www.briarcliffmanorlibrary.org Vol. 10, Issue 2 March 2014 The Critics: In This Issue: 360 Humans of New York · The Magician’s Nephew · Vsauce · Thor: The Dark World · Elephantsandpeanuts Trouble · The Usual Gang of Idiots · Rocko’s Modern Life · The Dunwich Horror · Yoshi Trouble (again) · Call of Cthulhu · Breaking Stalin’s Nose · The Perks of Being a Wall- Totally Not Erica flower · Last Olympian · Trash Can Days · Nocturnal Academy · Frozen · Lego Star 42MO Wars: The Complete Saga · Flowers for Algernon · Poems by Maya Angelou · Thor: Professor Mysterious The Dark World (again) · Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone · Mockingjay · The City of Ember · Diary of a Wimpy Kid · Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared · A Tale of Two The Many Faces of Space Cities · Borderlands 2 · Matt and Kim · Soon Hee Newbold · Everflame · Divergent No series · House of Hades · The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family · Thoth Oz: The Great and Powerful · Rugrats · Critics Club · Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared A Price (again) · Papers Please · Divergent (again) · The Count of Monte Cristo · Mark of I am Zim Athena · Team Fortress 2 · Pokemon X and Y · Speak Meet the Critics Electrical Wizard The Rating System on page 12 Cooper (I can walk) : Feminist Lily Evans Mathstargirl (awful) (bad) (ok) (good) (excellent) 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. Critics 2 interest …with a nitrogen turbo engine souped up with steroids. Humans of New York Blog Vsauce YouTube channel Critic: Elephantsandpeanuts Critic: 360 Rating: Rating: “Humans of New York” is one of my favorite blogs. It’s run by a man named This channel analyzes the science of Brandon, who goes into NYC with a random things such as how people camera, and interviews and takes pictures “disappear”, cruel bombs, what color is a (with permission) of people walking down spherical mirror, and is the 5 second rule the street. It’s incredibly fascinating- the true? The videos keep you interested for first time that I saw it, I scrolled through long for the videos are on average 10 it for something like two hours. You’ll minutes long and new ones are posted learn about people’s happy and sad and weekly. Just in case something in the both lives, their goals and dreams in life, video interests you further, Vsauce leaves and their unique fashion styles and a link for every reference he uses in the personalities. You’ll meet aspiring video description. And remember, even if ballerinas, people whose lives have been food touches a contaminated surface for wrecked by Hurricane Sandy, and tourists less than one femptosecond, it still from other countries. http:// touched it, so maybe you shouldn’t eat www.humansofnewyork.com/ it… The Magician’s Trouble By Gary Schmidt Nephew By C.S. Lewis Critic: Yoshi Rating: Critic: Electric Wizard Rating: This book is good. Although it is sort of In just one word, mysterious, there’s no wow. This novel of action. Henry spends action, adventure and the entire book the test of a boy’s thinking about his “feelings” and his maturity with nothing attitude towards Chay, the person who more than a chair. If you enjoy any of puts Henry’s older brother into the the above, read this book without any hospital. There’s really not much regret. Contrary to popular belief, this is happening. He finds a dog, rows a boat, the first book in the Chronicles of Narnia, makes an omelet, climbs a mountain. rather than The Lion, the Witch and the Nothin’ much, other than the mystery. I Wardrobe. If you’ve already read The would read this book to pass the time, Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, read not for fun. This is also a really, really this to solve many mysteries. If you sad book, but gets brighter as it goes on haven’t, read this to kick start your (but not more entertaining). Critics 3 Totally MAD Trouble by The Usual Gang of By Gary Schmidt Idiots Critic: Thoth Rating: Critic: Cooper (I Can Walk) So the 8th grade has Rating: to read this book. It Totally Epic Mad is a is about a guy whose magazine/book that has brother gets hit by a many different comic car. The first guy strips and articles, and climbs a mountain is one of the funniest books around. If you while the second buy is in the hospital read it you definitely laughed, and unless with “indeterminate brain you hate laughing, you should read it. Also, activity” (whatever that means). This if you like this book subscribe to Mad and would be a good book, but we [the 8th laugh! graders] are required to squeeze EVERY LAST TIDBIT of detail from this book, which kind of lowers my rating. Remem- Thor: The Dark ber, this would be a “good” if not for the World myriad of questions with text detail. Movied Rated PG-13 Peace out. Critic: No Rating: Rocko’s Modern Life Thor: The Dark World TV Show is the sequel to Thor, Critic: I am Zim but you really don’t Rating have to watch the first movie to understand this movie. Basically, if The show is about a wallaby named you haven’t watched the first movie, the Rocko who moved to O-town from plot is just Thor coming back to Earth and Australia. He often gets into all of the worlds colliding, causing weird misadventures with his dog Spunky, his gravitational pulls and more sciency stuff. friends Heffer (a cow) and Filbert (a On top of that, Loki is trying to become king turtle) and his neighbors (The bigheads – of Asgard, but Thor needs his help to save frogs). The show is definitely one of the worlds. Like all Marvel movies, the Nickelodeon’s classics. It’s a shame they Tesseract is involved in the movie (It’s a cancelled it after 4 seasons. It does have blue glowing cube), and the movie is set to a lot of adult jokes, but you’ll love it. be right after the events in The Avengers. Before you watch this movie, you should know who Thor is, know who Loki is, and like Marvel. Critics 4 The Dunwich Horror The Perks of Being a By H.P. Lovecraft Wallflower Critic: The Many Faces of By Stephen Chbosky Space Critic: Feminist Lily Evans Rating: Rating: Follow a simple man on Awkward, adorable and a quest to find the evil relatable with a new NECRONOMICON. The perspective. Charlie, necronomicon is an evil the cutest most naïve boy ever, is book of dark magic. If you love long introduced into the depths and horrors, this is for you. complications of High School. Experience life with CHARLIE! Or a baby squirrel will The Call of Cthulhu cry :( . By H.P. Lovecraft Critic: The Many Faces Last Olympian of Space By Rick Riordan Rating: Critic: 42 Mo Rating: God of chaos, Destroyer of worlds, A half-blood of the Idol of the Cthulhu cult eldest gods shall – he is a god to reach sixteen against beware. If you love Victorian styled the odds and see the horrors this for you. world in endless sleep. The hero’s soul, coursed blade, shall reap. A single choice Breaking Stalin’s ends his days. To see, to preserve or Nose raze. By Eugene Yechin Critic: Professor Don’t Hug Me I’m Mysterious Scared Rating: video Critic: A Price! This book is about a Rating: little boy growing up in Soviet Russia. He worships Stalin. He Watch it. It’s awesome, and the fandom even wrote a letter to him. Coming up he is really nice and amazing. Plus, it’s will receive a red sash which will make him wonderfully creepy with just enough of a Pioneer. He has been looking forward to deep thought and symbolism. Also, the this all his life until the worst thing traumatic part only occurs in the middle happens. Find out what happens and the for around 30-45 seconds. There’s also a hardships he witnesses. This book is great second one! Watch it, and decide for if you love historical fiction. Check it out yourself if you like it or not. Oh and yes. from the school [or public] library today! Just yes. Critics 5 Trash Can Days By Teddy Steinkellner Critic: Totally Not Erica Rating: Wait, excellent is the best I can give this? Nocturnal Something is wrong with Academy this system…. Trash Can By Ethan Somerville Days is most certainly the best book I have read in a Critic: A. Price Rating: looooooooong time. Four narrators: Jake, Hollywood producer’s son; Danny, Jake’s Nocturnal Academy is the first book in a best friend (whose parents also happen to series. Do not judge them by their be Jake’s maid and cook; Jake’s sister covers. Seriously, the covers are Hannah and Dorothy “D.” Wu, obsessed horrible. This is a little known series with mangas and fantasy. Four kids about about vampires and werewolves. But to embark on the journey of a lifetime… not Twilight ones. The ones from the Middle School. But seriously, you will laugh Good Old Days.