How to use this Page

Hey everybody! It's Louisa again. This book I am reviewing The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen, one of my favorite books of all time.

If I was stuck on a desert island and could only bring one book, it would be The Running Dream, by Wendelin Van Draanen. This book is one of those books you could read a billion times, and never get tired of. Jessica Carlisle is sixteen years old and loves to run. She's a record breaking member of her high school's track team. On the way home from a meet the team bus is involved in a horrific accident. The collision kills one girl, and causes Jessica to lose a leg. Jessica's world is turned upside down. Running is her life! She doesn't know what to do without her leg. Some days, Jessica wonders if the girl who died didn't get the better end of the deal. No pain, no recovery, just peace and quiet. Finally, Jessica plucks up the courage to go back to school. She befriends Rosa, a girl with cerebral palsy who helps Jessica with math, and inspires her to look towards a future full of hope and new beginnings. Jessica has always been very determined, and so she naturally begins to wonder if it would be possible not only to learn to walk, but learn to run, too.With the help and support of her family and friends, she makes progress with her leg, and learns a lot about herself along the way.

Hope you enjoyed it, and be sure to check out this book because it's amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


                                                       -Louisa

Hi! It's Louisa again. Today I'm going to review the book Cold Hard Cash, part of the Sammy Keys series by Wendelin Van Draanen. :-)

Not very many people take the expression "scared to death" literally, so Sammy Keys must have been pretty surprised to find out that she had literally scared someone- to death! And when this guy, an old guy too, pulled out bundles of cash from his pockets and begged Sammy to "get rid of them", she pretty much had to oblige, so she threw it out the windows of the fire escape. Nothing could stop Sammy from going back later to see if anyone had found the cash. And taking it. And spending it. And while she naturally felt guilty spending a dead guy's cash, she was so excited about finally having pocket money, she didn't wonder much about where it came from, and why someone was carrying thousands of dollars around in their pockets. This book has the perfect balance of old lady disguises, pool parties, bratty little brothers, dramatic mothers, excitement, police cars, charmingly sneaky old men, colorful cowboy boots and scruffy hotels.This is one of the many wonderful books in the Sammy Keys series, by the lovely Wendelin Van Draanen.
I recommend this for sixth grade and up, after a particularly scarring incident in third grade (let's just say I wasn't used to murder).  If this story sounds interesting, be sure to check out the rest of the books in this series, starting with Sammy Keys and the Hotel Thief.

Are you up to the CHALLENGE?!

We're amazed and excited and overwhelmed and hugely appreciative to hear about TEEN BOOK REVIEW's 2k8 CHALLENGE!!!

TBR says:

I’m going to read at least 28 books that are the YA or MG debuts of authors published this year–like those from the Class of 2k8.....

I don’t have any really strict rules because this is mostly a way for me to find new books, but if you want to join in, that’d be awesome. And by posting this here for all to see, I’m more likely to finish it myself!

Set your own number, at least 8 books, as 28 is too much for some people. Read them all by the end of 2008. You can post a list now if you like, or you can wait and see what great books you come across. They count for other challenges, too.

Post reviews, on your blog if you’re a blogger or on a site like Amazon if you’re not...

We don't know if we can stress how thrilled we are to be a part of this challenge, and we cannot WAIT to see who joins up,... and to hear what people think of our books.

GOSH!

All over the kidlitosphere, folks are hearing about the Class of 2k8 and taking note.

Of course, we couldn't be more thrilled. Just today we noticed that Teen Book Review, and The Reading Zone have linked us!

Elsewhere in blogland, Miss Erin has amazing things to say about our very own Elizabeth C. Bunce's "A Curse Dark as Gold". And it isn't even out for months yet...

Yay!