Middle School Critics word search The critics in this issue! Me, Myself and I Hannah Epstein Bath and Body Works KK Panda www.briarcliffmanorlibrary.org, Vol. 11, Issue 3, June 2016 Triple Mama Newt Legolas Sunshine Book Dolphin Hugs4theworld The rating system Jinx NYR ALL THE WAY chezcake chez cream Meet the Critics on Page 11 Bad Horrible Excellent Good Okay In this issue The Face on the Milk Carton · Mockingjay · Hamilton (soundtrack) · Sims 4 · Color Switch · The Seventh Most Important Thing · Step Up Revolution · Life As We Knew It · Welcome to Nightvale · The Giant Wave · The Jungle Book (movie) · Island: Shipwreck · Ab- solutely Positively Not · Peak · Every Day · Winter · Jumped In · Across the Universe · Peak · Alchemyst · The Seven Wonders · These Shallow Graves · The Giant Wave · Alex Rider: Stormbreaker · Color Switch · City of Bones · Fuller House · Attack on Titan · Catching Fire · Grimm Fairytales · The Princess, The Scoundrel, and the Farm Boy · The Giver · Nimona · Save the Date · Flowers for Algernon · Red Queen · Among the Hidden · Cress · Rangers Apprentice The opinions expressed in the reviews are not necessarily the opinion of the Library. The appropriateness of the materials reviewed is not for the Public Library to determine and the students are encouraged to review whatever they’d like— therefore, we encourage parents to be involved in and be aware of their children’s book, movie, television, gaming, internet and music choices. All non-original images are property of their various copyright owners. The Face on the Milk Hamilton Carton (soundtrack) By Caroline b. Cooney Critic: Sunshine Music and Lyrics by Mi- randa Lin-Manuel Parent-given name: Jane “Janie” Johnson. Self- Critic: Mama Newt proclaimed name: Jayyne Miranda Lin-Manuel is a Jonstone. Real name:….Jennie genius. I know what Spring? In the late 1980s, you’re thinking; a musical about a founding fa- nobody paid much attention ther? And a rap musical at that? Well, Hamilton’s to the missing children on milk cartons. But when music is catchy, well-made, informative and it has Janie Johnson sees her own face on a milk carton made me cry many times because I’m so into it. from when she was five it triggers daymares of Every single detail is accurate, like Thomas Jeffer- what could have been her life before a kidnap- son mentioning “Sally” in “What’d I Miss,” Sally ping. She gets answers, but just a thing or two was a slave who Thomas Jefferson had children don’t match up, leaving her unconvinced. This with. I am dying to see it, I haven’t listened to an- book leaves you on the edge of your seat, and I ything else in two weeks...But listen to it, it’s the wish I could tell you more, but you’ll just have to most amazing music I’ve ever heard, and it’s all read the book to find out! Rating: connected!! And if you don’t, then… And finally, you are the worst, Burr. Rating: Mockingjay The Sims 4 By Suzanne Collins Video Game Critic: Legolas Critic: Jinx Mockingjay is Bad. It’s Love being an evil (or good) boring, very, very boring. dictator controlling people’s, The first half of the book is or an entire town’s, lives? tragically boring. Though That’s right. Control people’s the second half of the book lives. YOU make them, design is entertaining and thought their outfits. This game’s provoking the first half is enough to make me graphics are SUPER realistic and amazing! The stop reading all together. The series as a whole is Sims you create can get jobs, if they are children great. Mockingjay is bad. I did not tell you about then they do homework. If they don’t, they fail. the actual book because...Dont’ read it. (Read The Parents skip work? They get fired. There are end- Hunger Games and Catching Fire though) less possibilities, and endless items in the store to Rating: buy. Live simple? Or live grandly and rich? Move up in your career? Or live on minimum wage? Endless possibilities. Rating: Color Switch Step Up Revolution App Movie Rated PG-13 Critic: Hannah Epstein Critic: KK Panda This game is really addicting. Step Up Revolution is the fourth It is really fun. Your goal is to movie in the Step Up franchise. It get your colored symbol to is about Sean, a middle-class guy the finish line. Your goal is to who with his friends is part of a finish all the levels in that flashmob called “The Mob.” They round. You get a prize if you do dances to show how they feel do so. Rating: and to prove they have a voice. Emily, the daugther of a rich realtor, wants to be a profes- sional dancer but her father doesn’t approve. When Emily meets Sean, they form a connection. The Seventh Most Problems arise when Emily’s father wants to re- Important Thing make Sean’s neighborhood and take down all the houses and stores. The rest of the movie is about By Shelley Pearsall how Emily and Sean dance to show their voice. Critic: Book Dolphin This movie is amazing and has lots of dance, romance, and drama. Rating: This book is about a boy named Arthur who threw a brick at an old man’s head. Life as we Knew It The brick missed and the man broke his shoulder instead of dying. Arthur’s father had died recent- By Susan Beth Pfeffer ly, and the old man was the “Junk Man.” Arthur’s Critic: NYR ALL THE WAY mom was throwing out his dad’s stuff. The Junk Man had taken Arthur’s dad’s hat from the trash, This is a book about a family and that made Arthur mad. He went to Juvie but who is perfectly normal, and in court the Junk Man (Mr. Hampton) stood up for then a meteor strikes at the Arthur and said that instead of going back to Ju- moon and moves the moon vie, Arthur would work for Mr. Hampton. Arthur into a perfect spot to begin an collects the seven most important things: light- ice age. The family must survive in these terrible bulbs, foil, mirror, pieces of wood, glass bottles, condictions and often strugges to survive. They coffee cans, and cardboard. Arthur didn’t know go on a big shopping spree and read to find out what this was for until….Nope. No spoilers here. what happens. Rating: Read this book to find out! Rating: The Jungle Book The Giant Wave Movie Rated PG By Peg Kehret Critic: Starbucks Critic: chezcake123 I really love the new movie The Giant Wave is such a good Jungle Book because it had a book. It was about two kids, lot of action. Also the actors one girl and one boy, alone, on are very good. For example, an island...a tsunami is on its Mowgli is very good and is way. Will they survive being very brave. I would recommend this to any alone or will they perish? Read the book find out. person who loves action. Rating: Rating: The Giant Wave Island: Shipwreck By Peg Kehret By Gordan Korman Critic: Starbucks Critic: chezcream Two kids are in a hotel by This book is about six kids who themselves and then bam a were sent on a boat and no one tornado comes and the hotel is wanted to be there, then a terrify- on fire then they get out of the ing storm hits...who will survive? hotel and have to run up a hill Who will die? Read the book to and watch the tsunami and find out more. Rating: then another wave comes and they have no energy to run. Will they survive the tsunami? Read the book. Rating: Absolutely Positively Not... Welcome to Nightvale By David LaRochelle Podcast Critic: Jinx Critic: Mama Newt It’s perfectly normal to check The scorching sun sinks behind guys out...right? That’s what the empty desert dunes. Wel- the main character does. He’s come to Nightvale. a boy, too. This boy doesn’t want to be gay, or doesn’t In this strange spontaneous de- know it. However, his best friend and probably a sert town, it seems anything can lot of other people do know. This is the hilarious happen. And I mean anything. Growing second story about his journey of getting out of the heads, canceling Wednesdays, minor exorcisms, closet, and putting up with his gay-disapproving major exorcisms, 5-headed dragons, hooded fig- parents. Rating: ures in a dog park you’re not allowed to even look at, evil wheat and wheat by-products, imaginary corn crops (so good!), angels and glow clouds. Peak (All Hail the Glow Cloud). Join radio show host Cecil, scientist Carlos (who Cecil gets an immedi- By Roland Smith ate crush on) and his beautiful fair, Old Woman Critic: Sunshine Josie and her angel, the sheriff and his secret po- lice, Steve Carlsburg (unfortunately) and you. And Fourteen-year-old Peak has a goodnight, dear listener. Goodnight… Rating: complicated past. Long story short, he’s ultimately punished himself into climbing Everest Every Day with his long lost father to be the youngest person to ever reach the mountain By David Levithan peak (pun intended). Between shaky relationships Critic: Hannah Epstein and unexpected competition, this is a must-read that should go without saying. Rating: Every day this person has to check if they are fat, skinny, dark, light, ugly or pretty. One day this person falls in love with a really pretty girl.