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Mirrormask by Neil Gaiman
reviewed by Jerry
Fragmented like a dream
The Opposite of Invisible
by Liz Gallagher
reviewed by Alanna J.
A book we can all relate to…only
complaint--perfect ending. You could guess it from the
beginning.
The Best American Science Writing
2006 edited by Atul Gawande
reviewed by Jerry
Enlightening
The Fire Bug Connection: An
Ecological Mystery by Jean Craighead George
reviewed by Mary
This book is about a 12-year old
girl who is spending her summer in a field biology lab. She
loves bugs and likes to spend her time watching spiders and
wasps. She also is keeping an eye on a pair of bat mothers
and their babies that live right outside her room. Her
parents are both scientists; her mother studies soils
(dendrologist) and her father studies plants (botanist). The
girl's (Maggie) mother invites an entomologist (a scientist
who studies insects) to the field biology lab to help her
with a research project on how the combination of acid rain
and insects affects trees. The entomologist, Capek, gives
Maggie some fire bugs for her birthday and promises that
they will soon surprise her by metamorphosing into adults.
Maggie is disappointed that only a couple of the fire bugs
metamorphose. She asks Mitch, the son of one of the
scientists at the lab, to help her find out what is killing
the fire bugs. They set up a series of experiments to find
out. There are many things that could have killed the fire
bugs, including ravens, global warming, and the paper in
their jars.
I enjoyed this book because I
like learning about nature and science. This book taught me
a lot about bugs and how to set up an experiment. It also
helps teach respect for nature and the environment and
informs readers about dangers to the environment today, such
as pollution and habitat destruction. The author, Jean
Craighead George, has written many other nature books for
children.
On Day in the Tropical Rain Forest
by Jean Craighead George
reviewed by Mary
This book is about an Indian boy
name Tepui who is trying to save his rainforest home.
People are going to clear the rainforest away to make room
for farmland. There is a science laboratory stationed
nearby where four natural scientists are studying the native
plants and animals in order to save them. One of them
is Dr. Juan Rivero, a lepidopterist (a person who studies
butterflies). If he can find a nameless butterfly, a
wealthy industrialist will buy the rainforest, name the
butterfly after his daughter, and save the rainforest, and
he wants Tepui to help him. I liked this book because
it talks about the importance of saving rainforests and the
rest of our planet.
Shark Beneath the Reef by
Jean Craighead George
reviewed by Mary
This book is about a Latin
American boy named Tomas who dreams of catching a huge shark
and carrying it proudly into the village. He is facing
the decision of whether to go on to high school or to become
a fisherman like his father and grandfather. Different
members of his family have different opinions about what he
should do. Tomas risks his life to catch the shark,
who is really a lot bigger and more dangerous than he
thought. Tomas' decision about his future is affected
by oficiales from the mainland who want more tourists
to come to the island and are forcing fishermen to pay
expensive rent if they wish to stay on the island. In
the end, Tomas' science teacher, Juan Fuertes, convinces
Tomas to study to become a marine biologist so that he can
help his family and still remain close to the sea that he
loves.
Who Really Killed Cock Robin
by Jean Craighead George
reviewed by Mary
This book is about a famous
robin called Cock Robin and his family. Cock Robin is
a political symbol for the mayor of Saddleboro, a
conservationist who is trying to get rid of pollution and
make the community more ecologically friendly. When
the whole family of robins, except for one baby, dies,
everyone in Saddleboro wants to know who is responsible.
It is up to Tony, Mary Alice, and a scientist named Rob to
find out which pollutants killed Cock Robin so that
Saddleboro will be a cleaner, healthier, and safer place for
wildlife.
Swimming with Sharks by
Twig C. George
reviewed by Mary
This book is about a 10-year-old
girl named Sarah who has been sent to spend the summer with
her grandparents. Sarah's granddad is a retired marine
biologist who specialized in sharks. At first, Sarah
is very unhappy about having to spend the summer away from
her friends, but when her granddad starts teaching her about
sharks, she soon becomes just as enthusiastic about them as
he is. She and her granddad spend the summer exploring
the inlets and reefs and swimming with and studying sharks.
Sarah's new knowledge and understanding of sharks helps her
to care more about them, and she is eager to help when she
and her granddad discover shark poachers while they are out
exploring. The poachers are cutting the fins off live
sharks and throwing the shark's bodies back into the ocean.
Sarah is furious and writes a newspaper article about what
she has seen. She and her granddad also gather
together a group of shark enthusiasts called the Shark
Guard, who help them to identify and track the poaching
ship, called the Slippery Eel. The ship is eventually
caught, and the poachers are arrested by the Coast Guard.
I liked this book because the
author included plenty of shark facts in the story, and I
learned a lot. The author spent a lot of time
researching sharks in order to write this book. the
most important thing that I learned from this book is that
sharks are not the vicious man-eaters that they are depicted
as in movies, and that humans are causing sharks to become
extinct. I would highly recommend this book to anyone
because it teaches the truth about sharks. I am sure
that the sharks would like it, too!
Giants of Philosophy: Aristotle
reviewed by Jerry
OK
Giants of Philosophy: Plato
reviewed by Jerry
Not thorough
Cheaper by the Dozen by
Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey
reviewed by Miriam
Cheaper by the Dozen has
to be one of the best books I've read. It is one of
those books that you just can't put down. This book is
funny, sad, and an awesome book all at once. I love
it!
Belles on Their Toes by
Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey
reviewed by Miriam
I love this sequel!
Misty and Me by Barbara
Girion
reviewed by Mary
This book is about a girl named
Kim who wants a puppy more than anything. Her Mother has
just taken on a demanding new job, though and has no time to
be worrying about a new puppy. Kim and her brother Willie
secretly visit the pound and place a hold on the next puppy
that comes in. They start saving their money for the puppy,
including money that was supposed to be used for Willie's
school mild, P.T.A. membership fees, and Kim's disco dancing
lessons. Kim and Willie hire Mrs. Mac, an elderly widow who
is living on Social Security, to take care of their puppy,
who they name Misty, until they can save enough money and
convince their parents to let her keep her. Kim, Willie, and
Kim's friends Lisa and Eddie secretly help Mrs. Mac take
care of Misty in their free time. They play with, feed,
bathe, and help housetrain Misty. When Mrs. Mac has a heart
attack, however, the secret is out, and Kim is allowed to
keep Misty. Mrs. Mac's daughter, Charlene, was taking Mrs.
Mac to live with her in Ohio (the story takes place in New
Jersey). When Kim sees how sad Mrs. Mac is to be leaving her
home of many years and how much Mrs. Mac and Misty have
bonded, she decides to let Mrs. Mac take Misty with her to
Ohio.
Blink by Malcolm Gladwell
reviewed by Jerry
Understand decision making
The Tipping Point by
Malcolm Gladwell
reviewed by Jerry
Makes you think
An Irreverent Illustrated View of
Nuclear Power by John W. Gofman
reviewed by Rachel
Though this book mostly deals
with the dangers of nuclear power, it also effectively
speaks on civil disobedience and the responsibilities of
citizens.
The Blessing of the Animals
by Philip Gonzalez and Leonore Fleischer
reviewed by Mary
This book is a sequel to The
Dog Who Rescues Cats. It is about a mixed-breed
dog (part schnauzer and part Siberian husky) who loves cats
and has an amazing ability to detect cats in trouble.
She and her owner, Philip Gonzalez, and their friend and
neighbor Sheilah, have rescued and rehomed many cats and
travel to eight stray cat feeding stations in their Long
Island, New York home twice a day. Ginny has performed
many amazing cat rescues, including the Chairman, who was
trapped in a pile of sharp glass; Ms. Hunt, who was found
buried in sod and grass clippings in the bed of a pickup
truck; and Roosevelt, who was caught on a barbed wire fence.
The Blessing of the Animals is a continuation of the
stories of Ginny's cat rescues and the exciting things that
have happened to Ginny, Philip, and Sheilah since the
publishing of their last book.
How to Write a Great Research Paper
by Leland Graham
reviewed by Jerry
Well-organized
The Reluctant Dragon by
Kenneth Grahame
reviewed by Mary
This book is
about a boy and a saint who become friends with a dragon.
The boy’s father discovers the dragon living in a cave one
night. The boy has read many books about dragons and
decides to visit him. The dragon is very friendly and
is in interested in art and poetry. Soon, the boy’s
whole family has befriended the dragon. However, the
villagers are prejudiced against the dragon and call on
Saint George to fight and kill the dragon. The dragon
doesn’t want to fight and Saint George doesn’t really want
to kill the dragon, so the boy, the dragon, and Saint George
arrange a secret meeting in which they will spear the dragon
in his “spare spot” in the skin under his throat where it
will not hurt him. Afterwards, the dragon will come to
the banquet and make some new friends. At the end of
the story, all of the villagers like and respect the dragon
and agree not to make judgments against people or animals
without truly knowing what they are like.
The Wind in the Willows by
Kenneth Grahame
reviewed by Mary
The Wind in the Willows
is about the adventures of Mole, Rat, Toad, and Badger. Mole
leaves his underground burrow during spring cleaning one day
and discovers Rat's riverside hole. Mole and Rat quickly
become friends, and Mole stays to live with Rat for quite
awhile. Meanwhile, there is Toad, who lives in a grand old
house called Toad Hall. Toad is very conceited and has
recently developed an obsession with motorcars, driving them
crazily all over the country and getting into all sorts of
trouble. When Mole and Rat meet Badger, who takes them into
his den and helps them when they are lost in the Wild Woods,
the three of them decide to reform Toad, using force if
necessary. When spring arrives, Badger, Mole, and Rat go to
Toad Hall and try to talk some reason into Toad. When Toad
refuses to listen, the three animals lock in in his bedroom,
but Toad eventually manages to escape. When he goes to a
restaurant, he is overcome by an irresistible urge to steal
a motorcar. The magistrates arrest him and chain him up in a
dungeon deep in a castle. The jailer's daughter helps Toad
escape by disguising him as a washerwoman. When Toad boards
a train, the magistrates find out and pursue the train Toad
is on. Toad hops off the train and wanders though a forest
until he finds a river, where he manages to get on a ship
with a sailor's wife. The woman asks Toad, who is still
disguised as a washerwoman, to wash some clothes. She
notices that Toad can't wash the clothes and laughs at him,
and the get into a fight. Toad steals the woman's horse, who
has been walking alongside the boat, and sells him to a
gypsy for more than he is worth. Toad finds a rod and is
picked up by the same drivers that he stole the motorcar
from! He convinces them to let him drive the car, and ends
up driving them into a pond. Toad escapes, but the
magistrates start chasing him. He jumps into a river and is
carried downstream until he reaches Rat's hold. Toad fins
out that Toad hall has been taken over by stoats and weasels
who thought he would never come back. Mole and Badger were
kicked out of Toad Hall and were observing the house from a
safe distance. The four animals make a secret plan to sneak
into Toad Hall through an underground passageway while the
stoats and weasels are banqueting one night. the take the
stoats and weasels completely by surprise and successfully
drive them all out. At Toad's welcome-home banquet, instead
of giving conceited speeches and singing songs of
self-praise, he is very humble, and his friends are
convinced that he is now a reformed Toad.
The Testament by John
Grisham
reviewed by Katie
Was a very interesting book.
H
Princess Academy by Shannon
Hale
reviewed by Katie
Shannon Hale is a magnificent
storyteller. It's a big improvement over "Cinderella."
Get Well Soon by Julie
Halpern
reviewed by Rachel Reader
Shug by Jenny Han
reviewed by Katie
Now condsidered my #1 book!
Undercover Economist by Tim
Harford
reviewed by Jerry
Very thorough
Just Grace by Charise
Merkle Harper
reviewed by Rachel Reader
This was a good book.
Runemarks by Joanne Harris
reviewed by Jerry
Norse gods---yeah!
Black Pearls: A Faerie Strand
by Louise Hawes
reviewed by Alanna J.
Good, but not very unique.
Girl Overboard by Justina
Chen Headley
reviewed by Alanna J.
The beginning was slow, got
loads better tho.
Made to Stick by Chip Heath
reviewed by Jerry
Good, how to make good ideas
stay
Starman Jones by Robert A.
Heinlein
reviewed by Jerry
Good story
Bunker 10 by J.A. Henderson
reviewed by Jerry
One of a kind
The Four Million by O.
Henry
reviewed by Rachel
This book of short stories gives
snapshots of life at the turn of the century in NYC.
The Best of James Herriot: The
Favorite Stories of One of the Most Beloved Writers of Our
Time by James Herriot
reviewed by Mary
This book is a collection of
animal stories written by a famous veterinarian in
Yorkshire, England. There are many funny and heart-warming
stories about the animals, farmers, and owners, and the
author’s family. The book also includes historical
information about the Yorkshire Dales, which is where the
stories take place, and interesting facts about the
different kinds and breeds of animals and the veterinary
procedures described in the book. I really liked this book
because it helped me see how much veterinary medicine has
changed since WWII (the time when the stories took place)
and taught me about animal care and farming in this time
period, besides being funny and entertaining.
reviewed by Lydia B.
I read it once every summer and
it's amazing!
James Herriot's Yorkshire
by James Herriot
reviewed by Mary
James Herriot, a famous
veterinarian and author, describes the setting where his
books take place in England. He tells us about
Skeldale House (the veterinary practice that he worked in)
and about the cities he visited while taking his half-day
off with his wife and while on holiday with his family, such
as Staithes, Whitby, and Robin Hood's Bay. He
describes the beauty of the open moors and dales that he has
driven through so many times on his way to veterinary calls.
He also talks about the remains of old castles and
monasteries that he has visited with his children, and also
tells of pubs, hotels, and marketplaces that are well-known
to him and that were described in his books.
The Black Book of Secrets
by F.E. Higgins
reviewed by Jerry
Refreshingly original
Boston Jane: Wilderness Days
by Jennifer Holm
reviewed by Katie
My favorite of the Boston Jane
series. Hilarious!
Middle School is Worse than
Meatloaf by Jennifer L. Holm
reviewed by Rachel Reader
This book is told in a fun and
interesting way.
My Mom's a Vet by Henry
Horenstein
reviewed by Mary
This book is about a 12-year-old
girl who is helping her mom, who is a country vet, for a
week. In the story, the girl helps her mom vaccinate
piglets, dehorn a goat, examine a baby donkey before he is
shipped out of state, calve a cow, treat a horse with an
injured eye, and operate on a prize milk cow with a twisted
stomach. By the end of the week, the girl, Darcie, learns
that being a vet can mean hard work, long hours, and getting
dirty, but it also can be fun, interesting, and rewarding.
Fifth Quarter by Tanya Huff
reviewed by Kristin
Well written, kind of gloomy
plot. Best for mature high schoolers or adults.
Point of Impact by Stephen
Hunter
reviewed by James
A Time for Dancing by
Davida Wills Hurwin
reviewed by Rachel Reader
A very sad book told in an
interesting way.
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