Book Reviews in Category 'Four and Five Star Reads'

A Faraway Island
by Annika Thor

Two young sisters are sent to live with foster parents in Sweden when the Nazi occupation of Austria makes it unsafe for Jews in Vienna. They arrive at an island off the west coast where they are separated and sent to different families, although still close enough to see each other every day. Eight-year old Nellie moves in with a kind and warm "Auntie", learns Swedish and makes friends quickly. It's tougher for twelve-year old Stephie, whose Auntie is cold and strict, and who is victimized by the class bully. Annika Thor's writing gives a vivid picture of the girls' experience as they wait for their parents to join them and take them to America. This is the first in a series of four books about the Steiner sisters, and was the 2010 recipient of the Batchelder Award for the most outstanding children's book published originally in a language other than English.

When You Reach Me
by Rebecca Stead

I really enjoyed the way time travel was incorporated into this story in a way that almost makes it seem possible. Miranda is a 12 year old living in NYC in the ‘70s. She lives with her mom, a paralegal who is methodically training for The $20,000 Pyramid game show. One day when Miranda and her best friend, Sal, are walking home from school, he gets punched in the nose and stomach by a boy who hangs out with a menacing group of bullies. From that day on, Sal avoids Miranda and refuses to spend time with her. Why? is the question Miranda tries to answer, but the puzzle becomes much bigger and involves a homeless man who sleeps with his head under a mailbox, a privileged classmate, the chronology of time travel, and lots of period details from the 1970s.

Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows
by J.K Rowling

I think that it is the best Harry Potter book yet! It is really exiting except that someone dies. It has a lot of suspense so that you don't want to put it down. You just wanna keep reading it. Even my mom couldn't put it down! There is a short story in the end about his future and it is so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so good. You just have to give it a try!

The Phantom of Pine Hill
by Carolyn Keene

This book is really mysterious. Nancy Drew suspects many people of being the "phantom" of pine hill. When she finally gets a lead on her mystery she finds out it is someone that she knows and even finds a secret door in the wall where the thieves were getting in. This is a very exciting book!

Fairy Dust and the Quest for the Egg
by Gail Carson Levine

Fairy Dust is excellent! Meet Prilla, the new fairy to Never Land. She is different than the other fairies, and doesn't think she has a talent. Tinker Belle, (Tink) thinks she's a waste of time, and doesn't like her. But Prilla has to find her talent! IT'S A GREAT BOOK! (ed: Fairy Dust and the Quest for the Egg is part of the Disney Fairies series.)