Review: Happyface by Stephen Emond

Happyface by Stephen Emond Happyface is the journal and sketchbook of a boy about to start the tenth grade. When catastrophe strikes his family, he and his mom move to a new city and a new school. There, he takes on an experiment. An experiment to be well-liked and popular like he never was before. To do this, he must be happy; happy people are fun to be around. Some of his new friends dub him “Happyface,” and the name sticks. Happyface must deal with the hurts in his past while reinventing himself. When he meets Gretchen, the girl of his dreams, one of his major goals becomes getting a date with her. While making friends and having fun with his new identity, Happyface must eventually be honest with himself and come to terms with his past. Happyface continues trying to hide his old self from his new friends (especially Gretchen), but these things tend to come back to bite you.

Happyface is written in a journal/sketchbook style. Happyface writes candidly about his life, and illustrates his experiences with very detailed drawings. Occasionally, the story itself slips into a comic book style as Happyface makes his drawings have dialogue. In his drawings, Happyface sketches everyone else beautifully with great detail, but draws himself as a stick figure with a happy face. Happyface’s real name is also never mentioned throughout the story, which lends an interesting dynamic to his character. He wants to be known as “Happyface,” nothing else. This is a fun, easy read that will amuse fans of romantic fiction.

~ Kristen

note from the librarian: Happyface isn't in our catalogue yet but you can request it through Interlibrary Loan or check out Stephen Emond's other title, Winter Town.

Review: The Princess and the Goblin

The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald

I was feeling a bit nostalgic and decided to pick up this book that I read several years ago. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was as interesting to read now as it was back then. Princess Irene lives in a land where goblins are a constant threat. As a result, she lives in a fairly remote part of the country, and her servants are ordered to never take her out past dark. One night, she and her nurse are accidentally caught outside after dark, and the goblins get a glimpse of Princess Irene. It is decided that she will be the new wife of the goblin prince. As the goblins go about trying to find ways to kidnap Irene, a poor miner, Curdie, hears their plans. Curdie makes it his mission to keep the princess safe, and inserts himself into an awful mess of trouble. Both Irene and Curdie must help one another get out of their predicaments before the goblins attack and carry them off for good.

This book has a fairy tale quality to it, which makes it seem as though the story ought to be familiar, even though it isn’t. I really enjoyed re-reading it, and I think that anyone who likes fantasy and fairy tales will enjoy a visit to their childhood with this book.

~Kristen

Review: Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

Tally Youngblood lives in a world where everyone is ugly until age sixteen, when they receive a special operation to turn them drop-dead pretty. Tally can’t wait for her birthday, but for now she must wait in Uglyville. She meets another Ugly named Shay, who is not eager to receive her operation and urges Tally to run away with her to a mystical place called the Smoke. Tally does not which to join her, but would rather receive the operation and become a Pretty for life. When she is caught up in a whirlwind of strange events, she must find her way to the Smoke alone. There, she meets a whole group of Uglies who want to stay that way. During her time with them, she starts to question why the City is so eager to turn everyone into a Pretty, and what changing her appearance will change in the rest of her life.

The Uglies, Pretties, Specials, and Extras books take place in a dystopian world set in futuristic North America. I would recommend them to anyone who enjoys books like The Hunger Games, as they have a similar feel to them. The government is in control of everything, and a group of young radicals is willing to risk everything to be free from tyranny. I really enjoy Uglies and could not put it down. Definitely a worthwhile read, but it takes a couple chapters before you really understand what if going on.

~Kristen

Review: Eragon by Christopher Paolini

Eragon by Christopher Paolini

In anticipation of the fourth and final book in the Inheritance Cycle coming out, I decided to reread all the books to refresh my memory. These books are incredibly awesome, and I would encourage lovers of the fantasy genre to read them, if you haven’t already. Everyone can enjoy these books, girls, young readers, adult readers, everyone.

Eragon finds a mysterious blue stone one day while hunting. Unsure what it is, he takes it home and keeps it. The stone hatches into a blue baby dragon, a creature that everyone in the Empire was sure had gone extinct. With the help of a strange village story-teller named Brom, Eragon learns as much as he can about the dragons of old. When he discovers that he is being hunted by their evil tyrant of a king, Galbatorix, Eragon flees his village with the dragon, which he has named Saphira, and Brom. Eragon learns that he has become part of an ancient order of Dragon Riders, who were wiped out by Galbatorix when he first came to power. Now it is Eragon and Saphira’s responsibility to use their position to help the people of the Empire rise and defeat Galbatorix. However, that will be a bit hard as there are no more living Riders to train them. Nevertheless, they must try to overthrow the corrupt government with the help of a myriad of people, from elves to dwarves to insane magicians.

~Kristen 

Review: She's So Dead to Us

She’s SoDead to Us by Kieran Scott

Allie has had a hard couple of years. Her dad lost all of their family’s money (and the money of a bunch of their friends) in a really bad investment, forcing them from their home. They left their town in a rush, and Allie thought that she would never return. She was wrong. Two years later, she is on her way back to her old home, her old school, and her old friends. Too bad all her friends blame Allie for her dad’s investment. She is completely shunned by all her old friends. The only one that is remotely nice is Jake, who currently lives in her old house. Meanwhile, all the rest of her old friends are determined to make her life miserable. If it’s not snide comments about Allie’s dad, or that she isn’t rich anymore, they are pranking her. They even go so far as to declare a few fake truces, and then stab her in the back again. Not to mention that former friend, Shannon, keeps threatening to tell a secret that Allie doesn’t want anyone to know. Ever. It’s going to be a long school year.

I enjoyed this book. It was fun to read. What I really liked was that the story was told from both Allie’s and Jake’s point of views. It was fun to see how they both reacted to a situation. This is a light-hearted read that is great for those days that you don’t want to be too serious. What was a bit confusing was the many sub-plots, but it was funny to find out specifically why everyone hates Allie. I definitely recommend this book.

~ Kristen

Review: Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

A plane full of Miss Teen Dream contestants crash lands on a deserted island. The fourteen survivors of the plane crash are left to try and survive by themselves using only their wits and suitcases full of evening gowns and eyelash curlers. Surprisingly, they manage to work out a system of survival, and always with a “Miss Teen Dream” flourish. Little do they know that their island is not deserted at all, but the home of secret headquarters for the Corporation. And the Corporation does not want fourteen teenage girls getting in the way of their plans. They will have to be done away with, but the Corporation has never had to face the fury of a Miss Teen Dream.

I loved this book. It was hilarious. I loved the characters, and how you got to know each of the fourteen girls separately. It’s a fun combination of pageant drama and survival. I would definitely recommend it to any girl (I don’t think the guys would be on board for this one). I just love the ingenious ways that the girls learn to survive. I would never have thought that there were so many uses for a can of hair spray.

~ Kristen

Review: Floating Islands by Rachel Neumeier

The Floating Islands by Rachel Neumeier

Trei, driven from his home on the mainland by a tragedy that killed his family, comes to the Floating Islands to stay with his remaining relatives. He is astounded by the islands that are kept afloat in the sky with the magic of sky dragons. Once he settles in with his family, Trei finds that he is able to be happy again. But then he sees the kajuraihi, an elite group of men that are given the ability to fly. Trei knows that he wants to become one of them. His uncle Serfei is able to secure him an audition, and Trei is given the opportunity to join the ranks of the kajuraihi. Araenè, Trei’s cousin, is jealous of him and the freedom he is given simply because he is a boy. However, she is happy for him at the same time. She wishes that she could have the freedom to choose how she lives her life. That freedom may be indeed given to Araenè, in a way that is entirely unexpected. She and Trei will have to help one another in a very difficult time, and both of their fates are uncertain.
The Floating Islands is a wonderful book. It has many of the elements typically found in a fantasy novel, but with a fresh perspective and the occasional twist that keeps things interesting. It is a fairly easy read, and exciting so that I was reluctant to put it down. My only complaint would be that the characters all have very similar and hard to pronounce names, so it was a bit confusing at times. However, once I got straight who was who, it was a very good story.

~ Kristen

(Floating Islands is available through Interlibrary Loan)

Review: The Big Crunch by Pete Hautman

The Big Crunch by Pete Hautman

June is a girl who moves around a lot because of her dad’s job. Wes is a boy who has lived in the same house his entire life. When June shows up at Wes’s school in September, they barely notice the other’s existence. June doesn’t like to get into serious relationships because she will be moving away soon anyways, so what’s the point. After a few random meetings around town, June finally decides to get serious with Wes. Shortly after, she finds out that she has to move yet again. Wes is unperturbed, and thinks they can continue a long-distance relationship. June is a bit more pessimistic about how things will work out, and seriously considers breaking up with him. Their relationship must grow and change to adapt to their situation.

I was a bit disappointed by this book. The synopsis said that “June and Wes do not ‘meet cute,’” but I found that they did. Their story was very typical and lacked originality. The plot took a long time to develop, and then it didn’t really go anywhere. Characters were introduced and soon discarded, so it was hard get into the book. The ending felt unfinished, and I think that there was so much that could have been added or changed to give it a better conclusion. I would not recommend this book very highly.

~Kristen

Review: Half-Brother by Kenneth Oppel

Half-Brother by Kenneth Oppel

Ben has just had to move from Toronto to Victoria, and leave his entire life behind. The reason behind the move? His dad switched jobs so that their family could participate in an experiment. An experiment that involves raising a baby chimp as a human. Ben is thrown into a life where he needs to treat Zan, the chimp, as his baby brother. They dress him up in clothes, give him toys, and even teach him sign language. Eventually, Ben grows to love Zan as a member of their family. However, baby chimps soon become adult chimps, and it becomes impossible to keep Zan in their house. Ben has to fight to prevent Zan from being locked up in a zoo, or worse, sent to a lab for animal testing. Will Ben be able to save his little brother?

I picked up Half Brother because it was by Kenneth Oppel, who wrote the Silverwing books, which I loved. This is very different, because it is realistic instead of fantasy, but I still enjoyed it. The story is told from Ben’s point of view, and it is interesting to see how his thoughts about Zan change throughout the story. I especially liked how, in the end, Ben went to great lengths to save Zan from a horrible life. It really emphasized the brotherly bond that grew between them. I would recommend this to all Kenneth Oppel fans, all animal lovers, and anyone who just wants a good story.

~ Kristen

Review: Jane by April Lindner

Jane was living a pretty normal life until her parents suddenly died, leaving her with absolutely nothing. In order to make ends meet, Jane drops out of college and takes a job as a nanny for a famous rock star, Nico Rathburn. Despite her best efforts, she finds that she is falling for her employer. The weird thing is, he seems incredibly interested in Jane too. While Jane is trying to figure out her new role in the Rathburn household, strange things begin to happen. Jane is unsure how, if at all, these events are connected to her arrival.

Jane is a modern retelling of the beloved classic, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë. I found it to be incredibly accurate to the original story, while still being completely relevant to today’s world. I think that it would be enjoyed by both people that know and love Jane Eyre, and by people who have never read it. As a fan of Jane Eyre, I thought the accuracy of the book was amazing. There were parts of the story that I didn’t think could be pulled off in the present day, but April Lindner did it. At the same time, Jane would still make perfect sense and be completely enjoyable for someone who doesn’t know the story of Jane Eyre. I would definitely recommend this book for fans of classic literature, and for those that just like a good romance.

~ Kristen

Kat's note: I really thought I ordered this but it's become obvious that I haven't so it should be in the catalog in the coming week. My bad.

Teen Review: The Gift by James Patterson

Witch & Wizard: The Gift by James Patterson and Ned Rust

Whit and Wisty Allgood are always on the run.  Since a horrible new government has come to power, all forms of creativity and personal expression have been forbidden. Whit and Wisty are in danger because they have been accused of being a witch and wizard, and are sentenced to death. While they are using their powers to help the underground Resistance movement, they are constantly being sought out by the leader of the government, The One Who Is The One. The One pursues Whit and Wisty in order to try and convince them to turn their powerful gifts over to him for his evil use. They are negotiated with, threatened, and even sent to a “school” that will supposedly convince them of the wisdom of relenting. Whit and Wisty must resist the power of The One and fight for the freedom of their world. But when events take a turn for the weird and one of their friends is working for The One, who can Whit and Wisty really trust anymore?

I am under the impression that a number of people did not enjoy the first book in this series, “Witch & Wizard,” because of the fast paced, super-short chapters and somewhat detached narration. However, I thoroughly enjoyed both books, possibly even because of the choppy style. When you take into consideration that the book is being narrated by two teenagers in a time of uncertainty and constant fear, you might find that the style actually fits the story quite well. Even if you don’t feel that way, I think that you will still enjoy the story. Overall, a wonderful book that ends in a nail-biting cliff-hanger.


~Kristen

Teen Review - Squeeze by Rachel Dunstan Muller

Squeeze by Rachel Dunstan Muller

Fifteen year old Byron has been an avid caver ever since he was nine. Most weekends are spent with his dad and brother exploring caves in British Columbia. Byron’s brother, Jesse, invites him to come along on a caving trip, along with Jesse’s roommate and girlfriend. The four set out to explore a cave, but it is incredibly dangerous. All members of the team must work together for an expedition to be successful. However, Jesse’s roommate, Cole, is being the opposite of cooperative. His recklessness puts them all in danger, and underground is not an awesome place to be putting your life at risk. Byron is left with the task of helping everyone get out of the cave safely, and it is not going to be easy.

I really enjoyed this book. It is full of adventure and action, and was hard to put down. It is quite a short, easy read, but it is still exciting. I learned a good deal about spelunking, because the book explains the meanings of a lot of terminology. Even though it only takes a little while to read, I found that it was definitely worthwhile. You’ll like this book if you like action and sports (Even if you don’t like sports, you’ll still enjoy it. I did). In case you were wondering, a “squeeze” is tunnel that is so small you need to crawl through it on your belly.

- Kristen

Kat's note: This title is on order but isn't in the catalog yet. Check back in a few weeks!

Teen Review - Airhead by Meg Cabot

Airhead by Meg Cabot

Emerson Watts is a pretty normal teenager. Sure, she isn’t interested in clothes or makeup, but why would she when playing computer games with her best friend, Christopher, is so much more fun. Little does Em know just how much her life is going to change. After a horrible accident that damages her body beyond repair, Em wakes up to find herself in the body of teenage model, Nikki Howard. Suddenly, Em has a new life, several boyfriends, and a modeling career. But being Nikki Howard is going to be a lot tougher than Em thinks. And keeping the secret of her true identity is going to be even harder.


I picked this book because it is by Meg Cabot, who wrote the Princess Diaries series. If you are a fan of the Princess Diaries, you will definitely like Airhead. It was really interesting to think about what it would be like to wake up in someone else’s body and have to adjust to a new life. Em is a really likable character, who is trying to balance her old life with her new body. I am definitely looking forward to reading the sequel “Being Nikki.” I really recommend this book.

- Kristen