Summer Reading Club Book Reviews

Books reviewed by other LAPL teens.

RED-EYE TREE FROG by Igor Siwanowicz

Giselle of Edendale   08/13/2009
This iconic amphibian lives in rain forests of Central and Northern South America. Though not currently listed as endangered. It has become a symbol of the fight to conserve its threatened habitat. Red-eye tree frog is nocturnal and spends most of the time up their tree. Only venturing down to the ground at night to bathe in pools of water. They hunt by ambush waiting patiently for passing prey. Victims are swiped from the vegetation or from midair with a long, sticky tongue and quickly engulfed in the frog's huge mouth. This a great book about frogs. (8/14/09)

Mother Teresa Her Essential Wisdom by Carol Kelly-Gangi

Alexus of Van Nuys   08/13/2009
This book is definitely full of wise sayings and can definitely teach you some things. In the beginning it tells you who Mother Teresa was and her life growing up. It tells you why she did what she did in this world, why she felt she needed to be there for people of poverty or just people not doing good in life it was so inspiring it made me see that there are people in this world that will give up everything they have just so it can help someone else. I strongly suggest this book to anyone...It really inspired me to do things I never thought of which in my opinion is always a good book. (8/14/09)

Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

Alexus of Van Nuys   08/13/2009
This was the last book out of the four book series of twilight and even though I will love this series forever it wasn't as good as I had expected it to be. In the end the Volturi family had come to what the Cullen expected to be a fight to the death but in the end they fell in love with little Renesme, which was the daughter of Bella and Edward. There was no fight, which is what I was expecting so that they could kill the Volturi family and never have to worry about them again. But all in all I still love the series don't regret reading them and definitely recommended them to anyone who like to enjoy a good book. (8/14/09)

Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrierie Brink

Emily of Los Feliz  08/12/2009
I like this book because it is about a girl who is living in America in 1864.She is not the type of girl who back then would sit down and sew or wear nice dresses she was a tomboy type girl. She would much rather go out for hunting trips or go swimming in the river. She had many adventures. My favorite one is when her Uncle Edmund takes her dog Nero to Boston to train him but then they get a letter that says he ran away. But at the end of the book he ends up finding home again. (8/14/09)

GIANT PANDA by Anna Claybourne

Giselle of Edendale   08/12/2009
The giant panda is one of the best-known animals in the world. Even though most people have never seen one in person. The giant panda is a mammal, but for a long time scientists have disagreed about exactly which mammal family it belong to. The panda also shares some feathers with cats. For example it has slit shaped pupils in its eyes pads on its paws. Pandas live in remote mountain forests in China. The Chinese name for the panda is 'DAXIONGMAO' means 'large bear-cat'. I recommend this book to the club. (8/13/09)

Eagles by Deborah Hodge

Giselle of Edendale   08/12/2009
Eagles are big and powerful birds. They soar through the sky with their long and wide wings. Eagles are birds of prey, birds that hunt for their food. All birds of prey have curved beaks and sharp claws. A Bald Eagle's wings can spread up to 2.3m [7 1/2 feet] from tip to tip. This is longer than a bed. Eagles live on every continent except Antarctica. There are more than 50 species. Booted-eagles have leg feathers and often live on land. Tropical eagles are some of the biggest eagles. I recommend this book to the club. (8/14/09)

Thirteen by T. Pines

Jessica of Van Nuys   08/12/2009
Thirteen is a great book of horror. Thirteen scary stories by the thirteen masters of horror like J.B. Stamper, Caroline B. Cooney, R.L. Stine, Diane Hoh, and many more. They will take you on many horror tales. You will be so scared you'll want to close the book but you won't be able to move. (8/14/09)

The Preacher's Son by Carl Weber

keisha of Central Library  08/12/2009
Bishop T.K. Wilson, pastor of the largest African-American church in Queens, N.Y., enters the race for district president. No one else in the race can even come close to all the good deeds that the bishop has done for the community, and he has the support of his wife, Charlene, and their two children: Dante, a recent college graduate, and popular 20 year old Donna. Trouble comes when Donna's secret affair with Terrance Reynolds, her father's apprentice, takes an bad turn, back at the ranch, Charlene doesn't like Dante's newfound relationship with Tanisha, a girl who came from a bad neighborhood, and tries to take care of her crack head mother and 12 year old brother. Everyone is keeping secrets. But when all comes out, you will be totally surprised! (8/14/09)

Size 14 is not fat either by Meg Cabot

keisha of Central Library  08/11/2009
This is about a murder case of a dead cheerleader. Her head was found in a lunch pot boiled so bad she was hardly recognizable.(though I know someone out there wants to do this to a cheerleader that made their lives a living hell during school , but come on you took off her head?)So a girl name Heather is trying to fid out who killed her. Everyone who knew her said she was the sweetest person you could ever meet, but as Heather starts to look deeper she finds out more stuff on this cheerleader. This perfect cheerleader is not so perfect afterall. She has a lot of lovers that have ties into the drug dealing business.And if that isnt enough to keep her busy her father shows up after a 20 year jail sentence looking to bond.

Don't Look In the Mirror by Larry Weinberg

Jessica of Van Nuys   08/11/2009
Alice has always hated the way she looked. And one day Alice looks in the mirror and she looks beautiful and then her appearance starts talking to her, telling her how to put on makeup and stuff to make her more pretty. And it works when a cute guy at school notices her. Bur what does her reflection want in return . . . she want Alice's life. (8/14/09)

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

Rotem of Sherman Oaks  08/11/2009
Uglies takes place in the future. Uglies is about a girl named tally young blood, who is an ugly. In this book, there are uglies, pretties, and specials. When an uglies turn 16, they have surgery that transforms them into being pretty. I really recommend this book to anyone. It's not that great in the beginning, but you have to keep reading and get to the middle/end in order for it to be really good. The beginning is a hard book to read, but you get through it, and it's totally worth it. (8/14/08)

The Good Girl by Kerry Cohen Hoffmann

Rotem of Sherman Oaks  08/11/2009
This book, like any other book by this author, was great. In this book, Kerry Cohen Hoffmann created a character named Lindsey, who steals. She's in high school, and so many things are going on, she steals, but she cant help it. It started out with a twenty from her dad's wallet, and it never stopped. This doesn't sound like such a good book from my review, but it's really amazing. (8/17/09)

It's Not You, it's Me by Kerry Cohen Hoffmann

Rotem of Sherman Oaks  08/11/2009
This book is my favorite book of all time. It may be short, but it's amazing. There are 31 chapters in this book. Every chapter is another day in which Zoe and Henry are apart. It is an amazing book, and I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a good, quick read. (8/14/09)

Cirque du Freak by Shan Darren

Jessica of Van Nuys   08/11/2009
Steve and Darren Shan are excited when they go to the "Cirque Du Freak." The boys loved the show but when Shan finds out what Steve wants to do he is horrified. But what horrifies him even more is that it has gone horribly and the only way to save his friend is to risk his own life. (8/26/09)

Vampire Kisses by Ellen Schreiber

Jessica of Van Nuys   08/11/2009
Raven has always been a goth outcast and hopes to become a vampire someday. But then a new boy comes and she finds out he can make her wish come true. Be careful what you wish for Raven. (8/26/09)

Blood and Chocolate by Klause Annette Curtis

Jessica of Van Nuys   08/11/2009
Sixteen-year-old Vivian Gandillon and her family are werewolves. She always tries to fit in but as you can imagine it's very hard. What will she do when she falls in love with a human and is now the queen of the pack.

Sucks to be Me by Pauley Kimberly

Jessica of Van Nuys   08/11/2009
Sixteen-year-old Mina has always known that her parent were vampires but she never knew she had to make the hardest decision of her life and it will also change her life forever, to become a vampire. She takes ''vampire lessons'' to help her decide. What will she choose? (8/14/09)

How to Ditch Your Fairy by Larbalestier Justine

Jessica of Van Nuys   08/11/2009
What if you lived in a world where every ones had his or hers own personal fairy? Charlie knows that she doesn't want her parking fairy. She will do anything to get rid of her fairy she even makes a new friend. Check out the very cool and dangerous things she does. (8/17/09)

Deep Down Popular by Phoebe Stone

Garnier of Los Feliz  08/11/2009
Jessie Lou is a tomboy who lives in southern Virginia. Conrad is a popular Southern boy. Conrad doesn't think about Jessie Lou but she thinks about him every minute. Suddenly he broke his leg and Jessie Lou is assigned to help him carry his books to school and home every day. Can this miracle bring him to like her or even be her friend? (8/19/09)

Vampire Kisses by Ellen Schreiber

Garnier of Los Feliz  08/11/2009
16-year old Raven Madison never fit in a crowd. Even as a kindergartener she was used to people inching away from her. No one understands her. Until Alexabder came. They have so many things in common. But one big difference sets them apart. Alexander is a real vampire, which is Raven's dream. But she learns that being a vampire isn't all that good.

24 Girls in 7 Days by Bradley Alex

Jessica of Van Nuys   08/11/2009
24 Girls in 7 Days is about Jack Grammar, a boy that is looking for a prom date. When his best friends pull a cruel prank on him it turns out that they actually helped him . . . or did they? You'll be surprised and happy for him whom he picks for his prom date. (8/19/09)

A Kiss In Time by Alex Flinn

Garnier of Los Feliz  08/11/2009
Talia was put under a spell. If she touches a spindle, she and everyone around her will sleep until her true love kisses her. Jack and Trevor ditch their group and stumble to the castle. Suddenly Jack sees Talia and kisses her, not knowing of the spell. She wakes up after being asleep for 316 years. Now Jack is suddenly responsible of her. Think you have dating problems? Well your doesn't even come close to the problem in this book. (8/14/09)

The Queen of Cool by Cecil Castellucci

Garnier of Los Feliz  08/11/2009
Libby is the most popular girl in school. She has the coolest friends, the hottest boyfriend, the trendiest clothes, and easygoing parents. But on the inside Libby is dying of boredom. However one day Libby surprises everyone (and herself) when she signs up for an internship at the zoo. When she starts working, she realizes that she is losing her friends. Suddenly Libby learns that she actually likes working at the zoo and might even like Tina and Sheldon the nerds. Will she have to give up her crown? (8/19/09)

Repossessed by Jenkins A.M.

Jessica of Van Nuys   08/11/2009
A fallen angle is doing his work in hell and is thinking of leaving hell and taking somebody's else's body he thinks of it as a vacation. He does and is stuck at how it fells to be human again. But will he even have one day of fun before he gets caught and punished?

The Graveyard Book by Giaman Neil

Jessica of Van Nuys   08/11/2009
The Graveyard Book is about a little boy named Nobody Owens. Everything is normal about him except that he was raised by ghost. When he was a little baby someone killed his parents and now he wants to finish his job by killing him, and the ghost can only protect him inside the graveyard. What happens when Nobody Owens grows up and wants to go outside the graveyard? Will he be killed just like his parents?

Vampire Kisses by Ellen Schreiber

Jenne of Pico Union  08/10/2009
Read about sixteen-year-old, gothic girl, Raven, and her life as an outcast in Dullsville High. Raven is CRAZED with the idea of being a vampire someday. When a mysterious young man comes to town, Raven runs into him a couple of times on the haunted house on top of the hill, she falls in love with him and has hopes that maybe if he is a vampire, he'll take a nibble out of her neck and transform her into a vampire. But will he want to? (8/26/09)

Speed Demon by Erin Lynn

Lauren of Chinatown  08/10/2009
Speed Demon is the sequal to the Demon Envy series. Kenzie closes the water portal by driving the family van into the kitchen. But she opens an air portal when closing the water portal. She also makes another shocking discovery on a Halloween.

My Cat Loki by Bettina Kurkoski

Kali of Venice - Abbot Kinney Memorial  08/10/2009
This book is about a guy named Ameya who loses his pet cat and the cat was very special to him and he can't seem to get over it. Ameya has a friend who comes to him to push him to get over the loss of his pet cat. But he can't because it was special. Ameya's friend also wants him to do Art again but he won't. Then he meets a stray cat in the rain and after an attempt or two he takes him home and the cat reminds him of his cat and Ameya starts to to do art again. The cat's name is Loki. This is a really fun book and I would recommend it to anyone.

Oxygen by John Farndon

Giselle of Edendale   08/10/2009
Oxygen is the element that makes Earth tick.There is more oxygen on Earth than any other element and planet.It makes up one-fifth of the air around us.Oxygen is the fourth most abundant substance in the universe.Two hundred or so years ago, most scientists had diffrent ideas and fire.Oxygen is a gas at all normal temperatures and pressures.Oxygen is then separated from the air by distilling it.The breathalyzer used for testing drunk drivers involes oxidation.I recommend this book to anyone.

Kitchen Princess#6 by Miyuki Kobayashi

Sazi of Eagle Rock   08/10/2009
Najika entered te Nat. Confectionary Competition and went to the final round! But, during the competition,Sora, her love, died in an accident.The shock caused Najika 2 lose her sense of smell and taste, and she lost the competition. Najika was kicked out of the Academy, but thanks to Daiichi, the brother of Sora that is in love w/ her, she was allowed to stay in the academy, but only in the reg. class. One day, a boy named Seiya Mizuno appeared at the Fujita Diner & he looks just like Sora! READ THE BOOK/ OR MANGA TO UNDERSTAND MORE (reccomended by me)

Dolphins by Nicolas Davies

Giselle of Edendale   08/10/2009
Dolphins have a special charm. Dolphins do porpoising, jumps, spyhops and blows. Their skin is incredibly smooth, too. They have a streamlined shape that moves through water with barely a ripple. They have huge back muscles to move the tail up and down. Atlantic white sided dolphins are found in cool waters in North Atlantic. Their size are between 8 and 9 feet long. The Harbor porpoise are found in Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic oceans. The white beaked dolphins are in cool waters in the North Atlantic. I recommend this book to the club.

Pendragon Book Two: The Lost City of Faar by D.J Machale

steven of Studio City  08/10/2009
Pendragon Book two is about a boy named Bobby and his uncle Press going on an adventure in a world called Cloral. They were there to stop a man named Saint Dane from causing chaos in every different world. They also had to tell the new Traveler in Cloral that he is needed to stop the worlds from total chaos. This book is good for people who like adventures and excitement. They also would enjoy this book because it has an amazing storyline that makes sense.

Beet, the Vandel Buster by Riku Sanjo ; Koji Inada.

keisha of Central Library  08/10/2009
This is an adventure story about a boy named Beet. Beet lives in a age called the Dark Ages , filled with Vandels who torment humans. In this age are also humans who stand up to Vandels, called Busters. Beet looks up to his older brother who is a Vandel Buster. But on a tragic day when a strong Vandel appears Beet's brother (and friends) give up their lives to save Beet. After that fateful day beet stopped acting like the bratty kid that he was before and left his hometown to go into the woods and train. After that no one has seen Beet for two years. After he comes out of training, he and his childhood friend Poala set out on a journey to not only end the dark ages but to avenge his brother and friends.

The King Must Die by Mary Renault

Becky of Studio City  08/10/2009
The King Must Die is about a boy named Theseus, which if you know Greek mythology, you would remember him from the story of the slaying of the Minotaur. This book starts from when he was a young boy, describing all of his courageous adventures and heroic feats from that point until just after the slaying of the Minotaur. It shows you the truth behind the Greek legends from the point of view of Theseus.
The King Must Die is purely a work of fiction, but the way that it was written and the historical detail makes it feel as if it were real. During that time many people believed in the Greek gods, and it was an important part of everyday life. The gods are an extremely important part of this book, and make feel even more real. This is a great read for anybody that is interested in Greek mythology, or for the person that enjoys reading about heroes and adventures. (8/14/09)

Monster by Walter Dean Myers

Becky of Studio City  08/10/2009
Monster is about sixteen-year-old Steve Harmon who is on trial for being an accomplice to murder. Many people are brought to the stand that make it seem like he should be in jail for being the lookout for an store robbery, which turned into the murder of Mr. Nesbitt, the store owner. Steve has to hope that the jury will decide that he is not guilty and survive the nights in jail.
Monster is a very interesting book. It isn't written as a traditional book, but is written as a screenplay. It was fascinating how it was done. Steve was writing his trial as a screenplay in his journal because I just desperately wish this were only a movie. In the book it is a very realistic way to show what it is like in prison. Every night he is scared and just wants the trial to be over and for him to be not guilty. I highly recommend this book. I won't say the ending so if you want to find out if he's found guilty or not, you should read the book. (8/26/09)

Tail of the Moon 1 by Ueda Rinko

keisha of Central Library  08/10/2009
This is about a girl name Usagi who is trying to become a kunochi, (what is a female ninja). Her only problem is she clumsy, overweight and doesn't know how anything for herself. Her only chance at achieving her goal is to marry and bear children for a great ninja, Hattori Hanzo. The only problem is he is not interested in getting married! So what will she do? Will she change his mind and live happily ever after? Does she become a kunoichi? Go find out!

Ransom my heart by Meg cabot

keisha of Central Library  08/10/2009
This story is awesomely good .It is about a girl named Finnula ,who needs money for her sister dowry. So she takes a rich guy named Hugo and kidnaps him, but unfortunately fall in love with him. Meg Cabot is brilliant !! I love this book !

cross my heart and hope to spy by ally carter

Bracha of Sherman Oaks  08/10/2009
It is an amazing book about a spy who goes to a spy school. The story is filled with suspense and action. Ally Carter really out did herself.

Mara, Daughter of the Nile by Eloise Jarvis McGraw

Joanna of Palms - Rancho Park  08/10/2009
If you like adventure, historical fiction, and romance all bundled up into one book and a few hundred pages, then this book is for you. It is about Mara, a beautiful and clever slave girl who is bought by a hard master to spy on Thutmose, Queen Hatshepsut's half brother who is the rightful king of Egypt. Her master, Nekonkh, sends her on a mission to Thebes to spy on thutmose. On the voyage to Thebes she meets a handsome Egyptian noble, Sheftu, who is loyal to Thutmose. When he catches her eavesdropping on his conversation with the ships captain on... political matters, he doesn't want to kill her and forever close the lotus blue eyes that captivate him but instead makes her a spy for him on Hatshepsut! Working as a double spy was very dangerous and Mara has many adventures and, slowly she begins to realize that she loves Sheftu. But, soon she is found out and she must choose. Should she die for Sheftu? or reveal all his secrets to the queen which would eventually cause his death. This is a thrilling novel that looks boring if you pick it up and flip through it but turns into an adventure when you start reading it. Five stars

FOR GIRLS ONLY EVERYTHING GREAT ABOUT BEING A GIRL by BY LAURA DOWER

Karla of Echo Park   08/09/2009
This is great about being a girl because in the book of FOR GIRLS ONLY EVERYTHING GREAT ABOUT BEING A GIRL was a good story to read because it show me a lot things that I didn't no and it change my life because the book had things that I didn't know about my life because in the book a lot of things are true because it read your hand and read your life and show you a lot of things like (ZODIAC ATTACK). And this book show me a lot of things to do in my life and went I finish the book I change a lot of things and I be changeing a lot this book is a great book to read.

ES by fuyumi soryo

hwasoo of Los Feliz  08/09/2009
Ryousuke Akiba calls himself ES, a code name taken from a mysterious scientific experiment, and he can live up to 220 years long. He even posses a power that can enter peoples mind, discover their darkest secret, and make them confuse if they do something bad. But there is another person that can do that but he uses his power for bad. Later on they fight and they both die but something good happens in the end. If you want to know more please read it.

twilight by stephanie meyer

keisha of Central Library  08/09/2009
This book is retarded !!! It is more about the love story that the actual vampire vs. werewolf (or shapeshifter if you will ).I was expecting so much more than the actual love story .The story does not get actually supenseful until the end where she is being hunted by James.Then not only is it not focused on some of the people that matter(Bella's dad and mom who were put in danger by the two idiots) But the story still revolves around the love story.

chasing veemer by Balliett, Blue, 1955

rolando of Central Library  08/09/2009
When seemingly unrelated and strange events start to happen and a precious Vermeer painting disappears, eleven-year-olds Petra and Calder combine their talents to solve an international art scandal.

Coraline by Neil Gaimen

Laura of Los Feliz  08/09/2009
Coraline's family moves to a new house. Coraline thinks that she will go explore the house to see what she finds. Since the house has a lot of apartments in it, she meets two of the residents. Ms. Spink and Ms. Forcible are very friendly to her. They are of old age and said they were once the wonder of the stage. She finds another old man and a black cat. This whole tale begins when she finds a door. She goes in it without thinking and it leads her to an apartment exactly like hers. She finds people that look exactly like her father and mother except that they have buttons for eyes. She thinks these parents are more interesting but then her other mother wants her to stay there forever. But she has to sew buttons over her eyes. When she goes back to the real world, her parents are missing. Her other mother is the one that kidnapped them. Then the other mother gives gifts to Coraline but she won't accept them. As a punishment she puts her inside a mirror. After she takes her out, Coraline wants to take on her other mother on a game that will help find her parents. Coraline escapes and closes the door behind her but she forgot that the other mother's hand will be searching for a key so she could come into the real world. The hand falls into the world and all the misery soon ends.

Gossip Girl by Cecily von Ziegesar

Laura of Los Feliz  08/09/2009
Serena van der Woodsen just got kicked out of boarding school and everybody is wondering why.Serena then decides to flirt with her best friend, Blair's, boyfriend. His name is Nate. Although Blair has no idea about this flirting, she has come to have madness for Serena. Blair then decides to throw a big bash party and she didn't want Serena to come so she didn't give her an invitation. Since Blair doesn't want to be Serena's friend anymore, Serena takes a chance and decides to become friends with a group of unpopular kids that wish they could be more like her. At the end, Blair finds out that Nate and Serena had a relationship while she was away for the summer.

Girl Overboard by Justina Chen Hendley

Laura of Los Feliz  08/09/2009
Syrah Cheng is a rich girl that loves to snowboard. Throughout the book, she realizes how to deal with real life experiences that can be relate able.While snowboarding, she has an accident that makes her parents not want to let her snowboard anymore. Everything in her life takes a spin and she must learn to fix it. First her boyfriend only wanted to be with her because of her fame. She discovers another part of her family she never knew she had. Age, her best friend, has grown apart from her because his girlfriend doesn't like Syrah. She puts everything aside for a little girl that has cancer. She makes this big event to find a donor for her. At the end, syrah discovers who she really is.

Melting Stones by Tamora Pierce

Alyssa of Van Nuys   08/08/2009
This book was overall okay for me. The story was okay but the plot didn't really excite me. It's about a girl named Evvy who is in a journey to train her magic skills and save an island nation from a big disaster. The plot was good but it could have been better. Overall it was an okay book.

Me & My Brothers by Hari Tokeino

Alyssa of Van Nuys   08/08/2009
This manga is about an elementary school girl named Sakura whose grandmother died this summer leaving her to discover that she has four step brothers who will look after now. Sakura is about to find out how big families are like and to finally discover real love of a family. I reccomend this manga series, it's so hilarious and there's a lot of surprises and enough drama and romance to keep you wanting more!

Mother, Please Don't Die by Lurlene McDaniel

Alyssa of Van Nuys   08/08/2009
This story is about a strong willed girl named Megan McCaffery who seem to handle almost anything. She's rough at sports, confident and don't care what people say about her. The only thing she is struggling to do is to be strong and can't bear to see her sick dying mother. This story made me cry because it portrays a strong bond between mother and daughter.

Someday Dreamers by Norie Yamada

Alyssa of Van Nuys   08/08/2009
This manga is about a girl named Nami who is a magic user who meets the new boy in school, Ryutaro who seems very mysterious and quiet. Nami befriends him and sparks fly. I liked this manga, the plot is good but the only complain I have is that the story is too slow. Overall it's a good story with great art.

Good Luck by E-Jin-Kang

Alyssa of Van Nuys   08/08/2009
This manga is about a girl named Shi-Hyun who is convinced that she is bad luck since her past occurring accidents. Now, she is in a new school, with new people who do not know anything about her and it seems like things are turning out for the best. Or so, she thinks. I recommend this manga to read. I'm going to follow this manga series now =) (8/26/09)

Like Life by Lorrie Moore

Victoria of Sherman Oaks  08/08/2009
Lorrie Moore's collection of short stories starts out slow, but her deep look and attention to details sparks life into her characters. In "The Jewish Hunter," for example, two faded, life-worn characters blossom into pseudo-love. It's a love story with none of the cliche and pretension found so often today, with spare dialogue that mystifies and somehow embodies the essence of that thing we like to call "love."

The Stranger by Albert Camus

Victoria of Sherman Oaks  08/08/2009
The Stranger leaves a strange taste in the mouth. The story is told through the voice of an emotionless, purposeless man whose actions are determined not by his own internal workings but by the weather, the ambient noise. He carries on a fling with Marie, admitting repeatedly that he doesn't think he loves her; he helps his neighbor trick and beat a flown mistress; he stands vigil over his mother's dead body without a tear; and his encounter on the beach results in a great accident, that will change his life whether he cares or not.

forever.. by judy blume

ana of Robertson  08/07/2009
This book is very good. It teaches you that you shouldn't attach yourself to one boyfriend. let yourself be free. It's basically a girl that meets a boy and thinks she's going to be with him forever but she goes to summer camp and meets someone else and falls in "love" with him.

Zatch Bell by raiku makoto

hwasoo of Los Feliz  08/07/2009
It all began when kiyo received a strange little boy named Zatch Bell as a birthday gift from his father. Soon Kiyo discovers Zatch Bell have magic power that are unleashed from a red book. Then, Kiyo learns that there are 99 more kids like Zatch Bell with magic power. But, the real trouble began now because Zatch Bell has to fight one another to become the king of the mamodo world. If you want to know more please read it.

Neptune by Isaac Asimov

Giselle of Edendale   08/07/2009
Neptune is a big round blue planet. You can't land in the planet because it's poison. From Neptune, the sun looks like a bright star. The sunshine on Neptune is 450 times brighter than light reflected to Earth from a full moon. There are four giant planets they are Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. Neptune is the most distant from Earth and the smallest of the four. It is still enormous, however and measures about 30,760.When voyager 2 flew near Neptune in 1989, it spotted six more satellites or biting the planet. These moons are all quite close to Neptune. Their widths or diameters are estimated to range from 30 to260 miles. I recommend this book to the club.

Shibariya Komachi (Bound Beauty) by Mick Takeuchi

Claudia of Felipe de Neve  08/07/2009
There is a legend about the red string of love. It is supposedly tied from our pinky to the pinky of the one we are meant to be with. Sadly it is invinsible, but not to Chiyako Goto. Chiko, as she is more commonly known has been able to see the red string ever since she was saved from a fire by a boy. Years later, she has set up a 'Love Fortune' business, by telling the girls at her school who they are destined to be with so she can move out of her dad's house and become an independent adult. But soon she gets sought out by a mysterious group of hot guys known as the Tyers. They warn her to stop her business...or else. She doesn't listen and stumbles across the Shirogane, which binds her into the body of a small child! Now she is the wielder of the white thread of fate, but will she ever get her normal body back?! This is a great read if you liked Takeuchi-sensei's previous work 'Her Majesty's Dog'. I think you'll find the manga really hard to put down once you pick it up.

The Sum by Jenny Han

vICKI of Chinatown  08/06/2009
When I started reading this, I didn't think I would love it as much as I do now. From reading the book flap, I thought it would just be another generic summer love book. However, when I started reading it, I was instantly sucked into the life of Belly, the main character. Basically, this book revolves around the summers that Belly has been spending her whole life at: the beach house with her mom's best friend. Her two "brothers" have always treated her like a little kid, but this summer, they seem to notice her more. Also, secrets start coming out at the end of the book that explains the strange emotions that have been shown throughout the whole book. This book made me laugh and cry. I would really recommend this book to anyone who is in for a nice read.

Jackaroo by Cynthia Voigt

heather of Woodland Hills  08/06/2009
The book Jackaroo Is about a girl named Gwyn who grows up as an innkeepers doughtier. She is not only a hard worker but smart and has the responsibility of taking care of her younger brother Tad that is a lot more then she would like.
There is not much imagination as the plot is a lot like Robin Hood in the sense of a man who steals from the rich to gives to the poor. The difference is that Gwyn takes the place of Jackaroo. Jackaroo being a tale the towns people whispered about.
In the end she has to leave her home and is married to her father's slave who's been there from the beginning. The end

Max by James Patterson

Ashley of San Pedro Regional  08/06/2009
Max adventure, mad scientist, nuclear mutated sea animals, learnig to breath under water, and try not to get captured by some asian goverment. This is an awsome amazing high flying book. Ashley M. Jones

White Witch Black Curse by Kim Harrison

Ashley of San Pedro Regional  08/06/2009
A young witch trying to find the killer of her lover, track down an adult banshee, save a banshee child, figure out what to do with a ghost come back to life flesh and blood now, find a way out of her lessons with her "demon teacher" (literally, and last but not least try not to die doing it all.

Wild Magic by Cat Weatherill

Ashley of San Pedro Regional  08/06/2009
Wild Magic is a book full of Magic, adventure, and a family that finaly come together emotionaly.

Sea Turtle by Bobbie Kalman

Giselle of Edendale   08/06/2009
Turtles are reptiles. All reptiles have scales and a backbone, and they breathe with lungs. Some reptiles live on land, and others live in the water. Sea turtles have been on Earth for over 200 millions of years. There are more than 260 species, or kinds of turtles Sea turtles vary in sizes, color, and shape. Most sea turtles have strong jaws with sharp ridges for tearing off bits off food. The life cycle of every sea turtles starts in the beach, which is where females lay eggs. People also eat sea turtle's eggs. The eggs are very easy to find because the sea turtle don't cover her tracks. I recommend this book to the club.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

Sebastian of Sherman Oaks  08/06/2009
This is a book about a German boy who is the son of an S.S commander during World War II. The boy has just left Germany on a long trip to Poland. He doesn't like his new house and just wants to go back. One day when he was exploring he found a fence he followed the fence to a concentration camp (Auschwitz) and meets a Jewish boy named Shmuel. This book takes you on an adventure of a lifetime down Germany's most brutal camp and tells you how Jews were treated back in 1944. This book is for people who understand the Holocaust.

A Child Called It by David Peltzer

Gigi of Valley Plaza  08/06/2009
The book A Child Called It is a true story and the author David Peletzer is the actual boy in the story. In the book David suffers a lot because his mother beats him and abuses him. But in the beginning of the story his mother actually cared for him and his two older brothers. Well actually, his mother still cares for David's two older brothers but not as much. One day the police find out about David's abusive mother and they take David away from her. He finally becomes free. But its not over yet. To find out what happens to David next you must read the Lost Boy.

Click Here by Denise Vega

Laura of Los Feliz  08/06/2009
This book is about Erin and Jilly. Both of them begin attending a middle school called Molly Brown Middle School Something bad happens to these girls that makes them really sad which is that they have been put on different letter tracks and won't have the same classes. Jilly tries to make Erin change to her track, but it doesn't work out. Erin depends a lot on Jilly so when she finds this out she thinks middle school will be the most terrible experience. Erin joins a club about the Internet which is planning to design the school's website to make it better. Then Erin has a crush on a boy that's in the Internet club. She has become one of her best friends until she finds something out that crushes her. That boy has a crush on Jilly. To calm her feelings down she creates a blog in which she lets out all of her emotions. This doesn't end well when that blog is made available for everyone to read on the school's website. Here Erin must find a way to get her friend Jilly back and to receive the respect she once had.

lost and found by Tzipporah Pollack

Bracha of Sherman Oaks  08/05/2009
Amazing book. It is about two siblings that get lost during the holucaust and how they reunited.

Airmail To Amsterdam by Esty Shlanger

Bracha of Sherman Oaks  08/05/2009
Gr8 book it shows that everyone wants to have some sort of conection. It also made you feel bad for one of the characters.

Cindy Ella by Robin Palmer

Bracha of Sherman Oaks  08/05/2009
It is an AMAZING book. It gave across the message that it is possible for the most popular boy to fall in love with a geeky girl. It also made it clear that someone's fate can change very fast.

The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan

Stephanie of Los Feliz  08/05/2009
The Battle of the Labyrinth is the fourth installment of the epic series by Riordan, "Percy Jackson and the Olympians."
Unlike the three previous books (which were also epic-ly-awesome) the fourth book features a much more mature Percy Jackson as he battles his way through his prophecy and getting closer to battle Kronos, the Titan Lord himself. What I like most about this series is that they have prophecies, that, unless you read the entire book from cover to cover you wont know how the prophecy comes true.
I recommend the entire series so that you can get much more into this book, but just so you know, there is more action and finally, love in this novel than the previous three (both between new and old friends as well as a goddess). The ending itself, although a cliffhanger for the last novel, was one that was worth the read.
READ IT, you won't regret it:)

Maximum Ride by James Patterson

Rina of Robertson  08/05/2009
Maximum Ride is an extremely exciting series about six kids who are 98% human and 2% bird (so they are able to fly). There are people trying to kill these kids, but they are very cunning and able to escape from the face of death in the blink of an eye. They have many different adventures together throughout all the books in the series (even though not all the books are out yet). If you're interested in exciting action books with a little romance, then the Maximum Ride series is right for you!

The Young Traveler's Gift by Andy Andrews

Alexus of Van Nuys   08/05/2009
Before David Ponder ever visited Truman in The Traveler's Gift, Michael Holder began his journey as the last young traveler to receive the unique gifts of wisdom offered by historical greats.
In his senior year of high school, Michael hits rock bottom. Having been caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, he has now been suspended from the track team and lost his college scholarship. His coach is angry, his parents are disappointed, and he's diving headfirst into a downward spiral. Facing the bleak future ahead, he sees no way out and wonders if life is really worth living. But with some divine intervention, he's given a second chance when he's offered an once-in-a-lifetime journey of discovery.
Rewritten to engage the minds of teens and tweens, The Young Traveler's Gift is sure to encourage and enlighten young men and women as they prepare to face the journeys that lie ahead. (8/14/09)

new moon by stephenie meyer

Kimberly of Atwater Village   08/05/2009
This book is mostly about a girl named Bella. She was in love with a boy name Edward but he wasn't an ordinary boy he was a vampire. A few days after Bella's birthday Edward left her because he thought if he stay with her she will get hurt A few months after Edward left she found out her best friend Jacob was a werewolf. One of Edward's sisters, Alice, can see in the future and saw Bella jump of a cliff but she was a actually cliff diving. Then Edward thought Bella died since he heard Bella jumped. So Bella and Alice went on an airplane to find Edward before he goes in the sunlight. hey got to Edward before he got to the sun.

BABYMOUSE BEACH BABE by JENNIFER L. HOLM

Imani of West Valley Regional  08/05/2009
I LIKE THE BOOK CAUSE IT''S FUN,HAPPY,AND I LIKE THE CHARATERS IN IT. HOW SHE PRETENDS TO BE A SURFER.

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

gina of Exposition Park - Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Regional  08/05/2009
This book is filled with magic. I love this book because it's filled with magic, drama, love, and comedy. I'd recommend this book to someone who loves fantasy.

New Moon by Stephanie Meyer

Gigi of Valley Plaza  08/05/2009
New Moon is the sequal to Twilight. In New Moon Edward loses control on Bella's birthday party. So then Edward descides to leave Bella and to move to Italy. Then Bella has to survive without him. So she pairs up with Jacob and they become best friends. But along their road to friendship many dangerous things occur for example Bella jumps off a cliff and into the ocean and almost dies. But in the end Bella regains self strength and goes with Alice Cullen to save Edward. You should read this book. Once you read it you will want to know what happens next.

Meet Felicity by Valerie Tripp

Emily of Los Feliz  08/04/2009
I really like this book because it teaches you to always try your best to make your hopes and dreams come true. And I do recommend this book for others to read cause it is good to read a book that the character will actually go for what they want even though it doesn't go exactly the way you want it but at least things worked out for the best. Well this book is about a girl named Felicity. And she lives in the colonial times of 1774 and she has a deep love for horses. One day she gets all excited about a new horse in town; but her gladness fades away when she hears the owner is Jiggy Nye, the cruelest man in town that kills cows and horses when they are too old to work. And when she gets to see the horses she is determined in any way to make it hers but when she finds out that there is no way and she couldn't bare to leave it to Jiggy Nye she lets the horse free.

Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

Lauren of Chinatown  08/04/2009
Breaking Dawn is the fourth book to the Twilight series. In the book Breaking Dawn, Bella and Edward graduate from high school and arrange a marriage. On their honeymoon Bella gets pregnant. There is a chance that Bella will die.....

Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer

Lauren of Chinatown  08/04/2009
Eclipse is the third follow up book to the awesome Twilight series. The Cullens must find a way to save Bella from the Volturi and Victoria. I think this book is a must read including to whole series!!!!

New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

Lauren of Chinatown  08/04/2009
This book is the second book in the twilight series. As Edward leaves Bella, she starts to create a bond with her new best friend Jacob. She soon discovers that Jacob is also not human and is also enemies with vampires. As Bella tries new dangerous things, she sees and imagines that Edward is there with her.

New Boy by Julian Houston

Alexus of Van Nuys   08/04/2009
Sixteen-year-old Rob Garrett is the first black student in the 87-year history of Draper, a Connecticut boarding school. He imagines himself another Jackie Robinson, breaking a barrier, making history. But history is about to be made at home in Virginia, too, as students plan lunch-counter sit-ins at the local Woolworth's, and Paul is torn about his role and place. Houston effectively mines the ...
More layers of prejudice at Draper and probes the varied responses of the African-American community to the burgeoning civil-rights movement. The volume is stuffed with characters, dramatic scenes and ruminations on race and history, and even Malcolm X and Joe Louis play their parts. Houston would do well to return to them in future novels or short stories. Rob is a character to care for as he finds his way in school. He meets a girl and participates in history-making events.

Bunny in a Basket by Ann Baum

Cristal of Harbor City - Harbor Gateway  08/04/2009
Mandy is thrilled to be staying at James's cousin Nadia's house for a week, and to hear that Nadia has a gorgeous lop-eared rabbit named Pixie. Even more exciting, Pixie has entered a competition for the chance to be the model for a chocolate Easter bunny! But when Pixie suddenly falls ill, Mandy must use her veterinary experience to determine what's wrong with him. Can Mandy cure Pixie's mystery illness in time for the competition? The little rabbit sniffed at his foil-wrapped neighbor, then gave a tiny bunny shrug as if knew it wasn't real. Mandy and James stood to one side as the photographers crowded in for more photo pictures

Doctor Pickle by Louis Sachar

Giselle of Edendale   08/04/2009
Dr. Pickle was an excellent psychiatrist. He has thick eyebrows and wore tiny glasses and had a small beard on the tip of his pointed chin. One day a woman came into his office, she smoked too much and she wanted him to help her quit. Her husband won't kiss her because her breath stinks. So Dr. Pickle put her into a deep, deep sleep, but the woman can still hear him. So Dr. Pickle told her when she puts the cigarette in her mouth she will feel a yucky, icky worm. So she then stopped cigarette because she felt a yucky worm in her mouth. But Dr. Pickle told her also when her husband said potato to slap him in the face. I recommend this book to the teen club.

Masquerade by Melissa De La Cruz

Jessica of Van Nuys   08/04/2009
The book Masquerade was an amazing book, and it was the novel of Blue Bloods. Schuyler has a lot of work to do if she wants to find out who the silver blood is. When her enemy is accused of being the silver blood she is the only one who can save her, but by doing that she may turn into a silver blood. Will she do it? You can only know if you read the book.

Blue Bloods by Melissa De La Cruz

Jessica of Van Nuys   08/04/2009
The book Blue Bloods is a remarkable book. It is about a girl named Schuyler who found out she was a vampier at age fifteen. Her life changes dramatically. There are more things to the blue bloods (vampires) then she knows. Like when a silver blood tries to destroy her and her friends, she bows to find out how to destroy then. But she has to go through a lot of things to find out how to. The only way to find out how it to read the book.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Jane of Studio City  08/04/2009
Katniss lives in what used to be The United States where war and poverty tore it apart, and the 12 districts arose. Every year the Hunger Games are held. 1 boy and 1 girl from each district are chosen. The 24 teens are thrown into an arena to die or win; there can be only one winner. When Katniss announces she will be filling in for her sister Prim in the games, she knows it is suicidal. But, will her quick wit and bow and arrow skills be a match for the 23 other contestants?
I thought this book was amazing! If you are a fast reader, you can read this book in 2-3 days! Katniss is clever and witty, and the suspense keeps you locked in. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys action/ adventure books about girls :)

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Lauren of Chinatown  08/04/2009
Well..... let's see. I think this is the best book ever. Twilight is a story about a typical teenage girl, maned Bella who moves to her dad's home in Forks, Washington. Bella meets Edward and falls in love with him. She soon figures out that Edward, is not human......

The pearl by John Steinbeck

Hillary of Pio Pico - Koreatown  08/04/2009
The Pearl is about a guy named Kino and his wife called Juana and they have a little baby boy called Coyotito. They live in a brush house were no gold or money can be found. So one day Kino went to the beach for a dive and there he found a pretty pearl so he got it and he showed it to hi wife and showed it to his brother Juan Tomas. Many people were shocked the Kino had found such thing in the beach.
Kino had showed it to every body except the doctor and his assistant. Kino had to sell the pearl because a snake was had bitten Coyotito. They had to take the poison out of his leg; So Kino has to sell the pearl to save his baby. So the only one that really doesn't know too much is the doctor and his assistant. When the doctor saw the pearl he said "what a beautiful pearl you have there."
Kino had told the doctor were could you sell the pearl to someone. The doctor had said to Kino to go find some sailors so that they can buy his pearl some sailors wanted the pearl for two pesos the other one wanted 3 pesos and so on and so for.
Some people had said that the pear was fake and it was not worth it. Kino had a good song but then he had found out that the pearl was evil. It had an evil song. Kino knew it but he didn't want to let the pearl go. But one stormy night he had gotten tired of carrying the pearl and he had lost the pearl but Kino's wife had said there goes the evil song.

Gone by Michael Grant

kassandra of Edendale   08/04/2009
Sam is a natural leader when it disasters happen. When the school bus driver had a heart attack, Sam was there to control the situation. One day in the middle of class every teacher in the school disappears. FAYZ (Fallout, Alley, Youth, Zone) is created. There is no one over the age of fifteen. Bullies rule the FAYZ. There are mutating animals: seagulls with talons, snakes with wings, and talking coyotes. People are changing and are gaining new powers. Good against evil. Who will win?

Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder

Ashley of West Los Angeles Regional   08/04/2009
Poison study is a wonderful and lively read. I particularly love the pragmatic heroine and her stubborn refusal to give up or give in.

Highly recommended

Vampirates: Blood Captain by Justin Somper

Garnier of Los Feliz  08/04/2009
Vampirates: Blood Captain is an amazing story. It is filled with adventure. This book is so fun and interesting to read you can't seem to put it down and once you finish it you will want to read the one after it because right at the end, there is so much suspense!

Vampire Kisses 4: Dance with a Vampire by Ellen Schreiber

Garnier of Los Feliz  08/04/2009
Vampire Kisses 4: Dance with a Vampire is a great book. Once I started reading it, I paid no attention to the time as it passed. I was buried in the book reading about the romance and drama between Raven and her vampire boyfriend Alexander. The story was so interesting I couldn't seem to put it out because around every corner was a new adventure to begin. I recommend this book to anyone who likes romance, drama,vampires, and goths all in one!

Vampire Kisses 3: Vampireville by Ellen Schreiber

Garnier of Los Feliz  08/04/2009
Vampire Kisses 3: Vampireville is a great book that will keep you hooked on until you finish it. There is so much drama and romance you won't see the time fly by. This is an amazing book for anyone interested in romance, drama, and vampires. Around every corner is another adventure to come!

Vampire Kisses by Ellen Schreiber

Tiffany of Palms - Rancho Park  08/03/2009
Vampire Kisses Is About A Regular Girl Named Raven Maddison Who Meets A Young Vampire Named Alexander Sterling. This Is A Tale Like Twilight But It Is More Interesting. Raven Is A Goth Girl Who Wants To Get Away From Her Perfect And Dull Life. She Calls Her Neighboorhood Dullsville Because Of How Dull It Can Be. One Day She Sees That The Mysterious Mansion On Top Of Benson Hills Has A New Owner. A Vampire Owner Named Alexander Sterling. She Embarkes On A Young Of Dating A Teen Vampire And The Perks And Perrels It Comes With.

The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks

Shea of Los Feliz  08/03/2009
Q: Screams fill the air, entire buildings have been destroyed in the panic, it has become clear that no help is coming, and dozens of undead swarm in the streets. Do you...
(A) Immediately try to escape the area, by car or otherwise?
(B) Barricade yourself in your home?
(C) Attempt to fight the shambling menace?
Within the Zombie Survival Guide are the answers to this question and many more. It is the ultimate civilian's guide, containing all the dos and don'ts of surviving the imminent zombie infestation in your area.
This book is great for zombie lovers like me, and might help answer the question: if there ever were a zombie apocalypse, what would you do?

Being Nikki by Meg Cabot

Jane of Studio City  08/03/2009
In this sequal to Cabot's "Airhead" Em discovers that being a super model isn't so easy. With her big Christmas Party coming up, will Em be able to get Christopher to notice her or will she be stuck with Brandon Stark, her ex?
I thought this book was ok. If you enjoyed the first book in the series (I did) you will probably enjoy this book. It is a lot like the first, with a lot more secrets and surprises! The end gives it a great cliffhanger that only makes you want to read the next book in the series! People who like books on like social things. high school etc. will probably like this book!

The First Part Last by Angela Johnson

Janelle of Mid-Valley Regional  08/03/2009
"The First Part Last" is a realistic fiction, telling about a sixteen year old boy who struggles to raise his infant. Johnson looks at the male's point of view of a teenage pregnancy as he struggles to do the right thing. This book's chapters are alternately titled "then" and "now." This book is an amazing book to read and i recommend it to teens at the age of 13 and up.

Normal GIrl by Molly Jong-Fast

Alexus of Van Nuys   08/03/2009
In Miranda's world, there is no real here and now. Everyone is aware of watching eyes, and if eyes are watching, one must either be trendy fabulously dressed or be "with" people who are trendy or fabulously dressed in some trendy or fabulous place. Miranda is therefore always caught up in comparisons and envy. In such an atmosphere, friendships are not only precarious and grounded in the unreal, but the death of friends may mean nothing at all, even if the funeral parlor is packed and everyone who is anyone is surrounding the corpse. The questions for Miranda to ask are: will she herself die? And who are her real friends? Did she kill Jeff?
The question of Jeff's death is what initially pulls you through the first part of the story. One wants to hear why she thinks she murdered Jeff. That would have been a nice dramatic road to take. When the Jeff story comes out near the end of the book, the reader feels somewhat deprived. The real story seems to be suddenly found and then just as suddenly lost. The rehab and the commitment to a normal life weren't bad, mind you. When the truth came out that the narrator was in love with the Obscure Object of Everyone's Affection, the story suddenly became more exciting for me. The source of the narrator's pain was now clearly seen. We had known the narrator only through her intellectual wit and now we were --at last-- seeing her heart. Just when I wanted to know more about this unknown character Jeff and to explore Miranda's non-relationship with the deceased, the book ended. Yet despite this, Normal Girl is a good read and a neat peek into the life of the Upper East Side Jewish set.

Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

Jonathan of Porter Ranch  08/02/2009
Flowers for Algernon was a very touching book and is recomended. It is about a mentaly retarded man who became smart and started to see problems. It is a book of his life and is recomended. It is a great book and is very interesting.

Wicked: Witch and Curse by Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguie

vICKI of Chinatown  08/02/2009
Honestly, I would not recommended this book to anyone to read for fun. In my opinion, the storyline was very confusing and boring. The book basically dragged on and on with no significance. As much as I tried, I could not get myself to really read this book with enjoyment.

Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

Kajie of Mid-Valley Regional  08/02/2009
This book was amazing. It kept you on the edge of your bed, waiting to see what would happen next. It was intriguing and captivating. It is beautifully, well-written story of Aislinn and her best-friend Seth. It also was filled with suspense, romance, comedy, and pain. 17yr old Aislinn, trapped in the evil world of faeries, soon discovers a terrible fate that will change her life forever. Since birth, Aislinn has been able to see faeries, and they're not so nice. They're invisible to normal mortals, but not to her. A terrifying gene that has been passed down, gives Aislinn the "SIGHT" but she doesn't want anything to do with it. She just wants to be a normal girl with a normal life and a normal boyfriend. But her life won't be so normal after a surprise visit from the faery King of Summer. With shocking news that will curse Aislinn for eternity, she must learn to fight her battles wisely, and take the next step forward. Melissa Marr invites you into the magical world of faeries and fey. But will the journey be pleasant or terrifying? You'll just have to read Wicked Lovely, and find out!

It's Not You, it's Me by Kerry Cohen Hoffmann

Rotem of Sherman Oaks  08/01/2009
This book was absolutely amazing. It is about this girl names Zoe and her boyfriend dumped her. She's planning on getting him back, because she still loves him. I recommend this book to everyone looking for a good and fast read. This book was really short and only took me about an hour to read. It's my favorite book (current)

M or F? by Lisa Papademetriou and Chris Tebbetts

Jessica of Van Nuys   08/01/2009
The book M or F is one of those great books that get better by the page. It's about Frannie, a girl who is very desperate to get the attention of her crush. Then her best (and gay) best friends Marcus says that she should speak to him on the school website, but Frannie is too scared to write even one word. It works but you won't even guess who falls in love with whom!!! Lots of things can happen online, but you'll just have to read this book to see what kind of things!

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

Magaly of Valley Plaza  08/01/2009
Can you envision a life where the one you love the most is always disappearing? Can you imagine the sentiments that must have gone through Clare (the time traveler's wife) when she had to live through life never knowing if Henry De Tamble (her boyfriend and then husband) would come home?
This novel is one of the best books I've read in a long time, and I ( being the book worm) do not say that lightly. It is a story about love, friends, loss and the experiences humans go through emotionally and physically through life. The Time Traveler's Wife is a science fiction novel for those of you who hate science fiction.
Audrey Niffenegger beautifully arranges shuffling Henry through different time periods: past, present and future. (At one point he even meets himself!) However, Ms. Niffenegger somehow manages to move the story forward wrapping it up perfectly with one sentence in the end that gives you a whirlwind of emotions.
(I recommend this novel for teens 17+ due to mature content.)

Something Borrowed by Catherine Hapka

Jessica of Van Nuys   08/01/2009
The book Something Borrowed by Catherine Hapka is a great book for people who are looking for their true love or for people just looking for a little romance. This book is mostly about two best friends and a boyfriend (all teens). The main characters name is Ava. Her sister is going to get married in two weeks and her boyfriend just dumped her. She gets worried that she won't have a date to her sisters wedding. She does lots of funny things to get a date for the wedding and at the same time look for her true love. She asked some boys but things go really wrong. A boy breaks both his legs (and some fingers) another one turns out to be gay, what's next! You'll have to read the book and find out!

The Weeping Woman by Joe Hayes

Giselle of Edendale   07/31/2009
This book wants to scary kids to not go out in the night without an adult. They said that the weeping woman was a pretty girl named "Maria". . She was from a little village named "Santa Fe". . I recommend this story to the club because it's a great 'FOLKTALE' to scary people. I like this book because in story they use a lot of details.

I Never Told Anyone by Ellen Bass (Editor)

gloria of Will & Ariel Durant  07/31/2009
"I never told anyone " is a book of mini stories sexual abuse. Each story is unique and painful. As you keep on reading you will discover that sexual abuse can happen to anyone and we have to be aware of it.

The Little Prisoner by Jane Elliot

gloria of Will & Ariel Durant  07/31/2009
The little prisoner by jane elliot gave me the chance to look through the eyes of a growing child going through mental and sexual abuse.As i turned pages it felt as if i was growing with the victim and her pain,this book contains a true story which some people hide and if we keep hiding child abuse it will keep on growing.

Harry Potter and the Deatly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

ana of Robertson  07/30/2009
This book is amazing J.K. did an amazing job! She didn't disappoint anyone with the ending. I read the ending like three times. The wording she uses was spectacular!

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

Ismael of Los Feliz  07/30/2009
Brian, a thirteen year old kid who does not know what awaits in his future. When Brian goes to visit his father, the plane crashed. Brian finds himself alone in the Canadian wilderness. Will a simple hatchet help him survive in the wilderness? Well if you want to find out read this breathtaking book today!

The Chaos King by Laura Ruby

Garnier of Los Feliz  07/30/2009
The Chaos King is a great story. It has everything you would like in a book: mystery, horror, romance, and friendship. I recommend this book because once you read it, you can't put it down!

The Guns Of August by Barbara Tuchman

suman of Woodland Hills  07/29/2009
The Guns of August, by Barbara Tuchman, is a historical book about World War I and the events leading up to it. The book is indeed, historical, but fails to add the excitement needed to pull a sixteen-year-old reader into the book. The story begins with the funeral of former King Williams. It gives us a necessary background to the important contributors to the First World War. Barbara Tuchman attempts to share with the reader, the point of views of these individuals. In doing so, I believe she includes far too much of American idealistic bias, something many of us share. The book however is fairly complicated, and I would suggest it to those either looking for a challenge or are very interested in World War I. All in all, I felt this book is dull.

Negima by Ken Akamatsu

Thompson of Los Feliz  07/27/2009
Negima is a very popular series made by the same creator of Love Hina. If you can remember, or if you are new to Ken Akamatsu's work, his basic line of stories is one guy that is surrounded by a bunch of cute girls. The same goes for Negima as a ten-year-old boy becomes a teacher to an all-girls middle school. Wow! And here's the kicker - the boy knows magic! If you want a crazy story with a lot of action and comedy, pick up this book.

House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer

Carla of Westwood  07/27/2009
In the future, a country named Opium was the border between the US and Atzlan (Mexico). The powerful leader, Matteo Alacran, is a drug lord. He is in his 140s and remains alive because of many implants. Matt is his clone. He is isolated for 6 years until he discovers a world outside of the little farmhouse at which he stayed. He meets the Alacran family. At first, he doesn't understand why he is perceived as "a beast" to most of them. He discovers many things about himself and he discovers his only hope is to run away from Opium. Many obstacles along his long journey stop him, but he wants to be a normal boy. He discovers so many things that were hidden from him all his life that will make a difference at how he looks at the world. (8/14/09)

Maximim Ride by James Patterson

Stephen of Granada Hills  07/22/2009
This book shows what determination gives, courage, strength, and integrity. This book is about children who have to take care of themselves until one of them gets kidnap and her family has to get her. I rate this as one of the best books that I have EVER read. (8/13/09)

The Soldiers of Halla by D.J. MacHale

Diana of Sun Valley  07/18/2009
The Soldiers of Halla is the tenth and final installment of D.J. MacHale's Pendragon series. The series follows the adventures of Bobby Pendragon through time and space. These books are for anyone and everyone. There are strong parallels to Earth's history for fiction fans; fantastical worlds for fantasy junkies; a little romance for the romantics; engaging, twisting plots; and a lot more. They are truly refreshing.
As for Soldiers of Halla itself, it is a great end to a great series. The truth of the Travelers is revealed. Much like every other factor in the series, it may not be at all what you expect, but it wraps up many questions. This book is an absolute page-turner. I would say, "It leaves you wanting more." But all great things come to an end. If you're like me, it does not leave you wanting more. It leaves you satisfied. You may, however, get the urge to read the whole series over again. Just to pick up what you may have skipped or forgotten on the first run. (8/14/09)

Battle of the Bands by N. B. Grace

Vanity of Exposition Park - Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Regional  07/18/2009
This book is a really good book. I like this book because i am a High School Musical Fan. I think my favorite part is when they were in the lunch cafeteria and Sharpay had a tantrum. Besides that part i like how Troy and Gabriela liked each other. Well that's all I am going to tell you so read this book it's really good. (8/26/09)

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Garnier of Los Feliz  07/17/2009
Twilight is an amazing book. It has everything a reader would want from drama to romance. Even when you think everything is as weird as it could get, vampires and werewolves come in. This story is one of those stories that you pick up but never put down because around every chapter something dramatic happens. Twilight is the first book out of the Twilight saga. Stephenie Meyer adds so much detail to the book that you can feel like you are there! So don't wait any longer. Go find the book and read it because you won't regret it!

The diary of a young girl by Anne Frank

Frappart of Malabar  07/16/2009
The book The Dairy of A Young Girl by Anne Frank is a very good book. It is mostly about what have happened to her during her life when she got her diary and started to write about her life. It is interesting to me about everything that happened to her and it was very, very horrible.
The book gives a lot of details and description to what have happened to her when the Germans found her from hiding. It gives me the goose bumps about the Jews being separated from their family, friends and put into a camp.
This is a very good book to read so you know that you should respect your family and friends. How would you survive in similar situation? (7/20/09)

Rocket Ship Galileo by Robert A. Heinlein

Justin of Mar Vista  07/15/2009
For those of you who like aerospace, this is definately the book for you! It's about these four people: Ross Jenkins, Art Mueller, Morris Abrams (3 of them are teens) and Dr. Donald Cargraves. They aren't the average teenagers though. While most of the others like to be cruising around, playing ball or video games, the trio has a club named the Galileo Club. They experiment with rocket fuels, build model rockets and prepare for their college education. One day after Dr. Cargraves watches them test fly one of their mini model rockets, he decides that they are some pretty smart kids. After talking it over with their parents, they decide to make a rocket and fly it to the moon!! What happens!? Does it work!? Go ahead and read the book! (7/22/09)

Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis

Justin of Mar Vista  07/15/2009
Like everyone says, you can't judge a book by its cover. At first, I thought this book would be boring, but boy was I wrong!
This book is about a boy named Bud who is an orphan. His mother died of a sickness and never told him who his father was. He is trying to find out where his dad is. So he hits the streets and tries to find his dad. He has his own little suitcase of his private things and flyers that his mom left him giving him a clue about who his father was. His name was Herman E. Calloway and his famous band, The Dusky Devastators of the Depression. Once he decided to hit the road, nothing could make him change his mind. He would do anything to find his dad! So what happens? Go and read the book! (7/16/09)

Pendragon Merchant of Death by DJ McHale

Kyle of San Pedro Regional  07/15/2009
This was the first book I ever liked!!! And also I finished it!! It was totaly awsome!!! It was the best bool I ever read. I loved it so much I am now reading the whole series. (7/21/09)

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

Alyssa of Van Nuys   07/15/2009
This book is about a girl named Jenna Fox who wakes up a year later from a coma due to an accident that no one talks about, and remembers nothing about her life. Her mother encourages her to watch videos of her life and still can't help but feel she is not the same person. Slowly Jenna begins to remember and she seeks to find out what really happened to her and her friends who was at the accident with her. Mary Pearson presents an unforgettable look at one human life and a glimpse into a possible future that may be closer than we think. It's a really good book, it took me about a day to finish it because I'm a fast reader but the story is really good and I liked the book. I would recommend it to people who likes a good heart felt story that is looking for a twist. (7/21/09)

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Celine of Exposition Park - Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Regional  07/15/2009
Well this book is the best book I have read by far and I have read many books. This book will not only take you to another whole new perspective of life but it will captivate you. This book is unique because the two main characters are a vampire named Edward and a normal teenage girl name Bella. Throughout the book they start developing a close and unique relationship that sadly brings problems in their life. If you want to know what happens and what type of serious situations these two people go through then I recommend you most definitely read the book. I guarantee you that it will blow you away! (7/21/09)

Boys R Us by Lisi Harrison

Ava of Palisades  07/14/2009
Okay so this book is the 16th book in the Clique Series and is a fun read. Tensions rise as Massie dismantles the Pretty Committee (PC) and starts Massie and Crew (MAC) by hiring some model-actresses from NYC with Layne to make Alicia jealous for leaving Massie to start the Heart-Nets to replace the Socc-hers which aren't needed anymore because Briarwood has been rebuilt so Alicia starts a boy-girl clique called the Soul-M8s but Alicia discovers it is harder than it looks to be an alpha and Claire is stuck in the middle and Kristen loses her two best friend and in between all of that there are designer clothes, a charity event, soy lattes, guys getting pedicures, 9th grade boys, a doggy boutique, gossip, disses, and SO much fun! This is a really fun, fluffy book- a good summer beach read. READ THIS BOOK! (7/21/09)

The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien

Shea of Los Feliz  07/14/2009
The prologue to Lord of the Rings, the Hobbit tells a story of the quiet hobbit Bilbo Baggins, and an unexpected journey with a group of dwarves and the wizard Gandalf to reclaim stolen treasure from the dragon, Smaug.
This is a fairly short read, and explains how Bilbo came into possession of the one all-powerful Ring.
Set in a lushly imagined world, I recommend this book to anyone looking for a good fantasy. (7/21/09)

The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas

Amy of Harbor City - Harbor Gateway  07/14/2009
This book is a true classic and a must-read for everyone. The story follows D'Artagnan, a young nobleman living in 17th century France, hoping to become a famed musketeer. The musketeers are a band of esteemed swordsmen who work under King Louis XII mainly to combat the Cardinal's guardsmen, humorously I might add. D'Artagnan quickly makes friends with the Inseparables, three of the most renowned musketeers in service. Together, they have the adventure of a lifetime as they seek to protect the king's honor by foiling the Cardinal's evil plots and track down the elusive Milady, a ruthless and vile woman who plays a deadly hand in the plots. Full of love affairs, duels, suspense, and excitement, The Three Musketeers is a hilarious, action-packed, page-turning novel that keeps you reading to the very end. I really hope you have a chance to pick this up the next time you visit your local library. (7/21/09)

A Thousad Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

maha of Encino - Tarzana  07/13/2009
WOW! This is a very powerful book and I greatly enjoyed it. It is filled with emotion and triumph. It is a story about two Afghan women who are both married to the same abusive husband. As the war continues in Afghanistan, the women decide to do something about their horrid husband. It is a tragic yet wonderful take on the women in Afghanistan. It has become one of my favorite books and is a definite 5 stars. (7/21/09)

Junk Jewelry by Jane Eldershaw

Jacqueline of Sherman Oaks  07/13/2009
Are you someone with worthless trinkets scattered around your room? Are you looking for a way to use them? Well, look no further. Jane Eldershaw's crafty book titled Junk Jewelry is filled with tutorials on how to convert those items from junky to funky. It is filled to the brim with simple ways to turn computer keys to earrings, Valentine's Day candy to a chic bracelet, even instructions on how to combine every knickknack you own into a "Trashy Treasure necklace." These are easy ways to add a touch of glamour to your outfit, or to don a dominating accessory that no one has. Each piece has character and is unique, based on what you choose to create it with. This is a brilliant book and fairly comedic. Perfect for any creative genius out there. Check out the summer schedule for Sherman Oaks Teen Council (SOTC)'s Junk Jewelry Workshop! (7/22/09)

Fade by Lisa McMann

Thompson of Los Feliz  07/10/2009
Fade is the sequel of Wake, which further evaluates the curse of dream catching. Janie's health is slowly deteriorating while her love life is heating up. What up-coming surprises and cases will come from here? You need to read it to find out! The reason why I would suggest this book is because I believe that this is the conclusion to the previous book Wake. So, you must read both books in order to understand the story! (7/24/09)

Snakehead by Anthony Horowitz

Cassio of Los Feliz  07/10/2009
This book is the newest in the Alex Rider series. It action packed with great plot twists and cool gadgets. I thought this book was really great and definitely is one of my favorite Alex Rider books. It is great for anyone who likes action, adventure and some comedy mixed in there. (8/4/09)

Cirque Du Freak: A Living Nightmare by Darren Shan

ERIK of Memorial  07/09/2009
Cirque Du Freak is a book about vampires and friendship. Join Darren Shan and Steve Leapord on an epic adventure. You will meet new characters with never before seen powers or strengths. And you will find out what the title is named after. You will discover the real identity of Darren's teacher and what will happen to Steve. (8/14/09)

Endymion Spring by Matthew Skelton

Thomas of Mar Vista  07/09/2009
Endymion Spring by Matthew Skelton is the intriguing story of Blake, a boy staying with his mother in Cambridge in the present day. His world changes abruptly when he discovers a mysterious blank book that he feels has chosen him. Blake and his sister Duck's only clue to the book's origins are the words "Endymion Spring" printed on the cover. Looking for answers, he asks his mother's former professor and mentor, Professor Jolyon, what he knows about the book. To Blake's surprise, the professor is an expert on the book and leads Blake on a quest to find "The Last Book". A book, that when united with Endymion Spring, will become a source of unlimited power. However, Blake finds his investigation hampered by a mysterious character: the Faust. Faust is a title given to magicians who sell their soul to the devil in exchange for enough power to try and find the book. Most disturbingly, the Faust could be anyone, even Professor Jolyon. As a fantasy book, Endymion Spring does a good job painting a vivid landscape for the book to take place in, although it has way too many weak or unrealistic characters. I would recommend it if you want to check it out of the Library but it would be a waste of money to buy. (7/16/09)

The Demigod Files by Rick Riordan

Thomas of Mar Vista  07/09/2009
The Demigod Files by Rick Riordan follows Percy Jackson, son of the sea god Poseidon, a young Demigod (which means part Olympian god, part Mortal) in three short stories that occur between primary novels in the well-known Percy Jackson series. In the first story, Percy helps Clarrise, a fellow Demigod, retrieve her father's war chariot. Clarrise's father is Ares, god of war, and it was stolen from her by Phobos and Deimos, the minor gods of fear and terror. In the second story, Percy, Annabeth (Daughter of Athena, goddess of wisdom), and Silena (daughter of Aphrodite, goddess of love) need to rescue Charles, a son of Hepheastus, from a swarm of giant ants. But the only way to do this is to awaken a mechanical dragon that might be unstable. Finally, in the third story Percy, as well as the Daughter of Zeus and the son of Hades, the other two most powerful gods, are forced to recover a secret weapon Hades has been building in secret. The weapon was stolen just before it was completed. Percy must choose between recovering an unstoppable weapon for an unstable god and letting it fall into the hands of a monster that wants to destroy western civilization. In this collection, Riordan goes out of his way to make gripping stories that stay true to the characters and also remain in line with the books. I highly recommend The Demigod Files although it would probably be a good idea to read the other books first.

The Lighting Thief by Rick Riordan

Joseph of Wilmington  07/08/2009
A boy named Percy Jackson is constantly getting kicked out of boarding school because of the mythical monsters and gods of Mount Olympus that came out of his mythology textbook and into his life. And bad enough he's angered a few of them. Apparently Zeus's master lighting bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect.

Now Percy and his friends have just ten days to find and return Zeus's stolen property and bring peace to a warring Mount Olympus. But to succeed on his quest, Percy will have to do more than catch the true thief: he must come to terms with the father who abandoned him; solve the riddle of the Oracle, witch warns him of betrayal by a friend; and unravel a treachery more powerful than the gods themselves.

Deadly Little Secret by Laurie Faria Stolarz

Alyssa of Van Nuys   07/08/2009
I got this book for free by joining the teen summer reading program and read the whole thing the same day. Deadly Little Secret is about a girl named Camelia who almost got ran over by car but was saved by the new guy in school, Ben. They are rumors that he pushed a girl off a cliff and was a murderer so everybody in school stays away from him, everybody but Camelia. She is drawn to him and could not stop thinking about him since he saved her and started to feel strange. Then weird things keeps happening to her, she's getting mails from a stalker who is threatening her and leaving gifts inside her house. Everybody suspects Ben but he says he just want to help because he says Camelia is in danger. It turns out that he has a secret that nobody knows about that turns everything upside down. Who do you think is the stalker? This book keeps you guessing the whole way and I recommend it to people who likes eerie but likes a little romance. I don't know about you but this guy reminds me a little bit of Jacob in the Twilight Series. This book has that kind of vibe. (8/14/09)

Cricket Man by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Madhav of Chatsworth  07/06/2009
In this book Kenny Sykes is on a mission. He tries to fit in the new school with new friends in a new town in which in a meantime he finds himself saving hundreds of crickets who seem to bound in his pool making himself Cricket Man. Why he wants to same them, he's not entirely sure but once he starts school he finds a beautiful junior across the street. She is the most troubled and secretive girl in school but Cricket Man is on the case. (7/7/09)

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by J.K Rowling

Emory of Benjamin Franklin  07/05/2009
This book is so amazing with a lot of action, spells, romance, and everything a book could have. Pretty much, Harry is going back to the school to fight off the dark magic. While he is there, he meets many people and is like by many schoolmates, and hated by some of them. They also have a movie coming out July 15. I don't want to kill the surprise, so read into it for a big shock. (7/6/09)

The Clique by Lisi Harrison

Danielle of Cahuenga   07/05/2009
The Clique, where can I begin? Well, first of all it is one of the BEST books I have ever read before! It has excitement, events that can blow your mind, drama, and even a little comedy. So, in this book Massie Block, Alicia Rivera, Kristin Gregory, and Dylan Marvil are a group of 4 teenage girls that are practically the "clique" of OCD, and ALL- girls school. That means that they are the "trend-setters", the group that causes girls to be wannabes, and the group that only think about being popular, pretty, and staying in the group, but not just them but everyone else as well. In the beginning of the book, all of Massie's plans are ruined, for that night, when her parents tell her that her father's friend from college is not only coming from Florida to have dinner, but to live in their guesthouse for at least a month until the Lyons have a fresh beginning in a new life in California. But here comes the worst part, Massie has to be "friends", or try to be, with Claire Lyon, the daughter of Massie's father's friend. While Claire tries to fit in the new "groove" in the beginning, some events occur, that might surprise "the clique", Claire, a few other people, and even YOU! So, if you want to get into the scoop, read, The Clique. Enjoy. (7/7/09)

The Princess & the Pauper by Kate Brian

Garnier of Los Feliz  07/05/2009
A true European princess, named Carina, can't wait to meet with an American rock star named Ribbit. There is only one problem; all those bodyguards are watching her and her every move. Luckily, the answer to her problem appears. She spots her look-a-like, Julia, at a school she was visiting in Los Angeles. For ten thousand dollars Julia swaps identities with Carina for a day so Carina can meet Ribbit. Little did they know what lies ahead? Before they know it, Carina is on a bus full of roadies headed to Texas while Julia is headed to Vineland where she will have to face the King and Queen. Her identity is blown when the Queen noticed she was an impostor. Chaos occurs and Carina comes back at that very moment. She has to explain everything, gets in trouble, and Julia gets grounded for 6 weeks. Yet Carina is so angry with her father. Why? He didn't notice the difference like her mom did. In the end everything turns out ok but Markus, a European prince, turns Carina down when Carina asks him out for a date. Markus goes to Los Angeles to attend to school and to meet his true love. Can you guess who it was? (7/6/09)

Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer

Catherine of Cahuenga   07/02/2009
Well, you know about TWILIGHT, if you like it you're going to like New Moon, Edward breaks up with Bella because he thinks vampires are bad for her, like not good - so he tells her that he doesn't want her anymore and its better this way. After he left Bella is depressed for months until she finds comfort with Jacob, soon Bella discovers that Jacob is a werewolf and Jacob doesn't want to be her friend anymore but soon they get together again, Jacob told Bella about cliff diving, at this time Bella could hear Edward's voice through her head. So after leaving, Edward told Bella not to do anything stupid or reckless. So she went cliff diving and then Edward thought Bella was dead, until Alice comes to Bella and tells her everything, so Alice and Bella goes to Italy and Bella saves Edward! It's a nice story so I'm following the Twilight saga. If you like vampires and romance, I recommend this book for you to read it! (7/7/09)

Ready or Not by Meg Cabot

Sazi of Eagle Rock   07/01/2009
Ready or Not, is about a girl named Sam that is seen by everyone as a smart, trustworthy, and responsible girl that also saved the president. Now she dates the first son and when he asks her to come over to Camp David for Thanksgiving, she thinks he's asking to have sex with her and the rest of the week goes crazy for her and everyone around her! It's really funny and only recommended for teens 13+. (7/7/09)

Necromancer by Gordon R. Dickson

Thomas of Mar Vista  07/01/2009
The book Necromancer by Gordon R. Dickson is the innovative story of Paul Formain and his search for the truth in the world of the future where two sides battle for his loyalty in an underground war. Paul is a gifted young engineer who nearly died in a boating accident. Then five years later he loses his arm in a mining accident. When all attempts to graft a new arm on fail, he decides to go to the Chantry Guild, a cult that claims to have discovered Alternate Laws that work the same way as magic and can be used to re-grow his arm. However, the Chantry Guild's motto is: "DESTRUCT!" and their goal is to destroy what they believe is a poisonous civilization to ensure the overall survival of humanity. When Paul's first mission for the Guild goes disastrously wrong, the Guild sends him to their base on Mercury. Here he learns the ways of the Alternate Laws and becomes a Necromancer. To learn what happens next, you'll have to read the book. Necromancer is a delightfully clever blend of science and fantasy, which you won't find anywhere else. I highly recommend it.

Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead

Lia of San Pedro Regional  07/01/2009
Shadow Kiss is the continuation in Vampire Academy and Frostbite. This book is about a girl named Rose. She thinks she is going crazy when she starts seeing her friend Mason. That's weird isn't it, but it is because he's dead. Coping with being shadow-kissed and her relationship with Dimitri is taking off; she has to make a choice when he disappears during a Stirgio attack. This is a really good book though I recommended you read the other two books first. (7/6/09)

The Juliet Club by Suzanne Harper

Sophia of Central Library  07/01/2009
"Kate Sanderson inherited her good sense from her mother, a disciplined law professor, and her admiration for the Bard from her father, a passionate Shakespeare scholar. When she gets dumped out of the blue for Practically Perfect Ashley Lawson, she vows never to fall in love again." From now on she will be practical and sensible. So when Kate is accepted to a summer Shakespeare symposium in Verona, Italy, Kate sees it as an ideal way to get over her heartbreak once and for all. She'll lose herself in her studies, explore ancient architecture, and eat lots of pasta and gelato. Completely logical Kate tries to resist the romance of living in a beautiful villa in the city where Romeo and Juliet met and died for each other. But when she and Giacomo try to backfire a prank by pretending they like each other, it suddenly isn't pretending anymore. Giacomo, with his tousled brown hair, expressive dark eyes, and charming ways, soon breaks Kate's protective shell, and the two are inseparable. (7/8/09)

Confessions of a Serial Kisser by Wendelin Van Draanen

Josephine of Cahuenga   06/30/2009
This novel is about Evangeline who wants to have her first 'crimson kiss'. Throughout the story she kisses different guys in order to try and find that one and perfect kiss. The story itself is actually really amazing. While I was reading it, it felt like I was watching a movie in my head. The words are beautifully woven together and everything just flows. From the dramatic scenes to the hilarious scenes, I would really recommend reading this book.

The Code by Mawi Asgedom

Emory of Benjamin Franklin  06/30/2009
Basically, this book is about 5 ways for teens to become successful in life by telling you tips on life, where to turn, and what good choices to make, Trust me, this book has really change my life and if you're a teen, this book will change your life too. (7/7/09)

The Au Pairs by Melissa de la Cruz

Sophia of Central Library  06/30/2009
Mara Waters, Eliza Thompson, and Jaqui Velasco are the new au pairs for one of New York's wealthiest families. They will spend their summer in one of the most posh, most exclusive spots baby-sitting: the Hamptons. For good girl Mara, this is a way out of another boring Massachusetts summer. Eliza is former NYC's It Girl, knows this is the fast lane back to the stylish world she never left. And for Brazilian Jacqui, it's a boarding pass back to her American love who told her he'd email as soon as he got home, and didn't. The girls think the au pair job will be a breeze, just slapping on sunscreen on the kids during the day, and partying at the coolest hot spots at night. They are totally wrong, for the kids all need extra care, with William and his hyperness, Madison and her weight, Zoe and her reading, and Cody and his fear of water. While Eliza is desperately trying to hide her baby-sitting job from her super-spoiled friends who think she's still as rich as she used to be, Mara's getting closer to with the kid's hot older brother, Ryan. And Jacqui is heartbroken when she discovers the love of her life was just a player. In the end, the girls managed the au pair duties, and this summer turned out to be the most incredible summer yet! (7/7/09)

Just Listen by Sarah Dessen

Sophia of Central Library  06/30/2009
Just Listen is another one of Sarah Dessen's heart-touching novels. Annabel Green is a model, and she plays the girl who has everything in the commercial for Kopf's Department Store: top student, popular cheerleader, dazzling prom queen surrounded by friends. In real life, though, Annabel is the girl who has nothing: no best friend since her friendship with popular mean-but-exciting Sophie ended with malicious rumors flying around the school, no peace at home while her older sister's eating disorder preoccupies the family, and no ability to tell anyone what's on her mind. And then she meets Owen Armstrong--intense, obsessed with music, and determined to always tell the truth, no matter what the consequences. Annabel, the girl who hates confrontations, finds a way to connect with Owen, the guy who thrives on it. In the end, Annabel also finds the courage to tell what really happened the night she and Sophie stopped being friends. I recommend this book because when I first started reading it, I couldn't put it down. It's amazing. (7/7/09)

Bliss by Lauren Myacle

mahogany of Baldwin Hills  06/30/2009
Bliss is an AMAZING book. It's the perfect ghost story that will keep you reading for hours. It has romance, ghosts, and deception. Right when you think you have everything figured out something happens to prove you wrong. This book was wonderful. (7/1/09)

Schooled by Gordan Korman

Sophia of Central Library  06/28/2009
Schooled by Gordon Korman is an engaging hilarious novel. Capricorn (Cap) Anderson has never watched television. He has never eaten pizza. Since he was little, Cap's only experience has been living on a farm commune and being home schooled by his hippie grandmother, Rain. But when Rain falls out of a plum tree, she must stay at the hospital. As a result, Cap must stay at a counselor's home and go to public school. Cap's experiences in public school are all very interesting. I recommend reading this book if you are in for a story where the most popular kid is the weirdest kid in school. (6/29/09)

Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

Pooja of Chatsworth  06/28/2009
This sequel to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone brings back Harry Potter to face suspicious adults, hostile classmates, fretful ghosts, rambunctious spells, giant spiders, and even another avatar of Lord Voldemort, the evil sorcerer who killed his parents. While saving the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from a deadly, mysterious menace that stirs in a chamber full of secrets. In a visit to the hidden chamber where his friend Ron's little sister, Ginny, lies barely alive, in a trap set by his worst enemy. This all I can tell you I hope you read the book. (6/29/09)

Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows by J.K Rowling

Kimberly of Ascot   06/27/2009
I loved this book because it was the one that had adventure on every page and it was really a good book!!! My favorite part was the prologue, because it tells about Harry's life 19 years later. (7/1/09)

Bleach by Tite Kubo

Andrew of Valley Plaza  06/27/2009
This book is cool. It's about this teen called Ichigo that gets cool powers with a sword and fights evil soul reapers and hollows and he goes to rescue a soul reaper called Rukia. (7/7/09)

Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys by Kate Brian

Jasmine of Wilshire  06/26/2009
This book is filled with entertainment. You can't imagine how hard it was for me to put it down. Megan Meade is an 'army brat' who had to move around since her parents are part of the military. When she was given the choice to go to South Korea with her parents or stay with the McGowans. She chose to stay with the McGowans; but once she figured out that the McGowans had seven boys, her life totally changed. Living with the McGowans was interesting, fun, and totally CHAOTIC! Plus high school was filled with drama. (7/6/09)

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

Jazley of Chatsworth  06/25/2009
This is a great novel, and gets to the point of the story quickly. The images and sensory detail that Steinbeck provides takes you into the setting and moment in the story. You can feel what occurs and feel sympathy for the characters. A great plot line and a book hard to put down once you start reading. (6/29/09)

Peeps by Scott Westerfeld

Jessica of Westchester - Loyola Village   06/25/2009
If you love to read books like Twilight and also happen to like sci-fi books, (like me!) then you'll LOVE Peeps. Peeps is about a boy named Cal. He meets a woman named Morgan. The next morning,he wakes up to find himself in an unfamiliar apartment, with a HUGE appetite and is drawn to almost every woman he sees. Those are side affects of the parasite he has. It was transmitted to him by contact with Morgan. Fortunately, he is one of the more "luckier" ones with no horrible side-affects, though he could never be with anyone anymore. Oh yeah, he also has a craving for blood. You could call him a vampire, but he would prefer Peep. When he meets a girl named Lace, she gets the parasite from Corneilius, his cat, carried through the air. The story turns up a notch and even more exciting. What I found most enjoyable about this book was the brief interludes when he talks about the many different types of parasites, voice of the character, and the character himself. He was the type of guy you could sympathize with. Pick up Peeps today to enjoy the full story! (7/16/09)

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Estefani of Benjamin Franklin  06/25/2009
I'm fifteen reading the four books was really cool and I like them a lot. I could read them all day and not get bored because I really like to read. I have read a ton of books on vampires, romance,etc... I also like to read manga and watch anime too. It's what I do most of the time since I'm not in school. (7/7/09)

The Accidental Cheerleader by Mimi Mccoy

Krysta of Eagle Rock   06/24/2009
Super shy Sophie Smith and her outgoing and confident best friend, Kylie Lovett, try out for the cheerleading squad so that they can spend even more time together. When Sophie gets into the squad and Kylie becomes the school mascot however, the two girls hardly get to hang out at all. As Sophie slowly becomes popular and intrigues Scott Hersh, the most popular guy in school and Kylie's crush, the best friends are pretty much torn apart. Now Sophie has to decide: Is being a cheerleader worth losing Kylie and her secret crush? This book is fun, witty, and shows drama that can really happen in middle school. (7/6/09)

Grievous Attacks! (Star Wars: The Clone Wars) by Rob Valois, Veronica Wasserman, and Tracey West

Joaquin of Arroyo Seco Regional  06/24/2009
I like the book because I like Star Wars. Grievous is my favorite evil villian of star war. So that's why I like this book. The book was very good when I finished it. (7/1/09)

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

Ashley of Westwood  06/24/2009
This the first book in the Mortal Instruments Series. This book is about a girl who is suddenly thrown into a world unknown to humans. Here she realizes that she is more than a human; she is a fighter that slains demons. City of Bones is full of suspense and makes you want to keep reading. Afterward, I couldn't wait to read the next book.(6/26/09)

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Kassandra of Edendale   06/24/2009
In the future, the United States is no longer recognized. Instead there are twelve districts. There was a thirteen district until they rebelled against the Capitol. Each year, the Hunger Games are started to remind the other districts not to rebel. The Hunger Games are like a surviving game that crowns the winner when all other tributes are died. Only one winner is allowed. A boy and a girl were chosen from each district as a tribute to play The Hunger Games. Katniss has voluteered in place of her younger sister, Prim, to join the Hunger Games. Katniss is going with Peeta to the Capitol to play the Hunger Games along with twenty-two other people. Who will win The Hunger Games? Read the book and find out. (7/7/09)

Ark Angel by Anthony Horowitz

Cassio of Los Feliz  06/23/2009
This book is the 6th book in the exciting Alex Rider series. In this book he goes into outer space and comes face-to-face with death... several times. . I loved his cool items and the exciting plot lines I highly recommend this book. (7/8/09)

Life of Pi by Yann Martel

Amanda of Encino - Tarzana  06/21/2009
A boy who desires nothing more then to love God leaves his beautiful home with family, friends and his family zoo to move to Canada. The ship sinks and he finds himself in a lifeboat. Alone...except for the company of a Hyena, a zebra and a lion. Amazing story telling of how Pi keeps himself alive, and how he came to be who he is.
My critique:
First the bad stuff: The plot was mediocre, it was a little cliché and unrealistic.
The good stuff: Usually I have a lot more to say about the bad stuff, but it wasn't so in this book. The story telling was amazing. You think you would lose interest about 10 chapters into hearing about someone's relatively similar days on a boat. Alone. And throwing in the Tiger just seemed like a lame excuse to make it thrilling...but it was not so. Pi's wit, cleverness, memories and desire to love God made the whole ride enjoyable. A great read in short. (7/21/09)

Next by Michael Crichton

Amanda of Encino - Tarzana  06/21/2009
I read this book in a critical mood, wanting to find every flaw in the book and complain about it. I almost WANTED this book to be bad. And if you want something to be bad, then your more likely to think its bad. But I thought this book was GREAT. It was original, engaging, interesting and well thought out. A book that doesn't focus on one person or story to get its point across, a book that makes you think. This book is about the future, where your cells can belong to somebody else. The book has so many different plots intertwined that I can't give an adequate synopsis of it but can only tell you to read it. (7/8/09)

Bliss by Lauren Myracle

Brennen of West Valley Regional  06/21/2009
If you like books that really get under your skin, Bliss is the book for you. Bliss is a fourteen-year-old girl that has just recently moved into her grandmother's house in Atlanta, Georgia, 1969. She starts at a school called Crestview Academy where she starts hearing a strange voice near an old building in her school. Bliss soon befriends the school weirdo, Sandy, and Sandy takes her to an old folks home, where she hears a story about her school's so called "ghost" that committed suicide in the same building where she heard the voice. Sandy soon starts acting weirder and weirder, and then she asks Bliss for a key that she found in the building. Bliss gives it to her, not knowing what the key was for. After Bliss gives Sandy the key, Sandy starts talking about a ritual that Bliss will have to be apart of. When Bliss declines, Sandy blackmails her into the ritual. The blackmail is that Sara Lynn, the most popular girl at their school is dating a black man and her father is in the KKK. The ritual still doesn't go as planned and Sandy lets the blackmail slip. When something happens to the most popular girl from their school, Bliss is blamed for it and Sandy isn't harmed at all. I recommend this book to anyone that has a strong will, and likes some thrill. (6/23/09)

The Two Princesses of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine

Barsha of Canoga Park   06/21/2009
This book is about two princesses. One is meek while the other is very brave and wants to fight ogres, dragons,etc. But then Meryl gets the Gray Death and the meek princess is the one who goes on a quest and looks for the cure. She goes through ogres, dragons, and spectors. Read to find out if she does find the cure!! (6/22/09)

Rain of Gold by Victor Villasenor

Yoseph of Mar Vista  06/20/2009
The book Rain of Gold is an inspiring story that everyone at ay age should read. This book reveals the true culture of the Mexican people and what they have been through. In this book, it tells how two families survived during the Mexican revolution. Reading Rain of gold has expanded my mind on a different culture I never understood. This book is well written and will touch a part of you that you never knew existed. So get up you chair and borrow this book from your local library. (7/16/09)

Teen Idol by Meg Cabot

Sazi of Eagle Rock   06/20/2009
This story is about a girl named Jenny Greenly that is good at solving problems and keeping secrets. She is like the Ask Annie columist that no one should know and that Luke is in disguise and is going to her school for research. IT is very good. (7/7/09)

Backstage pass by Gaby Triana

candie of Granada Hills  06/19/2009
I recommend this book for teenagers to read because you can relate to the situation of having to move around the world and having to make new friends every couple of months like desert the main character. I liked reading this book because it's funny, relatable, and as soon as I started reading it I could not put it down.

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Kathryn of West Valley Regional  06/18/2009
Twilight is a love story about a girl named Isabella Swan (Bella for short). Her parents are divorced and she went to Forks, Washington to stay with her father, Charlie. At the mean time she is playing the role of new girl in school and everyone admires her. She becomes friends with Angela, Jessica, Mike, and Erik. At school she realizes a very handsome boy that seems to be adopted and always keeps to himself and his family. His name is Edward Cullen. He ends up being in her Biology class. Later on with the help of her trustworthy friend Jacob Black down in La Push, she finds out that Edward is a vampire that marvels for her blood. They fall in love. One day she gets invited to a baseball game with the Cullens. They meet unsightly vampires that are killing people around the area. One of the vampires, James, is also craving for her blood. So the chase begins! He tries to drink her blood, so he sets a trap to get her to come toward him. He told her that he had her mom as hostage. What better to do than save her mom? So she falls into the trap that has been set. Lucky enough Edward came and tried to stop James. But when he thought he couldn't get lucky enough, James bits Bella that released venom. Edward stopped it by sucking the blood out before she is poisoned by venom. She was saved, but had very minor injuries. Still with a broken leg, Edward took her to the prom. I really enjoyed the book because each page made you keep going because of its thrilling and romantic parts. I just couldn't put the book down. I also advise you to read the rest of the series. Hope you enjoyed! (6/24/09)

And then there were none by Agatha Christie

Vanessa of Cahuenga   06/18/2009
This has to be the best mystery book I have ever read. It is filled with drama and suspense. 10 guests are invited to an island called Indian Island. One by one they die, unbeknown of the mysterious killer. This book is such an interesting book and I'm sure you'd be on the edge of your seat waiting to know what happens next. I recommend this book for all teens. It is Agatha Christie's best selling novel that is sure to interest you, even if you don't like mystery novels. (6/22/09)

New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

Jerry of Cypress Park   06/18/2009
If you read the first book then this maybe interesting for you. In this book Edward breaks up with Bella. Bella then gets closer to her friend Jacob who is a wolf. This book becomes interesting when Alice sees a vision that she thinks Bella is committing suicide. But since she can't see wolves in her vision she misses seeing Jacob rescuing her when they were cliff diving. Unfortunately Edward does not know and was going to reveal himself to the world in Italy. But Alice and Bella rush to Italy and save him before he makes a mistake. (6/22/09)

Swindle by Gordon Korman

Aleck of Chinatown  06/16/2009
Swindle is an adventurous story. Swindle is about 2 boys called Griffin and Ben. They have a sleepover at a haunted house and find a collectible card. Griffin sells it to S. Windell and for a cheap price, but the collectible costs a fortune. So a bunch of other kids and them find a plan to get it back. (6/22/09)

Beastly by Alex Flinn

Cyrah of Cahuenga   06/16/2009
High School Senior Sara wants to find true love and to be accepted into a top college. Tobey wants to win Sara's heart and to win Battle of the Bands by the end of his senior as well. But, a jock named Dave makes the move on her first. But Tobey's dazzling blue eyes and humorous character is hard for Sara to ignore. Will a slacker wanna be rock star win Sara's heart? Find out by reading this remarkable teen romance novel that is sure to make you not want to put the book down. This is a satisfying and entertaining novel told by Sara's and Tobey's authentic voices, alternating from one chapter to another. Check it out at your local library and I'm sure you'd want to read more of Susane Colasanti's books. (7/7/09)

When it happens by Susane Colasanti

Vanessa of Cahuenga   06/16/2009
High School Senior Sara wants to find true love and to be accepted into a top college. Tobey wants to win Sara's heart and to win Battle of the Bands by the end of his senior as well. But, a jock named Dave makes the move on her first. But Tobey's dazzling blue eyes and humorous character is hard for Sara to ignore. Will a slacker wanna be rockstar win Sara's heart? Find out by reading this remarkable teen romance novel that is sure to make you not want to put the book down. This is a satisfying and entertaining novel told by Sara's and Tobey's authentic voices, alternating from one chapter to another. Check it out at your local library and I'm sure you'd want to read more of Susane Colasanti's books. (7/7/09)

My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult

Aubrey of Sylmar  06/15/2009
If you're looking for a surprise... ha ha. No doubt this is the perfect book for you. I was ultimately surprised. I will not say what the story is about because I might spoil it for those who want to read it, but I think this is in my top 5. And since there's a movie coming out, you should probably check that out too! I think that this is the perfect book for teens to read. I'm not being quite clear, I know, but really. I'm serious. You have got to get your hands and eyes on this book! (7/6/09)

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

Jennifer of Panorama City   06/15/2009
This book has to be the best book I had read. You may ask why; well I am one of the teens out there that hates to read. However, this book was very exciting. This book opened my mind to read more books by S.E. Hinton who is a good writer. (6/18/09)

The Chaos Code by Justin Richards

Sophia of Central Library  06/15/2009
The Chaos Code is about a fifteen-year-old boy named Matt Stribling. He arrives at his brilliant archaeologist father's house, but finds that the place is turned upside-down and his father is missing. Matt finds a cryptic email that leads him to his Aunt Jane's house. With the help of some unusual family friends, Matt discovers that his father has been searching for an ancient code, one rumored to bring down the Mayans and maybe even the lost city of Atlantis. Soon Matt finds out that the code is in the hands of a madman determined to find the ancient knowledge to change, or even control, the world. Matt and his friends travel around the world, battling the elemental creatures brought up from the madman, Atticus Harper. Their efforts to stop the chaos code from being fully reactivated must be successful, or else the modern world would be doomed from a catastrophe not seen since the days of Atlantis. I'd recommend reading it to anyone looking for a scary thriller plus a creepy science fiction. (6/18/09)

The Vampire's Assistant by Darren Shan

Mary of Los Feliz  06/14/2009
The second book of the Cirque Du Freak series is as good as the first one. Daren Shan gets the opportunity to live with the members of Cirque Du Freak in which he befriends the snake boy, Evra Von and other performers. Aside from the nightly lesson with Mr. Crepsley Shan must face the reality of being a vampire assistant, the one thing that will keep him alive and he so desperately wishes to ignore: the thirst for human blood. (6/18/09)

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Shahrad of Chatsworth  06/13/2009
Frankenstein is a very amazing and surprising book. It is also a classic but is not for the novice reader instead it is for more advanced readers and those that are seeking to challenge themselves. At the same time it is very entertaining and at 200 pages it is a fairly short novel. It also made me realize that all the ideas I had about Frankenstein were completely wrong and invalid and the true story is very interesting. (7/8/09)

Dracula by Bram Stoker

Shahrad of Chatsworth  06/13/2009
Dracula is a classic book and surprisingly an easy read. It is one of the most entertaining novels I have ever read; it rekindled my love of books and reading. If you are a true fan of books, Dracula is a book that you must read. (6/22/09)

Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot

Casey of Westwood  06/13/2009
The Princes Diaries is a fantastic book, great for readers who love surprises and humor. This book is about a girl named Mia Thermopolis, who encounters the greatest surprise of her life. She finds out that she is the heir to Genovia, making her a princess. Mia must face many annoying princess lessons given by her grandmother, Clarisse Renaldo. To top this off, Mia is torn between two boys; Josh Richter, the popular boy at her school, and Michael, her best friend's brother. When I read this book, I was so caught up in it I didn't even notice the time! I suggest this book to everyone. (6/23/09)

Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer

Emory of Benjamin Franklin  06/13/2009
If you're looking for a book that has a lot of adventure, you found it. This book is a great story about a group of hikers who climb Mount Everest and try to do the impossible, make it out alive. Throughout the whole trip, many of the campers don't have what it takes to hike and die, but out of the group, 3 people survive, which is amazing. The author of the book is also one of the hikers and gives his share of the story from his account. There is a sad scene where he tries to help this lady and drags her 2 inches, before her hand slips, and what is really sad, is that he didn't turn around to help her, and left her there which made me cry as well as the author. So, if you're looking for a great book to read over the summer, I highly recommend this book to you and your friends. (6/15/09)

Crusade in Jeans by Thea Beckman

Alan of Mid-Valley Regional  06/12/2009
Crusade in Jeans is a historical fiction book that is truly excellent. Dolf Hefting is an average twentieth-century teenager with a taste for history. He learns of a material-transmitter (time machine) and wants to be sent back to the Middle Ages to witness a tournament. Instead he is mistakenly sent to Rhineland to find himself face-to-face with the Children's Crusade. Will Dolf ever be able to go back to his time? This great book has its share of action and suspense and I highly recommend this book. I lost sleep to this book trying to sneak in another chapter. You won't regret checking out this book and it will leave with a sense of warmth and tears in you eyes on several occasions. (6/22/09)

Maximum Ride The Angel Experiment by James Patterson

Emory of Benjamin Franklin  06/10/2009
This book is a great book for teens wanting an interesting, adventurous story filled with a lot of action, a little romance, and lots more. During the story, 6 characters are introduced being 99% human and 1 % angel. These six kids go on a mission to tell the world about The School, a place where evil people do harm to kids by experimenting with them. During the first few chapters, there are some very powerful moments that play out in the story. I would highly recommend you read this book for the adventure of your life! It even says it in the book "Do not put this book down, I'm dead serious - your life could depend on it". Once again, I highly recommend you read this book and other books created by James Patterson. (6/11/09)

The Water Mirror by Kai Meyer

Ashley of San Pedro Regional  06/10/2009
The Water Mirror is a book with fantasy, mystery, and adventure. It tells a story about two young girls, a boy, sphinx, and a stone lion. All with one goal to stop Egypt from invading Venice, and to keep the Flowing Queen alive. In order to do that they have to flee Venice. (6/11/09)

Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet B. Stowe

Joanna of Palms - Rancho Park  06/10/2009
After reading numerous reviews, all good, about this book, I took a deep breath and tackled this novel. So far, so good! Do not be deterred, reader, by the 45 long chapters -- I assure you they are all worthwhile. It follows the story of Uncle Tom, sold to a cruel trader, and Eliza and her son Harry as they try to escape to Canada to avoid being sold to the same trader. It takes a while getting used to the language of the slaves, but I love it, love it, love it! This book also has its share of humor, too. You'll have to read it to find out. Engaging and exciting, this book will invoke provocative discussions about the slave trade in America. This is also one of the saddest books I've read about the breaking up of families to be sold to different masters. So if anyone says that Uncle Tom's Cabin is too boring for teens, here's one teen that says, "You're wrong!" (6/22/09)

Naruto by Masashi Kishimoto

Samuel of Cahuenga   06/07/2009
I like this book because it is exciting and fun to read. I also like this book because it tells about a kid that never gives up and will do anything to do catch up to what he wants to be. He won't give up and will meke friends with anyone. (6/18/09)

Let It Snow: Three Holiday Stories by Lauren Myracle, Maureen Johnson, John Green

ceanne of Westwood  06/06/2009
Overall I found Let It Snow to be a very enjoyable read that one could snuggle up to on cold, stormy day. Let It Snow is about three different romantic stories, all interconnected, with a satisfying, happy ending. Each story is portrayed through a different character's eyes who is in some way connected to characters from the other stories. By the end of the last story all the characters meet up, wrapping up the novel with a big bang. I would highly recommend this novel to anyone looking for an easy read. This feel-good novel makes you want to curl up by the fireside and read for hours. The stories are adorable and by the end of each the reader feels slightly more cheerful. Despite the unrealistic events dabbed here and there I, as a reader, was easily absorbed by the story and enjoyed the comedic and young voices of the narrators. I felt it was an adorable read that should be more known among teenagers. I loved that as a reader you felt as though you were experiencing the charm and magic of Christmas and the warmth of being inside on a cold snowy day. Definitely pick it up from a shelf and read it! (6/12/09)

Just Listen by Sarah Dessen

Cyrah of Cahuenga   06/05/2009
Just Listen is a touching story about Annabel Greene, a young model whose life isn't as perfect as it seems. Her friendship with Sophie ends terribly and her older sister has an eating disorder. To top it off her life at school just plain sucks. With a lot of crap going on in her life, she meets Owen. Owen has a passion for all sorts of music and does his best to always tell the truth no matter what. In this book Owen helps Annabel gain courage, get in tune with herself, and confront what happened the night she and Sophie drifted apart. Just Listen is a very emotional story that has its light and funny moments. (6/11/09)

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

Ileana of Panorama City   06/04/2009
A Thousand Splendid Suns is the story of two girls of different generations brought together by fate. This story takes place in Herat, Afghanistan. Where Mariam was born an unwanted child to her father, so when her mother dies Mariam is married off to a man Rasheed in a far city called Kabul. After many years of beating her, Rasheed takes in as a second wife, Laila of much younger age, whose parents recently died due to the war. Now Mariam and Laila have to escape, and it will take lots of gut, because women are not allowed in the streets without a man. In the end Laila finds a way out but Mariam sacrifices herself for Laila and her 2 kids. Laila soon finds her one true love and finds out the secrets of Mariam's past. (06/12/09)

ABsolute Brightness by Lecesne, James

Carla of Echo Park   06/03/2009
The main character is introduced on the first few pages but the narrator is just talking about him. You don't really get to SEE him on the pages until and 2nd chapter. It's an engaging novel about how a geeky kid turns out to be an inspiration to nearly everyone in the town. Even his cousin, who thinks she hates him, turns out to care for him deeply. (06/11/09)

Eragon by Christopher Paolini

Jason of Platt  06/02/2009
This book is the best fantasy novel that I have ever read. Although it may be a little too advanced for some, it is still an excellent book. I'm sure there are more than enough copies located at your local branch. It is about a boy who finds a dragon egg around the year 1250 I believe (but I'm not sure) and he lives in a small town outside of a forest. I am not going to tell you any more because you can read it on your own. It is book one of a three part series -Eragon, Eldest, and Brisingr. I am currently reading the second book and it is getting better by the page.