Book Review- Margaret Peterson Haddix- Found

Margaret Peterson Haddix- Found 3.25 Stars

Jonah is thirteen-years-old and was adopted, but knows nothing about the circumstances of his adoption. Now that he and his new friend Chip have both received foreboding messages within a few days of each other, Chip has discovered that he too was adopted. Together with Jonah’s sister Katherine, they now must dig into the both of their adoptions to figure out why they would be receiving these odd messages. Their investigating will lead them to many other adopted kids and change everything about their life and the way they view it.

This book wasn’t a gripping novel for me, although kids likely would enjoy it. It was just interesting enough to keep me reading, a good one time read. Perhaps it was the science-fiction/futuristic angles that were too much for me. The overall plot was pretty good, but too many kid’s books do what this one did in the end, left it off so that there had to be another book, but I am not sure how else they would have been able to leave it. The characters were really well done, she put a lot of effort into their creation and it shows. It had some good twists in it that were surprising and kind of odd, but also fairly obvious. Normally obvious twists take away from the book, but I did not find that with this novel. Overall I do think that kids would enjoy reading this book/series.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com.

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- Ann Rinaldi- Girl in Blue

Ann Rinaldi- Girl in Blue 2.75 Stars

Sarah Louisa has been told by her father that she is going to marry a neighbour she has no intentions of marrying. Now with the Civil War beginning, she is running of to sneak into the army as a soldier. She must struggle through army life and keep her real identity a secret for fear of being kicked out. Learning new skills is what will keep her safe, including figuring out how to be an effective spy.

The novel starts off a little slow, but does pick up enough to keep the reader interested. That being said, I never really had any wow moments when reading. It was an intriguing storyline though, with a great overall concept. I would have liked to have seen her remain as a soldier instead of taking her off into the spy business, but I understand what the author was trying to do here. The characters were a redeeming quality in this novel, being very well crafted. I do also love books about the Civil War and this time period. Overall this book fell a little flat for me and would not be one I would pick up and reread.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com.

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- A.L. Singer- The Rescuers Down Under

A.L. Singer- The Rescuers Down Under 3.5 Stars

The Rescue Aid Society has just gotten an emergency message from Australia that a young boy has been kidnapped by a poacher. Bernard and Miss Bianca must now rush to Australia to save Cody from the grasp of Percival McLeach. Cody has put a dent in McLeach’s plan to capture a golden eagle worth a fortune, which is why McLeach cannot let him go.

The book was interesting and was really close to the movie, which you don’t see very often. I loved this Disney classic when I was young, so it was neat to read it now as an adult. The characters were interesting, although with kid’s books authors don’t have a lot of time for development. The plot was fairly good considering how short this book is. It did seem a little bit rushed to me at parts, but that is probably because they were trying to keep a child’s attention. Overall it was a decent read and a pretty good adaptation.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com.

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- Jules Verne- A Journey to the Center of the Earth

Jules Verne- A Journey to the Center of the Earth 3.25 Stars

Hardwigg and his nephew Harry are embarking on a quest to find the center of the Earth. Using their guide Hans, they descend into a Volcano down a tunnel that leads deep beneath the earth’s crust. The perilous journey has some unexpected trials, but leads them to the unimaginable.

A bit of a slow start to this book, I was questioning if I should be continuing. It never really picked up to a point that I was captivated by it, but it interested me enough to finish. It had some cool parts about what they discovered and experienced. Verne definitely had a great imagination and it shines through on every page. The ending though was a little to unrealistic for me, but it was a great unexpected twist. Overall I can now say that I have read this classic, but likely would not read it again.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com.

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- Avi- Crispin: The Cross of Lead

Avi- Crispin: The Cross of Lead (2004) 3.5 Stars

One day Asta died and suddenly her son was left alone. After finding out he was christened with a royal name, Crispin, he finds himself on the run. Everyone wants him dead and he has no idea why. Medieval England is an intimidating place for a servant boy with no friends. Coming across a man named Bear, may just have been the best thing that happened to him. At least now he has someone looking out for him.

Starting off a little slow, it did pick up the pace fairly quickly. It wasn’t ever really gripping until the end, but it was interesting enough to keep me reading. I love this time period and found it cool to see how they wound their way through the countryside. The characters were captivating, although I am not sure why it took Crispin so long to figure things out. The plot was good, but there weren’t a lot of twists. I did love the ending though, it was very exciting and was a great conclusion of events.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com.

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- J.J. Gardner- Men In Black

J.J. Gardner- Men In Black (Scholastic 1997) 3.5 Stars

James Edwards, now know as Jay, has just been recruited into the MIB and he has no idea what he has gotten himself into. Fighting to keep the peace among the aliens secretly living among us here on Earth, they have discovered that Earth is on the destruction path of two battling nations. Can they find the resolution before it is too late?

This book stuck to the movie better than most books, which was really nice to see. It was a cheesy book, based on a cheesy movie. That being said, I liked the movie. The characters are not overly developed, but were amusing nonetheless. The storyline was pretty good and kept it interesting. The introduction sets you up for the rest of the book nicely and I loved the ending. It is a fitting end that wraps it all up in a nice little bow and sets you up for the sequel. Overall it was a good novelization of the movie.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com.

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- Todd Strasser- Home Alone

Todd Strasser- Home Alone (Scholastic 1990) 1 Star

When Kevin said he wanted to make his family disappear, he had no idea that it would actually happen. Now his family is in Paris and he is left alone at home. Two crooks are ransacking the whole block and Kevin is the only one left to protect his home. This will be a true test of his growing up.

I was appalled by the terrible parenting skills of the McCallisters. I had watched the movie and was appalled then, but seeing it written down seems so much worse. What they allow to happen in their home and their nonchalant attitude is exactly what is wrong with too many parents these days. I thought that the plot was weak and could have used something better to work with, which is probably more the fault of screenwriter John Hughes. The characters were also kind of shallow and I would have liked to have seen them filled out more. The best part was where Kevin is destroying the two crooks, but sadly this is an extremely small portion of the book. I would have liked to have seen that part filled out. Overall it was kind of a pointless read.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com.

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- Catherine Clark- Lost In Space

Catherine Clark- Lost In Space (Scholastic Books 1998) 1 Stars

Young Will Robinson and his family are flying into space, headed to a new planet to start up a settlement, as Earth is being destroyed. Sabotaged early on they now find themselves lost in space and fighting to survive. How will they find their way in this wide open space?

It starts off fairly boring and it only picks up in a couple of places. The overall plot was not all that complex, nor interesting. The situations that the family finds themselves in are kind of lame and hard to believe. The characters are decent, but don’t have a lot of depth. It might interest those who like the movie, or like sci-fi, but not very many other people. Overall, I could probably describe this book in one word, cheesy.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com.

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- Gary Paulsen- Harris and Me

Gary Paulsen- Harris and Me (Dell Books 1993) 4.5 Stars

Eleven years old and used to living in the city with his drunken parents, he now has to spend the summer on a backwoods farm with his cousin Harris. Learning the ropes of working on a farm, he will be working harder than he has ever had to work in his life. At the same time he is having more fun with his cousin than he has had at any point in his life. From attacking pigs, to catching mice, life couldn’t be better. If only he didn’t have to leave.

I loved this book. Watching a boy go from having to live with neglectful parents who want nothing more than a good drink, find a place where he belongs, is wonderful. I enjoyed seeing all the trouble this pair got into at the leading of Harris. The characters in this book were very well done and seemed to jump off of every page. I chuckled many times reading this novel. The plot wasn’t deep, but it really did not need to be, it was more about the exploits of Harris and watching the main character find himself. It was rather odd that I don’t recall ever finding out the main character’s name. The ending was very sad, but touching at the same time, this made it more realistic than if it ended in a happy-go-lucky manner. Overall, I definitely enjoyed this book and would easily slap my recommendation on it.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com.

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- Patricia Hermes - Fly Away Home

Patricia Hermes- Fly Away Home (Little, Brown Canada 1996 ) 3.75 Stars

Amy Alden has been forced to move from New Zealand to Canada after her mother passes away and she comes to live with her father. When construction workers jump the gun in the marsh nearby Canada Geese eggs are left for dead by the parents. Now Amy is going to raise the hatchlings which may just lead to more challenges, like teaching them to migrate.

I remembered hearing a lot about this movie growing up, but never actually watched it, so it was kind of neat to read the book. It was kind of a little slow all the way through, but it was still interesting to see Amy adjust to living with her Dad and not her Mom. I liked seeing her go through the emotional side of separated parents. The plot wasn’t overly deep, but it really did not need to be for this storyline. It had the appropriate challenges being faced in order to make things interesting. The character were very well crafted and seemed to jump off of every page. Anyone who loves a good animal story will certainly enjoy this book.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com.

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- Robert C. O’Brien- The Secret of Nimh

Robert C. O’Brien- The Secret of Nimh (Scholastic 1982) 4 Stars

When Mrs. Frisby’s son Timothy gets sick with pneumonia just days before the ground is to be tilled, they must try to find a way to safely move him. After befriending a crow he leads her to the wise old owl for advice on what to do. The owl sent her to the rats with a suggestion on how to move the house. In the process she will find out things about her deceased husband that she did not know.

I remembered loving this book when I was in school, so I was happy to read this book again. The plot is not a complicated one, but it is solid and keeps moving along. I did not find my attention waning at any given time. The characters were fairly strong, although maybe could have used a little more depth. The ending was also clever and was a great way to conclude the novel. Overall it was a good book and I would certainly read it to my child.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com.

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- Ian Fleming- Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Ian Fleming- Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (Scholastic 1964) 3 Stars

The Pott family was living the life of the poor in England. No car and struggling to get by with Mr. Pott’s inventions, until he invents a candy that whistles. Now they have a car that he has altered and found out it is magical. Adventure awaits them across the sea in France, maybe more than they had bargained for!

I only chose to read this book because I had watched the movie a long time ago. It was a little slow in sections, but kids would probably be more enthralled by the magical flying car thing to notice. It also lacked much of a plot, just going on about how great Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is. It was interesting to see France and England, as I have never been to either country. The characters were very well done, a redeeming quality of this book. I would definitely say that the concept behind this book is great, but it is lacking that oomph to make it great. Kids will likely enjoy this book though, as they don’t care about all these little aforementioned details like us adults do.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com.

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- Gordon Korman- Chasing the Falconers

Gordon Korman- Chasing the Falconers (Scholastic 2005) 3.25 Stars

The Falconers have been put in prison for treason; their children are now wards of the state. Aiden and Meg do not believe in the guilt of their parents, and think that they can prove their innocence. Running across the country, they must flee agents who wish to bring them back in. The treasure hunt for justice has begun.

I must admit I read the second instalment before the first. I remember liking the second book, but this one wasn’t quite as good. It got off to a really slow start, without having read the next book I may not have kept reading. However, once they begin their flight from the law it certainly picks up the pace. The plot is good, although not great. The characters are pretty good and help the flow of the book; it shows you the importance of family and friendship. The setting was good as it is constantly changing, so it keeps you on your toes. One thing I was not fond of was the predictability and that is not just because of reading the second book first. I would have liked situations to end in more of surprising manner. Overall it is a good series that I would keep reading, but this was not the best start.

For more of my reviews check out my website, http://www.tonypeters.webs.com/

Tony Peters
Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping
http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- Johann Wyss- The Swiss Family Robinson

Johann Wyss- The Swiss Family Robinson (Moby Books 1983) 3.25 Stars

When the boat that the Robinson family is on, wrecks near an island, the crew leaves them behind in the middle of a storm. Now they have found their way to the island that the crew missed during the storm. They now must fend for themselves and use the supplies on boat to build a shelter and provide a food supply. What adventures will they find on the island?

This classic I had tried reading years ago, and have returned to try again. The writing is strong and the overall plot is decent. I did find that the plot could have been a little deeper. I also thought that Wyss was trying a little too hard to make it adventurous; it seemed a little stretched at times. The characters were really well done and seemed to jump off of every page. It was kind of interesting to see what they discovered. Overall I thought the book was okay, a good one time classic read.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters
Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping
http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- Thomas Rockwell- How to Eat Fried Worms

Thomas Rockwell- How to Eat Fried Worms (Dell Publishing 1975) 3 Stars

Billy has gotten himself into trouble by making a bet with his friends, Alan and Joe. He must now eat fifteen worms in fifteen days. He will mask the flavour with anything to ensure that he wins; ketchup, mustard, horseradish, as just a few examples. Alan and Joe will stop at nothing to ensure that they don’t have to pay up; trickery, kidnapping, and overstuffing.

This book was kind of fun. I remember reading it as a child. It is kind of a nonsense book, with the message of don’t make bets you can’t afford, a message many adults with gambling addictions could really learn from. The characters are not overly deep, but are fun and play along well with the light-hearted fun in the book. It was lacking a plot, and aside from the message there is not much of a point to the book. Overall though I would say it is a fun one time read that kids would enjoy.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters
Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping
http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- John Lunn- The Mariner’s Curse

John Lunn- The Mariner’s Curse (Tundra Books 2004) 3.25 Stars

Rory Dugan finally gets exactly what he has dreamed of for many years, to go to sea. It has one catch though; he must go on this cruise with his mother and her new husband. When he comes across Morgan though, things turn for the worse. This grumpy old man seems to be causing trouble on the ship and for some reason Rory finds himself drawn into the man’s schemes.

I was not sure whether or not to put this into the middle reader, or young adult category. On the one hand it reads like a middle reader, but on the other I am not sure that kids would understand the curse aspect of Morgan; when you read it you will understand what I mean. The introduction peaks your interest, but doesn’t outright grab you. It does pick up a little and makes you curious as to just how things are going to turn out. The setting is fun and kids should enjoy it. The characters are fairly well done and play off of each other nicely. Overall I though it was a decent read, especially if you like books about sailing.

For more of my reviews check out my website, http://www.tonypeters.webs.com/

Tony Peters
Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping
http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- Ruth Kluger and Peggy Mann- The Secret Ship

Ruth Kluger and Peggy Mann- The Secret Ship (Doubleday Signal Books) 3 Stars

Ruth is in charge of trying to get Jews onto secret ships to help them escape Europe before Hitler gains control. Bringing them to Palestine is dangerous, but it is the only hope for these people’s survival. The British wish to stop these illegal ships from reaching their destination and the Germans wish to prevent them from leaving; a dangerous job with enemies around every bend.

This book was different from what I expected. I thought it would be an intense read that would be about them running from the Nazi navy. Instead it was kind of a slow read. It had some interesting historical facts and I found out some things I did not know about. A good read for anyone looking for a short book with good facts, but not for those looking for a fast-pace book. The ending was the best part, as it told you what continued to happen to them as the war progressed and faster the war.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters
Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping
http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- Richard Peck- Here Lies the Librarian

Richard Peck- Here Lies the Librarian (Scholastic Books 2006) 3 Stars

The back of the book describes it as: Peewee idolizes Jake, a big brother whose dreams of auto mechanic glory are fueled by the hard road coming to link their Indiana town and futures with the twentieth century. And motoring down the road comes Irene Ridpath, a young librarian with plans to astonish them all and turn Peewee’s life upside down.

It was an interesting beginning. Something about the writing style brought me in and made me want to read more of it. The plot was not overly deep; in fact I would call it the major weak point of this novel. I failed to what the point in the book was. That being said, the characters were quite well done and were easy to get attached to. They were a lot of fun. The overall book was enjoyable to read about as well, especially the racing scenes. Kids who enjoy racing or historical settings would likely find this book up their alley.

For more of my reviews check out my website, http://www.tonypeters.webs.com/

Tony Peters
Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping
http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- Nancy Belgue- Summer on the Run

Nancy Belgue- Summer on the Run (Orca Book Publishers 2005) 3.5 Stars

The depression is running rampant and surviving is getting tough, forcing people to find alternate ways of making money. Their father riding the rails and their mother struggling to keep food on the table, Doris and Douglas must find a way to get by. Douglas has decided to start rum-running and Doris must try to keep him from getting busted. Forced to leave their home, they must flee to Point Pelee for the summer.

I never really got to the point where I felt captivated by this book. It was a decent read, but not one that I would pick up and read again. The plot was kind of interesting as it shows you what life was like during the depression from a child’s perspective. It had a couple of twists, but you pretty much knew what was going to happen in the end, still you want to find out just how it is going to come about. The characters were definitely a high point in this book, they were very well done. The setting of course was great to see. Canada is quite often forgotten about in book s about the depression era. Overall this book is a good educational tool for teaching about the depression, and is a decent read.

For more of my reviews check out my website, http://www.tonypeters.webs.com/

Tony Peters
Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping
http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- Louis Sachar- Holes

Louis Sachar- Holes (Scholastic 2000) 3 Stars

Stanley Yelnats has been arrested and sent to Camp Green Lake, but the thing is, he didn’t do the crime. Now he finds himself digging holes for a warden who just wants to get her hands on some rumoured treasure. Digging holes is supposed to build character, but he quickly learns that that is not really what is going on.

I enjoyed this Disney movie, but the book just doesn’t cut it in comparison. I found this book to be a little slow and was looking for something interesting to happen. That being said the characters were very well done, and the storyline was just interesting enough to keep you reading, in the hopes that something big was going to happen. The big climax that it was building up to was decent enough, but I may have been hoping for a bigger pop. Overall I would recommend the movie and not the book.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/