Mrs. Nelson's Toy and Book Shop

Reviewed Robert S.

“Lockdown” is a story about the life of a teenager stuck inside the chains that society thrust upon him. In Progress, a place like Juvenile Hall, a young African-American teenager named Reese is stuck. Because of the stealing of prescription pads, he was sentenced to time in Progress. But, things seem to be looking up. He is put into a program which can speed him up on his way out of Progress. But, there are people who are jealous, and are trying to stop him by attacking his weak points: his friends and his protectiveness. Lockdown is a great book about survival and hard choices. It has just the right emotional atmosphere that suits a harsh environment like a prison facility perfectly. The characters seem realistic, and the events and setting mirror those in modern day society. I recommend this book for people who enjoy fiction about modern life, specifically the struggles of not-so-well off people. This book brings out questions about social justice and morals, for anyone who is interested in those kinds of themes.

Reviewed Jerica D., age 9

Calvin Coconut loves dogs and wants his own. But his Mom won’t let him because she thinks the babysitter is allergic and Calvin too irresponsible. Calvin, along with his Mom’s boyfriend, thinks up a plan that makes everyone happy. This book is very funny.

Reviewed by Jahnavi C.

“Boys, Girls, and Other Hazardous Materials”, by Rosalind Wiseman, is a delightful and intriguing coming-of-age book for girls. Charlotte Healey, also known as Charlie, is entering Harmony Falls High School on a fresh start—trying to forget her horrific middle school years, all the catty drama from her ex-friends. Now that she has decided to make the kind of friends she actually wants, high school seems like it’ll be easy, right? Wrong. Although Charlie makes friends that actually care about her, from spunky, outgoing Sydney to quiet, sweet Nidhi, she didn’t count on there being so much boy drama. As she goes through high school, going through the stages of crushing, loving, and hating, she doesn’t realize how on the surface, none of this matters. Underneath the preppy, “perfect” Harmony Falls school, something is happening, something unmentionable and horrible—something that is happening closer to Charlie herself. It is up to her to unmask it, and fix a school that has been wrong for so long. Full of laughs, love, and life, “Boys, Girls, and Other Hazardous Materials” wraps you into the world of a “normal” teenager life—while making between-the-line points about the teenage hierarchy today. Written by Rosalind Wiseman, who has also authored “Queen Bees and the Wannabees” (the foundation for the movie Mean Girls), this book is an amazing read for teenage girls who want a book that expresses their own life. Recommended for readers aged 13 +, for some teen issues such as drinking and disturbing bullying.

Reviewed by Jerica D., age 9

Celeste is a funny basket-making mouse. She is always trying to find a safe place to live. Along the way, she has many adventures and makes new friends. This book is about finding friends and the true meaning of having a home. I enjoyed the charcoal drawings and the exciting journey of Celeste.

The seventh installment to the Ranger’s Apprentice series, Erak’s Ransom, is just as great and action-packed as the previous books in the series.  In Erak’s Ransom, Erak, Oberjarl of Skandia, and friend of the kingdom of Araulen, is kidnapped by a band of desert peoples and is held for ransom.  Word of this reaches Araulen, and a group is sent to rescue him, including rangers Will and Halt, and the Princess of Araulen.  They travel to the place where Erak is held in hopes of coming to a peaceful solution, but things get more complicated when Erak mysteriously disappears.  But as a new enemy shows his face, allegiances will change…  Just like the previous books, John Flanagan has done a marvelous job of telling this story.  Everything is depicted amazingly well, from the characters to the environments.  I recommend this book for middle readers, as well as young adults who are interested in medieval fiction.  I give it a 9 out of 10.

Reviewed by Jerica D.

Faolan is a wolf pup abandoned because of a splayed paw.  This pup bends the rules and survives against the odds.  He is raised by a she-bear who loves him as her own.  When she dies he is again alone and must try to rejoin a wolf pack.  I liked this book because the author takes real facts and turns them into fiction.  The author uses very descriptive words so that you can picture the scenes clearly in your head.  A good read if you like wild animals, the outdoors, and adventures.

Reviewed by Lindsey Z.

Fifteen-year-old Kat has a not-so-normal life. She helps out her dad at work whenever he is planning to rob an art gallery. Kat decides that she doesn’t want that kind of life anymore, so she leaves to attend boarding school. She is enjoying life there when she finds out that her dad is in big trouble. A mobster blames him for stealing several priceless pieces of art from his collection. She visits her dad and finds out that he didn’t steal them. The mobster has given Kat and her dad a two week deadline for returning the paintings that they don’t have. Her dad is being followed by the police, so it is up to her. She must find out who stole the paintings, where they hid them, and how to steal them back before time runs out.

Reviewed by Robin T.

Are you looking for a quick, entertaining read? If you like entertaining stories accompanied by inventive quizzes, then this is the book for you, because you control the story! Of course, you can read every engaging possibility if you so choose, or you can try to find out what the personality quizzes say about you? The possibilities are plentiful. I recommend this involving read for ages 9 to 12.