Student Book Review: I Am the Messenger

This realistic fiction novel, I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak, puts a new, more down to Earth twist on guardian angels. The story is of a simple Australian bettering himself through helping others, but he doesn’t get to choose who he helps. His name is Ed; he is chosen to become a messenger. Ed is sent aces in the mail, telling him where he is needed. It is his job to find out who has to receive the news or how he is to help them. Through each ace, he gets better and learns more about himself. He learns that just because his life doesn’t seem to be going anywhere doesn’t mean it has to stay that way. He is worthy of great things.

            What I loved about this book is the well-understood struggles everyone faces in life, that there are some that can’t be fought alone. It is one of those books that take a little bit to set the scene, but afterwards, you are hooked. It had a great relaxed tone that I think anyone around the teen age years would enjoy. There is a copy in the DHS library. Go and get your message.

                                                                                                        Reviewed by Virginia G.

Student Book Review: I Am Number Four

“Protectors from another World”

Review by Joshua C.

          I AM NUMBER FOUR, by Pittacus Lore, deals with nine children from an alien race, which is known as the Loric. These nine children are sent from their home planet, Lorien, to earth in hopes to escape the evil Mogadorians. The Mogadorians are the destroyers of the Loric’s home planet. These evil creatures terrorize the universe in search of the resources to maintain their home planets life, and as they leave Lorien on the hunt for the Loric they have set their sights on a new planet, earth. The only ones that have the powers to stop the Mogadorians are the nine Loric children. These children, who are equipped with many powers, are Earth's only hope. The story is centered on one of the children in particular, Number Four, who might have the ultimate role in defeating the Mogadorians once and for all. There will be car chases, superpowers, and heated fights in I AM NUMBER FOUR, which are some of the many reasons why, as a Denton High School student, I recommend you read I AM NUMBER FOUR.

         

Book Review: Treasure Island

If you ask me which book was more suspenseful The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins or Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, I would say Treasure Island. But I didn’t expect that to be my answer before I started reading it.

Treasure Island is a classic coming-of-age story about an 11 year old boy named Jim Hawkins. The story starts with Jim at the inn that he and his mother run. A scary, drunken, pirate comes to stay at the inn. We find out this pirate is being hunted down by his ship’s crew because he took off with a treasure map that belonged to all of them. The pirate has a stroke, and Jim and his mom run off with the map seconds before the other pirates descend on their inn and start to tear it apart to find what’s rightfully theirs.

Jim turns the map in to some trustworthy town members. A few of them decide they will follow the map knowing it will lead them to a real treasure.  

This story is full of adventure, shock, deceit, betrayal and the narrowest of escapes. I never would have thought I would have become so intrigued by a story about an 11 year old boy and some pirates, but this book had me turning pages faster than The Hunger Games did. I had to know what happened next! I thought I was only reading it to keep up my literary reputation. Little did I know, it would become one of my all-time favorites.

Check this book out next time you stop by the DHS library. You won’t regret it.

                                                                                                  Reviewed by Ms. Myles

Student Book Review: The Pendragon Series

The Pendragon series by D.J MacHale is a series filled with mystery, fantasy, and an insane guy bent on destroying the universe. Bobby Pendragon is a normal thirteen-year-old, He’s good at basketball, enjoys his school, and believes kissing Courtney Chetwynde is his primary goal in life. Until his Uncle Press visits that is. His normally fun and awesome uncle informs Bobby that not only is his family gone, he also has to spend the rest of his life swinging through dimensions on wormholes called “flumes”. All in all, not a typical visit from family. Now on a desperate chase to protect the many dimensions, Bobby’s only way to record all that is happening to him is to write it down and send it to his best friend Mark and Courtney through inter-dimensional rings. For those who have finished the Harry Potter series and are looking for another fantastic character to follow, the Pendragon series is right for you.

Go pick it up now at the DHS library.

                                                                                                        Reviewed by Troy B.

Student Book Review: New Moon

New Moon is one of the continuing of The Twilight Series. Bella Swan's unusual life in Forks, Washington becomes ever more unusual. When her vampire boyfriend, Edward, suddenly leaves, Bella is heartbroken in a way only a teenager can be, leaving time on her hands to develop a friendship with Jacob Black, another boy with a strange family background. But it also gives Jacob the chance to really get close to her and finally get his chance to try and convince Bella that Edward is bad for her.

But little does Jacob know, Bella is hearing Edward’s voice when she is in danger, so she goes out of her way to take risks so she’ll hear him berating her for being stupid. It’s the sort of desperate, idiotic move someone would make if they were 17 and thought it was the only way to reconnect with their loved one. This is where Jacob Black comes in. Bella initially uses him to get into riskier behavior but his genuine friendship starts to bring her relief from her bereavement and starts a little love interest which confuses her on who she loves or even wants to be with.

For information about this book please go to Denton High School library or watch the movie trailer below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYBF3HKzrmE&feature=share&list=PL41BD206FEF9DB226 New Moon Movie Trailer - Official (HD) - YouTube

                                                                                                Reviewed by She'Keya P.

Student Book Review: Gym Candy



Images from http://www.amazon.com/Gym-Candy-Carl-Deuker/dp/B008KUDC16/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1368108859&sr=8-2&keywords=gym+candy



GYM CANDY by CARL DEUKER

When sixteen year old Mick Johnson gets stopped on the one yard line at the end of the most important game of the season, he realizes that the normal offseason workouts weren’t enough to make him stronger. Mick joins a gym that’s sponsored by his dad’s radio station where his trainer offers him a deal that could make or break Mick. If you’re looking for a suspenseful thrill ride about a teenage football player then Gym Candy is a book for you! I enjoyed it very much and found situations in this book that were easy to relate to.  I definitely recommend it to any teenager! Check it out at the DHS library.

                                                             Reviewed by a DHS student

Student Book Review: Lock and Key

                                   Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen

It all begins with a young 17 year old girl named Ruby who gets abandoned by her mother before her birthday. Ruby lives in the filthy bug infested house in the hopes that her mother will return for her. She continues to live there while trying to not cause attention to the fact that she’s living in a house without parents since she’s underage. Soon enough a social worker finds out about how Ruby’s living and sends Ruby to live with her sister Cora, whom she hasn’t communicated with for 10 years. Cora now has a good life; she’s a lawyer married to an entrepreneur. Although Ruby is not allowed to go back to her old home she continues to wear her key around her neck just to remember her life before joining her sister’s. After getting used to being in the new environment she begins to lower her walls and starts making friends. Later she meets a boy named Nate, who is her neighbor. Ruby begins to like him despite how perfect Nate’s life seems. She later begins to unravel things that help her discover Nate’s life and hers aren’t as different as she thought.

            This book is such a good book and I enjoyed it very much. It’s heart-warming at times and you’re able to get into it and think about how you’d feel in Ruby’s situation and even in Nate’s situation. Overall it’s a book that I could stick to and finish reading in one day. I highly recommend you go to your nearest library DHS students because you’ll fall in love with the characters and hold sympathy for them just as I did.

Click here to view a book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTsBv6qKclA

                                                                                         Reviewed by Brenda P.