Mr. Bobrosky's Book Reviews 2003
If you would like to view Mr. Bobrosky's reviews from past years, click here
Below is the current list of what Mr. Bobrosky has read in 2003, with his review and rating.
5 = An absolute must read --- 4 = Very good, highly recommended --- 3 = Enjoyable --- 2 = Passable --- 1 = Don't bother
Miracle's Boys by Jacquiline Woodson (4)
Miracles passing has left her three boys on their own. The story is told by
twelve year old Lafayette who anguishes over the loss of his mother, misses
the closeness he once had with his middle brother Charlie, but finds security
with his oldest brother, Ty'ree. A sad, but touching story of brothers, their
tragic loss, and their struggle to stay together.
On the Fringe edited by Donald R. Gallo (4)
Short stories about outcasts, freaks, geeks - teenagers on the fringe.
Never so Green by Tim Johnston (4.5)
Twelve year old Tex is a bookworm. His right hand is deformed and he is constantly
aware of it. Learning to play baseball from his stepfather and stepsister
changes his outlook on life.But, the discovery of a dark secret that his stepsister
has been keeping will impact him in a way that he could never imagine.
A Corner of the Universe by Ann M. Martin (4)
Hattie Owen's life is very predictable.Her one friend is gone for the summer.
She is at home wiht her books, her family and the tenants in her parent's
boarding house. She is quite content. Everything in her world changes when
she is told that she will meet Adam, an uncle that she did not know existed,
because he was kept secret by her family. When a traveling carnival comes
to town her situation becomes uncontrolled. A touching, poignant story about
a young girl's discovery of the mentally ill.
Fair Weather by Richard Peck (4)
A story of wonder and discovery as thirteen year old Rosie, her brother Buster
and her sister Lottie leave the countryside to visit the big city and the
Chicago Worldıs Fair of 1893, at the invitation of their wealthy Aunt Euterpe.
Their first surprise is discovering their Granddad on the train to Chicago,
and sure enough, Granddad is soon leading the way through the Fair and there
are many adventures, unexpected meetings and bumpy rides for everyone! The
story telling is superb, the characters are colorful, and even the Fair is
part of the action the first Ferris Wheel, th, e first hamburger, Buffalo
Billıs Wild West Show, Susan B Anthony, and the wonders of electricity!
Secret Heart by David Almond (3.5)
The tiger that becomes Joe Maloney's alter ego first appears to him in a dream,
and when he wakes, he discovers that a circus has come to Helmouth, the dreary
village where he lives with his mother. He's a victum, constantly ridiculed
and teased by his peers. Joe feels inextricably drawn to the great tent, but
he cannot explain why. Words are difficult for the stammering boy, who finds
it hard to separate what exists in his head from what exists in the world,
a blurriness that continues when he meets Corrina at the big top, a girl who
seems strangely familiar to him. What special bond draws these two together?
What surprising destiny does Joe discover beneath the tent's blue ceiling,
with its remnants of an ancient, golden sun; a silver moon; and stars? Is
this an escape from his painful reality? While not Almond's best (Skellig
and Kit's Wilderness), this is an intriguing read.
Son of the Mob by Gordon Korman (5)
Vince Luca's father is a mob boss. Vince want's nothing to do with the "family
business". Vincee just wants to be an average, unmotivated, law-abiding
high school student.The fun starts when Vince meets the girl of his dreams.
The dream turns into a nightmare when Vince discovers that the girl's father
is an FBI agent assigned to investigating his father. This is one fun read!
Hush by Jacqueline Woodson (4)
You are living a perfect life. Great friends, a loving family, and a home
full of warm memories. Imagine your entire life ripped away from you because
your father witnessed a murder, and now must be placed in a witness protection
program. This is another beautifully written story by Woodsoon (If You
Come Softly, Miracle's Boys) that evokes emotion on every page.
The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer (4.5) - A 2003 Printz
Honor Book
I just finished this book and I'm at a loss for words. This dark look at what
our future might be will make you ponder the ethics and morality of the path
our society has taken. A new country exists between the U.S. and Azatlan (formerly
Mexico) called Opium. A thin strip given over to drug lords to keep immigrants
in their respective countries. Those caught are turned into eejits, people
controlled by computer chips implanted in their brains. The drug lords controlling
Opium are all powerful. Clones are created to provide body parts to the drug
lords. El Patron has several clones, but one is treated differently. Matteo
is bright, well educated and talented. He eventually learns what his real
purpose is. How can he avoid his ultimate fate? What lies beyond the borders
of Opium? How does society deal with the ethics of cloning? How does society
deal with its members that are considered undesirable? This is a powerful
book that will leave you with more questions than it answers.
Crispin: Cross of Lead by Avi (5) - 2003 Newbery Award
Imagine going back to the middle ages. Imagine the smells, the sights and
the sounds. Imagine how fragile life was. Combine this with a fantastic adventure
and the result is Crispin: Cross of Lead, the 2003 Newbery Award winner.
Crispin is suddenly left alone, his mother murdered, and his home destroyed.
He finds out there is a bounty on his head and must leave his village. What
follows is Crispin's struggle to survive a new and unknown world, while at
the same time trying to figure out the mystery of why he is hunted and the
significance of the one last artificact of his family - the lead cross that
he wears around his neck.
Postcards from No Man's Land by Aidan Chambers (3.5) - 2003
Printz Award
Jacob and Geertrui: two teenagers who are learning about the world around
them, dealing with feelings they have never felt before. Their stories parallel
each other, and eventually meet. Jacob's story is here and now. Jacob is a
traveling to Amsterdam to represent his family at a memorial service for British
soldiers killed in the liberation of Holland during World War II. He is young
and inexperienced. Modern Amsterdam is a place that is difficult for Jacob
to understand, yet he is attracted to it. He will learn many life lessons
while visiting. Geertrui's story takes place in 1944 amidst the chaos of World
War II. Geertrui is a young girl living in a small Dutch town. The Germans
have occupied Holland. The allies have come to liberate them. A wounded British
soldier comes to her door. Her family takes him into their home to nurse him
back to health. Geertrui cares for him and falls in love. Where do the lives
of this two teenagers, seemingly worlds apart meet? Well...you'll need to
read the book to find out. This book is for mature readers and recommended
for eighth graders only.
Catalyst by Laurie Halse Anderson (3.5)
Kate is a high school senior, who, as most seniors do apply several colleges
and hope to get in at least one. But not Kate. She is a compulsive perfectionist
who has one goal: to go to MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology). And
while this story is about the stress and madness of trying to get into college,
it is also a story about compassion, and learning not to simply judge others
by their appearance. Kate learns some serious lessons about what is important
in life.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J. K. Rowling
(4.5)
This is classic Potter, and if you have read books 1 - 4 you probably have
read The Order of the Phoenix by now. All Potter books have received a "5"
rating, but this one I'm going to notch down a bit because it is longer than
it needs to be. The first ten chapters could have been covered in no more
than five. Once Harry is back at Hogwarts, the reading is pure Potter fun.
The sad thing about finishing it is that now I have to wait at least a year
for another Potter book.
Coraline by Neil Gaiman (5)
I am not a fan of horror, and when I read them I am usually disappointed,
because they rarely scare me. Coraline is CREEPY. It all starts when Coraline,
complaining of boredom, is told by her fatther to count all the doors in the
house.She comes upon a locked door. When her mother unlocks it, she finds
a brick wall behind it. Later, she sneaks the key and opens it again, only
this time it is pitch black. Coraline, being curious goes in... what does
she find? Well, you'll have to read it to find out.
Pictures of Hollis Woods by Patricia Reilly Giff - 2003 Newbery
Honor (4)
Hollis has been shuttles from foster home to foster home. She is bright and
talented but also independent. She is placed with a family whom she grows
to love, and they her. She makes a mistake, leaving her with so much guilt,
she decides to leave. She is told that her last placement is her last chance.
She is placed with an old woman, who, being an artist, truly appreciates Hollis'
gift - her ability to draw. As the old woman develops alzheimers, Hollis fears
that she will be removed from the home, and so runs away with the woman. This
is the start of an adventure that is heart warming and mysterious.
George Speaks by Dick King-Smith (3.5)
George is an infant, born into a typical home, with typical parents, and a
typical older sister. The exception is George. He is not typical. George speaks.
Yes, he is completely literate. The first to find out is his big sister. George
even helps her with her homework. When the rest of the family finds out, the
real fun begins. This is a short, sweet, and hilarious read. Probably too
short for a book report, but this is entertainging and can be read in one
afternoon.
Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli - 1990 Newbery Medal (5)
There is the old cliche, don't judge a book by its cover, which I largely
ignore. I must admit the cover draws me to the book. I never much liked the
cover of Maniac Magee, nor the title, so I never was much interested in reading
it. I was desperate for a book, and Maniac was at home, so I picked it up.
Never have I so misjudged a book. The story is first introduced as the legend
of how Jeffrey Lionel Magee, got the nickname Maniac. What the story is really
about is how a young man touches the lives and changes the attitudes of a
small town that is deeply divided by ignorance and race. This book teaches
tolerance and compassion without being preachy. It is warm, humorus and touching.
I hope it fills your heart in the same way it filled mine.
Full Tilt by Neal Shusterman (4.5)
Neal Shusterman's books often take something that is familiar and creates
whole other worlds out of them. In Downsiders, he creates a whole world in
the sewers of New York. In Full Tilt the a nightmarish world is created from
an amusement park. Blake, a high school senior, is painfully afraid of rollercoasters.
After a horrifying ride on a rollercoaster, Blake meets a seductive employee
of the park, who gives him a card; a special invitation to an unusal amusement
park. Blake has no intention of going until he finds his brother comatose,
and the invitation missing. He realizes that he must go to the amusement park
to save his brother. Soliciting the help of friends, they enter the amusement
park with the understanding that they cannot not leave until the complete
seven rides before dawn. What they discover is that each ride is their worst
fears and nightmares...
The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke (4)
After the death of their parents, two brothers, Prosper and Bo run away from
an aunt that wants to separate them. They run to Venice, a city their mother
often spoke about. There they join a group of young theives, living in an
abandoned movie theatre and led by the Theif Lord. The Theif Lord takes on
a mysterious assignment - to steal what appears to be an old piece of wood.
What is the significance of the wood piece? Is the Theif Lord really who he
appears to be? How will Prosper and Bo escape the clutches of their aunt who
has hired a private detective to find them.... these are just a few of the
plot twists that keep the story moving. Give this book some time. The story
was at first slow, but once I found out who the Thief Lord is, the story sails.
Surviving the Applewhites by Stephanie Tolan - 2003 Newbery
Honor (3)
is determined to rebel and provoke society. Having been kicked out of every
school he's attended, is given one last chance before being sent to a juvenile
detention center.He is sent to the Applewhites. A large family that runs a
compound that fuels and supports the family's creative genius. The children
are home schooled and so - joins them. The family takes a deaf ear to his
rebellious attitude, smart mouth and threats. - is eventually won over as
the family becomes absorbed in a huge project. The story was a bit sweeter
than I expected and resolves itself very neatly.
Hoot by Carl Hiassen - 2003 Newbery Honor (3.5)
Roy is not happy about his move from Montana to Florida. He is tired of dealing
with bullies. His new nemisis, Dana, is smashing his face against the bus
window. While enduring the torture, he sees a young man running shoeless.
His curiosity of why this boy is running, what is he running from, why is
he shoeless, draws him into a cause that will involve the whole community.
An enjoyable read, but not tops on my list.
Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli (4)
"I thought she would sail forever like a milkweed puff on an endless
breeze, and I was running and wishing I could fly with her, and then she was
gone..." These are the words of an orphaned boy whose innocence and kind
heart bring the reader a fresh view of the occupation of Poland by the Nazis
and the Warsaw ghetto created by them. The story starts with the boy not knowing
who he is or where he is from. He simply knows himself as Stoptheif, Filthy
Jew, or Gypsy. His only connection to his past is a necklace he wears.He is
taken in by Uri, and a group of orphans who do whatever they can to survive
the nightmare. Uri gives him the name of Misha and creates a history of his
Gypsy background, so as not to be mistaken as a Jew. Misha is fascinated with
the Navis and naievely envies their parades and uniforms. He steals food for
himself, but also for an orphanage and a Jewish family where he has befriended
Janine. It is the fascination and innocence with which Misha views his world
and the slowly woven awakening to the reality of the horrors and cruelty of
this world that makes this an amazing read.
Stray Voltage by Euginie Doyle (2)
IanDaley lives on a dairy farm in Vermont. He doesn't like the farm chores,
but wants to be involved. He has difficulty relaying this to his father, who
usually turns to Ian's older brother Ray.The atmosphere on the farm is depressing
because Ian's mother has left without leaving word of where she was going.
The story is told with each chapeter beginning with a current event that Ian
must write for his sixth grade teacher Mrs. Worth, each current event reflecting
what is currently going on with Ian. His life is filled with dispair and emptyness.
He must deal with the void left by his mother's abondonment. Personally, I
did not enjoy reading the book. I wanted more of a story, I wanted the story
to move me. I kept waiting for it to happen, but I finished disappointed.