“The Escape from Home” by Avi is book one in the two part “Beyond the Western Sea” series. This amazing historical fiction adventure explores the experiences and feelings of three children as they leave their homelands and set off for America, the New World.
Two of these children, Maura O’Connell, age fifteen, and Patrick O’Connell, age twelve, are from Ireland. At the start of the story they are living in a small village called Kilonny with their mother. Gregory O’Connell, the father of Maura and Patrick, emigrated from Ireland to America to try to find work. For nearly a year they have received no news from him, and they are beginning to fear that he has not survived the dangerous passage over the Western Sea. Read the rest »
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Rating: 4.3/5 (3 votes cast)
“Starclimber,” by Kenneth Oppel is a phenomenal science fiction novel that is third in a series that began with “Airborn” and “Skybreaker.”
The “Airborn” series is set in a unique alternate reality world with a distinct Victorian feel. In some ways it is very similar to our world in the 1800’s to early 1900’s. However, in the “Airborn” world lighter than air transportation has reached a much higher degree of development. A special gas called hydrium makes huge airliners and heavy duty airtugs possible. These airships share the skies with heavier-than-air Leonardo da Vinci style ornithopters, and strange high altitude creatures that are usually dangerous to the brave human aeronauts. Read the rest »
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Rating: 4.0/5 (4 votes cast)
“Marcelo in the Real World,” by Francisco X. Stork is a fascinating story about a boy who has an autism-like condition. The story focuses on his unique thinking processes and the effects that they have on his relationships in the real world.
Marcelo Sandoval has several major interests. First and foremost he loves music. Not only can Marcelo hear the individual notes of music in a manner much different from the way most people listen to music, but he can also hear music in his head even when none is playing. Second, Marcelo is deeply interested in God and religion, and he spends large amounts of time reading various religious texts and praying. Read the rest »
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Rating: 4.0/5 (1 vote cast)
“Atherton - The Dark Planet,” by Patrick Carman, is the stunning conclusion to the Atherton series. Its thoroughly satisfying conclusion reveals the final secrets of Atherton and its enigmatic creator.
Atherton is world created by a scientist named Dr. Harding. Dr. Harding grew up on the Dark Planet, a world ruined by pollution and human greed. As he grew up he envisioned a new, clean world that would orbit the Dark Planet. And so Dr. Harding created the world, using advanced science to grow it from a microscopic seed in a test tube, into a great three tiered world with its own creatures and natural cycles. Read the rest »
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Rating: 5.0/5 (2 votes cast)
“Speak,” by Laurie Halse Anderson is about an outcast girl who has been rejected by most of the students at her school.
When Melinda Sordino breaks up a wild end of summer party by calling the police it is the right thing to do, but it causes her fellow students to view her with disdain. When the police arrived, most of the party goers ended up in big trouble with their parents for being at the party and a few people were even arrested. Melinda’s friends see her as a tattletale and they all disown her. Read the rest »
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Rating: 4.8/5 (4 votes cast)
