Linda Ashman
Children's Book Author

Liesel Meminger is a young girl, with a dead brother, who is adopted. Her adopted family lives in Germany during World War II. Her mama is a laundry maid, and her papa is an accordionist. As she gets accustomed to living in her new home, she still has nightmares every night. As her papa comes in to comfort her each night they become more and more close. Until one night Liesel reveals her secret.

At her brother's funeral, when she was leaving she found a book, and one night she and Papa begin to read. This book was her first (and not last) act of thievery, and eagerly she awaits more books. And she will go to desperate measures to get them.

This story, told by Death, is very good. You will be turning page after page, caught up in the funny but serious stories about life for a book thief in Germany, with her best friend and a Jewish man her family is hiding. Markus Zusak's book is funny yet sad, revealing enough each page to make you want more, yet not too much to give away the end. An end that you never really saw coming.

RATING: 5 out of 5.

WARNING!!!!!!!!!!! This book contains mild language as well as the horror and prejudice of World War II.

After winning the 74th annual Hunger Games, Katniss is prepared to go on her victory tour through the districts and the Capitol. On the morning the tour begins, she gets an unexpected visit from President Snow. And the news he brings to her is terrible.

Katniss will have to portray herself as someone whom she is not if she is to save her loved ones. She and Peeta take desperate measures, but they aren't able to pull it off, and they have endangered all the people around them. And, to top it off, The Hunger Games are coming, and they are going to be different from before.

Every 25 years since the districts rebelled, there has been a Quarter Quell for The Hunger Games, each one signifying the Capitols power. Each Quarter Quell changes the Games a little bit. And now, after two Quarter Quells, the third is looming, and the way the Games will be played is being announced.

President Snow bringing the news, from CATCHING FIRE: "On the twenty-fifth anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels that their children were dying because of their choice to initiate violence, every district was made to hold an election and vote on the tributes who would represent it . . . On the fiftieth anniversary, as a reminder that two rebels died for each Capitol citizen, every district was required to send twice as many tributes . . . And now our third Quarter Quell . . . "

Suzanne Collins writes a book that is just as good, surprising, scary and PERFECT as THE HUNGER GAMES. This series will be loved by anyone and everyone who reads it. It surpasses even the biggest hits of our time. This is the next great series, and will soon become a classic. It has produced my two favorite books, and I eagerly anticipate the third.


RATING: Again, off the scale. About 200 out of 5.

In the country of Panem is a capital surrounded by 12, once 13, districts. Many years ago, the districts rebelled against the capital, but were hopelessly outmatched. As punishment, the Hunger Games were formed. Gruesome games where tributes have a tiny chance of survival. It is a fight to the death, where the only way to survive is to win. For the other 23 contestants to die.

PRESENT DAY

It is reaping day, the day when the names are drawn for the 24 tributes going to the Hunger Games. There will be 2, a boy and a girl, from each district. As you get older, your name gets put in more and more times. From 12-the first year of eligibility- you are entered once into the pot of names from your district, to 18- the last year you could be sent to the games- when you are entered 7 times. That is, unless you are in a family that needs food. The kind of family that Katniss Everdeen lives in.

If you are in a family like that, you can have your name entered extra times, so you can get an extra ration of grain and oil. You can enter your name as many times as you want, and for each extra time you enter your name, you get another ration. Katniss, who is now 16, has entered her name 3 extra times each year, and since entries are accumulated, her name is entered twenty times, and her sister, now 12, is only entered once. As the time for the reaping comes and the name for the girls is drawn, Katniss prays that it will not be her. And it isn't. It is her sister.

Katniss volunteers to take her sister's place, and she is sent of to the Capitol to participate in the games. But she holds a special tie to the boy tribute from district 12.

Katniss does well, but can she survive a double-crossing from the gamemakers?

Suzanne Collins writes a book that will be loved by every person who reads it. She keeps you at the edge of your seat, and has surprises waiting around every corner. THE HUNGER GAMES is likely to become a favorite book of anyone who reads it. It sure is mine.

RATING: Off the scale. Somewhere around a 200 out of 5.

Note: After reading THE HUNGER GAMES, read CATCHING FIRE, book two in the series.

Jonas is about to turn twelve, and receive his assignment in the community (an assignment is like a job in the community [which is like a town], except that they are chosen for you). His parents assure him that it will be OK, but when the ceremony comes, it definitely is NOT. When it is his turn to get his assignment, he is skipped over and doesn't get one until after everyone else. His assignment is very rare, so rare that only one person can have it at a time. The last time it was given, everything went wrong.

Jonas is the new receiver of memory. He is told his training is going to be very painful, and it proves true. Jonas is to be trained by the Giver (the current receiver of memory). As Jonas goes through his training, he learns some terrible things, from what the Giver shows him. And when he sees a "release" for the first time, he knows that things need to change. Jonas and the Giver form a plan, but when a baby that his family has been taking care of is scheduled for release, he has to speed up the plan, and execute it that night.

Lois Lowry's book is great. It is realistic, and that is what makes it so scary. This book is something that all family members should read. THE GIVER is very good, and makes you appreciate the way that we live. A book that will be read and loved for many years to come.

RATING: 6 out of 5. Exceptional.

Calder, Petra and Tommy's latest adventure begins with a trip to the art museum. The Alexander Calder exhibit is there, with many of his famous mobiles. In one room is something called The Calder Game, and it sets off many ideas in the three kids' heads.

Calder is going to England with his dad, and is allowed to explore. One day after Calder's dad is pulling up, he sees Calder talking with a stranger. The following day, Calder is going to a maze. When his dad gets home, he finds a note from Calder saying that he was asked to do something important. But Calder doesn't come back-he's disappeared.

Calder's father calls his wife, and as she is leaving to go to England, she falls and can't go. So instead, Petra, Tommy and their friend Mrs. Sharpe go. When Tommy and Petra arrive at the maze to search for Calder, it seems as though he has disappeared from the face of the earth-in fact, he has!

Blue Balliett writes a masterpiece, the third of the series that began with CHASING VERMEER. THE CALDER GAME is a book most every age can enjoy. A mystery that is definitely worth reading.

RATING: 4.5 out of 5.

Artemis' mother is terribly sick, and when Artemis uses magic to try to heal her, it only gets worse. So Artemis calls one of his fairy friends, Holly Short. But he needs more. Artemis needs No. 1--the very powerful demon warlock.

With the help of Foaly the centaur, they find out that Artemis' mother has an illness that is not curable--almost. There was an outbreak of it in the fairy world, and Opal Koboi was able to find a cure. With the Silky Sifaka Lemur. And now, Angeline Fowl's only chance of surviving is that lemur. Oh, one problem- the lemur is extinct, the last one sold to a group called The Extinctionists eight years earlier. By none other than the ten year old Artemis for money so he could try to find his then-lost father.

Artemis needs No. 1 to cast a time spell, so he can save the lemur from his younger self, but Foaly will not allow Holly to go with Artemis. Artemis lies, to try to get Holly to go with him. It works but he regrets having to tell the lie which made Holly come along.

In their adventure to eight years earlier, the plan goes awry, and Artemis can't seem to remember anything. The younger Artemis captures the team of two, and when they thought that it would go easy they need the help of a younger Mulch Diggums. They get the lemur back, but Butler gets something else.

Eoin Colfer's series is outstanding, incredible, enjoyable and very fun to read. Artemis' adventures and plans make for great reads. THE TIME PARADOX, along with all the other books in the series, are books that when you finish you just want to go back to the beginning, and enjoy it again. THE TIME PARADOX is another success from Eoin Colfer.


RATING: 5 OUT OF 5-PERFECT!

Artemis Fowl is a twelve year old criminal mastermind. When he hatches a plan to get gold, he and Butler (his servant) travel across continents in search of a vital part of his plan. What he needs is The Book, a fairy book. A bible of sorts.

When he finally finds it, there is no stopping Artemis. Everything he planned works. But eventually he will make a mistake. And will he really be able to complete the most important part? Does he know enough about fairies to outsmart them, and get out alive?

From page one, Eoin Colfer keeps you turning the pages. You stay on the edge of your seat as this gripping tale unfolds. A book that seems completely real, ARTEMIS FOWL keeps you guessing page after page. A book generations will enjoy. In my opinion, one of the best fairy tales ever written.

After reading this book, read THE ARCTIC INCIDENT, the next book in the series.


RATING: 5 out of 5. A must read!!

The Dodgers are playing in the World Series. In game 1, Roy Tucker, their star right fielder, is hit in the head and is hospitalized.

Will he be able to come back and play in any of the games?

As the Series rolls along, things start to look grim for the Dodgers. They're not getting any of the breaks.

Will they be able to mount a comeback with their backs against the wall?

John R. Tunis answers these questions and many more, each answer beautiful and flowing. Even though it was written in 1941, it isn't outdated. Tunis crafts a classic, a great read for anybody who likes baseball, or any other sport.

RATING 4 out of 5.

Percy and his friend Annabeth are in the woods, playing a camp game. When they suddenly need to hide, they go into a rock cluster...and the two fall down a hole into a mysterious new place. Annabeth finds the mark of Daedalus, and the friends are able to get back to Camp Half-Blood, but the camp is terrified. Annabeth and Percy had been in the Labyrinth.

The camp is so scared because their enemy, Luke, could get right into camp. And they wouldn't have to cross the magical borders that protect the camp from monsters. The huge army could just pop up, out of the ground-if they can find the entrance. Percy, Annabeth, Grover and Tyson journey into the Labyrinth to try to make sure that Luke's army can't.

Riordan out does himself again. This book is suspenseful, funny, and a great read for all ages. This series just gets better and better, and many fans will be sad when they finish the last book. This series lets you enjoy each book and also learn about Greek mythology.

RATING: 5 out of 5. This series is INCREDIBLE!!!

After 9th grader Jack Perdu has a serious accident, he needs to go to see a doctor in New York. Before he leaves, he makes a new friend at the subway station- a girl Jack's age named Euri. Euri offers to show Jack around the station before he leaves on his train, and he follows her.

As they go down in to the subway station's secret places, Jack notices something weird about Euri. As they venture ever deeper towards the heart of the station, he learns more about the mysterious girl. And he learns that she might be able to help find Jack's dead mother. But time for the two is running out.

Katherine Marsh locks you in from page one. She keeps you on the edge of your seat wondering if Jack and Euri will ever leave the station alive. A very good read for everyone who is into suspense. All said, this book is a bright star in every library, and will be enjoyed for many years to come.

RATING: 5 out of 5.