Student Saturday: Tales From a Not-So-Smart Miss- Know-It-All by Rachel Renee Russell

 

Student Reviewer:  Sabrina S.

Genre:  Middle Grade Realistic Fiction

This is a great series and overall a good book. The author Rachel Renee Russell does an amazing job of making you feel like you're involved with the drama.

The main character, Nikki J. Maxwell, is a teenage girl who has two best friends, Chloe and Zoey, and her biggest enemy Mackenzie, who is a snobby rich girl that thinks she's better than everyone. Her crush, Brandon, is popular and nice but Mackenzie likes him too! Nikki and Makenzie have a big rivalry against each other. They are always trying to outdo one another. In this book, Nikki wants to join a newspaper club for her school, mostly to get closer to Brandon but also for fun. All goes well until her position in the news crew has no action and no one writing messages to it, so she makes it better and gets very well-known across the school. Then comes Brandon's birthday party and Nikki has waited forever to get him his gift but a few problems happen while trying to afford his present. This book is good for anyone who likes high school drama and plot twists. Rachel Renee has written a very good series. 

Rain Falling on Embers by Liana Gardner

 

Genre: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction

Source: I won a copy for LibraryThing Early Reviewers. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Katie McCabe is a rebellious teen. Her father is the town sheriff. She loves him dearly. She lost her mother at a very young age. He is all she has. She and her best friend Tommy accidently set a shed on fire. When she gets home she explains to her father it was an accident. She is made to pay for the damages. Then the next morning she is put on a bus and shipped to her uncle’s house. Her dad tells her it is because he has been sick lately and the doctors want to do some tests. Her beginnings with her uncle and cousins is rocky. She meets  a young man named Logan who seems to have her back even when she is trying to sabotage herself.  When her father dies and they pack up her former house and move her into her uncle’s house permanently she really rebels.  She has convinced herself that they have taken her in out of obligation and not out of love. What will it take to prove her wrong?  What happens when she makes enemies with someone who believes  they are powerful because of their family name? What will it take to survive?

I read this book in just a few hours. It is one of the best books I have read in a long time. I have read other books by this author and highly recommend this book and all her others.  I will tell you that you will need a box of tissues all through this book.

TenMore Picture Books, Some of My Favorite Stories and Authors

 A few more picture books that I reviewed right after Christmas.  I purchased each of the picture books and the opinions expressed here are my own.

The Adventures of Scotty Claus by David Scott Fields II

This was probably my favorite read over the two days I tried to read down my picture books on my Kindle. This is the story of a young man whose dream is to meet Santa Claus. One night his wish comes true. He learns that Santa has known his parents for years. Santa asks for him to help him deliver presents that night. As the night goes on he learns there is more to Christmas than receiving gifts.  He meets a special young girl named Ruth who is very sick.  Santa takes Scotty back to his workshop and lets him make a gift. He decides to make a snow globe for Ruth. Then Santa comes out to tell him who and what Christmas is really about. He even gives Scotty his personal Bible. He explains that he hopes one day Scotty will come to know the true gift that was given.   The end  of the book tells the story of the author and how for years his father played Santa for real. This is one of the most heart -felt and touching stories I have ever read. I highly recommend this book.

Things My Way by Sarah Read

Dominic is a young boy who likes to do things his way, or as he says it, "to the beat of his own drum." He does this at school, in sports and at home. Things down always go the way he planned. Mom has a way to teach Dominic that there is a time and a place to follow the directions. Read this wonderful and simple book to see if Dominic learns that lesson.

My Body Bubble by Michael Gordon

I loved this story. Annie is playing with her best friend Max when he falls down. She hugs him and doesn't get the reaction she expected. Her hug made him feel uncomfortable. This story is learning about personal spaces, or as the book calls it personal bubbles. I think I like this book so much because I have had people step too close to me and I take a step back and then draw a square in front of me saying, "Sorry, this is my space." They usually apologize and take a step back.  Great lesson to be learned and explained in a manner that all children, and adults can understand.

I Get Angry Like a Tiger by Michael Gordon

Once again the author has created a book that helps children deal with very common situation. Most young children get angry. If there is no one there to teach them how to handle those different emotions they usually handle it incorrectly. This book is great at teaching a strategy to deal with anger. In addition there are several common situations that kids get angry in and these situations and solutions are addressed in the book.

Georgie’s Long Goodbye by Bri Kozlowski

This was a strange but good story. Georgie has lost his grandmother. However, before she passed she became a part of a holographic computer program. She was sent back to the family for a time. Georgie does everything  with her. Then one day he can't find her. His mother explains that he has to learn to say goodbye. Georgie doesn't want to. He and his mother come to an agreement. This is a strange yet wonderful book about grieving for those we've lost.

Stories for Children 10 by Francois Bissonnette

I have always loved this author's stories. This is the story of Emily and Arabella. Emily is a human child whose parents read to her about Fairyland every night. One day Emily can't find her book.  The wise fairy visits Arabella and sets her on a quest to find the Fairyland Book. Without it Emily begins to forget the stories of Fairyland and Fairyland is beginning to disappear. Arabella must find this book and return it to Emily. The world building is awesome and the characters are lovable.  I recommend this author's books to everyone.

A Colorful Beginning by Raven Howell

A wonderful book to read to a child before they begin their first day of school, or to read to a class on their first day of school.  It shows them that no matter what their differences they are all better together. Plus, you get the added bonus of teaching children about mixing colors. A win, win if you ask me.

Balloons Over Broadway by Melissa Sweet

I love learning something from a picture book. This is the story of how we got the Macy's Day Parade. It started with a young boy who loved puppets and making things move. Tony Sang worked with Marionettes for years. Mr. Macy wanted to create a window display and hired Tony. Then he decided to create a parade for his employees and Mr. Sang helped with that. You will need to read the book to see how a simple window display evolved into the Macy's Day Parade we have today. I loved this book.

Bigger Than Alexander by Christopher Francis

A fun story of a young boy who is bigger than all of his classmates. Unfortunately he grows so big he no longer fits in the classroom or school.  However, the teacher knows there is something different and special about Alexander. There is something about him that is bigger than his size. Read the book to find out what it is that makes Alexander so special. Read this book by one of my favorite authors.

The Best Gift For Bear by Jennifer A. Bell

Hedgehog bakes gifts for all of her friends, but she doesn't know what to bake for her best friend bear. She sees the snow on her house and decides to bake bear a gingerbread house. She gets it all decorated and heads to bear's house. As she gets near the wind tears up her gift to bear. What will she give bear now?  Read this wonderful book about friendship.