Holes

Holes
By: Louis Sachar
Copyright: 2000
Pages: 272
Reading Level: 9-12

"'Oh Sam' she said.'My heart is breaking.'
'I can fix that' said Sam."

Holes is the story of Stanley Yelnats (yes his first name is his last spelled backwards.) The story starts by telling us about Camp Green Lake, and then how Stanley got there. Camp Green Lake, is a very deceiving name, as it has no lake, and no green. Stanley gets sent to camp Green Lake, for stealing a pair of shoes. However he didn't actually steal the shoes, they feel and hit him on the head. Once Stanley gets to camp, he is given the name of "Caveman" and is suddenly treated like one of the guys. The reason the title of this book is Holes, is because at Camp Green Lake that is what they do. They did holes, to "build character". While the story of Stanley is being told, a second story, a love story, is being told at the same time. This story is about Camp Green Lake, when it was green and had a lake. Miss Katherine, is the towns school teacher, and she eventually falls in love with Sam. The problem with this is that Sam is Black, and it is against the law for a Black man to kiss a white women. So they burn down Miss Katherine's school house, and kill Sam along with his donkey Mary Lou. Miss Katherine then become Kissin' Kat Barlow and is "one of the most feared outlaws in all the West."
Even though Stanley doesn't know it now, but his and Miss Katherine's lives are much more intertwined than he knows. Stanley and Zero, a boy who doesn't know how to read, become friends. Zero learns how to read from Stanley, in exchange for digging part of his hole every day. One day Stanley finds a tube of lipstick with the initials KB on them. Since "Caveman" is new at the camp X-Ray, another boy at camp, decides he doesn't deserve a day off. As you get the rest of the day off from digging, if you find something the warden finds interesting. The Warden does in fact find this very interesting, and makes the boys dig all around the hole X-Ray supposedly found the tube. But they find nothing.
Eventually Zero gets angry, and runs away refusing to dig another hole. Stanley eventually follows him, and they find "Gods Thumb" and survive off dirty water, and Onions. They decide to go dig in the hole Stanley actually found the lipstick tube. They dig all night, and find what they think is a treasure chest. Just as they finally get the suitcase out, the Warden shows up, and demands it from Zero. However it and Zero are covered in Yellow Spotted Lizards, which are deadly.
Eventually both Stanley and Zero make it out of the hole thanks to all the onions they ate the days previous. Stanley's Lawyer shows up and takes him home because he has now been proven innocent. Stanley not wanting to leave Zero/ Hector refuses to go without him. And since they can't find Hectors files (because the warden had them destroyed) he is able to go with them. Zero uses the money from the suitcase to find his mother, and Stanley buys his parents a new house. Stanley's father invents a cure for smelly feet, and they make a commercial with Clyde Livingston who was the owner of the shoes Stanley supposedly stole. The book ends with Hectors mother humming an all to familiar tune.

Recommended to: All middle school children, this is a great adventure for both boys and girls.
Problems: This book is to cleaver for people to complain about.
My reaction: I loved it, sadly this was my first time reading Holes, I had seen the movie before, but I especially loved how the love story of Miss Katherine and Sam was wrote in the book, I didn't feel as emotionally attached in the movie. This book is cleaver, and intertwines two stories perfectly together. And allows you to solve the mystery right along with Stanley.

A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Carnivorous Carnival

A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Carnivorous Carnival by: Lemony Snicket.
Illustrator: Brett Helquist
Copyright: 2002
Pages: 286
Reading Level: 7-12

"Miracles are like meatballs because nobody knows what they are made of, where they came from or how often they should appear." - Lemony Snicket

In the 9th book in this captivating series we find the Baudelaire children hiding in the trunk of Olaf's car which they decided to jump in in the previous book.Through plenty of eavesdropping they discover that Olaf and his troupe are joining Madame Lulu's caravan Carnival. The Baudelaire's disguise themselves as freaks and decide to join the carnival as well. Sunny as Chabo the wolf baby and Violet and Klaus as a two headed person with highly differing voices.
they soon discover that a crystal ball told Olaf that one of their parents might be in the Mortmain mountains. After the 1st carnival show, Olaf announces that one of the freaks will be thrown into the lions pit at the next show. The Orphans go to discuss it with Madame Lulu and discover that her fortune telling is fake. Lulu catches them and reveals herself as someone named Olivia.
that night Esme Squalor turns up and tells them that if they get Lulu dumped into the lion pit the next day then seh will be able to join Olaf's troupe. the Orphans make plans to escape with Lulu the next day.
The next day Violet and Klaus are chosen to be thrown into the lion pit. they stall and eventually one of Olaf's henchman and Lulu are thrown into the pit and devoured.
The Orphans then discover a map up to the Mortmain mountains, Olaf appears and, still not recognizing them explains that it's the secret base to a secret organization. Tehy join Olaf's troupe and start heading to the mountains when Olaf reveals that he knew all along that they were the Baudelaire's in disguise and their caravan is cut off the train while they're on a steep slope. To be continued...

Recommend to: Preteen children, because of the complicated writing style and plot.
Problems: violence, two people are eaten by lions, might offend some people
Reaction: Once again Snicket did not dissapoin. the plot was creative and witty and kept me on my toes. the cliffhanger at the end forces the reader to continue on with this wonderful and yet thoroughly depressing story. I can't wait to find out how the Baudelaire's will get themselves out of this inventive, horrible and seemingly impossible predicament.

Series of Unfortunate Events: The Ersatz Elevator

A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Ersatz Elevator by: Lemony Snicket
Illustrator: Brett Helquist
Copyright: 2001
Pages: 259
Reading Level: 8-12

" if you were to skip the parts about being 'nervous' and 'anxious' you would be skipping the most pleasant parts of the entire story" - Lemony Snicket

The 6th tale of the Baudelaire Children finds them going to live at another address this time with Jerome and Esme Squalor. Esme works with a man named Gunther, who the Baudelaire's immediately recognize as the antagonist of the story, the notorious Count Olaf, despite his disguise. Jerome and Esme dismiss their protests against "Gunther" to much frustrations.
While left alone one day the children discover that the elevator is fake. Climbing down the elevator shaft they discover their old friends the Quagmire triplets trapped in a cage at the bottom by Count Olaf, who plans to sell them at an auction. Olaf takes the triplets away before the Baudelaire's can rescue them.
They try to tell Esme about Count Olaf and the Quagmire triplets, but it turns out that Esme is working with count Olaf and she pushes them down the elevator shaft into a net. the Baudelaire's manage to escape out of the elevator shaft through a trap door at the bottom and end up in the burnt remains of their old mansion.
They rush to the auction and attempt to buy the Quagmire triplets, but instead bid on a chest of doilies by accident. Esme and Count Olaf are revealed to be evil and sadly are able to escape the angry crowd. Jerome, who's still a nice man, wants to keep the Baudelaire's, but they leave to rescue the Quagmire's. The story ends there, to be continued in the next book.

Recommended to: Children ages 7-12, the story is fairly complicated and the writing a little advanced
Problems: It tends to be somewhat depressing, nothing very good ever happens to them
Reaction: I love the way Lemony Snicket writes, it's interesting, witty and creative. His tone is sarcastic and simultaneously sincere. He really draws you in and makes you love and care about the welfare of the characters, making the story that much harder to read because of the excess of unfortunate events.

the Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

The Chronicles of Narnia: the voyage of the Dawn Treader by: C.S. Lewis
Illustrator: Pauline Baynes
Copyright: 1952
Pages: 223
Reading Level: 8-12

"And there we all were, as invisible as you could wish to see"

In this book, we meet again two of the Pevensie children. Edmund and Lucy, at this point in the story Susan and Peter are too old to return to Narnia. Edmund and Lucy and their cousin Eustace are pulled into Narnia through a painting of a ship. they find themselves on the Dawn Treader, captained by Prince Caspian now king of Narnia.
Caspian is looking for the 7 lost Lords of Narnia, also a talking mouse, REepicheep is on board looking for Aslan's country.
Throughout the book they visit many different mysterious islands the first are the Lone islands. This Island has fallen away from Narnia and is abundant in slave trade. the crew is captured and sold until slavery. Eventually they are able to reveal their true identity, restore the island to the Narnian ways and are free to continue their voyage. The next island they visit Eustace, Lucy and Edmund's nasty cousin, gets greedy and accidently transforms himself into a dragon. However, he has a change of heart and Aslan changes him back to himself. They discover a bracelet on the island that belonged to Lord Octesian. They travel to many different islands along their way, along the way they discover Lord Restimar and Lord Rhoop and eventually come to the island of the star, they find the rest of the Lord's in an enchanted sleep.
To awaken the lord's they have to sail to the edge of the world and leave one crew member behind. Lucy, Edmund Eustace and Reepicheep end up sailing to the world's end and leaving Reepicheep behind. They are able to rescue the Lords, Lucy, Edmund and Eustace go home again and everything is right in Narnia.

Reccomend to: Preteens, the story is fairly elaborate and complex, difficult for younger children to follow
Problems: Possibly the idea of other worlds outside our own might offend some people, they also ellude to the world being flat. some might be offended by the christian themes and metaphors.
Reaction: This story is among one of the more abstract and interesting of the series. Lucy and Edmund continue to be developed as older and more mature. The newer characters are interesting and relateable and the many islands that they visit are evidence of Lewis's rich fantasy that creates this fantastic world. The story was beautifully told, i didn't want it to end.

Beetle Bop

Beetle Bop
By: Denise Fleming
Copyright: 2007
Pages: 32
Reading Level: 4-8

This book in a very simple informational book. It describes all the different types of beetles, in simple terms that children can understand. There are green beetles, and brown beetles. Buzzing beetles, humming beetles, and steadily drumming beetles. Then there is "fly-in-the-air beetles." Then at the very end of the book it has information about beetles and all the different types in sentence form. The really neat thing about this book is the artwork is done by pouring colored cotton fiber through the hand-cut stencils. There is also a rhythm that goes along with the story, so it makes it a fun read.

Recommend to: Young children still discovering the world, and the creatures in it.
Problems: None, this is a good book for everyone.
My Reaction: This is a beautiful book, the illustrations is what makes this book really special. The beetles look like they have texture. This is a simple but awesome book.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Magicians Nephew

The Magician's Nephew by: C.S. Lewis.
Illustrator: Pauline Baynes
Copyright: 1955
Pages: 202
Reading level: 8-12

"Polly's hand went out to touch one of the rings. And immediately, without a flash or a noise or a warning of any sort, there was no Polly"

This beautiful story, filled to the brim with christian-based metaphors and symbolism tells the story of the two children Digory Kirke and Polly Plummer. They are good friends, one day playing in the Digory's magician uncle Andrew's attic, they discover a set of brightly colored rings. Uncle Andrew tricks Polly into touching one of the rings, forcing Digory to go after. they find themselves in a forest and soon discover that by using different colored rings they can transport themselves to different worlds. The first world they visit is one that seems to be no longer inhabited. It is full of ruins and old statues. They discover an old bell,and despite the warning on it they decide to wring it. This wakes up the witch-queen Jadis, who Polly and Digory quickly discover is evil. Desperate to get away from her they try to leave the world without her, but to no success, she follows them to London causing mass chaos. They eventually succeed in getting her back into the forest and into another world along with a lampost, a cab-driver and his horse as well as their Uncle Andrew. The world is pitch-black when they get there and they soon realize that it has not been created yet. They then watch, entranced as Aslan, the lion, sings the world into existence. As he walks along flowers sprout up around his feet, trees grow, oceans are made. the lampost is planted into the ground, the horse gets wings, and Aslan turns the cab-driver and his wife into King and Queen of the new world. The Queen eats one of the magic apples and is granted eternal youth, and because of Digory's goodness he is given an apple which he later gives to his mother to cure her of her illness. He and Polly, obviously travel home eventually. Where Digory plants the core of the apple in the backyard and buries the rings. He later turns the tree into the beatiful wardrobe Lucy finds in the Lion the Witch and the wardrobe. Digory is the old professor that the Pevensie's go to live with.

Recommended to: Preteen children, the metaphors are fairly complicated, the writing advanced.
Problems: in no way realistic, Christian metaphors and symbolism might offend some people.
Reaction: This story was beautifully told, the concept of different worlds other than our own, was inventively and told in a new light. I appreciated the background story and history that obviously went into the story. I also could appreciate the heavy, and interesting christian-based metaphors and themes it made the story very relatable and added to it's relevance in my own life.

How to Heal a Broken Wing

How to Heal a Broken Wing
Author/ Illustrator: Bob Graham
Copyright: 2008
Pages: 40
Reading Level: 4-8

How to Heal a Broken Wing, is done in a comic book style illustrations. Which is different than most of the books I have read. The book starts with a bird, who is flying through a city, and hits the glass of one of the tall buildings. And falls. No one sees the bird on the ground, as the people are to busy. Then a boy, Will sees the bird "with a broken wing..." Will takes the bird home and takes care of it. They bandage the bird up. And with rest, time, "and a little hope." The bird flies once again.

Recommended to: Any child, most relate really easily with animals.
Problems: The problem I found with this book is that, I personally wouldn't want my child picking up strange birds and bringing them home. And I feel that it is slightly unrealistic that the family cured the bird, and it was able to fly again.
My reaction: I liked the style of the illustrations, at the beginning there is very little color, and then as the boy emerges from the subway he is the only thing that is bright in color. Showing the hope he brings with him. Then as the bird gets better the illustrations get progressively brighter and brighter.