Book Reviews from Mrs. Moen and Her Awesome Students

	Pop
Realistic Fiction Author: Gordon Korman
(272 Pages) Reviewer: Brett W. (Apr 05, 2010)
Marcus moves to a new town during the summer. While he's practicing football so he can try out for the team when school starts, he meets Charlie Popovich, the "King of Pop," who was a famous NFL linebacker. The two become friends. When school starts and Marcus meets the team's quarterback, Troy Popovich, things become very complicated. The football action keeps this book interesting.
Hush, Hush
Fantasy/Science Fiction Author: Becca Fitzpatrick
(400 Pages) Reviewer: Reid M. (Apr 05, 2010)
Nora Grey gets a new partner in her biology class by the name of Patch, who is mysterious and handsome. Strange things begin to happen to Nora as she tries to pry into Patch's life. Things aren't as they appear as Nora discovers that Patch is actually a fallen angel--a fallen angel who yearns to become human in order to be with the girl he loves.
Small White Scar
Survival/Adventure Author: K.A. Nuzum
(192 Pages) Reviewer: Matt L. (Apr 05, 2010)
Will and Denny are twins who are 15 years old. Will dreams of riding rodeo, but he must stay on the ranch and take care of his brother who has Down Syndrome. Will and Denny's mother is dead, and their father is strict. Will escapes to the rodeo and Denny follows. The scenes of their travels through Colorado during 1940 and the scenes of the rodeo make this book one of the best books I've ever read.
Crank
Realistic Fiction Author: Ellen Hopkins
(544 Pages) Reviewer: Alexandra P. (Apr 05, 2010)
Written in free-verse poems, Cranks tells the story of seventeen-year-old Kristina Snow who is a model student and daughter until she "meets the monster," crystal meth--crank. As Kristina becomes addicted to crank, she changes. She becomes a different person who calls herself Bree. This is a heart-breaking, horrifying story for mature readers. Hopkins' sequel to Crank is called Glass. Her other books, also written in free-verse, are Burned, Tricks, Impulse, Fallout, and Identical.
The Invention of Hugo Cabret
Survival/Adventure Author: Brian Selsnick
(533 Pages) Reviewer: Ethan F. (Mar 10, 2008)
Brian Selsnick says that his book"...is not exactly a novel, not quite a picture book, not really a graphic novel, or a flip book or a movie, but a combination of all of these." This 533 page book reads like the wind because it tells the story through illustrations and text of a young boy named Hugo Cabret who lives, works, and hides in the train station in Paris. Hugo does not know that his uncle has died, so Hugo works steathily making sure all of the clocks in the massive train station tell the correct time. There is also a mystery surrounding Hugo, the old man who runs the toy booth, and a mechanical man that Hugo desperately wishes to repair to discover its hidden message. The Invention of Hugo Cabret is a book everyone should read. It may represent the future of what many books will look like.
Thirteen Reasons Why
Realistic Fiction Author: Jay Asher
(288 Pages For Mature Readers) Reviewer: Mrs. Moen (Mar 09, 2008)
High school student Clay Jenson receives a box of casette tapes. On the tapes is the voice--and the story--of Hannah Baker, a girl who had committed suicide two weeks prior. As Clay listens to the tapes throughout the night and roams the city following the map that was mysteriously tucked into his locker, he discovers the thirteen reasons why Hannah could not and would not face life any longer. This wrenching story describes in part how a person's actions both significant or seemingly insignificant can affect the life of someone else. This is a Must Read for readers mature enough to understand and appreciate the author's rich message.
Gym Candy
Realistic Fiction Author: Carl Deuker
(320 Pages) Reviewer: Matt B. (Mar 07, 2008)
Carl Deuker has written some great sports stories including Heart of a Champion and Painting the Black. This sports story is also excellent. The main character, Mick Johnson, is a high school football player. Mick's father didn't have a successful NFL career, so he pushes Mick hard. So hard that Mick uses steriods or "gym candy" to get stronger and to play better. There's a lot of sports action and a good message about the dangers of using steroids.
Unwind
Fantasy/Science Fiction Author: Neal Shusterman
(352 Pages) Reviewer: Drew G. (Mar 07, 2008)
Unwind is an action book that makes you think. The story is set in the future where kids, at the age of thirteen can be taken to a place and go through a process called "unwinding," which really means that the kids'organs are harvested. The main characters are Connor, who is kind of a troublemaker, Risa, a girl who grew up in an orphanage, and Lev, who, for religious reasons, was born and grew up knowing he would be sent for unwinding on his thirteenth birthday. There is a lot of action in the story as the three characters accidentally meet and find an underground movement that helps kids marked for unwinding. The book is also suspenseful because Connor gets caught and enters the chamber for his unwinding. Then....you'll have to read the story to find out what happens.
Wicked Lovely
Fantasy/Science Fiction Author: Melissa Marr
(336 Pages) Reviewer: Caroline W. (Mar 07, 2008)
My teacher recommended this book because I liked Stephenie Meyer's books (Twilight, New Moon, and Eclipse.) Wicked Lovely isn't about vampires and mortals, though, but it is about a girl being pursued by two very different guys, just like in Meyer's books. Instead of Bella, there is Aislinn. Instead of Edward, there is Keenan, the Summer King, and instead of Jacob, there is Seth.There is romance and even a mean Winter Queen who tries to stop Keenan, her son, from finding his true love. For me, the book started slow, but then it got a lot better, and I liked it--but not as much as the story of Edward, Bella, and Jacob!
Runner
Survival/Adventure Author: Carl Deuker
(224 Pages) Reviewer: Bryton M. (Mar 05, 2008)
Chance Tayor lives on a small sailboat in the Puget Sound area. His father is an alcoholic, and he and Chance don't have a lot of money. Chance "escapes" his life by going for long runs after school. One day a worker at the marina offers Chance some money to pick up packages while he's out running. At first, Chance thinks it's great to make easy money. Gradually, however, Chance begins to wonder if there is something illegal in the packages. You'll have to read Runner to find out exactly what's hidden in the packages.