We don't do stars...
We don't do thumbs...
We read children's books and grade them in 10 categories:
literary quality
plot
voice
originality
descriptive ability
humor (if attempted)
illustrations (if present)
believability of characters
believability of situations
overall reading enjoyment

There is no grading curve. There are no points for classroom participation. There is no extra credit.
If you disagree, come speak to us after class.

The Grading System

A+.....this means (guess what) we think it's great. So great it surprised even us.
A.....this means it's pretty darn good. A book we'd recommend to just about everyone we know.
B.....better than most. Not exactly Shakespeare for kids, though, if you get our drift.
C.....mediocre. Like the color beige, it didn't stand out.
D.....we didn't like it. There were more bad aspects than good ones.
F.....it reeked of badness. We read it over and over when we are in dire need of hysterical laughter.
F-.....We're pretty sure Dante had a circle of hell for the people who wrote these...and a lower circle for those who published them.

Friday, May 8, 2009

Reporter's Review: Just One Wish, by Janette Rallison


Publishing house/date: Putnam, 2009
Overall Grade: B+/A-

Annika Truman has to do something when her six-year-old little brother faces a surgery for a brain tumor—she is used to being the best at everything she does, knowing just how to read people and get what she wants. Her problem: you can’t read God. When he doesn’t answer her prayers the way she wants, she takes matters into her own hands—matters involving a pretend genie, an almost impossible wish, a snake, some bunnies the LA Lakers…and getting the famous TV star who plays Robin Hood, her brother’s hero, to visit him. Through the course of a Hollywood-worthy (and very crazy) adventure, she learns that sometimes it’s only when you lose control and things go wrong that you can find life’s most valuable treasures.
Just One Wish was a quick, entertaining read that is nonetheless very poignant and thought-provoking. While the situations are often a little too ridiculous to be believable (if you stop and think about them), the characters are vivid and true to life, providing a nice balance and depth to what would otherwise be a typical teen plot.

Literary Quality: B
Plot: A-
Voice: A
Originality: B
Descriptive Ability: A-
Humor: A
Illustrations: n/a
Believability of Characters: A+
Believability of Situations: B
Overall Reading Enjoyment: A

Possibly objectionable topics*: character suffering from cancer and facing possible death; kissing; very vague innuendos

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