Book Reviews by Kids - April 2007

Downsiders

by Neal Shusterman

In the complex infrastructure of sewers, subways and tunnels underneath New York City lives a proud and noble race of people. Living in a civilization they built from the castoffs of the Topside, or the world above the ground, this people, the Downsiders, thrive in their dark world away from the sun. In this world, the primary rule is to shun the Topside. However, when Talon, a young Downsider, meets a Topsider named Lindsay, the two worlds meet and nothing can ever be the same. In this gripping, enchanting novel, Neal Shusterman builds a world altogether separate and distinct from our own, juxtaposing it with the familiar world of reality. The characters are rich and complex, the narrative is flowing and fast-paced, and the style is uniquely Shusterman. This book is a definite must-read for anyone bored over the summer break.
Reviewed by Pirate Princess - age 16

Seeker (Noble Warrior Series)

by William Nicholson

The Nomana, also known as the Noble Warriors, are the guardians of the All and Only, their and their people’s God. Seeker After Truth is a young man whose only dream in life is to become one of the Nomana, as his brother, Blaze of Justice, did before him. However, before he can become a Noble Warrior, he uncovers a plot to destroy the Nomana, their God, and all the other people on the island. He must now, along with his new friends Morning Star and the Wildman, find a way to stop the threat before genocide is committed. This book is not only exciting and fun to read, but also shows a great examples of good attributes, such as perseverance. Although it’s a bit confusing at first with all of the new kinds of names for things as well as people, once you understand exactly what is going on in this book, it is a fantastic book.

Reviewed by Dude Man - Age 15

Beyond the Deepwoods, Edge Chronicles: Book 1

by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell 

Twig has always been different from his fellow woodtrolls. They are short and fat, while he is tall and skinny and he looks nothing like his friends and family. He was very very different as a child. Woodtrolls are early talkers, but Twig didn't utter his first word until he was three years old. 

One day his mother Spelda told him she needed to talk to him. She told him that she needed to tell him the story of his naming. Twig protested, he had heard the story so many times he could recite it backwards. But his mother said this time the story would be different. She went through the story and told him everything he had heard before, but this time at the end she told him something new. She told him that she was not his real mother, that her and his "father" had found him outside their door. Then she told him that he needed to go to his cousins house to stay there for a while until things calmed down. The next morning twig left with the knowledge that if he didn't leave the path he would get to his cousins safely. 

Read about Twig's exciting adventure with the red headed slaughters and the worst monster, the gloamglozer..

Reviewed by Peach - Age 12

Shredderman: Secret Identity

by Wendelin Van Draanen

This book is about this guy who gets called Nerd because this bully gave him this name. The bully was beating up lots of people. Nerd didn’t want to get beat up anymore, and wanted to get the bully in trouble. For a class project Nerd did a newspaper on the bully to let the teacher know what the bully was doing to the people. Nerd made a website called Shredderman.com that had funny pictures to make fun of the bully. 

I liked it because it was different than other books because a boy who gets made fun of by a bully actually starts making fun of the bully and gets the bully back from what he did to Nerd. 

Reviewed by Sports Guy - Age 10