BOOK REVIEWS for MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS    
New Titles & Old Favorites
Written by kids who LOVE to read!

(Note: If you would like to have your own book reviews appear on this web site,
submit them in-person to a librarian at the Youth Library Reference Desk.)

These books are from the Tempe Public Library's Youth Library. 
See each title for the exact location/call number.

Trial by Journal by Kate Klise.  (MS K6596TR)
Lily Watson is not happy.  Not only does she have to spend the next month on jury duty because of a new state law, but her teacher, Mr. Holmes, is making her keep a journal of her experience!  At first, it doesn’t look like serving on a jury will be worth all that trouble.  The jury is needed to decide whether or not Bob White, a strange man who lives with his 30 dogs in a trailer at the edge of town, killed Perry Keet, an 11-year-old boy who was in Lily’s class.  Lily’s always thought Bob White was strange, and everyone says he killed Perry, so what is there to decide?  The only bright side is that the jury gets to stay at the exclusive Menagerie Hotel during the trial.  The Menagerie Hotel is only part of a huge entertainment complex including restaurants, boutiques, and a zoo, all owned by rich and generous animal enthusiast Rhett Tyle.  At the hotel, evidence begins to collect, but not all of it adds up.  Lily begins to doubt not only Bob White’s guilt, but also Rhett Tyle’s innocence.

The rooms in the Menagerie Hotel aren’t the only things that are animal themed- characters sport names such as E. Gull, Sy Meese, and Anna Conda.  The story is constructed out of a collection of journal entries, newspaper articles, notes to and from jury members, and pictures drawn by artist and jury member Leon D. Vinci.  From these, readers must piece together their own verdict- guilty or not guilty?

Submitted 5/04
by Allison
Age 16

The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau. (MS D9425CI)
Lina lives with her Grandma and little sister, Poppy, in the city of Ember.  Lina loves to run through its mazes of streets, and hopes that when she leaves school, she’ll become a messenger.  The city stands alone, its lights protecting the citizens of Ember from the darkness that surrounds the town.  Doon, Lina’s classmate, is worried that their town’s lights won’t last forever.  The dreaded blackouts are coming closer together now, and a rumor that the city’s supplies are running out is spreading.  Doon is determined that on the last day of school, he will be assigned to work in the Pipeworks, the vast network of tunnels connected to the underground river that supplies the city with water and electricity.  That way, he will be able to find out a way to save the crumbling city.  On the last day of school, Lida is assigned to the Pipeworks, and Doon is appointed a messenger, but they trade to get the jobs they wanted.  However, Doon is unable to find anything important in the dark tunnels and soon grows discouraged.  But as Lina runs through the streets of Ember, she begins to collect information about the city and its bleak future.  Working together, the two children may be able to unravel the secret of the city of Ember, and save it from its fate. 

The City of Ember should not be categorized as another depressing story of a planned city whose system is flawed and failing.  The author took the generally bleak topic, and instead of churning out a rendition of The Giver, she created a wonderfully written story of friendship and hope.

Submitted 5/04
by Allison
Age 16  

Talking to Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede.  (MS W9445T)
(NOTE: see reviews below for previous books in this series)
Even though he lives at the edge of the Enchanted Forest, Daystar is sixteen before real magic visits him and his mother in their cottage. The magic arrives in the form of an angry wizard.  Daystar isn’t sure he likes magic, especially when his mother hands him a sword the next day, tells him to leave the cottage, and forbids him to return until he knows what the sword is for.  Although he’s puzzled, Daystar does as he’s told.  As soon as he enters the forest, he can’t get away from magic: Shiara, a fire witch with faulty magic, joins him in his travels, his sword turns out to have very powerful magic of its own, and a host of wizards hound Daystar and Shiara through the forest.  Daystar can’t help but think that his mother should’ve explained what was going on.  Almost everyone besides Daystar knows why he’s in the forest with a sword, but none of them are willing to explain. He will only learn the purpose of the sword when he reaches the end of his journey, at the center of the Enchanted forest. 

Patricia C. Wrede incorporates fairytale clichés such as magic swords, enchanted kings, and disguised princesses into this tale of adventure so successfully that the reader doesn’t even realize they’ve heard of them before.  This story’s has only one major fault- it’s the last in the Dragons series!  

Submitted 5/04
by Allison
Age 16  

Calling on Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede.  (MS W9445C)
A year has passed since King Mendanbar has pushed all the wizards out of the enchanted forest and kept them out with the help of a new spell attached to his magic sword.  Morwen’s worst worry is how to keep pushy Arona Michaelear Grinogion Vamist from ruining her reputation, until a six-foot rabbit named Killer shows up in her garden.  Some how wizards are back in the Enchanted forest, sucking out magic and casting spells like the one that caused Killer to grow.  Everyone, from Morwen to Telemain the magician, is totally puzzled until they discover that wizards have stolen Mendanbar’s magic sword.  If Mendanbar doesn’t get it back soon, the wizards will be able to take all the magic they want out of the forest.  Mendanbar has to stay at the castle to keep the wizards from taking over, but Morwen, Queen Cimorene, Killer, and Telemain set out immediately to recover the sword.  Like Killer, Arona Vamist is an annoyance to the search party throughout their journey.  At first, he seems to be only a distraction, but a new acquaintance suggests that Vamist might be someone to reckon with. 

Submitted 4/04
by Allison
Age 16    

Rosie’s Mom by   (JNF 331.409 B877R)
All history books mention Rosie the Riveter and her campaign to inspire women to join the workforce during World War Two.  However, few if any books mention the contributions women made to the war effort during World War One.  Rosie’s Mom is an exception to the norm.  In this book, the involvement of women in industry from 1913, when the U.S. began to supply countries fighting the First World War, to 1919, when American soldiers began to return home and push successful women workers out of their jobs, is thoroughly covered.  Each chapter focuses on the efforts of a particular group of women, such as African-American women in the Midwest and garment workers in Conneticut.  Also included is a brief history of major events in the war.  This book is as much a history of women’s struggle for equal rights in the workplace and industry as it is a history of their involvement in the war effort.  Anyone interested in World War One, industry, or women’s history must read this essential book.

Submitted 3/04
by Allison
Age 16   

Searching for Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede.  (MS W9445SE)
Mendanbar is the young king of the Enchanted Forest , just west of the Mountains of Morning.  Between settling elf feuds and trying to convince his steward he doesn’t need to get married, Mendanbar has more than enough to do.  In hopes of getting some rest, he sneaks out of the castle and takes a walk through the forest.  Only an hour into his walk, he runs into a portion of the Enchanted Forest that has been turned into a charred wasteland.  A witch named Morwen suggests that dragons have caused the damage.  Zemenar, the head of the Society of Wizards, also hints that dragons may be causing the problem.  Mendanbar feels like the wizard is up to no good, but dragons seem to be the most likely culprits, so he sets out for the dragon King’s cave.  Kazul is missing, but Cimorene, her princess, is there.  Mendanbar and Cimorene agree to go looking for Kazul together and soon find that dragons aren’t the ones causing trouble.  The plot is constantly turning, but one thing is apparent- all princesses aren’t as bad as Mendanbar once thought. 

     Patricia C. Wrede expands her cast of hilarious, likable characters and continues Cimorene’s exploits in this terrific sequel to Dealing with Dragons.

Submitted 3/04
by Allison
Age 16

Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code by Eoin Colfer   (J C6954ARE)
When Artemis’ father returns, a changed man, the Fowl family is restored.  But before settling down to a normal, legitimate life, Artemis wants to execute one more exploit.  His latest plan to bolster the Fowl family fortune involves a miniature computer that combines fairy technology with human ingenuity, and a deal with an evil, ruthless American businessman.  Artemis has stepped into a dangerous world, and almost immediately trips up.  The American gets hold of the computer, putting the entire fairy world in jeopardy.  The fairies have no choice but to come to Artemis’s assistance.  Without Butler at his side, Artemis has only his wits to protect him.  What has happened in previous books pales in comparison to the perils that await Artemis in the third book in the Artemis Fowl series, and there’s no fourth book to assure the reader that Artemis c omes out alive.

Submitted 3/04
by Allison
Age 16  

Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech. (MS C9133W)
Salamanca Tree Hiddle’s mother left her and her father in Bybanks, Kentucky on a bus destined for Lewiston, Idaho.  She promised she would come back soon, but she never returned.  Almost a year has passed since then.  Sal’s father moved her to Euclid, Ohio, so he could escape the memories of her mother; memories that Sal desperately wanted to stay and hang onto.  As much as she wishes to be back in Bybanks, Sal has adjusted to her new home, making friends with Phoebe, a girl who can turn a headache into a brain tumor and a strange young man into a lunatic.  Sal’s father finds a friend in their spooky neighbor, Margaret Cadaver. 

Salamanca’s grandparents are taking her cross-country to Lewiston.  To pass the time, Sal tells the story of her friend, Phoebe.  In doing so, Sal finds her own story, and comes to terms with her mother’s absence. 

Combining memories and narrative, the author seamlessly blends Salamanca’s story with her journey to see her mother.

Submitted 1/04
by Allison
Age 16

Things Not Seen by Andrew Clements.  (MS C6266TH)    
Bobby has always had a pretty normal life.  He lives with his mother and father in a suburb of Chicago, plays trumpet in his school’s jazz band, and hangs with his friends.  That is, until one February morning, when he wakes up and isn’t there.  Bobby isn’t having a nightmare- he has become invisible for no apparent reason.  School is now out of the question, and so is hanging with friends or even leaving the house.  Above all, Bobby’s parents forbid him to tell anybody else about what happened.  But Bobby can’t stand sitting around.  So, he discards his clothes and braves the cold to visit the library.  There, he meets Alicia.  She’s blind, and can’t see what isn’t there to be seen.  They become friends, and Bobby shares his secret with her.  Things are going well, until Bobby’s school becomes curious about his absence.  If his parents don’t come up with a good explanation of how Bobby suddenly disappeared, they could go to jail.  They try to take control of the situation, but Bobby refuses to watch on the sidelines.  It’s his life, not theirs.  With Alicia’s help, he sets out to find the source of his invisibility. 

Things Not Seen was very well written.  All of the characters were real, and they lived in a world as close to real life as fiction can possibly get.  The author approached the subject of invisibility in a totally original way, and managed to write a meaningful ending that avoided much of the sappiness that weakens his books for younger readers.

Submitted 1/04
by Allison
Age 16  

Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident by Eoin Colfer.  (J C6954ARA)
In book number two of the Artemis Fowl series, trouble is afoot and the plot has thickened.  The B’wa Kell, a goblin gang, has gotten hold of human technology and illegal fairy weapons- a deadly combo.  There is no way goblins have enough brainpower to hatch such an advanced plot on their own, and no fairy has access to so many illegal goods.  There has to be a human helping them.  The LEPrecon’s first and most obvious suspect is Artemis Fowl.  This time, however, Artemis’s plots don’t involve the fairies- the child mastermind has been busy searching for his father.  When Commander Root and Captain Short bring Artemis in for questioning, he makes them a deal.  He will help the fairies find the human who has been supplying the B’wa Kell, on the condition they help him get back his father.  Fairies joining forces with Mud Men, Foaly getting foiled by his own technology- highly unlikely, but it all happens in this high-powered story.

 Eoin Colfer takes his apparently lighthearted clash between the worlds a step deeper, producing a tale with more serious thrills.

Submitted 12/03
by Allison
Age 16

Dealing with Dragons by Patricia Wrede. (MS W9445D) In the average kingdom of Linderwall there lives a king, his queen, their six ordinary daughters, and Cimorene.  She’s the youngest princess, and anything but ordinary.  Bored with dancing, embroidery, and the other things a princess must learn, Cimorene decides to try something else.  However, her fencing, Latin, and magic lessons only last until her parents find out and forbid them.  The last straw comes when Cimorene finds out she’s been betrothed to the handsome, but boring, prince of a neighboring kingdom.  Taking the advice of a frog, she runs away to the Mountains of Morning and becomes a dragon’s princess.  Cimorene would be content to cook chocolate mousse and organize the dragon’s library, but the excitement has just begun.  Odd things have been happening in the mountains, and each time, wizards are involved.  Most of the dragons agree that something must be done, but none of them can agree on what. Cimorene soon uncovers the wizard’s plan, and is determined to stop it.

Submitted 12/03
by Allison
Age 16

Whirligig by Paul Fleischman. (YA 5965WH)
Brent only wanted to end his own life. Angry and humiliated by the most popular kids at his new school, he drove into a highway divider, bounced back, and killed the young woman driving the car behind him. He is put on probation, and as retribution, the woman’s mother asks him to build four whirligigs, and place one in each corner of the United States. Desperate to escape his past and his overcome his guilt, Brent agrees. Intertwined with the story of his journey are the stories of the people touched by his whirligigs. Like a whirligig’s spinning arms, the book begins and ends in Maine, coming full circle.

Very poetic and powerfully written.

Submitted 11/03
by Allison
Age 16

The Ballad of Sir Dinadan by Gerald Morris. (MS M87614BD)
Knight or minstrel? Dinadan isn’t quite sure what he is. Singing and writing songs to play on his rebec is Dinadan’s true passion, but knightly adventures find him wherever he goes. Dinadan does his best in each bad situation, and if nothing can be done, he writes a great ballad about it. His various traveling companions often lead him astray, but Dinadan finally finds that the only path he can follow is his own.

Intertwined with this original tale of misadventure, and valor is Morris’ version of the romance between Sir Tristram and Queen Iseult.

Submitted 11/03
by Allison
Age 16

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer  (J C6954AR)
Artemis Fowl, 12-year-old mastermind, has hatched a diabolical plan to steal fairy gold and supplement the Fowl family fortune. Simple, right? Not quite. These fairies live in a high tech society policed by LEPrecons, the best law enforcement there is. One of Artemis’s few mistakes is choosing a LEPrecon officer to steal the gold from. The fairies will do anything to hang onto their gold- and their officer. So will Artemis. The stakes are high for both sides, and there are no rules. Who will come out victorious?

An action packed story that will keep readers on the edges of their seats, rooting for both the good guys and the bad.

Submitted 11/03
by Allison
Age 16

Fair Weather by Richard Peck.  (MS P3676FA)
The summer of 1893 is the summer that separates Rosie, Lottie, and Buster Beckett’s new lives from the old. The changes begin with the arrival of a letter from their Aunt Euterpe, asking the siblings to come visit her in Chicago and see the World’s Fair. From the moment they arrive, the excitement begins. Between surly help, a rambunctious grandfather, and a trip to the infamous Midway, there isn’t a dull moment. After seeing the ‘curve of the earth’, their lives- and Aunt Euterpe’s life- will never be the same.

Fair Weather combined historical details with a rich, colorful first person narrative to create a classic to be enjoyed by all ages.

Submitted 10/03
by Allison
Age 16

Parsifal’s Page by Gerald Morris.  (MS M87614PA)
Piers doesn’t want to become a blacksmith like his father. He wants to be called Pierre, and live in a court like the ones his mother, a former lady in waiting, tells him tales about. When a knight on a quest appears at their forge, Piers sees his chance. He joins the knight, ready for great deeds and wonderful adventures. The knight doesn’t last very long, though, and neither do Pier’s dreams. He gets stuck with Parsifal, a rough young man from the forest, who is determined to do great deeds and become a knight. With the help of the faeries and Jean le Forestier, Parsifal learns that being a knight is more than doing great deeds, and Piers learns that.

Submitted 10/03
by Allison
Age 16

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer.  (J C6954AR)
This story is an exciting tale that will blow you away! Artemis Fowl is a boy genius, not the kind of that invents things. He tries getting his family’s fortune back. Artemis and his bodyguard go to Africa, to find a fiery Bible. They find the healer who has the Bible. They poison her and take the Bible.

LightLand by Heather McCrutchen.   (MS M13382LI)
Lottie remembers everything from the time she was born. On the first day of sixth grade she and her best friend, Lewis, discover LightLand, a world made up entirely of memories. The people of LightLand need Lottie’s help to defeat the Night King, who is trying to capture all their memories and destroy LightLand. When Lewis gets trapped in LightLand, Lottie has to save him, too- or does she?

Fast- paced, with a very original plot, LightLand was a terrific book that you can’t put down until you reach the last page.

Submitted 9/03
by Allison
Age 16

Love Among the Walnuts by Jean Ferris.  (MS F3943LO)
Sandy’s parents decided they could do without the world, and have raised him in the solitude of their mansion. Their only neighbors are the residents of Walnut Manor, a ‘loony bin’, and even they are no problem. If you take away his good for nothing uncles, Bernie and Bart, Sandy’s life has been perfect. But Bernie and Bart won’t go away, and one day, their schemes leave his parents (and their pet chicken) in a coma. It’s up to Sandy to save them- but with his scanty knowledge of the real world, there’s no way he can do it alone.

 The Umbrella Man by Roald Dahl.   (MS D131UM)
The Umbrella Man features a collection of Roald Dahl’s short stories for adults, selected for teen readers. The stories range from serious and meaningful stories to swift- paced tales filled with Dahl’s offbeat and cutting humor. You are kept on the edge of your seat, guessing what strange turn these tales may take at the end.

Submitted 7/03
by Allison
Age 16

Once Upon a Marigold by Jean Ferris.   (MS F3943ON)
At age six, Christian gets fed up with his stern, demanding family and runs away. A troll named Edric finds Christian, and gives him the loving home he never had. But Edric can’t make up for companions Christian’s own age. As he grows up, Christian combats loneliness by watching the princesses in the castle across the river, whose own home is severely lacking in love. One day, he writes a message to the youngest princess, Marigold, and begins a friendship that will change the course of his entire life.

Once Upon a Marigold is an innocent, inventive, and hilarious story of love, friendship, and perseverance that’s almost impossible to put down.

Submitted 7/03
by Allison
Age 16

Love, Ruby Lavender by Deborah Wiles.  (J W67614LO)
Ruby Lavender lives in Halleluia, a small town in Mississippi. She and her grandmother, Miss Eula, are inseparable. One day, a letter arrives for Miss Eula from Ruby’s uncle in Hawaii. Inside is a plane ticket, so Miss Eula can come visit him, his wife, and their new baby. Miss Eula departs on her Hawaiian vacation, and Ruby is left behind in Halleluia. Ruby knows that summer will be ruined. She will have only her chickens to distract her from her worst enemy, Melba Jane.

The Savage Damsel and the Dwarf by Gerald Morris.  (MS M87614SA)
Lynet’s castle is under siege. Many knights have come to rescue her sister and her, but none can get past their captor, the Knight of the Red Lands. In desperation, Lynet escapes and goes to King Arthur’s court for help. On the way, a dwarf named Roger befriends her. When she arrives at Camelot, King Arthur refuses to give her a knight, but sends Beaumains, the kitchen boy. Lynet is furious, but Beuamains turns out to have some knightly talent. Between his might and Roger’s cleverness, Lynet’s castle may be won back.

Aria of the Sea by Dia Calhoun.  (MS C1524AR)
Cerinthe Gale has lived all her life on Normost, a remote island at the northern end of the Windward archipelago. She learned healing from her grandmother, Gwimma, and how to dance. When she fails to save her mother’s life, Cerinthe abandons healing. She enrolls at the School of the Royal Dancers and soon becomes one of their most talented students. Despite her love of ballet, Cerinthe’s life as a dancer becomes increasingly competitive and strenuous. Rigid rules are strictly enforced, and Elliana, a rival classmate, does everything she can to prevent Cerinthe from replacing her as the best dancer in the class. Cerinthe finds solace in the quiet of the school’s dispensary, and the advice of healer Mederi Grace. When Cerinthe finds herself caught between the two worlds, she must choose the path her life will take.

Intense and gripping, this story showed that life’s choices are never easy, and that we must look past all the outer complications to find the answers that lie within.

Submitted 6/03
by Allison
Age 16

Heir Apparent by Vivian Vande Velde.  (MS V2443HE)
Giannine’s birthdays aren’t the best, but this year, they’ve hit a real low. Trapped in a broken virtual reality game, she must win the game before the computer gets overloaded- and she does, too. However, each time she makes a bad choice, Giannine gets ‘killed’, and has to start over again.

Vivian Vande Velde puts a new twist on the lost heir stories by combining fantasy with science fiction. The storyline was terrific, but the book’s purport was buried beneath the narrative of a teenage girl who worried more about appearances, boys, and making it to the next level than the deeper aspects of life.

Submitted 6/03
by Allison
Age 16

Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick.  (J P5457F)
Freak the Mighty is an absolutely fantastic, yet somewhat tragic book. It is about two young social outcasts who meet under odd circumstances and become the best of friends.

Max is a boy very large for his age, who doesn’t use his head. His father is an infamous murderer that was put in jail for strangling his own wife. So, Max lives with his grandparents, Grim and Gram.

Kevin, whom everyone calls "Freak," is a genius that was born with some defects. His insides were growing faster than his outer self, which caused several fatal problems. Together, Max and Freak were unstoppable. They were "Freak the Mighty".

To find out what happens, you’ll have to read the book yourself. It is truly an exciting book, and it will keep you on your toes!

Submitted 3/03 by:
Helen
Age 13

The Two Princesses of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine.  (MS L66574TW)
A compelling tale of two princesses, an epic poem and a hero of long ago, a disease that weakens and destroys… The Two Princesses of Bamarre is a wonderfully written novel. Levine tells the story through the young and innocent eyes of a fair medieval princess, entwining it with tragedy and hope, love and hate that will keep you on your toes as you read it.

This thrilling story takes place in a regal town by the name Bamarre, where a deadly epidemic, the Gray Death, was slowly killing off many townspeople. Whoever was ill with the Gray Death was inclined to die, until the cure was found. The all-knowing fairies had refused to tell their people what the cure was, but they did say that the cure would be found when "the coward finds courage, and rain falls over all of Bamarre." Queen Daria, the wife of King Lionel, had succumbed to the Gray Death herself when her two daughters were very young. The bustling town was occupied by elves, ogres, dragons, and other mythical creatures. Every single one of them was seeking the one cure that would rid the town from the disease forever.

Throughout the book, you will meet and discover the hidden personalities of the two princesses of Bamarre. Princess Meryl had always been the brave one. She loved to act in plays and recite lengthy stanzas from her favorite poetry book, Drualt. She also protected and defended her shy younger sister, Princess Addie, who was quiet, and loved to embroider. However, their lives took on an unexpected twist when Meryl was declared a victim of the Gray Death. Addie found that their fates had somehow switched; that Meryl was looking upon the face of death as she herself was knocking her way through the dark forests that encircled Bamarre. Unprepared and terribly frightened, Princess Addie journeys beyond the limits of her precious home, and begins a series of life-threatening adventures.

This exciting tale will make you realize the theme where you never know what you can do until you try, and it will also force you to think about how you never really know the real value of something until you lose it. The Two Princesses of Bamarre is a tragic but suspenseful book that you certainly cannot put down!

Submitted 3/03 by:
Helen
Age 13

Martyn Pig by Kevin Brooks.  (YA B8734M)
Your peers tease you because of your last name, you have one friend in the whole world, and your mother left you with your drunken father. Can life get any worse for Maryn Pig? No it can’t you think. He’d be better off committing suicide you say. Well, he doesn’t commit suicide, yet his life does get worse despite his efforts to make it a bit better. Martyn has witnessed the death of his drunken, no-good, can’t make anything of himself, father – if you can even call him that! What does Martyn do? Well, he . . . (like I’m going to tell you – read the book!)

Kevin Brooks uses selective vocabulary to describe what’s going on – you can see what each person is doing as you read each line. And after taking only two days to read Martyn Pig, I would recommend it for youth who enjoy realistic fiction, journal type, books. The plot was quite interesting, and even though it does have some mild hostility, you can reason why it is there. Personally, on a scale of 1-5, I would rate it a 4. I finished this book quite satisfied.

Submitted 3/03 by:
Jennifer
Age 13