Joey Riscolo
Shooting Star
By Tom Wicker


The Cold War was one of the worst time periods in American history.

 Joe McCarthy, Winsconsins senator at the time is one of the biggest anticommuniost that ever lived. From him bring rasied as a boondock chicken farmer with only a grade school education. Also he has mannaged to survive many illnesses whitch would describe his toughness as a senator.

As a senator he described as "ambitious" and "hardworking" also "Talented" in my oppinoin Joe McCarthy is one of the greatest senators the United States has ever seen and also he has one of the greatest speeches from a political person too.

Not Your Average Teenager

Haley Buchanan

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

By Stephen Chbosky

Charlie Kelmeckis is not your average teenager; while telling his story, Chbosky's novel was actually challenged and banned in some high schools. The novel begins with the shy and overly thoughtful Charlie entering high school for the first time. Constantly referred to as wise beyond his years, Charlie makes friends with seniors named Sam and Patrick who give him his first taste of being social in a high school setting. The novel is written through Charlie's letters to an anonymous "friend."

The story follows Charlie through a lot of serious experiences which is why the book has been challenged in many schools. Charlie has his first encounters with witnessing relationship abuse, taking drugs, sexual assault and many other real world issues.

If someone were to ask me for a book recommendation, I would no doubt recommend The Perks of Being a Wallflower. The book is extremely well written, and I can guarantee you will fall in love with Charlie's emotional character within the first few pages.

I would recommend this book to the thinkers, to the emotional and to people who think unconventionally.

21 great ways to be a teamate

The hard hat, a true story

by: Jon Gordon 

Review by: Steven Giardina

  21 great ways to be a teammate. That's the main focus of this book. A heartfelt, tragic, and true story of a kid named George Boiardi. A Cornell lacrosse player who was not only a great teammate  and leader but an amazing person as well. He put everyone before himself and on the first day of pre-season camp the coaches knew he was something special. George was a true freshman. Meaning he didn't take a year off, and he could compete with these juniors and seniors almost 3 years older then him. not only did he compete but he had a drive to him like no one the coaches had seen before. George was humble, he kept to himself and never did anything to make kids not like him. until his sophmore year when George started to take an initiative and really come out of his shell. Everybody knows a kid that no matter what they said or did people listened, and that was George. he had such an attitude and personality that people admired.  Weather it was on the field or off the field george was a leader. On the field George was a fearless leader who had heart. Off the field George was a kind hearted friend who was never afraid to give someone a helping hand.

      The game was a make up game from the day before. George as always was focused and ready, just like every other game. Cornell was up by one and the defender from UNC stepped up and fired a shot. With no hesitation George stepped up and blocked the shot right in the chest. Back then chest protectors for lacrosse didn't protect you much. George got up and walked to the sideline where he collapsed. ambulances arrived at the scene and brought George to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. When the team heard the news it was devastating. kids didn't want to play anymore and they all shut each other out. Untill Georges mother came in the locker and rallyed the team together and told them that George would have wanted them to play. For him. Thats where the name comes in "the hard hat". Every game the hard hat is given out to a different player who went above and beyond expectations and played for the team. Just like George did. They put a number 21 on the hat in honor of george, and put 21 ways to be a great teammate in the back of the book. A great way to end the book. If you like a heart gripping true story and a story that really makes you think about your life then this book is perfect for you.

Brian Posadas


                                              The Boy From the Basement By: Susan Shaw

Imagine being locked in the darkness, in the horrors of the basement. The spiders, webs, cold cement floors, it sure would be the most traumatizing thing of your life. Charlie, a boy the age of 12 had been experiencing this his whole life. He had an abusive father with a helpless mother. He is forced to scavenge for food and water when his father is sleeping. Lock-ins were a big obstacle for him and happened daily. This was all Charlie knew, resulting in him being brainwashed by his father, Charlie thought he deserved the punishment from his father, he was oblivious to the outside world and has a lot to learn. To be totally honest this book is one you should read. I would not recommend this to horribly sensitive people as it will give you a cringe and tear. It's a suspenseful read for sure! Always giving me an eager feeling to pick it up again and find out whats next. Definitely one reason for you to pick up this book for a read. Another factor that makes this book unique to me is it makes me really appreciate the blessings that I have. It gives you a sad, grieving feeling but also a sense of gracefulness, thanking God that I have amicable parents and not having to go through this nightmare of a life. The novel makes it unbelievable that a child can say "Father says i'll be bad if I read."(125) and having him confess "I don't know what November first means... What's school? I don't even know what school is."(58) It gives you a perspective, a hopeless, curious one about the thing we most cherish, life. This is the core reason to why I recommend this book to anybody looking for one to read. I'm sure that it wont be a decision to resent.

How can a bully become a success?

William Castaneda De La Cruz

Playground

50 Cent 

   How can a bully become a success?

     50 Cent in the story we see how his life was in the beginning living in the suburbs with his mom while his dad lives in the city alone. Not liking the way everything going in his life he's got someone to talk to because of the situation that happened in the playground. Butterball's therapist Liz wanted to talk to him about the time when he put a kid in the hospital and wanted to find the reason why it happened. Even though Butterball wouldn't speak about it because he wanted to leave that in the past. Every knew Butterball as the playground bully because of the time he knocked out the kid with a sock full of batteries. Butterball loved the weekends because he could be with his dad because he would never say no to him about anything. His father once told him "if you want something then go get it yourself don't be a wimp" and that was the time where butterball asked his dad for the new shoes no one had and everybody wanted. Butterball took it in the wrong idea and stole what he wanted. Everybody in school couldnt believe that he had them because of how expensive they were.

A bully can become a success by noticing what he did wrong and changing the way he was and that is by speaking up and also learning how life is. 

Title: BronxWood
Author: Coe Booth

 sometimes we don't always have to read the books teachers tell us to read. Teenagers want to read a more modern type of book with the language they can understand . That would entertain them , teenagers this generation want to read something they are aware of or can relate to.
 
     BronxWood is about a single man name Ty who struggles to get by , he's separated from his little brother , barely has a relationship with his father who was just released from prison and lives an unstable life. Ty usually tries toy look on the upside of the situations and usually makes the best of it .


    In all honesty i would recommend this book, it includes modern comedy, Situations that would make you think about the comparison to your own life as well.

Eminem: Lyricist Like no Other

Angry Blonde

By: Eminem, Marshall Mathers, Slim Shady

              This is an amazing book submerged with the artists lyrics and commentary on his hit songs

The Real Slim Shady,  Guilty Conscience, the way I am

               He talks about the struggles he had while making his songs. including how the recording label wanted certain songs to be the main song but Eminem wanted a different song. I really liked this book because it shows how the one and only Marshall Mathers wrote his songs. This is a great book for the mature and musically interested audience.

We were liars

"Welcome to the beautiful Sinclair family. No is a criminal. No one is an addict. No one is a failure."

Cadence Sinclair, a poor little rich girl; who is the Protagonist of the book We were liars written by E. Lockheart is the perfect example of just because you have money and get everything and anything you want, it does not always mean that your life perfect. Cadence identifies herself, well all of the Sinclair family members as liars because she sees that her Mother spends money on useless things, and not because she needs it but she spends money, just to spend; and Cadence also sees that the Sinclairs want everyone else to view them as the perfect family, who do not carry out any flaws whatsoever but the family is filled with flaws and lies and that is why Cadence views the Sinclairs as liars.

Cadence feels difference, and she is different especially after her accident. She now suffers from these migraines that are unbearable unless she takes her medications. She feels unreliable, helpless but she is trying her best because she wants to remember what happened to her but she cannot.

Life is good for the Sinclairs until one day, a tragic event happened and it took away the people that Cadence loved the most, especially her lover; Gatwick. Cadence will forever be full of regrets.

He was in a terrible accident when he was a young ing with his mother , his mother didn't make it . After this accident he wasn't able to remember anything of his past or even his own mother . Later in the years he started school and he ended up getting bullied . Until one girl made it a little easier she would talk him in the halls and on the bus and sometimes in class and somewhat made it easier for him to get through the days . He would go home after school and look at an old scrapbook of him and his mom and his dad , and it would frustrate him when looked cause he wouldn't be able to recall those great memories . His dad notices that he hasn't been the same so he got him a therapist and Henry would go there and talk about his vivid dreams . Henry goes to dinner and has burgers but doesn't really  eat much .

The Night She Disappeared

Taken not forgotten?missing but still missed.pizza delivery or a setup?

Kayla was just having a regular day but do know that her life is about to change.just a normal day at work getting ready to close up and finish the day when she got a call for a delivery from a suspicious man that specifically asked for the girl in the "mini cooper" to make the delivery which is the car that gable drives. did the man wanted gable instead of Kayla? gable called out that day so Kayla filled in. not thinking much of it she went to the location where she never returned. Drew, a friend of Kayla and gable who also works at the pizza shop realized that Kayla has not returned from the delivery then called the police where they found her car by a river but they notice something strange. The detective noticed that there was no struggle so they all believe that she might have ran away , but Drew and Gable scene its much more than that so they join together as they try and solve this case themselves.

Messi, Neymar, Ronaldo by Luca Caioli

Messi, Neymar, Ronaldo, do any of these names sound familiar? Most people have probably heard at least one of these names. Football fans, or soccer as what it is called in the U.S see or hear these names every week. Messi and Ronaldo have been regarded as the best players of their generation and sometimes the best of all time. Many people believe that Neymar will be the one to dethrone them. This book talks about each player's childhood, influence, family, and accomplishments they have achieved so far. I would recommend this book because it's about three people who are known worldwide.




This book stood out to me because it's about soccer and it's about three players who I know a lot of. "Who is the greatest of them all? The best in the world? We are always asking that question. It is part of the culture of football, the collective history of lovers of the beautiful game''(1). This is the conversion that has been discussed between soccer fanatics for years. When Caioli writes "While there may not be a definitive answer to be found in these pages, there is plenty of room for opinions and analysis of the three players' journeys to stardom, their style and abilities, their achievements both on and off the pitch, their similarities and differences"(2) he's basically saying that it's impossible to determine who's the best of the three of them because they're all still playing, all in their prime, and everyone knows that they're going to keep achieving things that no other player has. This book would stand out to soccer fans because these are one of, if not the most recognizable names and faces in the soccer world.   

Glass by: Ellen Hopkins

After a long year of sobriety, Kristina finds herself once again addicted to the "monster".

She thinks she can control it but now with a baby to care for she constantly dreams of getting high. "Six months since we met up again we are inseparable, an intricate weave. No longer do I believe this is a temporary fling, more like total commitment, more like I have walked down the aisle, holding hands with the monster."

I would recommend this to someone because it has real life family issues and experiences throughout the book. Someone could relate to this book in many ways if they've been through similar situations. The main character has two different personalities that the author portrays as Kristina Georgia Snow and the other as "Bree". The author relays both plot points and drug addiction through each separated verse, first painting Kristina's self narration and then her self-destruction.

"Forever has no meaning when you're living in the moment. I wasn't ready for that moment to end."

In the end, Kristina's addicted ways leads for the loved ones around her to stop supporting her and giving her the easier way out. Kristina is now left abandoned with the "monster".

Quest to becoming the Pirate King

One Piece is a manga that is full of adventure,action,pirates,and more story than than Game Of Thrones.

The book follows Luffy who is a novice pirate after the golden age of piracy. His childhood dream is to become the next great pirate king. This series has over 79 volumes and 800+ chapters....It's also an anime series. The series is very original and whimsical and each volume takes about 1 hour and 30 mins for me to read and I'm a slow reader.

Bruises by Anke De Vries

Bruises is a story about a young girl, Judith, who lives with her brother and mother; and a young boy, Michael, who has dyslexia and lives with his aunt, uncle and little cousins. Each child have their own set of secrets. Judith's secret, which is the main problem of the story, is how she gets brutally abused by her mother.  Throughout the story Judith finds ways to keep people from suspecting her secret while increasing her friendship with Michael by them finding out more and more about each other.

Bruises is a decent book, but really is only for certain people. Anke does a good job making the reader want to know more a more of what's going to happen. The author gives information vital to the story very slowly. Many people don't have the patience to get evey detail as slow as the author reveils it, The only other critique is the lack of diction. Through the reading I find a lack of words with help provide a sense of imagery. This most likely had to do with how easy the author makes the reading. In general, bruises is a simple easy to read story that may on.y be for people who are patient in getting to the climax of the story.

Sarah DiGiorgio
The Beginning Of Everything.
By:Robyn Schneider
 

   Tragedy's are events that cause pain, suffering or downfall of a person. The main character Ezra Faulkner deals with them in his life everday  and  readers can also, relate.


 It all started when Ezra a star athlete was the best of the best but he now, no longer is. He first, has a bad break up then later that day he gets into a car accident. During the car accident, he brakes his arm and shatters his knee which causes him a set him back and later keeps him off the tennis team. People now look down on him and he no longer is the person he used to be. Eventually things get better and they lead to Erza  meeting a girl named Cassidy who later becomes his crush..


In my opinion this is a great interesting book, it always keeps me mind blown and suprises me with new situations. It keeps me wanting to read and learn more about the main characters and the downfalls that happen to them.

If you've ever dealt with a bad break up you can strongly relate to the main characters feelings and emotions and if you've never had a break up, you get to hear what they're all about. Also,  if you've ever been in a bad accident you can relate as well.

When I started this book the main character first stood out to me. I could relate to him and his break up, because I've dealt with one before. The exact situation of the break up and feelings towards the break up were similar to my break up too. The book also,  keeps me reading to learn more about Erza's crazy life and how he deals with his situations. Also, the new girl he meets interests me because she is a great character with a great personality.


"I still think that everyone's life, no matter how unremarkable, has a singular tragic encounter after which everything that really matters will happen. That moment is the catalyst- the first step in the equation. But knowing the first step will get you nowhere-it's what comes after that determines the result. so who was I in the aftermath of my personal tragedy?".

" To my parents, who will no doubt try to find themselves in this book. Don't worry, I made it easy for you- you're right here at the very front!.. The beginning of Everthing" .

- Robyn Schneider.

I recommend this book to anyone who is  highschool student, likes fiction and can relate in anyway.

Drug Lords, Cops, and an Inside Man

Joshua Ferreira

Takedown By Allison Van Diepen

       It all begins with sirens and cop chasing. After word was out that Diamond Tony, a well known man of the drug cartel, was in the area, Darren begins working as an inside man for the police to help monitor Tony's every move after being released from juvie where he had taken the fall for Diamond Tony two years prior.

 
     What really captures the readers and locks them in is the sense of worry for the character. For example, questions like, will Darren get caught working with the police? Or even if what he is doing will have a good out come in the end? The narrator always seems to have a way for us as readers wanting more and that's what is good in a book such as this one.

     
    This book is a combination of suspense and mystery thus far. Darren is relate able teenager in which we as readers can connect. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good suspenseful story and also a love story full of thrill.

Why Men Don't Listen and Women Can't Read Maps

  Benny Ssentongo

  Why Men Don't Listen and Women Can't Read Maps
   By: Barbara & Allan Pease                              
 
    This Book by Barbara & Allan Pease teaches people how to act when you are in a relationship either if you are a women or a man. This book tells about the problems and the greatness of being in a relationship. Also, the Love and Caring moments of being in a relationship and how much love and commitment that you need to put in to the relationship. The commitment in a relationship is very important. I believe that this book can help so many people in relationship. It teaches you how to act and what to say in a relationship. People is relationship should take advantage of this book and make their relationship better.

What do you think will happen on your next vacation?

Trixie Bernard

Dangerous Girls
By: Abigail Haas

Expect the unexpected.

It's spring break and Anna, her boyfriend Tate, and Anna's best friend Elise along with a group of excited seniors get ready to take on Aruba not knowing that one of their closest friends, Elise, was going to be a victim in a cold-blooded murder. Anna and Tate become suspects and are being questioned by authority who come across as shady; and now forced to stay on an unfamiliar island. As the other friends try to keep their distance, Anna and Tate find themselves closer than ever which may cause some trouble and suspicion during the trial.

I recommend reading this book because one unexpected situation leads you to another, and always pushes you to read a chapter more. The book goes back and fourth from past to present, filling in information that needed to be known in order to keep reading.