Saturday, June 22, 2013

Student Guest Blogger

"I'm Keira a Grade 7 student from Barrie.  I'm reviewing Zebra Forest by Adina Rishe Gewirtz for Tinlids.

It’s 1980 and 11 year old Annie and her younger brother Rew live with their grandmother in the small town of Sunshine. Gran struggles through bouts of mental instability, leaving the kids to largely fend for themselves.  Annie and Rew spent days always telling stories under the birches and oaks of the zebra forest about their father the pilot or pirate or secret agent. They don’t know much about their father except for that he was killed in a fight with an angry man but that man was sent away. One night, an escaped convict emerges from the “Zebra forest” taking the family hostage in their own home and turns their lives upside down. Their lives will never be the same again.

Zebra Forest really portrays the standoff of truth against family secrets and offers an effective look at two imaginative kids as they react and adapt to the life they have. In my opinion I would recommended this book to anybody who likes suspenseful books.  In the beginning of the book it was kind of slow so I didn’t think I would like it but the plot in the middle really kept me hooked and made me want to keep reading. 

I would recommend this book to Young Adults because yes it might be frightening to some readers the plot will really keep you reading."

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Sunday, June 16, 2013

Student Guest Blogger - Book Review

A few weeks ago I was contacted by Melissa Jensen, a Teacher-Librarian from Trillium Woods E.S. in Barrie, to see if I would accept some book reviews from her students, for my blog.  I think it's a great idea to hear from students, and today I welcome my first student guest blogger, Alyssia.

Here's what Alyssia had to say about "Doll Bones" by Holly Black:
"Zach, Poppy, and Alice have been best friends for as long as they can remember.  Every day after school they play this game where anything is possible.  There are warriors, pirates, thieves, evil mermaids, and one character that is the most important one of all…the Queen.  The Queen is played by a bone china doll that Poppy’s mom bought at a garage sale and is now kept in a cabinet for the rest of her days.  Until one day Zach is forced to stop playing the game and Poppy is haunted by the ghost that haunts the Queen’s body.  Will they do as the Queen pleases and go on a life changing quest to put her ghost to rest, or will they stop playing the game and lose their friendship forever? 
Hi everybody I’m Alyssia and I’ve just finished Doll Bones.  It’s a great book that will fill you with suspense and make you want to read until the very end.  I love how the author Holly Black uses three kids around the age of 12-13 (perfect for intermediates) and uses their game full of mythical creatures, and brings it to life by making them play their game by going on a quest to help the Queen.  Intermediates would love this book because it has lots of adventure and it has a creepy side to it.  This is a great book with a creepy twist that will take you in its clutches and never let you go."


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