The Angel’s Command by Brian Jacques; Philomel Books: New York, 2003; $23.99 I was excited yet worried throughout most of this book. When the La Petite Marie first set sail they were being followed by the Diablo Del Mar. I thought at first that the La Petite Marie was going to be caught, and then they might have been sunk. The little boy named Ben was a very smart person. Even though his body did not get older, he did. He was very wise and it was easy to see throughout the story. I always get told that I am very mature for my age. I tend to get along with older kids better than kids that are my age, so in a way I kind of act like Ben. I thought it was interesting when he thought of the idea for the La Petite Marie to sail into the rocks off course at nighttime to avoid getting captured by the Diablo Del Mar. When I went to a mountain training camp in September, we played Capture the Flag in the woods at night. It started to rain and it was hard to see. I found a little ditch that I could crawl in to get to the other team’s side without being noticed. It worked for a while but I was eventually captured. What Ben did reminded me of that. One of the most exciting parts of the story was when the La Petite Marie was attacked by the British privateer. I thought that the La Petite Marie would be sunk, but they managed to get away. The rear of the ship was blown away and a few men were killed. The captain, Ned, and Ben were still alive. This reminded me of when America invaded Iraq. Many men died, including Americans. My brother went to that war and now he’s safe at home. My favorite character in the story was the dog, Ned. He was a grown black Labrador that was very intelligent. I admired Ned because he watched over Ben and was very protective. Ned and Ben had a bond that was like two brothers. They had the ability to communicate with each other telepathically. My brother and I live with separate parents, but we still get along just like two brothers normally do. I think we get along just like Ben and Ned. Another one of my favorite characters was Thuron. He was the captain of the La Petite Marie. He was a kind captain who believed Ned and Ben were good luck. When he was in a bar, he was getting tricked by the captain of the Diablo Del Mar. When Ned and Ben walked in, Ben saw that the captain was being tricked so he put up all of his gold. Thuron won the bet, and that’s why he thought Ben and Ned were lucky. He even yelled at his crew members if they yelled at Ben or Ned. He reminded me of my science teacher because my science teacher is the nicest teacher I have, and he respects all of his students equally. Overall, I thought this was one of the most interesting books I have ever read. The characters were well thought-out and each had unique personalities, especially Ben and Ned. The characters remind me of people I know, so I was able to relate to them very well. I like how they have a brotherly bond which keeps them together. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading adventure stories. This story holds the reader’s attention all the way to the end. Alexander J. Gore, 13 Wheat Ridge, Colorado
Book Reviews
The Blue Roan Child
The Blue Roan Child by Jamieson Findlay; Scholastic, Inc.: New York, 2oo4; $16.95 Imagine this: you are an orphan and you work in a horse stable owned by Kind Hulvere. A fierce wild horse and her two colts are brought to the stable. Then the two colts are stolen. It is now up to you, with the help of the wild horse, to save her colts from the powerful Lord Ran. Are you up to the challenge? Well, Syeira was! With nothing but the shirt on her back and the wild horse Arwin she set off to save the colts. Along the way, she and Arwin meet many friends, a few dangerous foes, and tons of adventure! When I first looked at this book, I knew I was going to enjoy it because it was about horses. I have been riding horses for about six years and I love horses and horse books. After the first few pages I was hooked, because The Blue Roan Child combined horses with mystery, magic, adventure, and wonderful writing. One of my favorite parts is when Syeira and Arwin have to travel through the Forest of Deire. In it they meet a man named Sir Gemynd who drinks a concoction made out of a plant called Pale Madeleine. The Pale Madeleine makes him live in memories. Syeira eats some of this memory plant and she sees her mother’s little yellow bird and hears her mother weeping. But she can’t find her mother, and the bird disappears. They are lost with the Pale Madeleine. They are lost in the past. That part made me think.. What would it be like to stop living in the present and live only in memories? If I was Syeira, would I be tempted to try some Pale Madeleine? Would Syeira ever be the same? I could understand why Syeira would want to eat the Pale Madeleine. She longed for the mother she could barely remember. That made me think about how lucky I am to have both of my parents alive today. I have never felt anything like Syeira’s yearning for her mother, and I am thankful. Even so, the Pale Madeleine was not good. It made Syeira sick and delayed her from her mission. To me, Pale Madeleine symbolizes temptation to do what’s wrong. Even though doing the wrong thing might seem fun or easy at the time, it will always come back to hurt you and will distract you from what you need to do. In this story you can see all sorts of symbols. For instance, I think the yellow bird is a symbol of Syeira’s mother’s love. It gives Syeira strength and courage. Flying horses also appear in this book. I think they are a symbol of Syeira’s dreams, and when they fly to attack King Ran’s city, Syeira’s dreams are flying along with them. The Weerlings, horses damaged by war, represent how horrible war really is. And Arwin. Arwin was Syeira’s way out of a lonely childhood. I think she is a symbol of the type of freedom one can only have galloping on a horse, flying as if you were riding one of Syeira’s dreams. The Blue Roan Child has a satisfying ending in which Syeira finds out what she is meant to do with her life. Everything adds up to a believable and involving story that will draw you in. I loved The Blue Roan Child, and I definitely recommend it to anyone who likes horses, adventure, or just plain good stories. Reina Gattuso, 12 Milford, New Jersey
Beyond the Dance
Beyond the Dance, by Chan Hon Goh; Tundra Books: New York, 2002; $15.95 When I first saw the cover of Beyond the Dance, I thought it might be a book that was just about dance technique. But, as the saying goes, you can’t judge a book by its cover. As I started reading, I found that Chan Hon Goh was writing not just about her dance career, but also about her life growing up in Communist China where the government was very unsupportive of artists. I was sad to learn that Chan’s parents, who were both dancers, had to split up for a year while Chan’s father sought artistic freedom in Canada. From the moment I started reading, I was rooting for Chan and her family to be successful in their search for freedom. I have read several books before about totalitarian governments, but this book addressed a subject of great interest to me: how artists can be affected by politics. Living in America all my life, I appreciate even more, after reading this book, how fortunate I am to be able to write and dance without opposition from the government. I feel connected to Chan in several ways. We both love to dance, and take it very seriously. When she was eleven, Chan set high goals for herself as a dancer. I have always had a dream of being a principal dancer in Swan Lake or Giselle—two famous ballets that Chan has gone on to perform as an adult. There are things other than dance that Chan and I have in common. One is that we both moved when we were eleven (as I write this review, I am preparing to move). Chan’s move from China to Canada was extremely difficult because she spoke no English. My move from Connecticut to Manhattan will involve my getting used to living in an apartment instead of a house, going to a new school, making new friends, and adjusting to life in the big city. But while my move will be only around sixty miles, Chan’s move took her halfway around the world. Beyond the Dance offers great advice to everyone, not just to dancers. The author recommends that people who want to become better at what they do should create personal challenges, and try to believe in themselves. My favorite part of the book was when Chan, at seventeen, auditioned to get into The Prix, a dance school that only had a few openings. She had worked so hard, and made it to the semifinals, but assumed she had not been accepted, and left. Later that day, she went back to one of the judges to ask what she could do to become a better dancer. I admired that, even though she was disappointed, she wouldn’t let anything stop her. I won’t give away what happened, but I was happy and encouraged by the way things turned out for her. Chan’s life and career are fascinating, so I strongly suggest that you read Beyond the Dance. I admired the strong descriptions of both the good and difficult times Chan faced in her life, and how she dealt with each. I found myself relating to so many of her experiences, and was able to appreciate the advice given throughout the book about persevering for what you believe in at all costs. Beyond the Dance is a book that truly goes beyond just dancing. It is an autobiography that is great for anyone at any age. Karlen Schreiber, 11 New York, New York
Chasing Vermeer
Chasing Vermeen by Blue Balliett; Scholastic Press: New York, 2004; $16.95 Have you ever gotten a letter that changed your life? Well, it was an amazing letter that started Petra and Calder, two classmates, on a great adventure searching for a stolen Vermeer painting. In this story, their teacher, Ms. Hussey, led her class to explore different ways of communicating. While Petra enjoyed writing, most of her classmates like Calder didn’t, saying “What about numbers? What about pictures? What about plain old talking?” I can relate to this because I do many of the arts, like dance, music, acting and painting. When I dance, I communicate with motion and movement, with music I communicate with sound and rhythm, with acting I communicate with words and emotions, and with painting I communicate with the feelings I put into images. Ms. Hussey reminds me of many of my arts teachers because she has many unusual and unique ways of thinking and making up solutions. I feel that I relate to her student Petra because we both have wild hair, we are always up for action, and we like to discover a lot. We are creative, love writing, and want to do things our own way whether people like it or not. Also, we like to keep to ourselves, and we are very modest. In this book, Calder uses some little figures called pentominoes, which are shapes that you can put together in different ways to make a rectangle, and that can represent letters. Calder would carry pentominoes with him everywhere he would go. He would pull one out, and the first word that came to mind beginning with the letter that the pentomino stood for would always somehow help him. Calder used pentominoes as one way of communicating, and part of the mystery of this story is that there is a pentomino code hidden in this book. The action in Chasing Vermeer goes on and off like a light switch. It starts calmly, then the story zooms and you are right in the action. The author brings you to the edge of the cliff and then it ends just as it started, calmly and peacefully. The book reminds me of Harry Potter and Eragon because it is so mysterious and exciting, and because you never know what is going to happen next. When I first opened the book, I didn’t understand what a pentomino was. I got frustrated and I didn’t want to read it. But then, I checked the Web site, www.scholastic.com/chasingvermeer, which really helped! And now I love it! The Web site also has a great pentomino game. Before long, I noticed a lot of things in the illustrations that I didn’t see before, like hidden pentomino pieces and a hidden animal figure. I highly recommend this book, but it is a difficult book to follow and probably not good for younger readers. This book is an amazing and challenging adventure.
Once Upon a Marigold
Once Upon a Marigold, by Jean Ferris; Harcourt, Inc.: New York, 2002; $17 What if you were a princess who lived a perfect, happy life except for one minor problem—your mother kept trying to marry you off to a boring royal suitor so she could become queen? What if you had never met or talked to your best friend except by letter? And what if, after too many boring suitors to count, you fell in love with someone you weren’t allowed to marry? Once Upon a Marigold is a riches-to-rags fantasy about a young runaway boy, a plain, unpopular princess, and a four-foot-tall troll. Christian is only a small boy when he runs away from home, tired of living in stiff suits, with too many siblings and too many rules. However, when he is found by Ed, a short, friendly troll, he becomes a young inventor living in a beautiful cave with his troll foster father. Through a small telescope, Christian can watch King Swithbert’s castle, and all the goings-on there. He watches the three beautiful, blond princesses grow up, as well as their smaller, dark-haired sister. He is an uninvited guest at the balls and banquets, and even at the weddings of the three triplets. But Christian is especially attracted to the younger, dark-haired princess. When he finally gets the courage to contact her, through p-mail (pigeon mail), he finds out her name is Marigold, and starts a long correspondence between them. Right from the start, I loved reading Once Upon a Marigold. Although I’ve never run away from home, met princesses or trolls, or lived in crystal caves, I can very much relate to many of the feelings and emotions of the characters. Throughout the story, both Christian and Marigold felt restricted by too many rules, and were trying to break free of them and make their own decisions. Christian succeeded in this when he was only six, by running away from home. However, Marigold’s life was much more complicated. Her mother, Queen Olympia, was always forcing her into lessons on ruling, manners, and many other “stiff, proper skills,” never leaving Marigold any time for herself, or letting her make her own decisions. Even in my daily and ordinary life, I can relate to these feelings often. Whenever I clean my room, I feel restricted from making my own decisions because, being a naturally messy person, I tend to procrastinate and would rather spend the time on other meaningful activities and leave my room as I’m comfortable with it. Another interesting lesson I was reminded of in Once Upon a Marigold was to respect other people’s opinions and feelings. Though Queen Olympia’s daughters’ ideas about ruling were different from her own, that didn’t give her the right to ridicule and disregard their ideas. Many of these fairy-tale crises may seem very different from our world and reality, but they really aren’t that far from some of the problems in our world today. Consider the quilt of different cultures, religions, and beliefs. Does that necessarily make any of them wrong? Just because your best friend goes to a temple and you go to a church, does that affect your friendship? Once Upon a Marigold was jammed with many unpredictable turns and surprises so that I never knew where it was going next! The next time you’re in need of a good book, I suggest you pick up Once Upon a Marigold, by Jean Ferris. Kaitlyn Gerber, 12 Ridgefield, Connecticut
The Vanishing Point
The Vanishing Point, by Louise Hawes; Houghton Mifflin Company: Boston, 2oo4; $17 How would you like if the only thing you loved to do was something that was reserved for males, and you had a close-to-zero chance of ever being allowed to pursue the life you wanted? If you are anything like me, it would seem unfair and extremely aggravating. It might make me go slightly crazy, especially if it was something that any girl can do as well as any boy. This is the scenario for Lavinia Fontana, Vini for short. In The Vanishing Point, Vini is a teenage girl from Bologna, Italy, during the mid-sixteenth century. She is the daughter of the semi-famous Renaissance artist and teacher, Prospero Fontana. Though Vini’s father is a learned and experienced artist and art is everywhere in their home, she is not allowed to paint. Actually, her father never even considered the idea. He says that painting is always a male’s profession; something that females could never do. Secretly, Vini hates hearing him say this because painting and drawing are her main loves and talents. Behind her parents’ back, Vini has been sneaking paper, pencil, and paint from her father’s studio with the help of Paolo, one of her father’s apprentices. Paolo pretends the paintings are his and shows them to Vini’s father to get feedback. He then shares the criticism with Vini, so she can learn more. While Vini is doing her painting in secret, she also has to deal with her mother’s illness and her parents’ fighting. There are several things going on at once, so while reading, you never get bored. I really felt like I was living there alongside Vini through her battles with her painting (hiding it, then getting discovered and having to tell the truth about her love for it), her father (who constantly complains for a son instead of a “worthless daughter” like Vini), and her secret romance with an apprentice. I can relate to some of the things Vini was going through during this time, and that is one of the reasons I liked the book so much. Since Vini’s father constantly complains about not having a son, Vini feels very useless and unwanted. I’m sure everyone has felt like that at some time or another. I know there are days when I feel like I can’t do anything right, or that nobody wants me, and so on. Imagine having your father saying outright that he considered you worthless and a burden to him. I was moved by Vini’s determination and willingness to do what she wanted. It gave me an inspiration to never give up until I have achieved what I aim for. This is a life lesson everyone hears many, many times, but it is rare to find someone who is as dedicated as Vini. She had every hurdle in her way, but she persisted and figured out a way to paint against all the odds, even when she was ill and faced the chance that she could never paint again. Even though this book is fictional, it is based on real people and events. Lavinia Fontana was a real artist, who went on to experience more fame than any female artist before her. Her paintings still hang in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy. Historical fiction is my favorite genre because I can learn so much. It seems like I am killing two birds with one stone because I am enjoying myself and learning, too. The Vanishing Point is a wonderful book. Anybody who reads it will be drawn in and unable to stop reading about Vini’s life. I think it deserves five stars. Chloe Miller, 12 Anchorage, Alaska
The Voice That Challenged a Nation
The Voice That Challenged a Nation, by Russell Freedman; Clarion Books: New York, 2oo4; $18 Marian Anderson was a great opera singer during the 1930s and 1940s. She was also an African- American. Marian was born on February 27, 1897, in South Philadelphia. She was the oldest of three daughters of John and Anna Anderson. At age twelve, Marian lost her committed father to death. Her mother had to raise her three daughters by herself. Marian worked to help her mother by scrubbing steps and running errands for her mother with her sisters. Today it is very unlikely that a kid would be scrubbing steps in an urban area like Philadelphia. It amazed me how the family worked together to make ends meet. Whenever she got money from her performances it was usually five dollars, and she gave her mother two dollars, gave one to each of her sisters and kept one for herself. Even though I think that today’s kids are very caring, I think that not many would give their hard-earned money away like this, especially to their younger siblings. Marian got through school and was able to afford music lessons because the Union Baptist Church, which she attended, raised money for her. She had joined the senior and junior choirs and never missed a Sunday with them. She was very dedicated to these choirs and loved to sing. I was amazed at this symbol of unity in the African- American culture as well as the American culture in general. Her goal at that time was to be able to study and improve her voice at a certain school. However, when she went there for an application, she was turned down because she was black. The way the author described the situation made me livid. A singer with a voice like Marian’s deserved to be heard and accepted at a famous and first-class school. This incident made her wonder why she wasn’t able to get an application because, even though she was black, she knew she sang amazingly well and she had great potential. However, she did go on and I believe that this incident helped her to overcome some of the other surprises that were caused by prejudice along the way. What Marian went through to be recognized in mainstream America made me distressed and perplexed. How could a country that proclaimed “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” for all be so cruel and prejudiced toward one of its own? Even after Marian became famous in Europe and loved in America, the Daughters of the American Revolution denied her the right to sing at Constitution Hall. Many people stood by Marian, including Eleanor Roosevelt, the First Lady at the time. Eleanor went so far as to resign from her position in the DAR in order to protest against Marian’s rejection to sing at Constitution Hall. On April 9, 1939, Marian sang on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to thousands of people, being “the voice that challenged a nation.” She sang two more times at the Lincoln Memorial, one being in 1963, at the Civil Rights March, when Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his “I Have a Dream” speech. In 1955, she became the first African-American soloist at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. She led the way for many artists, including her nephew, James DePriest, who was able to conduct a series of concerts in Constitution Hall. She was not only extraordinary because of her voice, but also her strength, dignity and character, which shone through her voice. She was an inspiration and role model, not only for African-Americans, but also people of all nations. Akeyla Todd, 12 Bronx, New York
A Boy No More
A Boy No More, by Harry Mazer; Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing: New York, zoo4; $15.95 Harry Mazer’s book, A Boy No More, is set during World War II. On December 7, 1941, Adam Pelko, a fourteen-year-old boy, and his friends Davi and Martin were in a rowboat when the bombs fell on the USS Arizona on which Adam’s father served. This was the legendary Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor. Soon afterwards, Adam was evacuated from Hawaii with his family and moved to San Diego to start a new life. The author adopted the perspective of Adam to tell this page-turning adventure. I find this point of view makes World War II seem a lot clearer, especially because it is so remote in time to me. In the vivid descriptions, I felt Adam’s struggle to survive life without his father, his need to be responsible and work to help his family, his bonding friendship with Davi, and his frustration at others who were either lazy or counterproductive. In the second chapter Adam recalls, “I saw my father’s ship, that great battleship the USS Arizona, explode and sink.” This scene reminds me of when my family went to Hawaii for a vacation two years ago. We visited USS Arizona Memorial Center at Pearl Harbor. When I was standing on the memorial that straddled the sunken battleship’s hull, I could still see the roof of the cabins and the smokestack. There were trickles of oil seeping to the surface of the water around the ship, making the water murky, dark, and shiny. I was saddened by the death of the sailors in Pearl Harbor. Even though I am so far in history from World War II, I have witnessed a similar horrifying catastrophe in my day: the collapsing of the Twin Towers on September II, 2001. I remember clearly when I saw the planes hit the Twin Towers on the television. I recall the loud sirens, the burning flames and the people running on the streets, and finally, the whole building slowly collapsing into black smoke. A Boy No More is a captivating story about history that we should remember. Harry Mazer wrote another book about Adam and Davi, which I will read, called A Boy at War. Some other stories around this time frame are Don’t You Know There’s a War On? by Avi, and Bat 6 by Virginia Euwer Wolff. I strongly suggest that anyone who is interested in learning about the history of World War II read this book. Dylan Sun, 10 Califon, New Jersey
Roller Girl
Roller Girl, by Victoria Jamieson; Dial Books for Young Readers: New York, 2015; $20.99 Tougher. Stronger. Fearless. These are the words the protagonist of Roller Girl is driven by as she fights to achieve her goals in this amusing and inspiring graphic novel of friendship and growing up. A relatable character for almost anyone who’s ever tried something new, Astrid is a twelve-year-old girl who is obsessed with roller derby… but not necessarily good at it. Ever since first grade, Astrid has done everything with her best friend, Nicole. So Astrid signs up for roller derby camp and assumes that Nicole will do the same. But when Nicole decides to go to dance camp with a new friend instead, Astrid finds herself standing in front of a huge warehouse, alone and about to enter the most terrifying day of her life. Astrid soon discovers that the other girls in the camp can skate fifty laps in ten minutes, while all she can do is fall. And no matter how hard she tries, she doesn’t seem to get much better. If you’ve ever tried to master a new skill, you will be able to relate to Roller Girl’s spunky and determined protagonist. I recently attempted to ice skate and found myself thinking about Astrid’s similar situation as I clung to the wall on the side of the rink. Everyone else seemed so good, and here I was, afraid to even skate without support. Astrid expressed similar thoughts when she first went to the roller rink. Eventually though, like her, I found my confidence and slowly improved. Astrid’s journey to confidence was sprinkled with difficulties that she sometimes had trouble overcoming, but she always managed to stay surprisingly positive and never gave up. I think I could learn a lot from this, because often when I try a new sport I struggle with self-doubt and frustration. The other part of Astrid’s story that is easy to identify with is her friendships. The author cleverly entwines this aspect of the story with Astrid’s roller derby experience. While at camp, she encounters new people, makes friends, and starts to learn who she is without Nicole. Her new peers open her eyes to a whole different world, one that she never would have noticed if she hadn’t broken apart from Nicole. When I was recently faced with the challenge of starting at a new school, I had many of the same feelings Astrid did. But by taking a risk and reaching out to new people, I found that there are great personalities everywhere, not just in the people you already know. The fact that this book is a graphic novel gives a whole different feel to the story. Usually, I don’t read comics or books with illustrations, but this one really spoke to me with its accessible characters, well-thought-out plot, and detailed drawings. The author is a talented artist, and her vibrant illustrations bring the story to life. Humor and sarcasm help lighten the story and keep the reader entertained. In the author’s drawings, you are able to see the characters’ quirky facial expressions and other details that couldn’t be easily expressed in writing. Perhaps one of the things that I liked most about this book is that I felt like I knew Astrid. I felt her pain when Nicole told her she wasn’t going to derby camp, I felt her joy when she finally could skate without falling, and I cheered her on in her first bout (roller derby match). I disliked the people she disliked and loved the people she loved. Somehow, using few words, the author made the characters complex and believable. Claire Cleary, 12 Mariposa, California
Counting Thyme
Counting Thyme, by Melanie Conklin; G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers: New York, 2016; $16.99 When I’m picking out books to read, I usually try to avoid the sad ones. Counting Thyme is definitely ranked amongst the saddest books I’ve ever read, and yet it lies with my favorites. How? Maybe it’s because the underlying theme of hope even through sadness with hints of humor scattered throughout gives it a unique touch like no other book I’ve read. Maybe it’s because this book does not avoid stunning reality, like others do. All I am sure of is that I would and will choose to read Counting Thyme again and again, and each time I will enjoy it as much as I did the first time. I am willing to do anything for my brother. That’s what Thyme thinks. Her little brother, Val, has cancer, and she’s ready to do whatever it takes to help him. And wait—there’s a chance to cure Val, and it’s a special test in New York. Thyme’s family. temporarily moves to an apartment in New York, because this new treatment opens too many opportunities to ignore. People who have siblings, like I do, can relate to the struggle she went through between doing what was best for her brother and doing what she truly wanted. Of course, Thyme is very happy for Val, but… moving. Away from her friends, and her house, and everything that she can call home. In my whole life, I have never moved. However, I have had friends that have moved far away, and so I understand having a best friend move away and can only imagine how much worse it would be to lose all your friends. The first week, you start out thinking that you can always keep in touch and call each other or email each other. But you just start drifting farther and farther away—not physically, but emotionally. And within the third week, it is all but a dream. Sure—you might email sometimes, but, as Thyme finds out, there’s a big difference between actually talking to someone, and hanging out with them, and just communicating electronically. Speaking of friends, Thyme isn’t especially eager to have her cool, popular new classmates see Val bald and in a stroller at five years old. They might think he’s odd, and weird, and if they start thinking that about Val, they’ll start thinking it about Thyme, too. I know that people in school can be mean and judgmental. People are always looking at what you’re wearing and don’t necessarily think before they speak. Luckily, busy with her best friend in her old school, Thyme hadn’t noticed school drama. But in her new school, she is tossed into the middle of a lot of drama. Did I mention that the move was temporary? So why is Thyme’s old best friend reporting a “for sale” sign at Thyme’s old house? Thyme’s parents never said anything about selling their house. Thyme never even thought about it. This move was supposed to be temporary—only temporary. So are Thyme’s parents hiding something fishy, or is her best friend wrong? I would be outraged and hurt if my parents told me that a move was temporary—and then sold our old home. Hopefully, Thyme can get to the bottom of this and figure out what’s really going on! Thyme finds out what “home” really means to her in this touching and unique, tear-encouraging book. Along the way, she might make some unexpected friends! Samantha Abrishami, 11 McLean, Virginia
Crossing the Wire
Crossing the Wire, by Will Hobbs; HarperCollins Publishers: New York, 2006; $16.99 When his father died years ago trying to cross the Arizona border, fifteen-year-old Victor Flores dropped out of school and started to plant corn to support his mother and five younger siblings. After he gradually came out of the grief of his father’s death, more problems came up for Victor. Nobody bought Mexican corn anymore, because American corn planted with chemical fertilizers and pesticides was much more affordable. One day Victor realized, if he continued to plant corn his family would have to starve. He decided to risk his life and cross the Mexican border and go to the United States like the other men in his village. His journey was extremely precarious and deadly. Victor experienced a lot of things that he had never imagined before. First, he broke his scalp by jumping off a dashing train. Then he experienced starvation, running out of food in the middle of the desert. His guide that he met got caught by border patrol. Surprisingly, Victor met his best friend in a soup kitchen, Rico, who left for El Norte several weeks before him. Victor even carried drugs for the drug smugglers without knowing it. And worst of all, he experienced walking for hours and hours under the blazing sun— chapped lips, dried mouth, completely dehydrated, his throat felt like it was on fire when he had to swallow. After eleven weeks, everything was worth it, he finally crossed and found a job. This book completely reversed my opinion on illegal immigrants. Before I read this book, I thought that, while the legal immigrants, like my parents, came to the U.S. as college students and waited for ten years to get a green card, the illegal immigrants did not go through the process of naturalization and it was effortless for them to get to the United States. In my head, I imagined that all they had to do was to run for a couple of hours and BAM! they are in the U.S. After reading this book, I felt ashamed and apologetic for what I had thought before. Nobody wants to leave their family and go to a completely unfamiliar country that they have never been to before. Like Victor, he did not want to come to the United States, but there was a burden on his back, to support his family. Also, the journey was deadly. People cannot imagine how many people died on their journey trying to cross the border. People have died because of starvation, some ran out of water, some died because of the heat, and some were even shot by border patrol. Only a few of the determined and the fortunate people have succeeded. Although the journey was hard, that does not mean it is not the right thing to do. From this book, I learned to see the world with other people’s eyes. After reading this book, I also truly felt sympathetic for people like Victor in real life. At the same time, I also learned to be thankful and to treasure the smallest things beside me, like going to school legally, not worrying about being deported, and having the ability to communicate with others using English. Crossing the Wire is a breathtaking book. I loved the characters and the story. This book is full of exciting adventures. I finished the book in just two days. Crossing the Wire is one of my favorite books and I hope you can read it too! Sarah Gu, 13 McLean, Virginia
One for the Murphys
One for the Murphys, by Lynda Mullaly Hunt; Nancy Paulsen Books: New York, 2012; $16.99 Growing up browsing through Salvation Army bins and snoozing in the basement, twelve-year-old Carley Connors is a born-and-bred Vegas girl who’s as tough as nails. Her dad is completely out of the picture, and it’s always been just her and her alcoholic mom. Carley’s mom smokes, makes her daughter eat from soup cans, and neglects sending Carley to school. This life is all Carley has ever known. But this zone of “normal” is torn apart after her mom’s heartbreaking betrayal that lands Carley in foster care. Do you ever doubt the people you love? That’s how Carley feels. Rejected from the one lifeline she knows, she chooses to shut herself off from everybody else. Her new foster family, the Murphys, are a lively household with three boys. They’re genuinely caring, but so… different. And so begins Carley’s struggle of opening herself up to the Murphys’ outpouring of love. The first couple chapters of One for the Murphys led me to wonder why Carley would even miss her mom. After all, she abused, neglected, and betrayed Carley. So how could she still ache for her mother? As the story progressed, I began to understand why. Carley’s mom is her closest family member. Memories of Mom singing The Little Mermaid and creating rhymes for her entertainment evoke a cozy childhood glow in Carley. My mom and I are very close. Sometimes I wonder if she knows me better than I know myself! She’s my number-one confidant. Whenever I have freak-out episodes or when I just need to calm down, she always knows exactly how to comfort me. Mom’s also pretty honest whenever I’ve done something that’s not quite right. I remember when I was enraged at my mom for a couple of days. We argued. I vaguely remember it was for a minor transgression that I probably deserved to be chastised for. There was some yelling involved. Mom wanted us to calm down and think it over, but that wasn’t the case. Afterwards came days of silence, with anger and depression boiling inside me. By day three, I was still keeping up my anger act, but I recall my mother standing in the doorway, late at night, whispering, “No matter what, I’ll always love you.” This is the same for Carley. Her toughness can’t mask the fact that she still yearns to be with her real mother, because she feels that nothing could ever compare to the warmth of a mother’s embrace. I agree that’s one of the best feelings in the world that we often overlook. The aspect I enjoyed most about One for the Murphys was how Lynda Mullaly Hunt let you explore Carley’s story. I laughed at her hilarious one-liners, rooted for Carley and the Murphys, and wept during the touching scene in which Carley describes the truth of her mother’s actions. The writing is so real. You can practically hear Michael Eric clomping down the stairs imitating his favorite superhero, Super Poopy Man, as Carley affectionately describes her foster brother’s antics. One for the Murphys is a thought-provoking novel that taught me not to take for granted and to always be prepared for the dramatic changes life brings. Anyone who wishes to read a tale with heart infused with humor and insight should consider One for the Murphys their next read. Catherine Chung, 12 Theodore, Alabama
