Student Saturdays: Middle School the Worst Years of My Life

Student Reviewer:  Ashley C

Please be kind.  These reviews are written by sixth graders.  These are their own opinions of the books they read.

Middle School The Worst Years of My Life - James Patterson

Rafe Whatchadorian is in sixth grade.  It's the first day of school and Rafe has a bully at school named Miller.  At home Rafe has a sister named Georgia, and his mom has a boyfriend named Bear.  That's how Rafe calls his mom's boyfriend.  But, Bear and Rafe don't get along with each other because they're always yelling at each other.  But, if I was his mom I wouldn't want my boyfriend yelling at my kid.  Rafe has a crush on a girl named Jennie. At school Rafe tries to act bad and gives himself points for every rule he breaks.  I think it's dumb for a person to try to act bad just to get attention from other people.  I really liked this book and hope you enjoyed my review.

Captain Disaster - Del Shannon

Publisher: Story Arts Media
Pages:  236
Genre:  Middle Grade


Kevin Tobin is an ordinary twelve-year-old dealing with the aftermath of his father's tragic death in a mountain biking accident near their home in Boulder, Colorado. To escape from his emotional turmoil, Kevin has developed his imagination into a dangerous foil and a powerful ally. While he antagonizes his sister through his super hero antics, his ability to escape inside a character's head becomes critical to his survival after his life is once-again turned upside down a year after his father's death.
A mysterious package arrives in the mail, Kevin and his best friend are hunted down by a ruthless villain set upon world domination, and after enlisting Kevin's teenage sister and her pizza-delivery boyfriend in a battle for control over time itself, the secret of Kevin's whole existence is revealed to him by a source we never expected.

This is a book that I read and reviewed a while back.  Since that time the book has been picked up by a publisher and been republished under an new name with a new title.

Kevin's Point of View was one of those strange books that grabbed me at the beginning and then confused me a little.  I decided to hang in with the reading thinking it was my inability to focus due to intermittent reading while I tried to prepare for company.  I'm glad I stuck with it.  The books starts out with Kevin having a delusional moment.  He's lost his father in the past year and is having an extremely hard time dealing with it.  Counseling doesn't seem to help.  Then we switch to a device called an Influxitron.  Kevin has received this mysterious gift and doesn't know what it is or who it is from.  The device is dangerous and suddenly Kevin and his best friend, his sister and her boyfriend all find themselves being pursued by someone who is evil.  I will stop there because to try to explain anymore will give it away.  I will tell you that I was totally blown away by the ending.  The twists and turns this book took kept me reading and I did not expect the ending at all.  For me it is a gift when an author can write so that you think one thing and then bam you are hit with something you weren't expecting.  I was asked to read and review this e-book and I want to thank the author for allowing me the opportunity.  It truly was an awesome book.

Check out his website here
Read about the author here
Read an excerpt here

The Boy and the Ocean - Max Lucado

Publisher:  Crossways

Pages:  48 pages

Source:  I was able to view a preview copy of this book from Publisher’s Weekly.

Genre:  Children’s Picture Book

How big is God’s love?  Max Lucado has written a children’s book that answers this question.    A young boy watches the ocean from his bedroom window.  When he stands at his window he realizes he can see the birds and clouds above it, and the ships on it, but can’t see the  end of the ocean.  His mom takes him to the ocean to play.  As they wade in she tells him that God’s love is like the ocean. “It’s always here. I’s always deep. It never ends. God’s love is special.”  This was a wonderful way to describe God’s love for us.  Another favorite quote form the book came about when the mother put her young boy to bed.  She whispers to him, “The ocean will not leave. The ocean will not change. The ocean is like God’s love—“

I believe we should not only share this book with our children and grandchildren, but that we should share it with our adult friends.  Sometimes it takes a simple book like this to remind us that when we are going through trials that God doesn’t leave us.  He is always there.  His love is unending.  I think one of the reasons I love Max Lucado’s  books for children is because the message is not only for children, but for the adults who read the books to them.  This is a book I can’t wait to purchase for each  of my children to share with their kids.  Not only will they enjoy and learn from the story but there is so much to discuss with younger children in the wonderful illustrations, painted by T. Lively Fluharty.

About the Author

Max Lucado is a best-selling inspirational author and speaker, a minister of preaching at Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas. He is the author of numerous cildren’s books including You are Special and If Only I had a Green Nose.

About the Illustrator:

T. Lively Fluharty is an accomplished illustrator whose artwork has appeared in such publications as Time Magazine, Sports Illustrated, and Focus on the Family. His work has been recognized by the Society of Illustrators, Communications Arts, and Spectrum.  Fluharty illustrated The Barber Who Wanted to Pray and The Boy and the Ocean, as well as Fool Moon Rising  which he co-wrote with his wife, Kristi.