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Realistic Fiction
Literature and the Child, 2nd edition, by Bernice E. Cullinan
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Friction By: E.R. Frank
Friction is the story of a class of happy kids at an alternative school. When Stacy comes, she starts to convince the kids that their teacher is molesting them and sexually pressuring them. "Friendships are tested and relationships broken in this powerful novel". - reviewed by |
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Holes
By: Louis Sachar
In the book Holes, by Louis Sachar, a young boy named Stanley ends up in the wrong place at the wrong time. After being charged with robbery, he ends up going to Camp Green Lake, a juvenile detention center. There he meets a group of very different kids. During the course of the book, he makes some unusual friends and learns the secrets of Camp Green Lake. I recommend this book because it’s funny and full of adventure.
- reviewed by Nicole
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Ice By: Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
This is a spectacular, riveting, witty story of a 13-year-old girl named Chrissa. She has trouble communicating with her mother when her father is always coming and going, but one day he never comes back. Chrissa will barely speak, no matter how hard she or her mother both try.
Because of their lack of communication, over the summer, Chrissa’s mother decides that they need space and time to think; Chrissa leaves their apartment in New York City to live in her grandmother’s small house in Rochester.
However, since the grandmother she is staying with is her father’s mother, Chrissa looks forward to finding out all the mysteries of the father she barely saw and now hasn’t seen for three years when he left for good. She meets one friend, Thad, who is her neighbor in Rochester and a couple girls at school.
Chrissa faces several obstacles she has to overcome, like the town preacher and her nephew who want Gram’s woods to build a new church. There’s also the fact that she’s trying to find her father and continuously failing and tending Mrs. Johnson’s kids when she’s out. The unexpected ending shows how much Chrissa changed over the course of the book to be strong enough to do what is right for the ones she loves.
Ice was a thrilling and very good read. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys an intense book with surprises at every corner. - reviewed by Lisa M. |
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Stargirl By: Jerry Spinelli
Stargirl was popular from the second she stepped into Mica High, but not because of the usual reasons. She was different; some thought she was crazy how she remembered everyone’s birthday and carried her pet rat around everywhere. Everyone was always talking about her, “Stargirl, Stargirl,” they whispered to each other as she walked down the hallway. Leo Borlock’s heart is immediately attached to her. She puts smiles on everyone’s faces with just one of her weird cheers at a basketball or football game. The students at Mica High love her. Until one day they hate her and everything that makes her different. No one even talks to her any more. Leo tries to change her into everything that she isn’t; he tries to make her normal.
- reviewed by
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The Steps By: Rachel Cohn
This story is about a preteen city girl, Annabel Whoopi Shubert. She is looking forward to her winter break in New York City with her best friend. But then her glamorous, single mother announces that she’s headed to Australia to visit her father. He remarried and now he has three step-kids. Annabel is not happy about this trip. She does not bond immediately with Lucy, her Australian stepsister, who is her age. But as the story progresses and she becomes more jealous of her father’s new family, she begins to bond with Lucy and eventually they are best friends. She is not so quick to accept the other “steps.” She and Lucy (who is angry at her parents for making her move away from her friends) run away to Lucy’s old hometown on New Year’s Eve, pretending to be teenagers and staying with Lucy’s loving grandmother. By the end of the story, Lucy and Annabel forgive their parents and Annabel returns to New York City on a happy note. I definitely enjoyed this book. The characters are very loveable and the story is engrossing. I recommend it to everyone who loves a sweet story.
- reviewed by Nell K. |
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Firegirl By: Tony Abbott
Firegirl is a book about a girl who was burned in a fire and a boy who tries to overcome the bias environment of his school to befriend her. Jessica, the burned girl, is the prime target for gossip, hurtful rumors, and mockery.
Tom, the main character, learns who his real friends are: Jeff is mean and one of the kids who gossips about Jessica, and soon Tom learns not to waste his time with Jeff.
At the end of the book, Jessica moves away, but leaves Tom a different person. Tom learns to respect others and stand up for people who can’t stand up for themselves.
- reviewed by Violet
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Tell No One By: Harlan Coben
Myron is having a party one day for his girlfriend and a few others. He goes down to his basement to get some ice when he overhears his best friend’s daughter, Amy and his girlfriend’s daughter, Erin, talking about party and getting drunk. Myron remembers a girl who was a friend of his who died in a car crash because she was drunk, so he goes down and makes them promise to call him if they need a ride; He promises he will not tell their parents. Soon enough (at around 2:00 am) he gets a call from Amy. He goes to pick her up and drops her off at her friend’s house. The next day she goes missing. Myron feels responsible so he makes it his job to find her.
I recommend this book highly. It has may twists and turns that keep you reading on.
- reviewed by Emma |
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Homeless Bird by Gloria Whelan
This book is about a thirteen year old girl named Koly. She lives
in India. This book takes place about 40 years ago.
Koly has to get married and has to move to her husband's house. About
two weeks after their marriage her husband dies. This book is about how
Koly survives living with her "Sass" (mother-in-law), who is
mean and cruel.
This book is kind of like Cinderella and I would give it a full 5 star
rating! - reviewed by Kathryn |
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The Alice Series by Phyllis Reynolds
Naylor
The Alice Series is a great set of books about a girl named Alice. It consists
of thirteen books that follow her as she grows up, and goes from being a
girl to a young woman.
The first book begins when Alice is in fifth and sixth grade. The book follows
her to ninth grade. Though they were written for girls, anyone could enjoy
them.. Their reading level would be for sixth through eighth graders. I
highly recommend reading this ever-growing series.
- reviewed by Anne |
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Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
This book is about a teenage boy named Leo. A new girl comes to his high
school and she is quite odd. She brings her ukulele to school and sings
"Happy Birthday" to the people celebrating a birthday. She has a pet rat;
she leaves presents on people's desks; she gives presents to complete strangers
celebrating anything form anniversaries, birthdays, weddings, and holidays.
Her name is Stargirl and nobody likes her.
Then, Stargirl asks Leo out and they start to go together. This book is
a suspense filled read. I highly recommend it!
- reviewed by Chelsea |
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Monster by Walter Dean Myers
This was a very good book. It was about a black boy who lives in Harlem.
He wants to be a producer. He is accused of being involved in a robbery
and an accidental murder. The book is written from the boy's perspective
of about what happened to him in court and jail. It is written like a movie
script. Steve (the boy) struggles with what will happen to in and who he
really is. I recommend this book to everyone who likes books that are deeper
rather than light reads.
- reviewed by Kate |
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A Series of Unfortunate Events series
by Lemony Snicket
I strongly suggest that you read the Lemony Snicket series titled "A Series
of Unfortunate Events." It is a twelve book series all about three orphans
with a huge amount of money left for them in a will. They will get the money
when they grow up.
The books are all about the journeys of the triplets as they are chased
by an evil man who tries to steal their fortune. The books are written in
the third person and have an active narrative. These books are unlike most
others and can be read on many levels - a quick read or studied for a month.
I strongly suggest you pick up one these books and see if you like the creative
writing style.
- reviewed by Evan |
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Bloomability by Sharon Creech
Bloomability is a wonder and enlightening story of a girl and
how she changes. Domenica Santolina Donne, otherwise known as Dinnie,
gets sent out of America and shoved into the little house of her Aunt
& Uncle in Switzerland. She is to go to her Uncle Max's American school.
Away from her family, with this strange opportunity, Dinnie feels unwilling
to follow a different path. But, when she becomes more accustomed to her
new life and realizes that others feel the same as she, Dinnie changes.
She discovers that that many "bloomabilities" (possibilities) are able
to occur.
This is a very enjoyable, easy to read story, which I recommend to anyone,
any gender interested in a girl much like everyone today.
- reviewed by Emma S. |
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A Barrel of Laughs, A Veil of Tears by Jules Feiffer
This book is about a young prince, named Rodger. Now Prince Rodger has a
unique talent of making people laugh when ever they come near him. Prince
Rodger also thinks every thing in his life is for a good cause, and that
it is all fun and games. Because of this fact, he is sent on a quest to
find someone who does not laugh. On a scale from one to ten, I would rate
this book a ten, because it has humor, love, sincerity, and some more humor,
and that is the kind of book that I like.- reviewed by Jessie |
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The Birthday Room by Kevin Henkes
The book is about a boy named Daniel, who goes and visits his uncle. When
he is a t his uncle's house, he makes new friends. Also he changes a lot
mentally. I really enjoyed the book, I would recommend it as an easy, fun
read.- reviewed by Jordan |
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