In each of the five years we’ve been running book reviews written by kids, we’ve been delighted to see work from a school or community we haven’t heard from before. This year we welcome first-time entries from students attending Summit Hill Junior High School in Frankfort, Bryan Middle School in Elmhurst and the KIPP Ascend Charter School in Chicago, among many others.
To see previous reviews and a list of 100 great summer books, visit chicagotribune.com/books.
The Number Devil
By Hans Magnus Enzensberger
Review by John Kruk, 11, Morton Grove
Park View School
Have you ever been stuck on a math problem or bored in math class because everything is too easy? Well, “The Number Devil” is about a boy named Robert who hates math class and his math teacher. Then in one of Robert’s dreams, he finds a man called a Number Devil. The Number Devil starts teaching Robert different ways for solving math problems, like prime numbers, triangle numbers, and hopping numbers. Robert is taken to the number palace, where they go to a dinner with all of the other number devils. Then the Number Secretary comes and asks for Robert. Read the book to find out what happens to Robert, or read it if you need help with math or need new ways to solve math problems.
Wonderful Earth!
By Nick Butterworth and Mick Inkpen
Review by Damien Jackson, 7, Chicago
St. Angela School
“Wonderful Earth” is about helping our Earth. We need to care about the Earth. We need to take better care of the animals. We need to do something. If we don’t, our Earth will turn nasty. We should read this book because it tells us what we should do.
Ruby Holler
By Sharon Creech
Review by Kathleen Young, 11, Schaumburg
Hoover Elementary
A lonely, rather dirty orphanage sits quietly on a little patch of green. Children come, and then they go. One child never stays very long. But there always has to be one weird one out . . . Or in this case, two. . . . The twins, Dallas and Florida, have lived in the Boxton Creek Home all their lives. Yes, a few people have adopted them, but within two weeks, and not a second longer, they were sent back to the orphanage. One day, an old couple comes to adopt them with happy hearts and suspicious smiles. What exactly do those people have planned for them? Tedious tasks, perhaps, like digging a snake pit miles deep, or killing rats with nothing but a toothpick. What if a much worse fate lies in the old house? But . . . what if it doesn’t?
The Heavenly Village
By Cynthia Rylant
Review by Adam Smith, 12, Park Ridge
Emerson Middle School
“The Heavenly Village” depicts the afterlives of the inhabitants of a world that God made for people who are not yet ready to go to heaven. The Heavenly Village is much like Earth, minus the death, sin and sadness. The book is emotional yet simple and does not overdo its portrayal of the village and its inhabitants by becoming overly melodramatic. The emotional part of the book comes from its heartwarming portrayal of decent, loving people who just can’t part from their loved ones back on Earth. If there is one important lesson that can be learned from reading this book, it is that everyone should value the time that they have with the two most important things in life: family and friends.
Lizard Music
By Daniel Manus Pinkwater
Review by Madeline Jordan, 11, Naperville
Kennedy Junior High, Nichols Public Library
Victor was home alone for two weeks and meets some extraordinary people and one very special band of lizards. The humor combined with the personalities of the characters makes it a very light, entertaining book. Yet it still grabs your attention. The conflicts of the story are made up of Victor’s worries. The book makes you realize that you can sometimes simply solve your problems by holding in your curiosity, yet it shows the self-created struggle of whether or not you should follow up on your curiosity or put your curiosity behind you. Yet curiosity is what helps you learn and think. It really is amazing how a book that seems very light can also make you think very deeply.
Twice Upon a Time: Rapunzel, the One With All the Hair
By Wendy Mass
Review by Karisa Lynn Brake, 10, Orland Hills
Fernway Elementary
This very funny story is not a typical fairy tale. It tells the story of Rapunzel from her point of view and also the prince’s side of the story. In the beginning, Rapunzel is preparing for a feast to celebrate her 12th birthday. However, a witch comes to her house, blindfolds her and takes her away. Meanwhile, Prince Benjamin is having his own problems. His mother never lets him out of her sight. He’s always losing his glasses. He’s trying to learn how to be a good king, but it isn’t easy. You should read this story to find out all about Rapunzel and Benjamin’s adventures, how they meet and how it ends.
Shattering Glass
By Gail Giles
Review by Alex Rivera, 11, Chicago
Falconer School
“Shattering Glass” is a high-school thriller about a young man named Simon Glass and four seniors making him popular. Simon Glass is a nerd, a loser and a social wreck. Everybody hates him for a reason — until Rob Haynes shows up. Rob Haynes immediately becomes alpha male, and he has plans for Simon. As Simon goes up the social ladder he builds confidence and his ego, and Rob does not appreciate that. Simon stops following and starts leading. He learns a dangerous secret, and the results are shocking.
Peter and the Shadow Thieves
By Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson
Review by Caitlan Park, 11, Glenview
Glen Grove School
Flying! Magic! And evil plans, all rolled into one fascinating book. Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson have turned words and pages into magic and pixie dust! Lord Ombra, an evil lord also known as the Shadow Master, is confident he will catch hold of the starstuff. With that he can unleash unbelievable powers beyond your imagination. Peter is determined to save Molly and keep the starstuff safe. But Peter runs into a problem. London is no Mollusk Island, and it’s no place to play hide and seek. Read the adventure and make sure to hold onto your shadows as this book comes to life . . .
The Four Dorothys
By Paul Ruditis
Reviewed by Cecily Herby, 12, Bartlett
Eastview Middle School
This is an awesome and mysterious book. The story takes place at Orion Academy, a school in California attended by kids of the rich and famous. The school play is “The Wizard of Oz,” featuring four Dorothys. One of the reasons I love this book is that it shows how different four girls playing the same part can be. The main character is Bryan Stark. Bryan tells the story of the suspicious happenings, which are turning the play into a disaster. There is jealousy, humor (Abercrombie Zombie), mystery, sabotage and scandal throughout the story.
The Dragon of Doom
By Bruce Coville
Review by Max Smock, 8, Yorkville
Circle Center Grade School
“The Dragon of Doom” is about a wizard, a child, a toad, a knight and two mice. The story takes place in Pigbone, a small poor town. A little boy named Edward finds a cottage on a hill that no one lives in, until Moongobble, the new owner, moves in. Edward and Moongobble meet and become friends. Returning from a walk to the dangerous forest to gather things for magic spells, they arrive home to find an evil magician named Fazwad.
Night
By Elie Wiesel
Review by Amanda Cruz, 11, Chicago
Monroe School
The book is an unforgettable memory to any reader. This book is very gruesome. It’s about Elie Wiesel’s life, and how he survived the Holocaust. It tells the secrets about what Nazis did to people during that period of time. As you read you can almost feel the pain the people felt. I felt I was getting pulled away from what I loved. I felt hatred. My mom read the book before me, and she said it was hard to read the whole book. I think this would be a good book for people to read because it tells the history that not everyone knows about.
Chew on This
By Eric Schlosser and Charles Wilson
Review by Laura Santi, 10, Kildeer
Quentin School
“Chew on This” is a very good book that tells you everything you don’t want to know about fast food. It included a lot of detail. There were a lot of interesting facts, such as the managers at McDonald’s get paid more than the workers do — even though the managers do less work. Also, in a fast-food strawberry milkshake there are 14 ingredients. If you make one at home you only use four. I hope after you read the book, you learn the truth about fast-food restaurants.
Speak
By Laurie Halse Anderson
Review by Jessie Silvis, 13, Libertyville
Highland School
“Speak” is a fantastic book about a teenage outcast who can’t seem to bring herself to tell anyone about the horrible thing that happened to her the previous summer. This girl, called Melinda, tries at first to avoid her angry classmates, overworked parents and, especially, herself and the memory of what was done to her. Trapped within her own thoughts, Melinda seems to go through more pain each day. However, with the help of her new friend Heather and an attentive art teacher, Melinda starts to learn to speak. The truthful, witty narration and realistic characters help illustrate the message that every voice deserves to be heard, no matter what.
Gossamer
By Lois Lowry
Review by Sarah Quander, 10, Chicago
Alcott School
One of my favorite books is called “Gossamer.” It is about the youngest girl, named Littlest One, and her tribe, the dream-givers. They hear a group of sinisteeds (nighmare-givers) are grouping up to attack! When? Where? I like this book because it makes you believe in dream-givers. My favorite parts are when they are collecting objects to bestow upon the sleeping humans. I like this part because they say all human objects have stories.
Bridge to Terabithia
By Karen Paterson
Review by Maddie Stone, 14, Highland Park
Highland Park High School
You wouldn’t believe that my favorite book is “Bridge to Terabithia,” and I’m going into high school! That’s because some people consider this to be a little kids’ book. This book is about two best friends wanting to get away from their lives. Since they want to get away, they create a new world where they make the rules. The names of the best friends are Jess and Leslie. Jess and Leslie were so happy with each other and happy with the place where their troubles disappeared: Terabithia. Who would not want that?
The Outsiders
By S.E. Hinton
Review by Pedro Cahue, 13, Mokena
Summit Hill Junior High
This book was great because it made me appreciate life more. It is about a town divided into the Greasers and the Socs, who hate each other. Most of these teens are troublemakers, but there are two, Ponyboy and Johnny, who are different. They are soft, not rough and mean. When they see a church on fire with kids inside, they go in to rescue the burning children. Do you think they make it out alive?
