Teen and Staff Reviews

Teen Review
The Secret Life of Pets

The Secret Life of Pets

By Chris Renaud
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by
AN
Sep 11, 2023

The Secret Life of Pets by Chris Renaud is about Max (a dog) that has and enjoys his comfortable life in NY, until his owner adopts Duke - a giant dog. They encounter cats during a walk outside, and use the help of a bunny named Snowball. They work together on a mission. 

Teen Review
Mountain Mission

Mountain Mission

By Kristin Earhart
Star Rating
★★

Rated by
AN
Sep 11, 2023

Race the Wild - Mountain Mission by Kristin Earhart is about a team climbing to a new level. The end of a race leads a team to the Himalayas, a treacherous mountain range in the world. A rockslide threatens Russell and his time, and decides if they need to go on a rescue mission or win a race. 

Teen Review
Out of My Mind

Out of My Mind

By Sharon R. Draper
Star Rating
★★

Rated by
AN
Sep 11, 2023

Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper is a novel about a girl, Melody Brooks, diagnosed with a disability. She gets integrated in classes with other kids, and overcomes her disability. She gets to play a team quiz, and sees the judgmental perspective of other kids around her. 

Teen Review
Matilda

Matilda

By Roald Dahl
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by
AN
Sep 11, 2023

Matilda by Roald Dahl is a book about a young girl named Matilda Wormwood, and has a very good intellect and magical powers. This includes the ability to levitate objects. She loves books, and she has incredible knowledge and abilities at a young age. The intelligence is ignored by her family, who treat her poorly, but she has to work past this. 

Teen Review
Heartland: A Memoir of Working Hard and Being Broke in the Richest Country on Earth

Heartland

By Sarah Smarsh
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by
Aneet K.
Sep 1, 2023

Heartland; a book about a life of poverty in a country of opportunity. Heartland is a nonfiction memoir written by the author Sarah Smarsh. This book resonates with many, as it is set in western Kansas and is told from the perspective of a girl named Sarah Smarsh who is raised by generations of teen mothers. All Sarah wants is to escape the cycle of poverty and teen pregnancy through her education and determination.

Teen Review
The Hawthorne Legacy by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

The Hawthorne Legacy

By Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by
Mahad Z.
Sep 1, 2023

Summary: The Hawthorne Legacy by Jennifer Lynn Barnes is the sequel to The Inheritance Games. In this thrilling young adult novel, protagonist Avery Grambs continues to navigate the enigmatic world of the wealthy Hawthorne family after inheriting their fortune. As she dives deeper into the family's secrets and rivalries, Avery must decipher puzzles and codes to uncover hidden truths about her connection to the Hawthornes.

Teen Review
The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

The Fault in Our Stars

By John Green
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by
Aadhya
Aug 31, 2023

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green is an emotional story about two teenagers hopelessly in love yet set apart by the unfortunate circumstances surrounding them. This young adult romance novel does contain some hard-to-process material, as the protagonist Hazel suffers from thyroid cancer affecting her lungs and doesn’t seem to have a will to live. Her pessimistic nature contrasts that of Augustus who also suffered from cancer but has a completely different outlook on the world.

Teen Review
The Giver by Lois Lowry

The Giver

By Lois Lowry
Star Rating
★★★

Rated by
AN
Aug 31, 2023

The Giver by Lois Lowry is a book about a boy in a community based on sameness. He is selected as a receiver of memory, and the old receiver (The Giver) helps to give Jonas ancient memories. He acts as a source of wisdom in and for the community. I would rate this book a 3.5/5, as it is a good book for community research, and recommend it to those who love such novels. This book is relatable as the guidance of elders is always crucial.

Teen Review
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

The Outsiders

By S.E. Hinton
Star Rating
★★

Rated by
AN
Aug 31, 2023

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton is a book about a 14 year old boy named Ponyboy Curtis, and his 2 older brothers named Soda & Darry. They are all orphans and have to struggle to succeed in a lower class area (The East Side). They are part of a gang called the “Greasers” and they are the working class street boys. This book is a good novel regarding how some people’s lives are, however can be a little confusing. So I would rate the book 2 stars, but recommend it if you like older novels.

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