Left Out by Tim Green is a realistic fiction novel about a new kid moving into a new school with cochlear implants. The kid’s name is Landon Dorch, he is in the seventh grade, and he is one of the tallest and biggest kids in his grade, so he joins the football team. However, the kids on the team make him feel unwanted because of his hearing problems. He also has little to no football knowledge and doesn’t play in the games. Then, he makes a surprising friend named Brett.
The book The Ash Princess by Laura Sebastian is an adventurous dystopian novel about a 16 year old girl that has more experience with danger than most other girls her age would. Theodosia was once an Astrean princess. That however, was before the kalovaxians captured the astreans and started used them as slaves. At the start of the siege, Theodosia’s mother, the queen was murdered when Theo was only 6. The war continued harshly after that. Thousands of astreans had died every day fighting against the Kaiser/King’s army but they didn’t give up.
I would never be able to believe that Nikki got her own 
TV show!!!!!!!! Why does MacKenzie have to ruin it and rumors that Nikki and Brandon had broken up? Brandon is trying to get a scholarship and Nikki is always doing TV shows, so I guess it makes sense? The karate 
teacher always eats during gym and I can't believe that Nikki knocks him out. Can this get any worse???????
Review by Eric D.
The book Carnegie’s Maid by Heather Terrell [who goes by Marie Benedict] is an immigration story about a brave 19 year old girl named Clara who travels to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from her family home back in Ireland. When Clara lands in USA she makes the decision to act as a co-passenger with the same name. The author draws into the reasons of this decision to show the desperation that Clara had to make money for her family.
Girls Like Us by Gail Giles tells the story of two special education students who initially dislike each other. When their guidance counselor mandates that they stay together for the predictable future, they are not overjoyed. After all, they barely got along during their first encounter and it seems like they won’t get along in the future either. Soon, however, they see past their differences and into the persons they have really become. They realize that their situation is mutually advantageous: Biddy needs help as a Russian immigrant and Quincy has her own secret to hide.
This novel is a great read. Its a great book that will keep you wondering what will happen to young Stanley Yelnats. Full of friendships, mystery, treasure, and more. I highly recommend this novel for young teen readers. After reading you can also watch the movie that corresponds with the novel. I think that the characters in this book are great role models in all different ways. They each represent a different struggle they have been through and how that has shaped their personality.
The Distance From Me to You by Marina Gessner (pen name of Nina de Gramont) tells the story of McKenna, the protagonist of the novel, who decides to hike the entire length of the Appalachian Trail after hearing that her dad did the same. She had originally planned to hike with a friend, but when that friend mysteriously pulls out of the arrangement, McKenna is left by herself to survive in the wilderness. Then she meets Sam, who has taken to the Appalachian Trail to escape his troubled family.
The Hunger Game story is broken up into three books. The first book is The Hunger Games and takes place in a different universe where the United States of America is broken up into thirteen districts which all have different jobs to provide for the capital. Some of these include mining and farming. Each year for the entertainment of the rich in the capital, the Hunger Games takes place. From each of the thirteen districts, one female and one male is chosen to represent their district and have to fight to be the last one alive in a rural environment.
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
A book full of adventure, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane is a novel that explores imagination, love, and adventure. As Edward Tulane goes on a Journey to find his way back home he runs into many new people and problems along the way. This book is a short easy read yet I recommend for all ages. You’ll find yourself reading this book from start to finish as the stuffed rabbit faces many turning points.
Unslut: A Diary and a Memoir by Emily Lindin tells the life story of Emily Lindin, a Boston Native who was branded a “slut” in sixth grade. For the next few school years, she had to learn to navigate her new reputation and cope with her shame. At that point in her life, she was not very interested in her own sexual orientation or the lives of others; rather, she was more interested in “impressing” those around her, even if such impressing required activities considered raunchy.
How twisty was this story? Very! Mr. Lemoncello made a comeback with his game show, he moved back to his very hometown, and never stopped! Kyle serves detention and still winds up in the show! Now, do you believe me that this was a twisty one?
To see if this book is available at your library, click here.
Review by Eric D.
This novel is one I highly recommend for teens. It really captures the essence of the roaring 20’s. The novel depicts the gaping difference between old money and new money. It's funny how then, they looked down upon those who worked hard for their money rather than inheritance but now in the 21st century we applaud those who worked hard and earned their status, rather than just family money. Although the narration can be hard to understand at times, I think the expressions and phrases brought up really make you believe you yourself are in the roaring twenties.
I read the book, Love That Dog, by Sharon Creech. The book is about a boy named Jack, who starts writing poetry because he is doing a poetry unit in his class at school. He doesn’t like reading or writing poetry because he doesn’t understand it, and he thinks it’s for girls. The book is interesting because it’s written in poetry format, from the perspective of Jack, but Jack and his teacher, Miss Stretchberry, write back and forth to each other about the poems that Jack begins to write.
On a Clear Day by Walter Dean Myers is a dystopian novel that tells the story of Dahlia, a sixteen year old who lives in the Bronx in the year 2035. Her society is divided into classes based on wealth. At the top are the big corporations that control much of the world’s access to essential resources. Meanwhile, the people at the other classes have no hope of moving up the social ladder. While Dahlia doesn’t have the courage to work to dismantle the social structure at first, she is eventually contacted by a secret American group that aims to free the world from corporate hegemony.
We Were Liars is an amazing fictional story written by E. Lockhart. The book takes place in Massachusetts with the main protagonist who is a seventeen-year-old teenage girl. Her grandfather owns a private island where her whole extended family always spends the summers away from everything. Cadence has been going there since she was a little kid and has a very close bond with three others there. She even ends up falling in love with a friend of her cousin who recently started going there with her.
