Kids Books - Family

This.. this... is a beautiful story about trust, believing in yourself, the horrors of war.. and most importantly, it's about the friendship between Annemarie and Ellen, and how families can get through the most horrible of crises if they just.. believe. This book takes place in Copenhagen, Denmark in the middle of World War II. The king is Christian X, who is loved by his people.. but unfortunately, King Christian X couldn't stop soldiers from Germany to be stationed in Denmark. It was either the soldiers or war, which King Christian X knew he couldn't win. In this time, Annemarie and her family are living a moderately peaceful, normal life.. until their normal life is shattered by a new law - that all Jewish people must be captured. One by one, the Jewish people start going missing, and Annemarie and her family need to protect Annemarie's best friend, Ellen, who is Jewish. So Ellen is disguised as Lise, Annemarie's oldest sister who died in the hands of Germany. But when a German soldier comes to investigate and Ellen is almost caught, Annemarie and her family know that the only way to save Ellen now is to take her (through a boat) safely to Sweden. But they learn people are being caught on boats going to Sweden.. but they will have to risk it. Annemarie MUST deliver a very important package to her uncle (who is driving the boat) that might save Ellen's life.. before it's too late! Lois Lowry is one of my favorite authors, because she can write brilliant masterpieces.. honestly, I think this book is possibly her best yet. It's cleverly written so that it can make readers cry, laugh, rejoice, and feel horror, without missing a beat, constantly throughout the story. I felt like I was experiencing the pain of Annemarie, the fear of Ellen, and the author made me feel like I was basically in the story, watching the events happen. Oh, and the ending.. is very touching.. possibly one of the best endings I have read in any book. I would definitely recommend Number the Stars to any reader that understands the value of life, family, and friendship.

I absolutely love this book! I love the relationship Cat and Maya have. Shes very loving to her sister and she protects her like a great older sister she is! I like how when she began going to school she was able to make good friends and they were super nice and kind towards her. I like how in the end she meet with this old woman ghost and they got along nicely. In the end Cat thought that their Grandmother didn't come but instead their ghost of their grandmother made them lots of food for them. I would rate this book 5 stars!

This book is amazing! I love the verse and insight on the people in Viatnam.

I read this book at least 5 times. It's that good. Before I continue, I should say that I really enjoy Historical-Fiction books, so this review might turn out to be highly opinionated on that. This book is written in verse, and it's probably my first book that I have read that is written in verse. I think that was a good move for Thanhha Lai, because she could use all of the descriptive words effectively (and amazingly) to describe how the main character, Ha, feels. It's very important to know what the main character feels like, especially because they must have a mixed range of feelings in this situation (Having to immigrate to a foreign country and having to learn a how to make a new living, a new language, and a new way to act). Ha is immigrating from Vietnam, during the Vietnam War. Ha's dad is also M.I.A. (missing in action; he was part of the Vietnamese army). Ha's dad used to bring home various things back from his visits to America, when he went on duty. But one time, Ha's dad never came back. Ha lives with her current family, herself, her mother, and her brothers (I must apologize in advance, I do not remember their names, except for brother Quang, or how many there were for that matter, their ages also,). Ha's family is somewhat poor, especially since market prices have been raised a lot since it was "Normal" in Vietnam (this is also emphasized and described in the book, by Ha's perspective). I love re-reading this, also because I always miss a few details, and I get to learn them the next time I read. Speaking of reading, I saw a fellow classmate reading this book earlier today. I was ecstatic that she was reading it- my other friends who have read it did not like it as much as I did, unfortunately- So I walked straight over and told her how amazing I thought the book was, and then I continued and just stood there for AGES blubbering on about how much I loved it, until -of course- my teacher came over and told me to get back to my seat and start working. Overall I would give this book a 5 out of 5 rating, and I would also recommend it to anyone who shares a love for historical fiction books (sorry that audience was a bit vague, I couldn't think of anything that fit). Please let me know if you have read - or are reading- this book. I would LOVE to know what other people would think of this book as well! -Kiwi ( Wow, this ended up being a LONG book review )

Alanna: The First Adventure Book Review Alanna: The First Adventure, which is the first book in the Song of the Lioness series by Tamora Pierce, is the only book I have ever read in one day, despite my usual reading speed not being the fastest. Alanna is a younger identical twin, her older twin being her brother Thom. The twins have a problem in this book; Thom wants to study magic, though he’s being sent off to be a page and later a knight, and Alanna wants to become a knight one day, not study magic. She and Thom get into an argument, which precedes Alanna getting an idea. Her idea is to switch places, though it will be tricky to pull off, since they’re of the opposite sex. Thom is denying her idea, stating many reasons on why he thinks that it may not work. Finally he says, “What about Coram and Maude? They’ll be travelling with us, and they can tell us apart. They know we aren’t twin boys.” Coram is a soldier and swordsmith. The village healer, Maude, taught the pair of twins the basics of magic, and Coram is supposed to be traveling with Thom, while Maude traverses with Alanna. They contemplate many different ways to approach this carefully, to avoid getting caught. I liked that Tamora Pierce constructed the book to have Coram find out immediately that it’s Alanna and not Thom, but since Alanna knows some magic, and Coram dislikes magic, she threatens to use magic on him, blackmailing him if he tells anyone. It gives a sense of how much she hopes that she’ll be able to pull it off. They continue their journey to the castle, which made me joyful that it was included in the book—as some authors completely skip over instances like this—and when they reach it, Alanna is nervous, which adds realism to this book. There’s not really a lot in this book that I can say I didn’t like. I would have liked more exploration of the castle to be included. Was it majestic? Did it feel warm? Despite this, it does allow for my own imagination to be put into the story as I read this, the first book of the quartet. However, it is nice to have the author put her own idea of what most of the castle looks like, what it feels like to Alanna to be inside the castle—whose twin brother was actually supposed to be the one there—looking at the exterior and interior of the castle. In conclusion, I would undoubtedly recommend this book to people who enjoy high fantasy, as it is very layered. The plot is not hard to keep track of as it comes to one, which allows for one to read a couple other books, along with this one.

I love this book out of all I think that this book is my 2nd favorite book. I love that there are flashbacks, I think it's really cool that it tells you the past that connects to the future. I also love that it shows that sisters never get along all the time. It also shows that even if sisters usually disagree they can always come to an understanding sooner or later. I think that this a great book and I love all her books. I love the art style. In conclusion I give this book a 5 stars.

Mia, a thirteen-year-old eighth grader, wants nothing more than to be absolutely normal. That is, however, until she discovers that the secret that would make her known as a freak, the fact that she can see colors for letters, numbers, and sounds, is not insanity but a gift known as synesthesia. The book A Mango-Shaped Space is about a snapshot in Mia's journey through adolescence, which is anything but normal. Throughout the book, Mia interacts with a slew of interesting, original characters, such as handsome fourteen-year-old synesthete Adam Dickinson, Mia's younger brother Zack, who's kept a chart of every McDonald's hamburger he's consumed; her older sister Beth, who is obsessed with hair-dye, vegetarianism, and yoga; her outspoken best friend Jenna, the cute-for-a-grown-up neurologist Jerry; Roger, a boy who may be more than just her partner for history homework; Billy Henkle, a five-year-old boy who is thought crazy by his family because of his synesthesia; and, of course, Mango, Mia's beloved cat who wheezes and meows in shades of orange-yellow, holds a piece of Mia's grandfather's soul, and will steal the heart of the reader. A Mango Shaped Space is an interesting, moving novel that will warm the reader's heart and send tears to his or her eyes. When I first began this book, it reminded me of many other books that I'd read. However, as the story progressed, I saw that this is not the typical story of a gifted middle-schooler. In A Mango-Shaped Space, author Wendy Mass tells an intriguing, original story. However, I wouldn't saw this book is for everyone. If you like high-action stories or dislike realistic fiction, this may not be the book for you. But, if your favorite books are inspiring, emotional, and moving, you would like A Mango-Shaped Space. Also, if you're a cat-lover like I am, you will relate with Mia, the protagonist, because of her love for Mango, and will probably appreciate and be saddened by Mia and Mango's story. If you are looking for a heart-warming, original, sensitive book to read, you will thoroughly enjoy A Mango-Shaped Space.

Gerta's family is split. Gerta, Gerta's mom, and one of Gerta's brothers are on the east side, and Gerta's dad and Gerta's other brother are on the west side. The wall divides them. Earlier that week, Gerta's brother and dad went over to the west side to look for work, but the wall went up before they could get back, dividing their family. People try to escape from the west, but the soldiers are not afraid to kill. Even after its been up for a year, Gerta still finds herself staring at the wall, wishing she was on the other side. One day when she was walking to school, Gerta sees her brother and dad for the first time since the wall went up. Her dad does a silly dance they used to do together, but he keeps emphasizing on the "dig" part. After other clues come, Gerta concludes that her dad wants her to tunnel across to the west side, along with her mom and brother. But the bloodthirsty soldiers could very well end Gerta's life, so the risk is huge. But since this is her only chance to get across. Gerta and her brother Fritz try to tunnel their way to freedom, with many challenges and consequences along the way. This page turning book will keep your heart beating, and you can really feel Gerta's emotions. I love this book SO MUCH, and I know you will too. I recommend this book to boys and girls ages 9+.

This book is amazing! How two sixth-grade-twins take on middle school and grow apart a little. And it adds a twist of laughter ever time.

When I was little, I loved to read these books, and they amazed me! I laughed so hard that I could cry! And now as I grow up, I forgot these books, but when I saw the cover today, it reminded me of a flashback, reading this book. And now I forgot the drawings in this book! I hope everybody enjoys this funny book!