Crimson Thread by Suzanne Weyn

Crimson Thread
Suzanne Weyn
Simon Pulse
2008

Crimson Thread is a remake of the classic fairytale Rumplestiltskin.  This version takes place in 1880, and the princess is actually an Irish immigrant named Bertie trying to make ends meet and help support her family.  Her father likes to embellish his stories and presents her as an amazing seamstress to his employer – the owner of a very large textile company.  When her father promises that she can create a beautiful dress in one night, Bertie thinks all is lost.  However, she is saved by a dark handsome stranger named Ray – someone she’s heard she should steer clear of.  When Bertie asks how she can repay him, he asks for her first-born child.  As time goes on, Bertie will find out just how serious Ray is.  Suzanne Weyn has created a wonderful story that is similar enough to the original but different enough to be compelling and interesting.  The strength of her characters and the mystery of Ray keep the reader turning pages wondering what will happen next.
Reviewed by the Librarian, 100th Grade

Kira-kira by Cynthia Kadohata

Kira-kira
Cynthia Kadohata
Atheneum Books for Young Readers
2004

Cynthia Kadohata’s Kira-kira motivated me to be grateful for who and what you have. Katie and Lynn are two sisters that share a very close bond with each other.  Katie and her family are moving down to Georgia because their family Japanese food store went out of business.  Their parents are going to work at a chicken factory and the family must get used to the new arrangement from a small, no-space, apartment in Illinois to a medium-sized house in Georgia. All of the sudden, Lynn is very pale and weak. Lynn is diagnosed with lymphoma and anemia. “‘Katie?’ she said. I almost never fell asleep deeply anymore----as soon as she said my name, I already sat up immediately, no matter how tired I was.  But that night I was completely exhausted. I could barely lift myself out “(Page 181).

Cynthia’s writing has themes of love, family, friendship, and how some families have to deal with a dying child. I enjoyed this book. I related to this book a lot from financial issues, family death, and friend issues. Kira-kira made me smile from ear-to-ear. Highly recommended four-teen and up.

Reviewed by Kaytlin 7th Grade

Saving Zasha by Randi Barrow

Saving Zasha
Randi Barrow
Scholastic Press
2011

Randi Barrow’s Saving Zasha mesmerized me with its historical action tale about a German shepherd and a boy who has to save her. It’s a touching story about a connection between a boy and a dog. 13-year-old Mikhail finds a dying man and his dog, Zasha, in the woods. Mikhail and his brother Nikolai have to keep her a secret or else they will kill her. Mikhail and Nikhil are on an adventure to find a lot of hiding places for Zasha so that no one can find out about her.

Barrow uses a lot of descriptive writing in his book but the most specific thing he uses is the way he makes you have a picture in your head like “Zasha turned toward him at the sound of her name. The water boiled in the kettle and mother poured it over the same tea leaves we’d use at breakfast.” This book is for everyone because it’s an adrenalin-rushing, exiting book. I recommend this book to people ages 10 and up because there are some parts that are just overwhelming and mind boggling.

Reviewed by Dustin 7th Grade

The Romeo and Juliet Code by Phoebe Stone

The Romeo and Juliet Code
Phoebe Stone

The Romeo and Juliet Code is one of the many secrets in this World War 2 setting. When Felicity is shipped off to Bottle Bay, Maine to stay with her dad’s family that she has never met, she finds more and more secrets rather than answers. One of the main questions is “why is my dad sending letters to Uncle Gideon and not me”. When a secret person named Mr. Donovan shows up asking about the letters only to her uncle Gideon.

The writing of this book was done extremely well however, the plot leaves the reader with questions that made the book not really have an ending in the end. This book would be so much better if there was a sequel that tied up the loose ends of the book. Finally there the cover was very misleading to what the book was going to be like. My rating is 4 out of 10 because of the ending and the cover.

Review by Kaysee 8th grade