Pasadena Public Library
Review by Hadley Willman, grade 11 Future Shock by Elizabeth Briggs Not to be confused with the famous 1970 novel of the same name, Future Shock is a story about Elena Martinez, a foster child just a few months away from turning eighteen, being kicked out of the system, and forced to […]
Review by Jacob Chon, grade 9 The Lord of Opium by Nancy Farmer A land of Opium, dedicated to growing drugs, is established in a strip of land between Mexico and America. One hundred years after the establishment of the country Opium, a clone named Matt is born. His life consists […]
Review by McKenna Blackshire, grade 8 Utawarerumono by Leaf Utawarerumono, much like the classic anime Fruit Baskets, explores the nature of humans with animal characteristics and features. The anime introduces many characters to the audience, but manages to individualize them enough for you to recognize them and get a sense […]
Review by Elisabeth Eubank, grade 12 Utawarerumono by Leaf In episodes six to ten of Utawarerumono, we watched Hakuoro rally men around him, attacking the imperial city and gaining the role as emperor after his former adversary Benawi kills the former emperor in an act of valor. Onkami visits the new […]
Review by John Chon, grade 9 Independent Study by Joelle Charbonneau summary: In the second installment of The Testing, by Joelle Charbonneau, Malencia Vale, known as Cia by her friends, is a freshman in college. She is struggling with the class she was placed in, Government, which is not her […]
Review By John Chon, grade 9 The Roar by Emma Clayton Summary: In the book, The Roar, people live in a dystopian world, where they live inside of walls to stay away from radioactive dust. The entire planet was destroyed because people were trying to kill savage animals. The story […]
Review by Jacob Chon, grade 9 The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau Summary: In a world after chemical bombing and total warfare has decimated the globe, Malencia Vale, daughter of an agricultural scientist, is chosen for the Testing, a government program that is made to find the next leaders of the […]
Review by Jacob Chon, grade 9 The House of Scorpion by Nancy Farmer Summary: For many years the Scholar nation has been controlled and abused by the Martial Empire. A young Scholar named Laia is forced to watch her grandparents killed and her brother jailed for drawing weapons. She flees […]
Book Club recap by Kara Eng, grade 12 The Crown’s Game by Evelyn Skye Summary: Vika Andreyeva can summon the snow and turn ash into gold. Nikolai Karimov can see through walls and conjure bridges out of thin air. They are the only enchanters in Russia, and when the Ottoman Empire […]
Review, author interview, & book club recap by Kara Eng, grade 12 Static by Eric Laster Static puts a twist on death. Instead of seeing dead people, Curtis Brooks talks to them, or at least just his brother. After his brother, Wilt, dies in a suspicious car accident, Curt starts receiving […]