2 out of 5 stars. Oh my, I did not like this book at all. Disclaimer -- when the movie is the only version of the story that I've every really known, I figured it would be hard to give the book a fair shake. However, I just didn't think the writing was that good at all. Could it be a time period thing? Possibly. I just can't believe that this book was ever published and that there were sequels. Also, there are quite a few moments in the book that don't really seem to do anything to move the story along, such as when they meet the china people. What was the point of that? Anyway, I'm not sorry I read this because it is a classic, but I'll never read it again or anything else by Baum. Not a fan.
Parents & Teachers -- No bad language. No inappropriate physical contact between characters. Some action-type violence. Visualizing a few of the scarier characters could disturb a few gentler readers, but nothing really to worry about for most kids. Ages 8+.
3 out of 5 stars -- This is a book for the YA crowd, and if I were a teen, I'd likely rate it higher. Kids who are X-men fans (or any superhero fans) would likely enjoy this. It's an easy read, so the average YA will be able to zip right through it. I'd recommend it for boys or girls who like sci-fi. The main character is female, but she's tough enough to keep the boys reading. This is book #1 in a series and you've got to keep reading to get the entire story. It definitely doesn't end here.
Parents & Teachers - No inappropriate physical contact between characters or bad language. Fighting violence and sci-fi peril. Scientific testing on humans (could lead to interesting discussions on ethics). Kids in peril and without protective parents. Ages 12+.
4 out of 5 stars -- It started out a little slow for me, but picked up at the midpoint. This book has an interesting premise, loosely based on the Cinderella story, but set in the future and with the main character as a cyborg and social outcast. I wish some of the details were more fleshed out, especially about Cinder. I had trouble envisioning what she really looked like. I'd also like more about the setting. So many parts could've been written in much richer detail. Obviously, this is also a series, so the end of the book is not really the end of the book. I'm interested in seeing where this goes, so will likely keep reading.
Parents & Teachers -- Nothing inappropriate here. Sixth grade and up.
The Dangerous Days of Daniel X by James Patterson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This is a YA book that a teen would probably rate higher than 3 stars. For me, it was a quick read and mostly entertaining. It got better in the second half. Of course, there are more books to come, but I probably won't continue. As a teacher, I just wanted to sample the series. I think my sci-fi fan students would enjoy this book and probably the whole series. Fast & easy read with plenty of action and some fun characters.
