Snippets from The 2011 Junior Book Crew Part 2

*If you are having difficulty reading any of the essays simply click on the image for a clearer view :)

As per my blog entry on May 18, here is my promised follow up entry to the reviews created by the 2011 batch of the Junior Book Crew.

To reiterate: "the Fully Booked Zine's editor-in-chief gave several of them an exercise, which had to do with being able to write with integrity and honesty, and being able to find something positive in a book that they would not ordinarily pick up from the shelves. They were instructed to be as truthful as possible. The idea was to choose something from their favorite genre, but on a topic they weren't too fond of."
Expect a lot of honesty from this batch of reviews.

Funnily enough, my favorite one is a review on one of the Pippi Longstocking books by Astrid Lingren. I adore Pippi Longstocking, so why then do I say "funnily enough?"

Well, the reviewer didn't feel the same way. In fact, I could say the reviewer loathes Pippi as much as I love her! Nonetheless "Adrena Lynn's" review was so well-written and so honest that it made me laugh until my sides ached! Since Adrena used a pen name, I will keep her identity secret. Here it is in all its glorious candor:

The next review is by Kirstein Gail Sese, also known as Spring. Spring was not familiar with Tintin until the day she was asked to review Tintin in Tibet by Herge and although she loves children's books she isn't too fond of adventure stories. (Speaking of Tintin, I can't wait for the film adaptation of Secret of the  Unicorn, which is supposed to come out in December 2011)

Spring's essay was very brief, but that isn't to say that it didn't effectively convey how she truly felt about the book. Her review is an example of concise writing. Straight to the point, without frills, but well-written. If you think about it, dailies and publications like Time and Newsweek employ the same kind of writing. They get straight to the point and avoid "unnecessary" details, which lead readers far away from the actual point. Well done, Spring!

The next review is on a compilation of one of my favorite authors Edgar Allan Poe. This review is by Jamiya Doreen Umali (age 15), called Jamie by her friends and family. The editor of the Fully Booked Zine told me that she was pleased to discover that Jamie loves reading classics.

Actually, Jamie is the only one of eight who participated in this writing exercise who professed a love for classic literature. She cited Jane Austen as one of her favorites and horror as one of her least favorite genres. Jamie gamely agreed to read chilling tales written by one of the greatest masters of the macabre, and came up with this essay. For someone who said she didn't really like the horror genre, her essay show that her love for literature and open mind are far greater than her distaste for the genre.

 

The last review is by Daniel Gabriel (age 16). Daniel is a movie buff, but isn't much of a science fiction lover so he was assigned to review the Star Trek Encyclopedia. 

Here is his review, which very neatly points out the longstanding rivalry between Star Trek and Star Wars--even if he's not a fan to begin with, he makes a commendable effort to inform readers on the merits of the book, and why it will appeal to fans and newbies alike. Bravo, Daniel!

Not All Friends Should be Invited In

*WARNING: Parental Guidance is strongly recommended. Though this book contains characters who are children, it is not meant to be read by children due to the violence and graphic content. This book is classified for ADULTS ONLY.

Most vampire lore tells us that the undead should never be invited in—unless you want to be the main course that is.

Never has there been so much hype on vampires. Ever since Stephanie Meyer's Twilight series, more and more readers have been drawn to the so-called "darker side" of literature. Of course, its much more palatable when love is involved. Fear is often replaced by readers rooting for couples like Bella and Edward; blood and gore is overlooked, superseded by that highly anticipated kissing scene between human and vampire.

Not so with John Ajvide Lindqvist's Let the Right One In, which is the tale of an unusual "friendship," one that has dire consequences. The love involved is marked by an innocence that can only exist between children. Unfortunately, this innocence is marred by one of the protagonists' dark nature.

The story is set in Blackeburg, Sweden and revolves around a 12-year-old boy named Oskar. Ridiculed and bullied at school, Oskar keeps to himself. When a gruesome murder of a teenager takes place in his neighborhood, Oskar harbors a secret hope that somebody out there will do away with all bullies once and for all. And then he meets Eli. Finally, Oskar has a friend. So what if she looks a bit strange? She likes him for who he is. Funny thing is, unlike normal kids, Eli can only come out to play at night...

Chilling and masterfully written, you won't be able to put down this book until you have reached the last page. It may make you think twice about your new neighbor... kidding, of course!

Adapted into film in 2008 and directed by Tomas Alfredson, Let the Right One In bagged the Best Narrative Feature FOUNDERS AWARDS in the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival. Here is the trailer: