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Review by Will G.

Who would like this book? Anyone who likes getting touched by a story would like this book.

The goods on this book: The main character, Auggie, is born with a deformed face and starts school. He at first has no friends and has to overcome many challenges. I thought the book taught me to not judge something or someone by their cover. More to come…

The details: 315 pages; 2012    Review by Will G.

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Who would like this book? Girls 12 years and up, who like books with a lot of drama and a paranormal twist.

The goods on this book: Meadowbrook Middle School’s social stratification is extreme, and Amanda “The Queen of Mean” Beeson maintains her position at the top of the social heap by aggressively bullying the students that are beneath her. She gets the shock of her life, though, when she has a moment of weakness and feels compassion for Tracy Devon, the most pathetic girl in the school. This moment leads to a paranormal event: Amanda becomes trapped inside Tracey’s body. As Amanda learns about Tracey’s life, she makes some crucial discoveries about the “gifted” program at their school and also gains some understanding of Tracey. How do these discoveries affect Amanda and her attitude toward others? What else does Amanda discover about herself?  Out of Sight, Out of Mind is surprisingly clever and engaging, dealing with cliques and bullying in a creative way that ends up revealing a lot about the characters without getting overly complex.

The details: 229 pages; 2009   Review by Samrarian

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Review by Jack K.

Who would like this book? This book is great for all ages and for people who like to laugh.

The goods on this book: A boy named Jamie is a boy full of humor, but he’s in a wheel chair and has disabilities. He wants to be a comedian. He enters a contest for a regional comedian contest. Will he win or will he fail? Check out this great book!

The details: 303 pages; 2012  Review by Jack K.

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Review by Grace K.

Who would like this book? Kids who are 5th graders and up, particularly middle school students.

The goods on the book: Rafael Khatchadorian, AKA Rafe, is a sixth grader in Hills Village Middle School. Rafe planned to be one of those students who just blends in and gets no attention, but on the first day of school, the moment Rafe sat down in his class, he got Miller the Killer’s attention. Miller is a well known bully and is now Rafe’s arch enemy. Now, Rafe can’t get through middle school being “normal.” So, his plan is to break every, and I mean EVERY, (notice the capital letters) rule in the the book. With the help of his friend Leo, will he be able to be the first kid in the history of middle school to break every rule in the school rule book?

The details: 281 pages, 2011     Review by Grace K.

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Who would like this book? Fans of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books or Charley Joe Jackson books would like this book.

The goods on this book: Rafe Khatchadorian tells the story of his horrendous experience being a 6th grader at Hills Village Middle School. He has no friends except the mysterious Leo the Silent, who influences him to embark on a quest to break every rule in the school’s oppressive Code of Conduct. “Operation R.A.F.E.” quickly takes over Rafe’s life as he works out the points earned for each rule broken. As he proceeds toward his goal, Rafe must face trouble from every turn: the 8th grade bully, the pretty girl he crushes on, his mom’s terrible live-in boyfriend, teachers who try to be understanding. Leo the Silent expresses himself through entertaining black-and-white drawing that give a different perspective on the events. This book gets serious as Rafe’s situation unfolds. It’s an easy read that’s funny, moving, and meaningful.

The details: 281 pp. 2011   Review by Samrarian

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Who would like this book? People, 6th grade and up, looking for a murder mystery with an urban feel and some great descriptions of boxing.

The goods on this book: Terry has been working hard on his boxing, training with the wise and experienced George. When Terry learns that a shy, quiet classmate has died from suicide caused by steroids, Terry doesn’t believe it. With help from his good friend (and getting better!) Abby, Terry sticks his nose where it doesn’t belong to try to uncover the truth. Told in a straight-forward, taut narration, the story packs a lot of power. Terry and Abby are a great team, and the rest of the characters work well. This book is an excellent murder mystery that is powerful without being overly complex.

The details: 210 pp. 2008  Review by Samrarian

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Who would like this book? People, age 9 and up, interested in seeing life from the perspective of a boy with severe facial abnormalities and experiencing his struggles to be like other students.

The goods on the book: August Pullman, Auggie, has been home-schooled until the fifth grade for a good reason. Born with a rare combination of genetic abnormalities resulting in a severely disfigured face, Auggie’s life has been a series of surgeries and being sheltered by his loving family. His parents use humor to lift his spirits, and Auggie has caught their good-natured ability to roll with the ups and downs that come with having a face that other people cannot look at without gasping. In the beginning of the book, Auggie is horrified about attending 5^th grade at Beecher Prep Middle School, and with good reason. When he arrives there, he is tormented even by the “friends” enlisted by the principal to help his adjustment. The point of view starts and ends with Auggie, but in the middle, the reader gets the perspective of a variety of other characters: Auggie’s sister Via; Auggie’s one true friend, Summer; Auggie’s fence-sitting friend, Jack; an enemy, Justin; and a childhood friend, Miranda. The author uses these voices to effectively tell Auggie’s story. Auggie’s face is ugly to others who look at him, but their behavior becomes uglier as they ostracize him for something he has no control over. The book builds to a dramatic climax with an unexpected turn that is both satisfying and believable. This book is a must-read for anyone wanting to come to terms with the consequences of using “different” as a reason to exclude.

The details: 315 pp. 2012   Review by Samrarian

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Review by Tae-Hui

Who would like this book? Any gender, any age, most recommended for people who are looking for a non-fiction book that also has suspense in every turn. Also for people who want a book that is good enough to make it impossible to get their minds (and their hands, and their eyes) off of it.

The goods on the book: Claudette Colvin, a teenager who grew up in her great uncle’s house, cannot stand watching the black Americans getting service that is nothing compared to the white Americans, and not standing up. One day, she stands up for herself when a white bus driver demands her to give up her seat for a white passenger and stand instead. The driver calls political forces (otherwise known as the police) and they take her to an adult cell, humiliating her on the way. Eventually she gets her bail paid by her great uncle’s and church pastor and gets out of the cell, but the one thing that she really wanted didn’t happen: the desegregation of bus seating arrangements (Getting to sit wherever you want). Will she be able to make her wishes a reality and, more importantly, will she be able to do it safely?

The details: 150 pp. 2009   Review by Tae-Hui

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Review by Cadence

Who would like this book? I think the book could be for anyone. It’s not really romantic or anything, just a good story.

The goods on the book: To Kill a Mockingbird is about a little girl (Scout) and a part of her life with her family. She has many adventures with her brother Jem and their friend, Dill. Their father teaches them a lot of life lessons and he shows them how to not get upset when the whole town is talking about you. There is a lot of conflict regarding a case that Atticus is working on (he is a lawyer), and some of it affects the children quite a bit. The book shows a lot of racism towards a man named Tom who was accused of raping a white girl. I really enjoyed the book, and it’s my new favorite.

The details: 284 pp. 1960  Review by Cadence

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Review by Margaret

Who would like this book? I think mainly girls that enjoy books about real life problems and that also like books about school problems.

Why? Deanna has a big problem. When she was 13 her own father found her having sex in the back of a car with her brother’s best friend Tommy. Even though she was only 13 when it happened, when she reaches high school everyone already knows about her and what happened. Her brother and his girlfriend are moving out soon, and she doesn’t want to live with her parents anymore, so she gets a job working at the local pizza place to save up money. While she works there, she encounters more problems because guess who works there? Tommy. She has to deal with being made fun of, her father, who hasn’t talked to her since, and her “friends”.
Deanna is a really great character and you really get to know her and connect with her throughout the book. I think that the book itself was really good. It was a little bit of a drama, but also about a girl with real problems that actually happen in real life. Sarah Zarr is a really great writer, and I think that this book is fantastic.

The details: 192 pp. 2007   Review by Margaret R.

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