Life As We Knew It
Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer; Harcourt Children's Books: New York, zoo6; $17 My first impression of the book Life As We Knew It was that it would be boring and drawn-out,...
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Book, movie, and media reviews by young critics
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Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer;
Harcourt Children's Books: New York, zoo6;
$17
My first impression of the book Life As We Knew It was that it would be boring and drawn-out, judging by its number of pages and blunt plot. When I began reading it, I was mesmerized with the book's intensity and multiple problems that stemmed from the story's main conflict: an asteroid hitting the moon, knock...
The Forest in the Hallway by Gordon Smith;
Clarion Books: New York, zoo6; $16
You can’t judge a book by its cover. How many times have you heard that phrase? Still, when I picked up The Forest in the Hallway, I took a good look at the cover and thought, Looks OK. I was incredibly, absolutely wrong. I was expecting an average fantasy book. This one is extraordinary.
An Unlikely Friendship by Ann Rinaldi; Harcourt
Children's Books: New York, 2007; $17
Imagine a lonely white girl, raised in a wealthy and prestigious family, who lived her dream of becoming First Lady in the White House. Now, imagine a black girl, born into slavery mistreated and overworked, who in the end was able to purchase her own freedom.
Hurt Go Happy by Ginny Rorby; Starscape:
New York, 2007; $5.99
I can’t imagine what life would be like if everyday sounds, such as the voices of my friends and family, weren't included. I'd need to read their lips or communicate in sign language with them, which would have to be tough. Joanne "Joey" Willis, the main character of Hurt Go Happy, faces this situation.
Home, and Other Big Fat Lies by Jill Wolfson;
Henry Holt and Company: New York, 2006;
$16.95
This story begins when the great and mighty "Termite" gets sent to her twelfth foster home. People call Whitney Termite because she is hyper and small for her age. Whitney has always lived in the city, but this time she is off to go live in the woods.
Travel Team by Mike Lupica; Penguin Young
Readers Group: New York, 2004; $16.99
Hello, I’m Zach Hoffman and I'm twelve years old. I'm going into the seventh grade and I love to read and play sports. I like reading books in which kids play sports with their friends and teach you lessons on confidence, pride, and teamwork.
Swordbird, by Nancy Yi Fan; HarperCollins:
New York, 2007; $15.99
Imagine you live in a world of birds, of flight, of complete freedom. Imagine an evil hawk comes along and tries to steal your freedom and make you his slave. Imagine being caught up in a pointless, bloody war, for which your family and loved ones are sacrificing their lives.
I Am Rembrandt’s Daughter, by Lynn Cullen;
Bloomsbury Children’s Books: New York,
2007; $16.95
How many of you know who Shakespeare or Beethoven were? Many of you, probably, but how many of you know who Rembrandt was? I know who Shakespeare and Beethoven were, but I had no idea who Rembrandt was until I read the book, I Am Rembrandt’s Daughter.
Larklight, by Philip Reeve; Bloomsbury
Children’s Books: New York, 2006; $16.95
Eleven-year-old Arthur Mumby, his sister Myrtle, and his dad live on an old spaceship called Larklight—until it is attacked by giant spiders. Larklight is an excellent book because you are never bored.
Desperate Journey, by Jim Murphy; Scholastic
Press: New York, 2006; $16.99
Something about Desperate Journey just pulled me in. The author, Jim Murphy, showed me a different way of life. In the mid-i800s, many families, usually Irish, made a living by being pulled along the Erie Canal by teams of mules, horses, or any other animal able-bodied enough to pull a boat.