Patron Book Review ~ Where the Red Fern Grows

Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls

Published: 1961
Genre: Children's Literature, Historical Fiction, Classic

Description:
First published in 1961, a modern-day classic for children follows the friendship between a boy and his two dogs as they search out adventure along the dark hills and river bottoms of Cherokee country.

Review by patron, Isabelle:
It is a book with a ton of detail. Be ready to start Bawling. If you haven't watched the movie I highly recommend it.

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Have you been to a library program or read a book you'd like to review? Send it to kwill@lmelibrary.org and it may get published!

First names only are used in all reviews for privacy. Inappropriate or defamatory reviews or comments will not be posted.

Reviews are typed exactly as patrons submitted them. The LME Library is not responsible for any incorrect or misspelled information contained in reviews by patrons.

Patron Book Review ~ All Shook Up

All Shook Up by Shelley Pearsall
Published: 2008
Genre: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Humor
Description:
The King of Rock 'n'™ Roll lives! And he's Josh's dad.

When 13-year-old Josh finds out that he has to stay with his dad in Chicago for a few months, he's not too thrilled. But when he arrives at the airport, he's simply devastated. His father - who used to be a scatterbrained but pretty normal shoe salesman - has become . . . Elvis. Well, a sideburnwearing, hip-twisting, utterly-embarrassing Elvis impersonator.

Josh is determined to keep his dad's identity a secret, but on his very first day at his new school, a note appears on his locker. It's signed Elvisly Yours, and instead of a name, a sneering purple smiley face. The secret is out, and when his dad is invited to perform at a special 50s concert at his school, Josh is forced to take drastic action. From award-winning author Shelley Pearsall comes a hilarious novel about discovering the important (and sometimes painful) difference between who you want to be - and who you really are.

Review by patron, Anonymous:   
The book was original, easy to understand, and the characters were unique, but easy to understand.

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Have you been to a library program or read a book you'd like to review? Send it to kwill@lmelibrary.org and it may get published!

First names only are used in all reviews for privacy. Inappropriate or defamatory reviews or comments will not be posted.

Reviews are typed exactly as patrons submitted them. The LME Library is not responsible for any incorrect or misspelled information contained in reviews by patrons.

Patron Book Review ~ Bamboo People

Bamboo People by Mitali Perkins
Published: 2010
Genre: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction
Description:
Bang! A side door bursts open.

Soldiers pour into the room. They're shouting and waving rifles.

I shield my head with my arms. It was a lie! I think, my mind racing.

Girls and boys alike are screaming. The soldiers prod and herd some of us together and push the rest apart as if we're cows or goats.

Their leader, though, is a middle-aged man. He's moving slowly, intently, not dashing around like the others. "Take the boys only, Win Min," I overhear him telling a tall, gangly soldier. "Make them obey."

Chiko isn't a fighter by nature. He's a book-loving Burmese boy whose father, a doctor, is in prison for resisting the government. Tu Reh, on the other hand, wants to fight for freedom after watching Burmese soldiers destroy his Karenni family's home and bamboo fields. Timidity becomes courage and anger becomes compassion as each boy is changed by unlikely friendships formed under extreme circumstances.

This coming-of-age novel takes place against the political and military backdrop of modern-day Burma. Narrated by two teenagers on opposing sides of the conflict between the Burmese government and the Karenni, one of the many ethnic minorities in Burma, Bamboo People explores the nature of violence, power, and prejudice.

Review by patron, Anonymous:   
Easy to understand, likeable characters, Easy to follow. A plot that is slow paced, but engaging.

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Have you been to a library program or read a book you'd like to review? Send it to kwill@lmelibrary.org and it may get published!

First names only are used in all reviews for privacy. Inappropriate or defamatory reviews or comments will not be posted.

Reviews are typed exactly as patrons submitted them. The LME Library is not responsible for any incorrect or misspelled information contained in reviews by patrons.

Patron Book Review ~ She is Not Invisible

She is Not Invisible by Marcus Sedgwick
Published: 2013
Genre: Young Adult, Fiction, Mystery,
Description:
Set in London and Manhattan, prize-winning author Marcus Sedgwick explores obsession, trust and coincidence in a page-turning thriller about Laureth Peak's mission to find her missing father.

Laureth Peak's father is a writer. For years he's been trying, and failing, to write a novel about coincidence. His wife thinks he's obsessed, Laureth thinks he's on the verge of a breakdown. He's supposed to be doing research in Austria, so when his notebook shows up in New York, Laureth knows something is wrong.

On impulse she steals her mother's credit card and heads for the States, taking her strange little brother Benjamin with her. Reunited with the notebook, they begin to follow clues inside, trying to find their wayward father. Ahead lie challenges and threats, all of which are that much tougher for Laureth than they would be for any other 16-year old. Because Laureth Peak is blind.

Review by patron, Anonymous:   
It is unique, and carefully woven. It is hard to put down and has a thrilling story.

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Have you been to a library program or read a book you'd like to review? Send it to kwill@lmelibrary.org and it may get published!

First names only are used in all reviews for privacy. Inappropriate or defamatory reviews or comments will not be posted.

Reviews are typed exactly as patrons submitted them. The LME Library is not responsible for any incorrect or misspelled information contained in reviews by patrons.

Patron Review ~ As Easy as Falling Off of the Face of the Earth

As Easy as Falling Off the Face of the Earth by Lynne Rae Perkins
Published: 2010
Genre: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Adventure
Description:
A teenaged boy encounters one comedic calamity after another when his train strands him in the middle of nowhere, and everything comes down to luck.

Review by patron, Anonymous:   
It was creative and funny and it was one problem after another. The characters were unique and funny and the situations were unique.

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Have you been to a library program or read a book you'd like to review? Send it to kwill@lmelibrary.org and it may get published!

First names only are used in all reviews for privacy. Inappropriate or defamatory reviews or comments will not be posted.

Reviews are typed exactly as patrons submitted them. The LME Library is not responsible for any incorrect or misspelled information contained in reviews by patrons.

Patron Review ~ Island's End

Island's End by Padma Venkatraman
Published: 2011
Genre: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction
Description:
From the acclaimed author of Climbing the Stairs comes a fascinating story set on a remote island untouched by time. Uido is ecstatic about becoming her tribe's spiritual leader, but her new position brings her older brother's jealousy and her best friend's mistrust. And looming above these troubles are the recent visits of strangers from the mainland who have little regard for nature or the spirits, and tempt the tribe members with gifts, making them curious about modern life. When Uido's little brother falls deathly ill, she must cross the ocean and seek their help. Having now seen so many new things, will Uido have the strength to believe in herself and the old ways? And will her people trust her to lead them to safety when a catastrophic tsunami threatens? Uido must overcome everyone's doubts, including her own, if she is to keep her people safe and preserve the spirituality that has defined them.

Drawing on firsthand experience from her travels to the Andaman Islands, Padma Venkatraman was inspired to write this story after meeting natives who survived the 2004 tsunami and have been able to preserve their unique way of life. Uido's transformation from a young girl to tribal leader will touch both your heart and mind.

Review by patron, Anonymous:   
This book is heartwarming and a little sad. The problems are a bid unusual and things we take for granted every day are shown in a different and unique light.

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Have you been to a library program or read a book you'd like to review? Send it to kwill@lmelibrary.org and it may get published!

First names only are used in all reviews for privacy. Inappropriate or defamatory reviews or comments will not be posted.

Reviews are typed exactly as patrons submitted them. The LME Library is not responsible for any incorrect or misspelled information contained in reviews by patrons.

Patron Book Review ~ I, Emma Freke

I, Emma Freke by Elizabeth Atkinson
Published: 2010
Genre: Family, friendship, realistic fiction

Description:
"I, Emma Freke, am not a freak. Or maybe I am. I just don't know."

What's in a name? I, Emma Freke is a charming search-for-identity story about Emma - the only "normal" member of her quirky family. Her flighty, New Age mom seems to barely have time for a daughter, especially one who annoyingly spoils her mom's youthful façade. Emma's well-meaning grandpa is clueless. And her only friends are the local librarian and a precocious 10-year old adopted by the two old ladies next door.

Smart, shy, and nearly six feet tall, Emma struggles to fit in at school, so she jumps at the opportunity to "home school" until that too turns into another of mom's half-baked ideas.

The real crisis comes when she gets an invitation to The Freke Family Reunion, and her fellow Frekes aren't at all what she expects. While Emma desperately tries to find her niche, she discovers that perhaps it's better to be her own "freak" than someone else's Freke.
Review by patron, Lindsey: 



About you gotta be who you are. Don't pretend to be somebody you aren't. Pretty good overall.

Have you been to a library program or read a book you'd like to review? Send it to kwill@lmelibrary.org and it may be published!

First names only are used in all reviews for privacy. Inappropriate or defamatory reviews or comments will not be posted.

Reviews are typed exactly as patrons submitted them. The LME Library is not responsible for any incorrect or misspelled information contained in reviews by patrons.

Patron Book Review ~ Where the Red Fern Grows

Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls
Published: 1961
Genre: Children's Literature, Historical Fiction, Classic

Description:
First published in 1961, a modern-day classic for children follows the friendship between a boy and his two dogs as they search out adventure along the dark hills and river bottoms of Cherokee country.

Review by patron, Anonymous:  
I really liked this book because Billy saved his $ for 2 years just to get two hound dogs who he loves.

Have you been to a library program or read a book you'd like to review? Send it to kwill@lmelibrary.org and it may be published!

First names only are used in all reviews for privacy. Inappropriate or defamatory reviews or comments will not be posted.

Reviews are typed exactly as patrons submitted them. The LME Library is not responsible for any incorrect or misspelled information contained in reviews by patrons.

Patron Book Review ~ Fudge-a-Mania

Fudge-a-Mania (Fudge, bk #3) by Judy Blume
Published: 1990
Genre: Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Humor

Description:
Peter Hatcher can't get a break. His little brother, Fudge-the five-year-old human hurricane-has big plans to marry Peter's sworn enemy, Sheila Tubman. That alone would be enough to ruin his whole summer, but now Peter's parents have decided to rent a summer home next door to Sheila the Cootie Queen's house for three whole weeks!
Review by patron, Allyson: 

Have you been to a library program or read a book you'd like to review? Send it to kwill@lmelibrary.org and it may be published!

First names only are used in all reviews for privacy. Inappropriate or defamatory reviews or comments will not be posted.

Reviews are typed exactly as patrons submitted them. The LME Library is not responsible for any incorrect or misspelled information contained in reviews by patrons.

Patron Book Review ~ Rules

Rules by Cynthia Lord
Published: 2006
Genre: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction,

Description:
Twelve-year-old Catherine just wants a normal life. Which is near impossible when you have a brother with autism and a family that revolves around his disability. She's spent years trying to teach David the rules from "a peach is not a funny-looking apple" to "keep your pants on in public"---in order to head off David's embarrassing behaviors.

But the summer Catherine meets Jason, a surprising, new sort-of friend, and Kristi, the next-door friend she's always wished for, it's her own shocking behavior that turns everything upside down and forces her to ask: What is normal?


Review by patron, Allyson: 



Have you been to a library program or read a book you'd like to review? Send it to kwill@lmelibrary.org and it may be published!

First names only are used in all reviews for privacy. Inappropriate or defamatory reviews or comments will not be posted.

Reviews are typed exactly as patrons submitted them. The LME Library is not responsible for any incorrect or misspelled information contained in reviews by patrons.

Patron Book Review ~ Secrets of My Hollywood Life

Secrets of My Hollywood Life by Jen Calonita
Published: 1998
Genre: Young Adult,
Description:
Longing to experience the life of a "normal" teenager, sixteen-year-old actress Kaitlin Burke assumes a false identity to attend a local high school.

Review by patron, Peyton:

This book was really good. Kaitlin, hollywood star, wants a normal life, but also wants to be a star. She's the next Hannah Montana living two lives!

Have you been to a library program or read a book you'd like to review? Send it to kwill@lmelibrary.org and it may be published!

First names only are used in all reviews for privacy. Inappropriate or defamatory reviews will not be posted.

Reviews are typed exactly as patrons submitted them. The LME Library is not responsible for any incorrect or misspelled information contained in reviews by patrons.

Patron Book Review ~ Rules of the Road

Rules of the Road by Joan Bauer
Published: 2006
Genre: Young Adult,
Description:
Sixteen-year-old Jenna gets a job driving the elderly owner of a chain of successful shoe stores from Chicago to Texas to confront the son who is trying to force her to retire, and along the way Jenna hones her talents as a saleswoman and finds the strength to face her alcoholic father.

Review by patron, Peyton:

Jenna describes how she changes with her family and her social skills. She takes you all the way to texas. This is a good book I request.

Have you been to a library program or read a book you'd like to review? Send it to kwill@lmelibrary.org and it may be published!

First names only are used in all reviews for privacy. Inappropriate or defamatory reviews will not be posted.

Reviews are typed exactly as patrons submitted them. The LME Library is not responsible for any incorrect or misspelled information contained in reviews by patrons.

Patron Book Review ~ I Funny

I Funny by James Patterson
Published: 2012
Genre: Humor
Description:
Jamie Grimm is a middle schooler on a mission: he wants to become the world's greatest standup comedian, even if he doesn't have a lot to laugh about these days. He's new in town and stuck living with his aunt, uncle, and their evil son Stevie, a bully who doesn't let Jamie's wheelchair stop him from giving Jamie a good pounding every once in awhile.






Review by patron, Lindsey:

It's funny!

Have you been to a library program or read a book you'd like to review? Send it to kwill@lmelibrary.org and it may be published!

First names only are used in all reviews for privacy. Inappropriate or defamatory reviews will not be posted.

Reviews are typed exactly as patrons submitted them. The LME Library is not responsible for any incorrect or misspelled information contained in reviews by patrons.

Patron Book Review ~ Buddy is a Stupid Name For a Girl

Buddy is a Stupid Name For a Girl by Willo Davis Roberts
Published: 2001
Genre: Young Adult, Mystery
Description:
That's all Buddy wants -- a normal family. But with her mother dead, her father missing, and her brother on the road searching for him, Buddy has a hard time believing it will ever happen. Instead she's living with relatives she hardly knows who resent her for reasons she can't figure out. They think everything about her is strange, especially her name. Buddy can't give up hope -- that her father is out there, somewhere, and that her brother will find him so they can be a family again. But until then can Buddy find some way to accept her new life? Or will she always feel different?

Review by patron, Lindsey:

It's sad.

Have you been to a library program or read a book you'd like to review? Send it to kwill@lmelibrary.org and it may be published!

First names only are used in all reviews for privacy. Inappropriate or defamatory reviews will not be posted.

Reviews are typed exactly as patrons submitted them. The LME Library is not responsible for any incorrect or misspelled information contained in reviews by patrons.