Webster Bible Church and Webster Christian School Library Blog

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On post-WW4 Earth, sixteen-year-old Cinder lives in New Beijing and works as a mechanic.

When Prince Kai brings his robot to her for repair and ends up falling in love with Cinder, she must make up some excuse why she cannot go the ball with him. After all, her  stepmother would never let her go. Worse yet, what would Prince Kai say if he knew that Cinder was cyborg?

This creative spin on Cinderella has many sub-plots, twists and turns with elements of science fiction, romance, and mystery all rolled together. The ending does not  resolve neatly, leaving the reader looking for the sequel, Scarlet.

Note: includes 2 instances of swearing (p.214, 261).

Book 1 in the Lunar Chronicles series.

Recommended for grades 7-10.

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In the Kingdom of Araluen, fifteen-year-old Will is apprenticed to learn the skills of a Ranger. After several months of training in archery, self-defense, tracking, etc., Will’s bravery and skills are tested during a hunting expedition and when the evil Morgarath plots war against the kingdom.

Two middle school boys strongly recommended the Ranger’s Apprentice series to me, so I was eager to give it a try. And I have to say that I really like this first book in the series.

Thrilling accounts of hand-to-hand combat will satisfy those boys who enjoy stories of brave knights going to battle. But the story is more than that. It’s also filled with ideas about self-defense, tracking, hunting, archery, etc. The characters are well-developed, and there’s much more to the plot than just fighting. What I liked best of all were the positive male role models that mentored and encouraged Will and his friend, Horace. Note: “Damn” shows up 5 times.

This book began as a series of stories John Flanagan wrote for his twelve-year-old son, Michael, to encourage him to read. The main character, Will, is based on Michael, and the moral of the story is that “the small guy can be a hero.”

Book 1 of the Ranger’s Apprentice series. Explore John Flanagan’s fun web site to learn more about Ranger’s Apprentice and his new series, Brotherband Chronicles.

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While the king goes to war, his three children and a few trusted caregivers/protectors take refuge in a hidden fortress. Unfortunately, it soon becomes clear that there is a traitor in their midst. Escape is not possible from their ice-locked location, and so they must endure the Nordic winter and hope that the King rescues them before it is too late.

I chose to read this book because it won the Edgar Allan Poe Award this year, and the exciting front cover image added to my anticipation. Perhaps because I expected so much, I was a bit disappointed.

While the characters were well-developed, I found the action slow and the story overly moralized. The author, Matthew Kirby, is a school psychologist. It felt to me like the points he wanted to make for his audience drove the story.

Nonetheless, others may disagree with my sentiment. On the positive side, there is no  inappropriate content or swearing, although the Norse folklore can be quite dark at times with haunting from the undead.

Appropriate for middle school readers.

Awards/Lists: Best Fiction for Young Adults, 2012; Children’s Books of the Year, 2012; Edgar Allan Poe Award, 2012.

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Dressed in a lovely green dress to complement her eyes, seventeen-year-old Cassia Maria Reyes is understandably nervous about attending her Match Banquet.

The society has chosen her future mate for her, based on their calculations of who will produce “physically and emotionally healthy offspring.” Tonight she will catch a momentary glimpse of him on a large screen.

Unfortunately, the society chooses  almost everything for the citizens (for their own good)–what they eat, what they wear, where they live, their vocation–even what music they will hear and what poetry they may read.

But what if Cassia is falling in love with someone besides her “match”?

Cassia knows that if she breaks the rules, the Society will take away everything that she values. And yet, as she follows the rules dictated by the Society, she feels the light within her dying. What can she do?

Fans of Margaret Peterson Haddix might enjoy this refreshingly clean futuristic novel that contains no swear words or objectionable content.

I feel that the story drags at times during this lengthy book (366 pages) and the climax is like a gently rolling ocean wave that never crests and crashes on shore. The ending is lackluster and vaguely hints at a sequel (which has been realized with her book Crossed).

However, the plot is intriguing and even somewhat plausible. The love triangle adds spice, and the family relationships are tender.

When civilizer Aidan returns home to Corenwald after three years in Feechiefen Swamp, he is shocked to discover a newly formed party known as the Aidanites. They believe the revered “Wilderking Chant” makes reference to Aidan, and that he is destined to overthrow the tyrant King Darrow.

But wait, Aidan has no intention of leading any such rebellion. However, as Corenwald weakens, and the enemy Pyrthens threaten to invade, it’s clear the Aidenites are the only army his people have left. What soon transpires among civilizers, feechiefolk, Corenwalders, and Pyrthens alike, no one could have imagined.

-Publishers description

As the final book in the Wilderking Trilogy, “The Way of the Wilderking” provides a satisfying conclusion to a great story. Rogers continues the Biblical analogy with incredible descriptions unusual settings and characters. It is a hard book to put down.

This is classified as Youth Fiction but as with the previous installments, fantasy fans of all ages will enjoy this story. The author does a good job of drawing various story threads together into an exciting climax and conclusion. I definitely recommend the entire series.

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Aidan Errolson, like any other twelve year old boy, dreamed of adventure. He wanted to travel the kingdom of Corenwald performing heroic deeds. He got his wish when Corenwald’s long time enemy, the Pyrthen Empire, tried to find a new way to invade. Aidan, with his new friends the Feechiefolk, were faced with the task of defeating a force twice the size of Corenwald’s army. Then the Pyrthians bring out a new and terrible weapon. Can Aidan find a way to stop them and save his beloved home?

The Bark of the Bog Owl, by Jonathan Rogers, is an easy read for kids of middle school age or older. Adults who like fantasy fiction should also enjoy the story.

The main plot follows the same events as a popular figure in Old Testament Bible stories. See if you can figure out who!

Even though some events are predictable once you know who is allegorized in the story, there are still some great adventures and characters to discover. I would recommend it for any one.

There is no bad language and the themes include relying on the One True God to guide you and protect you. The challenge given to Aidan is one we could all apply: “Live the life that unfolds before you.”

This is the first book in the Wilderking Trilogy. I’m looking forward to the second book to see what other adventures Aiden finds!

Call your heart to pulse

To the drum’s eager beat

Hear the mountain call

Lift your arms,  slide your feet

Miri lives on the slopes of Mount Eskel. She is just an ordinary fourteen-year-old mountain girl.                                                                        

She lives with her father and older sister, Marda, in a small village. Her life is fairly simple. Little does she know, it is about to become a lot more complicated than she could ever imagined.

When Prince Steffan of the lowlands chooses Mount Eskel to be the origin of his bride, Miri’s world turns upside down. She is sent to a princess academy–her worst nightmare.

Miri is abandoned by her classmates and  forced to spend the night in a dark closet with a rat! Her instructor, Olana, is always angry with her and Miri feels alone.

After a year of training for the prince’s arrival, tragedy strikes the acadamy. Miri is forced to put the past behind her to save the future of the acadamy and her classmates.

Princess Academy teaches young girls to believe in themselves and do great things. Miri is a perfect portrayal of this value because of her small stature but great courage to overcome her fears.

Princess Academy is beautifully written and a sequel is well anticipated. 

 Webster Christian School student, 8th grade

“Seventeen-year-old Lily, half-mermaid and half-human, has been living on land and attending high school, where she develops a crush on a boy but is afraid to tell him of her true destiny as the ruler of the undersea kingdom of Thalassinia.” (Follett Titlewave)

This book is dripping with popular appeal.   The tantalizing cover and title will hook middle school and high school girls, and the first chapter will reel them right in.

The story revolves around teen interests–a school crush,  a date for the Spring Fling Dance, beauty, the loyalty of best friends, a jealousy cousin, a protective father, and the cute guy next door.

Unfortunately, the sensual electricity between Lily and Quince (the guy-next-door) is what drives the story–fueled by descriptions of looking, touching, hugging and kissing.

Two librarians, one at a public high school and another at a public middle school, recently recommended this book to me as “a fun, clean read.”

However, I believe that reading this book will not help young girls “flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness” (1 Tim. 2:22  ).  Quite the opposite.

Reading it is like watching a soap opera.  What we read affects our thoughts and desires.  “Whatever is pure . . . think about such things” (Phil. 4:8).

Tera Lynn Childs turns philosophical a few times by touching on human busyness and the difference between a crush and true love.

Quince (the boy next door) tells Lily that her crush on a popular boy at school is based on an image and is shallow.  “Love isn’t about obsession.  Love is about . . . connection,” he tells her (p.221).

Later Lily tells a friend: “With Quince, I don’t feel like a lesser being . . . I feel like an equal.  With Quince, I don’t have to pretend to be anyone other than exactly who I am.  He makes me content to be me” (p.282).

There’s definitely some food for thought in those words.

Unfortunately,  Quince is a totally handsome, rugged-yet-tender infinitely patient and impossibly perfect guy-next-door who adores Lily no matter how she treats him.

Makes a nice story, but it’s NOT reality.

Other cautions:  Lily does her fair share of “fake” swearing (“damselfish,” “son of a swordfish”) and Quince let’s go with the real thing about a dozen times.  Magic is not a big part of the story, but Lily shifts between her human and mermaid form and occasionally uses her magical powers  for benign things like chilling her orange juice.

Sequel:  Fins are Forever.

I do not plan to place a copy of this book on the shelves at Webster Christian School.

Interest level:  YA.