In the book Mayday, Wayne had a great life before. Before his uncle died in the army. Before he and his mom survived a plane crash. Before he lost the only thing connecting him to his uncle, his burial flag. Before he became mute, Wayne used facts to fill in the blank spaces of life. Whenever he talked to Sandy (his sort-of girlfriend), he would break the silence with a fact. When he is comforting his mother, he would tell her a funny piece of information. When he is facing his drill-sergeant grandfather, he would say a fact to make himself feel confident. Without words, he is lost. However, at the voice doctor, he meets Denny. Denny turns into his first real friend to accept his differences. The first person who understands him. Until they have a huge dispute. Will they be able to mend their friendship? Or will Wayne lose his one true friend? Will Wayne find a way to communicate in silence? Or will he be misunderstood forever? Will he be able to find his uncle’s flag and repair his relationship with his mom? Wayne learns the true importance of friendship and finds ways to be heard without a voice. Karen Harrington is a skilled novelist who makes the characters come to life in an unforgettable way.
11 year old Rory Rooney is prepared for almost anything. His beloved book “Don't Be Scared Be Prepared” has helped him through the times when he's felt anxious and nervous. While the book is filled with facts and what to do in a dangerous situation, the book hasn't readied him for the precarious problem of turning his entire body a broccoli shade of green. Rory is quickly whisked away to an isolated ward to a major hospital in London. He's forced to eat quinoa, be poked, prodded, and examined every day. What is the one perk to being in solitary confinement? No bullies. Until Rory realizes Tommy Lee “Grim” Kominsky (a former classmate) has become green too. At their old school, Grim threw Rory off of buses and confiscated his lunch. The positive… Rory wasn't alone and had other people being hurt by Grim. Now there is no way to hide from the endless torment. He's stuck in a small room with nothing but two cots and an enemy with anger issues. Although Rory is scared, he comes to the intriguing conclusion that he and Grim are superheroes. He believes he can slightly teleport and has a 200% brain. This 200% brain heightens all of his senses. Rory isn't the only one with insane abilities, Grim has special “powers” too. Grim can unlock any door in his sleep. As they sneak out of the hospital each night, they encounter illogical things including, gorillas loose from the zoo, pet penguins, aliens, and another green person, Koko. Each adventure leads them on the quest to look for an answer to their strange sickness. They encounter feats that will require incredible amounts of courage. Will Rory and Grim be cured? Otherwise, they are doomed to living a life of green. Can they convince people that they aren't very different? Or will they be looked down upon eternally? Cottrell weaves a masterfully told tale of friendship and the search for true identity. Rory Rooney searches for a cure, but finds something even better in an unpredictable person. He unlocks the key to friendship. FUN is the newest, most innovative technology ever created. However, it is also unpredictable, hazardous, and once you have it, almost impossible to get rid of. ALMOST. Aaron O’Faolain, a temperamental, strong willed teenager has experienced enough FUN for now. But, just as this new craze is becoming widespread and used all over the world, Aaron has begun to contradict this newfound not so “fun” FUN. This software is taking over reality and Aaron can't bear to see his family blinded in another world of technology. For Aaron to get rid of his FUN, he must prepare his Application for Termination. To do this, he has to approach his past and uncover the present. Throughout Aaron’s quest to end FUN, he deals with his grandfather's suicide and the resulting clues that have a probable chance at leading to buried treasure. Aaron tries to uncover the last thing his grandfather left for him but continues to experience obstacles. His (virtual) best friend Homie continues glitching. At random times, he appears and then disappears. His real best friend Oso keeps getting in trouble. Yet, just when he thinks he’s had enough, a strange love triangle makes his life even more tangled. Aaron is searching for treasure, but ends up uncovering something even more precious and harder to grasp, more than money can buy and FUN can create. Sean McGinty takes readers into another world that is strangely familiar, yet eccentric and also unusual. Aaron realizes that reality may be grueling and strenuous, but there are life changing beauties that can't be met by any technology. Aaron is a character that will pop into your mind at the moments when you need him most. The End of Fun reaches deep into your heart with a boy, his search for hidden treasure, and the Termination of FUN. In the book Door by the Staircase, Mary is living in an orphanage where almost no one gets adopted. Until Madame Z shows up. Madame Z whisks Mary away from the dreadful “Home for Girls” and takes her to a big house on the outskirts of a strange town full of performers. Mary has a curious spirit burning inside her so when Madame Z tells her not to open the door, she struggles between doing what's right and what she has been told not to do. As she attempts to pick the lock, her hand is bitten and almost devoured as she shrinks against the wall in terror. In addition, Madame Z assigns her to tame a fire breathing horse. She meets Jacob, a magician's son. Scared, but curious, Jacob and Mary want to confide in each other. However, a traitor appears… the stable hand. Will Mary and Jacob be able to stop him before he hurts Madame Z or one of them? Or will he become Mary’s new guardian and force her into a life of terror? Katherine Marsh has created a fast paced, action packed, suspense filled novel. Mary and Jacob’s stories are entwined together in a tale of magic and exploring the true meaning of devotion. Door by the Staircase is an unforgettable story filled with conflict, love, and the ambition to find home. In the book Connect the Stars, Aaron and Audrey, two kids with (un)superpowers meet at a camp in the center of the desert. Audrey can tell when people are lying and Aaron can recall everything he's ever seen. They work together on a team throughout challenges but one of the campers goes missing. Jare, the camp counselor, gets hurt which leads to Aaron and Audrey having to work together to find the camper, but will their friendship be able to survive throughout this strenuous challenge? Will Aaron and Audrey forget about their differences to save a life? Marisa De Los Santos and David Teague have crafted a beautifully written, noteworthy novel, whose characters will resonate throughout your heart for an elongated time. Aaron and Audrey discover the true meaning of friendship, and overcoming challenges throughout their journey through the bare, famine filled desert. Connect the Stars is an inventive novel filled with passionate and earnest characters that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Each page will leave you grasping for the next. “Sometimes you have to get lost to find yourself”. |
AuthorNatalie Carslake, a student at Hopewell, is writing reviews of ARC copies to encourage others to read new books. Archives
April 2016
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