Classics

Book Review: Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret

Author
Blume, Judy
Rating
5 stars = Bohemian Rhapsody Awesome!
Review

Are You there God? It's me, Margaret, is a coming-of-age story about a preteen girl experiencing and exploring womanhood for the first time. The story is about Margaret, a girl on the brink of turning 12 years old who moves to New Jersey where she meets new friends at her new school, and experiences puberty for the first time. During her time in New Jersey, she begins to understand new things and new people, and even begins to learn new things about herself. I love this book because it is an amazing representation of a girl entering her teen years and trying to find herself, and how confusing going through puberty can be. I can't think of anything that I would change or prefer in this book. If I were to give this book a grade out of 10, I would give it a 10/10.

Reviewer's Name
Lilleah

Book Review: The Westing Game

Author
Raskin, Ellen
Rating
4 stars = Really Good
Review

The Westing Game is a fun, murder-mystery that follows 16 unlikely people working together to solve a mystery of "who-dunnit?". To sum it all up, this book is about a deceased man named Sam Westing, who planned a gathering for all of his distant relatives at his hotel to play a game that will uncover who murdered him. Sam Westing had said in his will that the very person who murdered him is one of the 16, and whoever had figured out who did it, would win the game and be the heir to his fortune. I liked this book because it was very fun trying to solve the mystery along with our characters and to see all of the different perspectives and thought processes of each of them. I did often find some of the characters frustrating to deal with, however, because they didn't try to work together and only tried to solve it for themselves. If I were to give this book a grade out of 10, I would give it a 7.

Reviewer's Name
Lilleah

Book Review: Doctor Faustus

Author
Marlowe, Christopher
Rating
4 stars = Really Good
Review

Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe is an amazing study of enlightenment views on religion, morality, and social structure, all wrapped up in a fascinating tale of the supernatural. Doctor Faustus makes a deal with the Devil in exchange for power and knowledge, but, as a result, he constantly wars with himself. On one side, Faustus wants to repent his actions and avoid damnation, however, Faustus also is driven on by his greed and arrogance to pursue his dark arts and continue fulfilling his desires, visiting places such as the Papal and Imperial courts, leaving only after he has achieved his mischief. The story is amazing when considered within the historical context of its writing, the enlightenment philosophy and religious teachings show throughout the book, pitting the Old Testament views of damnation and repentance against the more forgiving views of the New Testament. I would highly recommend Doctor Faustus to those seeking to learn about the enlightenment and 16th century culture.
Harrison
Grade 12

Reviewer's Name
Harrison

Book Review: Medea

Author
Euripides
Rating
3 stars = Pretty Good
Review

While the play Medea by Euripides probably invokes thoughts of classrooms and a literature teacher delivering lectures about themes and literary devices, the play itself is actually enjoyable to read and compare to modern times. Follow along after the tails of Jason’s journey with the Argonauts to capture the Golden Fleece and learn about Jason’s struggles for power and status within the culture of ancient Greece. Watch as Medea turns from a caring mother, wronged by her husband, into a villain, committing evil deeds and attempting to justify them in the name of justice. The play is an amazing window into Greek culture and Greek drama, and it is an enjoyable story for those who enjoy Greek mythology and want to learn how the Greeks communicated their stories to the people through plays.

Harrison
Grade 12

Reviewer's Name
Harrison

Book Review: The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Author
Stevenson, Robert Louis
Rating
4 stars = Really Good
Review

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Lewis Stevenson is a novel about a scientist in London, Dr. Jekyll, that has the misfortune of having to control and mask his alter identity, Mr. Hyde. After some unfortunate events partake, others begin to realize that the wise Dr. Jekyll has an alter identity. This novel has an unpredictable ending that left me stunned. I thought that the book was really good due to the continuously moving plot and the amazing characters that create a wonderous mystery throughout the book. I was required to read this book for school and I would definitely recommend it for readers that are in middle school and beyond that enjoy a great science fiction or mystery novel. Reviewer Grade: 9

Reviewer's Name
Nicola

Book Review: To Kill a Mockingbird

Author
Lee, Harper
Rating
5 stars = Bohemian Rhapsody Awesome!
Review

This book is in the top 10 definitely! To Kill A Mockingbird is a story of prejudice Jim Crowe South and the constant fight for justice. Jem is the older brother of 'Scout', a tomboy constantly trying to fit in with the big kids. In the story, they attempt to fight for a black mans rights in attempt to prove his innocence in a rape trial. I would highly recommend this book to middle and high schoolers. This book has a deep meaning of the powerful message that kids can have and their outlook in bad situations.

Reviewer's Name
Luke

Book Review: The Outsiders

Author
Hinton, S.E.
Rating
5 stars = Bohemian Rhapsody Awesome!
Review

One of the most inspirational and powerful books to date. The Outsiders is a story about a 14 year old boy named Ponyboy Curtis. He and his brothers and apart of the social group called the greasers . They continuously fight for the right to be treated the same when fights begin to break out. When an accident happens involving one of Ponyboy's closest friends, they flee and begin to doubt why they continue fighting.
This book is an excellent representation of fostering a community of love and empathy amongst our fellow peers.

Reviewer's Name
Luke
Genres

Book Review: The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Author
Stevenson, Robert Louis
Rating
4 stars = Really Good
Review

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson is a novel about a scientist in London, Dr. Jekyll, who struggles with controlling his alter ego, Mr. Hyde. As he attempts to mask his other personality, horrifying events occur that present the horrible personality of Mr. Hyde. Other citizens begin to discover the connection between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde as the novel finishes with a jaw dropping climax and resolution. I was required to read this book for school and I would recommend it for readers middle school and above. I really enjoyed the progression of the plot and the ending that was unpredictable. Reviewer Grade: 9

Reviewer's Name
Nicola