Three Rivers Rising

Review by Edan
Title: Three Rivers Rising: A Novel of the Johnstown Flood
Author: Jame Richards
Published: 2010
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Summary:
Celstia is the daughter of a rich family that travels to a fancy resort by Lake Conemaugh, a reservoir held by a great dam. She loves spending her days swimming and talking to Peter, one of the hotels hired boys. This friendship soon turns to a romance, and a romance that could cause her to be disowned. Her family is being stretched to its limits when, in May, 1889, the great dam broke and released all of the water onto the towns below. Celstia had traveled down to visit Peter in his town in the valley, and then the water came...

Review:
This tragic event is a true story. I love the way Richards made this past event in history into a vivid scene that can be relived by reading this book. When I picked it up in the library, I hadn't looked at the writing style and was surprised when I opened the book to start reading. The book is written in the format of a poem. I thought this would be difficult to read, but it wasn't. The story flowed and shows the reader what it was like for the poor towns in the valley and the rich families above. It touched the story of each type of person, Celstia, her father, Peter, a local nurse and even more.
This is such a beautiful story. It makes the reader see what it would be like to have experienced the Johnston Flood. It moves a little slow at parts, but I never lost my interest. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a book about romance, courage and realizations....

Rating:****

The Cat Who Went To Paris

Review by Edan
Title: The Cat Who Went To Paris
Author: Peter Gethers
Publisher: Ballentine Books
Published: 1992

Quick Summary:
This book for cat lovers is a true story of the author of The Cat Who Went To Paris, Peter Gethers, and his little scottish fold named Norton. Norton isn't like most cats, he is outgoing, adventurous and makes every person fall in love with him. He frolics through the snow in Vermont, tramps across the beaches on Fire Island and over the roofs of Paris. It is an amazing story of an author and his amazing cat.

Review:
This is a must read for any cat lover. It is such a sweet and funny story. Having three cats, I know whats its like to have pesky felines around, but this story made me imagine what it would be like taking them all over the world. What is would be like having a pet to take everywhere. I don't know what else to say about it... It is a short book, but it was so beautiful and a fun read. I highly recommend it!

Review: *****

A Mango Shaped Space

Review by Edan
Title: A Mango Shaped Space
Author: Wendy Mass
Publisher: Little, Brown Books
Published: 2005

Quick Summary:
Mia has synesthesia, meaning she has different visual perceptions when she hears sounds, reads words or has any other sense. Each persons perceptions are different, but Mia sees colors and textures with every number, letter, word and sound. She thought everyone had this until one day, when she was eight, she realized she was different. She was a "freak." She kept her colors a secret until her difficulties in school were increasing and her life seemed to be getting much more complicated. Mia has to take a journey though  life to discover who she is, what she is, and how she fits into the world.

Review:
This book was amazing! I first saw it when I was over at my friends house. It was laying on the table and I read the back of it. It sounded interesting. My friend told me it was such a good book she had read is a whole bunch of times. I wasn't sure of how good it would be, but it was beautiful, interesting, factual and stunning! It grasped my attention all the way through. Mass built all of the characters beautifully and lead me through the story very well. I felt that the end was a little abrupt though. You could tell how things would most likely be like later, but I just wish the author could have expanded a little bit, by doing a few pages from a few years in the future. I was also confused about what time period this took place in. It sounded like a few years in a past, but how long? 20 year? 10 years? 5 years? 1?

A Mango Shaped Space teaches the reader about synesthesia, growing up and letting go. It is about a teen trying to figure out who she is. It is a very connecting story which is a must read for many teens. It has a quick pace, and is great for anyone who is looking for a short and sweet read. Loved it!

Rating:*****

Carpe Diem

Review by Edan
Title: Carpe Diem
Author: Autumn Cornwell
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Published: 2007

Summary:
16 year old Vassar's whole life has been planned out, from her PhD to attending Vassar College. Her family never goes without a plan and Vassar believes her whole life will be like this. But it all changes one night in May when her grandmother (an avid artist and traveler in Southeast Asia) blackmails her parents and pulls Vassar out her perfect life and into a wild adventure. Vassar must learn to adapt, to LIM as her Grandma Gerd says (Live in the Moment). And throughout the whole adventure, she is also looking to discover the Big Secret Grandma Gerd blackmailed her parents with. Finally, with no plans in mind, Vassar, Grandma Gerd and the Malaysian cowboy Hanks travel through Malaysia to Cambodia and even the little jungles of Laos. Vassar must learn to LIM and in the end she does, even when the Big Secret turns her whole life upside down.

Review:
I really enjoyed this book. I picked it off a shelf at the library one day and really liked the idea of the book. I started reading and got so annoyed at Vassar, with her overachiever ways, preppy friends and overly planned life. I also didn't really like Hanks in the beginning either. He just seemed like a kind of weird and loud guy, but in the end I was quite fond of him. Grandma Gerd is also interesting. In the beginning, she seemed like a crazy grandmother with no thoughts or feelings other than traveling and collecting materials for her piece of art, but you later see how hard her life is and how much she cares for Vassar. I love the ways the characters were built. It's like how you would normally get to know someone, making assumptions in the beginning, but really getting to know them later.

Once I got into the story, I absolutely loved it. The combination of humor, adventure and love was perfect. The was Vassar progresses in the story also made me like it more. Once she starts to just LIM and look at her present situation at all angles, she enhances the story. The Big Secret isn't quite that important to the story, but makes sense and adds another angle to it. Its a fast pace and entertaining book that I would highly recommend.

Rating: ****