Wednesday, September 5, 2012

I am the wallpaper, by Mark Peter Hughes

In the book I am the wallpaper by Mark Peter Hughes a gril named Floey Packer thought that now she is turning thirteen and a teenager her life is going to be different. She was tired of being the wallpaper in the background. However, it all went south when Floey opened her Aunt Sarah's gift that she received for her birthday. However, that's not the worst part. Floey's best friend, Azra, made Floey take an embarassing picture with the present her Aunt gave her. They both laugh at the picture as a joke. During the night, Azra suggested to send the picture with a thank-you card to her aunt. Floey disagreed, however Azra sent the card and the picture herself the next day to Floey's Aunt Sarah. The only bright side so far is her twenty one year old sister is getting married, however, then comes more bad news: her aunt is attending the wedding. Floey tries to avoid her aunt when she runs into Calvin, a fifteen-year-old boy. Floey was rather starting to get feeling for him or it was the champagne kicking in and she decided to make a move. They ended up slow dancing and afterward they ended tangled on the floor from an embarrasing accident Floey did. In addition, her cousins, who are staying with her for three weeks, aren't the politest. Ever since her sister's wedding day, Floey decided to change. She was to become a new person, however this doesn't go according to plan and everything she tries is going south. However, something worse than all of these embarassing things will happen to Floey.

I would give this book 4 out of 5 since the book has many things that I could connect to as a teen. I would recommend this book for girls since it has many situations where a girl could connect. It is a great book for someone who feels down and feels like nothing is going their way. This book shows that even if life can be mean and cruel, you shouldn't let it break your spirit. I really enjoyed that the main character, even after everything she has been through she still keeps trying.

-Reviewed by Amy, grade 9.

The Sky is Everywhere, by Jandy Nelson


In The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson, seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker is a bookworm and band geek who has been pleased and used to living in the shadow of her older sister Bailey. But Bailey's sudden and unexpected death forces Lennie to come out of that shadow and become her indivudual self. In the midst of the grief and sadness, Lennie must also balance and deal with struggling between two boys.

I found this book to be a remarkable piece about struggles involving both grief and individuality. Overall, the story was very strong, emotional, and touching. I give this book a 10/10 rating and recommend it to all who would like to read about a deep, intense journey after the loss of a loved one.

Reviewed by Emily K., Grade 12