Sam and CY students & staff are reading…

Review by Maylie N.

Who would like this book? I believe that 5th-8th graders that want an easy read would like this book. They will love the endless drama, some of which they can relate with.

The goods on this book: Cassie is a stagehand with boyfriend trouble, but she’s too busy worrying about the upcoming play. Cassie will meet two new friends, whom have qualities she may not understand. This is a atory of love, understanding, amd acceptance. It’s the perfect DFZ theme!

The details: 233 pages; 2012

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Who would like this book? If you like real life stories in a graphic novel format and/or liked Smile by this same author, then you’ll probably really like Drama.

The goods on this book: Callie, a 7th grader with purple and pink hair, loves the theater and has found her spot as the set designer. She’s jazzed about her plans for the new production, Moon over Mississippi, but the boy she’s interested in has his heart set on someone else. When twins Justin and Jesse show up to be part of the production, Callie’s life gets more complicated. As she works with her stage crew to bring the set together, trouble with friendships, romances, and the production keep Callie, Jessie, and others on their toes. Their stories deal with issues such as sexual identity in a seamless blend of humor, heartbreak, and happiness. I loved going on this roller coaster ride with Callie and her crew!
This book is a YRCA 2015 nominee.

The details: 233 pages; 2012 Review by Samrarian

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Review by Theresa G.

Who would like this book? People from 11-20, boy or girl – this book will grab you right from the start. It is science fiction, but it grabs lots of fiction readers’ attention. It is a manga and it’s also an anime if you want to watch it.

The goods on this book: This book is about a teen boy named Edward and his younger brother Alphonse. Their dad left them when they were young, and at one point the brothers snuck into their dad’s office and used his books to learn alchemy. (Alchemy is a form of taking one thing and transforming it into something else of equal value.) A few years later their mom passed away, and the brothers commited a taboo trying to bring her back to life with alchemy. It didn’t work, and Alphonse lost his entire body and Edward lost his leg. Edward traded his arm in exchange for bonding his brother’s soul to armor. Together, the brothers go through a long journey trying to get their bodies back.

The details: Manga series (GN FIC Ara); 2005                          Review by Theresa G.

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Review by Alyssa

Who would like this book?  Mostly younger kids, maybe more males. It’s a good fast read, and there are a lot of pictures, I only read it to pass the time. I would recommend this book to people with lower reading skills.

The goods on the book: In Bone, Out from Boneville, well the title is pretty self-explanatory. There are these creatures called “bones” and three of these bones get chased out from their home, “Boneville”. They then get separated by some “insects”. Did I mention why they got chased out of Boneville? Well, Smiley Bone’s cousin got them chased out when he tried to run for mayor, and everything went wrong. The main character is Smiley Bone, and when he and his cousins get separated, he follows a map into a valley and gets snowed in for the winter. He makes friends with a girl named Thorn. What will happen next? Will he fall for her? Will he find his cousins? Read the book to find out. There are also more books in the series, that I don’t plan on reading, but if you like this book, you can read them, too. It’s a graphic novel, and some graphic novels are good, but not this one.

The details: 138 pp. 2005      Review by Alyssa

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Review by Alyssa C.

Who would like this book? I think that anyone would like this book! Well anyone who loves a good book, anyway. This graphic novel is a good quick read, for anyone who loves to read. Though anyone could read and love this book, I think it is angled more toward pre-teen/teen girls. This book is a good summary of a girl’s life throughout middle school.

The goods on the book: Smile starts with a 6th grade girl who is coming home from a Girl sSout meeting when she and her friends decide to race to her front door. As they are running, she trips over herself and knocks out her two fount teeth! Luckily, she was planning on getting braces anyway. Her mom rushes her to her orthodontist and they try to put her teeth back in place. This is a big part of the book, I know, but there is a lot more to it! Like what? Like this girl’s journey through middle school and her first year of high school! Talk about DRAMA! Especially with her mean friends, who tease her about EVERYTHING! Will her teeth heal? Will her friends stop the teasing? Or will she find new friends? Read it to find out!

The details: 213 pp. 2010  Review by Alyssa C.

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Who would like this book? Fans of graphic novels, fencing, and/or stories with a fantasy streak and a strong girl hero.

Why? Aliera, a loner at her New York City high school, lives for fencing and is able to defeat opponents much older than she is. She follows her coach’s instructions, but when he tells her to “always protect your heart,” she has a dilemma concerning her gorgeous new lab partner, Avery. The illustrations are monochrome in a reflection of a life that bores her until her mom gives her a foil that she found at a tag sale. The foil seems to have powers, and when she begins to use it, a fantasy world of color bursts into her life and onto the page. Mysteries about her powers and her mission will have to wait for the sequel, due out in January of 2013.This graphic novel is a quick, worthwhile read.

The details: 160 pp. 2010  Review by Samrarian

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Who would like this book? Anyone who has or has had braces!

Why? This entertaining graphic novel is based on the author’s own experiences. When she was in the 6^th grade, just before she was about to get braces, she tripped and knocked out her two front teeth. What follows for her are a number of years of dental torture and social awkwardness. Even though she is having a rough time, the author’s good nature shines through in the details of her storytelling and through her captivating illustrations. Even better, it was during this difficult period in her life that she found her calling as an artist. This graphic novel is a quick read and not to be missed by anyone who has spent a lot of time in a dental chair.

The details: 213 pp. 2010  Review by Samrarian

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Who would like this book? Fans of graphic novels, historical fiction, and/or people interested in the Dust Bowl.

Why? Eleven-year-old Jack Clark has a multitude of problems in his life amidst the Dust Bowl of Kansas in 1937: his father seems to blame their failed crops on him, making him feel useless; the school bullies target him; and his beloved little sister is sick with a mysterious dust-borne illness. Through striking illustrations and spare text, this graphic novel follows Jack as he is drawn to the neighbor’s abandoned barn. In the barn, Jack is astounded as he is faced with a sinister monster that seems to have something to do with the rain that will not fall. Is this monster a hallucination, a result of the “dust dementia”? Or is it a force that he must encounter to loose the rain? This thriller of a story gives a spine-tingling twist to this era of history. It’s an excellent example of the power of a graphic novel and won the Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction.

The details: 208 pp. (mostly illustrations); 2009  Review by Samrarian

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Who would like this book? People who like books about vampires and graphic novels.

Why? People who like books about vampires and graphic novels would like this book because this book is about a girl name Raven and her dream is to date a Vampire. One day that dream comes true. His name is Alexander and he lives up on a hill. Every night they meet at the graveyard. One night they find 4 graves that have been dug up. They don’t know whose graves they are, but that’s what they need to find out. Read to find out whose grave sites have been dug up.

The details: 128 pp. 2007    Review by Jennifer M.

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Who would like this book? Fans of horror and comic books, 7th grade and up.

Why? The book Malice is about a comic book named “Malice” that really exists in a horrific, alternative reality. Seth, Justin and Kady are friends who each have their own troubles and their own reasons for doing the dangerous ritual of calling “Tall Jake.” This ritual eventually pulls each of them into the bleak, apocalyptic world of the sinister comic book. The regular prose of the book alternates with actual pages of the comic book, illustrated by Dan Chernett. I’m not an avid reader of comic books, but even so I found that jumping between these two mediums added to the narrative. The characters and plot did not consistently hold my interest; the style and ideas does not make up for the lack of substance.  I liked Wooding’s Storm Thief much better than Malice.

The details: 377 p. 2009  Review by Samrarian

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