Editorial Review

Does Jerry Renault dare to disturb the universe? You wouldn't think that his refusal to sell chocolates during his school's fundraiser would create such a stir, but it does; it's as if the whole school comes apart at the seams. To some, Jerry is a hero, but to others, he becomes a scapegoat--a target for their pent-up hatred. And Jerry? He's just trying to stand up for what he believes, but perhaps there is no way for him to escape becoming a pawn in this game of control; students are pitted against other students, fighting for honor--or are they fighting for their lives? In 1974, author Robert Cormier dared to disturb our universe when this book was first published. And now, with a new introduction by the celebrated author, Read more

Reviews (352)

THE CHOCLATE WAR
The CHOCLATE WAR is a book about a boy that has a dream to be on a football team and his name is Jerry Renault. Jerry goes to try out for the football team, onthe field he was working hard and the coach got impressed. The coach asks him to come back the next day.
Dare to disturb the universe...
Some books you forget as soon as you set down. Not this one.
An Amazing book
This book speaks to any age and all experience.It's the perfect telling of a person becoming an unwitting hero not through action but inaction and understanding, at least, who he does not want to become. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Audio: Juvenile    2. Juvenile Fiction    3. School & Education    4. Social Issues - Peer Pressure   

Reviews (21)

Great read
I first read this in High School and have been looking for a copy for a while.
Wigged Out at 12
I was assigned to read The Bumblebee Flies Anyway for class in 7th grade. And I have loathed it ever since. As I am now in college, it is difficult for me to remember specific details, but I will try to define why Barney and I never got along.
Definitely a keeper
This is one of my favourite books ever. It makes one think and leaves one feeling more knowledgable after reading. I was pleasantly surprised upon realizing that I enjoyed this tale. Barney goes through so much and the ending leaves you breathless. If ever you want to be proud of reading a book and understanding it, try this one! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children: Grades 1-2    2. Death    3. Fiction    4. Friendship    5. Terminal care    6. Terminal care facilities    7. Non-Classifiable   

Reviews (73)

Still screaming!
I don't know how anybody could bear to write this book. It was so creepy! I guess there are a few good parts, but not many. I had to use the book for a book report and it was really freaky. I can't believe I chose it for free choice!Children twelve and under, I don't recommend this book! Please consider this review before purchasing this book for your child or yourself!Consider yourself warned!

Exciting
The novel, After the First Deathby Robert Comier, is an exciting thriller that left me on the edge of my seat. This book gives you three different perspectives of what is going on in the book. Comier allows you to enter the minds of three main characters named: Kate, Miro, and Ben. Kate is the innocent bus driver which has no control ofthe terrorists that entered the bus, Miro is one of the terrorists that take over the bus, and Ben is a son of a General who is part of a top secret agency in the military. I came across this book when I was assigned to read it for English class in school. This book is so exciting that I read past the number of assigned pages for the night just to find out what would happen next. The way Comier decides to narrate the book captures you into reading more of the book.
Model of Hollywood Formula
Cormier's book is written for young adults, but in many ways, this writing is insulting to the reader.There is a distinct level of the Hollywood formula that this book models.In other words, you have the introduction, you have the climax, you have the descent.Ok, all plots follow this, but in Cormier's book it is so much a part of the text that it takes away from the story.Additionally, in this book, the climax is so brief that it really is almost an irrelevant part of the story other than a climax is necessary.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 9-12 - Fiction - General    2. Family - Parents   

Reviews (1)

Several good plus one outstanding
Those who've read "Fade" know what a fine story-teller Cormier is.This is a collection of nicely written tales highlighted by the last, "Mine on Thursdays," the unforgettable story of an alcoholic father and ex-husband and his trip to an amusement park with his daughter(who normally lives with her mom).Possibly the finest story ever writtenabout divorce and its effects on children. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's stories, American    2. Family life    3. Fiction    4. Short stories    5. Non-Classifiable   

Editorial Review

This final novel from the grand master of young-adult fiction is onelast jewel in the literary crown of Robert Cormier, who died in November 2000.In it he continues to explore the themes that are so characteristic of his work:guilt and forgiveness, misuse of authority, and the corruption of innocence. Buta new book from Cormier is always a surprise, and here he gives us a brilliantevocation of the detective story, in a narrative that centers on theinterrogation of a murder suspect.Read more

Reviews (62)

Long and Boring
I thought the point of this book was interesting but very badly written, the only reason I got until the end was because I wanted to know how it will end. I was disappointed. This is an over 100-page-book written about something that happened in 20 minutes. If you like reading yourself too sleep this book is perfect for you.

Jason's Review
I liked this book because the ending was a huge surprise to me. I never knew what's going to happen next.
The Rag and The Bone Shop Review by Kassi
In Robert Cormer's The Rag and the Bone Shop seven year old Alicia Bartlett is brutally murdered, and the suspect is a thirteen year old boy named Jason. The police hire an interrogator to get Jason to admit to Alicia's murder. The Rag and the Bone Shop takes place in a small detective's office. Robert Cormer sticks to the story and doesn't wander off. The mood of The Rag and the Bone Shop stays mostly sad and scared.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 9-12 - Fiction - General    2. Children: Grades 2-3    3. Criminal investigation    4. Detectives    5. Fiction    6. General    7. Juvenile Fiction    8. Law & Crime    9. Murder    10. Mysteries, Espionage, & Detective Stories    11. Police    12. Social Situations - General    13. Juvenile Fiction / General   

Reviews (4)

powerful
Eleven-year-old Darcy Webster, caught between girlhood and adolescence during World War II, makes her first friend ever when she meets Kathleen Mary O'Hara, and their relationship blossoms until Kathleen Mary mysteriously disappears. At the same time, Darcy's father is reported missing in action. All this, plus Kathleen Mary's "baptizing" Darcy, brings her to a painful spiritual crisis. friendship and family
As her father moves the family to an army town Darcy makes a new friend in an otherwise strange setting. She and Kathleen Mary become inseparable, best friends forever, and begin a journey of friendship that exposes Darcy to the Catholic faith. One day Kathleen Mary is gone and Darcy's father ismissing in action. Darcy seeks out the help and wisdom of an old nun whoexplains the beauty of life and faith to her. As Darcy struggles with theloss of friend and father her newly discovered knowledge helps her through.This is a beautifully written story, one that is probably best suited forages 11 and up. There are some beautiful passages where Cormier has blendedwords and imagery into a lovely picture.

Only the fourth book that ever made me cry.
I am not religious and I'd rather stay away from religion. When I read the back of 'Other Bells for Us to Ring' I thought: oh know, a sappy religious novel. But I read it anyway, because I trusted Robert Cormier not todisappoint me with a sappy religious novel. Religious it was, sappy itwas not! I've never been particularly interested in Catholicism and neverknew much about it, but I learned a lot from this book and feel all thebetter doing so. Both Darcy and Kathleen Mary O'Hara are exceedinglylikeable characters, particularly Kathleen Mary, who was in my eyes ayounger version of Amy Hertz from Robert Cormier's novel 'I am the Cheese.'I thought there would be a happy ending. I really did. It was happy atfirst, when I learned that Darcy's father was safe and sound, but in thenext chapter when I learned what happened to Kathleen Mary, all myexpectations came down with a great and glorious crash. My father, whenhe saw me weeping, muttered about an 'adolescent mood swing.' I just keptsobbing. Why do good people have to die? Why? ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Catholics    2. Children's 9-12 - Fiction - General    3. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    4. Children: Grades 3-4    5. Fiction    6. Friendship    7. Historical - United States - 20th Century    8. United States    9. World War, 1939-1945   

Reviews (34)

A suspense- filled action book
` The beautiful part of writing is that you don't have to get it right the first, unlike, say a brain surgeon.You can always do it better, find the exact word, the apt phrase, the leaping smile.'These are the famous words by the author Robert Cormier.
In the Middle of the Night
I liked this book becuase it was very suspensful. He also lead to things that you didn't expect coming which was another reason why I liked this book. This book also had somethings that have happened in my life. This was the first book that I've read by Robert Cormier and I am going to read more. I would advise anyone to read this book it is very good.

confusing plot
in the middle of the night is complex and deals eith many different charecter changes. it is not as good as most cormier titles like the chocolate war, beyond the chocolate war, tunes for bears to dance to and i am the cheese. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children: Grades 4-6    2. Horror & ghost stories, chillers   

Reviews (42)

Don't be fooled!
Don't confuse this book like I did with We All Fall Down by Brian Caldwell.Same title, different authors.Having accidentialy ordered Cormier's, I read it.It was Ok, a descent enough suspense novel, although honestly, nothing much more than that.Caldwell's novel, though is a brutal, wrenching, disturbing exploration into evil and the end of the world.It's the kind of book that'll keep you up nights and stick with you for the rest of your life.Cormier's novel is good for passing a Sunday afternoon, Caldwell's is the kind of book that makes you look at who you are and the way you live in a totally different light.

Everybody Takes a Fall or Two
We All Fall Down by Robert Cormier was a very interesting read and especially a suspenseful book. I always wanted to see what would happen next or feel the irony that Cormier expresses a lot throughout the book. The genre of the book would be a combination of suspense/mystery. Cormier is able to incorporate the two to keep you turning the page and making you wonder what the next page will hold.But nothing less could be expected from the "the single most important writer in the whole history of young adult literature." Born in Leominster, Massachusetts he never intended to live anywhere else and nor did he. He went to school there, married, and raised his 4 children there. He started to begin his writing in the seventh grade and since then he has won many awards for his novels such as the Margaret A. Edwards Award. No doubt that his life has been poured into his writing, creating wonderful masterpieces and We All Fall Down is no exception. Cormier is able to fill the book with many themes and of them, the theme that people don't realize how important something is until they lose it was the implored the strongest. It's implied throughout the novel, reflecting events such as Jane, the main character, and her relationship with her sister, Karen. He is able to place this theme throughout this novel along with a great plot and a conflict that will make you tingle with suspense.
Karma
""Maybe it isn't crap, after all." Harry said. "Because we all fall down, don't we?" His voice dry, sharp as ice cubes clinking" (62). Ring around the rosy is a olden children's rhyme talking about the black Plague and how people were stricken down dead with this terrible disease. The last few words of the rhyme are cleverly, "we all fall down," which is also the title of the intriguing novel We all Fall Down, written by Robert Cormier. Robert Cormier grew up in Leominster in Massachusetts, married and now has four children. Cormier was once a newsreporter and collumist, but was inspired by many news events and switched to a novelist. Cormier has written several classics includuing, The Chocolate Wars, and I am the Cheese. We all fall Down is expressed as a main theme of Karma throughout the book. Karma means your actions during your life will come back to affect your future, and your bad actions will come back to haunt you.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Children: Grades 4-6    2. Horror & Ghost Stories    3. Juvenile Fiction   

Reviews (48)

Pornographic to say the least
Keep in mind this is a Teen book.Let's read a couple of excerpts, shall we?
Just an okay book
Fade is a book about a teenager who has a very mysterious family.There is one thing that sums up how weird his family is, but no one ever talks about in his family.It is sort of like an untouched mystery, that no one can explain, but no one cares to investigate it until Paul comes along.When Paul investigates this he finds out something almost impossible to believe, but it must be true.Later in the book he finds out that he has a special power and he has to decide how he should use this gift, if that's what you want to call it.
It Fades
"Imagine what might happen if Holden Caulfield stepped into H.G. Wells' The Invisible Man, and you'll have an idea how good Fade is... I was absolutely riveted." --Stephen King
Read more

Subjects:  1. Children: Grades 4-6    2. Horror & Ghost Stories    3. Juvenile Fiction   

Subjects:  1. Children's 9-12 - Fiction - Mysteries / Detective    2. Mysteries, Espionage, & Detective Stories   

Subjects:  1. Children's stories, American    2. Family life    3. Fiction    4. Short stories   

Subjects:  1. Books and reading    2. Children    3. Children's literature   

Subjects:  1. Children: Grades 4-6    2. Fiction