Meet young reader, Haley Crowson.
Haley is a founding member of Watermark's Young
Reader's Advisory Group. She attends Robinson Middle School and volunteers
teaching violin. Haley adores fantasy and mystery and likes that reading can
take you to another place. She has a big dog, likes to dance, and enjoys chips
and anything with chocolate.
August 2009
The Splendor Falls by Rosemary Clement-Moore.
Mysterious happenings: After Sylvie Davis's accident, she's
forced to leave the ballet, but dance is her life. When she begins chasing
people in a park after her mother's wedding, her new stepfather--a
psychiatrist--decides she needs to spend some time away from the city in the
place where her family grew up--in rural Alabama. Sylvie discovers that many
secrets surround her family's mansion, Bluestone Hill, and as she begins
uncovering these secrets, she starts to doubt her own sanity, questioning
what's real and what isn't.
I really liked the overall plot. It was interesting from the very start. I
didn't really like Sylvie's character, though. She was kind of stuck up and
self centered. The title The Splendor Falls has absolutely nothing to
do with the story. It doesn't fit at all. Still, the book is mysterious,
creepy, and enjoyable.
The Maze Runner by James Dashner.
When Thomas wakes up, he finds himself surrounded by a pack
of boys. He can only remember his name: everything else is a mystery. Thomas
finds out that the boys spend their days trying to get out of a giant maze
that surrounds them. As he begins to learn his way around, surroundings
change and nothing remains constant. Thomas knows he is different from the
other boys and knows something that might get them out. If only he can
remember... It's an interesting, mysterious adventure.
July 2009
The Amanda Project: Invisible I by Stella Lennon.
Despite Callie's high social status (in the highschool world) she finds
herself relating more to a certain misfit. A cool and confident girl named
Amanda Valentino waltzes into her life, completely changing everything. Its
not until Amanda goes missing when Callie realizes everything that she has
taught her. Amanda seems to be hiding many secrets, as is Callie, and brings
together Nia, Hal, and Callie to investigate her disappearance.
This book is going to be part of an eight-book series, so some parts were
never fully explained. There are some parts that I wish were more clearly
explained. The end leaves you hanging due to these unexplained secrets. The
book hooks you, confuses you, and is secretive.
The Indigo Notebook by Laura Resau.
Zeeta and her mother, Layla, spend every year in another country. During
the year Zeeta is fifteen, they spend their days in the Ecuadoran Andes
where she meets Wendell, an American teen on a mission to find his birth
parents. Zeeta promises to help him even though their journey is full of
secrets and danger.
June 2009
Meridian by Amber Kizer.
Meridian has always wondered why dead things are attracted to her. On the
day of her sixteenth birthday, she finds herself with a limited amount of
money on a bus headed to Revelation, Colorado to visit her aunt who is to
reveal a secret to Meridian that she could have never imagined. Meridian
comes to find herself and discover that the world as she once knew would
never be the same.
I really liked the general plot and storyline. Some parts were a little
under developed though, so I had to go back and read some parts over again.
Magic and Misery by Peter Marino.
When T.J. first meets Pan, she immediately falls in love with
him. To her disadvantage, though, she soon discovers that unlike all the
other teenage boys in her small town, Pan is gay. After finally building up
the courage to confront him, a strong bond forms between them, marking the
start of an indelible friendship. Not long after, Caspar, a popular football
player, asks T.J. out--creating a barrier for her and Pan's friendship.
Together, Pan and T.J. work to find a place where they can fit in and escape
the stereotypes that exist in our society. I didn't really like the
character of Caspar. I think he was underdeveloped character, and I couldn't
really figure out either him or his intentions. This book was interesting,
sad in parts, and finally uplifting.
March 2009
Tempo Change by Barbara Hall.
Blanche Kelly is the daughter of a famous rock star, so music
is in her blood. After her dad left when she was six years old, Blanche's
life was completely turned around. Her heartbroken mother tried to support
her though she discouraged the idea of becoming an "artist." Blanche
constantly feels drawn to music and can't help but dream of one day seeing
her father again so that he could be proud of his little girl. Blanche is
surprised after her band the Fringers land a gig at one of the most famous
music festivals in the world and hopes to somehow connect to her father
there. She comes to realize that her father wasn't everything she thought he
was and begins to realize what talent she possesses and can bring to the
world.
I really liked Blanche's personality. I thought she was a well-developed
character that all people could relate to. There is a bit of Blanche in all
of us. Some of the dialogues got a bit lengthy and kind of lost my
attention, though.
This book is gripping, sincere, and thoughtful. Each part seemed to be well
thought-out and fully developed in a way that made readers think and
question their own beliefs.
February 2009
Diary of a Witness by Catherine
Ryan Hyde.
Diary of a Witness was about a boy named Ernie who is pretty much
a social outcast. He befriends another boy named Will who instantly becomes
his best friend. The two discover that they share a common interest-
fishing. Will decides to take Ernie out with his brother on his boat, but
Ernie is a bit apprehensive because he had never tried saltwater fishing.
While on the boat, an accident occurs and Will's brother goes missing and is
soon found to be dead. Will suffers from severe depression all throughout
the story and attempts suicide multiple times. Ernie always comes through
for him and helps him to understand why life is a valued thing.
August 2008
Blue Bloods by Melissa De La Cruz.
In modern-day New York City, many students
attending the private school Duchesne are surprised to find out they come
from a long line of vampires, and they struggle to fit in with the human
customs of today's civilization.
Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer.
June 2008
City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare.
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare.
May 2008
The Devouring Sorry Night by Simon Holt.
A scary, cheesy, engaging mystery/horror story
about fictional monsters. The tone was nervous, anxious, uncomfortable, and
I was never positive of what would happen next. This is for people who like
scary stories, and enjoy begin frightened.
The Willoughbys by Lois Lowry.
I liked the neighbor, I disliked the parents
and the message. Strange, foreign, fairy tale-ish adventure about strange
families and classic stories. The tone is calm yet uncaring, the characters
sort of go with the flow. Hard to read in parts, the characters acted
strangely toward each other
April 2008
In Mozart's Shadow by Carolyn Meyer.
This book goes into all the information about
Wolfgang Mozart's not well known sister. It is about her life and how she
feels as if she is considered only second best to her talented brother.
My Most Excellent Year by Steve Kluger.
This story of three very different friends
grips the reader right away. As each one describes their "most excellent
year," they tell how they learned to cope with the challenges and obstacles
of high school.
August 2006
A Pickpocket's Tale by Karen Schwabach.
This book was set in the 1700's. It
takes place in the busy town of London where poor people steal to
survive. Molly, the main character, gets caught for picking someone's
pocket and is sent to America where she will be owned and do household
chores. This book is about all of Molly's adventures.
The Book of One Hundred Truths by Julie
Schumacher.
Theodora Grumman goes and spends part
of the summer with her grandparents in New Jersey every year. When she
gets to her grandparent's house, she is in for a big surprise. She tells
some secrets and learns some secrets.
July 2006
June 2006
The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor.
If a reader was
crazy about Alice in Wonderland, I think they would really
like this book because I know that I did. It's become on of my
favorites! Also, I don't think that it's necessary to read Alice
in Wonderland first, it just might be nice to be familiar with
the story though.
