Student Saturday: Allies by Alan Gratz

 

Genre:  Middle Grade, Historical Fiction

Student Reviewer:  Delaney B.

"Allies" by Alan Gratz is a story that follows multiple characters/narrators during the events of World War 2. The main narrator is Dee, a sixteen year old American soldier in the invasion of Normandy,France, code-named Operation Overlord.

Dee and many of the other narrators get confronted throughout their war efforts but work around it successfully with the help of their new allies and friends. All of the narrators contributed to the Allied success of WWII and most end up meeting each other throughout the book, which I thought was a cool feature. 

I'm not sure I would have survived in any of the narrators' shoes, because all of their situations seemed to have lots of pressure and intimidation along with it. I would recommend this book to people interested in WWII because it gives a lot of perspective of what it was like being involved in the war. Overall, I really liked the book and it exceeded my expectations because the details and characterization were so well thought out and was overall a nice read.

Student Saturday: Breakout by Kate Messner

 

Genre: Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction

Student Reviewer:  Lam T.

Breakout is a cool book for middle school kids like me. This is because it tells a story in a different way, like with letters, text messages, and things so it's not just words on a page. The story is about a prison break in a small town and how it affects everyone there.

The three main characters are called Nora, Lizzie, and Elidee, and we get to see what they think and feel with bubbles. It feels like you're right there with them. The book also talks about important things like being kind to others and standing up for what's right. It's a good book for school discussions.

So, if you want a book that's easy to read and makes you think about being a good person, Breakout is a good choice since it reminds us how important it is to be kind and help each other when things get tough, also the book is based on a true story so it’s not just fake.

Allie Strom and the Ring of Solomon by Justin M. Stone

Genre:  Middle Grade, Fantasy

Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I was given this book to review a long time ago.  Unfortunately, it fell way down the stack of my pile of books.  I am sad I waited so long to read and review this book.  I live in a district where books have to be read and reviewed by a group of people to be considered for our classroom libraries. Unfortunately, this one has not had that privilege. I can recommend it to my students, which I will, but I can’t put it on my bookshelves.  Here is why I believe this should be allowed to be on my school shelves.

First, we have very relatable characters. Allie is just starting middle school.  Her mom is in the military and is missing. She stands up against bullies to defend Daniel, one of the nerds. Their friendship is necessary, as they have many battles ahead of them. When Allie's mom is deployed, she leaves the necklace she has always worn behind.  Allie wears it and, of course, we can expect things to happen. 

There are many lessons to learn through reading this book. One,  stand up for those who seem weaker than you. That’s what Allie does when she defends Daniel. Never give up no matter how impossible it may seem or no matter what obstacles stand in front of you. A great author like this one knows how to wrap lessons up in a story line that is so amazing that the reader doesn’t realize until afterwards all the lessons they have learned. If I asked my students what connections they had with this book after reading it, those lessons would be the things they connected with. I will definitely read more in this series. I will also recommend it to my students. After all, we still have public libraries and bookstores.

 

Student Saturday: Girl In The Lake by India Hill Brown

 

Genre: Middle Grade, Horror
Student Reviewer:

This book was a great read, it had the perfect number of thrillers and twists for it to remain interesting throughout. Main characters have true personalities, and it feels like you are in the story experiencing the events as you read.

  The main character Celeste had failed her previous swimming lesson, so she feels apprehensive about her upcoming trip to her grandparents' lake house. This story also weaves in the history of segregation and has a great message along with the bone chilling ghost aspect of the story. The characters can be relatable, which is great and makes you feel more connected.  This also reminds me of a similar story my brother had told me a while back about a ghost.

  This story is not too scary but has a good plot, the details make this story outstanding, and the curveballs keep you entertained while still having a great, consistent development. One of the best horror/ghost stories I have read so far, this book is great for people who like books with a strong message with some fun twists. I would definitely read it again!

Student Saturday: Up From the Sea by Leza Lowitz

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Genre: Realistic Fiction
Student Reviewer: Aliyah S.

This story takes place in a small town in Honshu Japan. In this town lives a biracial teen named Kai with his mother and grandparents.His best friend in the story is Keiko,a girl in the town his age.Kai’s father lives in New York and Kai hasn’t heard from him in years.

In the story a tsunami hits Kai’s town and you follow the characters through the recovery of the town. After the tsunami Kai is offered a trip to New York to talk to kids who’s lives were changed by 9/11 and while he is in New York he also attempts to find his father.Kai returns from New York to help rebuild his town and encourage others in the town.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes the poetry set up of the book and likes an inspiring story. I thought the book was very inspiring because Kai could make good of a devastating situation and keeps hope throughout the book.

Divided by Kandi J. Wyatt

 

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

This author has done it again. This is a definite winner. In this book, #6 in the series,  we find the Dragon King's daughter Mairead is now queen. After her mother's passing she is thrust into that role. She has advisors until she is old enough.  A young prince comes visiting in hopes of uniting their kingdoms.  The council is unsure of his intentions.  In the spirit of peace they invite him.  Mairead is an excellent host. She finds herself falling for the young charismatic Prince. But not everything is as it seems. How do you trust someone you don't really know? How do you please the people who have always had your back and helped raise you?  How do you trust them when they don't trust the one you love?  Mairead wants to please them all. When she begins to experience magic, Lugh refuses to train her. The Prince steps in and offers as he too has magic. Her father figure does not trust the Prince and puts additional people to watch after her. Then she makes contact with her father, the Dragon King. Will he be the answer to these questions of trust or will he forbid the relationship?  Will he stay with Mairead, or will he go? You must read this book to find out. This series always has me on the edge of my seat. I can't wait for the next one to come out. I have been recommending this series to my students because when it comes to the fantasy genre, Kandi Wyatt is at the top of the list.

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Source:  I received a copy from the author to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

 

This author has done it again. This is a definite winner. In this book we find the Dragon King's daughter Mairead is queen. After her mother's passing she is thrust into that role. She has  advisors until she is old enough.  A young prince comes visiting in hopes of uniting their kingdoms.  But not everything is as it seems. How do you trust someone you don't know? How do you please the people who have always had your back and helped raise you?  How do you trust them when they don't trust the one who you love?  In this one we find the Dragon King returning. Will he be the answer to these questions?  Will he stay or will he go? You must read this book to find out.

This book comes out November 14th  If you have not read the other five in the series you must.

Every book brings us more adventure, shows us how much Jeah cares.  This is a must read. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series. Kandi can't write them fast enough for me.

Student Saturday: Remember World War II: Kids Who Survived Tell Their Stories by Dorinda Nicholson

 

Student Reviewer: Nikita K.

Genre: Non-Fiction

History is a key part of understanding the world and how things have come to be in the world we live in now.

World War Two (WWII) was a terrible time for many people around the world, but is part of our history nonetheless and therefore should be talked about and taught about. Remember World War II by Dorinda Nicholson does just that by going through first-hand accounts of the horrors of this tragic event. These accounts varied from little kids in affected regions and overall youthful children to were affected by this wartime.

Fred Losch, a kid from East Prussia, Germany, recalls a band or group of people called the "Jungvolk", and how he joined at 10 years of age. Fred talked about how he overcame some hikes that were challenging, along with a bike trip. This was until that bike trip was interrupted because the roads were overrun with military vehicles, and he was told to return home immediately. He knew something was up, and a few days after, the war began. Another person also recalled being outside sweeping the street with her straw broom, until she heard the marching of what sounded like hundreds of soldiers. She ran back inside and yelled, "Mother, they're here. The Nazis are here!" This is when Germany began their conquest of Europe, beginning with Poland and school children were forced to learn how to salute with their right arm and say "Heil Hitler!".

 This worldwide event was terrifying, and many people were forced to pick sides or hide. Some people picked the Nazi's side, while others picked the war-torn and affected countries that were being attacked by the tyranny of Hitler. Many people hid, as to not be found and torn away from their families, and that's what I would try to do in that situation. It wouldn't be good to pick a side as one half of the warring countries would see you as an enemy, and attempt to take you away from everything that you love. In my opinion, it would be wise to stack up on supplies and try to wait out the war.

Overall, this book is great at telling the story of World War Two. It is reliable and interesting to read about what people experienced during this time as it used accounts of a wide variety of individuals, both from inside of Germany and out. It is truly a great read and recommended to anyone who is trying to find some information on World War Two and or history in general.

Student Saturday: Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls

 

Student Reviewer Clayton

Genre: Adventure

"Where The Red Fern Grows" is a story about a ten-year-old boy named Billy Coleman. He has lived in the Ozark mountains with his family.Billy is very intelligent when it comes to the mountains. One day he heard some coon hounds in the mountain and wanted some. A little while later he was walking down by the creek when he found a piece of newspaper, on the paper was a listing for some redbone coonhounds for twenty-five dollars apiece. Billy spends the next two years saving up for the dogs. Once he saved up the money, he had his grandpa send a letter to the seller. The seller told his grandpa that he had just had a litter of puppies and that he had lowered the price. Later that month Billy left home  one early morning heading to Talequa without telling his parents. When he got there, he got his puppies and with the leftover money he bought his mother some fabric and his father some overalls. He got home and immediately started training them. Once they were all trained, they were the best hounds in the country. He went back to that place where the newspaper was found and there were two names carved into the wood. Once said Dand and the other one said Ann.  Knowing that the male was bigger than the female, he named them big Dan and little Ann.

Student Saturday: Spare Parts by Joshua Davis

 

Genre: Young Adult, Nonfiction

Reviewer: Benjamin T.

I enjoyed this book very much as it is filled with some suspense, action, and excellent writing. This book is also based on real events. I am also interested in robotics and technology. I am in TSA (Technology Student Association) which is a competition where you pick events and try to win first place. The main characters in this book are Lorenzo Santillan, Christian Arcega, Oscar Vazquez, Luis Aranda, Fredi Lajvardi and Allan Cameron. Lorenzo, Christian, Oscar, and Luis are all from Mexico. Some of them are in the U.S. illegally so there is some level of suspense in the story. Luis is the strong one of the group, Oscar was in JROTC, Christian is skinnier, and Lorenzo had been a part of a gang. It all starts in 2004, four teens meet up in a robotics-type class and join a catapult hurling competition. They were happy with their results and decided to join an underwater robotics competition. Their teachers are Fredi and Allan that help them in the competition. They decided to go against the best-of-the-best in the competition to prove their skills. The problem is they don’t have much money, materials, or skills. Will they be able to win? How will they win? Can they get enough materials? Are they going to get deported? I thoroughly enjoyed this book as my father gave it to me to read. The story was enjoyable, and I liked the whole plot. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in robotics or stories based on it and you can also watch the major motion picture. If you like non-fiction, this book may be for you. I would recommend this book to them because of its enticing plot and interesting story. Overall, this book extremely exceeded my expectations, I thought it was going to be uninteresting, but I ended up loving it.