Five Stars

The Juvie Three  by Gordon Korman

 

• Accessory to a robbery


• Breaking and entering


• Grand theft


• Manslaughter 

Three juvenile delinquents:  troublemakers, incapable of ever rehabilitating, dangerous.

Gecko, Arjay, and Terrence were convicted of committing crimes and now are serving time as punishment.  Lives ruined – freedom taken away.

Their luck suddenly changes, though, when the three teens are selected for a new program.  Douglas Healey offers to supervise the boys as they all live together in a halfway house, attend school while keeping up their grades, attend counseling, and stay out of trouble.   Each boy knew what this meant – a reduced sentence, much more freedom, and a second chance.  Gecko begins to think that this will actually work out – that is, until the fight breaks out. 

Why did Doug try to break up the fight?  It was an accident.  He never should have gotten in the way. 

Now, he’s lying in a hospital.  He’s in a coma and may never wake up. Gecko, Arjay, and Terrence are frantic – convinced they’re headed back to juvy hall and prison.  The only way they have a chance to avoid being sent back is to pretend nothing is wrong.   Eventually Mr. Healey will wake from his coma, and they’ll explain what happened.  Keep calm and stay out of trouble.   That can’t be too hard, right? 

 Not until…Gecko falls in love with a beautiful rich girl whose uncle happens to be cop.  Arjay joins a rock band and begins playing in the hottest city clubs.  Terrence thought he wanted to join the toughest gang in the city.  When he changes his mind, they are ready to even the score.  The price?  Terrence’s life. 

Yup.  This is going to be harder than they thought.

You’ll find yourself rooting for the juvie three. This book will keep you reading and wanting more.  I was sad when the book ended – though the ending couldn’t be more perfect.

Highly recommended

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

   Five Stars

Factory Girl by Barbara Greenwood

Imagine living in a tiny two room apartment – you, your mom, baby sister, and little brother.  It’s cramped and dirty, with no running water or electricity. Dinner is potatoes and water soup. If you’re lucky, there may be hard, stale bread to eat.

Emily Watson was only twelve years old. She had to drop out of school and find a job. Her family depended on her for survival.  Acme Garment Factory did not care that Emily was only twelve.  Underage children were good workers – cheap labor.  Emily began working a backbreaking, boring job –snipping loose threads from garments. She earned four dollars a week for working ten hours a day.

If she accidentally pierced the garment with her scissors, Emily lost an entire week’s wages.  If she spent too long in the bathroom, her pay was docked.  She couldn’t talk to the other girls.   She couldn’t smile, stretch, or even take a brief break.  The factory was dirty, hot, and smoky.   Her bones ached, eyes blurred, and fingers cramped. 

Life in the early 1900s was miserable for the working poor.  Though Factory Girl is fiction, the setting and events are very real.  Before child labor laws, children like Emily worked long hours in deplorable workplaces, with little pay, and often experienced abuse under the hands of their ruthless employers.  They never had a real childhood.The jobs were often dangerous, and many lost their lives as a result.  The photographs in this book depict the hopelessness of their situation, the extreme poverty of the times, and the unforgettable young faces will haunt you long after you stop reading. 

If you found Factory Girl as unforgettable as I did, try Margaret Haddix’s Uprising or Getzinger's The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire.

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Digital Storytelling:  Using Animoto to Create Music Videos

Nehemiah selected 2009-2010 Top Tiger Book Award nominee Toby Wheeler:  Eight Grade Benchwarmer.

Kaylee chose nominee Deep, Dark, and Dangerous.

Christian chose Schooled by Korman.

Destiny chose Poison Apples by Archer:

 

They did a fantastic job! View their videos here:

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

 

 3.5 Stars

The Poison Apples by Lily Archer 

Aside from attending the same ritzy, prestigious boarding school, Alice, Reena, and Molly seem to have nothing in common.  Reena is beautiful, spoiled, and arrogant.  Alice is quiet, intelligent, and sophisticated.  Molly is hopelessly nerdy with frizzy hair and big eyeglasses.

We all know that appearances, though, can be deceivingAll three girls are shocked to learn that they share one common factor:  wicked, evil stepmothers have taken over their families and homes.  Each ninth grader is dealing with much more than the typical problems with boys, having trouble fitting into a new school, or experiencing difficulty completing class assignments.

Though their situations seem impossible to change, Reena, Alice, and Molly decide to take fate into their own hands.  Suddenly, they unite and form a group called The Poison Apples.  Their primary purpose is revenge.  Together they can fight back and stop the evil stepmothers of the world!

Friday, April 10, 2009

    3.5 Stars

 Shark Girl by Kelly Bingham

Jane should have been grateful.  She could have died that day.The shark attack left her body lifeless. The blood loss so severe she almost died before reaching a hospital.  Is it selfish to not feel grateful? To wonder if a boy will ever want to kiss you? To grieve the loss of her future art career – her drawing talents?

Her friends try to be understanding, but they don’t get it. Who cares about who is dating who?  What other girls are wearing?  What guys will be at the party Friday night?

Jane is lost. Her life left behind- her identity swallowed, consumed, and left ravaged by a shark. Things will never be the same.

Friday, April 10, 2009