Young Adults Choices 2005

YAC Index - by Author

A - B - C - D E - F G - H I - J K - L - M - N - O P - Q R - S - T U - V W - X Y Z

Young Adults Choices: C

Cabot, Meg	Princess in Pink
	In a series of humorous diary entries, high school freshman (and Genovian Princess) Mia tries to get her reluctant boyfriend to take her to the prom.
Student Rating:	Student Review:
0	Very boring! It talked about one topic the whole book.
1	The book was boring. All the book talked about was the prom.
1	I thought parts were funny.
2	Another funny and cute book in the Princess series - just as much fun as the rest.
2	I loved this book because you can relate to it. It is really funny.
2	Very interesting! it held my attention.
2	It gives you a clear picture in your mind and always keeps you excited. You will never want to put it down.
2	I really liked this book because I could really relate to some of the stuff Mia goes through.
1	I didn't understand it, but I read it anyway.
2	The book was really good, something all teen girls would love. It's a fast read, too.
2	This was a really quick read.
2	I really enjoyed this book. It was just like the movies!
1	The plot got boring after a while.

Cabot, Meg	Teen Idol
	.Nothing much happens in the small town of Clayton, IN. At least not until major teen heartthrob, 19-year-old Luke Striker, comes to town to research a part for a new film project. Jen Greenley, a junior at the local high school and all-around friend to everyone, is assigned to show him around. The only problem is that no one besides Jen is supposed to know who he really is. Between keeping his identity a secret, lying to her best friend who's Luke's biggest fan, writing the advice column for the school paper, and developing a crush on her friend Scott who happens to already have a girlfriend, Jen is feeling a little overwhelmed.
Student Rating:	Student Review:
2	(I'd give it 100 points if I could.) This book was so inspirational. It made me think of people, not how popular they are, but who they are inside!! This was by far the best book I have ever read.
2	It was romantic and I loved it.
1	It wasn't bad, a little unrealistic but not bad. The beginning was slow but the rest was alright.
2	I read it in two hours. Do I need to say any more?
1	I liked this book because it has a great sense of humor and I love Meg Cabot books.
2	Really, really, really good!
2	I really liked the story line of the book. I didn't want to put the book down.

Cadnum, Michael	Blood Gold
	After an arduous journey, Will Dwinelle and his friend Ben finally reach California in 1849 intending to bring home the man who betrayed the honor of a girl back home in Philadelphia, but find themselves tempted by the riches of the Gold Rush.
Student Rating:	Student Review:
0	I disliked the book.

Calenti, Deb	Honey Baby Sweetheart
	In the summer of her junior year, sixteen-year-old Ruby McQueen and her mother, both nursing broken hearts, set out on a journey to reunite an elderly woman with her long-lost love and in the process learn many things about "the real ties that bind" people to one another.
Student Rating:	Student Review:
1	This book was really good at parts, but it was way too detailed and long. Most parts I couldn't put it down. If you like detailed books, then you'll love it.
1	It was a good book because it was easy to understand. I didn't like that the plot changed halfway through the book.
2	Really enjoyable.
2	This book was really well-written and relates to a lot of teenagers and their problems.
2	It was very easy to relate to and made yhou anazyle your own life and the decisions you make.
2	What powerful voice this author demonstrates. I was amazed at the imagery and metaphors in this delightful novel.

Carol, Lewis	Jabberwocky
	An illustrated version of the classic nonsense poem from "Through the Looking Glass."
Student Rating:	Student Review:
2	I loved it when he caught the Jabberwocky.
0	The book was hard to understand. It uses a lot of uncommon words like, borogroves, galumphing, etc.
0	It was very hard to understand.
0	The book made no sense and it was confusing to read.
1	Hard to understand. I had to look at the pictures to get it.
1	I didn't understand it because of the made-up language. I had to look at the pictures to get it.
2	I enjoyed it because I sang it for chorus in 6th grade.

Cart, Michael	Rush Hour: Bad Boys
	Presents a collection of short stories, essays, and one play about troubled teens who have made poor choices or who are trying to be bad and includes selections from such noted authors as Andy Warhol, Edward Averett, and E.R. Frank.
Student Rating:	Student Review:
0	It was not good! Inappropriate!
0	It was boring and I couldn't concentrate because it was so boring.
1	It was very confusing.
2	This was a very interesting book. I liked it because it was a whole bunch of stories as opposed to being just one. It kept me into it because the stories were real. I definitely recommend this book.
1	I thought it was an okay book - there was not as much action as I would have liked.
Cart, Michael	Rush Hour: Sin
	Contains eighteen stories, poems, essays, novel excerpts, and illustrations on the theme of sin.
Student Rating:	Student Review:
1	Ho Hum
0	I didn't like this book because it changed stories too much.
0	Some stories were okay - but the majority just had no point.
1	I liked some of the stories but not all of them. People who don't like talking (reading about faith, God and anything religious) shouldn't read this.

Cheng, Andrea	Honeysuckle House
	An all-American girl with Chinese ancestors and a new immigrant from China find little in common when they meet in their fourth grade classroom, but they are both missing their best friends and soon discover other connections.
Student Rating:	Student Review:
1	The ending was disappointing because I thought it would turn out differently.
1	It was pretty good.
2	This book was extremely cute. The setting with the ten year old girls was perfect. I don't think any other age would work as well. Friendship was the key to this story.
0	This book did have some interesting parts, but seemed more like a "cutsie" book; maybe a chapter book for a younger person to read.

Chibbaro, Julie	Redemption
	Chronicles the arduous journey of a twelve-year-old English girl and her mother as they flee with other religious protesters to the New World in the early 1500's, and the heartbreak and hope they find when they arrive.
Student Rating:	Student Review:
2	Lily is one strong little girl. It's cool to go back into time and it's almost like you're there with her on her journey too. This book is hardly what it seems. Lily questions her faith and has her world totally turned around. In the end she realizes He is not who he seems.

Chopra, Deepak	Fire in the Heart: A Spiritual Guide for Teens
	By recounting his own experiences at age fifteen, Deepak Chopra, a noted Hindu author and physician, provides a blueprint for teens who are seeking their own spiritual paths.
Student Rating:	Student Review:
1	I've read some other books by this author that I've really enjoyed. This one felt like it was obviously aimed at a younger crowd. But, it was still good.
1	Interesting facts, but boring at times.

Chotjewitz, David	Daniel Half Human
	In Hamburg, Germany, in the 1930s, Daniel enjoys being part of the Hitler Youth until he discovers his mother is Jewish and he is thrown out of his elite school. He still has fun with his best friend, Armin, who falls in love with Daniel's Jewish cousin; but tension mounts, racism is rampant, and Armin begins to stay away, though he takes risks and warns his friend to hide.
Student Rating:	Student Review:
1	The book was okay. I thought it was too long.
1	I liked it when they painted the walls, came and searched. I also liked it when Daniel saw Armin at the end.
1	It was good. It was a little long.
2	What a great inside look of Germany and the Nazi party leading up to the war!
2	The book is really good. I like how the book isn't about acceptance of the Jewish faith and mad the kid gets when he finds out that he is half Jewish.
2	I loved the drama in this book.
1	The ending was disappointing because I thought it would turn out differently.

Coleman, Michael	On the Run
	Luke is a petty thief with a talent for picking locks. While breaking into a car, the 15-year-old is shoved aside by two schoolmates who steal it. In the melee, the owner's family returns and the daughter is nearly run down by the vehicle but Luke has the presence of mind to push her to safety. The thieves drive away, but Luke is chased and then tackled by the girl's father. The ensuing arrest lands him back in the juvenile justice system, which is more familiar to him than his own family, particularly his father, who is in prison for fraud and burglary. Honor among thieves prevents Luke from ratting on his schoolmates, but a sympathetic parole officer arranges an unusual community service project involving the girl he rescued. Luke learns that Jodi is blind and wants help training to run a mini-marathon.
Student Rating:	Student Review:
2	Great! It was exciting in every chapter.
1	Great story of someone trying to make up for mistakes.
1	I think this book was good, but not REALLY good.
2	At first I was bored with the book but in the middle I got to like it and toward the end I loved the book.
2	This book basically teacher you about the rough life. What people will do to get what they want. It goes through a good moral and shows what can happen when you spend time with someone you secretly care about.

Colfer, Eion	The Supernaturalist
	In futuristic Satellite City, fourteen-year-old Cosmo Hill escapes from an abusive orphanage and teams up with three other people who share his unusual ability to see supernatural creatures, and together they determine the nature and purpose of the swarming blue Parasites that are invisible to most humans.
Student Rating:	Student Review:
1	Romance, sadness, and mystery, but somewhat confusing at times.
1	I liked the surprise ending, however, not too much plot.
2	Even better and more original than Artemis Fowl. A great book for Sci-Fi lovers.
2	It was a great book.
2	I got hooked on it and I could not stop reading because I wanted to find out what happened next.
2	A great book. Mostly fantasy with a little adventure. Really good!
2	This book was truly a great read for fans of Eion Colfer.
2	This book was excellent. It really held my attention and I couldn't put it down.
1	It was pretty long and hard. You really have to stick with it.
2	It was a great book overall but it wasn't some of Eion Colfer's best work.
2	Very futuristic and can be confusing at times.
2	It was kind of interesting when it started with where Cosmo was.
1	The book was a little weird at the time, but kept you wondering what was going to happen next.
2	It was a great book!
2	Plenty of action.
2	The book really kept me hanging to the very end. I liked how he escaped from prison to join the gang.
1	This was a pretty good book. It was very intense and had a lot of action. In some parts I became confused. I liked how things turned out completely different than I expected.
2	It was confusing at first, but as you get farther along it gets good.
2	It had a very interesting plot and took turns I didn't expect. The main character Cosmo is a very strong person and role model.
2	The character Cosmo really is brave in this story. Great suspense in this book.
2	I really enjoyed it when they hunted for the parasites.
2	The book was really good. I would read it again.
2	So real you feel as if you're there. Amazing plot. Such a twist you'll be surprised and want more.
2	This was another great book by Eion. His captivating plot and witty humor really caught me in. I couldn't put it down.
2	A wonderful sci-fi. A story not easily forgotten. Colfer's best book yet.
1	The book was interesting in its own way. It grabs hold of you and doesn't let to until the end. Good read!
2	Great sci fi book. I couldn't put it down.
2	I enjoyed the book and tow they found out the parasites are good now they found them.

Collins, Suzanne	Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane
	In his second adventure, eleven-year-old Gregor returns to the world beneath New York City to rescue his kidnapped sister, Boots, and fulfill a prophecy that will restore peace to the people, bats, rats, cockroaches, and spiders who populate the underworld.
Student Rating:	Student Review:
2	It was exciting; a great job of making you feel like the characters feel.
2	It was really good. It made you use your imagination.
2	The book was very good. It had some very good character development. It also ties into the next book very well.
2	I liked the part when Ripred was teaching Gregor the thing in the dark; I also liked when Gregor was hitting the blood balls.

Constable, Kate	Singer of All Songs
	Calwyn is nearing her last year of training to become a priestess in the walled land of Antaris. Her magical specialty—which she accomplishes by singing songs, or chantments—is Ice. Calwyn can manipulate elements of ice for a variety of purposes, the foremost being keeping the wall strong and impenetrable. When Calwyn rescues an injured Outlander, a sorcerer named Darrow, who has somehow penetrated the walls of Antaris, her life takes an unsuspected turn.
Student Rating:	Student Review:


Corrigan, Eireann	Splintering
	Relates, in a series of poems from different perspectives, the events and after-effects of an intruder's violent attack on a family.
Student Rating:	Student Review:
1	I thought the book was confusing.
2	I really enjoyed the book
1	It was kind of confusing.

Coulter, Catherine	Winging It; a Beginner's Guide to the Southwest
	This bird book is a combination of short stories, photos, illustrations and information about forty-two birds. The birds are all native to the Southwest.
Student Rating:	Student Review:
1	Interesting facts, but boring at times.


Creech, Sharon	Heartbeat
	Twelve-year-old Annie ponders the many rhythms of life the year that her mother becomes pregnant, her grandfather begins faltering, and her best friend (and running partner) becomes distant.
Student Rating:	Student Review:
1	I enjoyed the poem format. It was a very quick read and kept me interested overall. A nice, brief change amidst other reading.
2	I really liked the way she thought of her brother as the pumpkin alien baby; a sweet book.
2	Very interesting, not hard to read.
2	Sometimes it was a little confusing but it was different and I liked it.
1	Some parts were confusing - like running.

Crossley-Holland	King of the Middle March
	Arthur de Caldicot, on his way to becoming a man, witnesses the horrors of the Fourth Crusade in Venice and Zara, as well as the downfall of King Arthur's court, in his seeing stone.
Student Rating:	Student Review:
0	This book was difficult to understand, particularly the dialogue.
1	The book was a slow read with not much going on.
2	I have enjoyed reading this series a lot. They keep me hanging on every word.
1	It didn't have much action but when it did it got pretty good.

Curtis, Christopher Paul	Bucking the Sarge
	Luther and his mom, a.k.a. Sarge, are financially well off because she's also a slumlord and a loan shark, but he is uncomfortable with his life. Christopher Paul Curtis's novel (Wendy Lamb Books, 2004) recounts how this often philosophical youth decides to do what's right and turns the tables on his mother. Luther's best friend Sparky, Shayala his heart's desire, and a wise elderly resident of the group home add humor, wisdom, and a bit of romance to this story that mixes comedy and questions about morality.
Student Rating:	Student Review:
2	Really realistic; great storyline and plot.
2	It was a very good book. It had a lot of excitement with a great plot and great ending that makes you think. The book was a very interesting one and it kept me reading.
2	I think it's a good book and more people should read it.
2	The book was very good. You wanted to keep reading it. It was a fast, easy read.
2	Great plot and I loved the ending especially.
2	It was a pretty good book!
2	I liked it when Luther took money from the sale, took the car and left.