Book Beat Reviews

Alone by Megan E. Freeman

Hi my name is Nina I love to read and play sports. My favorite sport is Nordic skiing and my favorite author is J.K Rowling

Maddie is a 7th grader at the start of this story, and she and her friends have an amazing idea for the weekend. They would stay at Maddie’s grandparents vacation home, and party all night long without their parents knowing. Maddie would tell her mom that she was at her dad’s house and her dad that she was at her mom’s house! (They were divorced.) Her friends would tell their own parents that they were sleeping over at each other’s house! A perfect plan, AKA how Maddie got herself into this mess. One of her friends gets sick, so neither of Maddie’s two friends can. Maddie decides to go anyway, so she can sleep in. In the morning, she wakes up, looks at her phone, and sees an imminent threat warning, multiple missed calls, and a voicemail from both her Mom and Dad, both of whom thought Maddie was with the other parent. Maddie finds the whole town has been evacuated and she is all alone. Maddie bikes all around and calls everybody she can, but all the phones had to be left behind along with most of people’s belongings. Maddie goes to her mom’s house and finds the neighbor’s Rottweiler, George, breaking into the cookie jar. She takes him for company. Maddie and George survive multiple years on canned food, bottled water, and books from the local abandoned library. Maddie and George help each other get through tornadoes, fires (that burned down her mom’s house), blizzards, flash floods, looters, bloodthirsty dogs, and, hardest of all, loneliness. Maddie starts to wonder what the imminent threat was in the first place, nothing seemed to be threatening the town, and would she ever be rescued? Did her parents die? Did they still think she was with the other parent? Will they ever save her? Will she have to live like this forever?

This is an adventurous, exciting, and heartwarming story about Maddie growing up all alone with only her Rottweiler, George, to keep her company.

Find it in print and ebook here.

The 13-Story Treehouse by Andy Griffiths

Hi, my name is Zane. I am in sixth grade. I enjoy playing soccer, video games, and exercising.

The 13-Story Treehouse is an exciting and funny book written by Andy Griffiths. It is about Andy and Terry, two friends that live in a 13-story treehouse that they built themselves. Together they make books to be published. But the publisher that they use, Mr. Big Nose, is very strict. One day, they get a call from him reminding them that they have to write a whole book before the deadline or there will be severe consequences. Now Andy and Terry only have a few days to write a good story, but they face many challenges on the way.

This book is very enjoyable, although there are a couple of flaws. Something that I liked was that there were many big events that made you want to keep reading further. I also liked that the pictures were very well illustrated. Something that I did not like as much was that it got nonrealistic, especially toward some of the last parts of the book of the book. As you can see, although there were a few parts that I did not enjoy, I really enjoyed the book The 13-Story Treehouse.

Find it in print here.

Carve the Mark by Veronica Roth

Hi, I am Advik and I’m in 8th grade. I love to read, watch TV, swim and travel.

Carve the Mark, a captivating young adult science fiction and fantasy book, stands out with its unique setting in a dystopian world. The plot is initially challenging to grasp, but it’s a refreshing change from the usual sci-fi narratives. The rapid introduction of new components adds to the intrigue, surpassing my expectations set by the book cover.
The author introduced the conflict quite early. The conflict of this book is that two brothers, Akos and Eijeh, are kidnapped from their home, Thuvhe, and taken to their enemy’s island, Shotet. Shotet is an island known for harsh brutality and love for killing. In the process, Akos and Eijeh’s father are killed.

There are two protagonists, Cyra, who talks in the first person, and Akos, who narrates in the third person. First is Akos, a boy kidnapped from his oracle mom and a farmer father from his birthplace, Thuvhe. He is now a servant to Cyra, the second protagonist. Akos is the only person who can touch Cyra without feeling tremendous pain. This is because his currentgift stops all other currentgifts from affecting him. Cyra is the sovereign of Shotet’s sister. Cyra’s currentgift is pain, which shows itself visibly, with shadowy tendrils that run beneath her skin. She is tormented by pain all the time, and everyone who touches her skin feels excruciating pain.

I would undoubtedly recommend this book to sci-fi and fantasy lovers. The plot is full of twists and underlying secrets that are revealed at just the right time, making you stay up late reading this. This book is very well written, and you can tell the world was very thought out. The characters are all unique, which makes the story very interesting.

This book has it all: mystery, action, bravery, romance, thrill, and even a tragic loss. This book could be faster at times, but overall, it has a good storyline and plot. I recommend this book for ages eleven and up.

Find it in print, eaudiobook, and ebook here.

The Trumpeter of Krakow by Eric P. Kelly

My name is Judah. I enjoy playing soccer and baseball. In the winter, I enjoy Nordic and alpine skiing. When it comes to reading,  adventure books are my favorite.

The Trumpeter of Krakow is an historical fiction novel written by Eric P. Kelly. This book is full if excitement, mystery and hardships that build character within Joseph and his family. Some main characters of this novel are Jan Kanty, Andrew and Joseph Charnetski. To start out the book the Charnetski noble family are chased out of their home in Ukrain by the Cossac-Tartars of Bogdan. While they burned their house down the Charnetski’s fled to Krakow Ploland to stay with relitives while they took refuge from the tartars. While in Krakow they have to hide and defend a magical crystal wich bring sevil to those who look up on it. Soon Joseph meets a beautiful girl and her uncle who make a connection that would last as long as they were to live. Joseph and his dad Andrew then get a job to blow the Special trumpet at the top of a church tower, every hour or to blow a trumpet of warning and alert the people of the town. Krakow is not all a safe town as the Charnetski’s soon find out about evil plots with the local alchemest who plans to use his recouses for evil purposes.

This book is full of action and will engage readers who like to learn about history while enjoying a thrilling story at the same time.    

Find it in print here.

Adam of the Road by Elizabeth Gray Vining

My name is Judah. I enjoy playing soccer and baseball. In the winter, I enjoy Nordic and alpine skiing. When it comes to reading,  adventure books are my favorite.

Adam of the Road is an historical fiction novel full of adventures, bravery and hardship. This story is about Adam, an eleven-year-old boy and his beloved dog nick who follows his father around the roads thought England. Adams father is a minstrel which means Adam and his dog must learn how to entertain people by telling stories, dancing and even showing his dogs’ tricks! Suddenly out of nowhere his beloved dog, Nick, is stolen by a man named Perkin. Adam had previously told Perkin what Nick could do and out of jealousy he took the dog. Adam eventually sees his dog in a massive crowd of people and runs after him. In doing so he loses his father in the mix of everything and then is left all alone with nothing. Adam is then forced to make a living by entertaining others and finding a new minstrel master for time being while still always on the look out for his dog and his father.

This book is a thrilling book of adventure and is a page turner with action at every corner. I recommend this book for ages twelve through fifteen.

Find it in print here.

Robin Hood by Howard Pyle

My name is Judah. I enjoy playing soccer and baseball. In the winter, I enjoy Nordic and alpine skiing. When it comes to reading,  adventure books are my favorite.

The book of Robin Hood is an historical fiction novel. This book is filled with thrilling story of a man and his men righting the wrongs of evil prince John. King Richard the Lionhearted was the rightful ruler of England but when he left to go fight in the crusades his brother Prince John became the ruler of England. Prince John was hated among his Kingdom for overcharging taxes from England’s loyal subjects. Robin Hood came to the rescue of the poor folk of Nottingham.  He “stole from the rich to feed the poor.” Robin pulled the poor, who were being overly taxed with money that they could not pay, out of their misery. The evil sheriff of Nottingham had no mercy in taxing the peasants and would even take them to jail if they could not pay! Robin and his merry men were constantly on the run from the sheriff since they were considered outlaws according to King John. Despite Robin being trapped in jail at times, his men were able to find creative ways to free him from his cell.

Throughout this book there is heroism, bravery and thrilling narrow escapes to avoid the evil sheriff. This book should be recommended for ages twelve through fifteen.

Find it in print here.