It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

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Genre: Distopic/Science Fiction

AR level: 5.0

Grade appropriate: 9th and up (not appropriate for elementary students) 

RATING BREAKDOWN: 

Overall: 4/5-- I loved the first one very much. I read it in a day and a half even with a two year old in the house. This one was good, but I waited so long between reading the first and second ones that I had a hard time getting back in the right frame of mind. I started it and then put it down, but picked it up again recently and enjoyed it very much this time.

Creativity: 4/5-- Following in the distopic pattern, but in a unique way. The society has divided into factions based around the characteristic they value most.

Characters: 4/5-- All of the main characters in this book are very angry. Usually that is quite a turn off because the reader doesn't want to hear whinning and complaining for an entire book. Somehow Roth manages to make her characters likeable and their anger justified.

Engrossing: 3/5-- I put this book down after starting it the first time.When I came back to it I was in a much better frame of mind and it was much better. 

Writing: 5/5-- Veronica Roth does a great job pulling the reader in.

Appeal to kids: 5/5-- The kids in my elementary are all getting their hands on these books as quickly as possible. I have none in the elementary and will not be getting them since they are not written for elementary aged kids. I have been trying to explain this to my students but it seems that my arguments are falling on deaf ears...

Appropriate length to tell the story: 4/5--It took me a while to read this one. I had a hard time getting back into it after reading the first one. Once I got engrossed in the world again I finished it quickly. 

CONTENT: 

Language: mild-- I didn't note specific instances, but I feel like there were a couple of curse words. 

Sexuality: medium-- lots of sensual touching and kissing

Violence: high-- lots of fighting. Tris has to kill and fight to protect her friends and the society at large. 

Drugs/Alcohol: mild-- Tris is drugged to keep her from causing trouble and the Dauntless drink after being attacked to dull their senses. 

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Genre: Adventure

AR level: 5.3

Grade appropriate: 4th and up

RATING BREAKDOWN: 

Overall: 4/5-- I wanted to love this book. It was funny but so tongue in cheek that it got annoying. 

Creativity: 4/5-- It was fun to have a book set in a spy school set up by the CIA but there are others that I like better like the Gallager Girls series by Ally Carter

Characters: 3/5-- Again, I wanted to like Ben, but he really ended up getting on my nerves. 

Engrossing: 4/5-- It was fast paced and a pretty quick read. 

Writing: 3/5

Appeal to kids: 5/5-- The kids are loving this series, boys and girls alike. That's one of the reasons I felt that I needed to read it! 

Appropriate length to tell the story: 5/5

CONTENT: 

Language: mild- approx 5 instances (damn, ass) 

Sexuality: none 

Violence: mild--  Benjamin is a very fumbling hero who attempts to be James Bond and ends up being more Monk. 

Drugs/Alcohol: none