http://www.takomapark.info/library/books/ Notes from staff and users of the Takoma Park Maryland Library. en-us hobgoblyn1200@gmail.com 2010-03-10T14:47:48-05:00 hourly 1 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00 http://www.takomapark.info/library/books/archives/002172.html 2172@http://www.takomapark.info/library/books/ 2010-03-10T14:47:48-05:00 http://www.takomapark.info/library/books/archives/002171.html Shug by Jenny Han Reviewed by Michelle In the book Shug there are some ups and some downs. The author paints a realistic picture of a girl who's dealing with a lot of issues, including her parents' divorce and being one of the tallest in her class. The characters seem real to me and the setting also contributes. It seems like a real neighborhood. This book is, in my opinion, for teens and preteens. The book would also be better for girls than for boys, since most boys don't like reading about drama. In this book you will never get bored at all. There are different topics all at once, including that of Shug trying to find where she fits in. You will want to not put the book down ever, you would want 2 be a part of it! The best thing of the book is probably how the author puts everything together, how she describes the life, how she makes it true, and the thrills of course. Why you should read Shug is because it gives you tips on why you can do things and on being an individual. It sure helped me. Why some people should not read the book is because some people may not like drama or things like life stories. But I recommended you read it and give it a try. I hope the Jenny Han will come up with a Shug 2, I would totally read it. 2171@http://www.takomapark.info/library/books/ 2010-03-10T14:41:36-05:00 http://www.takomapark.info/library/books/archives/002170.html 2170@http://www.takomapark.info/library/books/ 2010-03-10T14:31:24-05:00 http://www.takomapark.info/library/books/archives/002169.html The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder Reviewed by Lydia The Egypt Game is an interesting book. It is about some kids who get interested in Egypt and decide to make a club completely dedicated to it. In the club they find information on Egypt and try to impersonate the people there. With all different kind of mysteries to solve, these kids have quite an adventure. This book is interesting because it gives non-fictional information while being a fiction book. The best thing about this book is that it is about kids, so it is easy to relate to. The worst thing about is that at times it tends to get a little boring. I would recommend this book to kids of all genders and ages 8 up. The Egypt Game is an interesting book and I hope you get the chance to read it. 2169@http://www.takomapark.info/library/books/ 2010-03-10T14:15:12-05:00 http://www.takomapark.info/library/books/archives/002168.html Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Jules Verne Reviewed by Kayin If you are looking for a fun, exciting, and adventurous book then read Journey to the Centre of the Earth. This book is about a professor named Otto Lidenbrock and his nephew Axel who open an ancient book that changes their life forever. The page was very important and would take them on the journey of their lives. You should read this book because it really hooks you, and once you pick up this book you won't want to put it down because of its amazing language. I recommend this book to people who have a big imagination and love to go on adventures! Journey to the Centre of the Earth is a five star rated book in my opinion. Enjoy! 2168@http://www.takomapark.info/library/books/ 2010-03-10T14:08:08-05:00 http://www.takomapark.info/library/books/archives/002167.html Ithaka by Adale Geras Reviewed by Joie A decade has crawled by as Penelope sits by her loom, waiting for her husband. The seas have brought no news to her of his survival in the war, so she sits there patiently. A classic tale of the home front, of the poor wife that was left behind, Ithaka is a masterpiece of a story. By Adele Geras, this story is told from Odysseus's wife's point of view as she waits for her husband. The protagonist is a girl with a twin brother and a best friend. As handmaiden to Lady Penelope herself, she is best friends with the crown prince, Telemachus and twin sister to Ikarios. She is Klymene. They are waiting for their lord, Odysseus to return from the Trojan War. However, as time passes and Ithaka is without a ruler, suitors of the filthiest kind come for Penelope's hand and disaster commences as Aphrodite, Pallas Athene, and Poseidon start a game for the gods. I believe this is a marvelous, interesting story as it can be related to so many wars waged today. What happens to the women who are left with their children? This story illustrates the hardships of a wife when all she wants to be is faithful to her beloved husband and yet all around her, people are attempting to waver her will. This book can be given to teenagers from about 13 and above, due to the nature of warfare and perverted suitors. This is not a fast paced action book, so some may get bored, but it is a wonderful book to enjoy when you are yearning for a wave of encounters, agonies, and a jolly good lot of secrets. Open the book to experience what happens when all you can cling onto is your faith even if everyone is trying to tell you otherwise. 2167@http://www.takomapark.info/library/books/ 2010-03-10T14:00:53-05:00 http://www.takomapark.info/library/books/archives/002166.html Inkheart by Cornelia Funke Reviewed by Shanta Inkheart is one of the best books I have ever read. One night, Meggie's father reads aloud the book Inkheart, and an evil ruler named Capricorn escapes out of the book. Meggie and her father soon discover that they both have power to read people and various objects out of stories and into the real world. Will they be able to conquer the evil Capricorn? I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading fantasy novels, as long as they don't read it out loud! I can't wait to read more books by Cornelia Funke! 2166@http://www.takomapark.info/library/books/ 2010-03-10T13:45:18-05:00 http://www.takomapark.info/library/books/archives/002164.html Alicia Afterimage by Lulu Decacre reviewed by Leila Alicia Afterimage is a true story about a teenager, named Alicia, who was killed in a car accident by a friend who was speeding and hit a pole. Lulu Delacre interviewed everyone who was touched by Alicia, and they had their own parts in the book to explain their feelings and emotions after the crash. One thing I liked about Alicia Afterimage is that Delacre used the characters' real names because it's very rare that that ever happens. Something that I didn't like was that it was short and there weren't enough details. People who have lost a friend would like this book. Lulu Delacre wrote this book after her daughter died in a car accident, and she herself is the character Mamě. Alicia Afterimage is a very touching story and you have to have some sad books in your life, don't you? This book is best for teens because of how sad it is. 2164@http://www.takomapark.info/library/books/ 2010-03-05T14:56:25-05:00 http://www.takomapark.info/library/books/archives/002163.html 2163@http://www.takomapark.info/library/books/ 2010-03-05T14:42:30-05:00 http://www.takomapark.info/library/books/archives/002162.html 2162@http://www.takomapark.info/library/books/ 2010-03-05T14:33:50-05:00 http://www.takomapark.info/library/books/archives/002161.html 2161@http://www.takomapark.info/library/books/ 2010-03-05T14:23:34-05:00 http://www.takomapark.info/library/books/archives/002160.html Under a War-Torn Sky by L M Elliott reviewed by Bronte I originally read this book for school. I went to a small Montessori school and we read books having to do with the time period we were studying, so while we learned about WWII in history class we read this book in English. This was one school book that year that I flew through. Henry Forester is in the Air Force, but when he gets gunned down deep in enemy territory he must rely on the help of others to get him home alive. This book is so sad and the story it tells so true for many of our boys caught under a war-torn sky. The writing is fast-paced and the story just flies by, you rush through it to see if he lives or dies. Since this has a guy as the main character and is a war book I would recommend this for young kids in general (10-12). 2160@http://www.takomapark.info/library/books/ 2010-03-05T14:09:34-05:00 http://www.takomapark.info/library/books/archives/002159.html Ex Machina by Brian K. Vaughn reviewed by Grady Ex Machina takes the classic superhero story in an inventive new direction. The series' protagonist, Mitchell Hundred, is a former superhero turned Mayor of New York City. In the first book of the series, he is faced with a blizzard as well as a murderer killing snow plowmen, shutting down the city's school system and a controversial painting stirring political opinions of him. The story moves between past and present, revealing Hundred's power to control machinery and his conflict with his police commissioner. Hundred is shown as a flawed, complex person, as any superhero should be portrayed as. As a mayor he is plagued with problems that are too big for a superhero and the contrast of this is made in the alternation between past and present. I thought that it was an interesting comparison drawn between the rolls of superhero and mayor as both are responsible for entire cities and both are held to the criticism of the public. The story shows that an absence of snow plowmen could do as much damage to a city as any super villain. Ex Machina also criticizes American youth, showing the evolution of a young artist through her works as she degenerates and a young boy who kills people to get back at bullies who picked on him. Vaughn paints an honest picture of New York that pulls the reader in. I recommend Ex Machina as a nice alternative to the usual crime fighting superhero comic. 2159@http://www.takomapark.info/library/books/ 2010-03-05T13:59:08-05:00 http://www.takomapark.info/library/books/archives/002152.html The School Story by Andrew Clements reviewed by Leila The School Story by Andrew Clements is a book for young writers. It's about a girl named Natalie who wrote a book, and the process she goes through in order to have it published. Her mom is a publisher and Natalie has to trick her in order to get what she wants. The best part about The School Story was that it was like children took over. For example, a child writes a book and has a child play as her agent. Another thing that stood out to me was that the agent was more up to the role playing than Natalie, the girl who actually wrote the book. It is also inspirational for children who dream of being writers or authors when they grow up. It was for me. Andrew Clements has written many books. Some of them are The Landry News, Room One: A Mystery or Two, The Last Holiday, A Week in the Woods, The Report Card, Lunch Money, and many, many more. Clements is a very strange writer and hopefully you will love reading his books. 2152@http://www.takomapark.info/library/books/ 2010-02-19T14:54:33-05:00 http://www.takomapark.info/library/books/archives/002151.html The Pretty Committee Strikes Back, a Clique Novel by Lisa Harrison reviewed by Genavera The Clique is back as strong and pretty as ever in their fifth novel, The Pretty Committee Strikes Back. The Octavian Country Day School is heading on their Presidents day class trip and the Clique is psyched, especially because their crushes from Briarwood Academy are going to be sleeping in cabins only yards away from theirs! Now that the boys are going to be staying so close, the clique, minus one ( Kristen couldn't afford the trip) decide to participate in Massies Underground Clinic for Kissing (M.U.C.K.). Things may sound like their going pretty smoothly until Alicia finds out her crush may be crushing on someone else, Dylan finds her mother kissing her history teacher, Yak, and Claire gets a brand new haircut and enemy. The Pretty Committee being perfect? Not so much. I enjoyed this book a lot because it deals with the insecurities girls really feel and situations they are put in. It also has an ending that makes you want to read the next book in the series. Fans of the other Clique books will devour this book and want to read more. 2151@http://www.takomapark.info/library/books/ 2010-02-19T14:36:54-05:00