Teen Fiction Reviews from Middle School Students
Continued…
Written During Past Summer Reading Programs
The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
Rating: Good
I liked this book because it is talking about a girl with
everyday problems. The characters were very clear. It was very
interesting to follow this first year journey because it is like
what many people go through. I especially liked how it was only
a one year time span so that everything could be described with
great detail.
House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer
Rating: Good
Through stem-cell research, a man creates a clone to
extend his life span. Now nearly 200 years old, he
his wealth to control the fates of his entire family,
especially his most recent clone. This clone serves
the reader’s protagonist. W e see his entire childhood
clone and his attempts to breach his fate.
How Angel Peterson Got His Name by Gary Paulsen
Rating: Great!
How Angel Peterson got his name is about a gang of kids who get
into all sorts of trouble attempting crazy and impossible
stunts. These feats included wrestling a bear, breaking the
speed record on skis, riding a bike through a ring of fire and
the most impossible of all is going on a date with a girl.
(Gasp!) More amazing still is that these are all the things
that Gary endured during his childhood. I recommend this book
because of its fun, short and witty sub-stories. I also
appreciate the humor and fun characters.
I, Coriander by Sally Gardener
Rating: Great!
This book is a wonderful book for people who like
suspense and also mystery. This book is filled
with other worlds, mysterious and faithful
people.
Inheritance Series by Christopher Paolini
uses
as
as a
Eragon (Book One)
Rating: Great!
Eragon is because it’s a very descriptive book. It starts out with a
young man named Eragon; he becomes a dragon rider, and starts rebelling
against the king. It goes on until the king attacks his rebels and starts
a war.
I liked this book because it had lots of adventure in it; I also like
this book because it was exciting, almost all the time. I also really
enjoyed this book because it was fantasy, my favorite genre. The
discovery of the dragon egg and the adventure they go through together is
something you feel when you get “trapped” into this book.
Eldest (Book Two)
Rank: Great
This is the sequel to Eragon, another book that I really liked. I
liked this book because it was an adventure book. My favorite part
was the battle. I really liked it because it was like the Harry
Potter series. The book is about a boy in his late teens who is
working for a group of freedom fighters to overthrow King Galbatorix.
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
Rating: Great!
Mo and Meggie can make things from books come alive. One night,
Mo read Dustfinger, Capricorn, and Basta out of a book called
Inkheart. Capricorn made his own village in this new world and
started to bring all his helpers here too. But there’s one
creature, the shadow, who he wants Mo to read out. I like this
book A LOT, it’s pretty cool how they can read characters out of books.
The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
Rating: Great!
This book is about a boy named Hugo who is a secret time keeper of
a France train station and is skilled at fixing mechanical things.
One day he met an old man who is a famous movie-maker, but he
didn’t know and Hugo discovered that the man is related to a
robotic writing machine.
This book is great because it tells the
story in words and then pictures and so on. I love this book!
The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Bedder
Rating: Great!
I loved this book; it was a great twist on the story Alice in
Wonderland. It is amazing how they pull you into this story. T
he action and drama always feels so real. This would be a
wonderful book for anyone.
Magic and Malice series by Patricia Wrede
Mairelon the Magician (Book One)
Rating: Great!
Kim breaks into Mairelon’s wagon to see if a silver
bow was there to gain a small fortune…she’s caught!
But to her surprise he does real magic and asks if
she’ll be his apprentice! Together, they go in
search for the Saltash set that is powerful magic
and run into many other wizards in search of the
set. I like this book because of what an old grimy
girl can become and how many tricks Mairelon has up
his sleeve.
Magician’s Ward
Rating: Great!
(Book Two)
Kim’s happy as Mairelon’s apprentice till his aunt, Mrs. Lowe, is
determined to make Kim a Lady! But balls and clothes fittings are not
the least of her worries, wizards have been disappearing, and all of
sudden, Mairelon has lost all of his magic! Kim sets out to help him,
and meets a crazy, self-taught wizard! This book is amazing in every way
with twists unimaginable!
Magic in Manhattan series by Sarah Mlynowski
Bras & Broomsticks (Book One)
Rating: Great!
I liked this book because it combined two of my favorite genres;
reality and fantasy to make one crazy book. This book also makes
you want to be in the characters place and feel their emotions.
This book is really descriptive in a couple of ways; the main way
is Sarah is so descriptive you feel like you are really there.
Frogs and French Kisses (Book Two)
Rating: Great!
This book is the sequel to Bras and Broomsticks. It is also just
as funny! One of the reasons I thought this book was great was how
with every feeling you feel it too. In this book, Rachel wants
Mirr to put a love spell on Raf which goes terribly wrong.
Meanwhile her mother becomes a magicaholic, and Miri is on a save
the world rampage.
Spells and Sleepy Boys (Book Three)
Rating: Great!
10th grader Rachel and 7th grader Miri are going to a sleep away camp
for the first time and oh yeah – they are witches! Nice ones! The
summer is one to talk about, And Liana? The evil one? Well… she’s a
witch too! Read this book and find out more.
Maximum Ride series by James Patterson
The Angel Experiment (Book One)
Rating: Good!
This book is about five kids who were experimented
when they were babies and have been mutated to have
wings and special powers. Finally, they escaped from
the lab or school as they call it and are trying to
find their parents that put them up for adoption 14
years ago. I really liked this book because it was
exciting and I wanted to keep reading to find out
what happened at the end.
on
Maxx Comedy by Gordan Korman
Rating: Good
Maxx Comedy is a hilarious book by the famed kids author Gordan
Korman. As soon as Maxx Comedy sees an ad for the funniest kid
in America he knows he has to compete as he is sure he is
destined to be a comedian. Dubbing himself Maxx Comedy, he and
his friends go on many hilarious adventures on his way to getting
into the contest. The book is enjoyable. This book is great to read for
anyone who likes modern day adventures packed with humor.
Me, Dead Dad and Alcatraz by Chris Lynch
Rating: Good
Me, Dead Dad and Alcatraz is good and interesting book by highly
acclaimed author Chris Lynch. Elvin lives with his mom, when one
day his dad dies and his supposedly dead uncle spontaneously
arrives. Together with his interesting uncle, Elvin goes on many
adventures.
Millicent Mini Girl Genius by Liza Yee
Rating: Great
Millicent is this girl genius who is 11 years old in her senior
year of high school. She is having a bad summer because everybody
hates her because she is so smart. To make matters worse, her mom
signed her up for volleyball. There, everybody teases her because
she can’t hit the ball. Then she meets Emily, who’s very nice,
but Millicent tells lies so she won’t find out she’s smart. But can
Millicent untangle the lies before she finds out?
Nobody’s Princess by Esther Friesner
Rating: Good
Helen of Sparta is a BEAUTIFUL princess who worships Aphrodite.
She is unlike her sister, Clytemnestra, because she doesn’t like
embroidery, or weaving. She’s not even interested in getting
married! All she wants to do is learn how to fight. She is
secretly taught and she goes on a quest with her brothers where she meets
Atlanta and her arch nemesis, Theseus. I like this book because Helen is
a strong-hearted girl and is different from the Helen from Greek
mythology.
Olive’s Ocean by Kevin Henkes
Rating: Great
Olive’s Ocean is about a girl named Martha whose
classmate died in a car accident on her bicycle.
Olives dream was to become a writer and live by the
ocean. By chance Martha is going to her
grandmother’s house by the Sea. Martha decides to
be a writer and live out Olive’s dream. I liked how
the book was based on one thing, but at certain
parts it seemed like it was based on something
different. I highly recommend this book.
12-year-old Martha Boyle is visiting her
grandmother- whom she calls Godbee – along with her
mom, dad, brother (who’s one year older), and 2year-old sister. While packing for the trip, the
mother of her deceased classmate, Olive, shows up at
Martha’s house, handing her a journal. In it, she is
surprised to see that Olive has written about her,
saying Martha is the nicest person in the class. S
he can’t get her mind off of it even when she’s at Godbee’s beachside
house. She finally turns her attention to something else – or rather
someone else… the Manning brothers or specifically, Jimmy Manning, who
she has hated for year. But is he really the one she likes?
I got shivers and I think I was supposed to.
The thing I liked about Olive’s Ocean was that it took place at a beach
and it had romance too. I love the beach and romance stories.
Olive’s Ocean is a book about two girls who could have been friends but
weren’t. All that is left between the two girls are eerie connections.
And one secret they both kept, unknown. So when one girl’s family
vacations the connections become known. This book has so much
description, which is what I loved.
On Etruscan Time by Tracy Barrett
Rating: Great!
The book is about a boy who joined his mom on a dig in Europe
around an Etruscan village. This boy then found a stone with a blue eye
on it and his stone enabled him to time travel to when the village was a
lively place where he had to save a boy from the clutches of an
evil person. I really like this book because it helps me to
learn more about the Etruscans. I also liked these books about
time travel.
The Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place by E.L Konigsburg
Rating: Good!
I liked this book because it was very artsy. It was all about saving the
towers that her uncle had been building for the last 45 years. Margaret
Rose is 12 years old and miserable at camp.
Read this book to hear the
adventure of problems she faces.
Pants on Fire by Meg Cabot
Rating: Good!
Katie Ellison is the average high school popular girl, except
with telling the truth. All Katie does is lie to everyone, from
her best friend to her parents. She’s been lying so much it is
difficult to keep track of them. Soon her lies create suspicion
from her friends and her boyfriend. This book is very long, but
it is very fast-paced. It is very exciting when the whole story come
together at the very end of the book.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan
The Lightning Thief
Rating: Great!
(Book One)
I absolutely loved this book. It absolutely is amazing. This
book just has the best twists and turns. This series is
definitely worth reading. The moment you read the first word
to the last word, you are just hooked. You will never want to
put this book down.
Porch Lies by Patricia C. McKissack
Rating: Good!
I liked most of the stories in this book. This book is great for
a late night read, or just a quick story. I found that it was
good when I couldn’t sleep. I would choose this as a fun read.
The Prince of the Pond by Donna Jo Napoli
Rating: Good!
The Prince of the Pond is a version of the Frog Prince fairy
tale. After being turned into a frog by the hag, the prince
frog meets a girl frog and together they have many adventures.
The frog prince does many hilarious unfroglike things like
attacking snapping turtles and snakes and keeping his family
together. I really likes how the author changed the Frog
Prince. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes laugh
out loud books.
Project Mulberry by Linda Sue Park
Rating: Good!
“Project Mulberry” is a story about two kids who decide to make a
project about silkworms for the club that they are in. This story
is really factual and teaches you a lot!
Rebel Angels by Libba Bray
Rating: Great!
I loved this book. The series has really drawn me in with its
twists and turns. I love how descriptive Bray is in the book.
It really helps you understand the characters’ surrounding –
since they could be in a completely different world in one
chapter and back in their boarding school the other.
River Secrets by Shannon Hale (Books of
Bayern series)
This book is about two countries (make-believe) that are
in conflict. Both countries are trying to make peace with
each other and the main characters country sent an
ambassador to Tira. The main character’s job is to
protect the ambassador. I like this book because it is
full of surprises and horror events. It also has some
romance. This book also had a lot of murdering, which I
don’t like. I think that this book can give you the spooks
easily!
I loved this book because Shannon Hale was able to keep changing my view
in certain people and keep all the talent from the first and second books
carried on to the third book. This book almost made me cry because the
ending was so happy.
Rodzina by Karen Cushman
Rating: Good!
This book is about a twelve-year-old girl who is an orphan
traveling west on a train with a bunch of other orphans and
how she deals with the situation because she never knew her
parents and they have recently died. One of the
things I liked was how each time a family took
her, she did not like each one for a different reasons. She
also got away differently each time. This book is full of
details which make it even more fun to read.
Rules by Cynthia Lord
Rating: Great!
The book Rules is about a girl named Catherine who has a brother with
autism. It is the summer and a girl her age has just moved in next door.
So, she is trying to make friends with her so she doesn’t tell her about
the boy Jason that she drew in her sketch book. Kristi thinks he is her
boyfriend when really he is just her friend from her brothers OT clinic.
Jason is in a wheel chair and can’t speak to Catherine, so
she makes him words cards for his book (which is how he
talks, he points to the words he wants to say.) What I likes
about this book was that it was interesting and I really felt
like I was there experiencing it myself.
Sabriel by Garth Nix
Rating: Great!
The book Sabriel is about the journey of a young necromancer
Sabriel who is on the search for her father, who is trapped
in death. On the journey she gains valuable allies, such as
Mogge, an imprisoned spirit trapped as a cat, and touchstone, a warrior
sworn to help Abhorsen’s little Sabriel. I thought Sabriel was great, and
it was a well written piece.
The Schwa was Here by Neal Shusterman
This book, which is told in the first person by a kid named
Anthony, also known as “Antsy.” Antsy befriends a kid who is
hardly ever noticed by anyone. He is called the Schwa, is
believed to have magical powers and be invisible. The Schwa
and Antsy from a small “business” where they earn lots of
money. They also take dares, until the dare is about breaking
into Crawley’s house. What happens? To find out , you’ll
have to read the book.
Siverfin by Charlie Higson
Rating: Great
Silverfin is the first book in the Young James Bond series by
Charlie Higson. His parents are dead and young James Bond has
been sent off to Eaton Academy in England, where he doesn’t get
on good terms with rich Lord Hellebore. He vacations with his
favorite aunt and learns Lord Hellebore’s house isn’t far away.
With his friend Red, he checks the house out
and is soon caught up in rip roughing
adventure. This book is an enjoyable book. A great book
for people who like adventure books packed with action.
Shadow Children series by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Among the Hidden (Book One)
I really enjoyed the book Among the Hidden because for one thing, it
always had you on the edge of your seat! Another thing that I liked was
that through out the whole story, there was never a dull moment. This
book really gets you to think about what it would be like to basically be
unknown! I couldn’t imagine what it would be like to be the third child
in a family when you know the government only allows two kids per family.
If you enjoy suspenseful stories and like cliffhangers, I would recommend
this book to you!
Among the Hidden is about a boy named Luke. Luke is a shadow child, a
third child forbidden by the population police. He lives his life in
hiding, but when a housing development replaces the woods by his family’s
farm he can’t even go outside! But, one day he sees a girls face in the
window of a house, a house which he knows two other children live. He
soon meets the girl, Jen who is another shadow child. Jen will risk
everything to come out of the shadow. But can Luke get involved in her
plan, a plan that risks his life?
This book is an exciting book and it is full of adventure.
I like this book because it is unusual.
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series by by Ann
Brashares
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (Book One)
Rating: Great!
Lena, Tibby, Carmen and Bridget are best friends. One summer
they are forced to be apart when Lena, Tibby, Carmen and
Bridget go on separate vacations. Lena is in Greece with her
grandparents, Tibby’s working at Wallmans, Carman is visiting her dad and
Bridget is at soccer camp (falling for her coach).
Shade’s Children by Garth Nix
Rating: Great!
This is a very sci-fi and adventure book. In this world, the
Earth is ruled by overlords and you die when you turn 14. One kid
named Golden-Eye escapes and becomes one of the Shade’s children,
a sworn enemy of the overlords. No one really knows who Shade is,
except that he’s computer generated. There is nothing I disliked
about this book. This book is one that makes you capture the moment; it
traps you into the world of the book.
Silverwing by Kenneth Oppel
Rating: Good!
Silverwing by Kenneth Oppel is the first book in a series of
three books. In Silverwing a small, bat named Shade makes a
big mistake and his colony is severely punished for his
mistakes. During migration he gets separated from his
colony and has to go on a long adventure to save his colony. I really
like the way the author told the story and couldn’t wait to read another
chapter. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading and
adventure stories.
Snow Treasure by Marie Mcswigan
Rating: Great!
This was a very good book about how a bunch of kids saved their
country’s gold during WWII. It tells about children sledding with
gold on their sleds for months right under the Nazi’s noses. There
is a good chance that this story could be true but that is yet to
be proven. There was nothing I didn’t like about this story.
Son of the Mob by Gordon Korman
Rating: Good!
Son of the Mob is about the life of a boy whose father happens to
be the head of the most powerful mob in town. Eventually, the
boy too becomes entwined into one; I liked the whole
gangster theme used in this book. I also liked how
the book had a surprise ending.
So You Want To Be a Wizard by Diane Duane
Nita Callahan has always been picked on. One day when she’s
hiding at the library, she finds the book called So You Want
to be a Wizard, then at home, she reads the oath and all of a
sudden she’s a wizard! Then Nita meets Kit, another wizard
and they go to retrieve the book of light. But on the way
they face many dangers and life threatening encounterss.
Will they come out alive? It was sometimes hard to follow, but otherwise
very interesting!
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
Rating: Great!
Speak is the story about a girl who called the cops at an end of
the summer party. Due to this, everyone in the high school
hates her. The reason she called the cops was because she was
raped by a boy at the party. She does not expose this secret to
the reader or her friends until the very end of the story. I
liked how the book used easy language I could understand. Also,
I thought the author did a good hob in creating the personality of a high
schooler.
This book was about a girl who gets raped at her friend’s party and
calls the cops. Now, everyone hates her for calling the cops and
breaking up the party. Yet, no one knows what really happened to the
protagonist that night. I liked how throughout the book, the main
character develops confidence and trust in other people. I didn’t like
how she wouldn’t tell anyone what happened until the end of the book.
A Step from Heaven by An Na
A girl named Young Ju who moved to America when she was four
years old finds it difficult to live life in America rather
then in Korea. There are also many challenges facing her
and her family for example, learning English.
I really
liked this book because many Korean girls can relate to
Young Ju.
Rating:
The Strictest School in the World by Howard
Whitehouse
Great!
This book is about a young action pioneer who tries to make a
plane that works. However, she was sent to a boarding school
for young ladies (a.k.a. the strictest school in the world).
She hates the school so much because the boarding school is not
a regular school; it is a school of torture! I love this book so much
because it so FUNNY! This book has a ton of weird things that I love
The Tale of Despereaux by Kate Dicamillo
Rating: Great
This book is FANTASTIC! It’s about a mouse and his troubles and
a rat and a girl who wishes to be a princess! At the end, all
three stories connect into a great ending.
The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke
Rating: Great
In the Thief Lord, Prosper and Boniface (known as Bo) are orphans
who ran away from Hamburg and traveled to Venice, escaping from
their aunt and uncle, Esther and Max Hartlieb. Prosper, twelve,
and Bo, five, meet a mysterious boy in Venice, a thirteen-yearold who calls himself the “Thief Lord.” The brothers and up
staying in an abandoned movie theater with a ring of street children (the
Thief Lord found the theater for shelter for his friends) – two boys,
Riccio and Mosca, and a girl nicknamed “Hornet.” Meanwhile, Esther and
Max hire Victor Getz, a detective to find Prosper and Bo. During this
adventure, everyone discovers the secrets of the Thief Lord.
The Thief Lord was a great book. I loved that this was a multi-mystery
book. I also like how the author put a lot of description. You can
really feel like you’re in the story. I think having the author add a
merry-go-round, made the story feel real
Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen
Rating: Good
This book is about a young juvenile delinquent named Cole
Matthews, who has done a terrible crime: smashing a boy named
Peter’s head into a sidewalk. Cole chooses to become part of
the Native American Circle Justice as opposed to being
sentenced to prison for an unpredictable amount of time. He promises to
live on a remote island off the coast of Alaska. Will he survive? Will
Cole change? You have to read this book to find out.
True Believer by Virginia Euwer Wolff
This book is in the “Make Lemonade” trilogy. True Believer is
about Lavaugn, a fifteen year old girl who lives with violence,
crime, sadness and struggle. One thing I liked about the book
was how it was written in poem format. In this book almost
everything possible goes wrong in LaVaughn’s life- her friends
turn on her, her friend, who is a boy, who she would like to be
her boyfriend turns out to be gay and her mom’s boyfriend is using her.
The story ends with a nice party, but it is sad and confusing and left me
worried.
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi
Rating: Great
This book is about a wealthy girl from England who is
her family in America. She joined a ship with a very
captain whom she hated; but she then decides to become
member. I really loved this book because it is very
exciting with many close calls. This book also has
sad parts, but it made it interesting.
joining
mean
a crew
some
Twilight by Stephanie Meyer
Rating: Great!
Twilight is one of the best books I read this summer. It describes
the life of a high school girl, Bella, who falls in love with a
vampire. Though it seems far-fetched there are certain elements
that any teenager can relate to in their own life because there are
normal high school experiences mentioned in the book . One thing many
people can relate to is going to a new school, which Bella must do due to
a complication with her motion’s new husband. This was an excellent
book, and I would recommend it to anyone.
Under the Blood-Red Sun by Graham Salisbury
Rating: Great!
Under the blood-red sun by Graham Salisbury is about a Japanese boy
named Tomi and his family, who live in Hawaii during World War II.
Tomi’s father and grandfather are taken away right after the
Japanese bomb on Pearl Harbor. Tomi has to help his mother and
little sister survive until their father and grandfather come back. I
like this perspective that the author came up with when he wrote this
book I also liked how even though is was in the middle of World war II
the author didn’t put very little violence in the book This is a really
great book!
Westminister Abby by Micol Ostow
Rating: Good
This book is a part of the S.A.S.S. series, a collection of
stories about high school girls and their experience abroad in a
particular country. Here, Abby spends her summer in England. She
leaves behind her ex-boyfriend (who cheated on her) and challenges
herself to break her shell. From befriending a rebellious girl with
green hair, to strutting around in the high zebra printed boots
in front of her crush, Abby accomplishes her goal. See what
other adventures Abby gets involved in during her three months in
England!
When Zachary Beaver Came to Town by Kimberly Willis Holt
Rating: Great!
This book is about how two kids summers get turned upside when
the fattest kid in the world comes to town. The kids go and see him for
two dollars and talk to him and eventually become his friends and take
him to the movies and get him baptized and have many other adventures. I
would recommend this book to a friend.
Witch Child by Celia Rees
Reaction to this book: Great!
Witch Child is a book set in colonial times about the Salmon
Witch trials. This book is different from most books on
this topic because the main character really is a witch with
magical powers. Even though she really has powers, she only
uses them for good things. When she is discovered, she is
hunted down and most likely killed. Even though this book
is very different from what really happened during the real
Salmon Witch Trials, it still taught me how cruel and how
unfair the Witch Trails were.
A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula LcGuin
Rating: Great!
“A Wizard of Earthsea” is a fantasy novel
a young wizard Ged, brings a creature out of
of death, and how he must defeat it. The
this book is to face your fears and try to
them. This book aptly described this. Ged
by nightmares and worse before he defeated
and can never kill it while he runs from it.
he hunts it down he can finally defeat it
peace once more. “A Wizard of Earthsea” is a
book with a significant message.
about how
the land
theme in
defeat
is plagued
the shadow
But when
and is at
phenomenal