Wednesday, June 26, 2013

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brain Selznick

The Invention of Hugo Cabret
by Brain Selznick
Reviewed by Molleigh R.
5 (Amazing)

The book is about an orphaned boy who works on the clock in Paris in the year 1931. He gets caught stealing, which opens an adventure where he meets an old director who is the grumpy man who works in a toy shack.

I liked the part were the boy gets the automaton he had worked so hard on working. The book's pictures were done really well and stand out. The author writes with lots of detail and makes it look like the characters are real. This is like no other book I read before. No wonder it is a Caldecott medal winner! I really liked every last word. Every chapter ending left me in suspense. I even learned a bit about the 1930s.

I recommend this book to 4th graders and up. If your're doing a Paris report, information in here may help. It has a really happy ending, too. I loved this book, and you will too.

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Prized by Caragh O'Brien


Prized by Caragh O'Brien
Reviewed by: Kristina L. (B&G Librarian)

Rating: 5/5-Amazing

Gaia continues to the Dead Forest to discover that there is civilization outside of the Enclave. Here she discovers information about her family, especially her grandmother and her role in this community. But every community has its problems and Sylum is no exception.

I really enjoyed Birthmarked, but, I loved Prized. It is a rare occurrence that a sequel is better than its initial in a trilogy, but Prized exceeds the standards O'Brien set in her first novel in this trilogy. This book is exceptionally well-written, with exceptional character development. Gaia's character evolves further in this novel, suggesting that Birthmarked was only a small glimpse into Gaia's personality and strength. This dystopia sets up a promising conclusion to the trilogy that will combine the first and the second.

I really cannot say enough about how excellent this book is and would recommend to anyone who enjoys dystopian YA novels. So many dystopias miss an aspect--perhaps pushing the society, or a love triangle, but falling flat in some other aspect. While there was a "love square", O'Brien handled the romantic intrigue with great care so that it did not feel forced or as if Gaia's decisions and personality relied on the inclusion of a a boyfriend in order to complete her as a person.