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The opinions expressed in the reviews are not necessarily the opinion of the Library. The appropri-ateness of the materials reviewed is not for the Public Library to determine and the students are encouraged to review whatever they’d like—therefore, we encourage parents to be involved in and be aware of their children’s book, movie, television, gaming, and music choices.

Do you want to be a critic? Contact Amy Kaplan, Children and Teens Librarian at Briarcliff Manor Public Library. 733-3612 or abgkaplan@gmail.com

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contents

Meet the Critics:

Aaron Choi -L- Crystal Art Rachel Isaac Samm Kimm Sadie McMurrin Jenna Taylor Kynan Welsh Shannon Louie

Learn more on page 6

Reviews:

Holes

The Protector of the Small

Trickster’s Choice

Mr. Holland’s Opus

Gerald Morris books City of Ember Sabrina comics Hoot

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Books. Movies. Games. Anime. and more...

Vol. 2, Issue 3 www.briarcliffmanorlibrary.org/ June 2007

Futuristic Word Find Inside

Holes By Louis Sachar

Critic: Sadie McMurrin

He’s unlucky. Period. He’s been unlucky for almost 200 years. It all started with his no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather, and it comes up to

present day Stanley Yelnats the fourth. On the last day of school, as he walks home with a soggy marble notebook in hand, his unluckiest, no-luckiest part of his life starts! In this book, you’ll meet X-ray, the leader, Zig-zag, Armpit, Mr. Pendanckey, Mr. Sir, the warden and the secretive Zero. Be prepared as this book takes you from a filled-up lake to a dry, barren Wasteland, from an outlaw by the name of Kissin’ Kate Barlow to a greedy female warden. A young man with an unlucky past, to a lucky future! (for grade 4 and up) The Protector of the Small (series) By Tamora Pierce Critic: Shannon Louie

Tamora Pierce’s third quartet in the Tortall series, The Protector of the Small, follows The Immortals quartet. In this adventure, 10-year-old Keladry of Mindalen, Kel for short, dreams of becoming a lady knight. Even since Alanna the Lioness, the first female to become a knight by disguising herself as a boy, the knighthood ordeal has been open to noble females as well. Kel is the first to use this law to her advantage. Upon meeting one of Kel’s only friends, she meets other bullies who don’t believe girls belong in the castle. They would booss her around and pull pranks on her, such as urinating on her room door and vandalizing her room. Kel is unhappy about that

and Alanna is forbidden to help her; otherwise suspicions will rise of Alanna using her magical Gift to help Kel. Kel is forced to prove to every-one that she deserves her shield and girls shouldn’t be afraid to pursue their dreams of knighthood.

Squire’s Tale, etc. Books By Gerald Morris Critic: Samm Kim If you like King Arthur then you will like these books. The most popular stories rewritten and retold from another view, with a few twists. In the first book, Squire's Tale you meet Terence and Sir Gawain. Terence, a small boy brought up by a hermit in the middle of the Forest, becomes Sir Gawain's personal Squire and also has to save.......... well read the book to find out. Just read them — they are amazing. You may know the story of Beaumains but until you read his third book The Sav-age Damsel and the Dwarf you don't really know the story. So read them, they are good.

MIDDLE SCHOOL critics 2

Prizes. Book Discussion. Brain Teasers. Prizes. Game Night.

Teen Exchange. Prizes.

Finally...a Summer Reading Program that is not for the little kids. It’s just

for you. Learn more online:

www.briarcliffmanorlibrary.org/ynk.html

Did we mention, prizes??? What prizes are worth signing up for? You vote. You decide. www.briarcliffmanorlibrary.org/prizevote.html

This Summer.

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Trickster's Choice and Trickster's Queen By Tamora Pierce

Critic: Shannon Louie

These two books are another continuation of Tamora Pierce's books. Once again taking place in Tortal, though this time centering around Alanna’s disappointing child Aly. Trickster's Choice and Trickster's Queen are another thriller. Aly feels confused, her Dad, George, is the spy master of Tortall and her Mom, Alanna, is a living legend and both want her to get a move on in her life, but the thing that she wants to do is the only thing her parents don't want

her to do. Aly wants to go be a spy but both her parents say no. When her mother comes home and immediately she and Aly start fighting Aly thinks it would be a good idea to go on a voyage. Unfortunately she is captured by Copper Isle pirates and sold into slavery. In the Copper Islands, Aly is taken in by the Balitangs, a family of mixed race and white nobility, who are on the outs with the increasingly unstable Islands monarchy. She learns the history of the white conquest in the Copper Islands, and the history of the natives of the Islands. She makes a deal with Kypriath the trickster god who promises to send her safely home to Pirates Swoop if she can keep the Balitang children safe throughout the summer. Aly finds what seemed easy is actually quite difficult when unexpected difficulties come up, like when the Crow-man, Kywat, shows up and Aly might, just might, like him a lot more than she should.............

Sabrina the Teenage Witch comics By various authors

Critic: Crystal Art

A great magical comic book series that seems as if it will never end!

The City of Ember By Jeanne DePrau Critic: Gracie Schulz It is finally Assignment Day. Students of Ember have been waiting for this day to come and to be given a job at the age of 12 in honor of their be-loved city. Desperately wanting to become a messenger, Lina Mayfleet draws the rare, worst job of Pipeworks Laborer. Lina still longs to be a messenger, to run around her city and deliver messages to people. Messengers connect everyone to everyone.

When Doon Harrow draws the job of messenger from the bag, he surprisingly asks Lina to trade her dreaded job with him! Doon doesn't long to patch up old pipes underground, but he does want to work underground. Doon has ideas to fix and improve the generator that is kept underground and powers the city of Ember. The great lights, and the only source of light in Ember, have recently been flickering on and off constantly, leaving citizens worried about their fragile city in total darkness.

When Lina gratefully accepts Doon’s offer, they both head out to their new jobs, but also into an unex-pected journey that saves the crumbling City of Ember.

MIDDLE SCHOOL critics 3

9 Amazing Books I Bet You Haven’t Read

(But Should) By Rachel Isaac

MIDDLE SCHOOL critics 4

Uglies (and the rest of the trilogy) by Scott Westerfield. This is an amazing book. So amazing, in fact, you will have to read the other two in the trilogy. The story falls under the fantasy genre because it talks about earth in the future. It says that our civilization has died and now there is a much better one called a Utopia. In this civilization, when you turn 16 you are given a wonderful operation that makes you perfect in everyway. Crooked smile? Gone. Ugly birth mark? Bye bye. Not only des the operation make you look good, it makes you think happy thoughts and never be angry. Sound perfect? For Tally Youngblood, this is all she wants. Then, one day, she meets another girl, Shay. The two become instant friends. But Shay isn’t so sure she wants to be pretty. She wants to run away to a special secret community called the Smoke where no one becomes pretty. Shay runs but Tally doesn’t. A few days later, when Tally is going for her pretty operation, some people stop her. They take her and tell her she can either show them where the Smoke is or Tally will never become pretty. What will Tally do? Read to find out! An awesome book. GREAT cliffhanger. Once you read the first one, you’ll want to read the other two.

All Creatures Great and Small By James Herriot. For the animal lover. And I’m not just talking about cats, dogs, and hamsters. I’m talking about everything. Horses, pigs, sheep, cows, and house pets, of course. This is the totally true story of James Herriot and his many adventures as a traveling vet who goes to farms. A warning for those of you that cry when they read, and even people who really don’t, there are some sad stories in here. There are also some really funny ones, too. For example, a lady who feeds her dog everything and anything except proper dog food. In the end, All Creatures Great and Small is an excellent book that really shows just how much people love their pets.

Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin. This book is about a girl who gets hit by a car one day and dies. Okay, stop! Sound depressing? Well, it isn’t. This book is all about what happens after you die. The author creates an afterlife called Elsewhere. In Elsewhere, You live backwards. For example, if you die when you are 75, you will come to Elsewhere at 75 and then at your next birthday, you turn 74. This goes on until you turn zero. Then, you are transported back to earth as a new baby and live your life over again as a new person. This is where Liz Hall finds herself after dying from a hit and run taxicab. When she gets to Elsewhere at first, she is upset. She wants to turn sixteen, go to prom, and drive a car. She wants to give her dad his present that she hid in her room but she can’t and this makes her sad. She throws herself into watching people on earth through a little viewer. She does this all the time, everyday. But she is just watch-ing. She has to realize that she will never be a part of her family’s life. Is her new, backwards life, really worth living? Will she find happiness? You MUST read this book. It’s amazing. It’s interesting, mind expanding fiction that will really suck you in and make you wonder.

You Are SO Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah! By Fiona Rosenbloom. I have to be honest. I only picked up this book because of its hilarious name. But once I read it, I realized it was

pretty good. It’s all about a girl named Stacy who is getting ready for her Mitzvah. All she really wants is the perfect dress, three good mitzvahs, and her crush to want to date her. What she ends up getting is a horrible dress, three mitzvahs that go wrong, and her best friend’s betrayal. Will Stacy’s life be ruined? Read it!

The First Part Last by Angela Johnson. You don’t want to, but you have to. Here’s a really good book that will only take about 2 hours to read. The main character, Bobby, gets his girlfriend pregnant and takes care of his daughter, Feather. It talks all about him, the difficult choices he has to make and what happens to his girlfriend. This is a very interesting book.

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. This is the story of Melinda. At a middle school’s over party, Melinda is having a great time with her friends. Suddenly, for an unknown reason, Melinda decides that she has to call the police. After the party is busted, everyone blames Melinda for crashing the best party ever. No one wants to talk to her at school. She feels like an outcast. Melinda lives in her own little world, talking, in a humorous, and imaginative way, that gives not only a view into her life, but explains what really happens at the party.

Leaping Beauty and other short stories by Gregory Maguire. This collection of short stories for children were written by Gregory Maguire, the author of the popular book, Wicked, that went on to be a popular Broadway musical. These stories are all humorous adaptations of classics fairy tales using various animals for characters. Check out this book if you’re looking for a good laugh.

Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen. This is a unique and

interesting book about a girl named Julianna and a boy named Bryce. One day, Bryce moves next door to Julianna and her family. He takes one look at the dirty, cluttered yard, and the odd girl running over, and he can’t get away fast enough. Julianna, on the other hand, falls in love right away. The book trades off with each character telling their side of the story and the odd relationship they have with each other every other chapter. Read this book, and by the end, your opinions might just flip!

The Book of Lists for Teens by Sharon and Harry Choron. This is a really good book to learn something new, stay in the know, and just have fun. It includes everything under the sun including: Reasons to keep a private journal

Things your teachers don’t want you to know

Your legal rights Ways to fight censorship

Totally random, useless facts Tips for buying sneakers that fit

And a whole lot more! Check this really good book out.

Hoot By Carl Hiaasen

Critic: Gracie Schulz

Moving to Florida wasn't the greatest move yet. Roy Eberhart misses his previous home in Montana and is now stuck in Coconut Cove, California. Roy's father works for the government so Roy's adjusted to becoming the new kid in school. That means new friends, new teachers, new classes, and don't forget: new bullies. If it wasn't for Dana Martherson, school bully, Roy would have never noticed the mysteri-ous running boy. Because of this incident, Roy soon sets himself in an adventure of a life time. Through this, Roy comes across a few unharming dangerous reptiles, a new female friend, a construction foreman, a transferred police, and finally the mysterious running boy . Oh, and most importantly: the owls now one gives a "hoot" about.

Mr. Holland’s Opus Movie Rated: PG Critic: Sadie McMurrin

If you are a history, romance and music lover, then this is the movie for you! With Mr. Gwen Holland (Richard Dreyfuss) as the most loved Music teacher at Kennedy High School, you’ll learn a little more about music in your heart, soul, and life. This movie is wonderful because next to showing you how to really play music, it teaches you a little more about family and history and romance! As a teacher and a father, Mr. Holland is absolutely surprised at finding that his baby boy is deaf. And, on top of that, he has a little thing going on with a student in the school play! Of course you will learn about true music, but not like you would think! Mr. Holland may not have

MIDDLE SCHOOL critics 5

enough time to write his symphony, but his life writes it! See this movie, but be ready to see something you’ve never seen before!

Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko

Critic: Kynan Welsh

Imagine you come home from school and your parents tell you you’re moving. Not just anywhere, but

Alcatraz: an island prison where only the baddest of the bad convicts are held. Moose, his sister who is severely autistic, and his parents move to Alcatraz. I likes this book because after we read it, we discussed it. Definitely a good read!

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M R T K L T N E P L G Y F P C U L O S N P N S A S T G R U E

Future word search

Shannon Louie is an average eighth grader, with average looks, an average smile and average friends. She is-n’t too crazy or too annoying or too angry. She seems just like every other girl in the Briarcliff slew. But Shannon Louie is an amazing saxophonist, made the JV softball team, plays a mean game of soccer, gets distracted easily and is the biggest Mets fan ever. With an average little brother and superheroes for a Mom and Dad, Shannon knows quite a bit. She will get her powers when she is fifteen and not be-fore. Her soon to be sidekick Happy is now disguised as her bird and she hates it when people get too close and signals Happy to bite people. She is still cool with nice people and has the best seventh grade friends ever, who she met in spy training class, Samm and Gracie.

Shannon Louie

Kynan Welsh

Samm Kim Samm Kimm is a 7th grader thought to be crazy. To his friends, he is a steadfast and true friend. He is ready to stand up for his friends and help save the world!! Though most people don’t realize it. Samm is very obser-vant and training to be a spy. His friends know to watch what they say because he re-members everything. A great Artist and a member of the best club, Critics, he reaches out for the better of the school, community, and even the world. A secret Nobel Peace Prize winner, Samm is not as crazy as one thinks he is.

Crystal Art

She likes adventure books, and fan-tasy and realistic fiction. She loves books and she hates homework; and she likes movies and comic books.

Mysterious detective able to solve the case. His true identity is unknown, but he goes under the name Hideki

Ryuga at TO-HO University. Currently working on the Kira case, he has two other

identities. Penevue and Eraide Coil. At age 19, -L- is a genius, and the only person able to contact him is another mysterious man named Watari. Hopefully -L- will stop Kira soon so he can do more reviews.

-L-

Gracie Schulz Gracie Schultz is a well known Seventh Grader who is a student at Briarcliff Middle School.* She owns vicious, fish-eating snails and an adorable dog, named Shan-non. She also has two older brothers, Tim and Charles. Gracie enjoys reading thick books and writing. One author she is very fond of is Tamora Pierce. She is not only sophisticated, but athletic, too. She is a spectacular soccer player and the best friend you ever wanted! Gracie Schultz currently has one belly button.

*Gracie is also an undercover spy ninja. She kicks butt everyday and frees the world of evil!!

MIDDLE SCHOOL critics

Rachel Isaac Rachel Isaac is 14 years old and lives in Briarcliff Manor. She lives with her mother, father, brother, and dog, Archie. Her favorite author of all time is Roald Dahl. She plays the saxo-phone and loves running street races.

On the surface, Aaron is a quiet 8th grader. Really, she’s a green

martian with 3 eyes sent to earth to save the world from Demons! Shhh! She’s undercover. Don’t tell anyone.

Sadie McMurrin

She lives in Briarcliff Manor, New York in the middle of America. She was born at 8:30 pm in Vermont in Brattleboro Memo-rial Hospital. When she was eight years old, she moved to New York with her mom, dad, and younger adopted sister, Grace. She is now 12 years old, and goes to Briarcliff Manor Middle School and is in the 6th grade. Her sister scares her sometimes.

Age: 13, 7th grader Favorite Genres: Adventure, Realistic Fiction, and Fantasy Disliked Genres: Mystery, and Non-Fiction

Favorite Book Topics: Animals, and Fictional Creatures Disliked Book Topics: Sports Some Favorite Books: Artemis Fowl series Chicken Boy Spy Cat Kite Fighters

Aaron Choi

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