Historical Fiction
The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on May.15, 2015, under Historical Fiction, Horror, Student Reviews, Supernatural
Review by Anne H.
Who would like this book? It’s for the monster lovers and fans of the grotesque.
The goods on this book: This book is about Will Henry, an orphan who works for a doctor of let’s say “the unearthly.” Will Henry and the doctor in this book team up with a monster hunter to hunt something that has been eating bodies in the cemetery. Along the way we learn about the doctor’s father, who plays a big role in this book’s theme. Can they kill what’s causing the trouble? Can Will Henry survive the doctor’s life style ?
You tell me! Read The Monstrumologist.
The details: 454 pages; 2009 Review by Anne H.
The Thirteenth Child by Patricia C. Wrede
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Apr.02, 2015, under Adventure, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Student Reviews, Supernatural
Review by Zach L.
Who would like this book? Male or female readers, grade 6 or 7, who like magic, history, and frontier life would like this book.
The goods on this book: This story follows Eff, a thirteenth child. In this world, numbers mean everything. If you’re a seventh child, you’re lucky and have more magic than normal, but if you’re a double seven like Eff and twin Lan, then you’re amazingly lucky and “are filled to the rafter with magic” as Eff would say. Sadly, Eff is a thirteenth child born to bring doom and destruction, at least that’s what her Uncle Earn tells her. Will her twin-overflowing magic and her so called “evil side” make a dangerous force or an unstoppable good?
The details: 344 pages; 2009 Review by Zach L.
The Boundless by Kenneth Oppel
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Mar.12, 2015, under Adventure, Historical Fiction, Sam's Reviews
Who would like this book? Readers, grades 5 and up, who like adventures with great characters and a historical feel.
The goods on this book: Kennth Oppel’s newest book, The Boundless, invites readers on a fantastical adventure set in 1880’s Canada. What could be better than a story that weaves together a train robbery, a murder, and a circus with the coming-of-age experiences of a boy who is thoughtful, resourceful, and prone to danger?
As the story opens, Will Everett’s father has been away for three years working on the Canadian Pacific Railway. As Will prepares to meet him at the golden-spike ceremony, fortuitous events begin to unfold. First, Will meets Maren, a circus performer who steals Will’s heart and spirits away Will’s prized Sasquatch tooth. Next, Will catches the eye of Cornelius Van Horne, the manager of the railroad, and discovers the perks and risks of having friends in high places.
Three years later, Will’s father is an executive with the railroad. The magnificent train with 947 cars, The Boundless, is ready for its first trek across Canada, “from sea to sea.” One of the cars is carrying the remains of Mr. Van Horne, and the rumor is that the golden spike and other riches are with him, making this funeral car a kind of Pharaoh’s tomb. When Will wanders away from the train during its first stop, he stumbles upon the distinctive key to this car and witnesses a murder. Will and the murderer have a moment of mutual recognition, and then the race is on!
Will encounters a multitude of well-drawn characters and high adventure as he tries to keep one step ahead of the man who wants him dead. Maren gives him a good cover as a circus performer, and as Will deceives others, he tries to figure out whom he can trust. Deftly woven into the action is Will’s growing sense of self and the world around him. His journey from the back of the train to the front, traversing all the social classes, forges his sense of justice.
In The Boundless, Kenneth Oppel fulfills the vision of this magnificent train: characters come alive, history melds with fantasy, and the plot brims with suspense, surprise, and delight. As with all of Kenneth Oppel’s books, don’t miss it!
The details: 332 pages; 2014 Review by Samrarians
A Spy in the House: The Agency #1 by Y. S. Lee
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Feb.24, 2015, under Detective/Spy, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Student Reviews
Review by Grace N.
Who would like this book? Girls would probably like this book better than boys, ages 12-15. It has plenty of mystery to keep you up at night, with suspense and romance that’s very appealing to readers, all in an old Victorian time setting.
The goods on this book: Mary wishes for something more out of her education at Ms. Scrimshaw’s Academy for Girls. So when the academy turns out to be a cover for the Agency, a secret group of female detectives that are highly skilled, Mary doesn’t hesitate to join. Her first case concerns missing cargo ships owned by a rich businessman, and Mary’s determined to solve the case. Disguised as a paid companion to the vicious Angelica Thorold, and nobody, not even a handsome engineer would suspect a thing about Mary Quinn…she hopes.
The details: 335 pages; 2010 Review by Grace N.
Constable & Toop by Gareth P. Jones
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Feb.18, 2015, under Historical Fiction, Student Reviews, Supernatural
Review by Anne H.
Who would like this book? People who like ghost stories.
The goods on this book: This book is a about a boy named Sam Toop. Sam is a fourteen year old boy with a special ability. He can see ghosts, but here’s the weird thing: he can only see ghosts out of his right eye. Sam helps ghosts with their unfinished business so they can hear the knocking and move on to what ever is next. Mr.Laspeswood is a ghost. He works at a business place for ghosts. He had a desk job but didn’t get each one done fast enough and was moved to a department where his job was to find rogue ghosts and bring them to ghost jail. Out in the field, he discovered a horrible thing called the black rot. The black rot is like a house infection. It happens to houses that have lost their resident ghost and if it doesn’t get a ghost soon it draws something from the void to eat the souls of whatever ghosts it can find. Can Sam and Mr. Laspeswood stop the black rot in time?
The details: 391 pages; 2013 Review by Anne H.
A Moment Comes by Jennifer Bradbury
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Feb.15, 2015, under Historical Fiction, Sam's Reviews, War
Who would like this book? People, grades 8 and up, interested in historical fiction and especially about the situation in India and Pakistan n 1947, would like this book. It would also appeal to people who like fiction books that are written from multiple points of view.
The goods on this book: Who has any idea what it would be like to be a young woman in India in 1947? This book brings just such a situation to life. Margaret, a British cartographer’s daughter, has arrived with her mother, escaping an uncomfortable situation at home. Though Margaret is at first sullen about her new home, the influence of Anupreet, a beautiful young Sikh girl who works for Margaret’s family, begins to open Margaret’s eyes to the wonder of the culture. Her forbidden attraction to Tariq, a Muslim teen who also works for her family, adds to this growing interest. The narration shifts between the three very distinct voices of these characters. Following the same events through the lens of their different situations is fascinating, and the tensions between the Sikhs and the Muslims as it affects the lives of Tariq and Anupreet are riveting. This book works on the political level, portraying the violent reaction as Britain divides India and Pakistan. It also works on the personal level as these three young people try to work for their dreams in the face of impossible odds.
The details: 278 pages; 2013 Review by Samrarian
Bad Times, Big Crimes by Carolyn Keene
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Feb.12, 2015, under Detective/Spy, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Student Reviews
Review by Sophie U.
Who would like this book? The people who would like this book are people who like reading about the Great Depression and people who like mysteries.
The goods on this book: Nancy Drew, a detective, time travels to the 1930s. In the 1930s, she meets a family who has just been cheated out of their house. She decides to find out who cheated them out of their house and to find out why. She discovers that the people who cheated their family out of their house were famous gangsters named Loretta and Clay Gaines. Will Nancy be able to catch the Gaineses, or will the Gaineses take everyone’s money?
The details: 139 pages; 2005 Review by Sophie U.
When Audrey Met Alice by Rebecca Behrens
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Jan.29, 2015, under Historical Fiction, Real life, Student Reviews
Review by Sophie U.
Who would like this book? People who would like this book are girls who like funny events that are from the past and also right now.
The goods on this book: In this book, Audrey Rhodes, the first daughter from our time, is feeling deprived of her freedom because of all the security….more to come. Then she meets Alice Roosevelt…more to come. Alice gives Audrey ideas on how to have fun in the White House, or “1600” as Audrey calls it. Will Audrey’s stunts get her parents’ attention, or will she remain unnoticed and feel like she is in a prison?
The details: 294 pages; 2014 Review by Sophie U.
Perfect Shot by Elaine Marie Alphin
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Jan.18, 2015, under Historical Fiction, Mystery, Real life, Sam's Reviews, Sports, Thriller
Who would like this book? Anyone, grades 7 and up, who likes murder mysteries, basketball action, social issues, relationship issues, and/or meaningful history.
The goods on this book: In this ambitious book, Brian struggles to come to terms with the violent deaths of his girlfriend Amanda, her brother, and her mom. Their father has been charged with shooting them to death, but Brian saw another person close to the scene of the crime. He assumes that those in charge are following up on his lead, and he continues his senior year as leader of a basketball team that are tight as brothers but must work to keep their grades up. A unique assignment from their history teacher connects Brian with Todd, an outsider who has been the target of their bullying. They must research the 1913 Leo Frank murder case, which turns out to have disturbing parallels to the current murder trial of Amanda’s father. Another significant layer of this book’s engaging plot involves Julian, the star of the basketball team who encounters trouble only because he is African-American. The author does a great job of pulling all the different parts of the plot together, and Brian is an engaging, empathetic narrator. As the book drives toward its thrilling climax, I couldn’t put it down!
The details: 360 pages, 2006 Review by Samrarian
Revolution by Deborah Wiles
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Jan.03, 2015, under Historical Fiction, Sam's Reviews
Who would like this book? Anyone with an interest in knowing about segregation and the Civil Rights Movement, specifically Greenwood, Mississippi during the Freedom Summer of 1964 needs to read this book.
The goods on this book: Revolution is the second book in Deborah Wiles’ Sixties trilogy, but you don’t need to read the first book, Countdown, to dive into Revolution since the only thing that they share is that they are each set in the sixties. Start with Revolution if you’re ready for a stark and honest view of Greenwood, Mississippi in 1964 from two points of view. Sunny, a white girl with a new step-mother and step-brother, struggles as she comes to know how ugly her town can get. She is drawn to one of the young women who have come from the North to volunteer to hep register African-American to vote in “Freedom Summer.” Raymond, a young and restless African-American boy, can’t stand the injustice of segregation and pushes his way into dangerous situations. Interspersed between their riveting stories is an extensive collection of primary sources of many types and summaries of people and events relevant to the time and place. All of this supporting material is excellent. Wiles’ brief summary of President Lyndon Johnson is especially noteworthy. At over 495 pages, this well-researched and documented book demands time and attention and would be a worthwhile text for a class about this turbulent period in U.S. history.
The details: 495 pages, 2014 Review by Samrarian
