invaded world. They have been watching the planet for billions of years and have finally made their move to take over. They create total earth destruction, coming in 5 different waves of ways, such as first the power shutting off, followed by silencers and the bird disease. Cassie comes to think she is the last person on the earth. When Cassie’s mom dies during the third wave Cassie, and what is left of the people she loves, go out to find safety and other people. They find what they think is a safe place and there, her dad is killed and her brother taken on a school bus to a military air base supposedly turning the last of the human race in to an army to fight the aliens. This leads her to find her last bit of family alive, and a boy who loves her, but is he who and what she thinks he is… This book is good for grades 6-9, and very hard to stop once you start. It is both thrilling and chilling and there are many secrets that are kept well hidden. I really liked the way that rick Yancey wrote from Cassie’s point of view because it makes what is happening in the story a lot more clear and you can almost feel her emotions towards her family, friends and her little brother… The 5th wave is really easy to connect to even though it is not a real life situation. Cassie is a strong character with a strong personality and her point of view makes you want to read more. This story of love, strength, courage and strong determination is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat.
Hallie west
Ms. Levesque
English language arts A
October 28, 2013
The 5th Wave, by Rick Yancey
In Rick Yancey’s the 5th wave, Cassie (Cassiopeia) the main character, a 16 year old, is left to fight for herself, alone in an alien invaded world. They have been watching the planet for billions of years and have finally made their move to take over. They create total earth destruction, coming in 5 different waves of ways, such as first the power shutting off, followed by silencers and the bird disease. Cassie comes to think she is the last person on the earth. When Cassie’s mom dies during the third wave Cassie, and what is left of the people she loves, go out to find safety and other people. They find what they think is a safe place and there, her dad is killed and her brother taken on a school bus to a military air base supposedly turning the last of the human race in to an army to fight the aliens. This leads her to find her last bit of family alive, and a boy who loves her, but is he who and what she thinks he is… This book is good for grades 6-9, and very hard to stop once you start. It is both thrilling and chilling and there are many secrets that are kept well hidden. I really liked the way that rick Yancey wrote from Cassie’s point of view because it makes what is happening in the story a lot more clear and you can almost feel her emotions towards her family, friends and her little brother… The 5th wave is really easy to connect to even though it is not a real life situation. Cassie is a strong character with a strong personality and her point of view makes you want to read more. This story of love, strength, courage and strong determination is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat.
Review for Matched, by Ally Condie
Katelynn Castillo
Mrs. Levesque
English Language Arts A
October 28, 2013
Review Of Matched by Ally Condie
Matched is the first book out of the entire trilogy. In my opinion Matched, by Ally Condie, was a really entertaining story about a love triangle between Cassia Reyes, Xander Carrow, and Ky Markham. Cassia just got her match but sees someone else’s face on her micro card and starts to fall for him little by little throughout the story. I recommend this book from grades 7th-10th grade. Overall, this book is not inappropriate for younger than 7th but some kids under this grade might not enjoy it as much since they couldn’t relate to the age of the character. It’s based on a dystopian society in the city of Oria where they choose when you die, who your match is, and what your occupation is. I liked how the book got faster in pace as you went along throughout the story and gets more mysterious along the way. I disliked how they jumped right into Cassia’s Match Ceremony before introducing you to the character’s personality and the setting. This book is kind of related Divergent and The Hunger Games with the love and heartbreak between characters. It also has the suspenseful endings where you really want to read the next book. The author does a really good job at describing experiences that Cassia is going through and what she is feeling through them. Ally Condie describes really well how Cassia feels between the boys she is falling in love with and the struggles of her decisions between choosing one of them. Be aware that this book ends in a sad note but it ends in a happily at the end of the trilogy. Overall this is a really good book that I would recommend for everyone.
Coming to you with all of the whos, whats, wheres, whens, whys, and hows on literature.