THE BOY BOOK by E. Lockhart

Ruby now has her license and is ready for her junior year at her school, Tate Prep--but last year's drama isn't over. Nora, Cricket and Kim who used to be her best friends are no longer her best friends. These were the girls she wrote 'the boy book' with. Jackson, who is Ruby's ex-boyfriend, is still seeing Kim (who is far away in Tokyo). Ruby starts getting panic attacks when her life begins getting very hectic. So her parents get her a shrink, Dr Z. Ruby's topless photos leak, and Nora begins finally to talk to Ruby again. Ruby's life is starting to come together. Jackson leaves a note in Ruby's cubby at her job at the zoo which leaves her puzzled. As November week creeps up, her parents finally allow Ruby to choose a more expensive trip. Ruby chooses Canoe island which is conveniently the same island her ex-best friend is going to. Although things between Kim and Ruby stay the same as ex-best friends, Ruby's life begins to come back together with her other best friends coming into her life.

I learned that everything happens for a reason.

Good interesting book from start to finish, great book for teens.

Recommended for grades 6-8.


KH in Greenville

THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PAJAMAS by John Boyne.

The nine-year-old German boy, Bruno, lives in Berlin with an immensely creative imagination. Sometimes he will talk to the family maid, who, he finds out, does have a life beyond serving his family; sometimes he will go up to the top floor and slide down the banister; and always he tries to avoid his sister who is, undoubtedly, a hopeless case. But then he moves from his comfy house. Maybe there will no longer be banisters, maybe there will no longer be five floors. But there will be a camp where thousands of people are trapped behind a fence. On a different side of the fence then him.

This book made you think - about what you know about the Holocaust, about what it would be like to be German or Jewish at that time in history, about how the Germans did it. About prejudice.

This book was one of the best books I have ever read about the Holocaust and was one of my favorite books in general. The story seemed to be geared to all ages, young and old, and is beneficial to them all, especially to people wanting a different type of story of this period in history or a child being introduced to it. Engaging, touching, and thought-provoking, this was an excellent book.

Recommended for all teens.


SA in Greenville

THE LONELY HEARTS CLUB by Elizabeth Eulberg

This book is about a girl named Penny Lane (named after a Beatles' song) that has had some pretty disastrous experiences on the dating market and she decides no more! She starts the Lonely Hearts Club (also named after a Beatles' song), which is a group of girls who vow not to date, not to let their sole focus in life be getting a boyfriend, and to just have fun with each other. Of course, then they have to admit that not all the boys in high school are jerks and everything just gets more and more complicated when Penny tries not to fall in love with one of those non-jerk boys.

What I gained from this book is that you don't need boys to get through life or high school. All you need is yourself and your TRUE friends. When you finally realize that you need to do for yourself and not for others then you can actually realize who matters and who doesn't.

I would recommend this book to teens who are interested in love and really wondering how guys can act. It just shows you there is more to life than dating.

Recommended for grades 11-12.


AH in Beacon

A FIELD GUIDE TO HIGH SCHOOL by Marissa Walsh

This book is about a girl named Andie who is going into her freshman year of high school at a private school, named Plumstead, without her best friend. Her sister Claire, who is going into her freshmen year of college, decides to write her a guide all about high school and the school she is going to. Some of the suggestions in the guide are, don't come to your first day of school in your back to school outfit, don't ask for help from an upperclassman, join at least one of Plumstead's activities, and also don't follow this guide, there is no real guide to high school.

You can't just follow a guide, you have to experience it for yourself.

Good read, recommended.

Recommended for grades 9-10.


KH in Greenville

OSTRICH BOYS by Keith Gray

This book is about 3 boys (Sim, Blake and Kenny) who go and decide they want to give their best friend, Ross, the funeral he deserves. They steal his ashes, catch a train, and are now on their way to Ross, in Scotland. On their way they lose the bus tickets and money, go race motor bikes and go bungee jumping. As the book progresses they begin to cope with the loss of their friend and the emotions they've been hiding.

I didn't really gain much from the book. The plot did bother me, I just couldn't get into the book. The information that could be helpful to other teens is that they can get through the loss of a loved one and you can't run and hide from your feelings.

I felt it was a difficult book to get into, and the British language through me off a bit.

Recommended for grades 11-12.


KH in Greenville

THE PATRON SAINT OF BUTTERFLIES by Cecilia Galante

Agnes and Honey are best friends who live in a strict religious community called Mount Blessing, under the leadership of Emmanuel, the perfect, sinless founder of "the Believers." The two friends were always two peas in a pod--until Agnes became more interested in religion than being a regular kid. When tragedy strikes Agnes' family, the girls must leave the commune and face the real world, where they must also come to terms with their differences.

From this novel, I learned a little bit about the power of brainwashing from the way Agnes was utterly obsessed with living a sinless life.

The Patron Saint of Butterflies is a great fictional piece, but should not necessarily be taken as a serious portrayal of modern religious community life.

Recommended for grades 9-12.


RVK in Town of Esopus

THE SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS by Ann Brashares

Bridget. Carmen. Lena. Tibby. Best Friends Forever. These four teenage girlfriends have shared everything together since babyhood. Yet, this summer they are finding themselves spread all over the USA, and even the world - apart for the first summer of their friendship. However, this summer of boys, grief, new friends, and family heartache won't be an uneventful one. Through frequent letters and a shared pair of magical pants, these close friends vow they won't experience a summer feeling far apart.

The book told a story of four teens in a way impressively relatable to today's life. The conflicts that the teens faced as well as the dialogue were very believable and realistic to today's teen world. However, although these conflicts, including grief, boys, and friendship, were an important part of the book, I didn't epecially gain anything new from the story. The story was more an enjoyable read instead of beneficial. Nevertheless, the messages were strong and clear and a big part of the story.

The book was very absorbing and creatively written. The unique writing style of telling each individual friend's story separately, going back and forth between each girl's summer experiences, was very enjoyable to read.

Recommended for grades 11-12.


SA in Greenville

GOSSIP OF THE STARLINGS by Nina de Gramont

After screwing up a few times, Catherine is supposed to be keeping clean at her new school, the Esther Percy School for Girls. However, when Catherine meets Skye, the Massachusetts' Senator's daughter (who has always played by the rules), she couldn't have found anyone more willing to take risks and have fun. But the risks escalate quickly. At the end of the book, Skye commits suicide and Catherine realizes that friendship is a powerful and valuable thing.

This was another hardcore book about friendship. It was a really lame spin-off of the classic book, A Separate Peace. It was supposed to be a really complex plot with a really "deep" ending, but it just didn't work. However, it was a good story and was entertaining -- so as long as you do not take books too seriously, go for it. You'll certainly get the message that friendship is a powerful and valuable thing -- don't screw it up!

Good.
Erica in Esopus