Humor
God Bless You Mr. Rosewater
Author: Kurt Vonnegut
Reviewer's Age: 15
This work is an extremely interesting and emotionally provocative book. Its characters are believable and its plot is engaging. If you like this Vonnegut novel, also try Slaughterhouse 5.
Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen
Author: Dylan Sheldon
Reviewer's Age: Grade 9
This light, humorous read deals with the anything-but-ordinary life of anything-but-ordinary Mary (a.k.a Lola) as she battles with the most popular girl in school to see who's the biggest drama queen. This was a fun book which was a realistic portrayal of high school life. I appreciated the author's even-toned open views about society.
Holes
Author: Louis Sachar
Reviewer's Age: Grade 8
This touching yet hilarious tale follows Stanley Yelnats at a juvenile detention camp for a crime he didn't commit. Each day, the boys must dig a hole five feet wide and five feet deep. The counselors say it builds character, but Stanley and his friend Zero find otherwise. There is also a story of the past which connects with the present tale in many ways. This book is a page-turner, but still has the charm of Louis Sachar's other tales.
Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging
Author: Louise Rennison
Reviewer's Age: Grade 7
This book is about a girl named Georgia and her life. She lives in England and basically hates everything about it. She is about my age (13) and talks about her cat Angus, who is half Scottish Wildcat, her homelife (she hates her dad and loves her little sister), and her boyfriend (non-existent). By the way, "snogging" is British slang for kissing.
Survivor
Author: Chuck Palahniuk
Reviewer's age: Grade 12
Survivor tells the story of Tender Branson, a lowly household servant who turns into a religious media superstar. As the book begins, Tender starts to recite his life story into the black box of an airplane he has hijacked. He knows he's going to crash and die, and he just wants to set the record straight. Tender tells the story of his fake suicide hotline ("Kill yourself"). He tells about his membership in the Creedish Death Cult and how his position as the last surviving member lands him in the spotlight. He talks about all the makeovers, drugs, and workouts that turn him from an awkward little man into a pumped, plastic superstar. And he reveals how his life as a hollow marketing tool finally turns sour.
Survivor is a wry critique of materialism and fame. Not only are Tender's remarks funny; they ring surprisingly true.This novel sounds more like a stand-up comic's routine than a traditional novel. Consequently, it's a very easy read (not to mention really fun to read too). If you've seen the movie Fight Club (which was also written by Palahniuk), you can easily determine whether you'll like Survivor. If you hated Fight Club, chances are you won't like Survivor. On the other hand, if you liked Fight Club, you'll probably like Survivor.
Choke
Author: Chuck Palahniuk
Reviewer's Age: Grade 12
Choke is the latest book from Fight Club author Chuck Palahniuk. It tells the story of Victor Mancini, a medical school dropout who scams people into giving him money by pretending to choke at restaurants. Victor's scheme works like this: he'll visit a different restaurant every few days and cause a great alarm choking on his food. The point of doing this is to get someone from the restaurant clientele to come up to him and rescue him by performing the Heimlich maneuver on him. The hero doesn't know Victor staged the whole thing, so he/she feels as though he/she has really made a difference and saved someone's life. What's more is that once they've put themselves in that position of taking care of Victor, they feel the responsibility to check up on him from time to time and make sure he's OK; luckily for Victor, this checking up includes sending birthday cards and money to help out.
I don't want to tell you more about the plot, but rest assured that if you like what I described in the last paragraph, you'll probably like the book. In terms of style, Choke is identical to Palahniuk's other books, so you can expect the same kind of witty narrative style and humor. What sets Choke apart is the fact that it takes a step away from the direction Palahniuk was driving at in his three earlier novels. Choke isn't just about tearing everything apart; it's apart tearing things apart and then building something better. Considering that the book is coming from the author who had written about a bunch of guys beating each other to a bloody pulp, this book will make you feel surprisingly warm and fuzzy inside. Definitely read it if you liked anything else by Palahniuk (and if you're not familiar with his other works, still give this book a shot; it's easy to read and really funny).
The Pushcart War
Author: Jean Merril
Reviewer's Age: Grade 7
The Pushcart War is a book about a war, if that's what you choose to call it. The trucks in New York City are multiplying and taking over. The poor pushcart peddlers will be out of jobs if they don't do something quick. I wouldn't say that there was one main character in this book. This book was interesting so that I wouldn't put it down. I always wanted to see what the pushcart peddlers would think to do next. I thought they were very clever.
Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man
Author: Fannie Flagg
Reviewer's Age: 12
A hilarious tale of Daisy Fay Harper and her experiences growing up in the south. Told in the form of a diary, this was one of the funniest books I ever read.
Ragtime
Author: E.L. Doctorow
Reviewer's Age: 12
My Uncle Oswald
Author: Roald Dahl
Reviewer's Age: Grade 12
My Uncle Oswald, a definitive farcical account of a young adult's promiscuity and ingenuity in pecuniary augmentation, is a most humorous and fantastic novel. The readers of Dahl's stories, which are primarily tuned in favor of a more youthful audience, will find this an indispensable work of note; of course, the maturity of the reader must be considerably greater than would be the case for juvenile stories. Accompanied by a slight taste for "tasteless" humor and a disposition towards the fantastic and irreverent, any who would read of Oswald's absurd endeavors and fictitious dialogues would undoubtedly find enjoyment, if not elation, in this hedonistic satire.
All I Know About Animal Behavior I Learned in Loehmann's Dressing Room
Author: Erma Bombeck
Reviewer's Age: 12
This book is very funny! Erma Bombeck is a very good writer! She writes about her own experiences mixed with facts about animals.
Holes
Author: Louis Sachar
Reviewer: Grade 9
Holes is an exciting, yet adventurous book that will take you away. The book is about a boy named Stanley, who has the family curse and somehow is framed stealing shoes from a famous basketball player. Stanley is given the choice to either attend Camp Green Lake or Juvenile Hall. He chooses Camp Green Lake and is forced to dig holes all day in the sun. Stanley learns to get along with the other kids and cooperate with them. He later learns the secret of why they are forced to dig holes. Throughout the rest of the book Stanley tries to solve the rest of the surprising puzzle. Holes may be recommended all young adults that like any type of book.
Bridget Jones' Diary
Author: Helen Fielding
Reviewer: Grade 9
Bridget Jones is an unhappy, self-conscious Singleton who can’t seem to find a man. Not that her mother or Smug Married friends are making it any easier. Bridget is convinced that if she could just get down to 115 pounds, her life would be great. Then there’s Daniel Cleaver, her hot, attractive, confident boss. Some harmless Internet flirting turns into a full-on fling! Daniel, the former womanizer, is far better than that positively horrible Mark Darcy, the one her mother keeps trying to set her up with. Her life seems excellent with Daniel, until Suki comes into the picture. That sends her back to being the weight gaining, cigarette smoking, Singleton Bridget again. Then, she and Mark reconsider each other, and it could be the beginning of a beautiful relationship…if Bridget’s life weren’t distracted enough by mothers who ran off with criminal hotties and pleading ex-boyfriends. I recommend this book to anyone who is in the mood to laugh hysterically at each one of Bridget’s outrageous escapades. Swearing and other mildly inappropriate things occur in Bridget’s world, so it is recommended only to those who are ready for that kind of thing. An all-around great book!