a man stands alone in the center aisle of a damaged, sunlit church with broken pews and debris, featured in the "god's not dead: a light in darkness" movie poster.

Reviewer: My name is Enzo. I’m in 12th grade.

Enzo rated it a 4!

  1. Could barely finish it…how did this even get published?!
  2. Wish I didn’t bother
  3. Pretty entertaining
  4. Really good. Glad I borrowed it.
  5. Loved this so much I want more just like it!

Summary: After a church burning down Dave hill goes to his brother for help. His brother being a atheist and a lawyer helps him with a court case he fights. The court case is also being filed be Dave’s long time friend.

Review: It’s a good movie> the dynamic between Dave’s brother, the church rebuild, and the court case is great to see. Not only do legal battles happen so do physical altercations.

a person peers intensely from above, while below, a woman stands near a dilapidated house and a blue car; the book title reads "the agony house.

Reviewer: My name is Enzo. I’m in 12th grade.

Enzo rated it a 2!

  1. Could barely finish it…how did this even get published?!
  2. Wish I didn’t bother
  3. Pretty entertaining
  4. Really good. Glad I borrowed it.
  5. Loved this so much I want more just like it!

Summary: Denise and her family come back to restore their house after hurricane Katrina. They end up turning their broken down house into a bed and breakfast. They come across strange issues doing the process of building it back up.

Review: It was alright didn’t enjoy it as much as other books. One of the intense moments were the strange voice and sound they head throughout the house. Dangerous accidents also occurred in the house leading to the voices which explained it but was the entire plot so it was lackluster.

movie poster for "the flowers of war" featuring christian bale's face, two women, and a group of people walking amidst a war torn backdrop with fire and ruins.

Reviewer: My name is Enzo. I’m in 12th grade.

Enzo rated it a 3!

  1. Could barely finish it…how did this even get published?!
  2. Wish I didn’t bother
  3. Pretty entertaining
  4. Really good. Glad I borrowed it.
  5. Loved this so much I want more just like it!

Summary: An American missionary is protecting schoolgirls. He’s protecting them from an infamous Japanese massacre. They find shelter at a church but is not enough to protect them all.

Review: It was alright movie. It ended with the sacrifice of them attending the part instead of the schoolgirls which was the peak of the movie for me. Its based off the Nanjing massacre so its a historical movie which makes it even better.

four people stand in jungle attire with a helicopter and mountain in the background. the title "jumanji: welcome to the jungle" is displayed above them in bold letters.

Reviewer: My name is Enzo. I’m in 12th grade.

Enzo rated it a 5!

  1. Could barely finish it…how did this even get published?!
  2. Wish I didn’t bother
  3. Pretty entertaining
  4. Really good. Glad I borrowed it.
  5. Loved this so much I want more just like it!

Summary: A group of friends find a old game that was hidden and when they go to play it something strange happens. They get sucked into the game however its based off survival. Every friend is given strengths and weakness that either counteract or compare nicely with how the friends are in teal life. Since its a survival game they face dangerous paths filled with adventure and action.

Review: I loved this movie when i first watched it. Kevin hart made it funny and the rock helped with the fight scenes. The side characters were amazing with them finding the lost child that’s grown and has been stuck in the game. The villain was also a big thread with kept me interested during the movie.

black and white book cover of "the outsiders" by s. e. hinton, featuring a young man in a leather jacket looking down, with yellow and white text above.

Reviewer: My name is Enzo. I’m in 12th grade.

Enzo rated it a 3!

  1. Could barely finish it…how did this even get published?!
  2. Wish I didn’t bother
  3. Pretty entertaining
  4. Really good. Glad I borrowed it.
  5. Loved this so much I want more just like it!

Summary: Ponyboy being the main character we seen his journey throughout the process of being in a gang called the Greasers. We see what happens after they run into a rival gang resulting in Ponyboy and his friends getting beat up. We look how pony boy handled himself after the situation and how the friends right along side him get affected in different ways. This books mainly to show how the same situations can effect of different people.

Review: For a short read i enjoyed it quite a lot. I was surprised how in depth they went into the characters knowing they were going to right about something tragic happening to them later. Despite being in a gang the way they talked to each other showed me they were actually good people. Even with the violent reputation their gang has.

book cover of "wonder" by r.j. palacio, featuring a stylized illustration of a boy's face with the title "wonder" written over one eye and a yellow "#1 new york times bestseller" circle.

Reviewer: My name is Enzo. I’m in 12th grade.

Enzo rated it a 4!

  1. Could barely finish it…how did this even get published?!
  2. Wish I didn’t bother
  3. Pretty entertaining
  4. Really good. Glad I borrowed it.
  5. Loved this so much I want more just like it!

Summary: Wonder is about Auggie and the adaption he has to go through due to his deformity. He starts going to school and gets bullied which leads to a lot of his problems. He tries to shield himself from the bullying trying many different things and we wont stop trying until he does.

Review: I enjoyed the book more than i though i would. It was given to me as a school assignment and it impressed me by catching my interest. It made me pen my eyes to what others possibly experience and can open the eyes of a lot other.

Cartoon dog jumps to catch a stick above large red text reading "STICK!" and "ANDY PRITCHETT" on a yellow background with sunburst pattern.

Reviewer: Nate B. Grade 8

Nate rated it a 4!

  1. Could barely finish it…how did this even get published?!
  2. Wish I didn’t bother
  3. Pretty entertaining
  4. Really good. Glad I borrowed it.
  5. Loved this so much I want more just like it!

Summary: The plot of “Stick” is of a dog who loves playing with a wooden stick. The dog goes all around trying to find another animal to play with, but finds no one who wants to play with the stick. The other animals have other things that they like (mud, grass, etc.) and the dog is all alone. Finally, at the end of the book, the dog finds another dog to play with the stick together and all of the other animals join in.

Review: “Stick!” is a very good book for almost anyone under the age of 8. With large, bold words, (and very few of them too) it is a simple plot to follow for young readers and and is easy to read. I read this book to my 1-year old brother, and loved it. With large pictures and few words, you can really focus on emotion while reading and the sounds that the different animals make. By the end, he was laughing his head off, and I was too. It can be a bit boring / monotonous for older readers, but is a very good book nonetheless.

Book cover titled "Wilderness Survival Guide: Practical Skills for the Outdoor Adventurer" by Jason Marsteiner, with a blue background and yellow text.

Reviewer: Nate B. Grade 8

Nate rated it a 5!

  1. Could barely finish it…how did this even get published?!
  2. Wish I didn’t bother
  3. Pretty entertaining
  4. Really good. Glad I borrowed it.
  5. Loved this so much I want more just like it!

Summary: This book doesn’t have a “plot” per se, but it definitely comes alive with figurative language. As you read, learn the 7 major categories of survival: prep, gear, learning the land, the basics, living off the land, navigation, and first aid. It is explained simply and it is easy to grasp and remember what the guide is trying to say.

Review: I love this book, and I enjoyed reading it very much. It is the perfect book for anyone who loves the outdoors, especially scouts. It covers a wide variety of topics and is very useful, especially as I am working on the Wilderness Survival merit badge. It is very informative and a great read.

Book cover of "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins, featuring a gold mockingjay pin with an arrow on a black background with white and red text.

Reviewer: Nate B. Grade 8

Nate rated it a 5!

  1. Could barely finish it…how did this even get published?!
  2. Wish I didn’t bother
  3. Pretty entertaining
  4. Really good. Glad I borrowed it.
  5. Loved this so much I want more just like it!

Summary: Join Katniss Everdeen through her life in District 12 in the country of Panem. Watch as she competes in the famed Hunger Games, surviving (or not) against 23 other teens in an ultimate fight to the death. Will Katniss make it out, surviving and being the victim of the games, or will she die a gruesome death at the hands of another?.

Review: I really liked this book, as I read it in school. I had great difficulty even setting this book down, as it is a very captivating story with plenty of cliffhangers. This book is definitely gauged toward an older audience, as it can be gruesome at times and deal with more mature topics. I would recommend this book for kids 10+, as it can be scary and / or too intense for young readers. Overall a very good book, and it made me want to read more from this series. It is very fun while reading, however, to think about the interpersonal relationships between the players, and even what other people might be doing when you only get to see Katniss’s perspective.

The cover of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" by Ken Kesey, featuring the title in bold, colorful letters on a muted background.

Reviewer: My name is KK. I’m a senior.

KK rated it a 4!

  1. Could barely finish it…how did this even get published?!
  2. Wish I didn’t bother
  3. Pretty entertaining
  4. Really good. Glad I borrowed it.
  5. Loved this so much I want more just like it!

Summary: Chief Bromden is pretending to be deaf and “dumb” to survive his stay in an asylum with the horrible Nurse Ratched and her underlings. Nobody has the guts to stand up to her, except for new arrival Patrick McMurphy. Chief Bromden roots for and observes McMurphy and his efforts to upsurp the unfair rule plaging the asylum and its inhabitants.

Review: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest transports the reader back in time to fear the worst an asylum can offer: electro shock therapy, lobotomies, and self-isolation. It also reveals some of the best an asylum can offer: the power of being perceived as crazy and patient’s having a active role in their own treatments. This book is best summarized by Scalon’s favorite saying, “Damned if you do, damned if you don’t.”.

Book cover of "Teen Titans: Beast Boy" by Kami Garcia and Gabriel Picolo, featuring an illustrated young man with green hair and animal-like green hands.

Reviewer: My name is SC. I’m in 8th grade.

SC rated it a 5!

  1. Could barely finish it…how did this even get published?!
  2. Wish I didn’t bother
  3. Pretty entertaining
  4. Really good. Glad I borrowed it.
  5. Loved this so much I want more just like it!

Summary: Garfield Logan is a highschooler who is currently very focused on being noticed by other people before he graduates. After discontinuing to take strange pills that are given to him by his parents, he starts realizing that he’s gained animalistic and superhuman qualities. His newfound abilities help a video of him go viral, and he ends up becoming rather popular with people.

Review: I enjoyed this book. Personally, I like the modern take on an older superhero who’s gone through various versions over years.It’s a good, short read and I would recommend it to anyone interested in the Teen Titans franchise.

Book cover for "Pumpkin" by Julie Murphy, featuring a person in a tuxedo with a rainbow belt and red heels striking a pose on a pink background. The tagline reads, "This year, prom's a drag.

Reviewer: My name is SC. I’m in 8th grade.

SC rated it a 5!

  1. Could barely finish it… how did this even get published?!
  2. Wish I didn’t bother
  3. Pretty entertaining
  4. Really good. Glad I borrowed it.
  5. Loved this so much I want more just like it!

Summary: Waylon is an openly gay highschooler in a small Texas town. After being dumped by his situationship, and watching his favorite queen lose in his favorite drag television show, he is driven to make an audition as a queen for the upcoming season. After his audition tape is leaked to the entire school, he is jokingly nominated for prom queen by students. He decides to embrace the nomination, and go to prom in full drag.

Review: I personally loved this book. It was a quick and simple read, yet it kept my attention the entire time. I enjoy how relatable the characters are. I would definitely read this book again, and would like to see more books like it.

Book cover of "Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library" by Chris Grabenstein, featuring silhouettes of children, books, and a game wheel against a colorful, playful background.

Reviewer: Nate B. Grade 8.

Nate rated it a 5!

  1. Could barely finish it… how did this even get published?!
  2. Wish I didn’t bother
  3. Pretty entertaining
  4. Really good. Glad I borrowed it.
  5. Loved this so much I want more just like it!

Summary: Join 12-year old Kyle Keeley and his friends explore their town’s new library. Sponsored by famed game designer Luigi Lemoncello, who knows what lies inside Alexandriaville’s new library? Watch as they work together, betray their friends, and do whatever it takes to escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s library.

Review: I think very highly of this book. I originally read it in either the 4th or 5th grade, and I have always returned to it. The chapters are relatively short, and are great for reading with a child. If you are contemplating watching the movie, definitely read the book first, as the movie leaves out many details. For my fellow book nerds, try to solve the puzzles and think about what you would do in this situation. It’s incredibly hard to put down, and is a great book for children of almost any age. If you like this book, you might also like the sequel, Mr. Lemoncello’s Library Olympics, also by Chris Grabenstein..

Book cover of "It Ends With Us" by Colleen Hoover, featuring bold pink text over a wooden background with shattered pink flowers.

Reviewer: I am V.A. and I am going into 9th grade.

V.A. rated it a 5!

  1. Could barely finish it…..how did this even get published?!
  2. Wish I didn’t bother
  3. Pretty entertaining
  4. Really good. Glad I borrowed it.
  5. Loved this so much I want more just like it!

Summary: A young girl named Lily moves from Maine to Boston to start living her dreams of owning a flower shop. She falls in love with a neurosurgeon named Ryle. After starting this relationship with him her first love Atlas comes along and seems to get in between her relationship with Ryle.

Review: I really loved this book. I felt like many people would get smiles out of the book but would also get many tears from it. It is romance but also focuses on a very heavy topic abuse. I feel like it shows the sides of many relationships that people won’t talk about but also shows the really good sides of relationships like the bonding moments…I felt like if someone who was sensitive to the topic of abuse this book would be really hard to read.