Earlier this year, we asked young readers to tell us about a great book–to describe in a review why they think the book is worth reading, just for pleasure. As we continue to pore over the hundreds of reviews we’ve received for the Read & Write project, we’ve noticed that books about growing up or venturing to exotic lands and different times seem to be the most popular. Our reviewers include young children, preteens and teens involved in library summer-reading programs, summer school and couch-based reading sessions at home. Please come to the Books section again next week for more reviews.
Just Me and My Cousin
By Gina and Mercer Meyer
Review by Armando Bocanegra, 5
Chicago
Pilsen Community Academy
(Chicago Public Library)
I think this book should be read by everyone because it teaches little children to play in a good way with each other. And it also teaches not to scare or play rude with each other. I think the best part is when little Monster scares his cousin because it is really funny.
Marvel Encyclopedia: The Incredible Hulk
By Kit Kiefer
Review by Kenneth Andalcio, 10
Chicago
LaSalle Language Academy
(Chicago Public Library)
You might think I’m a geek, right? Wrong! I’m a Marvel comics smarty-pants! I recommend this book because it is full of everything you want to know about the stressed-out green monster called Hulk. When I went to the Thomas Hughes Children’s Library Center, it was always checked out so I had to put it on hold. It was worth the two-week wait. I guess this book is popular! This was a cool reference book to learn about science, and practice my reading skills. You should try to borrow or even buy this book.
The Secret of the Attic
By Sheri Cooper Sinykin
Review by Gwendolyn Cortez, 8
Woodridge
Meadowview School
“The Secret of the Attic” is amazing, fascinating and awesome. Four friends, with the help of their new next-door neighbor, have a cool adventure and start the Magic Attic Club. They find a key that opens an attic that contains a trunk full of old-fashioned clothes. When they put on the clothes and look in the mirror, they go back in time to the 1930s, where the girls go to a Christmas party and help a girl named Ellie. I can’t wait to read more about the Magic Attic Club!
How I Became a Pirate
By Melinda Long
Review by Maggie Scully, 8
Palos Heights
St. Alexander School
I read the book, “How I Became a Pirate.” I like it because the boy gets to bury the treasure in his neighborhood. I think people should read this book because it is very good.
Among the Hidden
By Margaret Haddix
Review by Robin Doherty, 11
Chicago
Queen of Angels School
I think “Among the Hidden” is a wonderfully realistic tale of suspense and danger. The population laws, forbidding people to have over two children, are very realistic and could happen someday. I feel sorry for Luke (the main character, a third child) because he can’t even go outside for fear of discovery. I like Jen (another third child that Luke meets) because of her spunky and outgoing personality. The fact that Jen is a third child in a wealthy family shows that even rich people break the law. Jen has a wild plan, and Luke can’t decide what to do. If he joins Jen, he will be putting himself in danger. If he doesn’t, Jen may be in harm’s way.
Stormbreaker
By Anthony Horowitz
Review by Redmond Millerick, 10
Chicago
St. Barnabas Grammar School
“Stormbreaker” is a fun, cool book about a 14-year-old boy named Alex Rider. He lives in London with his uncle because his parents are dead. His uncle’s name is Ian Rider. Alex’s uncle trained him in karate, scuba diving and other lifesaving techniques. He even taught Alex how to drive! One day at 3 a.m. the police came and said his uncle had died in a car accident because he didn’t have his seat belt on. Alex knew that couldn’t be true. The housekeeper said, “Why would the police lie to us? The police are supposed to be truthful.” Alex was still suspicious. And so the story begins and the reader is taken on an exciting journey through England involving computers, crazy villains and a giant jellyfish! Read the story and help Alex uncover the truth! Trust me, this book is great.
Who Was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart?
By Yona Zeldis McDonough
Review by Olivia Godnik, 8
Lincolnwood
Schechter Day School
I loved the book because it is an interesting book about Mozart’s life. It is amazing how he could hear music in his head and then write it down on a piece of paper and he didn’t even make any mistakes! Mozart was an excellent composer. Even today, musicians all over the world play his music. I play piano too! It is fun, but it’s also a lot of hard work, but for Mozart it was easy. He started playing piano when he was 3! When Mozart was a little older he wrote music and then played it for kings and queens! Mozart died very young. He was only 35 years old but wrote over 600 pieces of music! I think everyone who likes music should read this book. Mozart is amazing!
Angels & Demons
By Dan Brown
Review by Sam Libowsky, 14
Highland Park
Highland Park High School
“Angels & Demons,” the first Robert Langdon adventure, is one of my favorite books because it combines mystery with excitement. In the book, Robert Langdon is sent on a mission to save the Vatican from a great energy bomb. Robert, along with fellow acquaintances, must search through the Vatican to find a solution to the problem before the bomb explodes. From the book, I was able to solve the puzzle alongside Langdon. I can’t wait for the next book in the series!
Spacebase 2000
By Stewart Cowley
Review by Drew Podlewski, 14
Western Springs
McClure School
The book “Spacebase 2000” is truly amazing. In it Stewart Cowley talks about ships, people, places and events in such a way that makes you believe this book came from the future. Not only are the stories gripping, but the magnificent pictures that come along with them are spectacular. Stories of war, rebellion and piracy are worth reading even though the book was written in 1984. The book reflects a time in which space seemed limitless and almost anything was possible, and everything is possible in such a future: humanity reaching into the far reaches of space; aliens of unknown origin; weapons more powerful than today’s; the existence of Earth threatened by interstellar forces; and mysteries still unsolved.
Hour of the Olympics
By Mary Pope Osborne
Review by Abbeygail Anders, 7
Chicago
South Loop School
If you want to go on an amazing adventure this summer, all you have to do is read “Hour of the Olympics.” This is a great book that tells you all about ancient Greece and the first Olympics. I love reading about ancient times, and this book was so exciting I read it in one day! I learned about how girls used to be treated unfair. The main character, Annie, couldn’t even watch the Olympics! Greek gods and goddesses are cool because each one has a special job, and this book told about Zeus and Nike. I give this book a 10. I liked it so much I’m even reading the “Magic Tree House Research Guide to Ancient Greece and the Olympics,” which has more information about ancient Greece and great stories about the gods and goddesses. So when you’re not watching the Olympics, pick up “Hour of the Olympics” and learn how the games began!
Baseball Fever
By Johanna Hurwitz
Review by Tamara Winston, 10
Park Ridge
Schechter Day School
(Park Ridge Public Library)
This hilarious novel is about how almost-10-year-old Ezra Feldman tries to teach his father about the importance of baseball. Ezra loves the New York Mets and reads baseball encyclopedias for fun. Strange as it may seem, his father, an immigrant who loves chess and has a doctorate in history, thinks baseball is an idiotic activity for people who have no brains. He calls a grand slam a “grand bang” and thinks RBI means “rubbish brought inside.” Ezra is aggravated and discouraged because he has tried to explain the game to his father a million times. Ezra makes a deal with his father: If Ezra wins a chess game against his dad, his father will take him to a Mets game. His dad finally understands that baseball is complicated, exciting and filled with graceful movements.
The Vile Village (A Series of Unfortunate Events series)
By Lemony Snicket
Review by Asiya Sabir, 11
Prospect Heights
Islamic Foundation School
(Chicago Public Library)
I liked this book because it was a sad book and it had a little humor mixed in. The most amusing thing about this book was the plot. The book is about three children, the Baudelaires, whose house was burned down by the evil Count Olaf. The seventh book in the series, “The Vile Village” takes place in a town full of too many rules and full of noisy crows. The illustrations in the book are very mysterious-looking and interesting. The way Lemony Snicket refers to the book as a secret documentary on the Baudelaires’ unhappy and miserable lives is very fun to read, also. Things like monotonous crows and overly excited villagers are only part of the humor in the book. The other six and the three after this book also share the same humor and sadness as “The Vile Village.”
Just Joking!
By Andy Griffiths
Review by Derek Morgan, 11
Chicago
Ogden School
The reasons why this is an outstanding book are:
1. There are little stories about nonsense.
2. It’s real funny and it left me laughing for hours.
3. I could not let the book go.
I read the book non-stop. If you like laughing for hours, then this is a book for you. The story is about an 11-year-old boy named Andy playing jokes on people like his older sister Jen, or his friends, and even his parents.
Midnight for Charlie Bone
By Jenny Nimmo
Review by Therese Coverich, 13
Palos Park
Palos South Middle School
“Midnight for Charlie Bone” was one of the most exciting books that I have ever read in my entire life! The book is loaded with adventure, secrecy, frightening events, and hooks that keep you reading on. The book is about a boy named Charlie, who one day finds out that he is endowed, which means that he has special powers. He soon ends up finding out about a girl named Emma Tolly that was sold to another person. Her aunt can’t wait to find her and bring her home. Charlie and his friends need to find out who she is, and get her back home. They reach some obstacles on the way, and one of Charlie’s friends is betraying him. Can he trust his friend Billy Raven, the lonely orphan who is desperate for a new family? Find out how Charlie and his friends strive to reach their goal.
Tar Beach
By Faith Ringgold
Review by Jahlil Porter, 8
Tinley Park
Home school
(Grande Prairie Public Library)
I really enjoyed “Tar Beach.” It told a story about a time when black people were treated unfairly. The story was told with quilts. Colorful quilts. There was a family of a mom, a dad, a brother and a sister. The father couldn’t vote because his father didn’t vote. The brother and sister would dream of inviting some family friends over and eating chicken, watermelon and lemonade high up in the sky while the grownups would play cards. The sister and brother would go way up in the sky.
A Long Way From Chicago
By Richard Peck
Review by Laura Hagenbruch, 13
Harvard
Harvard Junior High
“A Long Way From Chicago” is a great book! It occurs between the years 1920-1942, where Joey and Mary Alice Dowdel, every summer, go to their grandma’s house. They thought it would be very boring to spend one week of their summer vacation with their grandma, but as the summers go by they start looking forward to going to her house because Grandma is full of surprises! She scares reporters, really teaches bullies a lesson, shoots a shotgun, likes to sneak into no-trespassing zones to go fishing, and she is not a very good influence sometimes! This book is filled with excitement and will have you laughing out loud! I think this is the best book I have ever read!
Holes
By Louis Sachar
Review by Ellen Cho, 10
Glenview
Glen Grove School
AHHH!! YELLOW SPOTTED LIZARDS!!! They are very poisonous and you could die a very painful death the time you get bitten. This story is about a boy whose name is Stanley Yelnats. He is found guilty of stealing a famous baseball player’s shoes. But he didn’t do it!!! So he gets sent to a camp called Camp Green Lake. There is a treasure there, but where?
Black Beauty (Bullseye Step Into Classics)
By Anna Sewell, adapted by Cathy East Dubowski
Review by Elena Marcotte, 7
Evanston
Kingsley School
This is a short version of the real “Black Beauty,” meant for kids. Black Beauty is a horse. This story tells about Black Beauty’s homes and how he lived. Black Beauty was pretty until he got two scars on his legs. Black Beauty never saw his mother after he left her and some people were mean to him. The story is sad and confusing because Black Beauty had so many homes and only one friend. I like it because I like sad stories. My opinion is that it is great.
Sloppy Firsts
By Megan McCafferty
Review by Amanda Hetherington, 14
Chicago
Northside College Preparatory
(Chicago Public Library)
Jess Darling, the main character in “Sloppy Firsts,” has tensions in her life to begin with: her parents are still grieving for Jess’ dead brother, she’s an insomniac and she doesn’t feel like she fits into any social group. But when her soul sister, Hope, moves away, Jess feels more alone than ever. Now she has to hang out with the “Clueless Crew,” four boy-crazy, shopping fanatics whom she can’t relate to. The book is right on the mark with its humor about high school, and will take you on a rollercoaster of emotions. Jess isn’t afraid to be herself, and as cliched as that sounds, Megan McCafferty pulls it off in a way that doesn’t come off as contrived. Jess’ encounters with her mysterious love interest, Marcus, add a hilarious and touching spice to the mix. McCafferty’s wide variety of characters and plot twists will keep you coming back for more.
The Big Brown Box
By Marisabina Russo
Review by Stefanie Grant, 8
Lombard
Ardmore School
This book is about a boy named Sam. Sam gets a box and starts playing with it right away! He puts windows and doors on it and he peeks through the windows. But his little brother Ben keeps knocking on his box. Sam pretends Ben is bears and wolves and he can’t come in! Ben’s mommy and daddy make a new box for Ben, and Ben and Sam play together. I think you should read this book because it might be short but it’s very cute.
The Ruby in the Smoke
By Philip Pullman
Review by Anne Kenealy, 15
Oak Park
Oak Park-River Forest High School
“The Ruby in the Smoke” is a phenomenal book and geared toward readers aged 12 years and older. But you could be 90 and still be thrilled by Philip Pullman’s complicated plot twists and the revealing of numerous hidden identities. “The Ruby in the Smoke” follows the life of newly orphaned Sally Lockhart, a 16-year-old Londoner whose father was killed at sea. Her father’s death unravels an intricate mystery involving a ruby of incalculable value, an evil drug, and, to Sally’s surprise, her own past. Although it is unusual to find a male writer who accurately portrays a female heroine, I believe we have found one in Philip Pullman. He will have you holding your breath until the very last page in this truly adventurous mystery.
Captain Underpants and the Perilous Plot of Professor Poopy Pants
By Dav Pilkey
Review by Joey Avila, 9
Chicago
Holden School
Everyone should read this book. There are these two kids named Harold and George. They make a lot of trouble. One time they changed the letters on the school bulletin board to a funny message about the teachers. Everybody laughs at George and Harold when they get in trouble. This story is mainly about Captain Underpants saving the day for George and Harold. This story is so funny, I wish everyone had this book. It is so hilarious.
Hoot
By Carl Hiaasen
Review by Louise Simpson, 9
Glen Ellyn
Lincoln School
A story of a brave boy (Roy) trying to help his friends. He has to keep all his courage not to give up. At the beginning of the book, the school bully (Dana) throws him against the bus window and he sees a mysterious running boy with no shoes on. His journey to find the boy succeeds, but what will happen when Roy finds that the mysterious running boy is the stepbrother to Beatrice the bear–the strong, tough girl that he just met? Roy’s journey to help his friend shut down the pancake house leads him into many adventures. This is a funny and exciting book which readers will love.
The Wanderer
By Sharon Creech
Review by Melody Cruz, 12
Chicago
Hibbard School
I have read a book called “The Wanderer.” That book is great. The book is mainly about a girl named Sophie. Sophie likes the sea a lot. So over the summer vacation Sophie goes on a boat trip with her uncles and cousins. She takes a journal with her, which is how Sophie writes the story. One of Sophie’s cousins, Cody, also writes in a journal. The story also has some of Cody’s writings in it. On the trip Sophie was really annoyed because they didn’t go to sea right away. They had to work on the ship called The Wanderer. She was also annoyed because the men thought she couldn’t do the things they could do. But she actually did them better. Their destination was England, to go see their dad/granddad, whom they called Bompie. One time Sophie said a story of Bompie that no one knew. So they started to worry about Sophie. This story is much better if you would read the book, so you can understand the things much better.
Viking It and Liking It
By Jon Scieszka and Adam McCauley
Review by Melissa Needlman, 8
Thomas School
Highland Park
(Highland Park Public Library)
“Viking It and Liking It” is about three boys, named Joe, Sam and Fred. Joe possesses a magic book. It transports them to Vinland, which is America except it was in the year 1000. There they have to use their wits to impress Vikings so they won’t become sacrifices. And fighting Vikings by themselves without any weapons! The series is called “The Time Warp Trio.”
Einstein’s Refrigerator
By Steve Silverman
Review by Will Gardner, 12
Chicago
Gateway Charter School (Fla.)
This book has 53 stories that are humorous and fun to read. It relates events from history that you can’t believe are really true. My favorite story is the one about Violet Jessup, a stewardess on three ships that sank: the Titanic, the Olympic and the Brittanic. The real funny part was that she was never taught how to swim. And when the third ship went down, she abandoned ship with only one possession–her toothbrush. You’d think she’d take something more valuable than a 99-cent item! This is good summer reading because it is fun to read and is nothing like schoolwork. You will learn something and have a great laugh with it!
Cheaper by the Dozen
By Frank Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey
Review by Amelia Hummel, 10
Glenview
Glen Grove School
Do you have 12 brothers and sisters? Well, the Gilbreth family does. The book “Cheaper by the Dozen” is a true story of the Gilbreth family and their most funny moments. There is one sad part, though. The book is so good that when you finish reading it you want to read it all over again. Mr. Gilbreth hates it when girls wear makeup and things that show off their body. When his oldest two start wanting to wear all that makeup and clothes he says no without hesitation. The book is a high-level reading book. But also it is one of the most funny books I have read. It has very descriptive paragraphs that make you feel like you are there.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
By J.K. Rowling
Review by Jocelyn Reeves, 10
Chicago
Ogden School
The reasons why this book is outstanding are because it’s interesting because I’m always eager to find out what is going to happen next, scary because the descriptions of the Dementors were scary, and adventurous because Harry and his friends went on an adventure by going back in time. This story was scary, adventurous and interesting all at once. The story is about 14-year-old Harry Potter and his third year at Hogwarts School. Harry discovers Sirius Black (a prisoner at Azkaban Prison) has escaped and tries to stop him before it is too late, because Black was a powerful wizard and has harmed many people. In the end, well, you’ll see . . . .
