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Hodgdon Mill Pond students provide book reviews
‘Ratfink,’ by Mancia Thornton Jones
 by Jessica Drew, Grade 6
    Charles L. Malone, AKA Logan, is a 10-year old who likes to tell lies. He just went back to school in the fall and is in the 5th grade. His grandfather just moved in and is quite embarrassing.
    On Logan’s first day back to school he met his enemy and future bully, Emily. She wants to ruin his life. When Logan tries to tell people what she is doing, they just think he is lying. I think something big is going to happen, and he will be believed.
    His grandpa has a hard time remembering things, and my grandfather does sometimes too!

‘Song of the Sparrow,’
by Lisa Ann Sandell
by Tabetha Ganzel, Grade 6
    Song of the Sparrow is about a girl named Elaine that works as a nurse for people at war. The time period was a long time ago with Arthur and the Round Table. Elaine was the only girl in the entire camp area. It’s hard for her to be the only girl. Arthur’s sister, Morgan, comes by and whenever she does Elaine feels free because she knows she is not alone. Elaine goes through a lot of trouble, especially knowing that she loves Lancelot, but he doesn’t love her. During this trouble she has a girl that is soon to be Arthur’s bride come to stay, but Elaine realizes that she is a snob. Elaine wants to get away from this so she decides to sneak off with the men while they plan to attack. Elaine gets lost and is stuck in the woods. She is going through a lot of trouble.
    When I first started reading this book, I knew it was going to be good. This book gives you a really good picture of what is happening. I can’t relate to it in any way, though! It is totally different than my life.
    The author wrote this book in first person. I really like it when the author writes it in first person because the book is usually a lot easier to understand. I can tell what Elaine is thinking without the other characters knowing. It also helps you understand more about what she is going to do or what she has done in the past.

‘Dear Papa,’ by
Anne Ylvisaker
by Taylor Schillinger, Grade 6
    Isabelle is one of five children. Her father died when she was eight by an allergic reaction. Her mother is married to a different religion (she’s Lutheran and he’s Catholic). His name is Mr. Frank and she used to be his cleaning lady. Now they live together.
    I enjoyed this book because I like books that are realistic. It tells about her life and what’s going on. I can relate to her because I have a friend whose parents are divorced. She has a hard life, as do I.
    The author wrote this in a letter/diary format, and I think it’s really good! It’s organized by date. She really makes it sound like what’s going on in her life, and the purpose for her book is because her aunt told her about how a little girl wrote a letter to her father just before he died. The letter was never found, so she made her own.

‘Shug,’ by Jenny Han
by Jill Gough, Grade 6
    Annemarie Wilcos, or Shug as her family calls her, is beginning to think there can’t be anything worse than being twelve. She’s really tall, has lots of freckles, and is really flat-chested. Shug is sure that there isn’t anything good looking about her. Now she has to start Junior High, where the friends she has aren’t acting the same anymore, especially Mark, the boy she’s known all her life. Life is growing up around her, but Shug wants things like they used to be. Then she starts to like Jack. 😀
    My reaction to Shug is that she isn’t afraid to tell the truth. AT ALL. She also likes to have things perfect, but as you know, nothing is perfect. Shug also hates to be made fun of so when she is made fun of she’s really not exactly willing to forgive.
    I can make a connection with Shug. Shug always likes everything perfect and organized. She doesn’t like her parents to fight or her sibling (sister) to be gone all the time, but since she is little and younger than them – they won’t listen.
    I like how the author puts in many details. Details make a book. I also like how Shug describes the looks of people, their hair, eyes, blemishes, all that stuff.
    This book reminds me of how in Middle School everyone is changing. It might not be good changes, but there are changes. Also, I can relate to the book in my own life. I can say a little too much sometimes. Then people start to not like you.