The Story Corner: Rave Reviews
By Rebecca C. and Janna P.
Stack of Books by pixelshot Created in Canva
Always talk with your parents before reading/watching the material. :)
FILMS
Name of Movie: The Bad Guys
Director: Pierre Perifel
Run Time: 1h 40m
Rating: PG
About the Movie: After a lifetime of robbery, a gang of famous criminals are finally arrested. But in an attempt to avoid a prison sentence, Mr. Wolf, the leader of the group, suggests they appear to reform to the public. Under the guidance of a philanthropist named Professor Marmalade, Wolf and his companions attempt to become model citizens, leading to humorous mishaps and perhaps… serious thoughts of real change.
Why you should watch it: Well, Dreamworks Animation sure had a nice year, didn’t they? For a movie called The Bad Guys, I was indeed quite surprised how good this film actually was! Let’s take a quick look at why that might be.
For one, the characters of Mr. Wolf, Mr. Snake, Mr. Piranha, Mr. Shark, and Ms. Tarantula, (as well as others) are fun and quirky, creating humorous dialogue and scenarios. But the crew also has their own share of deeper struggles, too. The primary character, Mr. Wolf, often voices his wish for society to accept him but has resigned to a life of crime, as he feels no one could love a wolf. “Do I wish people didn't see us as monsters?” he asks in the opening scene, “Sure, I do. But these are the cards we've been dealt, so we might as well play 'em.”
But the rest of the movie isn’t so grim for Wolf and his friends, as The Bad Guys boasts some wholesome messages of not judging by appearances, making tough choices, and learning to start again.
Where you can watch it: Netflix, ROW8, Prime Video, Vudu, Redbox. or Apple TV
Name of Movie: Luca
Director: Enrico Casarosa
Run Time: 1h 35m
Rating: PG
About the Movie: A young boy Luca enjoys an unforgettable seaside summer in Italy with his two “underdog” friends, Alberto and Giulia, preparing for an annual triathlon. But as it turns out, Luca is much more than a social outcast; he’s a disguised sea monster from an underwater world… and now he’s living in a town that hates his kind with a passion.
Why you should watch it: Some stories are brilliant in their simplicity. Enrico Casarosa’s Luca, I should say, is one of these. With beautiful Pixar animation and rendering, the film tells the story of three children who have a fun summer together, while weaving in themes of abandonment, acceptance, and freedom. It seems that with this film, there’s a lot more under the surface than what meets the eye.
Where you can watch it: Disney+
Name of Book: The Secret Keepers
Author: Trenton Lee Stewart
Number of Pages: 513
Grade Levels Suggested by Author: 3-7
About the Book: Reuben is a misfit, eleven year old boy, who often fades into the background. He and his mother, however, are also quite poor. So when Reuben discovers an antique watch, his first thought is to sell it, until he finds out it has secret power… it can make him turn invisible! But the knowledge of this watch’s secret puts him in great danger, and before long Reuben’s previously unremarkable life is turned upside down as he struggles to escape the only world he’s ever known, while still grappling with his new power… and the increasing number of secrets he’s being forced to keep.
Why you should read it: Trenton Lee Stewart is most known for being the creator of the wonderful Mysterious Benedict Society world, but I would love to draw your attention to one of his lesser known books, The Secret Keepers. This book focuses on Reuben, a seemingly “normal” kid who accidentally finds a big secret. One of the things I enjoyed about the book, besides the various literal puzzles Reuben has to solve, is that he has to, in some ways, solve a puzzle within himself. He’s forced to make big decisions, he can’t be unseen forever. This mystery presents the boy with an interesting question: Should he be honest, or a hero?
Where you can read it: https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Keepers-Trenton-Lee-Stewart/dp/0316389552
Name of Book: The Hidden Prince
Author: Tessa Afshar
Number of Pages: 396
Suggested Age Level: 14+
About the Book: Keren is a Jewish scribe in the household of Daniel in Babylon, studying swordcraft and other useful talents with his sons and their friend, Jared. When a life-altering accident occurs, Keren finds herself in a foreign land with a most unusual task: give a shepherd boy the education of the nobility. Puzzled by her assignment, she soon discovers the boy’s true history and becomes entangled in a quest to keep him out of a power-hungry king’s clutches. Meanwhile, Jared battles forgiveness and pain with his faith and comes to take Keren home, only to find that he, too, has been called to help the boy. Could the boy in question truly be the one to someday set the Babylonian captives free?
Why you should read it: This was so captivating that I had to immediately reread the whole thing cover to cover after finishing it the first time – a rarity for me! Afshar balances Biblical truth, history, and imagination to create a story with just the right amounts of adventure, humor, and excitement. If you ever wondered what life may have been like for the Israelite captives in Babylon and why they placed their hope in a king prophesied by name to let them go, you might give Keren and her friends a read.
Where you can read it: https://www.christianbook.com/the-hidden-prince-tessa-afshar/9781496458223/pd/458222
Name of Book: Click, Clack, Moo: Cows that Type
Author & Illustrator: Doreen Cronin & Betsy Lewin
Number of Pages: 32
Suggested Age Level: 6-9
About the Book: No telling what Farmer Brown’s cows will do when they find an old typewriter in the barn! From electric blankets to diving boards, things will never be quite the same again on the farm.
Why you should read it: As a kid, I can remember my old elementary classmates and I laughing ourselves silly over the cows’ antics and sitting perfectly still in suspense waiting for our librarian to turn the page. Younger children will enjoy reading the book for themselves, or having an older sibling read it aloud (complete with voices, of course). And hey, even if you’re beyond the elementary age, I think these barnyard creatures may beguile you anyway – I won’t tell!
Where you can read it: https://www.amazon.com/Click-Clack-Cows-That-Type/dp/0689832133
Name of Book: A Bear Called Paddington
Author & Illustrator: Michael Bond & Peggy Fortnum
Number of Pages: 174
Suggested Age Level: 8-12
About the Book: Much to Mr. and Mrs. Brown’s surprise, an exceptionally polite bear wearing a tag that says, “Please look after this bear. Thank you,” awaits at Paddington Station – and soon finds himself covered in a sticky, fruity, creamy, crumbly mess. To their son’s and daughter’s delight, the Browns take him home to Number 32 Windsor Gardens and there he stays. But his adventures are far from over!
Why you should read it: “Oh, Paddington,” my siblings and I groan. “What have you done now?” Alternatively, we are wiping the tears out of our eyes from laughter, or impersonating the Browns’ wonderful British accents to quote certain scenes. Maybe you won’t be quite as…theatrical…in your response to Paddington, but one thing I can safely guarantee – you will be just as enthralled!
Where you can read it: https://www.amazon.com/Bear-Called-Paddington-Michael-Bond/dp/0007174160
Columns: ⭐Reviews
Rebecca C. started at NSA in January of 2021. She lives in Massachusetts in the US. She is in 9th grade and enjoys filmmaking, writing, and loves animals.
Janna P. is a senior and seventh-year NSA student who lives in Idaho with her family of five. She enjoys reading, cooking, baking, traveling the Northwest, hanging out with her family, and spending time in God's creation. This is her first year on the Navigator. After her schooling career is over, she hopes to become a librarian and published author.