Online Read and Review Program
Several months ago, the Bangor Public Library started a new book review program called the "Online Read and Review Program". In this program, we asked our younger patrons to read books and let us know what they thought. We asked them to give us a brief description of the book and their opinion on whether or not the book was worth reading. We then asked them to rate the books on the following scale:
* Your time is valuable. Don't waste it reading this book.
** Lame!
*** Eh, whatev!
**** You should kinda be excited about this!
***** What are you waiting for?!?!?!
When you see the star-grading system, you know that this book has been read and reviewed by one of our younger patrons. So remember, just because they are young doesn't mean they don't have something to say. Writer's Beware!
Pet Hotel: A Big
Surprise
by Kate Finch
Reviewed by Flora
Rating: **
(This book has not been published so a photo image is unavailable)
This book is about twins named Charlie and Meg who, with
their family, run a hotel for pets.
Their next customer is a woman named Carmen with a grumpy tabby cat,
Matilda, who doesn’t like to play. But
Carmen says that Matilda hasn’t always been this way, and all she wants to do
run away and nap! And one of the Charlie
and Meg’s other guests, Elvis the cockatiel, keeps bugging Matilda! Does he know something about her that they
don’t? Or, is he just getting in the
way?
I thought this was a good book, but they needed to explain
the characters a bit more. Especially
for people who haven’t read the book before.
For example, they never said that Saffron, Charlie and Meg’s great-great
aunt, was their great-great aunt until half way through the book! The author could just briefly say who they
are to refresh your memory a bit! But I
loved how Kate Finch described Elvis the cockatiel. He was quite cute. I also liked how she put fear into Elvis as
well. Overall, it was an okay book.
Family Tree: Better
to Wish
By Ann M Martin
Reviewed by Flora
Rating: ***
This book is about a girl named Abby and her sister named
Rose, and their adventures through life.
They deal with life and death, happiness and depression. And find out the true meaning of friendship,
family and love.
This book was much better than I thought it would be. But it was kind of scary how realistic it
was. The father was an absolute
jerk! But, if it weren’t for the realism,
I don’t think this book would be as good.
However, I wouldn’t recommend this book for kids under the age of 8.
If you would like information on this program, come in and talk with a children's librarian.
A little girl writes to Santa asking him who pulled his sleigh before he got his reindeer. Santa recalls the joys and trials of having different dinosaurs pulling his sleigh. The illustrator does a fantastic job of capturing Santa's hilarious expressions as he deals with each dinosaur. This book is a great Christmas gift for children 
Lion is a bully. When the other animals post an online ad for someone to stand up to him, a rabbit is one of the applicants who answer their plea for help. In various contests of brain versus brawn , Rabbit outwits Lion every time. Finally, Lion concedes and promises not be a bully anymore. But how did Rabbit win? A clever twist at the end will surprise and delight everyone. 
This book plays with the question: What if a modern, everyday objects were added to classic fairy tales. A bottle of shampoo and Red Riding Hood gives way to Grandma's Beauty Salon. The Three Little Pigs add solar panels to their home, The Giant from Jack and the Beanstalk owns a Italian Restaurant, and a few more interested twists on fairy tales. While the book isn't told in regular plot format, adults and children will enjoy the possibilities of making up their own stories. This book is great for ages three and up.
Some kids spend their summer singing songs around the campfire. Some kids spend their summer swimming at the beach. Some kids spend summer at their grandparents. But not Wallace Bleff! He tells his class about his adventures being kidnaped by cowboys, learning how to be a cattleman, and heroically saving the day during a cattle stampede.
It was class pet day in Missy's class. Missy wanted to take Eeny, Meeny Miny and Moe, the class pets home. Missy's enemy, Tiffany, also wanted to take the pets home. Tiffany didn't know that Eeny, Meeny, Miny and Moe were rats. What will Missy and Tiffany do?
Amanda and Leo stopped talking for a year and now they have just started talking again. This time something even more bizarre happens than last time. Their friend's little sister, Grace, falls into a coma-like state on her 10th birthday. Amanda and Leo find out that the old woman that is behind all of the magical happenings is in Willow Falls. They travel back into the past in a race against time. To their surprise, they find out it's not just Grace they are saving.
Teddy Jones is thrilled a new ice cream shop, The Thrill Chill, has just opened in town. When the server places a magical crown on Teddy's head, the boy becomes the ruler of Ice Cream Land. But he soon learns that having all this ice cream is no fun, when you're alone.
Written in the style of a silent film, a very hungry fox lures a plump goose over for dinner. All the while, her goslings are warning, "That is not a good idea.!" There is a surprising twist at the end as you learn about listening to your inner gosling.
Summer means one thing: family vacations. This family is going on a cross-country road trip to a family vacation.Told in ryhme, this trips covers everything that happens on a road trip: From singing in the car to going to crazy attractions to sleeping in a motel overnight to eating at a roadside truck stop. This book will also give youngsters ideas on possible travel games and family sing-a-longs and hopefully give parents some peace and quiet. Great for older kids.
Mama has just put her five little chicks to bed. The moment she closes the door, those chicks don't fall asleep, but run wild in their bedroom. Seeing the chicks not listen to her, Mama comes up a ingenous way to get them to fall asleep. Anyone who has had trouble putting children to bed can definitely relate to Mama Hen's frustrations, and the kids will love the crazy antics of the chicks. Great bedtime story for ages 3-5.
Everyday in health class, Tina's teacher tells her you are what you eat. Tina hopes so because she loves, loves, loves chocolate. One day her dreams come true, she wakes up one morning to find out she has turned into chocolate. But Tina soon discovers being chocolate isn't so fun as she hoped. The drawings are hilarious. This book is great for chocolate lovers of all ages. Reserve Chocolatina today 
Alexander keeps trying to find out what S.S.M.P. stands for, and keeps encountering new monsters! Four new monsters await you in this book! I loved it!