Book Review- Kate Morgenroth- Jude

Kate Morgenroth- Jude (Simon Pulse 2006) 4 Stars

Jude is fifteen and living with his abusive, drug dealing father, when one day he is murdered before Jude’s eyes. The killer makes him swear not to say anything, and so he refuses to tell the police who did it. Now he has just found out who his mother is and will be going to live with her. Winning her approval will involve an attempt at helping further her political position, only it backfires and will result in a hunt for revenge.

The book started off well. It gets you into the thick of it immediately and so you want to know just what is happening and what is going to be the result. It was interesting to see Jude’s desire to win his mother’s approval and how disastrous it seems to be for him. It was also very sad throughout the book; I cannot give too many details on that without giving out spoilers. Even the ending is bittersweet and I am not really sure just what I think of it. The characters are very well done and have some great depth. I am not sure what I think of the underlying message of this novel as it is kind of negative and doesn’t really promote trust. Overall though I enjoyed this novel and would certainly recommend 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- 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- Maureen Bayless- No Fixed Address

Maureen Bayless- No Fixed Address (Scholastic 1997) 3 Stars

Monika and Sabie have been living on the streets. Monika, Sabie’s mother, has been dealing with cancer and has been trying to show Sabie the right questions to ask during life to help her survive on her own. Now her mother has died and she really is on her own, can she really do it? Now she must try to find her own way in life, asking her own questions and making her own decisions. Thirteen and on her own, she only hopes she has enough courage.

The introductory paragraph in No Fixed Address was interesting, but then my interest teetered. I was kind of up and down about whether or not I liked this book; it was like riding a teeter-totter. Sabie was a wonderful main character and I enjoyed the characters we met along the way. It was also a powerful tale of a young girls struggle to find her own way in life. I did find the whole Estelle situation to be a little annoying at times, and when the social worker, Ann, came along I found her to be most disturbing. A social worker should never give information out about other clients and the way she acted at times was not like a role model or how a responsible adult should act. If a social worker actually acted like this I am afraid of how the children she is trying to help would turn out. As a result I am afraid that this book does not get my personal recommendation.

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/