Darth Paper Strikes Back by Tom Angleberger

Reviewed by: Kimball, age 15

These books get better as they go on, and even though it's targeted at a young audience the message is a powerful one. This book is the one where the series begins to examine our education system and the corruption in school boards. This book will make you want to be more involved in your school's affairs. Kids should have a say in their own education.

Genre: fiction

Setting: McQuarrie Middle School

Introduction:

It's the dawn of a new era as seventh grade begins. But not the one anyone was expecting. Origami Yoda should be able to help people get through the school year and everything will be awesome. But then a new puppet appears-- wielded by Origami Yoda's nemesis, Harvey Cunningham. When Origami Yoda says something that gets Dwight signed up for long-term suspension and reassignment to a correctional/remedial facility, Darth Paper makes sure that everything Tommy says to defend Dwight and prove his innocence is torn down by Harvey's cynical, coldly logical dark side rebuttals. If Tommy can't convince the school board that Origami Yoda didn't mean what he said the way they take it to, then Darth Paper will rule the school.

Themes: take a stand, beware the dark side, everything happens for a reason

Recommended Age: 8 and up

Full Disclosure:

I would not advise dating before sixteen, but this book portrays it favorably.

Rating: 4 stars

Other Books:  The Strange Case of Origami Yoda, The Secret of the Fortune Wookiee, The Surprise Attack of Jabba the Puppett, Princess Labelmaker to the Rescue, Emperor Pickletine Rides the Bus

Shadow of the Giant by Orson Scott Card

Reviewed by: Kimball, age 15

This book is the last book in the Shadow series (unless you count the sequel, Shadows in Flight.) I thought it was a good conclusion to the series and it was interesting to see how the story played out after the main antagonist had been killed in the previous book. I enjoyed rereading it.

Genre: Sci-Fi

Setting: Future Earth

Introduction:

The major powers of the world are torn by war. China, India and the Muslim empire are busy making alliances and attacks, headed by each country's respective Battle School graduate: Han Tzu in China, Virlomi in India and Alai as the Caliph. The only person who stands between these three nations, trying to create world peace, is the Hegemon Peter Wiggin. As Peter struggles to create a world to rule in which there is peace and freedom, Bean and Petra search for their lost embryo children, implanted in different mothers. And what with the world being torn by war and Peter Wiggin wanting them to help him fix it, it is no easy task. And Bean and Petra don't know how many of the babies have the same condition as Bean, which is killing him even as they search in a race against Bean's ever-growing body.

Themes: The world should be based on American principles not America, power corrupts, a true religion is one that allows freedom of choice

Recommended Age: 14 and up

Full Disclosure:There is one scene with nudity in this book. There is also violence and crude language.

Rating: 4 stars

Other Books: Ender's Shadow, Shadow of the Hegemon, Shadow Puppets, Shadows in Flight, Ender in Exile

"Shouldn't You Be in School?" by Lemony Snicket

Reviewed by: Henry, age 13

 The third book in the series, this one contains false accusations, mysterious organizations, faraway sisters, suspense, strangely familiar music and fires. Lemony Snicket has not even left Stain'd by the Sea and yet another strange thing has come up. There have been fires in the town and a teacher is convinced that school children are in danger. All along the way people keep being wrong. Wrong about masks,  wrong about melons, wrong about creatures, wrong about books, and wrong about Volunteer Fire Departments. With a few shocking secrets revealed. Amazing. I can't wait for the next.

Genre: Fiction

Setting: Stain'd by the Sea

Introduction:

Hangfire is still at large, working up some evil plot, no doubt. Lemony Snicket is called to investigate arson, a word which here means someone set fire to something and everybody gets scared. Unfortunately, his associate is literally the worst. She solves the case all wrong. Can Lemony Snicket and his friends solve it before Hangfire wins?

Themes: Family, cleverness, friends, trust

Recommended Age: 10 and up

Full Disclosure: Nothing

Rating: 5 stars

Other Books: "When Did You See Her Last",  "Who Could that be at This Hour?", "Why is this Night Different from All Other Nights?"

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger

Reviewed by: Kimball, age 15

I read this book a while ago and it got me interested in origami. The Origami Yoda series is a great series and towards the end of the series it has some very poignant things to say about our education system.

Genre: Fiction

Setting: McQuarrie Middle School

Introduction:

Dwight is a loser. It's not an insult, it's just a fact. He's weird and has no friends and doesn't seem to know or care either way. But Dwight's really good at origami; it's a talent the other students don't notice until he folds an origami Yoda puppet. Being the embarrassing loser kid he is, he insists that people talk to it. But the strange thing that suddenly makes Dwight one of the most popular kids in the school is that Origami Yoda, like the real Yoda, can predict the future.

Dwight's friend Tommy has an important decision to make and he's trusted Origami Yoda with it. But he needs to know for sure if Origami Yoda can really use the Force if he's going to go through with it. And with his other friend Harvey making a good case against Origami Yoda's legitimacy, it's not easy to decide whether to trust Dwight's green paper puppet.

Themes: know who your friends are, have faith in the things you believe in, stay weird because being weird is better than being normal

Recommended Age: 8 and up

Full Disclosure: I would not encourage dating before 16, and this book does.

Rating: 4 stars

Other Books:  Darth Paper Strikes Back, The Secret of the Fortune Wookie, The Surprise Attack of Jabba the Puppet, Princess Labelmaker to the Rescue, Emperor Pickletine Rides the Bus.

Nora's Picks of the Week

Two year old Nora can (almost) always be convinced to cooperate if we offer to read a book. Here are her favorites this week:

This one is a library book and new to us. It's a cute story from an illustrator we love.

We have had Moo Moo, Brown Cow for years and it continues to be a favorite of my littles.

Looking for new shoes to wear to a party, the girls try on every pair in the store before deciding that they'll just glam up the shoes they already have. Fun rhythm and rhyme and lots of shoes to look at. 

Christian themed author Max Lucado's books are uber-popular. This one teaches that our value comes because we are God's children and creations, not based on what others think of us. I may not be popular for saying so, but I feel like his books are a bit heavy-handed for my taste in terms of driving their point home. However, they are points that I want my kids to internalize and perhaps heavy-handed isn't a bad thing in these situations. So when Nora picks this one, I sigh a little because I am very tired of it, but I read it anyway because I want her to know her individual worth and divine nature.

"When Did You See Her Last?" by Lemony Snicket

Reviewed by: Henry, age 13

Lemony Snicket has done it again with his witty jokes, strange mysteries, and even more odd characters, like two underage taxi drivers, two police officers who can't help bickering about everything, and a lady who is good with a knife. I loved it.

Genre: Fiction

Setting: A small not-seaside-anymore town called Stain'd-by-the-Sea

Introduction:

Another mystery has come up in Stain'd-by-the-Sea. A young scientist has gone missing. Lemony Snicket and his impossible chaperone, Theodora, are on the case. But Something else is brewing. Could this be connected to the Hangfire case?

Themes: Family, friends, cleverness solves the problem

Recommended Age: 10 and up, younger if read aloud.

Full Disclosure: Nothing I can think of

Rating: 5 stars

Other Books:  "Who Could that be at This Hour?", "Shouldn't you be in School?", "Why is this Night Different from All Other Nights?"

The Great Brain series by John D. Fitzerald

Reviewed by Ian, age 10

I thought it was an entertaining book full of crazy deals that only Tom could pull off.

Genre: Memoir/autobiography

Setting: rural Southern Utah, early 1900s

Introduction: J.D.'s brother, Tom, can swindle a man of anything. when a new teacher beats Tom for no reason, everyone knows he will regret it... Stories here from John D. Fitzgerald's childhood with a large family. Tom charges all the kids in town to come see their new flushing toilet and finds other ways to live up to his nickname, The Great Brain.

Themes: Kid power, family, smart is good, country life

Recommended Age: 9-13

Full Disclosure: Nothing objectionable

Rating: 5 stars

Other Books: More Adventures of the Great Brain, Me and My Little Brain, The Great Brain at the Academy, The Great Brain Reforms, The Return of the Great Brain, The Great Brain Does It Again, The Great Brain is Back.          

Shadow Puppets by Orson Scott Card

Reviewed by: Kimball, age 15

This is the third book in the Shadow saga by Orson Scott Card. It was a bit mushy at times but like a book with geniuses in it, it has puzzles for the reader to scratch their heads over as they watch the protagonists figure them out. My favorite one is the double email where the second half is entirely composed of scriptures. Orson Scott Card is a very clever author.

Genre: Sci-fi

Setting: Present-day Earth, Space

Introduction:

Peter Wiggin is now Hegemon of Earth-- and now he's rescued Achilles, the most dangerous, psychotic ex-street urchin from a Chinese prison camp. Peter thinks he can use him to his own purposes and keep him from killing anyone, but Bean knows better. Achilles is a monster who kills anyone who sees him helpless; to have him rescued from a prison (earning his "gratitude") is to have a death sentence. As Achilles corrupts the Hegemony from under Peter's stubborn, arrogant nose, Bean and Petra resign from the Hegemony and go into hiding from Achilles. Bean has a rare condition called Anton's Key-- he is the most brilliant person on Earth, but now he is also one of the tallest, when he used to be the smallest. His brilliance costs him years of his life; he'll just keep growing and growing until he dies around twenty. He doesn't want to have children and leave Anton's Key in their DNA-- but Petra has other plans and knows that everyone must leave a legacy in their children. And Achilles knows that if any of Bean's children have Anton's Key, they will be the most powerful humans on Earth, and he can't let an opportunity like that get away from him.

Themes: Family is the meaning of life, know thine enemy, 

Recommended Age: 14 and up

Full Disclosure:

There is swearing in this book. There are also sex references, but no actual sex (Bean is trying to have kids by testing the embryos in a lab and implanting the ones without Anton's key in his wife to be born, so that he doesn't pass on his curse.)

Rating: 4 stars

Other Books:  Ender's Shadow, Shadow of the Hegemon, Shadow of the Giant, Ender in Exile, Shadows in Flight

Margaret's Corner

Margaret is our sunshiny nearly 6 year old. She just finished kindergarten and loves books. We try to find books that are well-written but still at her reading level. Here are a couple she has been reading this week:

We love Poppleton for his silly but relatable ways. There are several Poppleton books out there that we have and enjoy reading. 

We recently discovered Iris and Walter and are having fun discovering what they like.

Margaret's pick this week for a read aloud? Anything from Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle!

I loved them as a little girl, and I love them as a mom, too, as it gives me a chance to talk to my kids about the bad manners and bad habits that children often pick up and need to break. This week, we've read The Slow-Eater-Tiny-Bite-Taker Cure, the Crybaby Cure, and the Bad Table Manners Cure. 

Shadow of the Hegemon by Orson Scott Card

Reviewed by: Kimball, age 15

This book was an exciting sequel to Ender's Shadow (a parallel novel to Ender's Game) that takes Bean's story in its own direction and sees the rise of Peter Wiggin to power. It left me wondering just how smart Orson Scott Card is to be able to put some of that stuff in his writing. You will not be able to keep up with the minds of the prodigies in his book.

Genre: Spy-Fi, military/political fiction

Setting: Future Earth

Introduction:

After the defeat of the Formic "Bugger" invasion by Ender Wiggin and his army of geniuses, the world begins to lose its cause to be united. People who would have the veterans of Battle School to use for their own purposes, such as Russia, are making moves to secure the children before they are placed under IF protection. Russians, posing as Turks, kidnap Petra Arkanian and nine other members of the group which fought alongside Ender Wiggin in the Bugger Wars. Bean, the smartest of Ender's "jeesh" (slang for army) has an attempt on his life made on him when his house is bombed. The machinator of these operations is Bean's old nemesis, Achilles, escaped from the mental institution where he was held for his many murders. In hiding, presumed dead and with the help of Ender's brother Peter, who wants to become Hegemon and rule the world, Bean must find a way to rescue Petra and stop Achilles from taking over the world before Peter does.

Themes: don't underestimate children (especially if they're geniuses), don't start wars, ambition corrupts before you even obtain power

Recommended Age: 13 and up

Full Disclosure:

There is swearing in this book (no F word), and violence.

Rating: 4 stars

Other Books:  Ender's Shadow (previous book) Shadow Puppets, Shadow of the Giant, Shadows in Flight

Poirot Loses A Client, or Dumb Witness by Agatha Christie

Reviewed by Kimball, age 15

This book was a good read. There are mystery books where it turns out to be the one you least expect, and then there was this book, where you suspected everybody and didn't know what to think. It was not exactly surprising, but if you're the type who tries to work out the mystery as you read, you will have a good challenge ahead of you.

Genre: Mystery

Setting: England, 1920s

Introduction:

This book is about a woman who writes to a detective named Hercule Poirot, worried that she might be murdered. When Poirot gets the letter too late, he investigates anyway.
It is purported that the woman died naturally after battling liver failure. Previously she had tripped over the dog's ball and almost died, but the witnesses believed that was accidental and not deliberate. The woman was very wealthy and strange changes in the will lead Poirot to believe someone had motives to set up both cases deliberately, and that she changed it to keep her relatives from gaining any advantage from her death. Interviewing all possible suspects, Poirot and his narrative assistant Hastings discover the truth behind what seemed to be two unrelated accidents.

Themes: It's never too late for justice, don't be greedy, don't spoil your kids, don't be prejudiced against foreigners

Recommended Age: 13 and up

Rating: 4 stars

Other Books:  See here

Ender's Shadow by Orson Scott Card

Reviewed by: Kimball, age 15

If you've read Ender's Game, you'll love this. It's a parallel novel-- it's from the perspective of a

different character, and it shows his story. But it's not just telling the same story a different way. It's Bean's own story. You can even read it before you read Ender's Game, and nothing will confuse you. (I recommend reading Ender's Game first though.)

Genre: Science-Fiction

Setting: The Future

Introduction:

Rotterdam is filled with homeless kids. Starving, thieving, whoring children and teenagers struggle to survive in a city that is a living hell. Bean is an exceptionally small boy and exceptionally skinny-- he will almost certainly starve to death. He looks half his age. But he's more than twice as smart as he should be. Bean joins a group of kids who band together in their quest for food and help them find the biggest, meanest but most pliable boy who will help them get food and keep people from stealing it. Bean catches the attention of a nun called Sister Carlotta, who takes him in and educates him. Sister Carlotta is working for the IF-- and she thinks Bean might be Battle-School material.

Themes: size matters not, brain over brawn, believe in yourself

Recommended Age: 13 and up

Full Disclosure:

There are sex references and swear words in this book as well as nude scenes (prepubescent boys crawling through ventilation shafts and such, not sexual in nature.)

Rating: 4 stars

Other Books:  Shadow of the Hegemon, Shadows in Flight, Shadow Puppets, Shadow of the Giant

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

Reviewed by: Henry, age 13

A cool sci-fi war with crazy battle strategy and interesting philosophy. A good read. I couldn't put it down and wanted to know what happened next.

Genre: Science-fiction

Setting: Future

Introduction:

In the first invasion by the "buggers" the human race was almost wiped out. By the second war the humans had prepared. But technology isn't enough. The government begins to recruit people as young as six. Ender is recruited to train as a soldier. But it turns out he is better than they expected.

Themes: Bravery, brain over brawn, determination, "Wars not make one great"-Yoda, friendship

Recommended Age: 13 and up

Full Disclosure: Frequent swearing by some characters. (S***, B***h, Ba*****)

Rating: 4.5 stars

Other Books:  This book branches off to two series: 
Ender in Exile, Speaker for the Dead, Xenocide,  and Children of the Mind make up one.
Ender's Shadow, Shadow of the Hegemon, Shadow Puppets, Shadow of the Giant, A War of Gifts, and Ender in Exile make up the second.

The Colossus Rises by Peter Lerangis

Reviewed by: Henry, age 13

The first in the Seven Wonders series, this book is for those who liked the Percy Jackson series. I only gave it 3 stars because I liked the story, but the writing itself felt juvenile.

Genre: Fiction

Setting: A mysterious island, present

Introduction:

A boy is having the worst morning ever when he gets hit by a truck. He wakes up in a hospital, where a man drugs him. He wakes up again in a crazy institute, where he learns that he has a genetic disease that will kill him without treatment. He also learns that he and the other three patients have to find magic things that will give them superpowers.

Themes: good vs evil, kid power, smart is good, ancient world

Recommended Age: 10-15

Full Disclosure: not very well written, but nothing objectionable

Rating: 3 stars

Other Books:  Lost in Babylon, Tomb of Shadows, The Curse of the King

The Westing Game

Reviewed by: Ian, age 10

I loved it! It was hard trying to find out who was the murderer. I couldn't stop reading it until I found out.

Genre: Fiction

Time Period: No particular time

Introduction: Uncle Sam Westing is dead. One of the heirs is the murderer. So says his will. He has set up a game to reveal who the murderer is.

Themes: Money corrupts people, family, smart is good, overcoming hard things can make your life better, teamwork

Recommended Age:10 and up ( I read it when I was younger and didn't enjoy it as much as I do now.)

Full Disclosure:Nothing to see here

Rating:4  stars

Bad Guys of the Book of Mormon by Dennis Gaunt

Reviewed by: Kimball, age 15

This book is an insightful book about the wicked men of the Book of Mormon. Dennis Gaunt discusses where the villains of the Book of Mormon went wrong, the parallels Satan still uses in our world today, and even how we ourselves are like these bad guys sometimes and what to do about it.

Genre: Nonfiction/faith

Setting: Book of Mormon/Present day

Introduction:

If you've ever wondered how the Book of Mormon is relevant to our day, then read this book. This book talks about infamous figures from the Book of Mormon such as Amalickiah, Omni, Akish and the Jaredites-- even Alma the Younger! In this book, you will realize that in our day there are still secret combinations, Nehors, spacious building-archetypes, and other traps that Satan uses against us. But this book isn't just a field guide to wickedness-- its purpose is to arm us against sin and corruption. The lessons in this book make it a weapon-- against the evil of the world. This book is essential for understanding the strategies of both sides in the war we are fighting against evil.

Themes: study the scriptures, follow the prophet, pay attention in seminary

Recommended Age: 11 and up

Full Disclosure:

This book is written mainly for pre-teens and teens-- you may want to simplify some things if you have little kids and want to use this in a family home evening lesson-- which I recommend.

Rating: 5 stars

Other Books:  Bad Guys of the Bible, Warning Signs, Feeding Consuela

Eragon by Christopher Paolini

Reviewed by: Kimball, age 15

Christopher Paolini wrote this book when he was my age. Now, I can claim to have written two (unpublished) manuscripts before turning 15, but Eragon is close to 600 pages (my manuscripts are about 100 pages each) and way better than anything I could write. He's a fantastic fantasy writer. I loved this book.

Genre: Fantasy

Setting: Alagaesia, medieval period

Introduction:

When courier elf Arya is ambushed in the forest, she teleports her precious cargo a safe distance away. It is found by a farmboy named Eragon while he is hunting. At first believing it to be a large precious stone, he is surprised when the "stone" hatches and a dragon emerges. Eragon raises the baby dragon as best he can and forges a telepathic link with it. However, the dragon is growing fast and gets harder to hide, until Saphira (the dragon) carries him off and his house is attacked by mysterious creatures called the Raz'ac and burned, killing his uncle and destroying the farm. With the help of old storyteller and dragon expert Brom, Eragon sets out on a quest to find the creatures and avenge his uncle and gets caught up in a full-scale rebellion against their tyrannical king, who happens to be one of the last Riders and one of the most evil men in Alagaesia.

Themes: Power is within oneself, never underestimate your elders, bear your name well

Recommended Age: 11 and up

Full Disclosure:

This book has some unintuitive pronunciations, be sure to check the guide.

Rating: 4 stars

Other Books:  Eldest, Brisingr, Inheritance

Summer of the Monkeys by Wilson Rawls

Reviewed by: Henry, age 13

A preposterous storyline with a touching moral. This book is good if you like perfectly good plans which are thwarted  in silly ways, action, ponies, Where the Red Fern Grows, or monkeys.

Genre: Fiction

Setting: Modern Era, Cherokee country.

Introduction:

A young farm boy on Cherokee land is playing in the wooded ravine by his house when he sees something strange. A monkey! It yells at him and he gets out of there fast. When he talks to his grandpa, he learns that there is a reward for returning them to the circus they escaped from. And it will be enough buy a pony, which he has dreamed of riding for quite a while. But catching a monkey turns out to be harder than he thought...

Themes: Determination, Family love, Cleverness, Caring for less fortunate

Recommended Age: 10 and up, younger if read aloud

Full Disclosure: The monkeys get him drunk at one point, but he feels terrible afterward

Rating: 5 stars

Other Books:  I don't think this is a series, but it is written by the same author as Where the Red Fern Grows.

Nora's Picks of the Week

Nora is our 2 1/2 year old. She has a tendency to pick the same books over and over every time we read to her. Luckily, they switch up every week or so! We'll be featuring her picks of the week.

Mom's verdict: Olivia books make me laugh. Olivia is such a character that parents can enjoy her as well (if for different reasons than the kiddos do). Blueberries for Sal is a classic that never gets old. Nora has been insisting that I substitute her name for Sal's and my own for Sal's mother for the past couple of nights. Children Make Terrible Pets is a silly tale of reversal that you and your kids will love reading together. Verdict-- this week isn't so bad!

The Hobbit, or There and Back Again, by J. R. R. Tolkien

Reviewed by: Kimball, age 15

This is a story about a little man who likes nothing more than to stay at home and live comfortably. Unfortunately the wizard has other plans. This book is good for all ages and can be read by younger audiences prior to introduction to Lord of the Rings, or read after Lord of the Rings and treated as a prequel. Both are classics.

Genre: Fiction

Time Period: Unspecified medieval period

Introduction:

Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit. A hobbit is a short creature who looks human except for his height and his wooly feet. They also do not grow beards and their hair is always curly. They live in comfortable houses dug into hills (called hobbit-holes.) Bilbo is no exception; he lives in a rather nice hole and has a great dislike for adventures. One day a wizard called Gandalf arrives at his porch inquiring whether he should like to take part in a quest. Bilbo declines but invites him to tea, forgetting all about it until Wednesday when Gandalf is supposed to come. Being quite unprepared when someone he expects to be Gandalf arrives at his house, he is shocked to find that it is instead a dwarf. Soon more dwarves arrive and Gandalf with them, and Bilbo learns that the dwarves are on a quest, and that Gandalf has quite ignored his declaration that he does not wish to participate, and soon he is off on a journey to slay a dragon with thirteen dwarves, a wizard and a constant desire to be back in his hole and not attacked by goblins and wolves and trolls and a dragon and the like.

Themes: size matters not, don't underestimate yourself, don't invite strangers to dinner just because you've heard all about them

Recommended age: 10 and up, younger as a read aloud

Full Disclosure:

This book is a children's book and can be read to children under ten; however they probably will have trouble reading it themselves.

Rating: 5 stars