Book reviews written by Donna B

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Displaying 11-20 of 73 reviews

Life As We Knew It

by Susan Beth Pfeffer
- Rated 5 stars
“This is a gripping tale of survival set in the days before and months after a meteor hits the moon and changes it's orbit. The moon's new orbit has devastating impacts on the earth and its inhabitants. Miranda, a high school junior, tells the story from her viewpoint as she struggles to adjust to the cold weather, gray skies, and frightening storms that follow.

Highly recommended for all teens, fans of apocalyptic books like "The Stand"; and fans of disaster movies like "Deep Impact" and "The Day After Tomorrow." ”

Donna B wrote this review Sunday, October 18 2009. ( reply | permalink )
A Savage Thunder: Antietam and the Bloody Road to Freedom

by Jim Murphy
- Rated 4 stars
“I wish I knew more about Civil War history, and maybe if I read a few more books about individual battles like this one I will be able to piece together a more comprehensive picture in my head. This book does a good job of explaining why Antietman mattered. Other than being the bloodiest single day of fighting in U.S. history, it was also a turning point in the war. Other main points I gleaned are that General McClennan messed up big, and war as a whole is confusing and horrible.

There are a lot of interesting details, like many Union soldiers were attacked by angry bees, and there were several women (disguised as men) fighting that day. The pages are packed with many interesting historic battlefield photos and portraits.”

Donna B wrote this review Sunday, October 18 2009. ( reply | permalink )
The Dead and the Gone

by Susan Beth Pfeffer
- Rated 4 stars
“This sequel to Life As We Knew It follows the same catastrophic disasters from a different perspective. Teenage Alex takes responsibility for his younger sisters after their parents disappear. Survival in New York City is tough because of flooding, rats, and bodies piling up. Just as gripping as the first book, with a little more grit.”

Donna B wrote this review Thursday, October 15 2009. ( reply | permalink )
Written in Bone: Buried Lives of Jamestown and Colonial Maryland (Exceptional Social Studies Titles for Intermediate Grades)

by Sally M. Walker
- Rated 5 stars
“Fascinating true forensic & historical mystery. Forensic anthropologists discover long lost Colonial-era graves and dig them up. They study the skeletons of people of different ages and walks of life who lived and died along Chesapeake Bay. The photographs and illustrations show you what scientists look at and how they learn about bones' identities, lives, and deaths. Enlightening & never dull!”

Donna B wrote this review Tuesday, December 1 2009. ( reply | permalink )
Catching Fire

by Suzanne Collins
- Rated 4 stars
“Like Hunger Games, this is an engrossing scifi adventure story. I really wondered what Collins would do with the characters that could compare to the action of the games in the first book. I would have liked a little more action, and I was a little disappointed with the way it ended. Still, it was enjoyable reading and I will definitely read the third book.”

Donna B wrote this review Tuesday, September 29 2009. ( reply | permalink )
Crank

by Ellen Hopkins
- Rated 4 stars
“What happens when the perfect girl meets the wrong boy and gives in to her darker side? I liked this one, because the well-written poems struck me as genuine (makes sense, since the book is based on the real-life meth addiction of Hopkins' daughter). The story is riveting and I got through it very quickly.”

Donna B wrote this review Tuesday, September 29 2009. ( reply | permalink )
I Can't Keep My Own Secrets: Six-Word Memoirs by Teens Famous & Obscure

by Larry Smith, Rachel Fershleiser
- Rated 4 stars
“A fascinating collection of six-word stories on all different topics including love, sex, illness, being unique, and pursuing your destiny. Some expose jaw-droppingly raw emotions, others are quirky and fun. Fast and easy, and fun to read.”

Donna B wrote this review Monday, September 28 2009. ( reply | permalink )
Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice

by Phillip M. Hoose
- Rated 5 stars
“This is a great book about a little known civil rights activist. Claudette Colvin was just 15 years old when she refused to give up her bus seat for a white person. "It's my constitutional right!" she declared, as Montgomery, Alabama police officers pulled her off the bus; this was 9 months before Rosa Parks made her famous protest. Colvin later provided key testimony in a landmark court case against segregation.”

Donna B wrote this review Tuesday, December 1 2009. ( reply | permalink )
Perfect Chemistry

by Simone Elkeles
- Rated 3 stars
“A modern Romeo & Juliet story set in the Chicago suburbs. Brittany is a seemingly spoiled rich white girl and Alex is a Latino gang member. On the surface they appear to have nothing in common, but when they are paired together in Chemistry class they discover that there's a lot more going on within their hearts.”

Donna B wrote this review Friday, September 4 2009. ( reply | permalink )
Dragon Slippers

by Jessica Day George
- Rated 4 stars
“Cute story about a plucky girl who likes dragons and embroidering. Creel leave the country for the big city to make her fortune, and gets more than she bargains for. It all starts with a mysterious pair of slippers given her by a dragon who collects shoes.”

Donna B wrote this review Monday, August 31 2009. ( reply | permalink )