The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann
Brashares
Reviewed by Emily Rogers
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares is a fiction book about a group of friends who are dealing with the fact that for the first summer ever they will be apart. They are joined together by “magical pants” that fit each girl perfectly even though they all have different body types. By sharing the pants the girls stay connected and learn a little about each other’s summer and a lot about the importance of friendship.
I’m recommending this book because it is a realistic story of friendship that is made unique by a not so ordinary pair of jeans. Although the “magical pants” are fantasy, the strong bond between the girls is not. The author’s description of the girls’ relationship as they discover who they are is written in such an authentic way that you can easily relate to the characters and understand what they’re going through.
We learn that the magic of the pants is not that they fit each girl perfectly, but that the pants reflect the unbroken connection between the girls. As rule #10 of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants states: ”Pants = love. Love your pals. Love yourself.”
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by
Reviewed by Paul Dellorusso
As soon as I picked up Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, it becomes nearly impossible to put down. Between the characters, setting, and compelling plot, this book has to be one of my best reads. The conflict keeps building between Professor Umbridge, the Ministry of Magic, and the return of Lord Voldermort. Yet Harry and his friends seem to weasel out of all their problems. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is a great book I highly recommend.
Midnight for Charlie Bone is an incredibly exciting story. It all begins when Charlie finds out he can hear people’s thoughts in photographs. Although the book is fiction, Charlie has many problems kids can relate to. The book was full of twists and turns, and the characters and viewpoints change in many ways. I couldn’t put it down. If you enjoy a story about adventure, mystery, and friendship, you will enjoy Midnight for Charlie Bone.
If you enjoy fiction books with fantasy twists in them, read Afternoon of the Elves by Janet Taylor Lisle. Two neighbors, Sara-Kate Connolly and Hillary Lenox, with very different backgrounds, become friends. Sara-Kate says she has an elf village in her backyard and Hillary is eager to find out more about it. (“If you don’t believe it’s elves, that’s your problem. I know its elves.”) One day Hillary discovers an awful secret about Sara-Kate. Then their friendship is no longer just held together by a made up elf village. Hillary starts getting involved with Sara-Kate’s secret.
The book teaches the difference between trying to be friends with someone for selfish reasons and actually becoming friends because you want to. It talks about taking risks for friends and truly believing someone. Afternoon of the Elves is a well-written book.