Kid's Advisory Board Reviews
These are reviews written by members of the Kids Advisory Board.
Click here for more information about the Advisory Boards.
This graphic novel tells the story of people in South Korea in the 80s under harsh military rule, where people who disagreed could be imprisoned or killed. It was really good and very educational. I liked the graphic novel format, which made it easier to understand. The main character wants to go to college, and she gets a recommendation to join a book club. She thinks it's going to be about the classics, but when she goes, she finds out they're talking about banned books. She doesn't want to get in trouble, so she decides not to join, but later, she ends up coming back. With this group of rebels, she learns that the government is hiding things and the situation is so much worse than she thought. The banned books relate to what the government is doing and they're full of ideas the government considers dangerous. Meanwhile, people are being "questioned" (read that as "tortured"), called "Commie rats" and pressured to give up the other members of the club. I would recommend this to older readers and people who are interested in political science.
- Review by Michael, age 11
This was a really good book, full of surprises. Kyle is a new kid who loves to draw. His mom wants to send him to Camp Pathfinder. There, he hooks up with five friends with different personalities. For example, there's a goof-off, one who's good with numbers,and one who comes up with swift solutions. As well as drawing, Kyle is good at figuring out patterns. As a team, they work together well. They set out on a treasure hunt for a treasure supposedly left behind by the local person who founded the Pathfinders. Looking for historical tiles in the community which could provide clues to the treasure's location, they discover some weird stuff about the town. I'd recommend this book for readers age 8 and up, especially fans of graphic novels and adventure stories.
-Review by Michael, age 11
This is meant for audiences a little younger than me, with the ideal age being around 8 years old, but I still enjoyed it. The story was sweet and heartwarming. The main character, Owly, just wants a friend, but everyone runs away when he approaches because he's a predator and therefore dangerous. Eventually, he meets a poor, defenseless worm in a rainstorm. The worn has lost his home and Owly wants to help the worm find his parents. In the second part of the book, they meet up with some hummingbirds. I'd recommend it to younger readers who like graphic novels and sweet, traditional stories.
-Review by Michael, age 11
This graphic novel, the second in a series, was really good. The main character lives in the normal world but alongside it is another world, the Underwhere (joke intentional.) In the last book, there's a disturbance and The Night Gate gets opened, leading the main character and his sister into the world. In this book, they're trying to find the Lost City and to light its defunct beacon before the city gets destroyed by monsters. I would recommend this book for fans of the first graphic novel and everyone who likes comic adventures. It's good for young readers, but older folks can appreciate it too.-Review by Michael, age 11
I really thought it was a good book and I’d recommend it for 9 and up. The way it was set up was good, I don’t think it had anything I’d like to change. The thing I liked most is that she had no idea about her powers and didn’t suspect a thing about her powers or her principal.
- Review by Harlan, age 11
This book was really original. It didn't go at all how I expected, but it was still really amazing, even better than I would have predicted. It rides the line between science, science-fiction and heartwarming family story. Finn, the main character, is having a tough time. His sister died when he was young and he still misses her. Now his mom has disappeared. His dad, who works in the history department of a college, is taking him to his grandma's while he works on a project. Later that night, Finn's grandma tells him the women in his family are secretly time-travelers, and each generation has gotten successively better. Finn sets off to try to find his mom, using a portal she made, which is located up a mountain. Finn and his friend Gabi travel to find the portal and things get really intense from there. Every action he takes could change his future, even the future of the world. I would recommend this book for readers who liked Time Traveling with a Hamster.
-Review by Michael, age 11
This graphic novel was really weird and cool. It was a fun fast read and I would recommend it to science fiction fans.The story begins when this guy is on a spaceship alone and the steering rudder of the spaceship breaks, leaving him stranded directly in the path of a gravitational vortex. The problem is that it takes more than one person to fix the rudder, so he has no control over where he's going. Then weird stuff starts happening. He imagines he sees himself - it winds up, there is more than one version of himself, from the past, present and future. He has to stop arguing with his past and future selves to fix the problem. It was really creative, and fun for readers who like science and/or science fiction.-Review by Michael, age 11
This story was really moving. Julian, a modern boy, has to interview someone about an important moment in history. He asks his grandma to tell him about surviving the Holocaust. She doesnt want to tell him because it's painful, but ultimately she decides to share. Then the book moves to her perspective. She has a normal childhood - a good life- when France surrenders to the Nazis. At school, the teachers try to help the Jewish kids escape, but she stayed inside because she didn't want to get her shoes wet. The Nazis come into the school, but she's rescued by this boy Julian, who is crippled by polio so she's never really paid any attention to him, but he helps her escape through the sewers and gets her to a safe place on his family's property. The illustrations of this graphic novel were realistic and really brought the story to life. The characters were complex and really believable. It just was a really good story. I would recommend it to anyone interested in World War II.
Review by Michael, age 11
This book, meant to be the doodle-filled journal of a middle schooler, was really good and original. I zipped through it in about a day. The story didn't really resolve, though it ended on a good note. I'm not sure if that means there will be more books.The main character is half-plant, half-animal. He's in middle school and he is pretty much a normal kid except for his looks. He has one giant arm, a carrot finger, and face tendrils. This makes him subject to a lot of insults and humiliation. Then one day in gym, they have a fitness test. The jockiest-slash-jerkiest guy in class decides to race him. The main character is about to lose when he seems to fall into a trance, and his big toe shoots out a tendril that reaches the finish line first. Wondering what's happening to him and why, he sets out to read old articles and visit the swamp to find out more about a local legend, the "Swamp Thing." I would recommend this book to readers who like notebook form stories. The story is actually pretty cool.- Review by Michael, age 11
An exciting and enjoyable story. Although it was a bit violent, the amount of adventure and mystery leveled it out. I liked Milla as a character because she was brave and loyal, and she stood up for what was right. And any book with Dragons is a good book in my opinion!
-Review by Elli, 11 years old
Roll With It is an inspiring book that teaches the reader to keep pushing, no matter how tough things are. I loved this book because it shows us what an impact a couple of friends can have on your life. The author also makes you realize Ellie is an awesome character who loves to bake and is very brave, even though having cerebral palsy has its setbacks. I loved how Jamie Sumner put all that personality into Ellie. Because of all that personality, Ellie feels real.
-Review by Krin
This is a book that I couldn’t put down. I loved this book because there is a lot of times when the characters are about to find things out, so you just want to keep reading. I also loved this book because Edie (the main character) is working with her friends to discover secrets about her family. I Can Make This Promise teaches readers to keep on trying, even if it gets hard.
-Review by Krin
This is a very heart-warming story. The Perfect Star is a perfect balance between the bonding of students, teachers, adults and senior citizens and the friendship that is shared among students. I loved this book because it really showed that if we stick together and lift each other up when life is rough we can do great things. This book tells that kids can make a difference, even if it is just helping a friend out.
-review by Krin
Look Both Ways is a book about ten different kids and ther friend groups. This book follows what these kids have to deal with on their walk home from school, such as bullies, parents, money and much much more. I would recommend this book for ages 12+.
-Review by River
This was an original, fast-paced story. It was really compelling and kept me reading. I finished the whole thing in less than a day, which is very unusual for me. In the story, robots have overthrown humans to prevent further destruction of the Earth. All of the humans have allegedly died off after the violent coup d' etat. The main character, XR_935, is a 12-year-old robot who works installing solar panels. He discovers a young human, Emma, who has left an underground shelter after everyone there got sick and is likely to die. Acting against protocol, he decides to protect her. This leads to his running away from his family, disobeying the rules of his society and going against everything he has ever known. But as he takes in more information, he winds up finding out way more than he could have anticipated. I would recommend this book for upper elementary and middle school readers, especially science-fiction fans.
-Review by Michael, age 11
This book was uproariously funny. My brother (age 11) and I (14) read it together. It was so great we think it should be made into a play, and we're busy casting the parts in our brains! The plot is really original. It takes all of the elements of a traditional sword and sorcery adventure fantasy novel, as well as all of the elements of a typical middle school, and swirls them together in a past-paced, hilariously funny take that pokes gentle fun at the "Dungeons and Dragons" genre as well as the weirdness of middle school life. The story starts out in the realm of Briandalor, where the adventurers - a clever thief, a "gloom elf" assassin, a noble paladin and a fierce barbarian - take some time out of their adventurous lives to play a relaxing game of Homerooms and Hall Passes, run by their friend Albiorix, an apprentice wizard who has clearly devoted more time to the game than to learning spells. A latent curse takes effect, causing their "respite to become thy doom" and they suddenly find themselves in the real-life realm of Suburbia, where they have to act out the roles they've adopted from their role-playing game, stay out of trouble and somehow pass the dreaded subject of Algebra. Albiorix winds up in a worse situation than his friends. As "Hall Master" of the game, he is not actually a character and has to somehow prove his existence as a legitimate student - within one day. According to the curse, failure could mean death. He recruits fellow "new kid" June Westray to help him create a fake birth certificate, which passes cursory inspection. It seems the adventurers are headed off to a good start - except in Algebra - when Albiorix turns to the Malonomicon- an dark spellbook he happens to have with him from a previous quest- and somehow resurrects an evil sorcerer who could spell doom for the adventurers... and the entire realm of Suburbia as well. The characters are extremely funny. The book is full of great one-liners. The author manages to skewer both the sword-and-sorcery genre and middle school cliques and bullies, while still writing in an affectionate and very enjoyable way.
-Review by Colleen, age 14, and Michael, age 11
It was funny but a bit young for me. This would be better for first or second graders. Its full of little short stories about a grumpy cat and a joyful cat with strange names. All in all it was a funny book.
-Review by Elli, 11 years old
This book was a funny take on Snow White, except instead of perfect beauty being valued, in this kingdom the most important thing is to be stinky. It starts when King Fiddlefart takes over a perfectly good democracy. He establishes himself as the sole ruler and declares himself the stinkiest of them all - which he is not. Then he finds this far-off hobgoblin who is smellier. Hobgoblin is the last of his kind. So the king sends his hunter-squirrel off to "scrub" Hobgoblin. (These guys are all about the size of squirrels. However, the hunter is secretly working against the king and tells Hobgoblin to flee to the safety of the Seven Stinkers. Then Hobgoblin has to decide whether to hide or to help restore the democracy. The book is amazingly messed up, but great and funny. I would recommend it for fans of wacky fairy tale retellings - age 8 and up.
- Review by Michael, age 11
This graphic novel was good and quite interesting. It's set in Italy at a time when that country was experiencing a bunch of earthquakes. The main characters, Matteo, Guilia and Federico, have to get through everyday life in the wake of an earthquake, helping with things like trying to find out where someone's lost dog went and who smashed someone's pots after the earthquake. I'd recommend it to fans of realistic fiction and graphic novels.
- Review by Michael, age 11
This is a really interesting story. I'd recommend it for people who like a little science along with their fun story. It comes recommended by Dav Pilkey too. One unusual thing about the book is that the narrator is the Earth. In this story, CO2 levels have gone over the "red line" so "NNASA" has sent bioengineered animals with special strengths to a possible exoplanet. There seems to be no intelligent life there, and there certainly aren't any animals, but the animal astronauts learn that not all plants can be trusted. It was fun, interesting and a little bit educational too.
- Review by Michael, age 11
THIS BOOK IS AMAZING!!! I read it 15 times in a row. I like how it mixed humor with the seriousness and fantasy of the story. I love the way that the author foreshadowed with the history teacher telling about historical witches of the town. All in all this is a glorious book.
-By Elli, 11 years old
This graphic novel was really good: funny, interesting and diverse, with good art. It's about a 13-year-old girl, Maude, who's stuck between two worlds. In school one day she gets annoyed at two boys and starts thinking "Shut up." She was clenching her hands at the time and suddenly their mouths mysteriously disappear. The girl rushes home to tell her mom what happened and the mom tells her she might be a witch, revealing that she is one too. "Can I learn magic?" the girl asks, and the mom answers no, they're trying to lead normal lives. Soon, Maude meets the ghost/spirit of a friend of her mom's, who came back in the body of a cat and becomes her companion and co-conspirator as she vows to learn magic anyhow. Maude learns that her mom has left a magical realm where all of the witches now live. The witches retreated to this realm centuries ago because witches were hunted. But Maude wanted to live in the regular world, not just stay in some place that remains the same forever. As Maude explores her magical origins, however, she runs into trouble. The town where Maude and her mom live was founded by witch hunters, and it turns out the descendants of those people are still hunting witches today. Should she escape to the unchanging witch world or stay in this world and try and make it better? I would recommend this to fans of other graphic novels like Witch Boy.
-Review by Michael, age 11
More to the Story is a realistic fiction novel by Hena Khan. Seventh grader Jameela Mirza is an aspiring journalist. She is chosen to be the ‘features editor’ of her school newspaper, which is a job rarely given to seventh graders. Jameela and her three sisters find out that their beloved father has to go overseas for a while in order to work and provide for his family. Jameela is intent on writing an article to make her dad super proud, but when her sister’s health weakens, Jameela’s “world turns upside down”. On top of this, Jameela’s work for the school newspaper may cost her one of her closest friends. This makes her question her beliefs and ideas of herself. Written by the author of Amina’s Voice, Jameela’s life is one a girl of any age would want to follow. I recommend this book to girls ages 8 to 12. This book is amazing!
- Nidhi, age 11
Fans of Real Friends will like this new graphic novel by Shannon Hale. The main character, a girl going into the sixth-grade, has been influenced by music her whole life - the folk music and bluegrass she's heard at the feet of her parents, the oldies tunes her older sisters favor ... Now she's trying to learn all of the popular music her best friends like. Having finally gotten in with the popular crowd, the main character is looking forward to being part of this group as she enters middle school. So she's trying hard to learn all of the popular music and watch all of the popular T.V. shows that the popular kids like. But along the way, she's learning how hard it is to keep these friends and still remain herself. I would recommend this for upper elementary schoolers and middle schoolers who like graphic novels, especially girls.
-Review by Michael, age 11
The sequel to Small Spaces, this book was really captivating. In the last book, Ollie and her friends are trapped in a world of evil scarecrows and the spooky Smiling Man. Having escaped that situation, all they want is a relaxing ski trip. Then a giant storm comes up and the power goes out. They can't leave until the storm is over. But there are ghosts in the lodge they're staying at, and a dream warns them that the ghosts want their bones back. Later, a "ghost hunter" appears and Ollie and her friends wonder whether to trust him. This story has a classic ghost-story feel, but it's also very original. It's interesting how the author ties everything in. I'd recommend it to horror fans and people who liked the first book.
- Review by Michael, age 11
This book, the first in a new series, was really compelling and original. The main character, Cordelia, moves across the country and has to attend a creepy old school. It looks like it's from another century and has secret passages in its walls. It turns out the building used to be owned by a family by the name of Shadows, and they donated it to the community for use as a school, but the architecture had to be maintained in its original style. Due to the weird layout, Cordelia is often lost. She meets a nice girl named Agnes who becomes her best friend. One day, Cordelia meets a little boy sitting under the bleachers. He brushes against her and a shiver goes through her spine. She realizes she's seen a ghost, and she teams up with Agnes and a depressed boy who can also see the ghosts to find out why they are here and to do something to put them at rest. Meanwhile, they come up against someone who wants the ghosts to stay at all costs. I'd recommend this book for fans of slightly-scary stories. It's best for age 9-12.
-Review by Michael, age 11
This book was very interesting. I liked how it was kind of historical and used super heroes from World War II. And in this way allowed readers to learn while still enjoying a fantasy story. I was slightly frustrated that it ended with a partial cliff hanger but I guess that means that I am just going to need to read the second book!
- Review By Elli, 11 years old
This story was really compelling, intense and action packed. Nobody likes the main character, Oscar. He's kind of a loner. His dad died, allegedly in a car accident. His mom runs a funeral home, and he likes corpses better than loud, noisy people. Also, Oscar is cursed. He kills flowers if he touches them. One day while he's dressing a corpse, weird stuff starts to happen. Embalming fluid tanks and knives start flying at him. Later that night, ghost police arrive at his house, having determined that the main character has too much "ghost force." They threaten to wipe his memory. Oscar tries to ride on the ghost carriage and turns into a ghost himself. Then he runs around London trying to find out the origins of his curse, why he's turned into a ghost and what's happening with the dark figure who seems to be following him around. I loved the book, but there are some pretty dark bits that some people would not like. I would recommend this to readers who like thrilling, kind of spooky stories, from upper elementary through middle school.- Review by Michael, age 11.
Each Tiny Spark is a reminder how hard it is on the kids that have parent’s that are deployed. This book is about a girl, Emilia, who has a dad in deployment and is coming home. I loved how the author gives all the detail and personality of the main character.
This was a really good book. A graphic novel, it had a somewhat simple drawing style, but the story was interesting and important, detailing the life of scientist Marie Curie. It starts with the scientist's daughter explaining her life, then goes back in time to depict the scientist's own story. Moving from Poland to France, Marie researched radioactive material. They knew it was radioactive, but at the time, they didn't know it was bad - something that would eventually lead to her death. Marie faced a lot of barriers in her young life. As a woman, she was denied entry to a lot of places but later she was doing such important work a college had to accept her. Then she met her husband Pierre, who believed in her. The book takes the reader on a journey through Marie's life and discoveries, showing how her measurements and calculations changed the world. One more challenge she faced later in life was the depression she experienced after losing Pierre, but she carried on. She eventually won two Nobel prizes for her work. I would recommend this book to history and science fans and readers who like non-fiction graphic novels.
- Review by Michael, age 11
This is a GREAT book. It has a little bit of drama in it, so if you do not like drama this probably is not your kind of book. If you like a little bit of drama than you NEED to read it! I loved this book so much!! It kept me wanting to come back to read it all the time. Personally, I think they should make a series out of this! Plus this book had a good meaning. You really need to read this book!!
-Review by Sophia age 11
This book had some good parts and bad parts, but more good parts than bad. I didn’t like how Uma was angry with her big sister Usagi at the end. I also didn’t like the treacherous parts with the traitor. This is a lengthy and serious fantasy story, with some funny parts, but is not a lighthearted tale. The parts I enjoyed were that the characters had animal abilities, like the jumping and hearing skills of a rabbit or the climbing skills like a monkey. I also liked how loyal the characters were to each other. I read this book only once, but just because I ran out of time. I wish to read it again. The ending was unpredictable and I like that in a story.
Review By Elli, 11 years old
This graphic novel was an easy read but still entertaining. This little kid, who's a monster, is running a pizza business with his family. It's inexpensive but a lot of heart goes into every pizza they make. Then a big corporation comes into town wanting to close down the small pizza business to eliminate the competition. Wolfie wants to save his business. He teams up with his two older brothers and a new girl in town. They discover a big secret and find they must stop "Lord Mudpant" from taking over the whole town. I'd recommend it to graphic novel fans age 6-9.
-Review by Michael, age 11.
This graphic novel was really interesting and original. My mom wasn't really sure I'd like something with zombies in it, and I wasn't sure I'd like something with baseball in it. But I really did. The main characters, Stacy and her sister Gina, are on different Little League teams. Gina is better. They're also the youngest in a long line of witches. Stacy thinks Gina put a curse on her team so it never wins. Then they discover a much bigger secret and they have to help each other to put everything right again. I would recommend this for baseball fans, fantasy fans and graphic novel fans ages 8-12.
-Review by Michael, age 11
This book was AMAZING!!! I strongly enjoy reading fantasy and adventure books and this was a mixture of both genres. I also liked how she was helping others while mixing in Self Discovery. All in all this book is truly wonderful.
-Reivew By Elli, 11 years old
I enjoyed this book and I like how it was very funny. Bill was a funny cat. I like how the first thing he mentioned when he could speak English was food. Trot helped discover who the King of the Serpents is. I enjoyed how detailed the pictures were. A funny quick read.
-Review By Elli, 11 years old
This book was swift, compelling and really good. The main character, Mary, has a brother who can talk to her in mind-speech. He calls her "Pearl." Then a red mist comes to their world and brings with it bad thoughts. If you breathe it in, it causes you to forget everything good in your life and think only of the bad. Mary had to work with Agent Saunters, a smooth FBI-type guy, and a bunch of SMHR units (data-collecting robots) to try to solve the problem. The robots are extremely perceptive but it's hilarious when they try to pass as human and it doesn't really translate. The whole story is bound together by a really good plot. It stands on its own but I hope there's a sequel because I want to read it.
- Review by Michael, age 11
This book was great. I could not put it down and whipped through it in two hours straight. No bathroom stops, nothing. The main character is a trans girl who has to move to a new place. Her mom died when she was 5 and her dad died shortly before this story opens in a hunting accident. They were very religious and Zenobia didn't feel she could be herself around them. Now she's living with her Aunt Phil and Aunt Lucy. She has to try to fit in at a new school and to try not to let the secret out that she was born a guy. Then a hacker posts some really inappropriate, derogatory memes on the school website and she tries to find out who it is. I would recommend this book to anyone who liked the author's last book, Felix Yz. It will particularly appeal to geeks, outcasts and anime fans.
-Review by Colleen, age 14.
This was a really good, compelling graphic novel. This girl finally receives a video game she and a friend have been awaiting for a long time. When she tests it out, she's sucked into the game, and a robot in the game tells her she's the "Chosen One" who's going to save their virtual world. There's a glitch in the game and a too-powerful villain is poised to take over. Allegedly, only someone from the outside can save the world. The girl hides this information from her friend because of what she might think. Meanwhile, she's in the game all night and gets no sleep, leaving her to fall asleep in school. The story is at once an adventure and a cautionary tale as the girl ignores her real friend to help her new, virtual one.
-Review by Michael, age 11.
I liked this book because there was a dog in it. The dog helped Persephone. The game came to life. I think everyone would like this book too.
-Reivew by Mady, age 6 1/2
THIS BOOK WAS GLORIOUS!!! I love how Mina was so shy at the beginning and then how going to school with so many loud people changed her. Pixit was a hilarious little sweetheart. I also liked how Mina was able to stand up to her family and others after spending so much time with Jyx and PIxet.
Review By Elli, age 11
This story is very funny and full of twist and turns! It is about a boy named Oddonis and he is pretty weird. Oddonis is the son of Zeus and Freya; one is Greek and one is Norse. Oddonis is headed to middle school and he does not know what to expect. Oddonis has decided to run for class president, but so has his twin brother, the handsome and popular Adonis. They must compete until the very end in this funny, and touching novel. I would recommend this book for 3rd -5th grade.
-River, Age 11
I really liked how they used actual Greek Mythology but turned it into Fiction. It teaches people about Greek Mythology while still having a great hook. I sat down and read this book for hours at a time and then read it over again 3 times.
-Review By Elli, 11 years old
This story was fast-paced, fun and well thought-out. The main character is training to be a magician and he's pretty bad. The first time he tries a trick on his friends, none of the cards he picks is one of their cards. Opportunity comes when a rich guy, Max, has a birthday party and Oliver is the only one not invited from the entire third-grade. Oliver's friends decide to help him get the magician gig so he can perform at the party. Oliver goes to a local magic shop for lessons, and there he finds a talking rabbit, who doesn't want to be exposed because it's on the run from the law! At the party, one of Max's presents is stolen and Oliver has to find it before the end of the party. I'd recommend the book to upper elementary readers who like mystery books and books about magic.- Review by Michael, age 11
I liked how it was a story about a 1st grade girl at school, but kind of a fantasy story too, and I liked that the authors used more difficult words in the book than I expected. Polly learned lessons she could use in her writing – what you write and what you mean are not always the same thing. Her magic book named Spell produced in real life what she wrote in it, totally cool. The artwork helped the story by helping me see what the author is imagining. The book ended well – everything was back to normal.
Review By Elli, 11 years old
Finding Orion an awesome and funny book. I really liked it because it was about finding yourself even if it means going through a lot to figure it out. I loved the way that it was set up. Sometimes you are laughing your heart out and others you are very focused. I also liked the way that it was entertaining. There were always things leading up to one another, making it really hard to stop reading.
-review by Krin
