Reviews (155)

a good read
I don't really like these kind of stories but I liked the emotion between simon and zoe , a really sad yet touching story about revenge loss and of course love . I recommend to anyone who loves vampire love stories.

Revenge of the Vampire
This book is about a vampire out for revenge on a vampire that killed his mother. Simon, the vampire with a grudge, was a boy when his mother died then he got drunk at a local bar and was in to the evil vampire he is now by the vampire that killed his mother.After hundreds of years of feeding on animals, because he never had the appetite for humans, he meet a girl that made him want to spend the rest of his life with. the girls name was Zoe and she was having family problem herself.Zoe's mother is dieing from cancer. Simon and Zoe find themselves falling in love with each other and Simon found himself being followed. The killer that killed his mother and changed him was back to kill him.
Nothing Good Can Come Out of This
This book is about a girl named Zoe who feels alone since her mom has been in the hospital battling cancer, and her father is gone also either staying with her mom or at work.She thought she'd always be able to count on her best friend, until she has to move, leaving Zoe completely alone.It wasn't until bodies have been found in her town completely drained of blood and their throats slashed open does a mysteriously, but very handsome Simon come into her life.Zoe finds herself falling in love with him, only to find out Simon has secrets and pains of his own.When Zoe is faced to make a tough decision whether or not to help Simon avenge the death of his mother or just sit back and let yet another loved one leave her does the real story begin.
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Subjects:  1. Children's Books - Young Adult Fiction    2. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 10-12)    3. Death    4. Fiction    5. Mysteries, Espionage, & Detective Stories    6. Social Issues - General    7. Social Situations - General    8. Vampires    9. Juvenile Fiction / Social Situations / General   

Reviews (218)

Hardship, determination and a strong will enable this young woman to develop into a noble woman
Shabanu enjoys the pleasures of her childhood with her playmate and camel, Gulaband.Shabanu draws alot of strength and encouragement from her Auntie Sharma, a single-parent, when it becomes a matter of survival for the family and the adults begin making decisions of major consequence.
Shabanu: great read for some.
My son is 12 and had to read the book for a 7th grade project on diversity. He loved the book. It truly depends on the child, and his/her reading abilities if it is going to be a great experience or a boring one. I think it is a appropriate book for a middle school reading list.

Jillian's review
Shabanu is the story of a girl named Shabanu and her sister Phulan, who lived in India. Both girls will be promised to marry a man when they are of age whether they like it or not. Shabanu was to marry Murad and Phulan was to marry Hamir, and both were happy. That's the end, right? Wrong! When tragedy strikes, Shabanu is forced to marry a 53 year old man named Rahim-Sahbib, who she does not want to marry. If she refuses to marry him, Nazir Mohammed, Rahim-Sahbib's brother,will make Shabanu and Phulan's lives miserable. Will Shabanu go against her families beliefs and follow her heart, or will she do what she is told? Read it to find out! I liked Shabanu a lot, because it has a great message. Also, I really liked the character of Shabanu, because she was a strong character and I like how she wanted to be herself. I would recommend this book to [...] and up, because of some hard to understand language and inappropriate content. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - General    2. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    3. Cholistan Desert (Pakistan)    4. Ethnic - Other    5. Fiction    6. People & Places - United States - Other    7. Sex role    8. Social Issues - Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance    9. Social Situations - Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance    10. Juvenile Fiction / General   

Reviews (13)

a very very very very very good read
this is a very charming tale of this mean girl who adopts this boys cat when his dad develops an allergy.he misses the cat so much he goes over to thier house all the time.one day dinky hockers[WHAT A NAME!]cousin same over and the boy and her fall in love.her name is natalia line.shes a schizophrennic who rhymes all her sentences and words when under stress.its a wonderful story that has a "to kill a mockingbird" like charm to it.not the bad stuff but the parts where thekids are just bein g kids.i fell in love with this story right away.it will always have a place in my heart.

Will touch your soul
I read this book when I was in junior high school.That was over 30 years ago and I still remember it and how well I could relate to the struggles of teen life.If you are a teenager considering this book or a parent considering buying it for your child, do not hesitate. After all, though I am a pretty smart and well educated person, this is the only book (I'm serious here) that left a lasting impression on me from the K-12 years.It's gotta be special.

Best of the best
It has been seven years since I was assigned to read this book for my eighth grade class and I stll think about it to this day.The book has a way of drawing you in to their everyday routine.I am sure I still have the book somewhere in my room, but I just can't find it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Adolescence    2. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - General    3. Children: Grades 4-6    4. Emotional problems    5. Fiction    6. Social Issues - Emotions & Feelings    7. Social Issues - Friendship    8. Juvenile Fiction / Social Situations / General   

Editorial Review

Teen angst has never been such serious business--or this much fun! In his secret diary, Britishteen Adrian Mole excruciatingly details every morsel of his turbulent adolescence. Mixed in with daily reports about the zit sprouting on his chin are heartrending passages about his parents' chaotic marriage. Adrian sees all, and he has something to say about everything. Delightfully self-centered, Adrian is the sort of teen who could rule a much better world--if only his crazy relatives and classmates would get out of his way. Read more

Reviews (47)

He is 13 3/4!
This stellar piece of fiction written by fantastic author, Sue Townshend, will have you in pieces literally from the very beginning.
Hilarious!!!!
**Warning Spoilers**
As Good As Bridget Jones
I love this book! I read it when I was a teenager and some of the stuff that only the English would know was a bit tough to get through but it was just so much fun, so hilarious that I read it many times. I recently re-read it and it was totally as good as I remember or better. Unfortunately, there were follow-up books and none came even close to this, the classic British Diary book.
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Subjects:  1. Adolescence    2. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks    3. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    4. Divorce    5. Family problems    6. Fiction    7. Fiction - General    8. General    9. Humorous Stories    10. Juvenile Fiction    11. Social Issues - Adolescence    12. Social Issues - Emotions & Feelings   

Reviews (170)

Journey of a girl
I read this when I was young, and I remember feeling like I had found a friend.In this book, I found a character who struggled with the same issues with family members, self worth, impossible crushes, and God that I did.But instead of dwelling on the struggles, we see the difficult childhood of this girl pass.
Well written, but not recommended for kids
This is a well written book, however, I feel I should point out several issues I have with this book, which seems to follow the formula of the "modern teen problem novel".This novel "explores difficult emotions" such as selfishness,jealousy, and alienation from God. All characters who are devoutly religious are portrayed as either uneducated or mean, and any "enlightened" characters or heroes are portrayed as not being religious.( Does anyone really know any Christians who go around , Bible-in-hand, accusing other women of "whoredom"?) And what modern teen "problem novel" would be complete without some sexual themes, and at least a brief discussion of menstruation ?At the book's end, our main character chooses to continue in her career after the birth of first child. Parents should also be advised that Sara Louise's "coming of age" includes rejecting religion.( Although, to be fair, the book does not portray Sara as a happy person, but I think this subtlety will be lost on children.)Judging by other reviews, most child readers did not pick up on the fact that Caroline was a much kinder and more likable person than Sara Louise.An adult reader who is wise to the anti-religious bias may enjoy the book ( if they're not grossed out by the idea of a 14 year old having a crush on a 70 year old man). If you are looking for a book about a normal child, with normal child feelings, dealing with her "perfect" sister, read Little House on the Prairie and leave this book on the shelf. Appropriate reading for adults, who can understand the bias against religion, but not at all recommended for children.
Book Review on Jacob Have I Loved
Just recently, I have read the Newberry Medal-winning novel Jacob Have I Loved written by Katherine Paterson. This book describes the life of young, Sara Louise Bradshaw, the twin of the popular and more appreciated, Caroline Bradshaw, growing up on the small island of Rass. All her life, Louise felt as if Caroline has deprived her of everything: their family's love, her friends, and her dreams for a successful future. Then, when Captain Wallace - who had mysteriously returned after fifty years of disappearance - finds a way to obtain a scholarship for Caroline in Baltimore, Louise is left to tassel with her sharp-mouthed grandmother and take on the traditional job of a male as a waterman. Unfortunately, this did not satisfy the woman she was becoming. Louise must learn to fight past her jealousy of her sister's shadow and figure and find her way to place Caroling cannot reach. I learned of this book from a friend and found it interesting from their description. After reading, however, I realized it is very emotional and gets very deep into the feelings of jealousy and hatred. In addition, it also has a large use of vocabulary. So I would recommend it to anyone who is thirteen or older preferably to the female gender but some men may also find this story appealing.
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Subjects:  1. Brothers and sisters    2. Children's 12-Up - Literature - Classics    3. Children: Grades 3-4    4. Classics    5. Family - Siblings    6. Fiction    7. Social Issues - Adolescence    8. Twins    9. Juvenile Fiction / Family / Siblings   

Editorial Review

What happens when one of the authors of the Bunnicula series (novels for young adolescents starring a vampire bunny) decides to write a book for older teens? The result is not what you'd expect. Read more

Reviews (108)

Good Book
There is a strange, lonely, teenage girl who sits and stares at people on the beach.On the same island there is a self-conscious boy going through the trouble of watch his parents get divorced.There is also another teenage boy who had never met his brother before he drowned in pool.Then their worlds meet and everything becomes clear.In this book there is an abused and confused girl who sits and watches certain people at the beach.Each of the particular people that she observes, including herself, has a traumatic experience that has happened or is happening in their life.They all end up together in the same house, at the same stage in their lives: rehabilitation.The girl's father finally gets arrested, the boy forgets about his brother's death and stops drinking and partying, and the other boy's parents end up staying together.The Watcher, by James Lowe, is a good book that was written well but could have had a better storyline.
Perhaps the best book i've read..
When I went to my local bookstore i picked up this book, read the back, and just bought it never totally taking it seriously..but when actually sat down to read it I was surprised at how wonderful and beautifully written it was. It was definitely one of those books that i picked up and literally could not put down, I had to go to bed before I was able to finish it, but I woke myself up early the next morning to finish the remaining pages..it was amazingly captivating. I'm pretty sure the back cover describes the book better than i could, so i'll just leave the description up to that. I would Definitely reccomend this book..I can't imagine anyone who wouldn't like it.

Please read before you buy
this book is for YOUNG ADULTS, my sister and I both read this book, she loved it (shes 14), I didn't like it (im 16). Its slow and written for young kids to understand. The end was the only exciting part so if your looking for a good book that makes you think and appreciate life (like "a child called it") this book isnt it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Beaches    2. Child abuse    3. Children's Books - Young Adult Fiction    4. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    5. Domestic relations    6. Family problems    7. Fiction    8. Juvenile Fiction    9. Social Issues - Adolescence    10. Social Issues - Physical & Emotional Abuse    11. Social Issues - Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance    12. Juvenile Fiction / Social Situations / Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance   

Reviews (3)

Memories of a life and a lifetime
Bruchac does a wonderful job of mixing Indian tales and legends with the stories of his life.I found myself asking questions about events in one chapter, only to have them answered in a later chapter.Bruchac gives you enough detail to put you in the story, but doesn't inundate you with it.I hope someday to attend a storytelling festival where he is featured.His ease with the language and his experiences in life make Bruchac a fabulous storyteller.Thank you for sharing your memories and those of a great people.

Of life, dreams and memory
Bowman's Store - the rememberances, of today and yesterday in an Abenaki life.The discovery of whispers in the blood and the path of discovery in the recovery and claiming of heritage.Circles are begun, completed, and heralded.This story will echo, for anyone who remembers family and celebrates their own. For Jr. High School readers and up.It should be in every library that wishes to have books by and for Indian people. John D. Berry, Native American Studies Librarian, U.C. Berkeley

A moving account of one man's recovery of his heritage.
Joseph Bruchac lived through a childhood few wouldenvy. His parents used him as a weapon in their own endless battle. However, he lived with his warm and loving grandparents, and this story retells his life with them.His grandfather, the "Bowman" who owned the store, claimed to be"French Canadian" to his Indian-hating neighbors. Forced to hidehis heritage, Bowman still taught his grandson how to grow up strong andproud of himself and his achievements. Now that Bruchac has recovered hisIndian heritage, and become a well-known writer and editor of Indian works,this biography shows both the power of that heritage, and the needcontemporary Indians feel to recover it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1942-    2. Abenaki Indians    3. Biography    4. Biography & Autobiography - Literary    5. Bruchac, Joseph,    6. Children's 12-Up - Biography / Autobiography    7. Children's Books/Young Adult Biography    8. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    9. Ethnic - Native American    10. Indian authors    11. Mixed descent    12. New York (State)    13. People & Places - United States - Native American    14. Bruchac, Joseph   

Editorial Review

It's not Shelby's fault that she's considered one of the "At Risk" kids at school; it's her mother's fault. Shelby doesn't need socks given to her in charity. She doesn't need help on her homework. She just needs someone to talk some sense into her loony mother, who--in between obsessive devotions to dead artist Georgia O'Keeffe--prepares for yet another move. Shelby is tired of her mother's antics and refuses to move anymore. What are they running from anyway? Martha Moore, winner of the Delacorte Prize for her previous book, Read more

Reviews (7)

Angles
Martha Moore constructs a distressing reality world filled with mystery in Angels on the Roof, set in an isolated town in Red Valley, Texas. Fourteen-year-old Shelby wants a normal life but doesn't know anything about her father and yet her eccentric mother refuses to talk about him. If worse then it already is her mother is always constantly moving herself and Shelby everywhere. Shelby just wants to stay put and have a normal teenage life. In next to no time she finds herself heading for Red Valley where she is introduced to unknown food, remote dirt paths, and strange people. One of those strange people is her mother's foster mother, Aunt Onie. Shelby realizes that Aunt Onie may hold the answer to her puzzling past to her unknown father and is determined to reveal her mother's secrets. But in Red Valley, Shelby finds out that the truth can be very risky, and some questions can hurt more then you think. Angels on the Roof
Angels on the Roof is a very touching book to me it made me wonder more about my family and not to lie to my mother like her mother did to shelby about her dad. I would recemend this book to anybody because it is very good with explaining it's characters, it's plot, and it keeps on wanting you to flip the page and not set it down.

Angels on the Roof
One cannot truly understand another without walking one mile in their shoes. This saying is displayed in Martha Moore's novel, Angels on the Roof. This novel takes place during the protagonist's freshman year of high school. The protagonist, Shelby and her mother, Zoe, have a missing link in their mother-daughter-relationship. That link is Shelby's father. Then to make things more complicated for Shelby, her mom is taking Shelby on one of those over-night-impulse trips she gets all the time. Shelby thinks she is going to have to move for the thousandth time, and she is determined to finish 9th grade in one place. So the lucky place they are going to "visit" is Red Valley, an empty town with country hicks. Shelby is miserable the minute she gets there and she wants desperately for the day to end, so they can go home. But things happen that make Shelby want to stay longer. This is an enjoyable novel for pre-teens and teenagers, because it deals with issues that every pre-teen or teenager deals with. Most people can relate to Shelby, which could make someone think that there is someone else who went through the same issues, even though the book was a fictional novel. Here is a good sampling of this idea: "Over the years my mother's had a lot of phases: Ceramics, Sand Candles, Designing with Buttons, and Denim Art, just to name a few. I figured Georgia O'Keeffe would pass and we wouldn't even have to have a garage sale to get rid of her. In the meantime, my mother couldn't get enough. Every day when she came home from work, she sat in the recliner with her lap full of art books. She read out loud whether I was listening or not, spouting off a million loony ideas about an artist who was born over a hundred years ago. I mean, she'd be a skeleton by now." (Page 2) This quote demonstrates how Shelby, thinks that her mom is off her rocker, but at the same time, she still loves her mom and goes along with her mother's bizarre obsessions. I thought the book was a good short novel that one doesn't have to analyze. All one has to do is just read and enjoy it. The understanding that Shelby and Zoe start to reach near the middle of the book makes the reader come to a sense of peacefulness that brings relief in the middle of this mother-and-daughter mess. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - General    2. Children: Grades 4-6    3. Family - General    4. Family life    5. Family problems    6. Fiction    7. Mothers and daughters    8. Social Issues - General    9. Texas    10. Juvenile Fiction / Social Situations / General   

Reviews (1)

Very Realistic Fiction
I first read this book as I read it to my fifth grade class, because Priscilla Cummings was visiting our school.I had no idea how touching this book would be.When I would stop reading for the day, my fifth graders would beg me to give them just 5 more minutes.At the end of the book, several of my students and I got teary-eyed during the reading.There was no end to the great discussion topics we had over Will, the sixth grader who is unexpectedly landed in the middle of a family struggle, and a struggle with a Canada Goose named Gray Feather. This a great book for independent reading, or for sharing!We all loved it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Canada goose    2. Children's 9-12 - Fiction - General    3. Children: Grades 4-6    4. Fiction    5. Geese    6. Grandfathers    7. Social Situations - Adolescence    8. Juvenile Fiction / General   

Reviews (4)

Granny the Pag
I liked the book "Granny the Pag", it was not very exiting but it had a good story. I liked the conflict between the charicters. Theplot was also good. a very interesting book
It is one of the best books for children I have read the last 2 years.It is funny and teach both children and adults how to make their dreams come true.I recommend it.

Granny The Pag
I enjoyed this book because it was exiting and sad. It was very realalistic and it was an exallant book.I would say out of all of the books i have read it is tied with the number one spot.I would rccomend this book to anyone,I mean this is so unbelivebly exiting!I also liked it because the author used very discriptive language. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    2. Children: Grades 4-6    3. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    4. Fiction    5. General    6. Grandmothers    7. Grandparent and child    8. Juvenile Fiction    9. Parent and child    10. Schools    11. Juvenile Fiction / General   

Reviews (12)

The Cuckoos Child Review
Traveling to Tennessee due to their parents being lost at sea was not an easy task to swallow. Mia, and her two older sisters, Bibi and Nell, went to live with their Aunt Kit whom they had never met. Since Mia was dealing with the fact that her parents were lost at sea, she was very hard to talk to. Because of this, Mia's Aunt Kit sends her to Bible School in hope that she would improve behaviorally wise. At Bible School, she meets a girl named Sinclair and they both become best friends. Sinclair and Mia become best friends, but when they get into a fight, Mia decides that she will join another group called the Devotions, who are the leaders of Bible School. Eventually, Mia and Sinclair make up and create their own group where they write poems. Mia writes a poem and decides to call it "The Cuckoo Child". This book has many characteristics that you don't see in other books.
Mrs.Johnson's Book Review Project
Mia is an 11 year old girl living with her aunt in Tennessee. She has two older sisters, Bibi and Nell, who consider themselves first before anyone else. Mia, Bibi, and Nell live with their aunt Kit, because Mia's parents are traveling through Europe. When Mia finds out her parents are lost at sea she becomes angry and impossible to talk to. Because of her behavior Mia's aunt sends her to bible school, where she meets a girl named Sinclair. Mia and Sinclair become best friends and even make up their own club about saints. Sinclair is obsessed with saints, she even took a saints book from the library and hasn't returned it for a few years. When the two friends get into an argument, Mia joins the popular group at school, called the Devotions. The Devotions are the rulers of bible school, they always call you and tell you what to wear, so you don't look like the other groups from school. When the final day of school arrives, all the parents and students get together, at school, for awards and cookies at the end. Mia was still upset about her parents, so she didn't tell her family about the ceremony. When she arrived at the ceremony, she was so upset she climbed in a tree. When the Devotions saw her, they told her to get down but she wouldn't. Corrine, the leader of the Devotions, got mad and banished her from them. When Mia's family finally found her, she got down and left home with her family. Mia tried to get a hold of Sinclair, but she couldn't, so she went to her house. Mia found her there and apologized for getting into a fight with her. They became best friends again and made up a new club, abut writing poems. They started brain storming and Mia thought of a title The Cuckoo's Child.
Not just for kids
This is one of those books that has a child for a narrator but speaks to all ages, especially those of us who remember the feel and details of life in 1962. It has the unchildlike true voice found inTo Kill a Mockingbird or Member of the Wedding.Most of all it captures, with humor and quietdrama, one's growing inner lifeand the struggle to guide that life by thesignposts of the outer world. Look for the passages on eating cookies,touching the clock dial -- you'll see what I mean. It's a treasure. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books - Young Adult    2. Children's Books - Young Adult Fiction    3. Children: Grades 4-6    4. Ethnic - General    5. Family - General    6. Fiction    7. Parent and child    8. People & Places - United States    9. Separation anxiety    10. Separation anxiety in children    11. Social Issues - Emotions & Feelings    12. Social Situations - Emotions & Feelings    13. Juvenile Fiction / People & Places / United States   

Reviews (8)

Remembering Mog By: Mollie Radulski
Remembering Mog was a great story about a family who suffered from a terrible loss. In the story, Mog -an outgoung teenager- gets murdered on the night before her high school graduation. The story tells how Mog's family deals with her death and how they learn to remember her like the way they did before her death. I thought that this was a great book because it taught me to love and care for everyone. You never know when something terrible will happen. This book is a great book for all readers and I'd suggest for anyone to read it.

Enjoyed it!
In the book Remembering Mog by Colby Rodowsky, it's mainly about loosing a love one and how that affected their life.This book is also about making their own choices.In this book, a girl named Annie just lost her older sister. She couldn't stop thinking about what happened to her.Later on, she had to make her own choices for what she think is best for her.I recommend this book to those who had lost a loved one, especially when they're close to each other.This book might help that person to how to forget that loved one.

Remebering Mog
Annie must come to grips with the loss of her older sister and her mother's denial that Mog is gone. Finally, a book for young adults that is not hopeless and dreadful.Real issues, real struggles, real people yet "Dysfunctional Families in their Various and Nefarious Forms" isn't the theme of the book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books - Young Adult Fiction    2. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    3. Death    4. Family life    5. Fiction    6. General    7. Murder    8. Juvenile Fiction / General   

Reviews (4)

Misleading
Perhaps there is a little redeeming value in this book since it purports to discuss the feelings of a child who discovers her mother has an incurable disease that the child may have inherited.The story, however, is not believable.Because of the sudden onset of the disease and her mother's strange behaviors, Melanie feels the whole town is laughing at her family.In a small town where all kinds of eccentricities are chalked up to "cabin fever" this is hard to believe.Maybe the writer intended to show that Melanie just imagined this, but we are never quite sure whether this is Melanie's imagination or the meanness of her neighbors. Beautiful!
I recently reread Saint Vitus' Dance and it was as exquisite as the first time.No one writes like Ms. Rublacaba.The prose is beautiful and the portrayals of a stricken family are sensitive.Excellent!

One of my favorite books.
This is a very touching book that I will definitely read again and that I would recommend others my age read. It helped me understand how it would be to have a Mom with an incurable illness and how scary it would be.It'sa sad book that left me thinking deeply about how I would feel if the samething happened to me. I am 12 years old. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 9-12 - Fiction - General    2. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 10-12)    3. Family - General    4. Fiction    5. Health & Medicine - General    6. Huntington's chorea    7. Social Situations - General   

Reviews (3)

A Really Interesting Book! =)
In the novel, Kinship written by Trudy Krishner, this young girl was Perty (Pert) Wilson, lived with her mother, Rae Jean Wilson and her older brother, Jimmy Wilson in "Happy Trails" trailer park in Kinship, Georgia for many years.Pert was accustomed to the same neighbors, behaviors and habits day to day.Also, Pert has always wondered and longed for her father, James Williams Wilson of what he was like and for him to return home.Since Pert was a young child, she was not able to have what many other girls had, a father who was there for them at their side.As soon as Pert's father arrives, the life that Pert once knew started to change. This was a surprise hit with me!
Perty's father abondoned her mother and her at birth but Perty still has hopes and dreams of her father that no one can take away.In fact, she talks to her father all the time by sending him ESP messages, usually to please come home, they need him.Well, Perty believes the last message gotthrough to him because after church one Sunday, her daddy is standing ontheir front porch.No one was happy to see him much, except Perty, and shejust can't understand that.All that matters is the here and now for herand her daddy is here now.She just can't get it, even after helping thetrailer park with badly needed repairs, etc, her family, especially hergrandma and brother are as cold as ever.Her mother just prays all thetime, same as she used to.But Perty's world comes crashing down when hedoesn't show up at the Father-Daughter dance, and momma'sstashed-money-for-emergencies-comes up missing, and he takes repair moneymeant for the traier park and gambles it away.No one really comes toPerty's rescue with the truth about her father.Perty is strong willed andfriends and neighbors know she must find out on her own how her daddyreally is.And Perty finally does, she grows up and she's beyond thedreams of what a daddy really is supposed to be to see what her daddy isreally is-a smooth talking, run-when-there-is-trouble kind of daddy.Theconcept and difference between kinship and family is unearthed in thisgreat novel by a great author.I really could'nt put it down!

Kinship
A coming of age novel dealing with poverty and the importance of family.Characters are well drawn and really come to life.I like the way thevignettes of the trailer park residents give insight into Perts life.Anexcellent family oriented book and I would recommend it to students fromthe 7th grade up. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - General    2. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    3. City and town life    4. Family - General    5. Family - Parents    6. Fathers and daughters    7. Fiction    8. Georgia    9. Juvenile Fiction    10. Mothers and daughters    11. Social Issues - General    12. Juvenile Fiction / Family / General   

Reviews (4)

A family with six kids is just one big mess...
Rosie Maxwell is the second oldest of six kids. Nobody pays any attention to her. So she shows them. There was a really bad fire one day on top of a mountain. It was spreading everywhere. But Rosie Maxwell found a way to save everyone. If you want to find out how she saved everyone read this book!!!!

Allergic to My Family
Allergic to My Family is about Rosie Maxwell and her family. Rosie Maxwell is the narrator and tells what it was like living in her house for six months. Rosie lives with her family in Copper Canyon, California. A big part of the book was about having a 6th child in her family. The 6th child turned out to be a baby sister, so they named her Clara Maxwell. Clara was born in June after they got out of school. Also her brother Silas talked for the first time after three years! He only talked because his twin sister (Katie) got left at the beach and he was afraid that he would never see her again. Her parents didn't even notice before Silas told them, because they were at the beach on a hot July day. Then in August Katie and Silas had a birthday party for their fourth birthday. They also had a surprise visitor coming, which turned out to be their grandmother. During the time that she was visiting, Rosie and her went to get Katie and Silas birthday presents. It turned out that the birthday presents were a big disaster! At their birthday party Katie and Silas had a neighbor's donkey come and give rides to the four year olds. But while Katie and Silas took their turns, the donkey took off and started to eat a lady's flowers. When the lady came out of her house, she got so made that the donkey stopped eating her flowers and decided to give Silas and Katie the rest of their ride. Boy, that was a disaster! Then near the end of the book there was a fire at their house and their Mom and Dad were not home. So, Rosie had to help her brothers and sisters get out of the house and then made them go to get the bags that had all of their stuff that they needed in case of a fire. But after Rosie assigned all of the jobs she looked up and saw that the roof was on fire. Rosie then crawled up the drainpipe onto the roof, got a hose and sprayed the roof until the fire was extinguished. When Rosie's Mom came home she saw what Rosie was doing and got so proud that she forgot that the house was on fire and paid all of her attention to Rosie. This book was so exciting that I fell off of my seat at the end! I gave the book five stars because it shows problems in the story that could happen to you and gives good ways to solve the problems. This book would be enjoyable for little kids that like to have little kids as characters in the story. But this book is also good for grown ups that like to know what they are doing wrong, like not paying enough attention to their kids. And it also highlights good things like congratulating your son or daughter when they do stuff right. That's why I gave this book five stars.

Good book
I'm 11, and I got Allergic to my Family when I was nine, i guess. I think it is really good, because it teaches you about family, but it's not for teens. It's for people probably 8-11, or 8-12. It's a really good book, though. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 9-12    2. Children: Grades 4-6    3. Family life    4. Fiction    5. General    6. Juvenile Literature   

Reviews (113)

This audio book is abridged.
Even though the Amazon heading says "unabridged", the cover says this audio tape is an abridgement.So if you want it for students to follow along in their books as it plays, it may not be so convenient.

finding her place
Dicey Tillerman, the heroine of Homecoming, is having difficulty settling in at her grandmother's, who has adopted her and her three siblings. She finds it hard to let go of shouldering full responsibility, which she was forced to bear when shepherding her family down to her grandmother's.Despite her chip on her shoulder, she manages to make a few good friends, and after her mother passes away, come to terms with the pain and confusion that she's bottled up inside. Will she take her grandmother's words about "reaching out" to heart?
Don't worry if it's not good enough for anyone else to hear. Sing, sing a song.
When the Newbery Award (given each year to a children's book that is deemed the best-written work of the past 365 days) is handed to a sequel, I always get a bit incredulous.Really?This book is great in and of itself without having read its predecessor?In my opinion, sequels should never receive awards.If you thought that they were so great, award the first book/movie/album in the series, cause otherwise the awardee isn't going to make much sense.Harumph!There are exceptions to every rule, though."Dicey's Song" maybe one of the few.Unlike Lloyd Alexander's, "The High King" or "The Grey King" by Susan Cooper (the Newbery has a penchant for "King"ly sequels), Cynthia Voigt's quiet masterpiece does not necessarily require that the reader know the story that preceded it.It wouldn't hurt and it would probably make for a much better read, but not reading "Homecoming" isn't going to lessen your enjoyment of Book Two in the Tillerman family series.
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Subjects:  1. Brothers and sisters    2. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - General    3. Children: Grades 4-6    4. Classics    5. Family life    6. Fiction    7. Social Issues - Emotions & Feelings    8. Social Situations - Emotions & Feelings    9. Juvenile Fiction / Social Situations / Emotions & Feelings    10. Modern fiction   

Reviews (2)

Facing the Music
yes, it was well-written, yes the characters were well-developedbut i was dissapointed in the end. i really liked the main character, who at first appeared to be strong, with real goals turned out to be quite weak, letting them treat her the way they did, and it had a dissapointing ending- in the end when her brother didn't find out what he should have. but i still- still reccomend it. it's well-written and will capture your attention.

Great!
This is one of my favorite books I've ever read and I've read a lot! I love books about music to start with but good writing and subject matter other than music help, too. This book is definitely in my top 5! Buy it! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bands (Music)    2. Brothers and sisters    3. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - General    4. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    5. Death    6. Fiction    7. General    8. Juvenile Fiction / General   

Editorial Review

Having parents Read more

Reviews (5)

Boy From Aus
Having read this book when I was in year 10, it was a great eye openeer for me, with the revelation of the significance of how we perceive 'normaility'. Great Book!
This is a very dry account of a teenage boy's struggle to get by in his teenage years and his quest for normalcy. It is hilarious! This is a very interesting book, it isn't just funny, it is also a complex look at teen angst, what it means to be normal, there are parts of it that I laugh aboutwhen I just think about them. Al Capsella Takes a Vacation was also reallyfunny.

It had no plot - a waste of time
I had to read this book for 8th grade summer reading.I couldn't believe what a dumb story it was.It made no sense but was quite funny.Maybe I just don't get it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - General    2. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    3. Fiction    4. Humorous stories    5. Individuality    6. Parent and child    7. Social Issues - Adolescence    8. Social Situations - Adolescence    9. Juvenile Fiction / General