Friday, December 31, 2021
Friday, December 24, 2021
Friday, December 17, 2021
Wednesday, December 15, 2021
Tuesday, December 14, 2021
Throwback Review - Let Me Hear a Rhyme
Throwback Book Review
Miss. Amanda still thinks you should read this!
📖Recommend for Grades 8 and up📖
by Tiffany Jackson
Steph is gone. Killed before he could have the music career he dreamed of, that his two best friends and sister feel he should have had. But who says the world can’t hear Steph’s music? Using tracks Steph recorded before his death, Quadir and Jarrell hatch a plan to share and promote the songs under the alias The Architect. They enlist Steph’s sister Jasmine to help and before they know it Steph’s music is circling the neighborhood. As time goes on, the three realize that keeping their secret may not be so easy.
Set in the ’90s not long after the death of Tupac and Biggie Smalls, this book is a love letter to Brooklyn and Rap Music. The story alternates between Quadir, Jarrell, and Jasmine’s narration as well as insights from Steph’s perspective prior to his death. Readers won’t know where the story is going and what will happen with the secret our main trio is keeping. This book is a must-read for many.
Friday, December 10, 2021
Wednesday, December 8, 2021
Tuesday, December 7, 2021
Throwback Book Review - 10 Blind Dates
📖Recommend for Grades 9 and up📖
by Ashley Elston
When Sophie walks in on her boyfriend Griffin discussing breaking up with her, she is heartbroken. Thankfully she has a built-in escape as she is spending the holidays at her grandparents’ house. To help Sophie’s broken heart, her Nonna thinks Sophie should go on some dates. Ten dates, to be exact, with the guy and activity selected by one of the members of her large family. Some she won’t have to worry about, such as her cousin Sara’s and her other cousin Olivia’s pick. In contrast, her evil cousin Jo’s and crazy Aunt Patrice’s are unknowns. Then Griffin pops up, asking for forgiveness so it should be simple, but reconnecting with the boy next door throughout the process makes it complicated.
It doesn’t have to be the holidays to enjoy this fun and entertaining read. Some parts of the story are corny but easy to forgive. While Sophie’s dates play a significant role in the story, it is also about her growth over her time there and reconnecting with her large family. Readers will enjoy finding out who her dates are, what the activity is, and just how it goes.
Friday, December 3, 2021
Wednesday, December 1, 2021
Tuesday, November 30, 2021
Throwback Book Review
Throwback Book Review
Miss. Amanda still thinks you should read this!
📖Recommend for Grades 6 and up📖
Awkward
by Svetlana Chmakova
by Svetlana Chmakova
On the first day at a new school, Penelope pushes away school nerd Jamie who was just trying to help her. Now every time she sees him things are a little awkward as she still hasn’t apologized despite wanting to. When the school Art Club, which Penelope is a part of, and the Science Club, which Jamie is in, find themselves in a war things get even more awkward.
Anybody who has ever done anything stupid that they want to, but too embarrassed to, apologize for will find themselves relating to Penelope. She is a very realistic character dealing with social anxiety.
Friday, November 26, 2021
Wednesday, November 24, 2021
Tuesday, November 23, 2021
Throwback Book Review - Dear Martin
Throwback Book Review
Miss. Amanda still thinks you should read this!
📖Recommended for Grades 9 and up📖
by Nic Stone
The cop didn’t care that Justyce was a good kid and Ivy League bound. All he saw was the color of his skin, landing Justyce in handcuffs. In order to deal with his struggles of race inequality today, Justyce turns to the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., writing letters to the late activist to look for answers and explain how the events happening in the world today, are shaping him.
Wonderful and relevant, this is a book not to be missed. Justyce is a character all readers will love, admire and feel for. The supporting characters are an intriguing bunch filled with both likable and unlikable characters. The unlikable characters are supposed to be such though, and an important aspect of this story.
The cop didn’t care that Justyce was a good kid and Ivy League bound. All he saw was the color of his skin, landing Justyce in handcuffs. In order to deal with his struggles of race inequality today, Justyce turns to the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., writing letters to the late activist to look for answers and explain how the events happening in the world today, are shaping him.
Wonderful and relevant, this is a book not to be missed. Justyce is a character all readers will love, admire and feel for. The supporting characters are an intriguing bunch filled with both likable and unlikable characters. The unlikable characters are supposed to be such though, and an important aspect of this story.
Friday, November 19, 2021
Wednesday, November 17, 2021
Tuesday, November 16, 2021
Book Review - They'll Never Catch Us
📖Recommend for Grades 10 and up📖
by Jessica Goodman
Cross-country runners and sisters Stella and Ellie Steckler are determined to get scholarships to help them get out of their town. After events that unfolded last season, it looks like a scholarship may be out for Stella, but Ellie still has a shot. That is until a new girl, and star runner Mia joins the team. When she disappears, all eyes are on the Steckler sisters as suspects.
Alternating between Stella and Ellie’s perspectives, this book is part sports story, part mystery, and part suspense. It is also just as much about the sisters as it is about what happened to Mia. Readers aren’t likely to predict what is revealed but will have fun trying to guess. Warning, this book is a tad slow to start, but worth it in the end, if you can stick through it.
Friday, November 12, 2021
Wednesday, November 10, 2021
Tuesday, November 9, 2021
Book Review - White Smoke
📖Recommend for Grades 8 and up📖
by Tiffany D. Jackson
Marigold’s mom has accepted a new job with a Sterling Foundation that comes with a free house in the midwestern city of Cedarville. So now the family, including Mari’s younger brother Sammy, new stepfather, and new stepsister Piper, lives in a newly renovated house, surrounded by many abandoned boarded-up houses. Mari should be excited to run from her problems back home, but this home comes with new issues. The house appears to be haunted, as many bizarre things happen. The more time the family stays in the house, the more danger they find themselves.
This story may be Jackson’s first horror novel, but it still has the same Jackson vibe. Readers will be engaged in this wild ride and have no idea what will happen next. Mari is an unreliable narrator, and that really works in this story. If you are looking to get into horror, this is an excellent place to start.
Friday, November 5, 2021
Wednesday, November 3, 2021
Tuesday, November 2, 2021
Book Review - Instructions for Dancing
📖Recommend for Grades 8 and up📖
Instructions for Dancing
by Nicola Yoon
After her parent's divorce, Evie Thomas no longer believes in love. However, she feels justified in her belief after the strangest thing happens one day. After seeing couples kiss, she gets visions of their relationships, leading right up to how they end. It all started when Evie found a ballroom dancing book that led her to a studio where the opportunity to take lessons occurs. Her partner is the owner's grandson, called X, and while Evie doesn't plan to fall for him, that appears to be happening.
If you're not a fan of fantasy, you're in luck because this isn't fantasy. It is magical realism, as the only unbelievable part is Evie's visions. The characters are all likable and feel real (ignoring the vision part). Evie and X's budding romance is the core of the story. Still, Evie's family drama, and her relationship with her friends, are also significant to the story. Oh, and without spoiling too much, you might want to have tissues on hand once you hit the second part of this book.
by Nicola Yoon
After her parent's divorce, Evie Thomas no longer believes in love. However, she feels justified in her belief after the strangest thing happens one day. After seeing couples kiss, she gets visions of their relationships, leading right up to how they end. It all started when Evie found a ballroom dancing book that led her to a studio where the opportunity to take lessons occurs. Her partner is the owner's grandson, called X, and while Evie doesn't plan to fall for him, that appears to be happening.
If you're not a fan of fantasy, you're in luck because this isn't fantasy. It is magical realism, as the only unbelievable part is Evie's visions. The characters are all likable and feel real (ignoring the vision part). Evie and X's budding romance is the core of the story. Still, Evie's family drama, and her relationship with her friends, are also significant to the story. Oh, and without spoiling too much, you might want to have tissues on hand once you hit the second part of this book.
Friday, October 29, 2021
Wednesday, October 27, 2021
Tuesday, October 26, 2021
Book Review - Feed
📖Recommend for Grades 8 and up📖
by M.T. Anderson
Reviewed by Scared Heart Academy 9th Grader Michelle V.
The feed is a computer chip put in your brain at a young age. Link meets a girl named Violet who soon becomes his girlfriend. She didn’t get the feed early, so it is messing with her body. As more problems unravel, she becomes less and less well.
It was good but very confusing. The feed ads kept on interfering with the actual book so I could barely tell what was real and what was an ad.
Friday, October 22, 2021
Wednesday, October 20, 2021
Tuesday, October 19, 2021
Book Review - The Hobbit
📖Recommend for Grades 9 and up📖
Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf, and the dwarves set out on an adventure to get the dwarves kingdom back from an evil dragon. But they have a few problems along the way.
It was a very long book. But, it was interesting because day after day they were on that mission there was always someone standing in their way. Whether it was goblins, wolves, or a giant evil dragon they still found a way out alive.
Friday, October 15, 2021
Wednesday, October 13, 2021
Tuesday, October 12, 2021
Book Review - The Ivies
📖Recommend for Grades 10 and up📖
by Alexa Donne
The Ivy League, also known as The Ivies, are eight prestigious universities in the North East United States. At Claflin Academy, The Ivies are also five girls who would do anything to get into an Ivy League Schools. When ringleader Avery gets rejected from Harvard, the student she believes took her spot suddenly turns up dead. Olivia is one of the Ivies and was also accepted to Harvard but knows better than to share that information. She suspects Avery and her friends may be behind the murder, and she is determined to prove whether it was them or not.
The story is told from Olivia’s point of view, and readers discover the book’s many twists and turns as she does. The characters are a mixed bag of likable and not, and Olivia is thankfully not painful to spend the whole book with. If you’re looking for a good mystery-thriller novel, this is one to highly consider.
Friday, October 8, 2021
Wednesday, October 6, 2021
Tuesday, October 5, 2021
Book Review - Speak
📖Recommend for Grades 8 and up📖
by Laurie Halse Anderson
Reviewed by Scared Heart Academy 9th Grader Michelle V.
Melina Sordino is a high school freshman who is hated by many people. She keeps quiet because she is scared of anyone not believing her. If only they knew.
I thought this was a great book. It spread awareness of the situation. Some people don’t want to say what happened because they are afraid of no one believing them.
Monday, October 4, 2021
Read Woke
Join your Uniondale Librarians and Read Woke!
"Read Woke is a movement.
It is a feeling. It is a style. It is a form of education.
It is a call to action; it is our right as lifelong learners.
It means arming yourself with knowledge
in order to better protect your rights."
- Cicely Lewis, Founder
Friday, October 1, 2021
Wednesday, September 29, 2021
Tuesday, September 28, 2021
Not a Book Review
📖Recommend for ALL📖
You're probably looking for this week's book review right now.
Well, this week is Banned Books Week which celebrates the freedom to read.
I wanted to not include a review this week to show to you what it would be like if the book I was going to review was challenged and maybe even banned from the library.
So instead of a review, check out some information.
Sunday, September 26, 2021
Friday, September 24, 2021
Wednesday, September 22, 2021
Tuesday, September 21, 2021
Book Review - Blackout
📖Recommend for Grades 9 and up📖
Blackout
by Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Ashley Woodfolk, Angie Thomas, and Nicola Yoon
Six interconnected short stories written by six talented best-selling authors. When a blackout hits New York City, black teen love starts to shine. From two teens on a long walk from Manhattan to Brooklyn to two more helping out in an elderly home, to more. Things change when the lights go out.
Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Ashley Woodfolk, Angie Thomas, and Nicola Yoon are the brilliant minds behind this book. While Clayton, Stone, Woodfolk, Thomas, and Yoon all have one-and-done short stories, Stone’s story is broken into chapters woven throughout the book, helping bring them all together. Each story is fabulous on its own, but together, they’re phenomenal. The characters in the book are all Black teens but vary in gender and sexuality. While, at its heart, the story is a romance, there is some humor thrown in. This book is one you can’t go wrong reading.
Friday, September 17, 2021
Wednesday, September 15, 2021
Tuesday, September 14, 2021
Peer Book Review - The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle
📖Recommend for Grades 7 and up📖
by Avi
Reviewed by Lorymar M. High School for Community Leadership 12th GraderThis book is written from the point of view of Charlotte Doyle and what she went through as she was pushed out of her comfort zone. She learns new things every day about life aboard a ship crossing from England to America. While on that ship Charlotte is exposed to new and different things; things that she wasn't supposed to see or hear and eventually will cost her.
The thing I liked most about this book is that it was vividly narrated and I was able to imagine every scene in my mind. The way the author wrote this book almost made me feel like I was there. I also liked the terror and fear caused by the setting in the book.
Friday, September 10, 2021
Wednesday, September 8, 2021
Tuesday, September 7, 2021
Peer Book Review - The Outsiders
📖Recommend for Grades 7 and up📖
by S.E. Hinton
Reviewed by Baldwin HS 10th Grader Asiyyah M.This book is about a gang in Tulsa Oklahoma back in the 1960s. Two members who are close Johnny and Ponyboy end up killing a gang member on the Soc which are their enemy. Then they both run away in fear of being caught by the police for murder.
What I liked about the book was that the characters were great and the names were easy to remember and they each had their own personality's. I also liked the character development in some of the character. What I disliked about the book is that the movie was detailed more than the book.
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