Page 5 Teen Comments on Books Eligible for Awards

Hautman, Pete Godless

I really enjoyed its oopen-minded idea of religion. The idea of customizing your own religion is really original. 4Q, 4P. --Kelli, 13
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It is an interesting book if one enjoys reading about the ridiculous nature of religion. The most compelling aspect was the attempt to show how religion makes people crazy. The ending was not what I had hoped it would be. It was rather dissatisfying. 3Q, 3P. –Megan, 17
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"Godless" was an interesting book, plotwise. It starts simply enough, with an "agnostic-going-on-atheist" teenager who decides to begin worshipping the city's water tower. However, it soon grows out of his hands. I found it rather irksome, however, that the main character seemed oblivious to extrememly obvious things going on around him. For example, he didn't realise that the girl he had a crush on had a crush on his archnemesis. He didn't even realise he had a crush on her to begin with! Otherwise, though, the characters seemed real enough and have well developed personalitites, although some aspect are a tad blurry. This book had some very sadistic humor, but it added to the flavor of it. Not a bad book at all. Definetly worthy of praise.
~Robbie, 16

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First name or initials: Trystan
Age: 18
Book Title: Godless
Author: Pete Hautman
Should this book be on a list of Best Books for Young Adults:yes
Because: Okay, kids worshipping a water tower doesn't really sound like an interesting book or one that a person could relate to at all, but everything I've read by Hautman seems to speak directly to me. I'm in the same sort of religious situation as the narrator, so I really relate to him. For those of you who aren't, I still think this book is one you should read. The questions he raises about religion are relevant to anyone who believes and even those who don't. If you haven't examined what you believe in, how can you believe in it firmly? "Godless" provides a scenario (that's a little out there, granted) for you to do just this. Regardless of what religion you are or end up being after reading this book, I think it's a best book.
Quality Rating:4 - Pretty good.
Popularity Rating:3 - Some will and some will not care to read it.

Stewart, Paul and Chris Riddell. Beyond the Deepwoods. The Edge Chroncles 1

I wish I knew other titles by Paul Stewart! Basically this is an advetnure story, but anyone would like it. Twig, the main character, has all sorts of adventures and he always triumphs, but I never got a feeling of ego or smuggness. I hate slow books, and this book never had a break or slow part. It didn't run together though, the individual adventures are still very prominent. Best Book or riot! .—Kara, 14

Stewart, Paul and Chris Riddell. Stormchaser. The Edge Chroncles 2

This is the sequel to Deep Woods, but the characters are the only common thread from the first book. Most other series have a book you're really fond of, but I liked both of these equally. The action is non-stop, but the end is a cliff hanger. I can't wait for the next book! Best Book.—Kara, 14

Stewart, Paul and Chris Riddell. Midnight Over Sanctaphrax. The Edge Chroncles 3

Of the 3 Edge Chronicles, this one was the least favorite. The main plot appears at the beginning and the end. The middle is bogged down by a tedious quest. .—Kara, 14

Cheshire, Simon. Kissing Vanessa

Not good enough for an award. It was really boring and slow. It was also hard to understand. --Jamie B., age 16, rating 2

Caletti, Deb. Honey, Baby, Sweetheart

First name or initials: L.B
Age: 16
Book Title: Honey, Baby, Sweetheart
Author: Caletti
Should this book be on a list of Best Books for Young Adults:yes
Because: This is an awesome book. You come to just love the characters, and it is a very funny and great story about the troubles of love.
Quality Rating:5 - One of the best books I ever read
Popularity Rating:4 - Lots of people will want to read it.

Quick Picks. This book had a really good stroy line and is easy to get
attached to. --Nate S., age 17, rating 4
*would like this book.
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Doctor Illumiatus-The Alchemist's Son was a really good book with a convincing villian and great characters. At times it was a tiny bit J.R.R. Tolkien-esque on details, but still really good. I would recommend it to all my friends. :) ~Robb, 15

Shooter was a harrowing account, told through police reports and interviews, of a boy’s experiences that led to a school shooting. This book was deeply disturbing with an excellent message. By the end of the book, I felt as if the characters were friends of mine and I was close to tears. The characters were strong and very realistic. Sometimes it moved a bit slow, but I felt that that was beneficial to the pace of the story. This was an excellent book and definitely a Teen Top Ten Pick. --Rachel, 14 years old

Top 10, I could really relate to the main character of this book. --Brandon L, age 13, Rating 5
*Would like to have this book.
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"The story has so much feeling and really expresses how the character is feeling. It's a great book and I like how it slowly is letting out more clues to the crime." -- Savannah H. Age 17. rating 5
*Yes
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This book was a story of a boy who was a victim of domestic violence. The story is told with flashbacks to the previous year and the events leading up to his stepfather’s murder. Having run away, he must now deal with his past and an aching sense of guilt. Well writeen with an excellent pace, this book is a Teen Top 10. I liked it very much, and it made me want to start a anti-domestic violence rally. --Rachel, 14 years old

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Top 10, it was agreat book. very well written.
Eric C.
17
5
* Would like a copy of this book.

Not nominated because I really couldn’t get into the book and it was not very interesting.
Shelbi, age 13, rating 2
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Name: Megan
Age: 17
Title: Nothing to Lose
BBYA: No

I did not like this book very much, I didn't like the plot. The book was about a woman who killed her husband and was being tried for murder. Her son ran away to the carnival in order to get away from what happened. I didn't like the style of the writing either, the author went from the past to the present constantly and it became confusing. Overall, this book was okay but not a Best Book for Young Adults.

This was a book based on a sort of dream. This girl is singing in Dairy Queen and she just happens to get discovered. But her sister was famous already. I found that this book was pretty good. I just wouldn't consider it a best book. --Karlie, 14

Zeises, Lara M. Contents Under Pressure

I loved this book! It's realistic yet not too out of hand. The main character is easy to relate to. I would majorly consider this a best book. Lucy is a girl that has no life really, until one day everything changes. Her brother comes home from college with a girl, and her whole life in the boy department changes too. --Karlie,14

Heinrich, Bernd The Geese of Beaver Bog

True to it's name, this book is about geese. All about geese. From a local man's point of view it describes nesting, fight, feeding adn other behavior observations. The book has great art in it, for instance the inside covers have what look like watercolor images of geese. The type is also unique. Dark brown.
All in all: Cool book appearance wise, insomniac book story.
True to it's name, this book is about geese. All about geese. From a local man's point of view it describes nesting, fight, feeding adn other behavior observations. The book has great art in it, for instance the inside covers have what look like watercolor images of geese. The type is also unique. Dark brown.
All in all: Cool book appearance wise, insomniac book story. --Kara, 15

Butcher, A.J. Spy High: Mission Two: Chaos Rising

Review:
In their 2nd semester at Spy High the Bond Team battling the other teams for the Sherlock
Shield but that is the least of their worries. A new radical group called CHAOS has been terrorizing the public and refusing government leadership. Somehow Bond Team ends up battling with CHAOS in a fight for their lives.
Surprisingly Mission Two was much better than Mission One, usually the second book in series isn't better than the first. Chaos Rising still on border line of stupid but not over and not so stupid that you could put it down during the climax and correctly figure out the ending. If you are looking for a light read that has suspense/ action then this was written for you but if you want a deep mind boggling read try something else. I had a pretty good time reading this one and I am a sucker for books in series so once I read one I have to finish the series, so I'm ready for Mission Three.

Great character development, great setting. But
might not recommned for best book.--Ben , Age 15

Great character development, great setting, great novel
would recommned for best book. --Ben , Age 15

First name or initials: T.B.
Age: 15
Book Title: Tricksters Queen
Author: Tamora Pierce
Should this book be on a list of Best Books for Young Adults:yes
Because: This book relates to so many things teen's go through without actually putting them in our reality. The book takes place in a mid-evil world where magic is accepted throughout. I definately recommend this book to for the Best Books for Young Adult's if it could make it to my top 10!
Quality Rating:5 - One of the best books I ever read
Popularity Rating:5 - Everybody was dying to read this yesterday.
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Trickster’s Queen is a fitting, though a bit curtailed, end to Ms. Pierce’s latest mini series. Unlike her other books, which are all arranged in four book series, this latest offering is only tow books. However, the books are still as good as ever. The known characters remain as beloved as before and the new characters develop nicely. The reader likes all the good guys and hates all the bad guys. When something bad or good happens, the reader is sucked into the story and experiences what the characters experience, feel what the characters feel. Although it is an extremely good book, it is not one of the Teen Top Ten merely because there are 13 other books one needs to read so that Trickster’s Queen makes sense. Other than that, it is a very good book and worth reading (just be prepared to read all the other 13 first. –Kirsten, age 15

Meyer, L. A. Curse of the Blue Tattoo: Being an Account of the Misadventures of Jacky Faber, Midshipman and Fine Lady

This was a wild, crazy, and fun adventure!!! This novel follows the cavorting Jacky Faber as she tries to become a fine lady. This novel explores true friendship and striving to have a good time. I most grievously have not read the first novel about Jacky, but I can only hope that another is in the works. This book is a definite choice for high placement in the awards and I feel that only in the top ten of all will suffice for this gregarious novel!!! --Tamarah, 17
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Curse of the Blue Tattoo is one of those books that is part of an awesome series, but can still stand on its own. Bloody Jack, the predecessor to Curse of the Blue Tattoo, left the reader wanting more. Curse of the Blue Tattoo definitely delivers. With new, intriguing characters and a plot connected and yet not connected to Bloody Jack, it is a wonderful read. Although it does have a lemming ending (in other words, it cuts off at the end without satisfying the reader), the reader is not mad enough at the author to forego reading any of their other books, but instead waits eagerly for the next in the series. Curse of the Blue Tattoo is, without doubt, a wonderful read, but try to read Bloody Jack first. It makes more sense. –Kirsten, age 15

Eye of the Wolf is an interesting book. It has an interesting basis for a story, being the idea that humans are destroying their world and themselves, and the entire fate of millions of people rest in the heroine’s hands. Other than that, this book is not worth reading. The author forgets a few characters, so the reader does not know what happens to them. Considering that one of the characters that is forgotten is at one time the heroine’s love interest, the reader is not satisfied. It does not develop the main characters well. Other than all that, it is a fine book. Still, it is recommended that readers don’t try to read this. –Kirsten, age 15