Teen Book Reviews

The book Wonder was written by R.J. Palacio and published in 2012. This book follows a young boy in the 5th grade named August (Auggie) Pullman who suffers from a face condition. It is his first time attending a public school after being homeschooled for most of his life. This book includes the hardships and lessons August Pullman learns about people and life as a whole.

I highly recommend this book to those who enjoy emotional riveting pieces such as this one. In this story, the author perfectly captures the emotions of not only Auggie, but his loved ones as well. Auggie Pullman is put through difficult lessons that teach him the cruelty of mankind. Through his trials and tribulations though, he was able to seek those who truly loved and cared for him. The thing that stands out with this book is how the author includes multiple points of view. Everyone's point of view ties into their emotions and the impact Auggie has made in their lives. The main message of the story really teaches the audience how important it is to be kind because you never know what someone is going through.

In the book, The Mysterious Benedict Society, by Trenton Lee Stewart, four extraordinary orphans are brought together by a puzzling man named Nicholas Benedict to embark on a perilous mission. They must infiltrate the L.I.V.E. corp. school as students to investigate the source of The Emergency, a baffling phenomenon involving hypnotic activity.

The Mysterious Benedict Society is a clever and suspenseful mystery/adventure novel. Trenton Lee Stewart leaves readers on the edge of their seats with cryptic codes, a mysterious machine, and so much more! With bizarre plot twists and puzzles that you can solve alongside Trenton Lee Stewart’s vivid characters, you won’t be able to put this book down. The Mysterious Benedict Society is a must-read.

The main character is Theodore Boone. He knows a lot about law and he wants a job in the courtroom. His family helps out at the local shelter and there he meets a boy named Julio. At the same time Mr. Duffy is accused of murdering his wife for money, but there is no proof. Julio’s cousin saw the murder and has evidence. After showing evidence, Mr. Duffy’s trial was postponed.

I recommend this book for many reasons. First, it is a good educational law book for kids. It talks about law and gives an idea about how a trial works in court without going into too much detail. Second, it is a good detective book as Theodore Boone has to figure out some of the evidence for the Duffy trial. It has a lot of suspense, too, as Theodore thinks a lot about the evidence. To sum it all up, I think it is a really good book to read.

Contagion by Erin Bowman follows a crew sent to investigate a distress call from a mining operation. The crew touches down near the abandoned ship, finding dozens of bodies. The team examines a drill site, where the technician gets infected with Psychrobacter achli. The other victims reawaken and attack.

I definitely recommend this book. Contagion is the perfect mix of sci-fi, horror, and mystery to keep the reader enthralled. If the reader enjoys science or biology, they will definitely appreciate the detailing on how the infection spreads and kills. The characters themselves are three-dimensional and wholly fallible, making the conflicts between them and within themselves fascinating to consider. The writing style is straightforward and fast-paced, and the organization of chapters–alternating POVs and interspersing the main story with scenes following other characters and “things”–keeps the reader on their toes. Additionally, the social and personal commentary is definitely worth admiring, since it makes the whole world that much more realistic. Bowman also foreshadows the truth behind the infection and the intent of the company, but leaves enough out to keep the reader guessing. Contagion definitely had me charmed with its blend of sci-fi, biological horror, and mystery.

This is a story about six high schoolers locked in a room with a bomb, a deadly syringe, and a camera. Either one is poisoned, or the bomb goes off and all die. Of course, it’s a question of ethics, but moreover, it is also one of truth: everyone has secrets, and consequently, as the clock ticks down, these secrets are revealed. Will they take responsibility for their actions or acquit themselves indefinitely by committing murder?

I would not recommend this book because although the plot turned out to be intricate and absolutely stunning, the book itself doesn’t live up to the standard of being marketed towards fans of Agatha Christie’s classics. Yes, it’s compelling to wonder, “Who wants us dead? Who set this up? Why?” however, the questions were easily answered toward the middle of the book, and I needed to force myself to finish it. The narration grew bland, the plot didn’t twist as much as I would have preferred, and all the characters are typical high-school stereotypes: the Queen Bee, the Stoner, the Nerd, the Music Geek, the Loner, and the Star Athlete. In my opinion, their paths crossed too much for people belonging to a variety of different cliques, that it just became monotonous. In conclusion, the impression it gave me was that of too much butter on toast.