The Boy in Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

The Boy in Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

If you decide to read this book, you will go on a journey with a boy named Bruno, who is nine years old. And sooner or later you will come to a stop and arrive at the fence with Bruno.  During the Holocaust, Bruno lives in Berlin with his mother, father, and sister, Gretel. They are shortly moved to a new home where father can continue his work next to a concentration camp. Bruno, being young can’t understand why he and his family are leaving; yet he has to leave his hometown and his friends, whom he is so sad to leave behind.  Bruno and his family are starting to adjust to life at the home called Out-With.  Gretel and Bruno both find themselves being terribly bored and wanting to do nothing more but leave home.

            Luckily, Gretel learns to keep herself contempt by playing with her dolls, while Bruno has a source of adventure with him. He spots huts far away in the distance and is curious as to what they might be for and who might be living in them. He starts exploring until he comes to a fence, and sees a blob that turned into a figure, that turned into something mind blowing. Bruno is quite puzzled by this and starts to approach the fence, only to find…

Off of a five star rating scale; I would give this book a three. It was over all a good read, but it didn’t do enough for me to be entertained. Also, this novel would have been better if it ended with a happy ending, instead of an ending with a bizarre feeling left in your stomach.  If you are into history and personal stories combined, or Historical Fiction, I would definitely check out this book.

Genre:  Historical Fiction, WWII

Reviewed by:  Rachel Frazier

Teacher:  Mara Pufko

Mary, Bloody Mary by Carolyn Meyer

Mary, Bloody Mary by Carolyn Meyer

For this book review, I will be extolling the merit of the book Mary, Bloody Mary by author Carolyn Meyer. The book’s genre is, of course, historical fiction. It takes place in Medieval England, during the reign of King Henry VIII.

            Carolyn Meyer is a seventy-eight year old author born in Pennsylvania. She’s best known for writing books about historically famous people, with titles such as Mary, Bloody Mary, Cleopatra Confesses, and In Mozart’s Shadow: His sisters story. Since she writes primarily in the genre historical fiction, she obviously doesn’t have any unique experiences that make her especially qualified to write about historical figures, but she’s had so much practice over the years that she’s become quite good at it. She can really get inside the minds of people from the past and make it seem convincing that the story is really happening

            This story is all about princess Mary’s fall from power, then long and hard rise back to it. The story starts out during Mary’s early life, while her things are easy for her. The first half of the book tells of her growing up, not knowing of the growing tension between her father, King Henry, and her mother, Catherine.

            The second half of the story has Catherine’s marriage with the King accused of being invalid, which makes Mary a bastard. Anne Boyln takes the place of Mary’s mom as Queen, and Mary is forced from her nice home to a small manor. However, in the final half of the book, Mary risks death many times and eventually claims her place as Queen of England.

            The pace in the book was just right. It didn’t bore you, but it was relatively easy to put it down unless there was an especially tense situation was going on. I definitely wanted to finish it. It was also written in a way that even if you had to put to book down in the middle of a conflict, the events stuck with you so you could pick it up next time you got a chance. Also, it didn’t go so fast that it was hard to keep up.

            The characters are incredibly engaging. You can easily relate to them, and you really root for the good ones and hate the bad ones. Mary, the main character, is one of the most 3d characters I’ve seen in a book in a long time. You physically feel pain when she is expelled from her place as princess to the title of a bastard, and you fear for her life as though it was her own when King Henry yells at her. Carolyn did a great job in this aspect.

            Carolyn’s writing style is great. Although the book is long, the typical subjects and the writing style of Carolyn is perfect for kids and adults alike. For a college level reader, it may be too elementary, but for anyone in high school and maybe late middle, it’s perfect. It’s not cumbersome at all, and gets the message out in a fun and just complex enough way. It’s quite effective.

            The thing that’s great about this book is that it teaches you about a historical event without boring you at all. The pace goes just fast enough to get the point across without confusing the reader, and it doesn’t go slow enough to bore the reader. Another good thing about this book is how personal the author gets you to the characters. You really can understand what they’re thinking and how they feel.

            Finally, I’d give this book four out of five stars. The story itself is amazing, and told with the expertise of only someone who is dedicated to what she writes about. The reason I’m not giving it a full five stars is because I’m not a big fan of the genre. However, someone who is a big fan of history would without a doubt give this book a full five. In conclusion, I enjoyed this book because it was short and fun, but it taught me a lot about Medieval England and Queen Mary.

Genre:  Historical Fiction

Reviewed by:  Ethan Candelario

Teacher:  Mara Pufko

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

The Boy in Striped Pajamas is about a young German boy named Bruno who is a nine-year old boy with an annoying older sister, named Gretel,  a loving mother, and a highly decorated Nazi official father. The story begins when he has to move away from the perfect home and moves to an isolated home next to a holocaust camp.  He particularly does not like the house; in fact he hates it because of the lack of friends and all of the big and scary soldiers always moving through the building. One day, after living in the new home for several weeks, he sees a camp crowded with hundreds of people all wearing striped pajamas. He always wanted to be an explorer when he grew up so he decides to explore out of his house to go meet the people in the camp. That’s where he meets a little boy and future best friend named Schmuel, and that’s where Bruno’s world changes dramatically.

Overall, the book is amazing and, and recommend this book to anyone. This book is for someone who can handle a tragedy and who has background knowledge of the holocaust, and the time period in general.

Genre:  Historical Fiction

Reviewed by:  Alex Brenton

Teacher:  Mara Pufko

11/22/63 by Stephen King

11/22/63 by Stephen King

11/22/63 is a historical fiction novel written by Stephen King. It takes place between 1958 and 1963, in the five years leading up to the assassination of John F Kennedy.

             

Stephen King, who is best known for horror, suspense, science fiction and fantasy, wrote the novel. He has no particular unique experience with the events, but did live through the assassination of JFK and experienced what was going on then.

           

11/22/63 is about a man named Jake Epping who lives as an English teacher in modern time, and a man he knows who owns a restaurant discovers a way to travel back to 1958. The restaurant owner decides to save John F Kennedy form being assassinated, but is stopped when he learns that he has lung cancer from smoking and can not live the 5 years to stop the assassination. The restaurant owner decides to send Jake to stop the assassination instead. Jake first goes back to see if he can save someone’s life while in the past, or whether history will cause him to stop. He decides to save the life of the brother’s and sister of a student, who is trying to get a GED. The murder takes place only a few months after he goes back and so tries to save them first. When he successfully saves them, he goes on to try and save JFK.

While in the past Jake travels to find information on Lee Oswald and stop him. He is able to have knowledge of events that, to the people of the past, is future knowledge. He can make large bets on unlikely outcomes, knowing safely that he will win. Jake learns about Lee Oswald’s life and what he is like so that he can stop the assassination. This eventually leads him to a town near Dallas where he falls in love with a woman there. Jake proceeds to try and save JFK from being assassinated by Lee Oswald.

The pace of this book was very slow and many events that were unnecessary took place. Stephen King includes many situations just to show that history is resisting change. Also for a significant portion of the book, many of the occurrences that take place are spread between long periods of nothing happening. The pace of the book only speeds up at the end of the book, but too little happens before then.

Many of the characters in 11/22/63 seem to be possible, but few are very deep. Jake has to hide his true identity, while maintaining a life in places to keep an eye on Lee Oswald. He gets more complex when he falls in love with a woman from a town near Dallas.  He has to hide his identity and purpose, while trying to live a normal life, and wanting to hide as little as possible from the woman he loves.

           

The style is one that is acceptable for the average high school student, but is too tedious for the most people to particularly want to read it. The style demonstrates what the life was like in between 1958 and 1963 but go on for too long on each subject.

           

Overall the book was decent, but there were quite a few things that could have been better. The book went on too long where it was not necessary, and was quite tedious throughout most of it. The novel takes place over five years, but the most of those five years are not important to the book. Also, the author seemed to emphasize things that happened that did not really have any particular importance. He puts a lot of emphasis on history resisting change and “harmonizing”, and the main character noticing every little event that might mean this and how it isn’t just a coincidence. An example where this is not necessary is where Lee Oswald knows two people whose first names are George.

On a five star rating scale, I would put 11/22/63 at a two. This is because the book is too tedious and long, where the events do not need to happen at this particular pace. The book could easily be reduced to half as long with all of the same content. Most of the events that take place in this novel are adequately interesting, but not nearly enough to counter the slowness. Also several of the things that happen are simply repetitions of the same events.

Genre:  Historical Fiction

Reviewed by:  Nicholas Bauer

Teacher:  Mara Pufko

The Air Between Us by Deborah Johnson

The Air Between Us by Deborah Johnson

The Air Between Us, by Deborah Johnson is an incredible historical fiction that truly shows the hardship of the integration era. This book is a complex story involving so much more inside of racial segregation. Deborah Johnson is an African American woman who lived eighteen years in Italy and now lives in Columbus, Mississippi. Deborah usually writes children books but this novel really spoke out and touched many. Deborah’s dad was a doctor in this time period, which was part of her inspiration.

In Revere Mississippi the book starts off with ten-year-old Critter Tate driving Billy Ray Puckett, who had ‘accidently’ gotten shot, to the hospital. The perspective changes many times throughout the book showing that this town is nowhere near perfect with many lies and twists. As you read on learning about this investigation you keep finding clues leading you to one person then another.

You then get introduced into Dr. Cooper Connelly and Dr. Reese Jackson, which you later find out that they filled each other’s holes to their learning experience of becoming doctors. Then Melba and Deanie Jackson get involved by being on the wrong side of town; Deanie sees her husband, Reese Jackson, leaving the wrong house. Dr. Connelly was inspired to make Revere’s first integrated school. Which led white’s to accuse him of having an affair with Melba, who is black and tells fortunes for a living. When Mrs. Connelly suddenly comes after to Melba’s to have a reading, Melba then figures out that Mrs. Connelly is actually having an affair with Dr. Connelly. When you couldn’t think of anything more to happen Corner had an autopsy done on Billy Ray Puckett finding out that he was punctured in the lungs and he didn’t remove the bullet leading him to die, slowly bleeding to death. But what not everyone knew was that Dr. Reese Jackson, the black doctor, actually took over Cooper’s surgery on Billy Ray Puckett. Reese wanted Mr. Puckett to die because Billy was actually sexually abusing his own ten-year-old daughter, Janet, and she shot him before he could get to her and Billy knew it.

On a 5 star scale I would give it a 5. It was written in such a way to draw in the readers without being bored at any point. Any readers that love mysterious and finding it out with the people in Revere will love this book. It also shows how the times have changed in such a good way and that the era it was written in struggled greatly the outcome and the war they fought was for the best of the future.

Genre:  Historical Fiction

Reviewed by:  Carly York

Teacher:  Mara Pufko

Schindler’s List by Thomas Keneally

Schindler’s List by Thomas Keneally

            Schindler’s List is written by Thomas Keneally. It is his most famous work. Throughout the book, Keneally uses a unique style paired with firsthand accounts to create a extraordinary experience. Other novels by Keneally include The Playmaker, The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith, and Woman of the Inner Sea.

            The story describes the efforts of Oskar Schindler, a German industrial entrepreneur, who saves the lives of over 1000 Jews during the WWII Holocaust. Originally drawn to concentration camps for their appeal to his factory, Schindler witnesses the cruelty within them and sets out to save the prisoners by employing them in his factory. By keeping them under his authority, he ensures that they do not face the horrors of camp without protection. Based on firsthand accounts of the survivors, Schindler’s List retells Schindler’s sacrifice and compassion.

            Keneally establishes a moderate pace throughout his novel. While the book is captivating and never slow, it spends certain amounts of time on historical and biographical subjects, helping the reader find time to put the book down. Despite some slow points, most portions of text were perfectly gripping, and the reader was immersed in the story. However, these sections were brief enough for pauses in reading.

            The characters in Schindler’s List are very lifelike. Even characters less central to the plot come off as actual humans; many of them were in fact real people. Outside of Oskar Schindler himself, Itzhak Stern is a very real character. Between his accurate insights concerning the future of the Holocaust and his faith in Schindler as the Jews’ savior, he provides a hopeful beacon through the evil of the Nazi regime. Additionally, Stern proves to serve as a foreshadowing of events later in the book.

            Keneally’s writing style is ideal- advanced enough for analysis and interest, but simple enough for the average high school reader to follow easily. By using a less advanced style, Keneally opens allows enjoyable reading and increased understanding in a wide field of readers.

            The firsthand accounts and historical references serve Keneally by adding a believable layer of reality to his novel. I found these portions to be both enlightening and enriching- providing knowledge and giving depth to the story. In addition, the portrayal of the concentration camps is graphic enough to make a realistic account, but not so dark as to repulse readers. Both elements allow Keneally to present a realistic and yet captivating work.

            I award Schindler’s List five stars. Due to the historical learning available, attractive style, and fascinating story of compassion and good triumphing over evil, the novel is one of my favorite reads. I believe that anyone could enjoy this book, but those looking for a historically accurate portrayal will be most pleased. While Schindler did a great good in saving the Jews that he did, he was in many ways less than virtuous. Also, the cruelty exhibited in the concentration and death camps, particularly by Commandant Amon Goeth, does not paint a pretty picture of WWII Europe. Despite this, the story is an excellent one, and Keneally’s novel is one that I recommend to any reader at or above the High school level.

Genre:  Historical Fiction, WWII

Reviewed by:  Breece Paisley

Teacher:  Mara Pufko

Never Fall Down by Patricia McCormick

Never Fall Down by Patricia McCormick

 

Arn, a boy of eleven years old, is living a regular life in Cambodia; he has a large family and loves to have fun with his siblings.  Without warning, though, his peaceful dwelling is overrun by an obscure military force.  These “Khmer Rogue” drag Arn away from his family and throw him into a secluded labor camp, where he and hundreds of other children are forced to dig ditches and plant rice for weeks on end.  Several die from disease, exhaustion, hunger, and torture, and there appears to be no end to the torment.  Throughout his time at the camp, Arn is forced to come up with new ways to survive and thrive long enough to be rescued by the Vietnamese.

Eventually, he is recruited into a band made up of children to play for the Khmer Rogue.  Despite having no prior knowledge of music, he manages to rise up above the others and become the best in the group.  After a while, the band begins traveling to other camps, and Arn gains a bit more freedom with each passing day.  When the Vietnamese finally arrive at the scene, he is abruptly thrown into the middle of the war as a child soldier.  Against all odds, Arn has to preserve his life from the new dangers and find a way to freedom all while battling his own self, plagued from his past experiences and actions.

I would give this book a 4.5 out of 5 star rating.  I believe this is a fantastic book because of the perfect pacing and suspenseful events.  The book manages to include countless memorable events while still keeping an easy to follow plot.  While it isn’t perfect, the cultural and moral significance seen near the end make it a must-read for everyone, especially for those who know about the Khmer Rouge group’s rule.  Overall, this is a great story for anyone who takes interest in the events the novel follows, and people who don’t know about the historical significance can still find enjoyment in it.

Genre:  Historical FictionReviewed by:  Shane Leigh
Teacher:  Mara Pufko

A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway

A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway

A Farewell to Arms takes place in the middle of the First World War between the years of 1916 and 1918.  The novel revolves around an American ambulance driver, Lieutenant Frederic Henry, on the Italian front, and his passion for the beautiful English nurse, Catherine Barkley.  The Lieutenant narrates his experiences at war, but sometimes switches to second person during reflections on more philosophical matters.  Hemingway portrays the brazen love between the Lieutenant and Miss Barkley as they struggle with and attempt to break free of the relentless breadth of war.  In a story of love and loss and loyalty and self-preservation, A Farewell to Arms carries intensity unrivaled in most modern literature.

I would rate Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms a strong 4 on a scale of 5 stars.  Though most people enjoy Hemingway’s work due mainly to his unique style of writing, I enjoyed the novel most because of its subtle humor.  It shows more aspects of war other than the fighting and death.  A Farewell to Arms showcases the region, the industry, and the people who not only inhabit these places, but also continue to live alongside the sweep of war.  I would strongly recommend this book to Hemingway and WWI enthusiasts who love a great tale.

Genre:  Historical Fiction, WWI
Reviewed by:  Antoni Saade
Teacher:  Mara Pufko

The Road of Bones by Anne Fine

The Road of Bones by Anne Fine

Synopsis

The Road of Bones is about the corruption that took place in Russia during World War 2. The Main character is a boy named Yuri who is just beginning to notice everything that is going wrong with his country. Around this time, the government begins capturing people for speaking out against them. One day, Yuri speaks out about how he isn’t getting enough food, and for this comment, the government captures him and sends him to a labor camp in Siberia.

5 Star Rating/Recommendation

I would give The Road of Bones 3.5 stars out of 5. Anne Fine did an extremely good of showing how life would’ve been in a labor camp, however this doesn’t make for a very interesting story and as such this book would really only appeal to people who are interested in history.

Genre:  Historical Fiction, WWII

Reviewed by:  Evan Jamison

Teacher:  Mrs. Pufko

St. Dale by Sharyn McCrumb

St. Dale by Sharyn McCrumb

 

 

A group of NASCAR fans want to commemorate Dale Earnhardt Sr. a year after his death. They go on a pilgrimage to the NASCAR circuits of the south. The tour guide is a former driver named Harley Claymore. Harley isn’t exactly Earnhardt’s biggest fan by any stretch of the imagination, but he will do whatever he can to get some cash. Harley also took the job to try and seize the opportunity to get back in a racecar. That is his ultimate goal.

Some of the people on the trip are ecstatic, like Justine, while others could care less, like her sister Bekasu who was dragged on the tour practically against her will by Justine. Some people take the pilgrimage as an opportunity to say final goodbyes, while others are just beginning to say hello. In this novel, not all people want to be on the tour, but they end up learning things not just about NASCAR, but they learn about themselves.

On a 5 star scale I would have to rate St. Dale as 5 stars. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and the connection to NASCAR. I also liked how all the facts were true and McCrumb didn’t twist them just to fit the plot better. Because of that, St. Dale is an enjoyable book, but you can learn from it too. Since the book does dip into some little strides of pure NASCAR facts, some people might find that a little boring. Personally, I enjoyed those parts. I would recommend St. Dale to anybody who likes a good story, especially a NASCAR fan.

 

Genre:  Historical Fiction

Reviewed by:  Jonathan Anglin

Teacher:  Mara Pufko

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

 

Set in the early 1960’s, The Help is about the different journeys of three women in Jackson, Mississippi in the midst of segregation. Aibileen and Minny are two black women who work as maids, and Skeeter is a privileged white woman who is an aspiring journalist. Skeeter wishes to write a book of collective interviews about the daily lives of black maids, but cannot do so without the assistance of Aibileen and Minny. The Help records each woman’s journey as they dangerously risk their lives to rise from the lies of ignorance and fear to make the world more tolerant.

Amidst their attempt to make a difference, many obstacles are placed in their paths. For Skeeter, it is the difficulty of being a pariah amongst her closest friends for refusing to ignore the consequences of segregation. Aibileen must determine if she is willing to sacrifice everything she has ever known to make a difference in Jackson, or continue to remain under the dark shadow of racism and bigotry. Minny must decide if she wishes to live with an abusive husband and endure the wrath of manipulative women in an effort to keep her job, or make a difference and truly be free. Although the tests each woman faces is uniquely her own, they must be endured with each other’s support in order to truly succeed. Though the writing is simple at times, the message it carries is not. Each character offers her own view on segregation, and it is an exciting read for anyone who is interested in learning more on the impacts of segregation.

Genre:  Historical Fiction, Civil Rights Movement

Reviewed by:  Simmy Kaur

Teacher:  Mrs. Pufko

Boy in Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

Boy in Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is a story about a young boy that finds out he is suddenly moving far away for his father’s “important” job. The young Bruno finds the move disappointing and unfair. The new house is small and disappointing as well. In his boredom, Bruno began to explore through the new house and went outside as well. Journeying further away from the house he found something he’d never seen before. He saw tons of boys roaming around in striped pajamas behind a barbed wire. With a new friend made from the other side of the wire, he slowly becomes more involved with something that he never should have let himself find out about.

            The novel had good and bad attributes. The book had decent character development and had a good storyline. But characters and a storyline are only part of a good story, and this novel lacked intriguing events in-between the set up for the story (the beginning), and the conclusion to the story. If it were to be more entertaining, either more would have to be added to the story or it should be shortened.

            Out of five stars, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas would make 2 stars. If an interesting storyline is enough to occupy you as a reader, then you could probably enjoy it through how the story unfolds. But if you lack patience for lengthy chapters centered on one event then it’s hard to read through until you get closer to the end of the novel.

 

Genre: Historical Fiction, WWII
Reviewed by: Cord Bates
Teacher: Mara Pufko

Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok

Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok

Synopsis:

 When Kimberley Chang and her mother come to Brooklyn, New York from Hong Kong hoping for a better life, they get the complete opposite. Having no money, they are forced to rely deeply on their evil Aunt to support them. They are forced to live in a filthy apartment without heat, infested with roaches, and no appliances. They also have to work at the family owned sweatshop for hours on end. Kimberley has to juggle school, friends, and working at the factory daily. When she is given a full scholarship to one of the best schools in New York there is hope that she can get herself and her mother a better life. Not only does she have to translate the English she barley understands but also her friends, love, and family. As she learns to translate in school she also learns more about herself not only as a student but also as a person.

Praises:

Throughout the book the reader gets to see all of struggles Kimberley faces, through her eyes. I like how the reader gets to experience them almost as if we were the ones going through all of the things she has. As the readers we get to see the daily struggle she goes through living a double life of a student and sweatshop worker. Another point that I liked in the book was how the author showed the daily struggle of emigrating from Hong Kong to America and showing the daily differences in the culture.

5 Star Rating/ Recommendations:

I would rate this book as a 4 out 5 stars. I like how the author shows the struggles of emigrating from different countries and shows the daily differences the cultures have. It is an eye opener to how much a person can truly endure and how much the people around them are oblivious.  I would recommend this book to middle school/ high school readers.

Genre:  Historical Fiction, American Immigrants

Reviewed by:  Ali Sharpe

Teacher:  Mara Pufko

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

This story is about a young boy named Bruno whose father is one of the Commanders of the Army that is taking over Poland and removing the Jews. In this story, the boy and his family moves from Berlin to Out-With, better known as Auschwitz. Bruno looks out his window one day and sees a fenced in area with thousands of people inside, which were all wearing striped pajamas. Bruno then decides to explore this place and walks along the fence until he discovers a boy his age named Shmuel. The boys talk everyday until the day that Bruno discovers that he will be returning to Berlin and will never be able to see Shmuel again. On the last day that Bruno is there, he finally convinces Shmuel to take Bruno inside the fence. This day however, turns out very wrong as the two boys try to find Shmuel’s father.

I would give this book a four and a half out of five stars because it is well written, but is a tad elementary for a high school student. I think that a middle school reader that enjoys historical stories that show someone that could have been there during that point in history would enjoy this book. However, I do not recommend this book to an average high school student, unless they are looking for a light read. Overall, however, the story line is a very serious point in history and could be thought about more deeply if read by a high school student. The book, in my opinion, was well written and has a good historical story line.     

I think that this book was great because of the way the author put the main character as a young innocent boy. This point of view allows the reader to see what the world was like back then through his eyes and prospective. Another praise about this book is that the story was exciting and at some points unexpected of what was going to happen to some of the characters. This gives the reader some mystery to look forward to uncovering if they continue to read. This gives the book a good pace that can draw a reader in, and making them finish the book so that they will find out what happens to the boys.

Genre:  Historial Fiction, WWII

Reviewed by:  Heather Clark

Teacher:  Mara Pufko

Sweetsmoke by David Fuller

Sweetsmoke by David Fuller

Synopsis
The book Sweet Smoke takes place during the Civil War, and is about an educated slave named Cassius who works as a carpenter on a plantation. A freed slave is murdered and no one but Cassius blinks an eye. This slave was the woman who taught Cassius to read and nursed him back to health after an injury. Cassius risks everything to find out who has murdered her. Cassius learns things about his friend that he never expected and even finds an ally in the new slave Quashee. 

Praises and Criticisms 

I generally liked the book and it’s plot but it was pretty slow developing. The book used descriptive language, which I liked. The book got to be confusing at times and might be too slow for an average reader.
5 Star Rating/Recommendations
I would have to rate this book a three and a half stars. The book was interesting and vivid, but the pace was too slow for me. It did a great job in showing the suffering and pain that slaves had to go through. Don’t read this book if you have trouble finishing books. Read this book if you are persistent and willing to follow through with a book.

Genre:  Historical Fiction, American Civil War
Reviewed by:  Ashley Schaefer
Teacher:  Mara Pufko

Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran

Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran

Personally I would give this book a four and a half (4 ½) stars. This book is one for history fanatics, specifically those who find their passion in the Egyptian and Roman Empire way of life. I would most definitely recommend this book to anyone who showed interest in reading a long and entreating historical fiction book.

Michelle Moron’s book, Cleopatra’s Daughter, takes us through the journey that Selene. She is the daughter of the Egyptian Ruler, Cleopatra VII, and the Roman leader, Marc Antony. The reader accompanies Selene as Octavian comes to capture Egypt. Selene is taken into Octavian’s sister’s household.With Rome against her she and her twin brother, Alexander, fight for what they want while appealing to Octavian’s interest. On her way to becoming an adolescent, Selene, deals with death, threats, and love. Her world turned around as she is placed in enemy territory, Rome.

Genre:  Historical Fiction
Reviewed by:  Rachel Crutchfield
Teacher:  Mrs. Pufko

Daniel Half Human and the Good Nazi by David Chotjewitz

Daniel Half Human and the Good Nazi by David Chotjewitz

Author Background:

The author of Daniel Half Human and the Good Nazi is David Chotjewitz. He is a German-born author who lives in Hamburg, Germany. He is previously known for writing entirely German books, so he would know about his countries involvement in World War II and Nazism.

Synopsis:

The year is 1933; Hitler is beginning his rise to power. Daniel was a normal Arian boy, like any other German child. He lived a happy life, he was wealthy, he played sports, he was normally successful in the things he did. Daniel’s best friend was Armin. They sometimes found themselves in trouble, but Armin and Daniel were otherwise very normal German boys. Both boys had a dream to become a high-ranking official in the Nazi army. Daniel was determined to join the army, even against his parents wished, when he got the news that changed his entire life. He was half Jewish.

In the times of Nazi Germany, being a half-Jew was considered to be a crime. Daniel is now faced with a choice, run away and desert his family, or stay with them and try to blend in as best as he can. The book fast-forwards to the year 1938. Daniel and his family are now considered outcasts to his country, even though his father was once a highly respected war veteran. Daniel’s friendship with Armin, who has became an entry-level soldier in Hitler’s army, has started to deteriorate. Yet, Armin still cares for his friend. Daniel has now been forced into hiding, along with his cousin. After they believe to be safe, Daniel and his family plan to leave for America in the year 1940. Daniel and his family are now able to escape to America and are finally safe. In a final chapter, the book fast-forwards 8 years. Daniel is now an adult in the Allied army. He is determining the fate of several Nazi soldiers when he happens across Armin. Armin has been promoted to an SS soldier and tried to hide his past. Daniel still has harsh feelings about his friend betraying him and joining the army, so he decides to mark Armin down as guilty. They talk for a little longer as the book finally comes to a close.

Pace:

            Daniel Half Human’s pace begins slowly, but gradually picks up as he becomes discovered as a Jew. Overall the book’s pace fits the plot and increases the reader’s interest in the book. Though it is not a book that left me craving for more, it was good enough that I was genuinely interested in the plot.

Characters:

            Generally, the characters fit the era of 1930’s Nazi Germany with a few slight exceptions. The characters are well developed and come to life as you are reading the book. Daniel especially becomes a fantastic character as we learn more about his passion for family and his drive to survive. The supporting characters are also well created, but none of them are built to the level of Daniel.

Writing Style:

            The writing style of this book is a flashback type book. We are going forward and backward in time as we learn more about Daniel’s past. This writing style makes Daniel seem much more believable, so it fits the book. This book is a perfect example of a high-school level book. The reader must have at least some prior knowledge of World War II going in, or they will be slightly confused. Daniel Half Human is an average high-school level book.

Praises/Criticisms:

            The book’s use of Nazi Germany to drive the plot was outstanding. The time period was perfectly depicted and it gave the readers insight into how things were. The setting was excellently created and was the driving force base behind the novel. Chotjewitz’s inclusion of a closing scene was fantastic. The scene in which Daniel eventually chooses Armin’s fate was outstanding. The final chapter really closes the book nicely and makes the book feel complete. Overall these two things stood out to me as I read this book.

5 Star Rating/Recommendations:

            Overall, I would give the book 3.5 stars out of 5. As it was a good read, it was also boring at some times, and the climax never really felt like a true climax. I would recommend this to someone who is interested in World War II or someone looking for a quick, decent read.

Genre:  Historical Fiction, WWII

Rewiewed by:  Johnny Crandall

Teacher:  Mara Pufko

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

In June of 1941, a fifteen-year-old girl, Lina, her brother, and her mother are in their house when they hear hard knocks and screaming at the door. Being confused and full of shock, Lina and her family are taken in the night and are joined by others. Through painting and drawing, Lina is determined to find her way to her father and then back home. But where is she being taken?

            Throughout her journey, Lina overcomes obstacles that no other fifteen-year-old should ever have to endure. Constantly fighting for her life, Lina meets new people, some meaning more to her than others. Love comes about in the most tragic of times, but maybe it was a miracle she found it. Can she make it back alive?

Genre:  Historical Fiction

Reviewed by:  Rylie Smith

Teacher:  Mara Pufko

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

The Book Thief, written by Markus Zusak, is a historical fiction novel set during Nazi Germany. Markus Zusak, the author, is known for other books, such as I Am The Messenger. He has been writing for fourteen years and gets most of his ideas from his own mind, when he stops and thinks about things. He got his inspiration for The Book Thief from his grandmother’s stories from when she lived in Nazi Germany.

            The Book Thief is about a young girl who was brought to Nazi Germany just prior to World War II. The girl, Liesel, is given to some foster parents, named the Hubermanns, in Molching. There she meets some kids who also live in Molching, and they play around and go to school, the average kid’s life. Liesel learns to steal books and reads them and it becomes her guilty pleasure. Then, WWII hits Germany, and a Jew seeks refuge in the Hubermanns house. The story develops from there and becomes very interesting.

            The characters are very engaging and believable. Liesel, for example, perfectly describes a child trapped in Nazi Germany during WWII. Her confusion, sense of hopelessness and loss, all contribute to the real feeling of this book. The characters are also very well described in their features and personalities. When reading this book, a person understands Liesel’s personality and reads along, understanding how Liesel feels according to certain things.

            This book has very great imagery and is historically accurate. It also has very believable characters, which makes for a very great story and it just sucks you in. It gets people thinking about WWII and the things that happened there, and leaves you with a genuine feeling. High and low points of the war come out in this book, which makes it a great read.

            I would rate this book four stars out of five, since it was very engaging and interesting, yet I have read better. People who enjoy WWII novels or people who enjoy a long, interesting read would probably love this book and should pick it up. I would totally recommend it to a friend.

Genre:  Historical Fiction, WWII

Reviewed by:  Alex Mulford

Teacher:  Mara Pufko

Tamar by Mal Peet

Tamar by Mal Peet

I just finished reading the historical fiction novel Tamar.  The author of Tamar is Mal Peet.   Peet is best known for writing young-adult fiction books such as Keeper, The Penalty, and Exposure.  Peet is somewhat suited to write a tumultuous story such as Tamar because his family was also not emotionally stable like the characters of Tamar.

In 1945, two men named Tamar and Dart are inside World War II Holland.  They are trying to free Holland from its Nazi oppressors. Tamar gives readers an inside look on the physical and emotional turmoil that millions of men and women had to bear during World War II.   Tamar also describes the journey of a young girl also named Tamar who tries to put together the pieces of her grandfather’s past.   Armed with only the clues her grandfather leaves behind, Tamar has to try to put the pieces of her grandfather’s elaborate puzzle together or risk never knowing her grandfather’s last message. 

The book was written at a pace where at first is was slow and you didn’t care if you finished it, but as the plot advanced, the pace quickened to the point where at the end you couldn’t put it down.  The beginning set the scene with the characters and gave a lot of elaborate explanations.   The scene setting made the book boring but once the scene was set, the action started to happen and the book became interesting.   

One great thing about the book is the historical background it integrates into the plot.  The characters fit the time period and actual events such as the Rauter shooting are blended in to give a backbone to the plot.  Another great thing about Tamar is that the people are relatable even though they are from a different time period.  Their circumstances obviously make them a lot different from people in times of peace, but their core emotions such as anger, fear, passions, and distrust make them seem real.  The characters are not just empty figures that perform actions.  The book actually takes us into the thoughts of the people so that we can better understand their actions. 

I would give Tamar two and a half stars out of five because there were several good parts of the book, but it was difficult to understand at times.  If the person I am recommending a book to has a good deal of patience and a pretty high level of reading comprehension, I might recommend this book to them. The reason I would recommend it is because it has a good historical base that makes it interesting and the mystery of Tamar’s grandfather is very interesting.  If I were trying to recommend a book to a person who was just looking for a book to casually read and not think very hard about, this wouldn’t be a book I would recommend.   The reason I wouldn’t recommend this book to a casual reader is because it has a lot of plot twists and details that a reader has to remember for the book to make sense and a casual reader may not be able to make much sense of the book. 

Genre:  Historical Fiction, WWII

Reviewed by:  Tanner Smith

Teacher:  Mara Pufko

Tamar by Mal Peet

Tamar by Mal Peet  

Tamar is about two America spies, named Tamar and Dart, that are dropped into England in 1945 as undercover agents. Then the story switches to 1995 where a fifteen-year-old girl also named Tamar discovers a secret that her grandfather left behind. It switches back to 1945 where Tamar and Dart are having fights and eventually split up. Then the Tamar in 1995 follows the clues in the briefcase she finds and leads her and a friend of hers named Yoyo on a trip to America that will change her life forever.
          I like this book because it seems to catch my attention and make me want to read more.The transitions between the times keep readers in suspense of what will happen next from where they left off.Also the personalities of the characters always have tensions and arguing between themselves.
           I would give this book a four out of five, mainly because the ending was unclear that there was a transition between the times without you noticing. Other than that the book was great, had a good plot, a great climax, and a twisted resolution at the end. I’m looking forward to reading his other books.

Genre:  Historical Fiction, WWII
Reviewed by:  Matthew Sutherland
Teacher:  Mara Pufko

Girl With A Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier

Girl With A Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier

The story starts off when a couple comes to the door of sixteen-year-old Griet, asking for her to work as a maid in the Vermeer household. Johannes Vermeer is a famous painter, and Griet’s specific task is to clean his studio without moving any of his artwork. Griet soon catches the eye of the master of the household, Vermeer. He is intrigued by her perceptive nature and fascination with his artwork. She becomes a crucial piece of Vermeer’s art, and with that, their relationship strengthens. Vermeer’s wife doesn’t know that her husband has been painting their maid, and so they keep that hidden. However, soon enough their level of intimacy is seen and gossip is spread through the town about their relationship. Griet doesn’t actually have the type of relationship with Vermeer that the town folk of Delft assumes she does. Actually, the butcher’s son, Prieter catches Griet’s eye. Through out the story, Griet is seen as a dynamic character with her change in perspective due to the short amount of time spent with the genius, Johannes Vermeer.

There are several things about this book that I enjoyed, but in specific the way the author includes facts about the time period enhances the understanding of what’s happening in the novel. For example, Tracy Chevalier includes historical events such as the plague as it spread to the town of Delft in the Dutch Golden Age. Also, the way the people speak to each other isn’t modern, and you can see that it was set in an older time period. Furthermore, the author gives physical descriptions of what people were wearing at the time, to display their wealth and place in the social structure. The novel include ideas of the Catholic Church since the Catholics and Protestants were separate groups back in the Dutch Golden Age. By reading this historical fiction, you see the importance of religion and social structure in the seventeenth century. Since history is my favorite subject, the facts and details about the time period truly add to the book. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys history, or is interested in art. It’s a rather easy read, and quite fascinating.

Genre:  Historical Fiction

Reviewed by :  Stephanie Pekic

Teacher:  Mara Pufko