Life is already tough enough for 14-year old Tom Tin living in London in the early 19th century. After his younger sister drowns and his mother is terribly depressed, they have to move yet again due to unfortunate circumstances that keep his father from getting a job. Seems like Mr. Goodfellow is really quite a bad fellow who is responsible for most of the awful things happening including Tom's father being taken to debtor's prison. As sad as all this is, it is only the beginning of the torment and misery that comes Tom's way when he is unjustly arrested for murder and sentenced to 7-years. As a convict Tom befriends a young 10-year old boy and fights to keep them both safe on the prison ship. Readers will be spellbound as the daily struggles unfold and Tom plans his escape. The tale continues with The Cannibals followed by The Castaways.

Similar authors: Anthony Horowitz

Similar books: Alex Rider series

Reviewed by: adf

Date read: 12/22/2009

ISBN-10: 038573087X

ISBN-13: 9780385730877

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During World War II, a father is in the army and the mother has to work, so a five-year-old boy is sent to stay with his grandmother, who works as a cook for a road-building crew in northern Minnesota. At first, his day consists of long stretches of quiet as he tries to amuse himself, only to have the peace invaded by the crew of large, loud, good-natured men, who inhale great amounts of food, ruffle the boy's hair, and then get back to work. The boy ultimately gets over his shyness when they take him out to work with them, and let him ride in the big trucks.

Reviewed by: sc

Date read: 4/29/2009

ISBN-10: 0531085279

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Chris is an incredible ice skater: he's been taking figure skating lessons all his life. But figure skating isn't fun anymore, and Chris knows he's not good enough to become an Olympic athlete. When he notices hockey tryouts at the rink where he skates, he decides he'll give hockey a shot. It seems like everything's against him: Chris is small for his age, his mother thinks hockey is dangerous, and he's never played before. Will he make the team, or just embarrass himself? Does he have what it takes to be a hockey player?

Reviewed by: sc

Date read: 8/18/2009

ISBN-10: 0316135208

ISBN-13: 9780316135207

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'Coolies' by Yin is an historical accounting of the Chinese contribution to the building of the transcontinental railroad in the United States of America in the mid-1800's. Beautifully told through the eyes of Shek and his little brother Wong, the author is able to describe the immense prejudice, (being called Coolies), the grueling and dangerous working conditions, and the poor pay that the Chinese workers were subjected to. Through the realistic illustrations of Chris Soentipiet, we are told the story of the enormous contribution and sacrifice made by many Chinese workmen in the building of a railroad and in the expansion of the United States.

Similar authors: Laurence Yep; Lila Perl; Karen Hesse, Gwendolyn Battle-Lavert; Eve Bunting; Shirin Yim Bridges

Similar books: The Transcontinental Railroad by John Perritano; Dragon's Gate by Laurence Yep; To the Golden Mountain: The Story of the Chinese who Built the Transcontinental Railroad by Lila Perl; Pop's Bridge by Eve Bunting; Papa's Mark by Gwendolyn Battle-Lavert

Reviewed by: mb

Date read: 7/27/2011

ISBN-10: 0399232273

ISBN-13: 9780399232275

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Coraline and her parents have just moved into a new house. The neighbors are extremely odd but friendly: one neighbor trains mice, and two elderly neighbors give her tea and read her fortune. Despite this she is terribly bored, especially since her parents aren't paying any attention to her. Coraline discovers that there is an empty space in the building next to her apartment, and becomes curious about it. When she finally figures out how to get through the door to the other side, she finds herself in a strange new world. It is awfully like her world, but not quite right. At first it seems great, with delicious foods, marvelous toys, and attentive new parents who look just like her regular parents but have shiny black buttons for eyes. The new parents want her to stay. They want to change her, but she decides to leave. Unfortunately, it is not that simple. There are other children trapped there too, and Coraline must use her wits and anything else she can find to free them all and get back to her ordinary life. This book is a great, spooky adventure that will keep you on the edge of your seat!

Similar authors: Garth Nix; China Mieville; Lewis Carroll

Similar books: M is for Magic by Neil Gaiman; Troubletwisters by Garth Nix and Sean Williams; Un Lun Dun by China Mieville; Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll

Reviewed by: lauraf

Date read: 5/9/2012

ISBN-10: 0380977788

ISBN-13: 9780380977789

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