Teen Corner

Review by Olivia Round

Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser

I always felt there was something sinister about a McDonald's hamburger. Just before I bit into one, some nagging little voice would whisper in my ear "It's just too perfect". Eric Schlosser agrees in his riveting book Fast Food Nation, which I have just completed reading for English class. According to Schlosser, the fast food corporations take great pains to create the "too good to be true" quality of its products, franchises, and intentions. This dedicated author compiles hours of research and investigation to discover the truth about the control that fast food companies have over American businesses, lifestyles, and appetites. He interviews restaurant employees, potato farmers, cattle ranchers, slaughterhouse workers, and even the scientists who concoct the smells and flavors of the fast foods we all crave. The bright wrappers, smiling mascots, and glitzy, gleaming restaurants hide a much darker side of the industry, one of greed and deception. If you want the truth about the "All-American Meal", as Schlosser so aptly names it, then Fast Food Nation is a must-read. Be forewarned: you may never eat another fast food taco in your life.

Review by Courtney Enright

Our Only May Amelia by Jennifer L. Holm

Our Only May Amelia is a good book about a young teenage girl who has seven older brothers and is growing up in a remote location in the growing West. She is overall extremely isolated from all other women of her age. The story tells about her life and shares a variety of anecdotes, all of which are interconnected. I thought the story was interesting because a major theme of the book is discovering who is she and everyone has gone through this at one point of time or another. I would highly recommend this book particularly for teenage women as they have better grounds on which to connect with the book. However, you never know, the boys may like just as well.

Review by Jasper Rodgers

As Simple As Snow By Gregory Galloway

I read it about a year ago, and I've read many books after and before this one, but this one is still my ultra uber top favorite first choice book ever. It's a fictional love mystery real life ma bobber kind of book. (Haha. Oh, big vocab for a smart person! :D ) I'm not into mystery books all that much, but this one is different, by far.
Anna Cayne, isn't the typical teenager I suppose you could say, or maybe she's quite the opposite. She's about fifteen or sixteen years old, and moves to this small dinky town. Kind of like Ketchikan! She meets this ordinary, or actually he's below that even, boy. They become fairly close, very fast. She likes mind games, it's basically what she lives off of. Sending him clues in so many different ways, he's not sure what they are for, but he soon finds out when she disappears! Around this time of year actually, two weeks before Valentines day, she goes missing. And all that is left is a dress next to a hole in the ice, some notebooks filled with everyone she ever killed, and a message on her computer that is in code. What ever is someone to do? Well, you'll see if you read the book. Do it, yo.
I've recommended this book to several people, and everyone I have done so has loved it! And, becomes obsessed with it for a short time trying to figure out what happened. It's a quick easy read that will leave you pondering the life of Anna Cayne, and exactly who she was. It'll leave you wanting to read H.P Lovecraft (Which is an amazing writer by the way), and Poe, and so many other authors mentioned in the book that get over looked sometimes. Along with some great older music. (Some of it is hard to find though, at least it was for me) And, who knows, it may even leave you wondering about yourself, and your place in the world of today. The book has a character everyone can relate to, no matter your age. So, read it!

More reviews by Courtney

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is an action packed, conclusion to the seven part Harry Potter series. For most readers a review is hardly necessary to encourage reading, but I digress. This book continues almost immediately after the previous one left off and jumps right in, and doesn't’t cease until one has reached the end. As a young adult, Harry is faced with many challenges and obstacles, some of which are very unlike the one’s we face and others that are very similar. Many of the challenges presented to him extend far beyond the physical realm and into the mental one. The book is interesting and fast paced and guarantees to leave you with food for thought. I felt the book brought up some interesting points, some of which included: good vs. evil, internal struggles, maintaining individuality, becoming you despite other’s expectations, friendship, etc. I would recommend this book to anyone as it is all around her best book yet.

The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown

The Da Vinci Code is an extremely fast paced adventure. The book starts out as a murder mystery which quickly evolves into a mystery of a whole different proportion. Much of the content and conclusions derived at by Dan Brown are under high debate and scrutiny in the religious world, and have been for the past several centuries. Dan Brown puts a new spin on an old debate. The plotline is full of unexpected twists and turns and is amazingly well researched. However it should be noted that many of the old Druid rituals are very different and even considered barbaric in our modern day world. It is essential when reading this book to approach it with an open mind. I would recommend that those with strong religious convictions be cautious and careful when reading this book as many of the topics at hand severely disgruntle the devout. I felt the book overall was well researched which added a new dimension of realistic ness. I also noted that the book was geared far more toward adults then that of youth. I won’t let that stop you however be prepared to think and use a dictionary. Many of the words used are religious in orgin and not mainstream even for the most verbose adults.

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TeensReadToo

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Orange County Library Systems' Book It

Hastings Public Library Teen Reviews

Fresno County Public Library Peer Book Reviews

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Welcome to the Ketchikan Public Library's Teen Corner	T.A.G. Reviews And Links to More Review Sites!
Careers/Jobs new links College Planning Entertainment new links Fun new page Health new links Homework Plus new links Local links Reading / writing new links Sports TAG Reviews and More new page Tech / Games new links Teen Advisory Group For Kids What's New KPL Homepage Library Catalog SLED	Review by Olivia Round Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser I always felt there was something sinister about a McDonald's hamburger. Just before I bit into one, some nagging little voice would whisper in my ear "It's just too perfect". Eric Schlosser agrees in his riveting book Fast Food Nation, which I have just completed reading for English class. According to Schlosser, the fast food corporations take great pains to create the "too good to be true" quality of its products, franchises, and intentions. This dedicated author compiles hours of research and investigation to discover the truth about the control that fast food companies have over American businesses, lifestyles, and appetites. He interviews restaurant employees, potato farmers, cattle ranchers, slaughterhouse workers, and even the scientists who concoct the smells and flavors of the fast foods we all crave. The bright wrappers, smiling mascots, and glitzy, gleaming restaurants hide a much darker side of the industry, one of greed and deception. If you want the truth about the "All-American Meal", as Schlosser so aptly names it, then Fast Food Nation is a must-read. Be forewarned: you may never eat another fast food taco in your life. Review by Courtney Enright Our Only May Amelia by Jennifer L. Holm Our Only May Amelia is a good book about a young teenage girl who has seven older brothers and is growing up in a remote location in the growing West. She is overall extremely isolated from all other women of her age. The story tells about her life and shares a variety of anecdotes, all of which are interconnected. I thought the story was interesting because a major theme of the book is discovering who is she and everyone has gone through this at one point of time or another. I would highly recommend this book particularly for teenage women as they have better grounds on which to connect with the book. However, you never know, the boys may like just as well. Review by Jasper Rodgers As Simple As Snow By Gregory Galloway I read it about a year ago, and I've read many books after and before this one, but this one is still my ultra uber top favorite first choice book ever. It's a fictional love mystery real life ma bobber kind of book. (Haha. Oh, big vocab for a smart person! :D ) I'm not into mystery books all that much, but this one is different, by far. Anna Cayne, isn't the typical teenager I suppose you could say, or maybe she's quite the opposite. She's about fifteen or sixteen years old, and moves to this small dinky town. Kind of like Ketchikan! She meets this ordinary, or actually he's below that even, boy. They become fairly close, very fast. She likes mind games, it's basically what she lives off of. Sending him clues in so many different ways, he's not sure what they are for, but he soon finds out when she disappears! Around this time of year actually, two weeks before Valentines day, she goes missing. And all that is left is a dress next to a hole in the ice, some notebooks filled with everyone she ever killed, and a message on her computer that is in code. What ever is someone to do? Well, you'll see if you read the book. Do it, yo. I've recommended this book to several people, and everyone I have done so has loved it! And, becomes obsessed with it for a short time trying to figure out what happened. It's a quick easy read that will leave you pondering the life of Anna Cayne, and exactly who she was. It'll leave you wanting to read H.P Lovecraft (Which is an amazing writer by the way), and Poe, and so many other authors mentioned in the book that get over looked sometimes. Along with some great older music. (Some of it is hard to find though, at least it was for me) And, who knows, it may even leave you wondering about yourself, and your place in the world of today. The book has a character everyone can relate to, no matter your age. So, read it! More reviews by Courtney Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is an action packed, conclusion to the seven part Harry Potter series. For most readers a review is hardly necessary to encourage reading, but I digress. This book continues almost immediately after the previous one left off and jumps right in, and doesn't’t cease until one has reached the end. As a young adult, Harry is faced with many challenges and obstacles, some of which are very unlike the one’s we face and others that are very similar. Many of the challenges presented to him extend far beyond the physical realm and into the mental one. The book is interesting and fast paced and guarantees to leave you with food for thought. I felt the book brought up some interesting points, some of which included: good vs. evil, internal struggles, maintaining individuality, becoming you despite other’s expectations, friendship, etc. I would recommend this book to anyone as it is all around her best book yet. The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown The Da Vinci Code is an extremely fast paced adventure. The book starts out as a murder mystery which quickly evolves into a mystery of a whole different proportion. Much of the content and conclusions derived at by Dan Brown are under high debate and scrutiny in the religious world, and have been for the past several centuries. Dan Brown puts a new spin on an old debate. The plotline is full of unexpected twists and turns and is amazingly well researched. However it should be noted that many of the old Druid rituals are very different and even considered barbaric in our modern day world. It is essential when reading this book to approach it with an open mind. I would recommend that those with strong religious convictions be cautious and careful when reading this book as many of the topics at hand severely disgruntle the devout. I felt the book overall was well researched which added a new dimension of realistic ness. I also noted that the book was geared far more toward adults then that of youth. I won’t let that stop you however be prepared to think and use a dictionary. Many of the words used are religious in orgin and not mainstream even for the most verbose adults. If you enjoyed these reviews, you might like other reviews by Teens check out these sites TeensReadToo Reads4Teens Orange County Library Systems' Book It Hastings Public Library Teen Reviews Fresno County Public Library Peer Book Reviews Homer Township Library Teen Reviews Denver Library Teen Picks Hennipin County Library Read On