The opinions expressed in the reviews are not necessarily the opinion of the Library. The appropriateness 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.

Books,Movies,Games,Music,Anime and more...

Vol. 4, Issue 3 www.briarcliffmanorlibrary.org/ June, 2009

reviews in this issue

Bolt

Uglies

Knowing

The Soloist

Masquerade Death Note

All American Girl

American Born Chinese

Artemis Fowl: Time Paradox

The Year of Secret Assignments

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landeau-Banks

Tom Sawyer

Reviews you can trust.

School Critics

Middle

Do you want to be a critic? Contact Amy Kaplan, Children & Teens Librarian at Briarcliff Manor Public Library.

941-7072 or abgkaplan@gmail.com

join the club

APSJAZLLHO

Biscuit

I-Need-a- Creative-Penname

Lynn Minn

Mona Lisa

Peace, Love, Happiness

the critics

Middle School Critics 2

Death Note By Tsugumi Ohba

Critic: Mona Lisa

Light Yagami is a bored “A” student but suddenly he stumbles on the mysterious Death Note, a book in which

whoever’s name is written in dies. If you had it who would you kill? Your enemies, your teachers….well, Yagami chooses criminals, but the famous detective, “L” challenges Light(nicknamed Kira) to war, making Light’s #1 objective to kill “L.” Too lazy to read? Watch Death Note anime on hulu.com!

Uglies By Scott Westerfeld

Critic: I-Need-a-Creative-

Penname

Imagine a world where every-one is breathtakingly gorgeous, with perfect bodies, clothes and faces. For Tally Youngblood, this world is real. Not yet, but when she turns 16, she will get an operation that will turn her into another pretty, just like everyone else. When the last of Tally’s friends turn pretty, she is alone, and then she meets Shay. Over the summer months, Shay and Tally become excellent tricksters and best friends. A week before the operation, Shay decides she doesn’t want to be pretty and runs away to a city called the Smoke, where other rebels are living. Somehow, the authorities find out and threaten Tally to either turn Shay in, or never turn pretty at all. This book was really interesting and had lots of unexpected plot twists and turns. It was awesome!

Bolt Movie, rated PG

Critic: APSJAZLLHO

When I first heard about this movie, I thought it looked really cute, yet really cheesy at the same time. After watching it, it turned out to be a really good movie, however the plot’s been a bit done before. Anybody ever seen 101 Dalmations II: Patch’s London Adventure? Well, here’s a quick summary: One of the little dogs (Patch) loves to watch his favorite show—Thunderbolt and Lightning (sound familiar?). The show’s about a dog with super powers. Well, of course, since Patch is only a dog, he thinks that Thunderbolt really has su-per powers, not that he’s just on a TV show. Well, the movie Bolt is pretty much exactly that. Bolt the dog is on a TV show (alongside Miley Cyrus’s character!!) and he thinks he actually has super powers. Bolt ends up in New York (I won’t get into the details) and he has to find out the hard way that he doesn’t have superpowers, while he makes his way back home in California (don’t ask me how a dog, a cat, and a hamster can go all the way from New York to California, but that’s why it’s a movie). Besides the old plot line, it’s a really cute movie, and very humorous—definitely not just for little kids! (I would use me as an example for older kids who like the movie, but I’m as easily amused as a 4 year old, so I’m a bad example.)

Middle School Critics 3

Artemis Fowl and the Time Paradox By Eoin Colfer

Critic: Lynn Minn

The books Artemis Fowl are often abandoned by the ex-tremely reluctant reader. Ei-ther the book was too boring or no one likes the main char-acter because he was cold hearted. The sixth book was recently released and if you abandoned Artemis Fowl, the first book, you should try and pick up Artemis Fowl and the Arctic Incident. However, if you abandoned the books after the fourth or fifth book, you probably shouldn’t read the sixth. Artemis Fowl must travel back in time with the fairy, Captain Holly Short to retrieve a medicine for his dying mother. The medicine can only be retrieved from a rare species of monkey’s brain, a species that Artemis himself made extinct, many years back. Artemis Fowl and the Time Paradox shows a more determined, softer Artemis, so if you abandoned Artemis Fowl for the reason that the main character is evil, try this book—you might surprise yourself. In my opinion, Artemis Fowl and the Time Paradox was not an excellent book, but a pretty good one. So you should try Artemis Fowl and the Time Paradox if you abandoned the series before.

Knowing Movie, rated PG-13

Critic: I-Need-a-Creative-

Penname

The movie Knowing is rated PG-13 for “disturbing im-ages.” when I saw that, I didn’t think anything of it. It turns out that the movie

really was disturbing. My friends ditched me in the middle of the movie because they got freaked out. The movie was overly depressing and way dramatic. If you think can handle it, go for it. If not, don’t. I liked it, but it was scary.

American Born Chinese By Gene Luen Yang

Critic: Mona Lisa

In a world filled with crappy black and white pictures and cells that fill the entire page, comes American Born Chinese, a graphic novel. It’s a tri-storyline comedy/drama that shows the life of a monkey king, a Chinese immigrant and a stereotypical Chinese teen. Filled with laughs.

Middle School Critics 4

The Soloist Movie, rated PG-13

Critic: Peace, Love, Happiness

If you want to see a movie about a mentally challenged homeless man, who can play cello, go see The Soloist! If you’re in the mood for some-thing happy, rent Kung Fu Panda. In my opinion, The Soloist gets 5 stars in the terrible category. The movie has a good message, but awful sequence.

The Year of Secret Assignments By Jaclyn Moriarty

Critic: APSJAZLLHO

I’m only about half way done with this book, but I can already tell that it is a great one. It’s fun, witty and easy to read. I don’t mean that

it’s necessarily a low reading level book, but its format (letters/diary entries/etc.) makes it easier to concentrate on the main plot, instead of focusing on big unnecessary words or elaborate metaphors that nobody understands. Besides the format of the book, the characters are all very different, unique and enjoyable to read about. So far, this is a great book, and I think you should give it a shot.

All American Girl By Meg Cabot

Critic: APSJAZLLHO

I read this book because it was on the summer read-ing list, and a few people had recommended it to me. Now, normally I wouldn’t have even picked up the book-it looks way too girly, with pink sparkles and all—but I’m glad I gave it a chance. It was really good, and not at all what I expected. It’s about a girl (Sam) who saves the president from being shot—more specifi-cally, she tackles a guy with a gun to the ground. Sure, there’s some gushy romantic parts, but overall it’s a lot better than I expected, and I definitely recommend it.

Middle School Critics 5

Masquerade By Melissa De La Cruz

Critic: Lynn Minn

In this dark sequel to Blue Bloods, Schuyler Van Alen searches for the secret to defeat the Silver Blood vampires. She travels to Venice to seek the help of her reclusive grandfather.

She leaves Venice, brokenhearted—her grand-father wishes to have nothing to do with anyone.

In the meanwhile, NYC socialite Mimi Force is planning a huge masquerade party. The true secrets could be unlocked right there, when a mysterious masked boy lures Schyler. Bliss Llewyller is having a dark recurring dream about herself being chased by a monster. She’s scared and afraid—are the silver bloods chasing her? The stakes are brought to a new height, when a handsome new boy enters Dushcene Private School. He’s different. A different, dangerous being...Romance, glamour, and vampire lore is tied together in this stunning twenty first century novel, where even the most dangerous immortals are in danger.

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landeau-Banks By E. Lockhart

Critic: APSJAZLLHO

This book was another one on the summer read-ing list. Now usually the books on the summer reading list are really bor-

ing, or like, way easy, but this is a whole other story. It was one of the most interesting and suspenseful books I have ever read. I totally did not expect the ending, and the entire plot was so unique. I can’t even describe this book, that’s why this review is so pathetic. Just read this book. (By the way, it’s about a girl.)

Tom Sawyer By Mark Twain

Critic: I-Need-a-

Creative-Penname

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is “a classic.” “Everyone of all ages will enjoy it.” LIES! THEY’RE ALL LIES! Tom Sawyer is a young boy who lives in the 1800s with a sense of adventure. Sound interesting? It’s not. Each chapter is a grand total of 3 whole pages, and each is a separate adventure. The characters are not exciting, not interesting and hard to understand or empathize with. All in all, it stunk. I completely struggled through the entire book. DON’T READ IT IF YOU CAN HELP IT! Remember: a classic is something everyone wants to have read, but nobody actually wants to read.

Biscuit Biscuit is very creative. Biscuit is very cool and her friends are totally jealous. She can balance a beach ball on her nose; she can say the alphabet backwards and forwards. Her favorite color is green and she plays lead kazoo in a kazoo band. p.s. this is all true.

APSJAZLLHO

Full Name: Alison Plowy Staltson Jacoby Arminio Luna Hobo Oglethorpe Bizarre, short, easily gets high on air Hobbies: Talking, Eating, Talking, Breathing, Poking Loves: Alice Cullen, being weird

Mona Lisa

Hobbies: hanging out with my boyfriend Leo, sitting down, frowning Favorite places: in front of mountains Likes: modeling Dislikes: Being stared out by thousands of tourists

6 Middle School Critics

Lynn Minn After trekking all over the deserts of Africa, Lynn returned to school here in Briarcliff, but thinks of taking off to a school in an exotic country. Lynn speaks many languages that enable her to roam the world with her family. She enjoys reading books that allow her to open a world that she loves. Lynn also loves to direct, but gets really nervous on stage. Lynn loves find-ing interesting souvenirs from around the world!

I-Need-A-Creative-Penname

Name: I’ve already mentioned that Age: I sort of lost count I enjoy reading and writing, daydreaming and doodling. I feel it is my duty to the people to help them choose books. You’d be surprised what that can do to people. I can’t draw for my life or spell! My one plea for help is to think of a more creative penname.

Peace, Love, Happiness

Hobbies: Druming, Guitar, Riding a skate-board, Chilaxing with friends I attend Briarcliff Middle School. I wake up in the morning and eat food. Then I run after the bus. At school I talk to my friends about traffic. Nothing else to say.