Oak Lawn-Hometown Middle School Student Reviews

Black Duck by Robert S.
"Black Duck" by Janet Taylor Lisle is the story of a young boy who finds a dead man on the shores of his Rhode Island town, sending him deep into Prohibition-era liquor smuggling. However, the boy is now an old man, telling a young boy with dreams of journalism his adventures. Overall, I found this book to be enjoyable, with several twists and turns in it. However, towards the end of the book, it became a little predictable.

Black Storm Comin' by Ivan D.
I think Black Storm Comin' is a good book and is very interesting. It takes place in the United States and is about a family trying to get to California. It is a book I truly recommend for people hat like the desert and old days.

Blood on the River: James Town 1607 by Adam S.
Blood on the River is a wonderful book that describes a boy's life in Jamestown. You can just see how the settler's life is filled with peril. Natives, poisonous plants, winter, and shortage of supplies make it hard to live at camp. We should all be grateful that we live in an era where these complications rarely exist.

Cornelia and the Audacious Escapades of the Somerset Sisters by Azziza H.
Eleven-year old girl named Cornelia S. Englehart lives in New York City. She is the daughter of world-famous pianist. Her famous parents should make her feel fabulous, but instead it feels just plain lonely. She loves books But when a new neighbor named Virginia Somerset moves next door with her servant Patel and her Bulldog, Cornelia discovers that world is not lonely.

Hattie Big Sky by Kiersten B.
Hattie Big Sky is an amazing book. 16-year-old Hattie is tired of being Hattie Here-and-There. So when she receives a letter stating that she has inherited her late uncle Chester's claim, she jumps at the chance. Soon she is headed off to Montana with high hopes and big dreams. But there is one little thing; she has to prove up to her new land. And to do so, she must set up 480 rods of fence and cultivate 40 acres of land. Hattie thinks she can't do it. But she learns that with good friends and a lot of hard work, she can do anything.

Letters From Wolfie by Justin W.
There was a boy named Mark who lived a normal life until his older brother Danny had joined the army. Then after a few days Danny said that dogs are needed for the war, because it helps save soldiers lives. Mark thought it would be heroic if he sent Wolfie. Shortly after Wolfie was shipped to Vietnam Mark realized he had made a big mistake. It was a war...not just a game. After he realized that, Mark tried writing letters to bring Wolfie home. He tried so many times. He finally decided to lead a walk. Then a few months after the walk Danny got hurt and had to have half his leg amputated. After few months had passed the final letter from Wolfie's handler came...Wolfie had been shot and killed by a Vietnamese soldier. It was the best book I read.

Letters From Wolfie by Kristen O.
In my opinion, "Letters From Wolfie" by Patti Sherlock was a wonderful book. It is about a boy Mark who has a wonderful dog named Wolfie with a big heart. Mark's brother Danny goes to Vietnam to fight in the war and tells Mark that they are in need of scout dogs. Mark decides to send Wolfie to be a scout dog but when he starts to miss him, he learns that scout dogs were run in the war until they are incapable of working. Mark does not think this is fair because soldiers get to return home when the dogs didn't. Throughout the story, Mark works to change these rules. This story is very moving and is inspired by real events. You grow to really care about Wolfie's cause. It was wonderful!

shug by Nicole L.
This book is good for middle school students. Shug is a girl whose real name is Annemarie. She is experiencing all of the teenage drama; boys, parties, and a dance. Will Annemaire's relationship with her best guy friend change romantically or horribly? And what will happen with Annemarie's enemy since the third grade, Jack Connelly? The book Shug leaves you like any good book does...wanting more.

Wolf Brother by Claire D.
My review is for the book Wolf Brother. This is a very exciting book about a Stone-age boy named Torak, who befriends a wolf cub. Torak's home is threatened by a demon bear, and only Torak and his wolf cub friend can destroy it. He makes many friends, and ultimately reaches his goal. There is a lot of suspense in this book, and a couple of sad parts too. I would recommend this book mostly for boys, but some girls might also like it. If you enjoy fantasy books about history, then this is the one for you!