YALSA Award

I am the Messenger is about an ordinary guy that makes something of himself when he gets playing cards in the mail telling him to help people. I thought this book was ok. It tried to have a quick and clever writing style, but there are other books that are much better for that. The plot is ok, and it is entertaining. While I'm not going to spoil the ending, it is kind of a disappointment. Overall, I would say that this book is ok, but there are much better books out there.

With its short chapters and simple tone, Paul Fleischman's book Seedfolks is a quick and inspiring read. The story begins with a young Vietnamese girl planting lima beans in a vacant lot on an apartment block in Cleveland. From there, more and more people begin to contribute, and just as the vacant lot grows into a garden, these people--all of different ages and ethnicities--grow into a community. Each chapter features a different perspective, incorporating previous characters, showing how they interact with each other. The small impact these strangers have on the lives of their neighbors is wholesome and profound.

Seedfolks is a great read for kids, teens, and adults alike. It follows a simple plot but carries more complex undertones of race and class, while creating a hopeful atmosphere. I found the story creative and inspiring. As someone who often gets caught up in thinking about the unknown lives of strangers, I enjoyed seeing through Seedfolks how everyone we encounter has an impact on our lives, and how, whether or not we realize it, we do the same for others. In a world that tries to divide people, it is possible to come together, coexist, and support each other--even across the lines drawn by society.

I thought to speak was a very good book. It was well written and had very deep concepts to deal with. This book made me feel and almost cry for some of the characters.
Melinda is a ninth-grade outcast who goes down a trail of depression. She has a few friends but all her old ones don't like her anymore. As the story goes on you learn about Mel's life and what happened to make her slip up at school.
I personally really enjoyed this book because it was from a perspective of a girl that doesn't live the same type of life as me but I believe even if this is your situation you'll enjoy the book and could relate to the main character. Many concepts that can be hard to deal with are shown in this book. Including depression, school slump, the act of hurting oneself, lying, untrustworthiness, and one of the hardest to grapple with harassment and being shamed for doing the right thing. throughout all the ups and downs of his life as a ninth-grader, this book will give anyone insight into what happens behind the scenes of a troubled teen. How one can fall under the challenges of modern life and what it means to keep a secret that almost ruined your life.

I was completely enthralled with this book from start to finish. Not only is Schwab's writing style elegant, making it easy to disappear in the book and forget that time exists, but the story: Addie LaRue selling her soul for immortality with the price of forced to be forgotten by everyone who meets her, was every bit as enticing as any other action-packed fantasy novel. And although she is cursed to be forgotten, her life changes when she walks into a ragged bookstore, only to be surprised when a young bookkeeper remembers her. With romance, dark magic, and heartbreaking twists, this book was impossible to put down.

My Life Next Door is a romance book about a girl named Samantha who is explicitly told by her mother not to associate herself with the Garrett’s, a family with a great number of children next door. Despite the warnings, Sam falls in love with one of the Garrett boys, Jase, and he ends up being an essential part of her life when things get wild with her mother’s political career. I really enjoyed this book, and it had an involved storyline with many twists and turns. The one reason I wouldn’t give it 5 stars is because the characters weren’t very relatable (at least for me), but it’s definitely worth a read! I would recommend it for teen girls looking for a good love story about kids their own age. It is also the first book in a series, so if you enjoy it there’s more where it came from!

Catniss Everdeen is the young girl in District 12 who comes from poverty and hunting. When the Annual Hunger Games start their draft picks, Catniss volunteers as tribute to spare her sister. She has always had talent with a bow and arrow for hunting for food to provide dinner for her family. Catniss uses her skill to win the Hunger Games and eventually eliminate President Snow, the background of the merciless games. I loved the intelligence put into the book of the making of the games. Because of the fighting, there is some violence and gore, but it’s still family-friendly and can be read comfortably. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves quick thinking and thought-out mystery. Hunger Games is intriguing, well-planned, and is an all-time favorite for my family.

The Inheritance Games is about a 17 year old named Avery who mysteriously is put into someones will and inherits billions of dollars. But, she has to live in the owner of the will's house for a year with his four grandsons. Within the year, Avery goes through a series of riddles to figure out why she was the random person chosen to inherit this mans fortunes. He could have chosen any of his family members, but he chose her. Battling some hate and jealousy, Avery works with the boys to figure why it was Avery and not the family.

I loved this book! It was such an amazing book! The mystery of what would happen next kept me intrigued the whole time. I could not put down the book! I reccomend this book to anyone and everyone who can read!

"Free Lunch" by Rex Ogle was one of the best books I've read all year. A true story, this book follows a 6th grade boy living in poverty. Both his mom and dad are unemployed, and he is forced to babysit his two-year-old brother, rather than hang out with friends. He doesn't even have time to complete his homework. Rex is determined to succeed, but struggles to focus in class because of his constant hunger - all his family can afford us cheap junk food. I liked his character development throughout the story, and how he gradually grew to be a better and more mature person. I'd recommend this for anyone interested in nonfiction and coming-of-age stories. It's a fairly easy read with simple language, best for younger tweens and teens. Just a warning, though: the story deals with heavy topics which may be triggering to some, so if you are sensitive to this sort of material, it might be best to avoid.
Reviewer's Grade: 8

This book has an amazing magical twist on the story of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. So, before I start this review, I want to warn y'all that it will be harder to catch on without that background knowledge. Now, onto the review!

This book, as above mentioned, has a twist on King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. But, this book also touches on some racial issues (all good and supportive), so I would definitely consider this a YA novel. The magic in this is somewhat hard to keep up with but again, stunning and creative. This book touches on the bloodlines of all the knights but there is also magic from other lines.

Bree just got into Early College with her best friend and is trying to escape her hometown - and the grief associated with it. Losing her mother has been harsh, and After Bree is starting to take over. But one chaotic night on her first day switches her college experience-for better or for worse.

Nick stepped into Bree's life as a mentor to help her get her adjusted, but ends up as a strong support system for her-and begins to depend on her for support as well. Nick Is a part of one of the most important bloodlines, but all he wants to do is escape it. Bree helps, but can you ever escape your destiny?

Speaking of Nick, Bre and Nick have a romantic relationship-which I think is kinda cute- but if that makes you uncomfortable then just put that into consideration. It is not excessive, like maybe a 5 out of 10, but it IS important to the plot. This book is stunning and will keep you up till midnight. Gripping, fun, and creative, this is the ideal book for anyone who likes fantasy!

Reviewer Grade: 8

We are Not Free, by Traci Chee is about the point of view of Japanese people throughout World War two. The book starts by showing slight racism from "ketos," and how their lives are getting torn apart because of the war. They then get shipped off to internment camps because Americans don't trust them enough to let them be free. The book focuses a chapter on each character to get the full amount of emotions and feelings about being trapped, not being trusted, and racism against each person in the book.
This book is the best book you will ever read. It gives such a great mix of emotions (I was jumping with joy one minute and crying the next.) It opens your eyes to bigger problems in this world and how lucky you might have it. Don't walk, run to the nearest library and read this book!