The Girls' Guide to Conquering Middle School

The Girls' Guide To Conquering Middle School *****
By Erica & Jonathan Catherman

Overview: This book is basically a guide to different topics in middle school. For example, there is one chapter about handwriting and one about gossip. They have a joke or quick pop quiz on the bottom of the page sometimes. Then they have a picture with a thumbs up and a thumbs down showing what you should do and what you shouldn't do. There are also some pages that refer a little more to public school. Like there's one that talks about riding the bus and another one about locker rooms.

Negative Elements: I does kind of talk about some of those things that start to happen in middle school like dating, boyfriends, swearing. Some of those kinds of things.

Positive Elements: It has some of those funny questions or pop quizzes at the bottom of some of the pages to make the page a little more fun. The pictures in them make it also a little more fun.

Conclusion: Depending on where you are in middle school, there might be pages that are more helpful than others. This book is pretty cool. I know about most of it, since my parents are great about helping me out with things in middle school, but some middle school girls might not. I think your middle school daughter should read this book. I gave it four stars.

Here's one of the pages from it:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DpFWbxJV4AAbsmP.jpg




By: Summer Staples, 12


I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

La La La

                                                                                                                                                *****

                                                                                       La La La: A Story of Hope

                                                            By Kate DiCamillo

                                                             Illustrated by Jamie Kim

                 

Overview: This book is a picture book, with basically with the girl saying, "La La La," and "La." Then she sleeps and it says, "zzz..." So besides those few couple words, it is just pictures. It illustrates that she's singing and no one is answering. Find out if anyone answers.

Negative Elements: None

                                                                          

 Positive Elements: It's a sweet story.

 Conclusion: I think you should read this sweet and 

                       colorful book. I gave this book five stars.                                                                                                                                                

By: Summer Staples, 12 

Hidden Among the Stars

Hidden Among the Stars *****
by Melanie Dobson

Overview: The book divides itself between two time periods: 1938-39 in Austria and present day in the United States.
Present Day...Callie has just turned 30 and finds her life has become very small and comfortable as she owns a tiny bookstore with her married sister. For her birthday, she received an old book with some strange writing in it. She begins to research who this book once belonged to. She finds herself being pulled out of her comfort zone and into an tragic Holocaust story.
1938...Annika is a girl in Austria at the time of Hitler's invasion. Austria and her life will never be the same again. She must find her way without her father and fight again evil in her own sphere.
Negative elements: A Jewish woman is raped, but thankfully the scene isn't graphic.
Positive elements: Well-written, well-paced story. Speaks of the power of friendship and self-sacrifice.
Conclusion: This is the first book I've read by Melanie Dobson. I was pleasantly surprised by the story. The book has some twists that I didn't see coming at first. Callie's love story was predicable but at least it wasn't sappy. I also appreciated how carefully Dobson handled the Holocaust's atrocities. She mentions somethings that happened but isn't graphic.

This was an easy to read and interesting historical fiction romance appropriate for teens and adults.

I received this book for free from the publisher. The opinions in this review are mine.

The Crescent Stone

The Crescent Stone *****
by Matt Mikalatos

 Overview: A teenage girl is dying. A man from another world invites her to come and fight his fantasy land's enemies for one year. In exchange, she will be completely healed. She enters into this agreement unaware of the full extent of it. In this new land, she finds that it isn't always easy to distinguish who your enemies really are.

Positive elements: The book is well-written. I loved that I didn't have any idea of how it was going to end. It's also perfectly clean.

Negative elements: The book's only downside was that it was a bit preachy. The author wanted kids to think about race and how it has played out in our country's past and how we need to view people of other races today as well. It's a good message, but the "teaching" was a bit unnatural in the story and dragged down the flow of the book.

Conclusion: I would recommend this fantasy book to any age. The characters are teenagers but adults could enjoy the easy-reading story as well. I always have a hard time with current fantasy books because I tend to compare them all to Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, and they all fail in that comparison.

I received this book for free from Tyndale and offer this review of my own opinions.

Secret Keeper Girl: The Power of Modesty for Tweens

Secret Keeper Girl: The Power of Modesty for Tweens *****
by Dannah Gresh
This cute, little, full-color book covers seven different topics related to beauty and modesty. The book is short, easy to read, and relevant to tween girls.

Dannah Gresh's seven beauty secrets include ones such as "Secret 2: True beauty doesn't come from what's on the outside." And "Secret 4: God wants nothing we wear to distract from seeing our true beauty." She even included a mini history lesson on fashion and how it has become increasingly immodest. 

I appreciated how the author emphasized that modesty isn't about a bunch of rules but about your heart. She does include some fun "Truth or Bare" fashion tests such as seeing if your belly shows when you raise your hands. But the fashion tests are the very end of the book. She does a great job explaining in appropriate language why girls should even care if their tummies show.

She has scripture verses throughout the book as well supporting her statements.

I would recommend this to any tween girls to read. It's a great starting point for conversations about fashion that will hopefully reach the heart and go beyond just "Change your outfit! You can't go out in that." 

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

The Kidnapped Prince: the life of Olaudah Equiano

The Kidnapped Prince: The life of Olaudah Equiano  *****
By Ann Cameron

Overview: This was an awesome book about a black boy who gets kidnapped when he is little, then is sold into slavery. He gets kidnapped with his sister, who the people end up separating from him. He meets his sister one other time in his life, then they never see each other again. This book is about Olaudah's life as a slave, being passed from owner to owner. It's a very hard life. He does meet some people that are very nice to him, though. 

I love this book because it shows how in the end he trusts God even more than he did in the start. There are a lot of parts where only God was the one who rescued him. He has a really hard life, and there are a lot of details. This is also a true story. In 1789, Olaudah published his autobiography. This was a great story!

Positive Elements:  Friendship, and some love

Negative Elements: There is a lot of detail about his really hard life. 

Conclusion:  This was a great book which I think you should read. It would be good for ages 8 & up.

by Summer Staples, 11 


 


 

The Giver

The Giver *****
by Lois Lowry 

Overview: The Giver is about a boy, Jonas, in a world of no color. On the ceremony of twelve, when they turn twelve, all twelve-year-old's get assigned a job. Jonas's job is special. He's been chosen to be the new receiver. The receiver is the man who holds all memories, including memories of colors and feelings. This man shares some of his memories with Jonas of colors, feelings, and pain. In their community, they release the old and the babies that aren't made right. Or if they have a twin, the smaller one is released. Jonas realizes that the people in the community don't have feelings, so they don't know that it's wrong to kill people. The community wants everything to be perfect. The birth mothers give birth to the babies, then the community decides which family they go to. They also arrange marriages. The community arranges everything. But when Jonas's family is given a baby, the baby cries a lot. The community decides that he is to be released, so Jonas runs away from the community with the baby to save it. Find out what happens on Jonas's journey with the baby and more about his life in the community.

Positive elements: There's a a lot of love in the book such as when he loves that baby enough to run away with him.

Negative Elements: It talks a lot about the release (or killing) of the old and young.

Conclusion: I thought this was a great book, that's why I gave it five stars! The author left the end like a mystery, so you could decide what was going to happen. After I read it, I read her speech about it. It was a very interesting speech. I really liked this book and think that you should read it.

By: Summer Staples, 11

Ramona's World

Ramona's World: Ramona takes on fourth grade ***** 
by Beverly Cleary

Overview: Ramona makes a friend, Daisy, who is in fourth grade. They become really great friends. Most of this book is about Ramona wanting to become more responsible like her older sister, Beezus. Ramona has to work through a lot of hard things, like spelling and taking care of her baby sister. Ramona also has to learn how to be kind to her enemies. Her biggest enemy is Susan until the end. Then Ramona realizes why Susan is always such a brat. 

Negative Elements: Ramona is mean in some parts of the book to other people. 

Positive Elements: Ramona learns how to be responsible and kind.

Conclusion: I think this was a great, pretty clean book. I think kids ages nine or ten would like it because Ramona is nine. Have fun finding out what adventures Ramona has in fourth grade!

By: Summer Staples, 11  

Storm

Storm *****
by Bonnie S. Calhoun

Overview: A super volcano has mostly destroyed the United States. There are still a handful of cities with survivors. Eighteen-year-old Selah is the one who can some how save this last remnant. She must follow a trail of clues and head west with her friends and family.

Themes: saving the world, the importance of family

Positive elements: Storm is a well-written, interesting story with lots of action. The heroine learns how to sacrifice for others.

Negative elements: People die during battles. Non of the deaths are graphically described, but two of the characters die having their heads chopped off, which is still pretty gross. The ending of the book was a bit confusing and far fetched.

Conclusion: This book is part of a rather long series. Most series I've read start each book by quickly explaining who everyone is and what has been happening. This book just dives right into the story. Since the book has a fantasy feel, there are a lot of "made-up" words. I had no clue what was going on for awhile. However, the book intrigued me, and I kept reading. There was something rather fun and mysterious about not knowing what was fully going on.

I don't usually read books in the fantasy realm, but I did enjoy this one...but not enough to want to read the rest of the series. 

I think middle schoolers and teenagers would enjoy this book more.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. 

Island of the Blue Dolphins

Island of the Blue Dolphins ***** by Scott O' Dell 

Overview: This was a book about a girl who has to survive on an island because her tribe leaves her. She has to hunt, make weapons, and hide from her enemies. She makes a lot of friends with the animals after awhile. This is a great survival story. Eventually people come to rescue her. (The dog on the front is a wild dog that becomes her pet.)

Negative Elements: People die, animals die, and she has to leave all her animal friends that live on the island when she leaves.

Positive Elements: care, friendship. 

Conclusion: I loved this book, except for the sad parts. I think you should read it if you handle sad parts well.

by Summer Staples, 10
 

Wanderer

Wanderer ***** 
by Sharon Creech

Overview: This was a great book about three kids, Sophie, Cody, Brian, and three uncles, who sail to England. Sophie has foster parents because her other parents died when she was little. Her uncle owns a ship, and he's always wanted to sail it. So they sail the ship to England to visit Sophie's friend  Bompie. The six relatives have to figure out how to get along together on the boat.

Negative elements: fighting, disagreements

Positive elements: friendship, working together

Conclusion: I thought this was a great story. I think you should read it!

By Summer Staples, 10 

Hatchet

Hatchet *****

By Gary Paulsen

Overview: This was a great story about a boy who crashed in a plane with the pilot on his way to his mom's house. His dad gives him a hatchet before he leaves, luckily. The pilot has a heart attack so he dies. The plane falls in a small lake, and the boy Brian luckily survives. He has to survive in the wilderness for a few months. A pilot rescues him after a few months. The pilot takes him back to his mom. Brian has to survive with his hatchet. He knows there is food and sleeping bags in the plane. But he doesn't want to go inside the plane with a dead pilot. Finally, he does go in there and get the food. 

Negative Elements: It talks about how the pilot dies and how the fish eat him.

Positive Elements: I loved how much action there was in it. 

Conclusion: This was a great action story! I really loved it! Find out what happens to Brian. 

By Summer Staples, 10
 

Carry On, Mr. Bowditch

Carry On, Mr. Bowditch  *****
By Jean Lee Latham

Overview: Carry on, Mr. Bowditch is about Mr. Bowditch and his life. It is based on a real man who lived. He was a captain.

Positive elements: It has a good ending. 

Negative elements: A lot of people die. 

Conclusion: I think ages 8 and up will like this book.

by Sabrina Staples      

Ben-Hur

Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ *****
by Carol Wallace

Overview: Carol Wallace, the great-great granddaughter of Lew Wallace (the original author), has updated this classic adventure.  She said in the introduction that she made the language easier to understand, added more depth to the female characters, and re-arranged parts of the book to help the book move at a quicker pace. She also took out the extensive descriptions of the middle east since we now have the ability to see pictures of that area of the world and have more of an idea what it looks like. I haven't read the original Ben-Hur so I can't comment on how this new version compares with the old.

In the back of the book there is a biography of Lew Wallace. On day an agnostic debater challenged him on why he believed in Jesus. Wallace realized that he hadn't really given much thought to it. So, he wrote this book in his spare time, over a period of four years, as he researched and thought through what the Bible said about Jesus.

Now on to the story...Judah Ben-Hur is a wealthy Jewish man living in Rome at the time of Christ. His long-time Roman friend falsely accuses him of murdering a Roman official. Without trial, Ben-Hur is sent to his death in the galley of a Roman warship, his possessions seized, and his family imprisoned. Stumbling along in chains to the warship and overcome with weariness, a young man offers him a drink of water. This is the first time Judah meets Jesus, but it will not be the last. Before they meet again, Judah will fight in a sea battle, live in Rome, race chariots, train soldiers in the desert, travel, fall in love...etc.

Themes: friendship, betrayal, love, family, heroism, faith

Negative elements: murder, brutality, seduction, revenge (but nothing is graphic)

Positive elements: Ben-Hur is a hero worth admiring throughout.

Conclusion: This is a well-written, action-packed story! I started reading it aloud to my husband, but soon all the kids were into the story as well. Even though there are some heavy elements, such as the brutality of the Romans, the story isn't graphic. I felt comfortable reading the story to the whole family. I haven't read a book I enjoyed so much for some time and highly recommend it for all ages!

There is also a movie coming out in August that we look forward to seeing now that we've read the book.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

Wreck My Life

Wreck My Life: A Journey from Broken to Bold  *****

Mo Isom tells her story of how God changed her life through her suffering. She grew up in a stable and loving home. She had great success as a soccer player in high school and college. But in the midst of this outward success, her dad was battling with pornography, and their family was crumbling. She talks of seeking to control her life through controlling what she ate. She soon received the positive affirmation she was seeking as people noticed how thin and beautiful she was becoming. Boys were interested, and she realized what great power she held over these young men. This eating disorder quickly imprisoned her. Then her father took his own life during her first year of college. And shortly after her father's suicide, she was in a near fatal car crash. The book begins with her in this desperate state.

She says that she felt like God had forgotten her and abandoned her. Why else would he allow such hard things? But now she looks back and realizes that God used these hard things to finally help her surrender to Him and stop trying to control her life and live for herself.

Mo says in her conclusion: "But what I love about a living, breathing relationship with God is that it centers around our brokenness and it makes a home amid our vulnerability. There is inherent humility in the gospel of Jesus Christ. To say that we've been set free is the confess we were bound up. To say that we've been washed clean is to confess we were impure. To say that we've been made new is to confess we were full of broken things. The beauty in all of those confessions is that they echo with glory."   

I enjoyed this book because I looked at some of these issues such as suicide and eating disorders in a new light. And I felt like she didn't write this book to air her dirty laundry but to really bring glory to God for what He did in her life. It's such a book of hope from the perspective of a young person. 

It's a little scary to read as a mom of five girls. I was reminded of the pressure on girls to be beautiful and thin and sucessful. I was reminded of how much my girls need my love and affirmation. And mostly that going to church alone isn't going to help them weather life's storms. My girls need to come to their own, personal surrender to Jesus and their own realization of the depth of His love for them. Only in His love for them can they be truly secure.

I would recommend this book to high school girls and older. The book is full of sports, but I still enjoyed it even though I don't know anything about soccer or football!

Negative elements: This book deals with some mature themes including suicide, eating disorders, pornography, and per-marital sex.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. 

More Than Rivals

More Than Rivals  *****
by Ken Abraham

Overview: Two Christian boys grow up in the same town, just on opposite sides of the railroad tracks. One is black, and the other is white. They both love basketball and are very talented. This is their story of growing up in small town Tennessee during the Civil Rights Movement and how basketball brought them together and their town. 

Positive elements: very well-written and fast paced, characters make good decisions in the face of adversity, the power of love is displayed

Negative elements: some harsh racist dialog, a high school make-out session in a parked car, teens fighting and drinking, KKK burns a cross, references to violence

Conclusion: I originally got this book for my husband who played basketball in high school. However, I got pulled into the story as well. The story gave me a timeline of some of the major events that took place during the Civil Rights Movement. You could really see what a volatile time it was. I read parts of this book aloud to my girls. The only part I didn't read aloud was the teenagers kissing and groping in the car. (The girlfriend is pushing for intimacy and the guy refuses saying it isn't right before marriage. Both the basketball players are really noble throughout the book.) The book also did a really good job of showing the hatred and violence of the time without being too graphic.

I would recommend this book to high schoolers and adults. A wonderful and gripping story of the power of kindness in the midst of so much fear and prejudice.  
 I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

Shadows on Society Hill

Shadows on Society Hill
*****
By Evelyn Coleman

Overview: This is an American Girl Addy story. In this story, Addy's family is finally back together in Philadelphia. When Addy is going to work with her dad, she hears the noise of a carriage going super fast. Then she noticed a man on a ladder fixing windows. Addy yells, "Poppa, Help!" Her Poppa is up on the a ladder working, so she runs over and knocks the man off the ladder so the carriage doesn't kill him. After he gets up, he decides to hire Addy's father because Addy saved his life. And he gave Addy's family a place to stay. The next day Addy got the news that they where moving to Mr. Raddison's house. (Mr. Raddison is the man Addy saved.) He was clearing out his house because he was getting married. That night as Addy's family is walking to Mr. Raddison's house, the police stops them. He asks them if they stole the only belongings they had. They finally made it to the house and settled in. Then after a couple nights, things start to go missing. And Mr. Raddison starts accusing them of stealing. And finally she catches the women with a lemon, jar, stick, and a piece of paper. The next morning she sees her shawl in the snow. She opens the shawl, and as she expected everything was there. But there was one word in black ink she never thought to see. The word ADDY. Addy was very scared. Then Addy gets a riddle from her, and she finds her hiding spot. Then she starts visiting her. She even finds out that the old woman is a good spy.Then one day Mrs. Elisabeth invites Addy over to give her, her favorite dress. When Mrs. Elisabeth asks her where she got the necklace. Addy tells her she got it from her brother. Then Mrs. Elisabeth makes her leave. Then a big problem starts which you'll find out when you read it. And it turns out that Addy solves the mystery with the old women, Mrs. Tucker. And she finds out Mrs. Elisabeth accused Addy of stealing so she wouldn't find out who she was. Because Mrs. Elisabeth was black, and she was Addy's Uncle's niece. While all this is happening Addy's sister almost dies, but Mrs. Tucker saves her. At the end Addy's family gets to keep the house. And her Poppa gets to keep his job.

Negative Elements: Her sister almost dies. And it's a little intense like when Addy's trying to see if Mrs. Tucker is good or bad. 

Positive Elements: Friendship, Family, and Love.

Conclusion: This was a great mystery book. One of the best books I've read in a while. I really enjoyed it. The only tip I have is to never read it at night! Enjoy the story of Shadows on Society Hill!

By Summer Staples, 10 

Calico Captive

Calico Captive  *****
by Elizabeth George
Speare

Overview: Miriam, her sister's family, and some other colonists are captured by Indians in New Hampshire during the French and Indian war. They struggle North, for miles through the wilderness, to where they are sold as slaves to the French.

Themes: courage, family, friendship, prejudice

Positive elements: very well-written, wonderful characters, well-paced story

Negative elements: kidnapping, separation of the family, some rough treatment, hunger, imprisonment, war, overall and pervasive suffering

Conclusion: I read this book aloud to my girls, but I had to "edit" the beginning when they were captured. It was very intense and scary. They weren't abused as captives or slaves, but they were in an almost constant state of hunger and depression. The story did have some light moments, but overall it was too sad for young readers. Thankfully, the story has a happy ending. It is based on a true story, and I would recommend it for an older reader. The characters are truly amazing, and you feel as if you know them and hurt with them by the end.

Speare has also written The Witch of Blackbird Pond, Sign of the Beaver and the Bronze Bow. All of those are excellent books and among my favorites for young adult fiction.

The Watsons Go to Birmingham- 1963

The Watsons Go to Birmingham-1963  *****
by Christopher Paul Curtis

Overview: The Watson family has a terrible juvenile delinquent on their hands...their eldest son. The plan is to drive to Birmingham and leave him with his no-nonsense grandma for the summer to straighten him up. While in Birmingham, they witness an African-American church being bombed. What effect will this violent act of racism have upon the family?

Positive elements: The story is very well-written and creative.The author has a very unique voice.  He does an excellent job of portraying how the middle son walks through grief and deals with different emotions.

Negative elements: Mature themes including murder, racism, bullying, lying, a scary almost drowning, disrespectful behavior

Conclusion: I could hardly stand how awful the older brother treated his younger brother. The story plodded from one awful event to the next. (Honestly, it kind of ruined the book for me.) Once the family began their car trip to Birmingham, the story picked up pace and was enjoyable. Parts of the end of the story I loved. But in other parts, the older brother has such a quick change of heart that I couldn't believe it.

I know this story has won awards and is well-liked by many. Unfortunately, I can't say it is one of my favorites. Maybe fifth grade and above boys would enjoy it?

 

Shabanu: Daughter of the Wind

Shabanu: Daughter of the Wind *****
by Suzanne Fisher Staples

Overview: Shabanu's family are nomads in the deserts of Pakistan. This is her coming of age story about leaving behind all that she holds dear as a girl and facing the bitter reality of growing up.

Negative elements: rape, abuse, murder. In addition, this story has many mature themes related to sexuality including puberty, arranged marriages, multiple wives, etc. 

Positive elements: loyalty to family

Conclusion: Life for a young Muslim girl can be so hopeless, especially if forced into a bad marriage. I really came to care for Shabanu, her sister, and her parents. I felt like I was there in Pakistan, living in the desert, raising camels, and traveling with the rains. This book is so well-written. I think that's why the book's sad ending was so devastating. 

I would only recommend this book to older teens or young adults due to the mature themes.  And even then, I would be hesitant to recommend it. This is a Newberry Honor book.