Book Review Blog Carnival #14

The fourteenth edition of the Book Review Blog Carnival is being hosted at Book Thirty. Book Thirty is a high quality book review blog that did a great job hosting the carnival. Please stop by to see Inkweaver Review's own submission and other good reviews across the internet.

“Audrey, Wait!” by Robin Benway

“Audrey, Wait!” by Robin Benway is a surprisingly masterful book about a teenage girl who suddenly becomes a famous figure.

When Audrey decides to break up with her boyfriend Evan she feels that it is a justified thing. Not does Evan spend all of his time focusing on music and his band, but in the end they have little in common. Little does Audrey realize, however, but Evan is about to change her life completely. The night after Audrey leaves him Evan writes a song about the breakup, a song entitled “Audrey, Wait!”

When the song achieves minor success at a local band concert and on the local college radio station Audrey is slightly irritated, but she feels that the popularity will soon die out. But before she knows it “Audrey, Wait!” has leaped to the top of the charts and she has become a nationally recognized figure. People on the street know all about her breakup with Evan. Some people love her while others hate her. With the tabloids tracking her every move and the paparazzi storming her at home and at school Audrey feels that her life can never return to normal.

Robin Benway's “Audrey, Wait!” is a simply fantastic story. Not only does it show the real life behind being a star, but it shows how fame can influence people. “Audrey, Wait!” shows how the entertainment industry sucks people in, uses them to make money, and then spits them out without a second thought.

I recommend the fascinating “Audrey, Wait!” to all readers.

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“The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents,” by Terry Pratchett

“The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents,” by Terry Pratchett is an amusing rework of the Pied Piper legend.

Maurice is a tough alley cat who has survived in the dangerous streets for four years without getting hit by a cart or caught by dog gangs. An alley cat has to be smart to survive that long, so Maurice prides himself on being fairly clever. But the truth is that he's a lot smarter than most other cats. It all started one day when he looked into a puddle and realized that he was looking at his own reflection. When you can suddenly talk and think, its hard to hang out with the other dumb cats, so Maurice becomes friends with a group of rats who also happened to become clever about the same time Maurice did. Chances are it probably had something to do with the glowing garbage dump outside the wizard's academy, but Maurice can't be too sure about that.

Maurice doesn't worry to much about how he became clever. He immediately comes up with the ultimate money making scheme. Together with the intelligent rats and a young boy who knows how to play the flute Maurice creates the perfect Pied Piper scam. First they travel to an unsuspecting town, where the rats immediately begin wreaking havoc. Since they are so smart they can create the ultimate plague. They disarm traps and steal the cheese, do tap dance routines, swim in the cream and perform other tricks that make the authorities call for a rat piper. Then Maurice and the boy show up and call off the rats.

Everything goes fine until they decide to work the town of Bad Blintz. There is something
strange about Bad Blintz. For one thing the citizens are already convinced that there is a plague of rats, but when Maurice and his crew search they can find no traces of any rats. Little do they realize, but there is a terrifying evil in Bad Blintz, both above and below the streets.

Terry Pratchett's novel “The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents” is a wonderful work of fiction, that manages to mix humor and horror together. The antics of Maurice and his rodent companions keeps readers amused, while the darker aspects of the storyline keep them in suspense. I really enjoyed reading “The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents.” I recommend to all who enjoy fantasy novels.

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“The Neverending Story,” by Michael Ende

“The Neverending Story,” by Michael Ende is a fantastic story that is undoubtedly among the best that I have ever read.

The main character is Bastian, a young pudgy boy who loves books. By reading books he is able to escape the harsh reality around him: the empty place left by his mother's death and the taunting of his classmates about his weight. But one day Bastian stumbles into a bookshop and discovers an unusual book entitled “The Neverending Story.” With no money to buy it, Bastian steals the book and takes it away to read it in the seclusion of his school's attic.

In the dusty space above the classrooms where other children are hard at work Bastian begins a journey that he will never forget. The Neverending Story is more than a book, it is an entrance to an entire fantastic world, a world in danger. Only Bastian can save the characters and world of The Neverending Story, and he can only do this is he enters the story itself!

I thoroughly enjoyed “The Neverending Story.” Michael Ende's prose has a tone reminiscent of Tolkien's epic stories, but with a personal touch that amazes me. The plot will appeal to all book lovers who have sometimes wished that they could somehow experience firsthand the marvelous worlds that they read about in books. The characters in “The Neverending Story” are as varied as they are rich. Michael Ende doesn't just stick to the usual fairy tale fare: elves, trolls, and fairies. Rather Michal Ende has created a whole host of unique creatures and races to populate his story.

“The Neverending Story” is a lovely book that is sure to thrill all book lovers.

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“The Dead & The Gone,” by Susan Beth Pfeffer

“The Dead & The Gone,” by Susan Beth Pfeffer is a stunning science fiction fantasy about the effects of a disastrous asteroid strike that jars the moon into a new orbit closer to earth.

When seventeen-year-old Alex Morales heard that an asteroid was predicted to strike the moon he didn't realize that it was the end of the world as he knew it. He thought that this was just another overplayed media event, or maybe just something interesting for the astronomers to study. Alex was more concerned about getting elected as senior class president at his exclusive New York City school.

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Review of "The Dead and the Gone" by Susan Beth Pfeffer

If you enjoyed reading "The Dead and the Gone" or just want to learn more about the author, check out Inkweaver Review's interview with author Susan Beth Pfeffer.

“The Beloved Dearly,” by Doug Cooney

“The Beloved Dearly,” by Doug Cooney is a heart-warming novel about a young boy who learns the true value of friends while trying to run a pet burial service.

Ernie may be only twelve years old, but he has plenty ideas about how to make money. When he gets in trouble for selling his own cheeseburgers in the cafeteria at school its the last straw, though. Ernie's father tells him that if he finds out that Ernie is trying to make money off people again he will ground him.

But then Ernie finds an abandoned lot, and the perfect business: pet burials.

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Review of/Buy "The Beloved Dearly" by Doug Cooney

"The Very Hungry Caterpillar" by Eric Carle

"The Very Hungry Caterpillar" by Eric Carle is forty years old today. This classic children's picture book has been entertaining young readers since it was first published in 1969.


The storyline focuses on the life of a small caterpillar as it eats a variety of different foods, one apple and the pages of the book itself on Monday, two pears on Tuesday, three plums on Wednesday, and so on. Finally the small caterpillar is fat and has a stomache. He goes into his pupa and emerges as a beautiful butterfly.

Eric Carle's "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" does a great job of teaching young readers about the life cycle of a caterpillar. It also teaches basic counting and the names of different food types. All of these positive aspects of "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" have made it one of the most popular children's books ever published, with millions of copies in 20 different languages sold to date.

One slightly interesting aspect of the story is that the caterpillar enters a cocoon, rather than a chrysalis. Some readers may wonder about this seemingly unscientific fact, but according to Eric Carle's explanation there actually are rare species of caterpillars that undergo metamorphosis in a cocoon. However, Eric Carle says that he put his caterpillar in a cocoon not because he knew of these strange caterpillars but because his father always used to say to him, "Eric, come out of your cocoon."

The pictures in Eric Carle's "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" are made of tissue paper. This gives them a a rough but attractive quality reminiscent of the hand drawn picture so of children. For this reason they are bound to appeal to young readers.

Soon readers can expect to enjoy "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" and its pictures in a brand new format. The official Eric Carle website says, "In March, a special edition of the book, The Very Hungry Caterpillar Pop-Up Book featuring Eric Carle’s illustrations in a 3-dimensional format, will be available for sale at your local bookstore."

Also anyone interested in the book should enjoy the 40th anniversary video, with Eric Carle talking about his book.

"The Very Hungry Caterpillar" by Eric Carle is a classic piece of fiction that all young readers and their parents are sure to enjoy together.

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“The Adoration of Jenna Fox,” by Mary E. Pearson

“The Adoration of Jenna Fox,” by Mary E. Pearson is a science fiction novel about medical technology ethics in the future.

When seventeen-year-old Jenna awakes from a year-long coma she doesn't even remember her name. At first she is in a daze, unable to think clearly about anything, but as she gradually recuperates memories and questions begin to surface in her mind. Not only are the memories that are coming back to her strange, but so is her parent's behavior. Why did they move to an old home in a remote country location just days before she woke up? And why are they so hesitant to let other people see her?

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Review of "The Adoration of Jenna Fox" by Mary E. Pearson

Book Review Blog Carnival

Once again Inkweaver Review has been featured in the Book Review Blog Carnival. This time the carnival is hosted at Bookish Ruth.

Please stop by and check it out!

“Beatnik Rutabagas from Beyond the Stars,” by Quentin Dodd

“Beatnik Rutabagas from Beyond the Stars,” by Quentin Dodd is a humorous science fiction story about two best friends who are abducted by opposing alien armies to serve as generals.

Walter Nutria is a young teenage boy who can't stand school. The teachers don't do their jobs right and seem to show favoritism. It is little wonder, then, that he skips school. The only thing that Walter really likes is watching sci-fi films with his best friend Yselle Meridian, a cool girl who seems to like Walter or maybe she just likes renting videos on Walter's card!

But Walter's life changes abruptly when he cuts school one day and finds an alien spaceship waiting to pick him up. The aliens quickly tell him their reason for wanting him:

“Nearly half your motion-picture entertainment was about courageous Earth people fighting off alien invaders, often against incredible odds! Soon it became clear to us that every single inhabitant of Planet Earth must be an expert in space conflicts! It was the perfect opportunity!

So we checked the video rental records to find out who had seen the most films. That person would obviously be the greatest general.”

Invited because of his movie watching skills and promised pay in the form of a year's worth of production from the famous Lirgonian nougat mines, Walter can't really turn the offer down. But soon previously undiscussed issues crop up, such as the fact that the Ligonians have only one spaceship in their fleet. Then Walter finds out that his best friend Yselle has been taken on as the general of the Wotwots, the opposing force that the Lirgonians want Walter to help them defeat. The only good thing is that the Wotwots have only one spaceship too!

When the first face off ends in a humiliating game of chicken that leaves both ships damaged and stuck to each other, Walter and Yselle are grateful that nothing worse happened. At the intergalactic repair shop, though, the war between the Wotwots and Lirgonians is put on hold when both alien ships are stolen by Space Mice from Galaxy Four.

These mysterious mice are the scourge of the galaxy, constantly stealing important things. No one is sure exactly what these electric blue rodents do with the things that they steal, all that's known for sure is that they were first seen near Galaxy Four. Both alien groups are eager to get their spaceships back. As Walter, Yselle and their alien friends try to track down the Space Mice it becomes obvious that more is at stake than two lost spaceships. In fact, the fate of the whole universe might be involved!

“Beatnik Rutabagas from Beyond the Stars,” is definitely a well-written book. The humor is well designed, never crude or forced. Quentin Dodd's plot is interesting and its unusual alien characters enliven the storyline. I definitely recommend “Beatnik Rutabagas from Beyond the Stars,” to all young science fiction lovers.

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“Waiting for Normal”, by Leslie Connor

“Waiting for Normal”, by Leslie Connor is a touching novel about a young girl who must cope with her rather unreliable mother after being separated from her stepfather and half-sisters.

Addie loves her mother, but unfortunately Addie's mom tends to take an all or nothing approach to life. One day she will work hard to clean up their small trailer near the railroad tracks, and then the next day she will lay around in bed all day and let the dirty dishes pile up. Some days she comes home with bags full of groceries and makes wonderful meals for Addie, but then she'll be gone for weeks on a “business trip.” Just when the pantry is beginning to get empty, though, Addie's mom will return again and Addie can't really be mad at her then.

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Review of "Waiting For Normal" by Leslie Connor

“Atherton – Rivers of Fire,” by Patrick Carman

“Atherton – Rivers of Fire,” by Patrick Carman is the stunning sequel to “Atherton – The House of Power.” The Atherton series is about a strange world created by a mad scientist.

In “Atherton – The House of Power” readers were introduced to young Edgar, an adventurous boy who dares to violate one of the most important rules of his strange world: “Stay away from the cliffs.” When Edgar starts climbing the cliffs that lead between the three levels of the world of Atherton he discovers that there is a deep and dark secret behind his world. The people of Atherton have been retrained so that they think that they have always lived on Atherton, but in truth their world is a scant thirty years old.

Atherton is giant man-made satellite that orbits the polluted, dying earth. Although this new world was created as a safe haven for people from Earth, it was created by a mad scientist named Dr. Harding. What is more, it appears that Atherton is not yet done developing. When the cliffs of Atherton collapse it sets of a chain of events that provokes civil war and throws the inhabitants of Atherton into great danger.

At the time that “Atherton – Rivers of Fire” begins Edgar is making his way to the middle of Atherton. Here Atherton's former paradise is now sinking into the center of the world and flooding with the very waters that Atherton's cruel ruler at one time held back to control the people. Edgar and his two friends Samuel and Isabel venture into the depths of Atherton in search of Dr. Harding, the strange man who created Atherton. Only he knows what is happening to Atherton and what will happen to his creation in the end.

Patrick Carman's Atherton series is simply amazing. The storyline has so many subtle details and amazing ingredients. Although the plot is intensely complicated, involving many characters and important developments, Carman does a good job of presenting the world of Atherton one piece at a time until it can stand along in the reader's mind. The characters in “Atherton – Rivers of Fire” are very well developed. Readers of this sequel will be happy to find out more about the enigmatic Dr. Harding and the secrets that he has built into his endless creation.

I definitely recommend “Atherton – Rivers of Fire.” The “Atherton” series is a great science fiction story that young readers are sure to enjoy.

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“Atherton – The House of Power,” by Patrick Carman

“Atherton – The House of Power,” by Patrick Carman is the first book in a science fiction series about a world created by a mad scientist.

Young Edgar lives on the world of Atherton. Atherton has a round bottom like a half sphere, and from this base two terraces emerge. Edgar has grown up on the middle terrace of Atherton. On the terrace above live the elite ruling class of Atherton, who control the world's water supply. If the people on the middle terrace don't produce enough food to please the people above then the water supply will be cut off. But even though life on the middle level of Atherton is difficult it is still better than life on the bottom level of Atherton, which is rumored to be a parched desert where dangerous beasts live.

Edgar is different from the other people of Atherton, because he alone is willing to violate one of the most important rules of Atherton: Stay away from the cliffs. Edgar spends his nights climbing the rocky cliffs that lead to the highest level of Atherton. Then Edgar finds a mysterious journal hidden in the cliff side. There is only one problem, Edgar can't read, and the only people on Atherton who can read are the rulers above him. When Edgar makes the dangerous climb up to the top of Atherton in search of someone who can read the journal to him it is the start of a dangerous series of events that will change Atherton completely.

If I had to choose just one word to describe “Atherton – The House of Power” it would be “vivid.” Patrick Carman's passages are chock full of subtle details and the massively complicated world dominates the storyline. As the reader learns more about Atherton and its mysterious origin the story becomes more and more thrilling. I highly recommend “Atherton – The House of Power” to all science fiction lovers.

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“Code Orange,” by Caroline B. Cooney

“Code Orange,” by Caroline B. Cooney is a thrilling science fiction mystery about a boy whose science project on infectious disease takes a deadly turn.

Mitty Blake has always lived a rather carefree life. He is interested in just two things: listening to music and Olivia, a girl in his advanced science class. But listening to his iPod during science class won't help Mitty to keep his science grade up. And if Mitty doesn't get an upcoming term paper turned in he will be dropped from the class, which will undoubtedly derail his budding romance with Olivia.

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Review of "Code Orange" by Caroline B. Cooney

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Critical Analysis: “The Pearl,” by John Steinbeck

“The Pearl,” by John Steinbeck is the story of a poor Indian couple who find a pearl of immense value.

Kino and his wife Juana live in a small brush hut with their young baby Coyotito. At the start of “The Pearl” John Steinbeck shows Kino and his family living a peaceful life filled with the sound of the whispering surf, and the beautiful “Song of the Family,” the song of safety and warmth.

In the midst of this pleasant scene Steinbeck introduces the first evil which will touch Kino and his family: a scorpion which threatens the baby Coyotito.....

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Critical Analysis of "The Pearl" by John Steinbeck

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“Candyfloss,” by Jacqueline Wilson

“Candyfloss,” by Jacqueline Wilson is a touching story about a young girl who chooses to stay with her father at his greasy spoon cafe while her mother lives in Australia for six months with her new husband.

Flossie loves both of her parents but since their separation she has been staying with her mother. She enjoys visiting her father Charlie on the weekends at his small and not very popular cafe. He feeds her his famous chip butties, sandwiches made with French fries, and takes her to the local carnival.

But when Flossie's mother announces that the family is moving to Australia for six months so that Flossie's stepfather can work at a new branch opening there, Flossie's quickly realizes that it will prevent her weekend visits with her real Dad. So Flossie makes an important decision. She will live with her father for six months rather than going to Australia with her Mom. Needless to say, Flossie's mother feels both angry and sad because Flossie doesn't want to come with them, but she lets her stay with her father.

Charlie does it his best to make things comfortable for his daughter, but unlike Flossie's new stepfather he isn't a successful businessman. When his cafe goes broke and is repossessed by creditors, Flossie and her father have to find a new place to live. At the same time Flossie has to deal with the fact that her popular best friend Rhiannon has found new friends and has started teasing her. But Flossie is sure that she and her father can make things work.

“Candyfloss” is fun to read and is sure to appeal to many young girls. Although the book has a decidedly British flavor, Jacqueline Wilson does a good job in explaining terms and jargon that might otherwise be misunderstood. I enjoyed the characters in “Candyfloss.” It is interesting to compare the British children of Jacqueline Wilson's creation with their American counterparts molded by such authors as Andrew Clements. “Candyfloss” is a book that young girls worldwide are sure to enjoy reading.

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“Dark Water Rising,” by Marian Hale

“Dark Water Rising,” by Marian Hale is a historical fiction novel about the powerful hurricane that devastated Galveston Island in 1900.

Unlike the rest of his family, sixteen-year-old Seth Braeden is not at all thrilled to be moving to Galveston. Sure he enjoys the great weather and the swimming at the nearby beaches, but to Seth the move to Galveston thwarts one of his most important dreams. Seth wants to be a carpenter like his father, but the family moved to Galveston so that Seth could attend college there and become a doctor.

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Review of "Dark Water Rising," by Marian Hale

“A Swiftly Tilting Planet” by Madeline L’Engle

“A Swiftly Tilting Planet” by Madeline L’Engle continues the Murray family saga that began with “A Wrinkle in Time.”

In this adventure, the world is one day away from destruction by a nuclear war. The youngest Murray, Charles, is given the task of traveling back in time to change the events that lead up to Earth’s current plight. As typical in Madeline L’Engle’s books, unicorns play a key role, taking Charles along the “wind.” To give you a taste of the writing style:

“The great unicorn flung himself into the wind and they were soaring among the stars, part of the dance, part of the harmony. As each flaming sun turned on its axis, a singing came from the friction in the way a finger moved around the rim of a crystal goblet will make a singing, and the song varies in pitch and tone from glass to glass. But this song was exquisite as no song from crystal or wood or brass could be. The blending of melody and harmony was so perfect that it almost made Charles Wallace relax his hold on the unicorn‘s mane.”

“A Swiftly Tilting Planet” mixes suspense and beauty to create a wonderful novel. Madeline L'Engle's books always focus on the all important struggle between good and evil and how even the smallest and seemingly least important things can cascade until they have a large effect. I found “A Swiftly Tilting Planet” very interesting because it showed down through time how a whole serious of events created the future nuclear threat. Madeling L'Engle's message is clear: Even the small things that we do right now could have either a positive or a negative effect in the future.

I would highly recommend “A Swiftly Tilting Planet” to all readers, not just science fiction fans.

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“The Mysterious Island,” by Jules Verne

“The Mysterious Island,” by Jules Verne is a fascinating survival tale that is part sequel to his earlier “20000 Leagues Under the Sea.”

“The Mysterious Island” is the tale of five men and a dog who crash their balloon on a mysterious island in the middle of the Pacific. At first glance, the story is a survival tale in classic form: five men wrecked on a distant island, with no food or supplies. However, the focus of the story, is not merely struggles to survive, but more importantly how man is master of his own fate. Interestingly the story contains two elements.

The first element is the men's own efforts to conquer nature using the island's natural resources. Among other endeavors the men create bricks, refine metal, make dynamite and batteries, and partly drain a lake. But there is a second element in “The Mysterious Island.” A strange benevolent force on the island saves the men from disaster numerous times, saving their lives, helping them to repel wild animals and fight off a group of attacking pirates. The five men are only partly self-sufficient; ultimately it is this powerful benefactor that will save and sustain them from the book's start to end. The castaways may be able to conquer nature in some aspects, but nature's mighty power will ultimately conquer them.

I found “The Mysterious Island” fascinating because of the interrelations between these two elements. Jules Verne gives first one, then the the other, the upper hand. In the end, neither win out, but the contrast makes a wonderful reading experience.

If you have read “20000 Leagues Under the Sea” you will enjoy “The Mysterious Island” because its enigmatic Captain Nemo makes an appearance toward the end. “The Mysterious Island” explains more about Captain Nemo's past and his motivation for making the sea his home.

In short “The Mysterious Island” is a marvelous novel that is among the best of Jules Verne's works that I have ever read.

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“Ruby Holler,” by Sharon Creech

“Ruby Holler,” by Sharon Creech is a novel about twin orphans who find a new home with an older couple at their beautiful country home.

Dallas and Florida have been the scourge of the Boxton Creek Home since the day they were found in a box on the front porch of the orphanage. Though the twins are sent to many different foster homes, each potential family sends them back in despair. No one wants to put up with their clumsiness and mistakes.

When an eccentric older couple agrees to accept these “trouble twins” into their home Dallas and Florida are at first mistrustful.

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Review of "Ruby Holler," by Sharon Creech

“Kopek the Destroyer,” by Phil Owens

“Kopek the Destroyer,” by Phil Owens is a humorous but rather awkward tale of a destructive puppy and the efforts of its owner to keep it under control.

The story begins with a rather long and drawn out explanation of the author’s life and history with various pets, from rabbits to a grumpy dog named Tim adopted from the Blue Cross. Since the title and main theme of the book is supposed to be about a dog named Kopek I was at first a little mystified, but I read on.

Over the first 22 pages of the book Phil Owens describes how the family acquires another rabbit, a kitten, and various other animals. Eventually, he finally gets around to introducing Kopek.

Phil Owens and his wife find Kopek through an advertisement at their local pet supply store. At first they are a little skeptical about the description, which says that the puppies for sale are part Malemute, Husky, German Shepherd, and Czech Wolfhound. The breed is called the British Inuit. As these puppies are purebred they cost five hundred pounds, each, but after a little research Phil Owens decide that one of the puppies would be worth the investment.

Little do they know, but the new puppy Kopek is going to cost them a lot more than five hundred pounds. It isn’t long before they realize that Kopek is going to be more trouble than all the pets that they have ever had before. It starts during the very first night when he howl all through the sleeping hours because he was left downstairs.

And then they discover that Kopek likes to chew things. Any toys that they buy him are completely destroyed within hours. Before long Kopek starts his career of destroying things around the Owens' home. The following hundred pages go into great detail about every sneaky trick and destructive habit that Kopek develops during his puppy years.

At first the antics of Kopek are funny, but after the first ten or twenty similar passages about him destroying something it starts to get tiring. By the time that Phil Owens describes him chewing up the inside of the car, destroying the steering wheel and driver’s seat I was really getting irritated.

I think that overall the plot of Kopek becomes a little bit strained. From my own experience I can say that I got tired of the repetition and sort of skimmed through some of the passages. “Kopek the Destroyer” is just too much of a good thing.

If, however, you want to read 140 pages about a young dog destroying everything that you can imagine, then “Kopek the Destroyer” is the book for you.

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“The Land,” by Mildred Taylor

“The Land,” by Mildred Taylor is a prequel to the Newberry Award Winning “Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry.”

Of the books by Mildred Taylor that I have read all touch on sensitive racial issues. “The Land” is no exception. The main character is a boy named Paul-Edward. Early in the story, Taylor introduces the defining theme of “The Land”:

Now what Mitchell said was true. I did have a white daddy. He was a prosperous man, or at least he had been before the way. He owned a lot of land, and until a few years back he had owned his share of slaves too. My mama had been one of those slaves.

“The Land” covers Paul-Edward's life in great detail, from his early life on his father's estate. As Paul grows up his life goal is to own land like his father, and in his teenage years he leaves home in a fit of rebellion, determined to succeed in the real world on his own.

Though it was easy for Paul to leave home, he finds life on his own to be a lot harder than he had expected. In the racist atmosphere of the 1880's Paul is generally accepted by neither white nor black people. To make his dream of owning his own land come true Paul must find friends that truly care for him, viewing his as neither black nor white, but as a person.

In reading “The Land” I felt that the storyline had a very genuine feel to it. To a large extent this is because the plot is very closely tied to Mildred Taylor's actual family history. She ties in historical elements seamlessly, and isn't afraid to write the events exactly as they occurred. “The Land” is not watered down; it was not written with political correctness intended. Rather “The Land” is designed as a sort of family history to explain the background behind the events and characters in “Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry.”

I would recommend the entire award winning series by Mildred Taylor to older readers, both for its historical aspects and its discussion of racial issues.

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Books by Andrew Clements

Andrew Clements is one of the most prolific and most popular authors for school age children. His books feature realistic details and wonderful plots that are both exciting and reasonable. This listing will help you find some of his best works, reviewed here on Inkweaver Review. Click on any title to visit a more detailed description and review.

"The Landry News," by Andrew Clements

Cara Landry has always enjoyed journalism. The only problem is that the newspapers that she writes always seem to get her in trouble at school. When Cara moves to a new school she once again starts writing The Landry News, but this time her newspaper has surprising results that are quite different from what she expected!

"The Janitor's Boy," by Andrew Clements

Young Jack feels ashamed of his father's career as school janitor. The other students tease him about it, so Jack decides to play a trick on his father.

The only problem is, when the principal finds out his punishment for Jack is making him work with his father for two weeks. During these weeks Jack learns more about his father's job and the relationship between him and his dad is strengthened.

"A Week in the Woods," by Andrew Clements

Mark Chelmsey is used to going to an elite private school that his rich parents paid for him to attend. When the Chelmsey family moves to a small town in New Hampshire they have Mark attend the local public school until they can enroll him in another private school.

Mark has to get used to the public school environment and overcome the lasting effects of his initial snobbish attitude.

"Things Not Seen," by Andrew Clements

When Bobby Phillips wakes up one morning and finds that his body has become completely invisible it is the start of an amazing adventure that will prove dangerous for his parents. Bobby's parents know that their only option is to hide their son's unusual condition, but when truant officers and case workers start looking for Bobby it becomes clear that something needs to be done to make Bobby visible again.

"Things Hoped For," by Andrew Clements

This book is a sequel to "Things Not Seen." It focuses on a different type of disappearance, though.

Gwen's grandfather disappears shortly before her audition at one of New York City's most prestigious music schools. Gwen is very worried, because her grandfather left a note saying that he had gone away and that she was not to tell anyone. As the days pass Gwen decides that she must start searching for her grandfather.

"Lost and Found," by Andrew Clements

When twin brothers Ray and Jay move to a new school they discover that due to some clerical error only one of them has been registered to attend the school. The decide that they are sick of being twins and that only one brother will attend school at a time while the other stays at home.

For a while they are able to keep up the deception, but soon school life becomes a tangled web of deception for both twins.

"The Last Holiday Concert," by Andrew Clements

In this exciting book an easy going young boy named Hart Evans suddenly finds himself in charge of the school's upcoming holiday concert.

He got the position by goofing off in class and enraging the teacher, but Hart quickly finds that there is no place for goofing off when all the responsibility is on you.

Andrew Clement's fantastic books are sure to appeal to all young readers. Their interesting plots and vivid characters keep them interesting and involving.