Sam and CY students & staff are reading…

YRCA

Nation by Terry Pratchett

by on Jun.12, 2014, under Adventure, Historical Fiction, Multicultural Fiction, ORCA, Student Reviews, YRCA

nationReview by Nick Y.

Who would like this book?   I recommend this book for children 12 years of age or older because of the mature content.  If you like suspenseful adventure stories, then you would like this book.

The goods on this book: It was the day Mau would become a man, a true man of the Nation. Mau would finally get his tattoos and weapons, or will he not? The Nation was washed away by a tsunami which brought with it a large wooden ship named the Sweet Judy. The only people who survived the tsunami were Mau, the Nation boy, and Daphne, the girl from whatever wealthy empire she came from. These two children must now find a way to communicate with each other, understand each other and know each other. But how?

The details: 367 pages; 2010   Review by Nick Y.

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The Giver by Lois Lowry

by on May.13, 2014, under Dystopia, Newbery, Science Fiction, Student Reviews, YRCA

giverReview by Nick Y.

Who would like this book? I recommend this book for children 9 or older. The theme is pretty dark and the community in which Jonas lives in is very creepy, although it may sound normal at first.

The goods on this book: Jonas is becoming a Twelve, the year you get assigned your job. A Twelve is when you become an adult, and the time for promotion is soon. On the promotion Jonas is assigned the job as Receiver of Memory: What could this mean? Jonas didn’t understand. The job assigner explained to Jonas that this job is at the highest respect, although it is a very painful job. A very painful one indeed. What is the Receiver of Memory? Who is The Giver? Read the book to find out!

The details: 180 pages; 1993      Review by Nick Y.

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Insurgent by Veronica Roth

by on Apr.15, 2014, under Romance, Science Fiction, Student Reviews, Teen Top 10, Thriller, YRCA

insurgentReview by Mengjie C.

Who would like this book? I think older people like teenagers who are interested in adventurous, thrilling, and sci-fi series would really enjoy this book and the rest of the series. Anyone who loves to read big books would also enjoy this book because it has 525 pages.

The goods on this book: In this book the world has been taken over. People everywhere have been shot with mind controlling serums. The beginning of Insurgent takes off where Divergent ended. Tris, Tobias, Marcus, and Peter are trying to run for their lives while saving the world from coming to an end. Jeanine Matthews is the leader of the Erudite and is also the one controlling the minds of everyone. Their mission is to get an important file that will reveal the truth that everyone should know. Tris and the rest of the group have to stay over at safe houses to protect themselves as they’re also trying to escape from the Erudite that are looking for them. None of them are allowed to go back to the Dauntless headquarters because there are secret cameras that can report back to the Erudites and tell them exactly what they’re trying to do. So they find a fun way to cover up the cameras, and soon they go back to the Dauntless headquarters. But they forgot to cover up one camera. Things after that start going pretty crazy. I think this book is one of my favorites and you’ll be on the edge of your seat the whole time!

The details: 525 pages; 2012   Review by Mengjie C.

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The Maze Runner by James Dashner

by on Apr.14, 2014, under Dystopia, Science Fiction, Student Reviews, Teen Top 10, YRCA

mazeReview by Felix H.

Who would like this book? Girls and boys both, I believe would thoroughly enjoy reading this story. This book can be for young adults and perhaps children 10+. This is a fiction/dystopian novella.

The goods on this book: Maze Runner is a dystopian science fiction story taking place in the near future (about 20 years later), as the book title might reveal. There is a small colony of children living inside a giant moving maze. Thomas, the main character who awakens with no recollection of his former life, slowly discovers that he might be the final piece to a puzzle years in the making. The characters are: Thomas, Teresa, Newt, Chuck, Alby and Gally. The moral lesson of this story is that bravery and courage alone can make a hero out of anyone. I love the detail and emotion of this book, and it makes me feel like I am trying to find a way out of the maze with Thomas and his friends.

The details: 374 pages; 2009   Review by Felix H.

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Divergent by Veronica Roth

by on Apr.14, 2014, under Dystopia, Romance, Science Fiction, Student Reviews, Teen Top 10, YRCA

divergentReview by Makena B.

Who would like tho book? I think males and females would enjoy this book, but I think kids that are older than 12 should read this book.

The goods on this book:  Divergent by Veronica Roth takes place in future day Chicago. They started these different compounds to eliminate war, but you really can never eliminate something, can you? When someone turns sixteen, they have to take a test that will decide your friends, define your beliefs, and that determines your loyalties-forever. It’s made up of five different compounds; each of them are different and stand for different things. The test will place you in one of them if you’re lucky, but you have the over-all choice of what compound you want to be in. Sometimes you get more than one choice, which usually means that you are divergent. The people who run the whole thing hate these type of people because they can control the tests that they give them. If they ever catch someone that is divergent, they will kill them, and this is what is happening to Tris in the book. She is divergent, and she is trying to hide it but it’s very difficult. Her friends don’t know about her, but if they did they might turn her in or worse. She finds out a lot about who her family really is and who her true friends are.

The details: 487 pages; 2011     Review by Makena B.

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Tiger’s Curse by Colleen Houck

by on Mar.31, 2014, under Animal, Fantasy, Romance, Sam's Reviews, Supernatural, YRCA

tigerWho would like this book? Girls, definitely girls, 13 years and up who are looking for a lush, long fantasy romance would like this book.

The goods on this book: Kelsey, 17, lives with her health-counscious foster family in Portland, Oregon, because her parents were killed in a car accident. She gets a summer job in a circus and quickly becomes enamored of the tiger. When an Indian gentleman proposes to purchase the tiger and hire Kelsey to help transport the animal back to India, Kelsey jumps at the chance. She gets to know the gentleman, Mr. Kadam, who begins to explain the mysteries of this very special tiger, Ren. The two of them are over 300 years old, and Ren is actually an Indian prince trapped as a tiger by a curse that also affect his brother, Kishan. Kelsey’s strong connection to Ren in his tiger form continues to grow as she discovers that her part in releasing the curse is significant. Will she and Ren be able to break the curse? What happens when ancient animosity between Ren and Kishan is awakened and aroused by their jealous affections for Kelsey?
I thought that this book had a fascinating premise but needed a better editor.

The goods on this book: 408 pages; 2011    Review by Samrarian

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Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

by on Jan.15, 2014, under Battle of the Books 2013-2014, Bullying, Real life, Student Reviews, YRCA

stargirlReview by Jaden L.

Who would like this book? You would probably have to be in your teens to fully enjoy this book. If you like a good romance, then you would like it also. Note that this isn’t like all other romances though. It also can be a bit of a mystery, like Stargirl herself.

The goods on this book: Meet the incredible, amazing, totally unique enigma that is Stargirl. She is everything, and nothing all at the same time. At least, that is how she describes herself. Captivated by Stargirl, Leo falls in love. When the people end up turning on her, he helps her change. But not all change is good. Will it destroy her? Or is this change for the better? One thing is for sure, though. Stargirl will always be a mystery.

The details: 208 pages; 2002    Review by Jaden L.

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City of Bones (Mortal Instruments Book 1) by Cassandra Clare

by on Dec.17, 2013, under Horror, Student Reviews, Supernatural, Teen Top 10, Thriller, YRCA

cityofbonesReview by Brailey

Who would like this book? People 7th grade and up who enjoy suspenseful and dark, slightly graphic, and humorous novels would like this book.

The goods on this book: City of Bones is set in New York, in the present. Clary Fray, Jace Wayland, Isabelle Lightwood, and Alec Lightwood are a species of demon slayers known as Shadowhunters, and face a lot of trouble, such as Valentine Morgenstern. When the Mortal Cup is hidden, Clary must find it- it may be her only chance to save her mother, who is in a coma. But it’s not easy for her to obtain the Cup when there is trouble around every corner, and she has to adjust to a Shadowhunter lifestyle, and deal with the irritatingly handsome Jace, as well as her human friend Simon. She quickly learns to trust nobody, which is the theme of this book.

The details: 485 pages; 2007   Review by Brailey

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Legend by Marie Lu

by on Nov.26, 2013, under Battle of the Books 2014-2015, Dystopia, Sam's Reviews, Science Fiction, Teen Top 10, YRCA

legendWho would like this book? People 8th grade and up who like futuristic novels similar to The Hunger Games series.

The goods on this book: In a distant future, the United States has devolved into two warring factions and a world in which a few people are privileged and rich and the rest of the population struggle for food and medicine. These conflicting worlds come alive with the two narrators. June, from the wealthy upper class, has amazing talent for fighting and climbing and is about to take her place in the Republic’s army. Day, a well-known outlaw from the underclass, is just as talented and struggles to help his mother and brothers, though his mother thinks that he has died. As Day robs a hospital to get medicine for his little brother who has a virulent strain of the plague, he crosses paths with June’s brother, a commander with the Republic. This ill-fated encounter catapults the plot forward and brings the lives of June and Day together. I really cared about each of them as their lives unfold under the pressure of an oppressive government. The complex and surprising plot, along with the details of the dystopian world, kept me turning pages. I appreciated that the book’s ending is satisfying even as it leads to Prodigy, the next book in the trilogy.

The details: 305 pages, 2011    Review by Samrarian

 

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Lone Wolf (Wolves of the Beyond Book 1) by Kathryn Lasky

by on Oct.15, 2013, under Adventure, Animal, Student Reviews, YRCA

loneReview by Andree

Who would like this book? People would enjoy this book who are the ages of 12-15 who really like reading about animals.

The goods on this book: This book is about a wolf named Faolan and his many adventures. First of all when Faolan was born, he had a splayed paw, so his mother decided to abandon him because she thought that he wouldn’t be any good for hunting. Then one day a bear comes along and adopts Faolan. Her name is Thunderheart, and she becomes his milk mother. Thunderheart teaches Faolan how to survive in the wild. Faolan has many adventures and makes discoveries that help him learn about himself. I loved this book. Faolan has a good sense of humor. I totally recommend this book.

The details: 219 pages; 2010   Review by Andree

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