Reviews of Teen Books by Genre: Classics

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, an American classic, is one that rightfully deserves all of its fame. A coming of age story that follows four sisters living in poverty, I truly enjoy stories such as these, that slowly follow a "true to life" plot. I love how this novel unraveled each sister as a 3d character and worked through small, but super realistic day-to-day conflicts, while also addressing large societal issues at the time. Published in 1868, I enjoyed the issues this novel shed light on during those times, especially concerning stereotypes and the rights of women. Not being too preachy and upfront about these issues, I enjoyed how gracefully Alcott addressed these conflicts, utilizing the plot to weave these issues into, making the messages pack much more of a punch. Comparing this novel to other classics, however, I'd say that Little Women is not a very difficult read, and the novel is fairly simple to digest, which is something that I enjoy, especially in classics. I would recommend this novel to anyone since it's pretty much a globally known piece, and I think that every message in this novel holds value and merit to life now, as well as it did back then.

Reviewer Grade: 11

The dynamic duo, Frank and Joe Hardy are camping in the woods with their friends while also trying to help their father find some information from a man named Mike Onslow that has to do with their father's new case. One evening, they get a call at the local hotel from their father's friend, Hank Shale, who their father is supposed to be staying with in Lucky Lode, Montana. Their father was supposed to be hunting a band of dangerous criminals, Black Pepper and his gang, but Hank Shale, or whoever it was, said that their father was in trouble, and they needed to get to Lucky Lode as fast as they could. The boys decided that they needed to fly to Montana to help their father and are going to attempt to catch a flight to the west in the morning, but first they stumble upon Mike Onslow in the woods finding him injured with a bullet in his leg. They help nurse him to better health and he tells them about his encounter with Black Pepper and his gang. He and three of his other partners are surrounded by Black Pepper and his gang after they had struck it rich. One of them managed to get away with the gold and promised to meet them and split the gold. The guy never showed up and they never heard "hide nor hair" of him ever again. Along with this useful bit of information, he gave them the most probable area for Black Pepper and his gang in Montana. The next morning, they depart, but everything is not as it seems. On one of their airplanes stops, they are kidnapped, and have to escape so they don't miss their flight, and when they arrive in Lucky Lode, they are ambushed again by a shotgun that was booby-trapped on the helicopter that they had to take instead of a plane to get to the small town. There is definite foul play going on and this is only the beginning. From Timberwolves and a cave in, to piano-playing ghosts this book is an amazing puzzle that allows the reader to wonder how the mystery to be solved.

I liked this book because of the reason mentioned above and because the final ending of the book puts the puzzle pieces together in one of the most astonishing ways that I have ever read. I first picked this book for a book report in the 4th grade, and it created such a lasting impression on me that I have read it over and over. The thing that I enjoyed the least about this book was the fact that it felt short. I kind of wish that the story was extended a little and there were a few more key details. I remember when I was first reading the book it was the complete opposite of predictable. The plot twisted and turned in so many directions and I love it for that. I sadly couldn't really relate to any of the characters in this book besides one of them that was only at the beginning, Chet Morton. The only reason I do is because I share the same like of food that he has. This is one of the best books I read in that year that I read it and I would recommend it to anyone who loves a good and high stakes mystery.

Reviewer Grade: 8

Dune is a sci-fi series written by Frank Herbert depicting detailed politics with twists and turns. The first one begins with the story of a boy called Paul, the son of a duke. His journey begins on Arrakis, a desert planet filled with a valuable resource called spice. When the duke’s palace is attacked, Paul must flee and find refuge in the desert. This book was entertaining for me, but it goes a little heavy into politics and there are a lot of things you need to pay attention to in order to understand the story. I lost interest in the overall series after the first 4 books as it just gets so weird with mystical stuff in the world. The genre it fits into is not scifi, but a mix between fantasy and scifi.

Passing by Nella Larsen is a classic novel following Irene Redfield and Clare Bellew. The novel follows the timeline of the Harlem Renaissance and delves into themes of 'white-passing' amongst the black community.
Irene, the narrator of the novel considers herself to be a very levelheaded, calm, thoughtful woman, who looks out for her children and is a perfectly attentive wife. Clare Bellew on the other hand is Irene's childhood friend, and her personality is much more colorful than Irene's. When Irene and Clare reunite after many years, we delve into their complicated relationship and clashing personalities.
Passing is a novel that illustrates what the standards of beauty really are and educates readers on the logistics of what passing of as white can mean for a black woman back in the 1920s.
I really enjoyed reading this novel, as 'white-passing' was something I wasn't super aware of, and barely even knew it was a phenomenon in the 1900s. Larsen also created a very interesting dynamic between Irene and Clare and crafted very realistic characters. I enjoyed reading Irene's inner monologues, as it's pretty rare to see an author build up very dynamic characters, that are also painfully human. I would recommend this book to pretty much anyone, as it contained lots of powerful messages and themes, without coming off as cliche or overdone.

Reviewer Grade: 11

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, in my opinion, is a very confusing novel to say the least. Switching between past and present, we follow Nick Carraway who narrates the story from his point of view about the main character, Jay Gatsby. Gatsby is a millionaire that throws outrageous parties to anybody willing to come. Nick takes the reader through the journey of discovering who Gatsby really is, including his secrets and fears. The Great Gatsby is a classic novel that might just take a couple reads to fully comprehend.
Grade 11

the biik is brilliant for children but with enough hilarity and joy for life in it to please adults too, Alice's Adventures in wonderland is alovely book with wich to take a brief respite from our overly rational and sometimes dreary world

The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brian is a pretty good book about the Vietnam war. The book jumps around a lot with the characters in the war, after the war, and before the war. While it could be a little confusing at times, it was still an entertaining book. If you like reading books about Vietnam, but that also go in depth on the character, this would be a great book to read. Overall, I'd recommend this book!

Anne of Green Gables is a popular classic novel about a quirky redheaded orphan named Anne. When Anne is adopted by the Cuthberts at their farm up in Green Gables, we follow Anne as she struggles to adapt to her new life.
Unlike most older classic novels, Anne of Green Gables was a very easy and fast read. I really enjoyed this book, and the story drags you into a youthful and whimsical world. The problems Anne faced, such as her first day at school, or the issues that her overactive imagination would lead her into, were all very fun and lighthearted to read about. This novel filled me with emotions of nostalgia, and the read was a very peaceful and enjoyable one.
Overall, this novel tackles the topics of growing up, being young, and fitting in, all in a very charming way.

Reviewer Grade: 11

In plague struck Italy around the 1350s, 3 young adult boys and 7 teenage girls as well as their servants hide out in various castles while telling each other stories to pass the time. Each of them has to tell one story per day. For each day there is a new theme decided by the"ruler" of that day. These themes include; Misadventures with happy endings,Tragic loves, Bawdy loves, Munificence, and Avoiding Misfortune with witty remarks.

Though this is a good and classic book it is not for everyone due to it having mature sexual themes, so if you do not like such things either dont read this book or stick to the days that arent about things like those... also watch out for Dioneo's stories because he can say a story on whatever he likes. Alltogether a good book if not for everyone.

The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien horrifically recalls Tim’s time during war, in what he calls “A true war story that isn't real”. This book recreates the experiences O’Brien went through during wartime, and is written in a very grotesque manner. The story jumps around from timeline to timeline, in a way that a lot of the time you aren't sure what perspective you’re reading from. While written very well, O’Brien has a habit of making every character seem like a horrific person and puts himself on kind of a metaphorical pedestal, in what seems to be an attempt to reconcile with the guilt he faced from the atrocities committed by him and his platoon. I would definitely recommend this book to others, despite its faults, but I believe the most important thing to know going into this book is that the events described are so grotesque they seem like made up fantasies or true stories that have been modified to seem worse than they actually are, which is part of O’Briens intention of telling the story the way he remembers it happening, not the way that it actually happened.

Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls is an emotional masterpiece, and it is the first book that ever made me truly cry. Watch as Billy Colman scrapes together the money he needs to fulfill his dream, buying two hounds to hunt racoons. Thrill as Billy quickly becomes famous for his exploits, and fall in love with his trusty furry companions Little Ann and Old Dan. This book will emotionally connect with anyone who has ever has a furry friend and it will take your heartstrings along for the ride as Billy and his dogs go through thick and thin. I would recommend this exceptional book to anyone who is looking for a heavier and more emotional read.

Grade 12

Are You there God? It's me, Margaret, is a coming-of-age story about a preteen girl experiencing and exploring womanhood for the first time. The story is about Margaret, a girl on the brink of turning 12 years old who moves to New Jersey where she meets new friends at her new school, and experiences puberty for the first time. During her time in New Jersey, she begins to understand new things and new people, and even begins to learn new things about herself. I love this book because it is an amazing representation of a girl entering her teen years and trying to find herself, and how confusing going through puberty can be. I can't think of anything that I would change or prefer in this book. If I were to give this book a grade out of 10, I would give it a 10/10.

The Westing Game is a fun, murder-mystery that follows 16 unlikely people working together to solve a mystery of "who-dunnit?". To sum it all up, this book is about a deceased man named Sam Westing, who planned a gathering for all of his distant relatives at his hotel to play a game that will uncover who murdered him. Sam Westing had said in his will that the very person who murdered him is one of the 16, and whoever had figured out who did it, would win the game and be the heir to his fortune. I liked this book because it was very fun trying to solve the mystery along with our characters and to see all of the different perspectives and thought processes of each of them. I did often find some of the characters frustrating to deal with, however, because they didn't try to work together and only tried to solve it for themselves. If I were to give this book a grade out of 10, I would give it a 7.

Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe is an amazing study of enlightenment views on religion, morality, and social structure, all wrapped up in a fascinating tale of the supernatural. Doctor Faustus makes a deal with the Devil in exchange for power and knowledge, but, as a result, he constantly wars with himself. On one side, Faustus wants to repent his actions and avoid damnation, however, Faustus also is driven on by his greed and arrogance to pursue his dark arts and continue fulfilling his desires, visiting places such as the Papal and Imperial courts, leaving only after he has achieved his mischief. The story is amazing when considered within the historical context of its writing, the enlightenment philosophy and religious teachings show throughout the book, pitting the Old Testament views of damnation and repentance against the more forgiving views of the New Testament. I would highly recommend Doctor Faustus to those seeking to learn about the enlightenment and 16th century culture.
Harrison
Grade 12

While the play Medea by Euripides probably invokes thoughts of classrooms and a literature teacher delivering lectures about themes and literary devices, the play itself is actually enjoyable to read and compare to modern times. Follow along after the tails of Jason’s journey with the Argonauts to capture the Golden Fleece and learn about Jason’s struggles for power and status within the culture of ancient Greece. Watch as Medea turns from a caring mother, wronged by her husband, into a villain, committing evil deeds and attempting to justify them in the name of justice. The play is an amazing window into Greek culture and Greek drama, and it is an enjoyable story for those who enjoy Greek mythology and want to learn how the Greeks communicated their stories to the people through plays.

Harrison
Grade 12

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Lewis Stevenson is a novel about a scientist in London, Dr. Jekyll, that has the misfortune of having to control and mask his alter identity, Mr. Hyde. After some unfortunate events partake, others begin to realize that the wise Dr. Jekyll has an alter identity. This novel has an unpredictable ending that left me stunned. I thought that the book was really good due to the continuously moving plot and the amazing characters that create a wonderous mystery throughout the book. I was required to read this book for school and I would definitely recommend it for readers that are in middle school and beyond that enjoy a great science fiction or mystery novel. Reviewer Grade: 9

This book is in the top 10 definitely! To Kill A Mockingbird is a story of prejudice Jim Crowe South and the constant fight for justice. Jem is the older brother of 'Scout', a tomboy constantly trying to fit in with the big kids. In the story, they attempt to fight for a black mans rights in attempt to prove his innocence in a rape trial. I would highly recommend this book to middle and high schoolers. This book has a deep meaning of the powerful message that kids can have and their outlook in bad situations.

One of the most inspirational and powerful books to date. The Outsiders is a story about a 14 year old boy named Ponyboy Curtis. He and his brothers and apart of the social group called the greasers . They continuously fight for the right to be treated the same when fights begin to break out. When an accident happens involving one of Ponyboy's closest friends, they flee and begin to doubt why they continue fighting.
This book is an excellent representation of fostering a community of love and empathy amongst our fellow peers.

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson is a novel about a scientist in London, Dr. Jekyll, who struggles with controlling his alter ego, Mr. Hyde. As he attempts to mask his other personality, horrifying events occur that present the horrible personality of Mr. Hyde. Other citizens begin to discover the connection between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde as the novel finishes with a jaw dropping climax and resolution. I was required to read this book for school and I would recommend it for readers middle school and above. I really enjoyed the progression of the plot and the ending that was unpredictable. Reviewer Grade: 9

One of Tom's adventures. Really Good.