Teens Books - Page 3

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw (Diary of a Wimpy Kid)

Jeff Kinney

Amazon Price: $10.36 List Price: $12.95 Not yet published By: Amulet Books

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Editorial Review:

The highly anticipated third book in the critically acclaimed and bestselling series takes the art of being wimpy to a whole new level.

 

Let’s face it: Greg Heffley will never change his wimpy ways. Somebody just needs to explain that to Greg’s father. You see, Frank Heffley actually thinks he can get his son to toughen up, and he enlists Greg in organized sports and other “manly” endeavors. Of course, Greg is able to easily sidestep his father’s efforts to change him. But when Greg’s dad threatens to send him to military academy, Greg realizes he has to shape up . . . or get shipped out.

 

Greg and his family and friends, who make the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books a must-read for middle school readers, are back and at their best in this hilarious new installment of the series, which is sure to please current fans while attracting new ones.

The Gypsy Morph (Genesis of Shannara) (Genesis of Shannara)

Terry Brooks

Amazon Price: $25.71 List Price: $38.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Brilliance Audio on CD Unabridged Amazon Marketplace: 23 new & used starting at $21.01

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 39 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Eighty years into the future, the United States is a no-man’s-land: its landscape blighted by chemical warfare, pollution, and plague; its government collapsed; its citizens adrift, desperate, fighting to stay alive. In fortified compounds, survivors hold the line against wandering predators, rogue militias, and hideous mutations spawned from the toxic environment, while against them all stands an enemy neither mortal nor merciful: demons and their minions bent on slaughtering and subjugating the last of humankind.

But from around the country, allies of good unite to challenge the rampaging evil. Logan Tom, wielding the magic staff of a Knight of the Word, has a promise to keep – protecting the world’s only hope of salvation – and a score to settle with the demon that massacred his family. Angel Perez, Logan’s fellow Knight, has risked her life to aid the elvish race, whose peaceful, hidden realm is marked for extermination by the forces of the Void. Kirisin Belloruus, a young elf entrusted with an ancient magic, must deliver his entire civilization from a monstrous army. And Hawk, the rootless boy who is nothing less than destiny’s instrument, must lead the last of humanity to a latter-day promised land before the final darkness falls.

The Mysterious Benedict Society

Trenton Lee Stewart

Amazon Price: $12.23 List Price: $17.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Little, Brown Young Readers Amazon Marketplace: 56 new & used starting at $5.14

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 99 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Great Book for my 11 yr old 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

He read it in 4 days. I had a hard time getting him to put the book down. He enjoys reading but It's rare that he finds a book that engagedes his interest that much. As soon as he was finished he asked if he could have the next book in this series.

Onto Book Number 2, The Family's Hooked! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I was pleasantly surprised by what this book has to offer! Wonderful characters and situations that have left me, my daughter of 6 and my son of 9 completely enthralled. You won't be disappointed, you will be on the edge of seat!

Editorial Review:

Dozens of children respond to this peculiar ad in the newspaper and are then put through a series of mind-bending tests, which readers take along with them. Only four children-two boys and two girls-succeed. Their challenge: to go on a secret mission that only the most intelligent and inventive children could complete. To accomplish it they will have to go undercover at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, where the only rule is that there are no rules. But what they'll find in the hidden underground tunnels of the school is more than your average school supplies. So, if you're gifted, creative, or happen to know Morse Code, they could probably use your help.

The Catcher in the Rye

J. D. Salinger

List Price: $19.95 By: Sound Library Amazon Marketplace: 3 new & used starting at $121.19

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2773 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Best Banned Books Required Reading List 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I'm teaching this book to my 10th graders, after making an inquest and asking all of my friends and acquaintances what book really changed their lives in high school. I was a bit squeamish because it has curse words galore, and because some of the subject matter may be deemed inappropriate for polite conversation, but the kids are really responding to Holden's cynical, alienated internal dialogue, and it's really uplifting to see them identifying with a fictional character as if he were a real person.

This is an American classic????????????? 2 out of 5 stars.
0 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Wow! Kind of fun to read, but a classic? I don't think so.

Much Overrated 3 out of 5 stars.
0 of 1 people found this review helpful.

At the risk of offending all the fans--this book should not have been banned because of the cursing or the sexual references. It should have been banned because it is uninteresting and tortuous to read. The sentences and the dialogue are so annoying they make me want to punch Holden Caulfield myself. I understand that was what the author was going for, but it doesn't make it any more palatable. I also understand that the novel was groundbreaking in its time. Regardless, I lost interest about 70 pages into the book and moved on. This is no classic.

Editorial Review:

Ever since it was first published in 1951, this novel has been the coming-of-age story against which all others are judged. Read and cherished by generations, the story of Holden Caulfield is truly one of America's literary treasures.

The Giver

Lois Lowry

Amazon Price: $6.99 List Price: $6.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: INGRAM BOOK & DISTRIBUTOR - Model: ING0440237688 Amazon Marketplace: 205 new & used starting at $0.50

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Features:

• Made with the Best Quality Material with your child in mind.
• Top Quality Children's Item.

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3084 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

A Realistic Utopia 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This book sets the stage for a utopian society, and it's very believable. Who's to say that this couldn't really happen sometime in the future? However, what I really liked about this book, is that once Jonas found himself, he wasn't afraid to take action and stand up for what he knew was right. Loved it. The first time I read it was the sixth grade, and I still enjoy it. It's one of my favorite books of all time, it's a relatively quick read for an adult, but it really makes you think.

From compassion to acumen, Lowry incorporates all there is to learn to develop maturity in this little wonder of a book. 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

In a self-contained community lives eleven-year-old Jonas. This community differs from real life settings. Citizens receive primary duties and adhere to community's regulations. Transgressors are chastised regardless of their age. There is uniformity in everything, from appearance to experience. Freedom does not exist because no one is aware of it. Religion is also nonexistent yet everyone lives in harmony because there is only one group called "the elders" who decide what is right and wrong; what is good and evil. Every child who turns twelve acquires a vocation suitable to his or her capacity and personality. Upon reaching the age of twelve, Jonas is assigned the single most important role, the giver. However, during his training Jonas discovers that outside the community there is life completely discordant from what he is exposed to. That people in this kind of life experience all sorts of emotions foreign to him. Finally, Jonas makes sudden decision to escape.

This is a valued reading for youths and adults as well. The repercussion of Jonas' escape is a healthy fodder for dialogue between parent and child. As part of his Language Arts project, my son has to make a movie poster based on a particular story. Co-incidentally, he picked up this book. Not only he and Jonas are the same age, they also have similar disposition.

Editorial Review:

When Jonas turns 12, he is singled out to receive special training from The Giver--who alone holds memories of pain and pleasure in life. Now there can be no turning back from the truth. Paperback.

Things Fall Apart (Norton Critical Editions)

Chinua Achebe

Amazon Price: $8.75 List Price: $8.75 Not yet published By: W. W. Norton

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 533 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

What makes fiction important 5 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

I know this is the classic debate of all time when it comes to literature: Is it about beautifully written prose (THE STORY OF EDGAR SAWTELLE, incidentally, is a good example of this problem) or does it tell a compelling story? (yet the prose itself is not its strong point).

It seems that many works of fiction these days are of the former and unfortunately, not enough of the latter. I recently re-read this book along with another classic, JOHNNY GOT HIS GUN, after a discussion I had with a friend about this very subject. As a middle-aged person, I often look back at the books that made a difference in my life and much of the time, it's not about the author's writing style. Achebe's is a plain, straightforward style, but it's what he is conveying that is so striking about this story. (I am a bit miffed at the "English" teachers and the like who are downing this book!) Bottom line: I was left with a lasting impression that stayed with me. I can't say that many books do this today.

All I can say is pick up this read and decide for yourselves. Bottom line, this story is just as relevant today as it was so many years ago when it first appeared. These issues are universal and the world today is replete with similar conflicts. It's unfortunate to have to go back in time to find classic works of fiction, but sometimes there are exceptions. Check out--SIM0N LAZARUS, a word of mouth wonder more should know about.

Editorial Review:

About the Series: No other series of classic texts equals the caliber of the Norton Critical Editions. Each volume combines the most authoritative text available with the comprehensive pedagogical apparatus necessary to appreciate the work fully. Careful editing, first-rate translation, and thorough explanatory annotations allow each text to meet the highest literary standards while remaining accessible to students. Each edition is printed on acid-free paper and every text in the series remains in print. Norton Critical Editions are the choice for excellence in scholarship for students at more than 2,000 universities worldwide.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

J. K. Rowling

Amazon Price: $11.86 List Price: $13.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Large Print Distribution Amazon Marketplace: 34 new & used starting at $2.62

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 5429 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Nothing Spectacular to Merit the Hype About this "Anniversary Edition" 3 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

Belatedly I found out that this is not worth buying. Yes, I bought the book because I thought that being touted as the 10th Anniversary Edition, it would be SPECIAL. Like there would be at least a Reflection page by Scholastic or JKR since the book (and the obscure author) has been a huge success. However, the contents are basically the same. The only additional is the sketch of Snape by JKR with a small note regarding the sketch plus the colored frontis of Hagrid on the boat...yes, the dust jacket has a new art and the boards are red with golden stars...but that's about it.

If you collect the books though, as in because you want every copy of the HP book series, then what I just said won't matter. But if you're buying it because you think it offers something new, then I would say it is not worth it.

Editorial Review:

Amazon.com

Here is a very special edition of the book that started it all: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Shortly after publication, J.K. Rowling's debut became a runaway bestselling award winner, and each new title in the sequence has all but created riots in the streets, as delirious fans chomp at the bit for the latest escapades of Harry Potter and his cohorts. For the true devotee of the series, this collector's edition is a must. Gold foil stamping on an embossed leather cover marks the book as a bona fide treasure. Most exciting of all is a previously unpublished sketch of Harry by Rowling herself! Don't miss this opportunity to collect a beautiful version of a modern classic. (Ages 9 and older) --Emilie Coulter

Fahrenheit 451 (Ave Fenix)

Ray Bradbury

List Price: $11.95 By: Plaza y Janes Amazon Marketplace: 10 new & used starting at $7.99

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1267 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Had To Read For School 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 2 people found this review helpful.

And I highly enjoyed reading this book. The storyline may be a bit complicated but if you stick with it, you will eventually understand Guy Montag's world. I reccomend this book for High School kids and up.

A must experience 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

A must read for people of all ages, Fahrenheit 451 is an enthralling novel written by Ray Bradbury. It is set in a futuristic society where books are illegal and the totalitarian government controls almost every aspect of people's lives. The story centers around Guy Montag, a fireman who doesnt put fires out, but starts them. Guy enjoys his job but a seventeen-year-old girl's recanting of the past and Guy's conscience gets the better of him and send him on a perilious journey filled with tough decisions and challenges that will forever change his life, and his world. Fahrenheit 451 is a fascinating look at a society gone wrong. It is frightening how in many ways Bradbury's world parallel's our own. Fahrenheit 451 is definately an eye opening book that everyone should experience

Editorial Review:

Nowadays firemen start fires. Fireman Guy Montag loves to rush to a fire and watch books burn up. Then he met a seventeen-year old girl who told him of a past when people were not afraid, and a professor who told him of a future where people could think. And Guy Montag knew what he had to do....

Salvation in Death (In Death)

J.D. Robb

Amazon Price: $17.13 List Price: $25.95 Not yet published By: Putnam Adult Amazon Marketplace: 1 new & used starting at $16.50

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Editorial Review:

Ancient church rituals meet cutting- edge crime solving in the latest novel in the #1 New York Times–bestselling series that’s “Law & Order: SVU—in the future” (Entertainment Weekly).

In the year 2060, sophisticated investigative tools can help catch a killer. But there are some questions even the most advanced technologies cannot answer.

Ridley Pearson has praised J. D. Robb’s suspense as “taut” and “nerve-jangling.” Her latest thriller sets a new standard for suspense, as the priest at a Catholic funeral mass brings the chalice to his lips—and falls over dead.

When Detective Lieutenant Eve Dallas confirms that the consecrated wine contained potassium cyanide, she’s determined to solve the murder of Father Miguel Flores, despite her discomfort with her surroundings. It’s not the bodegas and pawnshops of East Harlem that bother her, though the neighborhood is a long way from the stone mansion she shares with her billionaire husband, Roarke. It’s all that holiness flying around at St. Christobal’s that makes her uneasy.

A search of the victim’s sparsely furnished room reveals little— except for a carefully hidden religious medal with a mysterious inscription, and a couple of underlined Bible passages. The autopsy reveals more: faint scars of knife wounds, a removed tattoo—and evidence of plastic surgery, suggesting that “Father Flores” may not have been the man his parishioners had thought. Now, as Eve pieces together clues that hint at gang connections and a deeply personal act of revenge, she believes she’s making progress on the case. Until a second murder—in front of an even larger crowd of worshippers—knocks the whole investigation sideways. And Eve is left to figure out who committed these unholy acts—and why.

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns

Frank Miller

List Price: $24.95 By: DC Comics Amazon Marketplace: 2 new & used starting at $116.73

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 330 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

If any comic has a claim to have truly reinvigorated the genre, then The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller--known also for his excellent Sin City series and his superb rendering of the blind superhero Daredevil--is probably the top contender. Batman represented all that was wrong in comics and Miller set himself a tough task taking on the camp crusader and turning this laughable, innocuous children's cartoon character into a hero for our times. The great Alan Moore (V for Vendetta, Swamp Thing, the arguably peerless Watchmen) argued that only someone of Miller's stature could have done this. Batman is a character known well beyond the confines of the comic world (as are his retinue) and so reinventing him, while keeping his limiting core essentials intact, was a huge task.Miller went far beyond the call of duty. The Dark Knight is a success on every level. Firstly it does keep the core elements of the Batman myth intact, with Robin, Alfred the butler, Commissioner Gordon, and the old roster of villains, present yet brilliantly subverted. Secondly the artwork is fantastic--detailed, sometimes claustrophobic, psychotic. Lastly it's a great story: Gotham City is a hell on earth, street gangs roam but there are no heroes. Decay is ubiquitous. Where is a hero to save Gotham? It is 10 years since the last recorded sighting of the Batman. And things have got worse than ever. Bruce Wayne is close to being a broken man but something is keeping him sane: the need to see change and the belief that he can orchestrate some of that change. Batman is back. The Dark Knight has returned. Awesome. --Mark Thwaite