Reviews (567)

The House on Mango Street
The House on Mango Street is a story of Esperanza Cordero.Esperanza is sharing her life in a poetic form.She writes poems to describe her life on Mango Street.She is embarrassed to point and say, "That's my house."Her mama says, "It's for the time being," papa says, "its temporary."Esperanza shares her stories of love, friendship, and the trail of life.Esperanza's friend Sally gets into lots of trouble with boys and her papa doesn't tolerate this.Working at such a young age isn't very easy, but papa doesn't want Esperanza to go to public school, he believes you'll turn out bad.Living in the ghetto of Chicago can get difficult sometimes in ways that can just confuse you, like your friend getting married when she hasn't even reached eighth grade.Sandra Cisneros will share Esperanza's feelings and descriptions about neighbors and family great.Boys, where should we start?To Esperanza, they live in separate worlds, you can really only rely on your true friends.In the end, all these moments of feelings only equal one word, Life.
this book is so weird
this books chapter titles were random as hell and so was the book. its so weird.there is no plot whatsoever. i hated it, don't buy it cuz it sucks major balls.

For ESL students
I teach a beginner writing course for ESL students preparing for college, and we use this book to help students develop that all-important voice. The stories are simple but full of feeling, and resonate deeply with my mostly Latino students. Yes, there are incomplete sentences and words that don't belong in academic writing, but I find my students understand the concept of personal vs. academic writing, and can enjoy the book on its own terms. In addition, it could easily form the basis of a reading course for students once they are beyond the very early stages of learning English. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bildungsromane    2. Chicago (Ill.)    3. Fiction    4. Fiction - General    5. General    6. Girls    7. Literary    8. Mexican Americans    9. Popular American Fiction    10. Research And Report Writing    11. Fiction / Literary    12. Modern fiction   

Editorial Review

Everyone in town thinks Meg Murry is volatile and dull-witted, and that her younger brother, Charles Wallace, is dumb. People are also saying that their physicist father has run off and left their brilliant scientist mother.Spurred on by these rumors and an unearthly stranger, the tesseract-touting Mrs Whatsit, Meg and Charles Wallace and their new friend Calvin O'Keefe embark on a perilous quest through space to find their father. In doing so, they must travel behind the shadow of an evil power that is darkening the cosmos, one planet at a time. This is no superhero tale, nor is it science fiction, although it shares elements of both. The travelers must rely on their individual and collective strengths, delving deep within themselves to find answers.Read more

Reviews (940)

Enjoyable by young and old alike!
The earth is surrounded by a sinister presence - a dark, foul fog that is the tool of an ultimate evil - whose ambition is to enslave the planet with the complete removal of free will. Three magical beings, Mrs Whatsit, Mrs Who and Mrs Which - witches, angels, demigods perhaps - appear to Margaret and Charles Wallace Murry and their friend, Calvin O'Keefe, to persuade them that it is their destiny to battle this evil on its own turf and to rescue Margaret and Charles Wallace's father. Dr Murry has been missing for some months and the kids learn that he has been captured by the evil while he was "tessering", traveling time and space in the course of his scientific research.
A Wrinkle in time
At first my teacher read it. She read the first chapter to us. It had me very excited to read on. So, this book taught me a lot. It kind of keeps you in suspence to.

Hated it.
It seems that people either love it or hate it andI belong to the latter category.How did this become a classic???Having forced myself to read to the end I'm not going to waste anymore time - just read the other 1-star reviews - poor kids forced by their teachers to read this over-rated garbage. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 9-12 - Fiction - Fantasy    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    3. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    4. Classics    5. Juvenile Fiction    6. Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic    7. Science fiction    8. Juvenile Fiction / Science Fiction, Fantasy, Magic   

Editorial Review

According to Ponyboy, there are two kinds of people in the world: greasers and socs. A soc (short for "social") has money, can get away with just about anything, and has an attitude longer than a limousine. A greaser, on the other hand, always lives on the outside and needs to watch his back. Ponyboy is a greaser, and he's always been proud of it, even willing to rumble against a gang of socs for the sake of his fellow greasers--until one terrible night when his friend Johnnykills a soc. The murder gets under Ponyboy's skin, causing his bifurcated world to crumble and teaching him that pain feels thesame whether a soc or a greaser. This classic, written by S. E. Hinton when she was 16 years old, is as profound today as it was when it was first published in 1967. ... Read more

Reviews (1428)

my inspiration...
When I had to read THE OUTSIDERS in seventh grade, at first I was just like whatever because I thought it was going to be another boring book we had to read and why can't we ever get good books to read? But from the first chapter, that was it. I fell so hard I still haven't gotten up.
Battle Against The Socs - A Review By Izzy, age 11
A boy named Ponyboy, and his two brothers, Sodapop and Derry, turn into hoodlums when their parents die in a car crash. They join a group of hoods: Johnny, 2-Bit, Steve and Dally. They are in a battle against the Socs, who are spoiled and very rich. The Socs always jump the hoods (Greasers) when they are alone. They all have parts to play: Dally is the tough guy, 2-Bit is known for his switchblade, Steve is known to mess around a lot, Sodapop comforts people, Johnny is the pet of the gang, and Ponyboy is the youngest at the age of fourteen. There are two other gangs of greasers.
rockin book
I loved this book because you never know what is going to happen. Plus I think it's wierd that people would go into gangs. I feel sad for Johnny for dying saving other people. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 12-Up - Literature - Classics    2. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    3. Classics    4. Family - General    5. Family life    6. Fiction    7. Gangs    8. Juvenile Fiction    9. Social Issues - Adolescence    10. Juvenile Fiction / Social Situations / Adolescence   

Editorial Review

Author Wilson Rawls spent his boyhood much like the character of this book, Billy Colman, roaming the Ozarks of northeastern Oklahoma with his bluetick hound. A straightforward, shoot-from-the-hip storyteller with a searingly honest voice, Rawls is well-loved for this powerful 1961 classic and the award-winning novel Read more

Reviews (1135)

Ulises Cruz Review
I really liked the book and it is a very fun interesting book to read. I really liked that it had to do with some sort of sport. I also liked it because it was book were there was all source of action. There was a little boy that lived in the hills and dream of having two coon hounds. He finally worked and saved enough money to buy himself two. He was so excited to get them that he trained them to hunt. The characters were very believable and never doubted that they were making them up. The plot was very interesting because it was about the kid entering a big coon hunt. He won the competition by treeing four coons with his dogs. The major themes of the story were when on of the Prichard brothers accidentally stabbed himself. The author used a very special way of imagery. He made everything be visual in my head. I was all into the story that I didn't want to stop reading. I didn't like by were sometimes they didn't talk about when the dogs killed the coons and how they treed them. They would sometimes leave you think what would happen next or what could of happen.

Geez!
I adore this book. I wrote a reviw on what I think of it a while ago, so you could find it later. But I'm sick of all these people saing there was no action or adventure. What's up with that? And to the people who say there are lost of grammer mistakes in the book, you should check your grammer.

a spectacular book
The book I read was "Where the Red Fern Grows".This story takes place in the state of oaklahoma.Thers a boy named Billy and he lives with his family.All Billy wanted was two hound dogs.One day Billy went to his grandfarthers store and his grandfarther told Billy he had to meet God half way.Billy worked til he had 25.00$.Billy got two hound dogs.He decided he name them Dan and Little Ann.Billy hunted all he could and he sold the skins for money.If you want to know the rest read this spectacular book your self. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals - Dogs    2. Children's 9-12 - Literature - Classics / Contemporary    3. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    4. Children: Grades 2-3    5. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    6. Classics    7. Dogs    8. Fiction    9. Juvenile Fiction    10. Social Issues - General    11. Social Situations - General    12. Juvenile Fiction / Social Situations / General   

Editorial Review

After reading this book, I guarantee that you will never visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art (or any wonderful, old cavern of a museum) without sneaking into the bathrooms to look for Claudia and her brother Jamie. They're standing on the toilets, still, hiding until the museum closes and their adventure begins.Such is the impact of timeless novels . . . they never leave us. E. L. Konigsburg won the 1967 Newbery Medal for this tale of how Claudia and her brother run away to the museum in order to teach their parents a lesson. Little do they know that mystery awaits! ... Read more

Reviews (270)

Great Book
This book is great so far. It is full of mystery and adventure. Twelve year old Claudia has run away with her brother Jamie to the Metropilan Muesum of Art. Claudia decided to bring along her brother Jamie with her because he has a lot of money. While they are there at the muesum, Claudia and Jamie come across a great mystery in the muesum that is all over the newspaper. If you would like to find out what this great mystery read this book! Teachers it is also a great book to read with your class. Also edutactional!

Not mixed-up about how good this book is
This Newbery award winner is about Claudia and Jamie, two kids who run away from home. They leave the suburbs and head to New York where they stay in none other than the Metropolitan Museum of Art. They sleep in an old bed in the French section. They hide in the bathrooms. They even take baths in a fountain (and get paid for it, sort of)!But when a new exhibit comes in, the fun really starts. The Angel is beautiful, exquisite, and mysterious. The question: is the sculpture really done by Michelangelo? Claudia and Jamie will do anything to find out. I think I loved the book mostly because I really liked the idea of living in a museum. This book is good for all ages, but I expected it to be longer.
Wonderful Story
I remember this from my own childhood favorites and am now reading it with my daughter--
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Subjects:  1. Action & Adventure    2. Action & Adventure - General    3. Art (paintingsculptureartistsarchitectureetc.)    4. Brothers and sisters    5. Children's 9-12 - Fiction - General    6. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    7. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    8. Classics    9. Fiction    10. General    11. Juvenile Fiction    12. Metropolitan Museum of Art (Ne    13. Runaways    14. Self-reliance    15. Juvenile Fiction / Mysteries & Detective Stories    16. Modern fiction   

Reviews (985)

Hatchet is my Favorite Book
Hatchet is my favorite book, this is a book where a boy whos parents are divorced and goes to visit his father and takes a single engine plane and and plane crashed into a river. The pilot suffers a heart attack and dies, the Boy, Brian survives and manages to live in the middle of no where for about a year, The boys mother, gave him a hatchet for his birthday and the hatchet represents life for without it the boy would not have been able to survive. The boy eventully gets rescued and flys back.

Hatchet
Hatchet
Hatchet
HATCHET
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Subjects:  1. Action & Adventure    2. Action & Adventure - General    3. Children's 9-12 - Literature - Classics / Contemporary    4. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    5. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    6. Classics    7. Divorce    8. Family - Marriage & Divorce    9. Fiction    10. Juvenile Fiction    11. Social Issues - Adolescence    12. Social Situations - Adolescence    13. Survival    14. Juvenile Fiction / Social Situations / General   

Editorial Review

Like the Oklahoma dust bowl from which she came, 14-year-old narrator Billie Jo writes in sparse, free-floating verse. In this compelling, immediate journal, Billie Jo reveals the grim domestic realities of living during the years of constant dust storms: That hopes--like the crops--blow away in the night like skittering tumbleweeds. That trucks, tractors, even Billie Jo's beloved piano, can suddenly be buried beneath drifts of dust. Perhaps swallowing all that grit is what gives Billie Jo--our strong, endearing, rough-cut heroine--the stoic courage to face the death of her mother after a hideous accident that also leaves her piano-playing hands in pain and permanently scarred. Read more

Reviews (759)

Be careful with this book
My daughter was allowed to borrow this book from her school library when she was 7 because she tested high on her SRI. She was sitting on the couch reading it with tears welling up in her eyes. I read the book, and it is a beautifully-written, powerful piece, BUT be careful. If your child is not ready for this emotionally, DO NOT allow her/him to read it. The baby and mom die horribly, the father withers away and the girl is racked with guilt and blame. It's not something you give lightly to a child of any age.

A Mon avis...
Though this book is well written and has a creative style I absolutely despised the story. The reason I dislike this book has nothing to do with it being "very sad" as some other reviewers have commented. Instead I dislike the book because the story is lacking and I do not think the author does a good job of creating empathy towards the characters. Usually when a reading a "sad" book I have sympathy towards the characters. In this book there was none. Also I felt the character development was lacking. I don't reccomend this book if you are looking for a good story I do reccomend it though if you are interested in learning about free verse or seeing how the author shaped the story.

Poetry
This book is AWESOME! I believe that it is simply amazing how this authour was able to portray so eloquently the joys and hardships of Billie Jo during the Dust Bowl, especially when writing it all in poetry. This a must-read for anyone really, even those who are 10, like me. I loved it because of the above reason, and, because Billie Jo is so truthful and pure about here feelings in this book, and you don't see a lot of that nowdays. My advise is to READ IT!!!!!!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1929    2. Children's 9-12 - Literature - Classics / Contemporary    3. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    4. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    5. Classics    6. Depressions    7. Dust storms    8. Farm life    9. Fiction    10. Historical - United States - 19th Century    11. Historical - United States - 20th Century    12. Juvenile Fiction    13. Oklahoma    14. Juvenile Fiction / Historical / United States / 19th Century   

Editorial Review

"It's funny how ideas are, in a lot of ways they're just like seeds. Both of them start real, real small and then... woop, zoop, sloop... before you can say Jack Robinson, they've gone and grown a lot bigger than you ever thought they could." So figures scrappy 10-year-old philosopher Bud--"not Buddy"--Caldwell, an orphan on the run from abusive foster homes and Hoovervilles in 1930s Michigan. And the idea that's planted itself in his head is that Herman E. Calloway, standup-bass player for the Dusky Devastators of the Depression, is his father.Read more

Reviews (408)

I wish I could give more than five stars
If you love to give your kids good literature, don't miss this book.
Review by Chris L. of "Bud, Not Buddy"
Hi!I just finished reading BUD, NOT BUDDY by Christopher Paul Curtis. It's a very good book I must say and this is why I give it a 5 star rating.
Siji John's"Bud, Not Buddy" book review
"Bud, Not Buddy" was a heart-felt book. Ten-year-old Bud Caldwell was the main character of this book. His mother had died when he was six years old. He had a suitcase with his personal things in there. Nobody was allowed to look in there without his permission. He also wrote a book for himself. It was called,"Bud Caldwell's Rules and Things for Having a Funner Life and Making A Better Liar Out Of Yourself." Bud's mom never mentioned anything about his father. He had a flyer in his suitcase that had a picture of a band on it. He was pretty sure that the person who played the bass was his father. Herman E. Calloway was the guy's name. Since he had nowhere to live, he went in search for Mr. Calloway. Bud's destination was Grand Rapids. In order to get to grand Rapids, he had to get to Hooverville, Flint. He was already living in Flint. He just had to find Hooverville. Hooverville was a place for people without money. When he got to Hooverville, Bud made a new friend named Deza Malone. She later became his girlfriend. She gave him tips for living life without money. Bud's ticket to Grand Rapids was just a train ride away. Unfortunatly, Bud missed the train. He had to walk from there. He was stopped by a man named Lefty Lewis. He offered Bud a ride to his home. Since Bud didn't have a home, he had to use his book to get him out of this mess. Bud told him that he lived in Grand Rapids and that Herman E. Calloway. was his father. Lefty Lewis fell for it and took Bud to Grand Rapids. Bud was finally at his destination. He went inside the building where the band practiced. He confronted Mr. Calloway and told him that he was his Bud's father. Mr. Calloway was mad at this and replied with a no. Bud didn't believe him. At the end of the story, Bud finds out that Herman E. Callowaywas actually his grandfather. I would have never guessed this ending until I read the entire book. It was very surprising. Bud Caldwell came looking for a home and ended up being with his long-lost grandfather. He struggled through some difficult times but he succeeded in the end. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1929    2. Action & Adventure    3. Action & Adventure - General    4. African Americans    5. Children's 9-12 - Literature - Classics / Contemporary    6. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    7. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    8. Classics    9. Depressions    10. Fiction    11. Historical - United States - 20th Century    12. Juvenile Fiction    13. People & Places - United States - African-American    14. Runaways    15. Social Issues - Runaways    16. Social Situations - Runaways    17. Juvenile Fiction / General   

Editorial Review

Scott O'Dell won the Newbery Medal for Read more

Reviews (482)

Really Bad
I have got to say that is is one of the worst books I have ever read. I picked it to read off a summer reading list when i was 10 just because i liked the title. All it is, is a girl tries to save her brother when everyone is leaving their island, and they get left behiend. Spoiler ahead.
Island of the Blue Dolphins/Movie
I've always loved this movie; I guess the main reason is, I'm a big lover of dogs and when I first viewed Island of the Blue Dolphins, it was the dog (in it)which grabbed my interest. Maybe he reminded me of Walt Disney's Old Yeller; guitly as charged. Loved that mutt, too. At any rate..
Journey through the Island of the Blue Dolphins
This book offers an insight to the world of an Indian girl left to fend for herself on a deserted Island off the coast of California. She learns how to survive by going against her cultural traditions such as making weapons. She also had to learn survival techniques to be able to eat and take shelter. This was an interesting book and I would recommend it to students and teacher. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Action & Adventure    2. Action & Adventure - Survival Stories    3. Children's 9-12 - Literature - Classics / Contemporary    4. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    5. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    6. Classics    7. Fiction    8. Indians of North America    9. Juvenile Fiction    10. People & Places - United States - Native American    11. Social Situations - General    12. Survival    13. Juvenile Fiction / Social Situations / General    14. Modern fiction   

Reviews (189)

The Education of Little Tree By: Forrest Carter
This book is about a boy orphaned very young who is adopted by his Cherokee Grandmother and half Cherokee Grandfather in the Appalachian Mountains of Tennesse during the Great Depression. He Grandparents named him Little Tree. He is taught how to hunt and survive the mountains the Cherokee way, taking only what is needed by his Grandfather. He is taught the joys of reading and education by his Grandmother. He also learns the way of white businessmen and tax collectors and how Grandfather scared the away. Little Tree is sent off to an indian boarding school run by whites. We learn of the cruelty of indian children. Little Tree learns how the world differs from the Cherokee way.
The WORST book I ever recorded...
When I was first chosen to narrate this book, I knew nothing of the racist past of it's author -- I knew only that it was the single worst book I'd ever been assigned.The negative AudioFile Magazine review of my recording (quoted here on Amazon) is completely fair.Reading the book to myself in order to prepare to record it, I found it annoying in the extreme -- the so-called prose is precious and poorly written, and the allegedly authentic colloquialisms are grating.When it came time to say it all aloud, for the first time ever (and I've narrated upwards of 200 audiobooks) I found it impossible to invest this piece literary flotsam with any emotional content whatsoever.As declining the job was no longer an option, I merely tried to stay out of the way and give it as simple and logical a performance as I could, but I was unable to compensate for the God awful writing, and unable to disguise my contempt for the entire enterprise.It remains the worst recording I have ever done, and I was, for a time, quite ashamed of it.Now that I discover more about it's hate mongering author, I'm actually pleased that the recording stinks.I now believe I gave this garbage exactly the reading it deserved.(I must add that I learned a valuable lesson: never record a book you loathe.I was subsequently offered the execrable "Left Behind" series for young adults, but having suffered through "Little Tree," knew better than to lend my voice to the spewing of "Christian" hate.)

Disappointing
This book was assigned school reading.I found it rather boring and the language used in the story became annoying after a while.Not recommended. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 10-12)    2. Classics    3. Juvenile Fiction    4. Literature - Classics / Criticism    5. Readers - Chapter Books    6. Biography: general    7. Historical fiction    8. History of specific racial & ethnic groups    9. Tennessee   

Reviews (50)

One of my favorites
This is the first McCullers' book that I have read and it has becomeone of my favourites. It felt like a timeless story that could have been written only yesterday instead of in the 1930's. It also could have been written by a much older, experienced person instead of a young girl of 23 years. It is a gentle, sad story that might have been typical of small town life. It was very refreshing to feel submerged in the slow pace and emotion of life in a long gone era. The story touched me in an unexpected way, and I know I will long remember the characters and their individual stories.
Lonely, dark, tragic and strange
The Heart is a Lonely Hunter is a strange book. It is classic Southern Gothic, and it is with a heavy heart that you read on, page after page.
Too boring...
I love to read as much as any other bookworm, and normally I force myself to go all the way to the end. This was one of those books I had to put down. And being that it's deemed 'classic' and 'brilliant' made me feel somewhat dumb at first when I dropped it, but after I thought about it, I don't think that putting it down was a 'dumb' thing to do. It was so boring, I'd rather watch bread mold. Nothing happened, the characters were bland, and I found myself looking at the page numbers, making sure I read my twenty pages a night before bed. After putting this down, I cleansed my palette with Margaret Atwood (also brilliant, but with good, interesting storylines and characters). I don't think I'll be picking up another McCullers book. Who cares if a twenty-three year old wrote it? Does it make it 'genius'? Christopher Paolini wrote Eragon at fifteen, and that was [...], yet he's also being lauded as a 'wunderkid', but that's a story for another day. This book would have been genius if it had a point, but I didn't think it did. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Classics    2. Fiction    3. Fiction - General    4. Friendship    5. General    6. Southern States    7. Suicide victims    8. Teenage girls    9. Fiction / Literary    10. General & Literary Fiction    11. Modern fiction    12. Literary Criticism    13. Literature - Classics / Criticism    14. 20th Century American Novel And Short Story    15. McCullers, Carson   

Editorial Review

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Reviews (871)

Welcome to the Warren
This book was so deep and descriptive, that many people told me a kid my age wouldn't be able to understand it. But Watership Down was a book that was just my taste, creative, animal-associated, and filled with the characters that make fairy tales seem boring. I couldn't have loved it more.
My favorite book
This is my favorite book of all time. I've read it three times and it continues to grip me and keep me at the edge of my seat (so to speak).

GREAT BOOK
I had to read this book for school, and it was great. The story seems weird but it is really great.
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Subjects:  1. Classics    2. Fantasy - General    3. Fiction    4. Literature - Classics / Criticism    5. Fiction / Fantasy / General   

Editorial Review

In all Mildred D. Taylor's unforgettable novels she recounts "not onlythe joy of growing up in a large and supportive family, but my own feelings ofbeing faced with segregation and bigotry." Her Newbery Medal-winning Read more

Reviews (432)

Confusion
I never quite understood why everyone seemed to love this book so much. I read it, along with my entire grade, in seventh grade, and found the book to be annoying. I was especially annoyed by flawed characters, and a not very impressive writing style.
Very disappointed...
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, by Mildred Taylor was a very disappointing book. There is no particular story; the book starts rising action here and there and down again here and there. There is no specific climax. Basically, it's like there's no story. What I also hated about this book was the ending and the fact that there was no moral in the story. The book was full of cliches from every chaper by chaper. Each chapter was too long( this is not a dumb complaint). Instead of just starting a new chapter, Taylor just skips a line to basically start a new chapter. I'm sorry if this doesn't make sense to you.
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
Searching for a book to read that Beautifully Infiltrates...Gracefully Relates...Lovingly Displays...Proudly Annunciates...then Roll Of Thunder, Hear My Cry is the answer. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Afro-Americans    2. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - General    3. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    4. Classics    5. Fiction    6. Juvenile Fiction    7. Race relations    8. Social Issues - Prejudice & Racism    9. Southern States    10. Juvenile Fiction / People & Places / United States   

Editorial Review

Few stories offer more warmth, wisdom, or generosity than this tale of two boys, their fathers, their friendship, and the chaotic times in which they live. Though on the surface it explores religious faith--the intellectually committed as well as the passionately observant--the struggles addressed in Read more

Reviews (287)

Amazing Book
I am not under 13, in fact I'm 22. Wasn't in the mood to go through all the "what is your email address" stuff.
A moving tale in every way.
I have read hundreds of literature and classic titles and have loved many.But, this is my favorite book.God wrote it, not Chaim Potok like the cover states.

the chosen-great!!
I loved this book.When I received it there was no damage done to it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Classics    2. Fiction    3. Literary    4. Literature - Classics / Criticism    5. Fiction / Literary    6. Modern fiction   

Editorial Review

Ever since Mark's parents died, he has been living with Bryon. The boys are more like brothers than mere friends. They've been inseparable--until recently. Something seems to be changing between them, and Bryon can't figure it out. Is it Cathy, Bryon's new girlfriend? Is Mark jealous? Bryon is also tired of the street fighting, but Mark seems unable to quit. And where is Mark getting all of that money? In Read more

Reviews (230)

That was then , this is now
The theme of the story "This was then this is now" is changed throughout the story the boys Mark and Bryon seem to be in school and walking down the streets most of the time and wondering anywhere there situation is. The aspect of the story I personally liked was that Mark and Bryon are in different situations, like Bryon has a girlfriend that mark and is constantly getting into street fights and mark is jealous of Bryon having a girlfriend. And at the same time mark seems to be coming up with money and can't control himself and won't seem to quit most of the time. The aspects that weren't so interesting to me were that Bryon gets into street fights the were caused by the stupidest things and doesn't want to resolve the problems he just wants to fight all the time and he gets tired of fighting already. I think that images that Hinton put out were very persuading to the person whose reading the book, because he said how Bryon sticks up for mark in a fight and how there on the streets dealing with the problems, I also thought that the main characters were believable because I would think the boys were just the typical best friends that get in to situations that the boys get into in the story.The story was an adventure that two best friends have in a lifetime.

Oustanding, Hard Hitting
As a 7th Grade Language Arts teacher in search ofgood book for my students, I hit a home run with this one.Wow! Powerful!
Another outstanding novel about teen boys in trouble
When I was in tenth grade, my English teacher read "The Outsiders" by S. E. Hinton to the class. I loved the book so much that I reread it one year later and consider it one of the best examples of fiction about teenagers. While this book isn't quite the caliber of "Outsiders" it is another excellent novel about teenagers experiencing troubles.
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Subjects:  1. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - General    2. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    3. Classics    4. Family - Stepfamilies    5. Fiction    6. Friendship    7. Juvenile Fiction    8. Social Issues - Adolescence    9. Social Issues - Friendship    10. Social Issues - General    11. Social problems    12. Juvenile Fiction / Social Situations / Friendship   

Editorial Review

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Reviews (1506)

The hobbit
I didnt really enjoy this book because it was hard for me to understand. I understood the characters and i could picture what they looked liked because it has good discription, but other than that the rest of the book didn't grab my intrest. The biggest reason I didn't like this book was probably because it wasn't real, like how the hobbits lived under ground. After reading this book I relized that i'm just not into fantasy stories.

The best of these books
The story of a simple man on a long journey, I enjoyed every page and have read it again and again.
There and Back Again
I know that over a thousand people have reviewed this wonderful book but I felt so strongly about The Hobbit that I just had to say sonething about it. The Hobbit was and still is a masterpiece, and will remain a masterpiece for centuries to come. One of the main reasons why is that its prose and style of writing is absolutely captivating. It has a simple and delightful charm to it that makes you want to keep on reading. Its plot is also a treat. It is not boring or stale, as I've heard others say, but lively. Also, with this book, there are many coicidences and connections among characters (so what if Bilbo didn't kill Smaug? Think about it. Could a little hobbit really kill a dragon twenty times his size, despite his cunning and discreetness? I don't think so). Best of all, though, it has a sweet message and theme that can actually leave you pondering about it for hours. I have read the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and I have to admit that, in my opinion, The Hobbit is better, despite the Trilogy's genius. What can I say? It's an excellent read, and definetly worth your time. The only thing you'll regret is that it will go by too fast. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    2. Classics    3. Fairy tales    4. Fantasy    5. Fantasy - Epic    6. Fantasy - Series    7. Fiction    8. Fiction - Fantasy    9. Juvenile Fiction    10. Middle Earth (Imaginary place)    11. Juvenile Fiction / Science Fiction, Fantasy, Magic