Pete's Gold

Pete’s Gold By Luanne Armstrong, Review by Jaime, age 15

Pete is city kid from Victoria. When he gets sent off to his Grandmother’s farm for the summer, Pete is expecting a long two months of boredom without his computer, video games, or friends. But that was before he gets to know his Grandma and the neighborhood kids, Jess and Bird. They tell him stories of his long lost ancestor who suffered and unknown death, and of what he left behind. Pete finds lots of fun, alternate ways to entertain himself in the summer, and gets into a fair bit of trouble too. When he finds and extraordinary discovery, his family gives him the admiration and respect he always longed for.

Pete’s Gold is a really great adventure book for preteens and even teenagers. It has suspense and keeps you turning pages to find out what happens next. I like this book because imagining the farm and the lake was fun in my opinion. The relationship between Pete and his grandmother grows over the summer, and when an accident happens to her he comes running to the rescue. He also changes over the summer because he goes from a regular video-game-playing city kid to a risk-taking, active country boy. Pete learns about responsibility by helping on the farm.

Miss Harold's Note: Pete's Gold is short-listed for the 2009 Chocolate Lily Awards

Call It Courage

This is a review from Aziz, grade 5:

Call it courage is about Manfue and his dog Uri getting caught on an island. Manfue's name means "stout heart" but his people call him coward. Since his mother died from sea, Manfue is afraid of the sea.

Do you know what I like about the author Armstrong Sperry? He keeps his readers interested, he keeps on telling us more and more interesting facts, and then he tells you something so exciting you have to read more. I cannot tell you what will happen at the end, but I know you will like it.

Underground to Canada

This review is written by Amina in grade 6:

Do you like books about slavery? If you do, Underground to Canada by Barbara Smucker is a book for you. Many characters in this book are based on real people! For instance Levi Coffin and his wife Cathrine helped more than 3,000 slaves escape to Canada, and Mr. Alexander Ross helped more than 31 or more slaves escape to Canada in about 5 years.

Underground to Canada is a story about a young girl, who is taken away from her mother by a ruthless slave trader. All she has left is the dream of freedom. She meets a girl named Liza. When workers from the underground railway offer to help them, they are ready. But the slave catchers and their dogs will soon be after them. Will they ever reach Canada?

Barbara Smucker makes the reader turn each page of this wonderful book, for example: A little of the fear and ache lifted from Julilly she began repeating the words that the slave owner had used Quaker Abolitionist, free n---- boy and found herself wondering if the words might have anything to do with Canada.

Will she ever get to Canada? Or will she find herself picking cotton with whip slashing down her back if you want to find out I recommend this book I recommend this book to you!

Miss Harold's Notes:Here is a link for more information on the Underground Railway, and one man's walking journey done last year