Prince of Underwhere

Title: Prince of Underwhere

Author: Bruce Hale

ISBN: 9780060851262

Series: Book One of Prince of Underwhere

Summary

Prince of Underwhere is about a twin, Zeke and Steph, and their friend, Hector, discover the Underwhere. Underwhere is a world that resided with little people, the Undies, whose wear underwear inside out.  The Undies are suffering from the ruling of the Underlord. According to a prophecy, Zeke is the lost prince who can rescue the Undies. Back to the upper world, Zeke's grant-aunt had left a magical throne to Zeke's parents. It was the throne belongs to the Underwhere, and the Underlord is searching for it. There was a rapper inviting them to attend a store opening party. In the party, Zeke discovers that the rapper is the Underlord.

Review 

It is an interesting story. It is pretty new to me that the book uses a novel on the chapters that happen in the upper world and cartoon for chapters happen in the Underwhere. It clearly separates two worlds. Reluctant readers would be attracting to this type of books. I like the fact that the author incorporates some historical events into the story with some twists. It helps inspire readers to read books about those events.  It should be a funny story, but I just do not quite understand its sense of humor. Young tweens would love this kind of humor. It is recommendable title.

The Facts About Alcohol

Title: The Facts About Alcohol

Author: Ted Gottfried

ISBN: 9780761418054

Genre: Non-Fiction

Series: Drugs, the Facts About

Summary

This book discusses the history, laws, abuses, and effects to the body of alcohol. It starts with a preface and follows by What's in a Drink section. The history of alcohol in America is in the Noble Experiment section. The government laws section is followed. The next section layouts problems cause by alcohol within families. The last section is the Help, Hope, and Healing section.  It has an afterword, a glossary, further information, a bibliography, and an index section at the end of the book.

Review

The subject discussed in the book is little heavy for Children, but there are children out there that have to deal with alcohol issues. Also, tweens should start to get to know some heavy issues that will face them in the future. This kind of books is essential for them, and a collection should contain it. This book would be a good start. The photos, pictures and demonstrate articles are useful to help readers understand the subject.

Annie's Adventures

Title: Annie's Adventures

Author: Lauren Baratz-Logsted

ISBN: 9780547053387

Series: The Sisters Eight

Genre: Adventure

Summary

The story begins in the New York's Eve. There are octuplet waiting for their parents to return, so they can start the celebration for Christmas and New York's Eve. The sisters were known as Sister Eight, and their name are Annie, Durinda, Georgia, Jackie, Marica, Petal, Rebecca, and Zinnia.. Their Mommy and Daddy never came back. They found a note that explains what the sisters have to each find their own power and gift and to find out what had happened to their parents. The sisters have decided not to call to police or anyone for helps because they do not want to be separated. Annie had become the leader among in search of their powers and gift.

Review

I dislike several things about this book. With eight sisters, it was confusing about who is who at the beginning of the book, and it was kind of 'noisy'. Also, they are octuplet, so they should be identical. I was confused that how can they be different in height. "Each was one inch taller than next." In other words, the tallest one is taller than the shortest one 8 inches. It just does not make any sense. One more thing I dislike about the book is that I think it might have bad inferences through children readers. For instance, an 8 year-old girl was driving in the story might make kids think they can drive too. The story itself is okay. I think there are enough excitements that readers can flip page after page.

Gorilla Doctors: Saving Endangered Great Apes

Title: Gorilla Doctors: Saving Endangered Great Apes

Author: Pamela S. Turner

ISBN: 9780618445554

Summary

Gorilla is one of endangered species in the world. The book started with the story of Mararo, a five-year-old mountain gorilla. Mararo is tied up by nylon rope set by a poacher. Not all gorillas were as luck Mararo that was rescued by the dedicated veterinarians and reunited with the group. The book follows by a history of scientists. It has information about gorillas being one of the closest kin of human beings. The book also has information gorillas being out of the forest and an orphan gorilla interaction with human. It has resources, postscript, and an index section at the end of the book.

Review

This is a great book about gorillas. Unlike other gorilla books that give facts about gorilla, I like that this book use a different approved to let people know about gorilla. Readers learn about gorilla by knowing what they are suffering from and how veterinarians are helping them. Readers can also inspire to become a veterinarian. The photos, maps, and charts are goodly illustrating that helps to understand the facts better.

The Witch's Guide to Cooking With Children

Title: The Witch's Guide to Cooking With Children

Author: Keith McGowan

ISBN: 9780805086683

Summary

Solomon and Constance (or Sol or Connie) Blink moved to Grand Creek with their father and stepmother. The father had kept a secret from the siblings. He is not the real father. He is the twin brother of the siblings. He wants to get rid of the siblings, so he inherits a fortune that suppose to be inherits by the siblings. Fay Holderry, a neighbor of the Blinks, is a witch. She eats children, but she does not have to hunt down the children herself. Parents will deliver their children to the witch. The father founds out about the witch and tries to deliver the siblings to the witch.

Review

 A very interesting story. It is a little dark, but as most tween books, it is a happy ending. As the title suggested, it is a story about a witch who eat children, but the story is mostly about the siblings. I have expected more stories about the witch. I think she has lots of stories behind her, which I am interest of. I would love to "make" children read this book because one of the theme of the book is to scare children to be behave or either they will be eaten by the witch.

American Teen

Title: American Teen

Director: Nanette Burstein

ISBN: 9736353584

Genre: Documentary

Medium: DVD

Audience: Older Tweens and Teens

Summary

This is a documentary film on high school seniors in a small Indiana. The film featured with five teenager characters with different personalities: jock, geek, rebel, heartthrob, and prom queen. Through these five characters, some experiences of the life of the seniors were presented in the film with different perspectives. It talked about problems might face by teens, such as courtship, applying college, pressures from and friends and family, disappointment, and dreams.

Review

This is a documentary that the events and incidents happen in the film could be happen in real-life. Tweens could get a head start on some problem they might face during teen years. Of course, senior year might be a little far from tweens, but it will be better off for them to see the problems. Tweens can learn ways to prevent and cope some of the problems. I like that film use different character to tell their stories from a different point of views. Everyone will be related to at least one of the characters.  I am kind of dislike that there are too many dramas.