Chu Ju's House

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Chu Ju’s House
by Gloria Whelan
ISBN 9780060507244
New York: Harper Collins, 2001
Multicultural Fiction
258 pages
12+
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Annotation: Chu Ju’s sister is born and to the family’s disappointment, it is a girl. Chu Ju must take action or someone is going to take away her baby sister to ensure a boy is born in the family.

Summary: Chu Ju’s sister is born but that is the last baby the family can have. In case another baby is born, they have decided to take Chu Ju’s sister away to an orphanage. Chu Ju decides to leave her family so that the baby can stay in the family. Chu Ju first goes to a fishing boat and hides under the net. She fakes a history of herself and begins to work with the family living in the boat. When she reveals who she really is, the mother and father are shocked and mad. They decide to bring Chu Ju back to her house personally. That night, Chu Ju sneaks away from the boat so they wouldn’t take her back home. Now where will she go?

Critique: This is a great book because it has a lot of Chinese culture in it. It talks about the making of silk and has many Chinese pronunciations in it.

Biography: National Book Award-winning author Gloria Whelan weaves rich historical detail into this compelling mystery. Ms. Whelan is the bestselling author of many novels for young readers, including Homeless Bird, winner of the National Book Award, Parade of Shadows, and Listening for Lions. She lives in northern Michigan.[1]

If you want to know more about her, please visit her website at:

http://www.gloriawhelan.com/

[1]http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Chu-Jus-House/Gloria-Whelan/e/9780060507244/?itm=3

[1] Retrieved the image from: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/imageviewer.asp?ean=9780060507268

The Ashleys Jealous? (The Ashleys Series #2)

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The Ashleys Jealous? (The Ashleys Series #2)
by Melissa de la Cruz
ISBN 9781416934073
Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, 2008
Contemporary Life
256 pages
Youth Adult
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Annotation: Lauren gets kicked out of the Ashleys but has Lili’s tip in mind. To get back in the Ashleys’ group, she must have something Ashley wants.

Summary: Lauren is kicked out of the Ashleys but manages to squeeze back in with bait and a rank. There was a rank going around the school named Ashley rank and everyone presumed it was made by the Ashleys but it wasn’t. It ranked everyone in the school and so far Ashley is first (duh!), A.A. is second, and Lili is third. To get back in the Ashleys, Lauren offers a spot at a TV show that features four girls in four groups. The audience will get to call in and say who they like in each group. The winning girl in each group will then compete to see if they have it made. Instantly, Lauren is back in the Ashleys. With tricks up her sleeve, the Ashleys will do whatever it takes, from learning secret dance steps to hiding a camera to spy on people, to win the TV show.

Critique: The rank was interesting to read. It had a description of why the person got the rank they got. There was no real description this time so it was more boring (besides the rank) compared to the first book.

Biography: Melissa de la Cruz is the author of the novel Cat's Meow and the co-author of How to Become Famous in Two Weeks or Less. Her work has been translated into several languages. She writes regularly for Marie Claire, Gotham, Hamptons, and Lifetime magazines and has contributed to the New York Times, Glamour, Allure, and McSweeney's. She recently moved from New York City and now lives in Los Angeles with her husband. She has never dared use her cell phone on the Hampton Jitney. This is not her dog.[1]

If you want to know more about Melissa, please visit her website at:

http://melissa-delacruz.com/index.php/info/about/

[1] http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Jealous/Melissa-de-la-Cruz/e/9781416934073/?itm=4

[1] Retrieved the image from: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/imageviewer.asp?ean=9781416934073

The Ashleys

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The Ashleys
by Melissa de La Cruz
ISBN 9781416934066
Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, 2008
Contemporary Life
258 pages
12+
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Annotation: Lauren is back with an extreme makeover. Her plan now is to destroy the Ashleys who have been making her life and other people’s life miserable.

Summary: The Ashleys have always been the top in their school. Now, when Lauren Page gets back from an extreme makeover, it looks like this girl has what it takes to replace the Ashleys. Lauren’s plan is to be friend with the Ashley’s then destroy them from the inside. Will she succeed?

Critique: This was a good book. I liked the details and the way the author described the jet and the houses. It made me actually see it in my mind. Ashley was pretty mean and she took advantage of Lauren. A.A. was the nicer one but she always worries about Laxjock, an online boyfriend.

Biography: Melissa de la Cruz is the author of the novel Cat's Meow and the co-author of How to Become Famous in Two Weeks or Less. Her work has been translated into several languages. She writes regularly for Marie Claire, Gotham, Hamptons, and Lifetime magazines and has contributed to the New York Times, Glamour, Allure, and McSweeney's. She recently moved from New York City and now lives in Los Angeles with her husband. She has never dared use her cell phone on the Hampton Jitney. This is not her dog.[1]

If you want to know more about Melissa, please visit her website at:

http://www.melissa-delacruz.com/

[1] http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Ashleys/Melissa-de-La-Cruz/e/9781416934066/?itm=1

[1] Retrieved the image from: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/imageviewer.asp?ean=9781416934066

The Tail of Emily Windsnap

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The Tail of Emily Windsnap
by Liz Kessler
ISBN 9780763628116
Candlewick Press, 2006
Fantasy
224 pages
12+
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Annotation: Emily finds out she is half mermaid and half human. She then embarks to find out who her father is once and for all!

Summary: During a day of swimming lessons, Emily feels a strange sensation. It was a tail growing where her legs were suppose to be. She became a human on land and a mermaid in sea. With her new mermaid friend Shona, she discovers who her dad is. Can Emily rejoin her mother and father together or will they always be apart?

Critique: This book has a lot of imagination in it. There was a bit of mystery mixed into this book. Emily was a great character. Her curiosity and courage made her an inspiring person/mermaid to be around with.

Biography: Liz Kessler's first book, The Tail of Emily Windsnap, was published in ten countries. Of Emily Windsnap and Monster from the Deep, she says, "I always knew that Emily's story wasn't finished at the end of the first book. I really wanted to explore the idea of an island where humans and merfolk lived together in peace. I also knew that there was a detail I was missing.[1]

If you want to know more about Liz, please visit her website at:

http://www.lizkessler.co.uk/

[1] http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Tail-of-Emily-Windsnap/Liz-Kessler/e/9780763628116/?itm=1#TABS

[2]Retrieved the image from: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/imageviewer.asp?ean=9780763628116

Booktalk for The Tail of Emily Windsnap

http://www.bookwink.com/archive_2007_05_22.html

The Princess Diaries

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The Princess Diaries
by Meg Cabot
ISBN 0060292105
HarperCollins Publisher, 2000
Alternative Format (Diary)
228 pages
Young Adult
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Annotation: Mia finds out that she is a princess and that one day, she would rule a land called Gonovia. Suddenly, she finds herself being recognized by everyone including her long time crush.

Summary: When Mia finds that she's a princess, she freaked! Now, everyone notices her and Josh, the most popular boy in school, has asked her to a dance. She is super excited but is Josh all that she thinks he is?

Critique: This book was bad and good. It was bad because she always sounded excited or mad or annoyed. It was good because it described her feelings.

Biography: Meg Cabot knows that one of the best cures for feeling gawky and conspicuous is reading about someone who sticks out even more than you do. Her books for young adults invariably feature girls who have extraordinary powers that carry extraordinary burdens. Cabot's Princess Diaries series offers up the secret thoughts of Mia Thermopolis, who discovers at age 14 that she is actually the princess of a small European country. This revelation adds significantly to her extant concerns about crushes, friendships, school, and other matters falling under adolescent scrutiny.

[1]

You can know more about her by visiting her website: http://www.megcabot.com/

[1] http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Princess-in-Training/Meg-Cabot/e/9780641825910/?itm=4#TABS

[2] Retrieved the image from: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/imageviewer.asp?ean=9780061153891

American Born Chinese

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American Born Chinese
by Gene Luen Yang
ISBN 1596431520
New York: First Second, 2006
Graphic Novel
240 pages
12+
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Annotation: Two boys and a monkey king experience change. In the end all their problems merge together and leave us with the same characters having the same problems. The winner of the 2007 Michael L. Printz Award.

Summary: Imagine three story that merges together to become a lesson for everyone. That is what American Born Chinese is about. Read about the Monkey King, and two boys that are having their own sets of problem and how together, they learn an important lesson. Evaluation: The book was in comic for so it was easy and quick to read even though it had an important message in it. The downfall of the book was that everything happens in on mash up so you will get confused. Also, there was a bloody picture so I didn't appreciate it. There was some violence so it was not my personal favorite.

Critique: The book was in comic for so it was easy and quick to read even though it had an important message in it. The downfall of the book was that everything happens in on mash up so you will get confused. Also, there was a bloody picture so I didn't appreciate it. There was some violence so it was not my personal favorite.

Biography: Gene Yang began drawing comic books in the fifth grade. In 1997, he received the Xeric Grant, a prestigious comics industry grant, for Gordon Yamamoto and the King of the Geeks, his first comics work as an adult. He has since written and drawn a number of titles, including Duncan’s Kingdom (with art by Derek Kirk Kim) and The Rosary Comic Book. He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his lovely wife and children and teaches at a Roman Catholic high school. [1]

If you want to know more about Gene, please visit his website at:

http://humblecomics.com/
[1] http://search.barnesandnoble.com/American-Born-Chinese/Gene-Luen-Yang/e/9780312384487/?itm=1

[2] Retrieved the image from: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/imageviewer.asp?ean=9780312384487

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

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Diary of a Wimpy Kid
(Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series #1)
by Jeff Kinney
ISBN 0810993139
Abrams, Harry N. Inc., 2007
Graphic Novel
224 pages
9+
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Annotation: Greg always has a tough time wherever he goes. But he can always solve his problems with some sneaky plots.

Summary: Greg is having a tough time in school and at home. Both of his brothers are annoying him because his older brother is forever pounding his heart out in his drum set and his younger brother always finds out how to put blames on Greg. At school, bullies are forever picking on kids including Greg. There was also a curse of the cheese going around the school. Then one day, Greg and his friends are caught by a bully and they are forced to eat the cheese. Greg cleverly sneaks his way out of the problem by saying he is allergic to dairy. His friend might be out of luck, but I am not saying that his is and I am not saying that he will not be. Read the book to find out what will happen.

Critique: The book was good because it was funny. It wasn't that good because Greg always used some clever yet sneaky way to get his ways and it might not be a good influence to others. Greg was kind of annoying because he took his friend for granted.

Biography: Jeff Kinney is an online game developer and designer and is the author of the New York Times bestselling Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. He spent his childhood in the Washington, D.C., area and moved to New England in 1995. Once he conceived the concept for Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Kinney devoted nearly six years to developing the storyline and artwork. Fashioned as a journal with appealing, expressive stick figure drawings on every page, Diary is narrated in the pitch-perfect (and hilariously deadpan) voice of a not-always-likeable but totally believable tweener named Greg Haffley.

[1]

If you want to know more about Jeff Kinney, visit the website at http://www.wimpykid.com/.

[1] http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Diary-of-a-Wimpy-Kid/Jeff-Kinney/e/9780810993136/?itm=4#TABS

[2] Retrieved the image from: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/imageviewer.asp?ean=9780810993136