Rave Reviews Returns
By Jonah S.
Book pages by kb group Created in Canva
Hello everyone! Right now you are witnessing history! This is the return of Rave Reviews! Last year two students, Rebecca C. and Janna P., started this series of articles, with the goal of recommending books and movies. I hope you all look forward to these articles as we continually bring you more. As always, talk with your parents before reading the material. Enjoy!
Books
Name of Book: Redwall
Author: Brian Jacques
Number of Pages: 416
Age Recommendation: 12+
Content Synopsis: Redwall Abby is a peaceful monastery in the land of Mossflower. The creatures of Redwall are devoted to helping all the creatures of the area. One of these such creatures is the mouse, Matthias. He is quite clumsy and inexperienced, despite the fact he has the best intentions at heart. When the sea rat Cluny the Scourge comes to Mossflower, Matthias will find his life taking an unexpected turn. As Cluny lays siege on Redwall, the young mouse will find his inner leader, becoming a true warrior.
Why You Should Read this Book: Redwall is quite an interesting book. It is one of those unsung masterpieces. This is a great adventure novel for people who love the fantasy medieval genre. If you like Tolkien, Brian Jacques’ Redwall is worth looking into. The author does an incredible job telling a compelling story through the use of quirky characters and a fleshed-out setting.
Name of Book: A Single Shard
Author: Linda Sue Park
Number of Pages: 148
Age Recommendation: 12+
Content Synopsis: Tree-ear is an orphaned boy living in Korea during the 12th century. He has a dream to become a potter. However, being an orphan, Tree-ear is far from even becoming a potter’s apprentice. After finding himself in debt to Min the potter, he finds himself in an unexpected position. Despite Min’s refusal to teach him pottery, Tree-ear hopes that one day he may get his chance. This is a story about a young boy’s dream and how his determination brought him to make a masterpiece.
Why You Should Read this Book: Linda Sue Park’s book is a work of fiction, yet she makes her story feel real. The connection she forms between the reader and Tree-ear is strong because we have full access to Tree-ear’s thoughts and ambitions. Someone fond of historical fiction will find this book a joy. The book is a captivating read and will have the reader transported to 12th century Korea in the matter of minutes. This book is such a joy and comes highly recommended.
Name of Book: The Wingfeather Saga (series)
Author: Andrew Peterson
Number of Pages: Non-relevant
Age Recommendation: 10+
Content Synopsis: Janner Igiby lives far away in the land of Aerwiar, on the edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness, in the small town of Glipwood. Janner’s life is as normal as it can be for a person in Aewiar. Gnag the Nameless rules the land with his army of lizard people known as the fangs. When the Igiby family find themselves on the bad side of Gnag’s minions, they find themselves in deep trouble. The result is a journey across Aerwiar which ultimately leads to the Igiby finding out who their family truly is.
Why You Should Read this Book: This series is a work of art. Andrew Peterson is a Christian author, yet he finds a way to make a very entertaining book for youth that is fun and playful, but also has a deeper element of spirituality. This series is a fun read through whether you are reading it by yourself or as a family. Andrew Peterson does a great job developing his world and his characters and that makes this series a masterpiece.
Name of Book: The Lego Story: How a Little Toy Sparked the World’s Imagination
Author: Jens Andersen
Number of Pages: 416
Age Recommendation: 12+
Content Synopsis: Unlike the other books on this list, this book is a biography. It covers over 90 years of Lego history, starting from the first generation of the Kirstiansen family, all the way to the company’s transition to the fourth generation. This book leaves the reader thinking about how far the company has come, from the young man in the 1920s with a dream of making toys, to the multibillion-dollar company it is today.
Why You Should Read this Book: Jens Andersen’s biography does something interesting. One might expect this book to gloss over the messy parts of Lego history. However, it openly talks about the challenging and somewhat personal aspects of the company and the family behind it. The author does a great job with his research as he is very thorough with his research. This is partly due to the close collaboration between Andersen and Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen, the third generation owner of the company. It all makes for a well-rounded and cohesive read.
Columns: ⭐Reviews
Jonah S. has been at Northstar Academy for the past two years. He lives in the Middle-East with his younger brother and parents. Some of the things he enjoys includes reading, writing, playing video games, watching movies, and building legos. He also enjoys music, viola being his primary instrument.