Monday, November 12, 2007

Book Reviews

Thanks for all your great comments! It is wonderful to see all the bright and thoughtful readers we have in our school.
Here are some brief reviews on books that I recently read. Check them out and see what you think.

Marley, A dog like no other
by John Grogan
Non-fiction, gr 4-8

This is a memoir written by the owner of Marley, a Labrador retriever. The author tells about their experiences from when they bring Marley home as a puppy to his final days. The dog has an uncontollable zest for life and the book offers many amusing glimpses into what it was like to live with him. It tells about how Marley is thrown out of obedience school and the endless trouble he gets into. It is well written with a sense of humor and a focus on Marley's unconditional love and loyalty. Caution: A few tissues are needed at the end of the book!!

The Last Book in the Universe
by Rodman Philbrick
Science fiction, gr 5 - 8

Taking place in the future, the world is a very different place after the "Big Shake." It is divided into latches run by lawless gangs and the only place where the sky is blue and the grass is green is Eden where only genetically improved people live. Spaz makes a journey to save his sister's life and meets a man named Ryter, who has written a book on scraps of paper; the last book. Can Spaz continue to tell his story?

Coraline
by Neil Gaiman
Fantasy fiction, gr 5 - 8

Coraline enters a world on the other side of a door, that is parallel to her own life but very different. The creepy world has another mother and father with buttons for eyes, and there are rats and a cat that talks. At first it seems like a better place, but this other mother and father want to change Coraline and never let her go. She has to use all her wits to get away.