May the Dead Blog Rise Again!

Well, this blog has been lying dormant for some time. What are you reading now? What series should the library keep updating? What's the buzz among Marshall readers?

Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

Reviewed by Emma

Map Spring 2008
By Stephanie Meyer, published in 2005 by Little, Brown and company, pg # 498

Vampire stories have been around for thousands of year. In modern time most people think that vampires do not exist. As far as Bella Swan is concerned they do. After her parents get devoiced Bella moves to Forks Washington, to live with her dad. After settling in Bella notices something strange about a family called the Cullen's. Like that they don't ever go to school when it's sunny and they never eat lunch, also Edward tries to avoid Bella as much as possible.
Edward saves her life by pushing her out of the way when a car almost hits her, but he was too far away to really do that. That confirms her suspicions, the Cullen family is a family of VAMPIRES. Not just vampires but vampires with powers, for example how to read minds or seeing into the future. When Bella realizes that she's fallen in love with Edward, his family secrets are now hers and her life takes a supernatural turn. Her trust and love in Edward will be push to the extreme, as vampire dangers come into view. There's another clan of vampires and they're not too nice.

Twilight is an exciting story with a lot of twists and turns. Romance mixed with the supernatural makes for a thrilling novel for all ages. Twilight will turn any reader into vampire lover.

Thin Wood Walls by David Patneaude

Reviewed by Jamie

This book describes the story of eleven-year-old Joseph Hanada. He is a lot like other American boys: he loves sports, endures school, and enjoys hanging out with friends. However, on December 7, 1941, he discovers that being a Japanese-American is not always easy. The Seattle suburb where Joseph and his family live is quickly infected with tension and suspicion. To many Americans, Japanese immigrants and American-born Japanese look like enemies. FBI agents, in fact, soon take Joseph’s father, away. Federal authorities, looking for evidence of treason search the Hanada home. Then, when the President signs Executive Order 9066 on February 19, 1942, the fate of the Hanada family becomes inevitable: They are removed from their homes and "relocated" to, (as the government puts it) to protect them.
Personally, this book did not agree with me. I found the writing style to be bland and unimaginative. The writing was very repetitive. The author had an extreme over use of the word “said.” I recommend this book to any one who wants a long and arduous read.

Twilight, Stephanie Meyer

Reviewed by Ezra

Little Brown, 2005, 498pp., MAP, June 2, 2008

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to go to school with a vampire, let alone meeting one? Our main character does. Bella Swan, a plain but lovely girl, moves to a city called Forks, Washington. This shy young woman despises the alien green trees that line the dull streets. Then, on Bella's first day at Forks High School, she falls in love with a reserved, classy gentleman named Edward Cullen. After a while of Bella seeing Edward, she discovers that Edward is, in fact, a dangerous but beautiful vampire, who only drinks animal blood, and not human blood.
Edward then takes Bella to see him and his family play an interesting game of baseball which perhaps not surprisingly, holds more excitement than she expected; A stranger, a vampire, with a thirst for human blood, comes to join the game, but is instantly enticed by Bella's extraordinarily sweet-smelling blood pulsing through her veins rapidly, like fire. That is when the suspenseful hunt for that deliciously appetizing blood begins. I greatly enjoyed Meyer's smooth writing style and found the characters to seem surprisingly real. I highly recommend this vampiric novel, would be appealing to almost anyone. Especially to Middle School kids and High School kids.

No-No Boy By John Okada

Reviewed by Sampson McSimpson

No-No Boy is the story of a Japanese American man named Ichiro who has just gotten out of prison for not fighting in World War 2. All Japanese American men were asked two questions, if they would fight in the war and if they were willing to sever allegiance with the Emperor of Japan. Those who answered no to both questions were known as no-no boys. Ichiro deals with a fiercely pro-Japanese mother who was in favor of his choice to go to jail instead of fighting. Because of his past decisions his friends and family view Ichiro as neither Japanese nor American.
I, the distinguished reader, thought that this was a good book. It wasn’t the most interesting at some times but it pulled you through those parts quickly and brought you something good. If I ever recommended books to people I would probably recommend this to older readers. It deals with lots of racism and has some language that people might consider inappropriate. Over all it was a great book and I enjoyed it a lot.

Ghost's Grave by Peg Kehret

Published by the Penguin Group, 2004, 210 pages
Review by Sarah
Marshall Alternative Program
Spring 2008
“If you don’t do as I say, you won’t live to see tomorrow.”
Ghost’s Grave is about a 12 year-old boy, Josh. Josh, who had just gotten on the summer baseball team eager to tell his parents. But then learns that his parents are leaving to India, and he will have to stay at his eccentric aunt Ethel’s house. Where he encounters a ghost of a miner, Willie. But when Willie requests that he should dig up his leg bones, he gets more than he bargained for.
I think this book would be good for younger audiences and I think this is a very good read if you are looking for a suspenseful, action-packed book.

Thin Wood Walls by David Patenaude

Reviewed By Eric
The racism inspired by the attacks on Pearl Harbor affected Japanese-Americans, or Nisei, across the country, including Joe Hanada and his family. The CIA for seemingly no reason arrests Joes father, and his family and he are shipped off to a concentration camp in the middle of the California Desert, called Tule Lake (too-lee layk). Joe’s brother Mike waits for his 18th birthday so he can join the military and prove his loyalty to his country.
This is an ok book, but not the greatest I’ve ever read. It’s a short easy read and it’s good if you have some free time. However, it starts very slowly, and lacks a strong ending. When the book ends, it feels like it should only be the middle of the book. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.