Taggerung by Brian Jacques

Reviewed by Ben F.
Grade 11

Stolen away from his true family at Redwall Abbey as a babe by the vermin Juskarath clan, otter Deyna has grown up amongst villains his entire life, groomed and trained since his kidnapping to become the legendary Taggerung; the future leader and greatest fighter in the clan. Vermin life has been simple among the Juskarath, but when Tagg cannot kill another clan member, he leaves to discover his true heritage and become the noble warrior he wishes to be. Torn between his fake vermin father and the kindred calling him through visions, Tagg sets off to discover his origins, meeting and aiding creatures he comes across, but his peaceful travels are dampened by an elite vermin band determined to eliminate him. Joined by harvest mouse and chronic liar Nimbalo the Slayer, the two set out for the gates of Redwall and Tagg’s remaining family for one last battle against his past.

Taggerung is a story of anthropomorphic animals and warriors, set in an old English setting of peaceful villages, grand battles and dangerous, wild heroes; an important notation to any reader unfamiliar with the works of Brian Jacques. With that said, Taggerung is a grand epic of one hero who knew he was more than his villainous given identity and risked everything to prove it. The plot unfolds steadily, almost tediously, yet is more than satisfactorily rewarding to the patient reader.

This is a book for the patient, coming in at just over 300 pages, as well as for animal-lovers, fans of wolf-fiction, older English writing, classic hero-villain warrior tales, medieval settings, furs, and the odd therian. Recommended to those over 13, though the story was originally crafted by Jacques for even younger readers; you may choose at your discretion.

The Shadow Cipher by Laura Ruby

Reviewed by Ben F.
Grade 11

In 1798, a pair of inventors arrived in New York with a dream to shape a city of skyscrapers, machines, and the most extraordinary technology imaginable. They were the Morningstarr twins; a brother-sister duo who crafted incredible designs for solar-powered street cleaners, zig-zagging elevators, and one impossible cipher leading to treasure untold. Three hundred years later, the cipher is ever a mystery, and another pair of twins in present-day York seek answers in the creations the Morningstarrs left behind. BHut the Cipher is much more than a mystery—it’s as alive as the city itself.

Eccentric twins Tess and Theo Biedermann face a difficult reality; real estate developer Darnell Slant is buying up old Morningstarr buildings—including their apartment complex. Banding together with neighbor and graphic artist Jaime Cruz, the three set off to unlock the secrets of the famed Old York Cipher, nowadays a mere myth for tourists. Following the few clues the Morningstarrs left behind, the trio will have to move fast to solve the mystery before their building is sold, but the Cipher has its own agenda.

The first book in the York series, is a dazzling story of the steampunk city we never knew we needed, interlaced with a clue hunt to rival The 39 Clues. Written with vivid descriptions of shining streets and machinery for every possible task, it’s hard to say which is more intriguing; the Cipher or the city itself. As for our heroes, Tess and Theo are quirkily loveable protagonists in their brilliant youth and drive to solve a puzzle that has evaded understanding for centuries.

The Shadow Cipher is a brilliant steampunk mystery that shines in its depiction of a beloved city reimagined in the most eccentrically fantastic way, and the secret that lives inside it. Easily recommended to all 10-and-up fans of steampunk, mystery, brilliant clue hunts and mechanical marvels. Ten and up rating based off approximate reading-comprehension skills; York, much like its namesake, is no small feat to comprehend.

Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer

Reviewed by Ben F.
Grade 11

There was no warning the day Area X formed. In seconds, an entire coast, village, ships, and aircraft vanished behind an invisible barrier, miles in size. And then there was the door. For thirty years the Southern Reach has sent expedition after expedition through the border in an attempt to understand the nature of the area and each time has been bested as the expeditioners slowly lost all sanity; or at least, the ones who returned.The latest of these exploits, the members of the Twelfth Expedition must face a world like no other—where life is twisted, reality misshaped, and Area X rules unchallenged.

After her husband returns near-comatose from the Eleventh Expedition, a biologist decides to face Area X herself, joining an anthropologist, surveyor, and a psychologist in the hypnotic uncertainty of the Twelfth expedition. Antisocial by nature, the biologist finds herself at home in the wilds of Area X and all its strange beauty, and the group remains mentally at peace. Then they found the Tower. Like nothing the group has ever seen before, the Tower is more than a strange natural architecture. It is Alive.

Her team tearing themselves apart, and infected with a Brightness that threatens to expand her life till it shatters, the biologist must uncover the truth about her husband’s fate and outsmart the enrapturing beings of Area X.

Just like the mysterious Tower, this book is enrapturing in its vivid description of a truly untamable wild and the mesmerizing beings that inhabit it. More in tune with nature than her fellow expeditioners, the biologist is the perfect protagonist to best the hypnotic scenery and discover the disturbing truths surrounding Area X. The plot unfolds slowly, lulling the reader in with snips of dangerous beauty, a sickly-honey promise of secrets both frightful and fascinating—bringing ten questions to every answer. The thrills take their time, but no doubt; Vandermeer’s work is one of the most intriguing and suspenseful sci-fi thrillers I have come across.

Annihilation is not recommended to anyone in the lower teens given the intense themes of drama and ruptured consciousness, as well as a small amount of strong language. For those with the sufficient mental development to comprehend the novel, readers should be aware of the semi-frightening nature of this book as it explores a wilderness that fights back, and of its classification in the sci-fi and mild horror genres. Recommended to fans of Stephen King, the Jurassic Park novels, and any thriller novels.

Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie

Reviewed by Ben F.
Grade 11

Infant Daisy Armstrong was kidnapped by a notorious gangster, held for several hundred thousand dollars, and murdered. Her distraught parents committed suicide, along with an innocent maid framed for the crime while the true perpetuator escaped and lived on the run for two years under a foreign alias, eventually boarding a train with thirteen other passengers; The Orient Express.

Hercule Poirot, internationally famed detective is one of those passengers, oblivious to the criminal who shares his destination. Having recently resolved a political scandal, Poirot is ready for a peaceful journey—until a passenger is murdered. Cassetti is dead in his cabin, with multiple stab wounds, varied evidence, and no witnesses. Poirot must call forth all his powers of deduction to trace the killer amongst the passengers; connections are unraveled, secrets discovered, and the truth goes deeper than anyone could have imagined.

A familiar of Agatha Christie’s work, I began this book expecting none other than the best of mystery and intrigue as the plot unwove its tapestry of intricacies. I was not disappointed. The impeccable colloquialisms of the foreign protagonist and the Sherlockian brilliance of his logic will further draw the reader’s nose to the pages until the stunning conclusion.

Highly recommended for fans of Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot, The Hardy Boys, and other intellectually sparking mysteries, anyone who appreciates brilliant leaps of logic, and of course Agatha Christie. Due to the intense themes regarding both the murdered and murderer, Murder on the Orient Express is recommended for those above the age of 13. Readers should also be prepared to discuss, whether in mind or family, the ethical implications of Poirot and the passenger’s actions following the conclusion.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Reviewed by Ben F.
Grade 11

A Small Fact: You are going to die. So begins the tale of Liesel Meminger, the Book Thief, narrated by Death himself; the story of a girl in Nazi Germany whose world will never be the same.

Liesel is an orphan in a world at war, adopted by warm-hearted accordionist Hans Hubermann and his stringent wife Rosa into their life on Himmel Street. Liesel's only possession is a book taken from the tomb of her brother, The Gravedigger’s Handbook. Set apart by her ancestry in a post-World War I Germany, Liesel finds friendship with neighborhood scoundrel Rudy Steiner, and education through her adoptive father. Being taught in secret by Hans to read her stolen books, she soon develops an immense appreciation for words and their descriptive power. But everything changes once the Hubermann’s must hide Max, a Jewish fist-fighter, from their Nazi community, a man who will define the way Liesel sees her world. As the years go by, Liesel and Max become close friends and their secret is kept, but every secret must come to an end. Death, after all, forgets none.

I have read few historical fiction books in my time, and even fewer as influential as The Book Thief. As a story told through Death’s eyes, I gained a compelling window into the lives of a family that must constantly mask its beliefs from those of their Nazi-supporting neighbors. The stress of a warring nation is mirrored in the little people of Himmel Street; a much clearer picture than any history text. Death is a simple narrator, patient, agreeable, but painfully straightforward in the passing of characters.

Readers can expect to be emotionally pulled and prodded through every page of this heart-wrenchingly honest tale. Needless to say, The Book Thief is not for the young, with intense themes and provoking questions that only adolescents and above will comprehend and appreciate. Despite the turmoil of the era, violence and bloodshed are minimal, and the higher age rating is due simply to the intellectual age of the book itself. Recommended to readers of historical fiction, books about the Holocaust, dramas, and those who seek other ways to look at the world.

Randoms by David Liss

Reviewed by Ben F.
Grade 11

There is absolutely nothing special about Ezekiel Reynolds. Stumbling through middle school life with a sick mother and a deceased sci-fi-obsessed father, Zeke has enough to worry about before he is forcibly inducted into the greatest foreign exchange program in human history—alien contact. Four juvenile delegates from Earth have been chosen to represent their world’s candidacy in an intergalactic coalition: The Confederation of United Planets.

To best represent the diversity of the planet, three representatives are handpicked prodigies while one is indiscriminately selected from the billions—a Random.
Along with two other representing worlds, the Earthen delegates must prove their civilization through the gaining of skill points; a measuring system for an individual’s contributions to society. Success will grant Earth invaluable technology, knowledge, and resources as well as upgrades to the body-enhancing nanites all delegates receive; failure, the rejection of the world from consideration. Deemed unnecessary by his peers, Zeke quickly teams up with attractive, tech-savvy feline Tamret and carjacker reptilian Steve to rack up skill points, armed only with his considerable sci-fi knowledge and his hacked nanites. But when an accidental dispute with the Confederation’s longtime aggressor flares tensions, the Randoms find themselves in the center of a political conspiracy that runs deeper than anything they could have ever imagined.

I found the character of Zeke to be refreshingly human in his struggles to fit in with his diverse peers. Even with so many other interesting beings integrated in the story, Zeke still manages to shine through as a lovable and engaging protagonist in his quest for the galaxy and his friends.

No doubt about it, Randoms is one for the nerds, with several Star Wars, Star Trek, and Firefly references only true fans will recognize. Science-fiction lovers will find themselves quickly caught up in the vast network of the Confederation and the logic behind the gadgetry.

Unpredictable and enticing, readers will find themselves drawn in until the thrilling conclusion. Recommended for ages 12 and up, fans of science-fiction, and action-adventure.

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

Reviewed by Ben F.
Grade 11

For centuries, the fairy People have hidden undisturbed from the perils of humanity--that is, until one criminal mastermind dares to con them of their wealth. The catch? He’s only 12.

Artemis Fowl is many things; a criminal, a millionaire, and a child prodigy, but he is no fool. So, when he attempts the impossible, cheating a fairy of their gold, he is well prepared for anything the People have to counter--until they change the rules. Artemis Fowl delivers superbly, from the brilliant mind games and ploys, to the compelling, diverse nature of the players, and the vast magnitude of the hidden Fairy world, one which is both believable and imaginative. Fowl serves as an enticing, yet diabolical character; one will easily empathize with the boyish sentiments behind the calculating genius. Supporting characters Butler and Juliet shine in their immense trust of their young charge, and the charismatic presence of Commander Root will be sure to bring a smile. The brightest player, though, is undoubtedly the spunky Holly Short, whose street smarts and gut instincts provide a perfect contrast to the scheming mind of the young master Fowl.

In short, Artemis Fowl is recommended to young readers over the age of 11-12, fans of detective dramas, heist stories, fantasy adventure, and anyone intrigued by the summary.
Language count is at a minimum, and hardly a problem excepting the concerned parent; at least one count of ‘damn’, ‘dammit’ , and ‘hell’ each; a fairy fill-in cuss word “D’Arvit’ is quoted at times.

Drugs/Alcohol; A fairy drinks whiskey, another has a habit of smoking. Sleeping pills are taken with champagne in a scene, but is a minor part of a scene, the major emphasis is elsewhere. Truth serum is spoken of/administered. Dock workers illegally roll cigarettes in a brief scene. In all honesty, book content should be treated separately than film content, and all of the above, including language mentioned are small turns of phrase, such as ‘he lit a cigar’ and easily overlooked in the grand story.

Violence: Nothing above a PG-13 equivalent rating. A character is nearly mauled to death, with graphic language at a medium.

Adult Content; None.

Spiritual/Religious themes: Magic is naturally a major part of the story, but is treated more as a currently inexplicable science, and seen as a natural ability of the fairy kind. Fairies all possess a Book that holds their laws and could be seen as a ‘fairy bible’. Fairies also have a limited amount of magic that is refilled through ‘The Ritual’ which involves a brief chant and superstitious tie-ins; while a critical portion of the story, superstitions and religion are not present.

Concepts to discuss; The character development and morality of Artemis Fowl and his decisions serve as excellent discussion material for children and teens alike to consider.

For the Teen readers; Childish and toilet-level humor are present in small doses to appeal to a younger audience, particularly showcased in the magical abilities of one character, but it is kept minimal.

Spaced Out by Stuart Gibbs

Reviewed by Andy P.
Grade 11

When Dashiell Gibson woke up on lunar day 217, year 2041, he did not expect his base commander to go missing. You see, he was one of the first people on the moon, and his commander was responsible for everybody. So when she went missing, chaos broke out.

It all started on the previous day, when Dash got in trouble by Patton Sjoberg for sucking his face with a toilet hose. However, this wasn't without reason. Dash was just showing his alien friend, who wasn't actually there, Star Wars, when Patton and his sister, Lily, burst in looking for Dash's friend, Roddy. Dash told them that he didn't know where he was, but they didn't believe him and started chasing him around the base. They eventually ended up in the restroom, where the incident happened. Patton told Nina, the
base commander, about what happened, so she called Dash to her room. But while she was talking to him, she received a mysterious text, and the next day she disappeared. He and his friend Kira went up to her room (against the rules), and found something that surprised them.

The author did a very good job in general on this book. He described the characters in great detail over time. For example, he shows how Kira "had a thing about entering places that were supposed to be off-limits." The plot was also very good and keeps you turning the pages until the very end. There were many plot twisters and made me feel like reading more to see what would happen.

All in all, I would recommend Spaced Out to anyone who likes a good mystery or sci-fi. The author's style was very easy to follow and keeps you on the edge of your seat to see what would happen next. It was very good partly because of the action and partly because of the mystery. If you decide to read this, get ready to go on an exciting journey!

The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill

Reviewed by Annabelle N.
Grade 5

One night Luna drank a lot of the moon, which was full of magic that night. She then becomes dangerous. She can use her magic in so many harmful ways that no one knows.

Luna was a girl dropped off by the Protectorate village given to the witch. Xan steals Luna and takes care of her, but then Xan accidentally gives her moonlight, which is full of magic. Xan makes the crazy choice of keeping this very dangerous kid. This magic is locked inside of her until she is older. When Luna turns thirteen everything changes. Xan just happened to be away for a couple of weeks when this came into effect. Soon, it is time for Luna to make a big decision: to sacrifice herself or the Protectorate.

The main character in this book is very creative in several different ways. First of all, Luna is very curious, magical, and she has great talent. Furthermore, in the beginning of the book she was very outgoing and curious. Then, later on in the book she became magical and also became a hero.

I would recommend The Girl Who Drank the Moon to anyone who likes an ever changing plot. This is because Luna has mixed emotions. She can be happy, angry, hungry, sad, mad, tired, and much more. How the author wrote the plot makes the book extremely interesting. She uses fantasy and real-life combined in such a way I just could not stop reading, making a magical story.

Dead Boy by Laurel Gale

Reviewed by Andy P.
Grade 10

It was a normal day, same as any, until he died. After that, nothing was the same. His flesh started rotting, and he got infested with maggots. He stunk so bad that the neighbors moved out. He wasn't allowed to go outside and had no friends.

This is what happened to 11-year-old Crow Darlingson. He was just playing around in his room when he suddenly died. His parents wished him back to life, but the wish didn't go as planned. Instead, he ended up /un/dead. After he died, his mom homeschooled him, and as he didn't have any friends and didn't have to eat, he could just study all day and aced all the tests. However he stunk, and when it was too hot, he stunk even more. That's why his neighbors moved out when the AC broke. However, when his new neighbors moved in, he finally had a chance to make a friend. This friend was Melody Plympton, a girl about the same age as Crow. Melody fully believed in magic,
and not just plain old card tricks. She believed that fairies were real and had abducted her mother. When they learn that there is a wish-granting creature underneath the local park that brought Crow back to life, Crow has a
chance to come back to life for real. However, there is a series of tests that you have to pass to get a wish, and you only ever get one wish. When the monster, called the Meera, abducts Melody's "friends" from school, they are forced to go and confront the Meera. They saved one of their friends, but as they didn't know that the other friends got kidnapped too, they went to get their wishes. They find out that their friend got cursed by the Meera. Now Crow is faced with a tough decision. Does he save Luke, the friend, from the Meera's curse, or does he save himself?

The author does a great job describing the characters of the story. She shows Melody's interest in magic, Crow's deadness, and Luke and Travis's cruelness. For example, on page 92, she shows Luke and Travis throwing firecrackers at a little rabbit. She also does an excellent job on describing the tests the characters have to go through. However, the main conflict isn't very clear until the end.

All in all, I would recommend Dead Boy to anyone in general. This book is about friendship and loyalty, two subjects anyone can understand. I liked this book because of the message it tries to show and also because the characters are very likable. Even though there wasn't much action, there was a great deal of puzzle solving. What would you do if you were in Crow's position?