Duckface is changed after reading “A Young People’s History of the United States.”

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Title: A Young People’s History of the United States

Author: Howard Zinn

Genre: Non-Fiction, History

Rating: 5 Stars

Howard Zinn has written a historical non-fiction book that is thrilling, stunning, and educational. A Young People’s History of the United States is about early American history. It talks about every social class in U.S. history and is not biased for or against one side at all. All the details of the Revolutionary War, The French and Indian War, and more, are explained. How the wars were caused and started is all told and recognized. One interesting fact is that the Natives didn’t even want to fight in the French and Indian War but they got paid a lot, so they fought anyway.

I would recommend this book to historians and kids who want to know more about the history of how America started and about the thirteen colonies. This book has changed the way I see things in my everyday life, because I now wonder how homeless people end up on the street and what their lives must have been like when they were young. They could have been born into poverty like slaves were born into slavery. Or, maybe, their parents had a successful life but they got fired from their jobs and ended up on the streets. All in all, this book has changed my life and how I see the real world.

Reviewer: Duckface

Age: 12

Hallelujah… explores the meaning of friendship in “Peaches!”

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Title: Peaches

Author: Jodi Lynn Anderson

Genre: Realistic, Romance

Rating: 4 Stars

Jodi Lynn Anderson’s writing is packed with many tender adventures, especially her book, Peaches.  In this book, Murphy, Birdie, and Leeda are three relatable young girls finding their way through adolescence.  Birdie’s family owns a peach orchard where Murphy and Leeda are forced to work all summer. That same orchard will unite these three girls forever.  

At first, Murphy, Birdie, and Leeda are not friends at all: they are quite the opposite of each other. Birdie is shy, homeschooled, and thoughtful, Leeda is bright, attractive, and forgiving, and Murphy is sexy, adventurous, and a troublemaker. But when the orchard goes into financial distress, the three girls come together to save the business.

I thought this book described the meaning of friendship well, and I really loved it!  However, there were some parts I thought to be rude or wrong, like when Murphy stole Rex away from Leeda.  I think the writer could have written Rex to be more loyal or compassionate.  And Leeda was too forgiving in that situation. Nevertheless, I appreciated this book because it is very engaging and a really fun read.  Each character has a wonderful personality and spirit.  I think this is a worthwhile read. I give this book a 4-star rating.  If you read this book, you will learn all about the girls’ unbreakable friendship and the conflict they work out in all three Peaches books.

Reviewer: Hallelujah…

Age: 13

HockeyGirlMT finds a stunning message in “The War that Saved My Life!”

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Title: The War that Saved my Life

Author: Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

Genre: Historical Fiction

Rating: 5 Stars

The War that Saved my Life is a stunning book that takes the reader through a girl’s daring escape not only to get free from her fears, but to find her strengths. Ada has never left her one-room apartment because her horrible mother is too ashamed about Ada’s twisted up foot. When World War II hits London and kids evacuate to the country, Ada escapes with them. But will she be free or will the grip of her abusive mother pull her back? The War that Saved my Life is an extraordinary book with beautiful detail. You will love this book if you are interested in life around World War II or if you just want to read a tremendous and moving book. This book is very well written: I can imagine each scene because author Kimberly Brubaker Bradley writes with beautiful description. The War that Saved my Life is one of my favorite books and I can’t wait to read it again.

Reviewer: HockeyGirlMT

Age: 12

OzzyReed is over the moon about “Space Case!”

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Title: Space Case

Author: Stuart Gibbs

Genre: Mystery, Science Fiction

Rating: 4.5stars

Out of all the books I’ve read, Space Case is one of my favorites because it’s very thrilling.  Ever wonder what it’s like to live on the moon? Well, the setting of Space Case is on the first human settlement on the moon in the year 2041. The settlers there are mostly scientists and their families. Also, rich tourists pay tons of money to spend a couple months on the moon.

The main character, Dashiell, age 12, hates the moon base, which was advertised as nice and comfortable, but is actually the opposite. Early on, a man named Dr. Holtz is found dead on the surface of the moon with his space suit on wrong. Everyone on the base believes the death was an accident; but Dash thinks different. Because no one believes him, Dash has to quietly investigate by himself. Dash thinks it’s a murder because the night of the murder he heard Dr. Holtz in the bathroom talking excitedly about a new discovery he had just made. Also, Dr. Holtz was very cautious and would not have walked out on the moon surface without someone to check that his suit was on right. Dash is surprised to learn that Dr. Holtz actually had enemies; Dash thought everyone loved him. The final twist will BLOW YOUR MIND!

One thing I like about Space Case is that everyone on the moon base is a suspect. It’s scary that Dash has to solve the murder mystery before the rocket that brought supplies leaves back to Earth in two days; otherwise the killer is still on the loose at the base, which has no way to lock criminals up. I definitely recommend this book for everyone who likes rockets and robots, suspense and excitement, and a good hard-to-put-down mystery.

Reviewer: OzzyReed

Age: 10

Hfkiely writes a stunning review of “Red Rising.”

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Title: Red Rising

Author: Pierce Brown

Genre: Science Fiction

Rating: 5 Stars

In a word, Red Rising is stunning. The story revolves around our futuristic solar system and the evolution of man. In four thousand years from now, man has been genetically engineered to divide into different races of humans, each used for a specific purpose. For simplicity, each job is represented by a color. However, some of the colors are engineered with higher physical superiority than the others. The Golds are the rulers of mankind. Their sole purpose is domination and order. The book follows a young man by the name of Darrow, who was born into the lowest color of all: the Reds, meant only for the mining of mars. Since a young age, all Reds are told that humans are just now trying to colonize mars, and that the Helium-3 they are mining is helping them to make the planet liveable. But this is a lie. The whole system has been colonized for centuries. After his family is killed, Darrow stumbles upon the lies the Golds have been keeping for years, and will do anything in his power to make it right. Even if it means becoming one of them.

Pierce Brown writes with descriptive vigor to create fantastically vivid images of the world and people in the universe, to the point where it almost puts you in the world itself. The bonds and emotional attachments to characters and places he creates have you flipping through the pages as he puts you through the unimaginable. This incredible writing style is what makes the book mind-blowing throughout. The twists are on every page, the excitement is book wide. Red Rising is a must read for anyone who cares about what it’s like to be a human.

Reviewer: hfkiely

Age: 15

Untrustworthy Doofus gives high praise to “Bruiser.” This review is an EXEMPLAR!

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Title:  Bruiser

Author:  Neal Shusterman

Genre:  Young Adult Fantasy

Rating:  5 Stars

I just read a fantasy book for young adults titled Bruiser, by Neal Shusterman, that made me feel tremendous sympathy and empathy for the characters. Bruiser is about a kid everyone calls The Bruiser, who wants to have friends, but shuts them out at the same time. When Tennyson’s twin sister, Brontë, becomes The Bruiser’s girlfriend, Tennyson is bothered by it and investigates. He discovers that the Bruiser steals pain from everyone he cares about. When someone breaks an arm, for example, The Bruiser’s arm breaks instead.

What I like most about this book is that Shusterman is a master at switching perspectives between multiple protagonists. Bruiser shows the power of emotions to their fullest extent when the twins’ parents are affected by his “gift” in a strange way. I would rate this book 5 stars!

Reviewer:  Untrustworthy Doofus

Age:  14
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