What's New? | Competitions | About us | Site Map | Privacy | Contact | Join
Authors and Reading
Kids on the Net home

 

WiredKids Approved Safe Site Seal

   
 Best Book Reviews | Manor Acorns | Peartree Reviews | Harrington Reviews
 Teeth & Dead Cats: a book-inspired random story | Adventures in Cyberspace |
 Old book reviews | Advice to Young Writers from authors and illustrators |
 Littletown Book Reviews | Katherine Paterson reviews from Bath, MI | Reviews from Chicago, USA
  Book Reviews

The Suitcase Kid, Jacqueline Wilson

By Phoebe and Sarah, 10, Tamworth, Staffs, UK

The book, 'The Suitcase Kid' is about a girl called Andrea,(Andy)who has a toy rabbit called Radish. Andy was normal until her parents split up, which means she has to move to different houses each week. Their dream home will have to be sold and Radish and Andy will have to stick together. Andy wishes that she could live with them all at Mulberry Cottage. Andy's mum is married to Bill,(the baboon)and Dad is married to Carrie. Andy has many stepbrothers and sisters including Katie, Paula, Graham, Zen and Crystal. Katie is the worst of them all and is always arguing with Andy. When Carrie turns pregnant Andy fells alone.
(August 2008)

Click here to reply to this or to read other people's feedback on it

or send your own writing

divider line

The Seamstress by Sara Tuvel Berstein

By Anna, 13, WA, USA


Although this book may only seem as if it is about darkness, death, and hatred, it has much more meaning than that. I believe that this book shows the true meaning about bravery, and love and affection a person can give to their family and friends. It shows how people come together as one, and fight for something that they want, and desire. Taking place during the Holocaust, here is a young girl's story.

You have a young Jewish girl, Seren Tuvel, and all she wants to do is study to get a good education and live life how she wants to. Being the smartest student, she wins a scholarship to Bucharest. Here is one event that might lead Seren to her bright future that she always wanted. However, she is quite wrong with her future; it ends up spinning the opposite direction. All she learns from her schoolteacher is how you need to hate Jews. Jews equal evil, dirty, and they're all dirty animals. Embarrassed, when she threw a bottle of ink at the priest's head after she was tired of his false words, she decides to become a seamstress and take matters in her own hand.

As time passes, you travel with Seren to the horrors of the concentration camps. There, you see what it is like when she loses her closet friends, witnesses death, and faces the greatest challenges in her life time.

Sara Tuvel Bernstein has a knack for using words that are so powerful yet descriptive you feel as if you're watching the scene right before your eyes. It creates a horrible, unbearable event into a beautifully written piece of literature. As you read more deeply into the book, you bond with Seren so easily. You see things through her eyes, you feel her loss and pain, and you gain her bravery and heroism. This book will really keep you yearning for more.

I recommend this book to all teenagers, and even parents. I read this book to remind myself what these people went through. These imaginable events didn't last for one day, they lasted for years. I see love, compassion, bravery in a place where the darkest moments took place. Something I know that I wouldn't be able to handle. If you want a book with both the gloomy, and the glory, then this is the book to read. I'm definite that you will love this book, I sure did.
(August 2008)

Click here to reply to this or to read other people's feedback on it

or send your own writing

divider line

Good Morning, Gorillas by Mary Pope Osborne

By Domenico, Sabrina, Noah, Diana, Elizabeth, 7, Olney, Maryland, USA

At the beginning,Jack and Annie went to the Mountains in Central Africa. Jack and Annie met Bu-bu, a young mountain gorilla and after that they met Ho-Ho another baby gorilla. Jack and Annie stayed for a very long time and had a lot of fun. Bu-bu and Ho-ho loved Annie. Ho-Ho gave Jack a snack and Jack promised he would eat.Jack scared off a black leopard. At the end, Jack and Annie went home but they missed the gorillas so much they started to act like gorillas.
Reading this book, we learned that silverbacks are large male gorillas who walk on their knuckles. They are the leaders of their group. They eat all kinds of flowers, leaves and branches. We also learned that gorillas can use sign language to communicate with people. Jack and Annie taught the gorillas how to say "I love you" in sign language.Finally, we loved the book because the gorillas were cute, funny and interesting. Our favorite characters were Ho-ho and Bu-bu.

Domenico, Sabrina, Elizabeth, Noah and Diana.
(July 2008)

Click here to reply to this or to read other people's feedback on it

or send your own writing

divider line

The Casson Family series, by Hilary Mckay

By Charlie, 14, Llanharry, Cardiff, Wales

I really like all of the Casson family books because they are all so original. I can not decide who I like best out of Indigo and Rose. I like both of them for different reasons.
I like the fact that Rose is really arty, it inspires me to do my own drawing. I also like the fact that Eve practically lives in the shed, and think it is very funny that in Saffy's Angel, the shed is her favourite place in the world, and then in Forever Rose, she absolutely hates the shed. My family is very much like the Casson family in lots of ways, but then in other ways is completely different. (July 2008)

Click here to reply to this or to read other people's feedback on it

or send your own writing

divider line

The Suitcase Kid, Jaqueline Wilson

By Jade, 11, Greater Manchester, UK

I really enjoyed this book because it was the type of book that when you get into it, you never want to stop reading it! It's my favourite book by Jacqueline Wilson! An absolutely great book! 10/10

(June 2008)

Click here to reply to this or to read other people's feedback on it

or send your own writing

divider line

Through Violet Eyes by Stephen Woodworth

By Angi, 14, AZ, USA

The book Through Violet Eyes is by far the most amazing book I have ever read. It is unusual, it is not something people think about everyday. This author is wonderful, and I was quite upset when I found out that he had only written 4 books. If you were ever to choose a book from this website, I strongly suggest that you choose 'Through Violet Eyes'. The book's main points are mystery, crime, romance, and so many more that make you never want to put the book down, even after you are finished with it. I myself have read it many times, and each time I catch something new that I didn't catch the time before. Please, listen to my advice and read this wonderful book.
(June 2008)

Click here to reply to this or to read other people's feedback on it

or send your own writing

divider line

The Shapeshifter (all books) by Ali Sparkes

By Madeleine, 11, Tyne and Wear, UK

I chose to review these books because I love them. Totally love them. I read the first one in a mere day and couldn't wait for the next. I made my dad go around all the shops; book shops, casual shops and even a few clothes shops for who knows why... but I couldn't wait to get my hands on the series.

I really enjoyed these books because of the descriptions and the fact that Shapeshifters and anything similar to that interest me. A big one is magic.

Anyway, I also love the characters. They remind me of some of my school friends such as L, who is a bossy, spoilt, but good friend anyway.

The way it is set out is so simple as well. Some children having unusual abilities and keep a giant secret from the rest of the world. In the last book however, you get a strange feeling that you are slightly unsure what's going on but understand slightly. You can't help but want to know more.

The main character, Dax, interests you from the start. You don't know who he is and the description of what happens to him is amazing. I'm surprised Ali managed to make the book so short.

I would recommend it to Harry Potter fans, Percy Jackson (by Rick Riordan if you want to look it up) fans and anyone who likes a good bit of magic, although sadly these books are quite a bit shorter than the books most people seem to love.
(June 2008)

Click here to reply to this or to read other people's feedback on it

or send your own writing

divider line

The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe By C.S Lewis

By Julia, 9, New York, USA

Enter the magical world of Narnia. A story of a lion named Aslan, the White Witch and the magical and mysterious wardrobe, the doorway into Narnia. Read about Susan, Peter, Edmund and Lucy as there adventure takes them more than the dream can see. This page turner has magic, adventure, mystery and fantasy. And the best part of all is that this is only the second book in the series of "The Chronicles of Narnia" so if you like the adventure and suspense than read The Magician's Nephew (#1),The Horse and His Boy (#3), Prince Caspian (#4), The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (#5), The Silver Chair (#6)and The Last Battle (#7.) (May 2008)

Click here to reply to this or to read other people's feedback on it

or send your own writing

divider line

The Devil`s Footsteps by E.E Richardson

By Olivia, 12, Connah's Quay, UK

Devil`s Footsteps is about a small boy that lost his brother to a legend! The Devil`s Footsteps: thirteen stepping stones. and which ever one you stopped on in the rhyme could predict how you would die. A harmless game for kids and nobody ever died from a game, or did they! (April 2008)

Click here to reply to this or to read other people's feedback on it

or send your own writing

divider line

Snow bears

By Charlie, 7, Ongar, UK

I think it was funny and good to read. I think it was easy. I liked the expression. I give it 8/10. I will recommend this book to year 2. (April 2008)

Click here to reply to this or to read other people's feedback on it

or send your own writing

divider line

Snow bears

By Alex, 7, Ongar, UK

It was funny
It was easy to read
The picture went with the story
I would give it 8/10
I would recommend this to reception
(April 2008)

Click here to reply to this or to read other people's feedback on it

or send your own writing

divider line

Snow bears

By Daniel, 7, Ongar, UK

It was strange, how it can speak. It was easy to read. The cover was ok because the three bears were covered in snow. I would give it 10/10. I would recommend this book to my brother and sister. (April 2008)

Click here to reply to this or to read other people's feedback on it

or send your own writing

divider line

Snow bears

By Daisy, 7, Ongar, UK

The story was exciting. It was easy to read. The pictures went well with the story. I would give it 8/10. I recommend this book to my friend. (April 2008)

Click here to reply to this or to read other people's feedback on it

or send your own writing

divider line

Satch and Me by Dan Gutman

By Julia, 12, Topsfield, MA, USA

Travel Through Time with Satch and Me

'I could feel the tingling sensation drown my body, so I knew that I was drifting away, farther and farther into the past...'
Satch and Me, a thrilling historical fiction story by Dan Gutman, about a thirteen year old boy named Joe Stoshack who has the incredible power to travel back through the past with baseball cards- whatever the time on the card is, he can go back to that time and watch how some of our greatest players play the game In this astonishing book, Joe, known as Stosh, and his Little League coach Flip Valentini go back to Pittsburg, Pennsylvania in 1942 to clock the great Satchel Paige's fastest fastball with a radar gun. But what Flip and Stosh encounter is problems with getting to the Negro League World Series (where Satch is playing), trying to clock Satch's fastest pitch, and a beautiful girl named Lovernne keeps running away from home to be with Flip. Her father keeps finding her and threatens to kill Stosh or Flip.
When I read about Satchel Paige's strong attitude and welcoming personality, I wanted to be just like him when I grew up. He ignored every trash talk thrown at him, and then would most likely have a much better game then the person who insulted him. One character, actually, said to him, 'I'm going to shut your big mouth when we meet in Pittsburg!' But that didn't stop Satch, because he struck the guy out on three straight pitches!
At the beginning of the book, Stosh let his baseball team down. When I put myself in his shoes, I noticed that I have let down my soccer team many times before.
When I read Satch and Me, I could not put it down. I really admired the way Gutman never really gives away anything until the end; how he sort of hides it in what seems like useless information.
'Bang! I heard the sound of a gunshot-that was probably aimed at me-but I was already gone. Barely.'
Dan Gutman's hilarious yet joyful endings, baseball filled, and suprising history is a sports-lover's delight. So if there are sports fanatics out there who need a great book to read, read Satch and Me, a stunning historical fiction book by Dan Gutman. Believe me, you won't be disappointed!
(March 2008)

Click here to reply to this or to read other people's feedback on it

or send your own writing

divider line

The Clique

By Kayla, 11, Topsfield, MA, USA

Come See What Life in The Clique is Like
Have you ever had a friend that has taken advantage of you? The book The Clique by Lisi Harrison is realistic fiction and is about a girl named Massie that is very popular but is very mean. The main characters are Massie, the leader of 'the clique', Dylan, Kristen, and Alicia, also members of 'the clique', and Claire, a new girl from Florida that moved into Massie mansion until her parents can afford a house. They all live in a rich town in New York in modern daytime. Massie is the mean, nasty person that everyone follows just because she is popular. Massie is very mean to Claire. She says bad things about her behind her back that Claire finds about. If you are mean to someone, it'll always come back to you. If you want to find out more about what comes back to Massie, then read The Clique by Lisi Harrison.
Have you ever been in a clique before? Some of the girls are pretty nasty! My favorite character is Claire because she is the nicest character, and because she has a friend because she likes her, not because she is popular. The other characters in Massie's clique are nasty to each other and turn their backs on each other, just because they're following Massie. I understand how Kristen, Dylan and Alicia get mad at Massie, but not how they get mad at each other. I thought it was weird how Massie got really mad if her friends get mad at her because if she did something like what she does to her friends, I would get mad at her too!!! Whatever goes around comes around and it is going to come back to Massie. I don't think that the problem of the book is very strong, because if you weren't into the book, then you wouldn't really get the problem. But besides that, this was my favorite book of the series.
The cruel, well-written novel by Lisi Harrison is suspenseful and humorous. The dramatic events never bored me. Girls that are looking for a fast-read, with a little spunk that like reading about girls that have catfights will love this book. The characters are striking and rude, but it's a breathtaking book. I cherished this novel, and I hope you will, too!!
(February 2008)

Click here to reply to this or to read other people's feedback on it

or send your own writing

divider line

Gold Rush Orphan by Sandy Frances Duncan

By Hye-Won, 12, Seoul, South Korea

The year is 1898, during the Klondike gold rush. Fourteen-year old orphan Jeremy Britain is cold, hungry and pursued by the cruel Soapy Smith and his gangsters. Just when Jeremy is unsure of where he should go, and what he should do, kind James Fraser invites Jeremy to join him and his crew on an exciting search for gold. Thinking this is exactly what he had been waiting for; Jeremy eagerly accepts Mr. Fraser's invitation and joins him and his crew, Mac, Ben, Bob and Rimmer, on a search for the motherlode.

This book is based on the author's grandfather's journal, which he wrote in during his 1898 trip to the Klondike. While some characters in this story are fictional, most, such as Soapy Smith and his gang, James Fraser, Walsh, Steele and Perry is said to be mentioned in the journal. I think this book is especially exciting because it is based on an actual historical event, and even some of the characters are real.
The characters are very realistic, and the hardships during their journey and their lust for gold are well expressed. Some parts of the book are humorous, and the storyline is very exciting. Gold Rush Orphan also mentions folk songs like Greensleeves or Tales of the Vienna Woods.

The main character, Jeremy Britain, is a fictional one. He's fourteen years old, but sometimes he can be too foolish for his age, and he is often humiliated in the story. Most of the characters in the story, such as Mr. Fraser's crew, are men, and Gold Rush Orphan shows Jeremy's difficulties in fitting in with everyone else and how he is sometimes neglected by the others.

This book shows how Jeremy matures and develops throughout the story: at first, he's just a confused and clueless young boy, and at the end of the book he matures into a friend of the crew, and becomes rich (to his standards).

I enjoyed Gold Rush Orphan a lot; it was a very adventurous and fast-paced story. I learned a ton about the gold rush and what life was like back then; I saw how hard the journey to gold must have been. The storyline and characters are flawlessly woven, and I would've thought that the author was actually journeying alongside James Fraser and his crew.

Gold Rush Orphan is one page-turner that any historical fiction fan should read; it should also be very interesting to anyone who loves adventure, action and suspense (and who doesn't?). I give this book two thumbs up!
(February2008)>/I>

Click here to reply to this or to read other people's feedback on it

or send your own writing

divider line

Roses for Anna! Rulz! LOL!

By Samantha, 10, NY, USA

'Roses for Anna' rocks.This book made me. When I told my friends they laugh as well. If I had to recommend it I would to my dearest friend is Jade. Cause we may fight but we always solve the problem. Also she is really funny and I know she will enjoy this book. (February 2008)

Click here to reply to this or to read other people's feedback on it

or send your own writing

divider line

Watership Down by Richard Adams

By H.W., 12, Seoul, South Korea

Do you like cute, fluffy little bunnies? I mean, who doesn't? In Watership Down, you get to be close up and personal with dozens of these furry creatures. But the only thing is, not everything as it seems, as a young rabbit called Fiver senses. His brother, Hazel, ultimately agrees, and the two convince a small band of rabbits to leave their cozy home - a rabbit warren in the countryside. And so begins an epic tale, in which the rabbits embark on a perilous journey to find a place to call home..
When I first saw this book in the Classics section of the bookstore, I was thinking, 'Why in the world is that here?' I bought the book without really thinking, and left in on my bookshelf for a few months. After those few months, I decided to read it, even though it looked dull, childish, and uninteresting. I couldn't have been more wrong. As I am twelve-year-old kid, I thought I grew out of novels and stories in which animals talk and embark on impossibly epic or fantastical quests to other worlds. Watership Down is not that sort of book.
When the story first begins a small group of rabbits, Fiver, Hazel, Bigwig, and Strawberry, to name a few, escape from their home just as humans destroy the warren to build on. The band starts off as nervous, uncertain and weak little creatures that have never been in the outside world. But as the book progresses, these rabbits evolve into confident, brave and strong characters that know what they want and will not stop at anything to get it. It's really great to watch the rabbits grow, both physically and mentally, as they journey through a real countryside world and to their new home. Yes, Adams did base this novel in a real place, probably somewhere in Great Britain. It's cool that such a fantastic tale could take place in a nonfictional location.
I didn't expect this book to be so deep in character and plot. But at the same time it was sometimes too deep, thus too hard to get into, especially in the first few chapters. But once you get in the story, there's no turning back! The intriguing and suspenseful story will get you so caught up in the book that you'll be reading for hours on end. If you don't? Well, that just means youýre a little emotionally dry.
The rabbits of Watership Down have their own special language. This results in words that no one would understand if they just randomly opened the book and started reading. An example of these words is Owlsa. I read another review of Watership Down claimed that the book has a Lapine (rabbit language - Lapin = rabbit in French and probably in Latin as well) glossary as an appendix. My copy of the book did not have this glossary. I couldn't look up any of the Lapine words that I often forgot the meanings of. This was a low point in the book, as confusing rabbit words often distracted from the wonderful story.
It was great how Adams made the rabbits their own culture, as well, they have, as mentioned above, their own language, as well as gods that they believed in, and other special rules and regulations of living as a rabbit. This made the rabbits seem more human than ever sometimes, I felt, more human than people.
What else is so wonderful about Watership Down? Definitely the characters. There were numerous, very colourful characters that were very different from each other, each of them endearing in their own ways. Acorn, for example, is small and weak, but very loyal. Bigwig is a robust warrior, is often bossy, but a great companion and friend. The dangers the friends go through seem to be echoing the perils of our own lives, and teach us lessons in cooperation, loyalty, bravery, and more.
Personally one of my favourite characters were Kehaar, an injured bird that the rabbits found and took in. Kehaar was originally very wary of the rabbits, but later he befriends them and helps them in numerous ways. I loved the bird's funny, but often annoying, accent, and how he so generously helped the rabbits in so many ways. This just teaches us another valuable lesson - friendship, and trust.
One of the very few cons of this book was the violence. Watership Down reveals that, rabbits, no matter how cute they seem, still get into many fights and battles (well, perhaps not as large as the ones portrayed in the book). There are many scenes in which rabbits are scratching, biting, and basically beating each other up. Young children would find this disturbing. They would view the furry little animals in a completely different way after they read this book. Children would also not understand the complicated story or the sometimes very difficult text. That's the bottom line - this book is not for kids, even though it may not seem like it on the outside.
There are many animal stories all around us. Some, we read when we were young - Peter Rabbit, Winnie the Pooh, and Puss in Boots, for example, have become very familiar to most of us. When we get a little older we read novels such as Shiloh, Silverwing, or Warriors. But most books with talking animals in them aren't very realistic, absorbing, or deep in character, no matter how entertaining they may be. Such an example is the Warriors series, where you follow the exciting but rather characterless adventures of warrior cats living in the forest. Great for entertainment, but not as heartwarming or great in characterization or plot as Watership Down. Watership Down is one rare book about animals that even adults can enjoy and think about. (February 2008)

Click here to reply to this or to read other people's feedback on it

or send your own writing

divider line

Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton

By H.W., 12, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Lots of people dream of living, breathing dinosaurs that they can touch, smell and see. Impossible? Wrong. At least, it's not in the world of Michael Crichton.
An ambitious old man called John Hammond creates a fantastic park filled with genetically engineered, but real, dinosaurs. He calls it - what else? Jurassic Park. And so a group of people - two children, a paleontologist, a paleobotanist, a mathematician, to name a few - get the exciting opportunity to experience the park for the very first time. Only thing is, the park isn't as safe as Hammond claims for it to be: And the nightmare begins - a hair-raising twenty-four hours in Jurassic Park.
Bloodthirsty tyrannosaurs, ferocious velociraptors, gigantic brontosaurs - it's all here. In this fast-paced, exciting scientific thriller, readers get to get up close and personal with some mean and nasty dinos (not that anyone would want to). Jurassic Park is an extremely scientific book, describing in detail the process of cloning dinosaurs and operating the park. But this is also a low point in the book, as the explanations are very complicated and virtually impossible to understand for a twelve-year-old kid (that's me.). Packed with action and dinosaur facts, Jurassic Park is the book for budding paleontologists and dino fans.
As the reader follows the adventures of several people trapped on Jurassic Park, they become familiar with dinosaur names, characteristics and behavior. But this book is unsuitable for young readers as gory scenes and coarse language is common. Dinosaurs tearing up people, people swearing and yelling at each other, and an eleven-year-old boy going 'holy sh*t' over and over would probably disturb young people. I found this book greatly interesting, but I don't think that Crichton didn't write this novel for kids. Although Jurassic Park is an awesome and realistic look at dinosaurs, it's not meant for young readers. Be warned - this book is not for the squeamish. Expect lots of hungry dinosaurs and bloody scenes, as well as coarse language.
Although it has its cons, Jurassic Park is a great realistic look at dinosaurs and other aspects of science. I would highly recommend it for older readers that have the capabilities to understand basic scientific and mathematic facts. An awesomely thrilling prehistoric adventure that you'll never forget!
(November 2007)

Click here to reply to this or to read other people's feedback on it

or send your own writing

divider line

Pendragon book Seven: The Quillan Games by DJ MacHale

By H.W., 12, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

In the seventh Pendragon adventure young Traveler Bobby Pendragon arrives on the territory of Quillan. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, here's a quick series overview. Travelers are a group of beings that are responsible for the safety of all there is and all that will ever be, known as Halla. Fourteen-year-old Bobby Pendragon discovers that he is the lead Traveler and embarks on a perilous adventure to stop the demon Traveler Saint Dane - The Quillan Games is the seventh part in Bobby's adventures.
Quillan is a territory on the verge of destruction. Two twisted gamekeepers, called Veego and LeBarge, use people as toys in the Quillan Games. The Games are a mix of sports and combat, some easier, others brutally difficult. To win is to live a life of royalty. To lose is to die.
The Quillan Games is a rather dark installment in the Pendragon series, with people dying every other chapter, no one making a big deal out of anyone's deaths, some language (freakin' this, hell that, etc.) The gamekeepers, Veego and LeBarge, are incredibly cruel (and annoying.). The games that the people of Quillan are forced to play are simply mad. Quillan is a twisted place where no one has any hope; a single company called Blok rules the entire territory. I can't help but wonder whether something like this could possibly happen to our own world, as well, as Saint Dane describes the forming of Quillan's awful situation 'The people have found themselves in this dreadful condition for one reason and one reason alone. Greed.' (page 246)
Does it sound familiar at all?
This book is packed with action and excitement, as Bobby plays his way through the Quillan Games and uncovers Saint Dane's wickedly clever plot for destroying Quillan. Bobby grows highly cocky and overconfident. He thought he was winning, but he lost. What does that teach us? Stay modest, always be cautious and humble. You never know what's going to happen - especially with a demon like Saint Dane around!
The Quillan Games is, overall, a greatly enjoyable sci-fi read. It has sometimes hilarious dialogue, a realistic teen/s narration, unique format. It/s one of the best Pendragon books so far. I highly recommend it for readers of all ages - from tweens to older teenagers.
(November 2007)

Click here to reply to this or to read other people's feedback on it

or send your own writing

divider line