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.
Bedhead
By Margie Palatini
Review by Allison Bruns, 4
Hinsdale
I thought the “Bedhead” book was silly. It was really funny when the hair went “B-B-B-Boing” over and over again. Oliver’s hair just didn’t cooperate! Sometimes my sister Molly (2) gets bedhead. I drew a picture of her.
The Tale of Despereaux
By Kate DiCamillo
Review by Caeley Hynes, 7
Oak Lawn
St. Catherine of Alexandria School
There are four main characters in this story. First comes Despereaux, who is a very small mouse who falls in love with the second main character, Princess Pea. The third main character is Miggery Sow. Mig was named after her father’s pig. She was given clouts to the ear 1,000 times! Nobody ever asked her what she wanted, not even her father. The last main character is Roscuro. He is a rat with a broken heart. He wants to get back at someone who hurt him. I recommend this book because it teaches you about strength, hate and forgiveness. Gor!!
The Indispensable Calvin and Hobbes
By Bill Watterson
Review by Jonathan Brenner, 8
Chicago
Home school
I would like to tell you about “The Indispensable Calvin and Hobbes.” I suggest this book because it’s funny and fun to read and because it is made up of comics. Oh, and before the end, I want to tell you that Calvin is a kid and Hobbes is a tiger. Calvin is very dramatic and Hobbes is always worried that Calvin is going to get him in trouble. Calvin is probably about 8 years old (like me) and Hobbes is really just a stuffed tiger that Calvin sees as a pretend friend. I think Calvin and Hobbes is the funniest book I ever read!
The Alley
By Eleanor Estes
Review by Jacob Harrouff, 11
Aledo
Home school
This is the story of an alley in the middle of Brooklyn and some of its inhabitants. The alley was not an ugly place; it was surrounded by houses on three sides and was shaped like a “T.” It was full of gardens and trees. It was also peaceful in the alley until the Ives’ burglary. They lost all their family jewels, seven silver dollars and a solid silver pencil. The police wouldn’t do anything so it was up to the alley children to solve the case. You will like this book if you like humorous mystery books. “The Alley” is followed by “The Tunnel of Hugsy Goode.”
The Secrets of Droon
By Tony Abbott
Review by Nick Smith, 8
Naperville
Riverwoods School
This is a series of books that I love. In the first book Julie, Eric and Neal find a magic staircase in Eric’s basement. These stairs lead to the secret world of Droon. There they become friends with Princess Keeah. They also meet a wizard named Galen. Together they go on many exciting adventures to fight the evil Lord Sparr. They also meet many magical creatures. I think these books are good for boys and girls. I have read 14 in the series and can’t wait to read more!
Stealing Home
By Paul Mantell
Review by Jared Brody, 8
Skokie
Schechter Day School
I want to recommend the book “Stealing Home,” from the Matt Christopher series by Paul Mantell. This book is about a baseball season. It is a very exciting book. I really liked reading it. When the best pitcher on the team gets hurt, is it Joey to the rescue? If you like baseball you should read this book to find out what happens.
The Golden Hour
By Maiya Williams
Review by Alison Pigott, 9
Glenview
Pleasant Ridge School
I think that lots of people should read it because it’s full of adventure and mystery. It’s about a boy that has every right to feel miserable because his mom died and his sister has never spoken since. But when he goes to visit his great-aunts, the trip changes his life. The bad thing about the book is that the beginning is very drawn out but it gets much better. Anybody that has enjoyed “The Phantom Tollbooth” is sure to enjoy this. There is also a lesson: that whenever there is something sad, something can be made good out of it.
Chasing Vermeer
By Blue Balliett
Review by Kayla Yurick, 15
Chicago
Von Steuben Metropolitan Science Center
(Chicago Public Library)
In her debut children’s book, Blue Balliett presents us with a centuries-old art dilemma: Not all of the paintings attributed to Johannes Vermeer are really his. So which are? Written very believably through the eyes of two 6th graders, the two main characters set out to solve the mystery and return a priceless Vermeer to the museum it was stolen from. You’ll never guess who the thief is.
Pippi Longstocking
By Astrid Lindgren
Review by Ruth Libowsky, 8
Highland Park
Wayne Thomas School
“Pippi Longstocking” is about a 9-year-old girl who doesn’t have any parents and is living on her own. The name of her house is Villa Villekulla. She has Mr. Nillson (her monkey), a horse and two neighbors, Tommy and Annika. They go on many fun adventures together. She dresses her monkey in clothes. She scrubs the floor by putting brushes on her feet. She entertained two burglars by dancing with them. When Pippi goes to school, instead of drawing on the regular paper, she drew a horse on the floor. Each chapter is a different adventure.
The Secret School
By Avi
Review by Kelly Whitney, 9
Park Ridge
St. Paul of the Cross School
(Park Ridge Public Library)
WOW! “The Secret School” was a great book that kept my interest the entire time. The book, which takes place in Colorado in 1925, is about a 14-year-old girl named Ida. Her secret desire is to become a teacher. One day her teacher had to leave the school to care for her mother. The school board said they would have to close the school. Ida’s friend suggested that she should become the teacher and so she did.
Homeless Bird
By Gloria Whelan
Review by Kitty Miller, 11
St. Charles
Haines Middle School
Thirteen-year-old Koly lives in a small town in India with her parents. They arrange for Koly to marry a young man, Hari. Hari is sweet, but Koly’s life takes a turn for the worse when Hari dies and a series of mishaps unfold. As Koly starts her new life, her admirable character shows through as she has to learn to be independent when it’s not easy. She finds work she likes, friends and true love. This is a great book for someone who enjoys strong, brave, inspirational characters.
Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen
By Dyan Sheldon
Review by Sarah Libowsky, 11
Highland Park
Northwood Junior High
In this book, a girl named Mary Elizabeth Cep (Lola, as she prefers to be called) moves from New York City to Dellwood (a.k.a. Deadwood), N.J. Lola is quite the drama queen and is always making a huge fuss over things. She meets a girl named Ella, who becomes her best friend, and a mean, rich and snobby girl named Carla Santini (the Queen Bee). Lola fights to get the lead role in the school play, go to the final concert of her and Ella’s favorite band ever, and get Carla to stop ruining her life. I recommend the book because it is funny, full of suspense, and teenagers can relate to what happens in the book.
If I Were a Lion
By Sarah Weeks
Review by Tasha Wright, 6
Country Club Hills
Meadowview School
(Grande Prairie Public Library)
The story is about a little girl in the time-out chair for drawing on walls and making a mess and her mom calls her wild, so she says if she was wild like a lion she would break dishes; if she was wild like a bear she would rip up pillows and she talked about wolves, frogs, goats, whales, tigers and owls. When she is done she says that her mother does not know that she is polite and that the opposite of wild is her.
The Canning Season
By Polly Horvath
Review by Tylee Lin, 11
Lake Forest
Deer Path Middle School
“The Canning Season” is the tale of Ratchet, a 12-year-old girl who was sent to live with her 90-year-old great-second cousins, Aunt Tilly and Aunt Penpen. I highly recommend this book because of the twists, turns and surprises that Ratchet faced at her aunts’ inherited mansion. Imagine your first time going away from home, to live with 90-year-old complete strangers over the summer. I also enjoyed reading through the cliffhangers. Horvath lets us wonder what would happen after Aunt Tilly had a heart attack. Would Aunt Tilly be all right or would she pass away? More surprises include when Ratchet received her first driving lesson at age 12 and when Aunt Tilly told the story of how she and Penpen stumbled upon the head of their mother. “The Canning Season” is truly filled with marvels and surprises, a reading delight for everyone.
My Life With the Chimpanzees
By Jane Goodall
Review by Hannah Kulas, 10
LaGrange
Ogden School
“My Life With the Chimpanzees” is my favorite book for many reasons. This autobiography tells the story of Jane Goodall, an amazing woman who traveled to Africa to study and observe the complex behavior of chimpanzees. Most of the book tells about the adventures of Jane in Tanzania. One of the major things that happened to her in the jungle was that she made discoveries about how smart chimps really are. But in my opinion, the last two or three chapters are the most important. They describe how people mistreat animals and nature; for example, they cut down too many trees and decrease animal populations through the bushmeat trade. Most importantly, the book tells how you can help. I myself learned a lot from this book and think others will too. Happy reading!
The Whipping Boy
By Sid Fleischman
Review by Ethan Gordon, 8
Buffalo Grove
Ivy Hall School
“The Whipping Boy” is about a prince and a whipping boy, a boy that gets whipped when the prince does something disrespectful or mean. One night the prince wanted to run away from home and take Jemmy, his whipping boy, along with him. A lot of things happened to Jemmy and the prince before they went back to the castle. For example, they met a hot potato man and a circus bear and tricked the bandits. I enjoyed the part when the bandits were bitten by rats because I thought it was funny how the bandits reacted after the bite. Kids should read this book because it’s funny and most kids like funny books. Also, this book teaches kids that if you do something wrong, you should admit it and you take the punishment, not someone else.
Wren to the Rescue
By Sherwood Smith
Review by Alison Gerber, 11
River Forest
Roosevelt Middle School
With adventurous characters and a long journey ahead I could never put the book down. Wren, a girl with many dreams to live; Tyron, a magician who has lots more to learn; and Connor, a know-it-all who has too much to learn, are the three rescuers of Tess, a princess under the watchful eye of the awful King Adreus. This book is a quest, full of magic, beasts, killing, spells and soldiers. You’ll never know what danger lies ahead. I’d recommend this book to anyone who has big dreams of fantastic fantasies they want to live.
The Secret Garden
By Frances Hodgson Burnett
Review by Marisa Lucke, 10
Pleasant Prairie, Wis.
Roosevelt School
Mary is an unhappy orphan. She is always sick and tired until she finds an extraordinary garden that nobody has been in for 10 years! Or have they? All of the plants look dead but recent pruning looks suspicious. Mary lets a friend in on the secret and then, with her friend, they explore the garden further. Together they make it come alive. My favorite character from this story is Mary’s friend, Dickon, because he can attract animals by playing his flute. This is not the average person’s talent. I recommend “The Secret Garden” because it is full of mystery, sadness and happiness. The garden is a place I would like to visit.
The Darkness Below
(Bionicle Adventures series)
By Greg Farshtey
Review by Kyle Domutz, 10
Glenview
Glen Grove School
Do you have any Bionicle models? I have about 25 models. Well, anyway, the book is about the Toa Metru, the guardians of Metru Nui. If you do like the movie “Bionicle: Mask of Light,” you will love Bionicle books. The problem in this book is there is a big hole in the sea wall that protects the Archives from flooding. So the Toa Metru go into the Archives to patch up the hole. But while going through the tunnels they encounter the Krahka, a mysterious shape-shifting monster. Will they beat the Krahka and fix the sea wall? You’ll have to read the book to find out these answers and more! I recommend this book because it is one of my favorite books and a very good mystery book for any age.
The Top of the World: Climbing Mt. Everest
By Steve Jenkins
Review by Christina Li, 9
Vernon Hills
Diamond Lake School
In this hair-raising picture book, you will find lots of facts on Mt. Ever-est. Here are some things I learned from the book. If you’re going to climb Mt. Everest, you should bring a portable stove, a pair of glacier glasses, a climbing suit and other things. Those things should come in handy during your trip, while you face freezing cold weather, the most dangerous animals, and the biggest avalanches in the whole wide world! Mt. Everest is located in China, northeast from Nepal. I think it would be gratifying if I could try to climb Mt. Everest someday. I would recommend this marvelous book to anyone who is fascinated with mountains.
Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution
By Ji-li Jiang
Review by Rickie Kostiner, 16
Chicago
Choate Rosemary Hall School
In 1966, deep into China’s Cultural Revolution, Ji-li Jiang is trapped in the evil communist dictatorship of Chairman Mao Tse-tung. Ji-li’s autobiography takes you inside the mind of an innocent teenage girl who loves her family but is ashamed of her capitalist heritage. Ji-li wants to be accepted by her friends, but her insecurities about her hated family past become evident as she helplessly tries to hide her capitalist history from the communist world she lives in. Through Ji-li’s immense courage, strong love and support from her family, she overcomes her fears while staying true to her friends, family and, ultimately, herself. As a teenager I enjoyed this book because many of us also struggle with being different, while yearning to be accepted by our peers.
The Gingerbread Kingdom
By Gary McKenzie
Review by William Gename, 14
Chicago
Twain School
For your summer reading pleasure, read “The Gingerbread Kingdom.” Jay runs away from an orphanage and soon finds himself transported to the Gingerbread Kingdom, where he is needed to save King Otto. This book has unexpected twists that keep you guessing as to what will happen next. The descriptions of the characters and the places they visit are so vivid they make the story come alive. You can actually picture yourself in this adventure! I highly recommend this book for young readers with big imaginations.
Maxx Comedy
By Gordon Korman
Review by Erin Bridges, 10
Chicago
St. Tarcissus School
Maxx is a kid of comedy. He is the funniest kid in America (in the book). I think people should read this book because I think that 4 out of maybe 10 characters were really good. It’s funny because the four characters were four best friends. I know that I should ask a real author or illustrator but I thought they were amazing. I think other people should read it because if you need a laugh, it will make you laugh. I loved the book!
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
By C.S. Lewis
Review by Raj Patel, 10
Glenview
Glen Grove School
Did you ever know a place where it’s always winter and never Christmas? That is a place called Narnia. In the book, there are some kids that go to a mansion because they’re on vacation. They were exploring the mansion and went in an empty room and there was only a wardrobe. All the kids leave except for Lucy. Lucy goes into the wardrobe and went near a fawn, went in his cave and then left. She went back to the wardrobe and she told her brothers and sisters and they didn’t listen. But then they went in and their adventure began.
The Charm Bracelet
(Fairy Realm series) By Emily Rodda
Review by Elizabeth Baca, 8
Oak Park
Lincoln School
When Jessie goes to beautiful Blue Moon, she discovers a realm full of fairies, elves and tiny horses. And Jessie uses all her strength and courage to save the realm. I liked this book because I like adventure books. And nothing was bad about the book.
Junie B. Jones Loves Handsome Warren
By Barbara Park
Review by Diamond Toms, 11
Chicago
Ogden School
This story is about a girl who likes a boy and he doesn’t like her back. The reasons why this book is outstanding are because it relates to true life (you like someone and they don’t like you back); also because it can affect your friendship, and someone can get hurt.
Pictures of Hollis Woods
By Patricia Reilly Giff
Review by Ashley Pierce, 13
Palos Park
Palos South Middle School
I thought “Pictures of Hollis Woods” was an interesting book. It dealt with a girl who was in the Department of Children and Family Services. It was a tad bit hard to follow because it went back and forth from past and present. I would recommend this book for students who like exciting, page-turning and happy endings. It would be great for people who like to get sucked into books.
