Madison Moore... she's a Jay-Jay Jayhawk!

Meet young reader, Madison Moore.

 

Madison is a founding member of Watermark's Young Reader's Advisory Group. She attends Robinson Middle School and volunteers at church and at Hyde Magnet School. Madison enjoys mysteries, adventures, and biographies, and her favorite part of reading is learning about grammar and new ideas. She has one thing she wants to say to the world: ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK!
 

 

Currently reading

 

Beautiful Americans by Lucy Silag.

I usually start the good books after they've already come out, and this book seems to fall into that category. I'm very eager to read more. It's about 4 teenagers in Paris. Need I say more?
 

July 2009

The Devil by ?.

Going Bovine by Libba Bray.

Cameron, a 16 year old boy, is diagnosed with Mad Cow disease. His normal, somewhat sad teenage life, is suddenly plummeting to its end. Until he meets a punk angel Dulcie, (who may just be a hallucination). After she gives him hope for a cure, he is set on a kooky road-trip with his dwarf friend Gonzo, and Balder the yard Gnome. They must find a cure before time runs out.

I loved how Libba Bray keeps Cameron's death looming above his head, as he just begins to learn to live life, tweaking with both his prior beliefs, and your own. Plus, much of it was witty and hilarious, contrasting with the dark situation. And Libba Bray's ending leaves nothing to be desired, leaving you satisfied and humble. I've never read something so different and acurate. With all of this love, I can't say that any part of Going Bovine was bad.

 

March 2009

 

The Season by Sarah MacLean.

Alex Stafford, 17, is witty and lives in London in the days of balls, dress fittings, and social seasons. She loathes the idea of marriage and jumps for the chance of adventure. Though she finds love along the way when she and her two friends try to solve the case of Earl of Blackmoor's disturbing death. Filled with romance and danger. I loved Alex's humor, I didn't like the fact that a lot of the good parts happened neared the end. Though I guess thats to be expected. Fast, exciting, and enjoyable.

 

February 2009

 

Troubadour by Mary Hoffman.

An interesting French history from a young girl's perspective: Young Elinor is to marry a much older man while she has her sight set on the troubadour Bertran. She flees home to follow him but has to keep safe when crusaders of religion overcome the south of France. This has romance, life-and-death situations, and adventure. I loved how the times were so uncertain, and that Elinor had to fend for herself at times and grow up. I did not necessarily like the actual character herself. I found her almost shallow. But, this is for young adults.

 

August 2008

 

Paper Towns by John Green.

This teen novel is about the stress of finding yourself and understanding others. It's by the author of An Abundence of Katherines and Looking for Alaska. I would definitely read a sequel.

 

Questin Jacobsen, or "Q", is an average boy with quirky friends who has always been infatuated with Margo Roth Spiegelman, a childhood friend. One night, Margo invites him on a strange adventure, and after that, everything changes. Margo dissapears, seemingly leaving clues for Q to follow, and following them makes Q's last weeks of high school more than he could have imagined.

 

Trust me, John Greene leaves no part to stink. My favorite thing(s) were the characters! All of them seemed so real; none were used just for space. (Oh, the part that stunk in the best way possible? Well, you'll have to read the book.) It was entertaining, superb, and meaningful.

 

July 2008

Identical by Ellen Hopkins.

I've never come upon a darker, more twisted book in all my life. And the sad part was that I couldn't stop reading it. From what I've heard of Hopkins's other books--Crank, Impulse, Burned, and Glass--this book runs along the same lines.

 

Kaeleigh and Raeanne are identical teenage twins, but couldn't be more different. Both miss the presence of their politics-hungry mother, they're both neglected by their washed-out father, though in different ways. As Kaeleigh turns inward, Raeanne throws herself upon the world through sex, drugs and alcohol. Secrets abound and tensions run high until one sister will have to try to rescue the other. Or is their more to it than that? Trust me, reader, there is! The book's ending, for me, really made it. I recall that I had to read through twice, to get it straight. While I'd like to explain that I enjoyed it, "enjoy" is too bright of a word for this dark book. I recommend this to others who will be comfortable with the strong content.

The Parliament of Blood by Justin Richards.

This is a Victorian-age, vampire-heavy, bloody breathtaking story (am I, as an American, entitled to say bloody?). The main characters are busy at work trying to find out what REALLY happened at the invitation-only unveiling of an ancient mummy. Well, the unveiling kind of came to a halt when the mummy ran out the door. I was a bit shocked. When Eddie Hopkins spies it jumping into the mysterious carriage, he recruits his orphaned friends to help solve the mystery. But his new guardian, George Archer, and his boss at the museum run into trouble.

Mexican White Boy by Matt de la Pena.

I enjoyed Mexican White boy immensely. It was a great story about a young boy - half Mexican and Caucasian - who had a talent for pitching, but not for socializing. Like many teenagers, he doesn't fit in. In one case, he's a lone Mexican among a sea of whites, then a white boy among Mexicans as he moves to his aunt's along the border. Until he meets someone that may help him, and may turn out to become his first best friend. A girl wouldn't be too bad either. Plus, theres a bit of racy language and violence. What teen bot wouldn't like this? Hey, I'm a teen girl and loved the book. You get through the book because its inticing, but also because you want to find out how the end of the summer pans out.

 

June 2008

 

The Willoughbys by Lois Lowry.

So far, this book is... fun to read! I was planning to say, "considering Ms. Lowry has ventured into a new genre...", but I predict she has just made another hit. It's centered on a group of brothers and sisters who consider themselves orphaned (not officially), and I'm already caught. The characters seem to be quick and strange compared to kids today (such as myself). I can't wait to finish it.

Every Soul a Star by Wendy Mass.

Every Soul a Star has been a surprise to read (so far). The characters in this book alternate chapters, and I think it fits this quirky book. I don't agree with the characters, but they still capture my interest. I'm looking forward to the rest.

Juliet's Moon by Ann Rinaldi.

This thrilling book has a different outlook on the Civil War (the time when it took place). The main character is the young Juliet Bradshaw, who is living in the deep south - a confederate. With her brother Seth in William Quantrill's renegade Confederate army, things start to go wrong. Juliet is thrown into some true, historic situations. She is faced with things young girls should not yet know so well: chaos, murder, kidnapping, lies, and secrets. This girl is brave, and tells a different story than what we're used too. Though this book is fairly easy to read, I enjoyed it immensely. I recommend this to someone of the age from ten up interested in history and tales of adventure. One of my favorites.

 

May 2008

The Order of Odd-Fish by James Kennedy.

The Order of Odd-Fish is straight out mysterious, exciting, and hilarious! I'm not sure there has ever been a book like it. The characters are fresh and with no doubt they will make you laugh, wonder, and may give you the chills. This all happens before you reach the middle of the book! It will be bittersweet when I finish The Order of Odd-Fish.

 

February 2008

City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare.

City of Ashes is the thrilling sequel to City of Bones. The first time I read the book, I literally could not put it down! This continued story is not disappointing, and the main character, Clary Fray, has not strayed from her desperate need to save her mother. Her newfound brother is still as truthful and dangerous as ever... even more than before. Clary's best friend has also got himself entangled with the mysterious world of Shadowhunters and Downworlders. How much more exhilarating can you get? Not only do I recommend you to read this book, but to read it multiple times.

4701 East Douglas/Wichita, Kansas 67218/(316) 682-1181

Hours:

Monday - Friday:  10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. (Cafe opens at 7:00 a.m.)

Saturday:  10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.  (Cafe opens at 7:00 a.m.)

Sunday:  Noon - 5:00 p.m.