The Ever-After Bird

The Ever-After Bird by Ann Rinaldi


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I really like Ann Rinaldi books. She does such a great job with historical fiction, making it very palatable for young people.

This story takes place before the Civil War. Cece, a thirteen year-old girl, does not understand or care about the Abolitionist Movement.

When her father is murdered because of his Aboltionist views, Cece's world is turned around. She gets to travel through the South, to witness slavery firsthand.

Once again, Rinaldi does not write "down" to her young readers. This is a great way to help teach about the Abolitionists, while also telling a story with adventure, danger, and romance.


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A Step from Heaven

A Step From Heaven by An Na

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is a small gem of a book that touched my heart. It is the story of a girl who emigrates from Korea with her mother and father, and with each chapter, or really, vignette, she is growing up. The author is a first generation Korean American, and the agonies and lies that Young Ju has to deal with are painfully real.



It is a wonderful book that gives the reader a clear understanding of the trials of being a stranger in a new country, but the writing makes it a work of art.


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New Moon

New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

My review

rating: 2 of 5 stars
I was very disappointed with this book. I really enjoyed Twilight, and the way some of the 8th grade girls raved about this series, I guess I just expected more.



I found it repetitious and a bit boring, until the last fourth of the book. But, here is the question, should I read the next volume?


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The Seer of Shadows

The Seer of Shadows by Avi

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
I like Avi's historical fiction, like The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. The Seer of Shadows is not as exciting, but rather, is eerily suspenseful. The setting is New York City, just after the Civil War, when the art of photography is in its infancy. It is the story of a ghost seeking revenge, and the two young people who try to stop her.


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