Tag archives for Future
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BOOK NAME: Gathering Blue
AUTHOR: Lois Lowry
Gathering Blue is an amazing book about a young girl named Kira. Kira’s father had been killed on a hunt, even before she was born, and her mother has now died of illness. In Kira’s community, if you can’t do work, you might as well be brought to the field to be eaten by the beasts. Kira, who was born with a twisted leg, is too young to weave by herself, so she has the small job of picking up the scraps at the weaving shed. Now that both of her parents have died, Vandara, an evil woman in the community, wants Kira to be taken to the field.
Kira is taken to court. The judges decide that Kira can stay in the community, but now she will have a new job. Every year, the entire village would get together, and the “Singer” would sing a long song about all the good and bad things that had happened to the village. While he sang, he would wear a robe Because of her magnificent abilities in weaving, Kira will repair and restore the Singer’s robe. She will now live in the government building.
In the building, Kira meets Thomas the Carver. They eat their meals together and become good friends. Slowly, Kira begins to notice some strange things about her community. Could people be keeping secrets from her? Kira is determined to find out.
I really enjoyed this book. I would recommend it to anyone ages 12 and up. Kira’s courage is truly inspiring, and everyone should learn from her.
This book is a sequel to The Giver. Read Mairen’s review of The Giver.
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The human race emerged the victor of a horrific war with the Buggers, a hostile alien race. A fleet of human starships, under the command of Ender Wiggin, destroyed the Bugger home world, annihilating the insect-like creatures. In the years that followed, Ender Wiggin vanished, and human colonies sprang
up on habitable planets across the galaxy. Then, a terrible discovery was made by a mysterious human calling himself the “Speaker for the Dead”. The Buggers were not actually bloodthirsty alien beasts; they were intelligent beings who had been willing to make peace with humans! Ender Wiggin went from hero to monster and the human race mourned the unnecessary destruction of the powerful race that was the Buggers.
Then, on a world called Lusitania, another group of highly intelligent beings, the piggies, were discovered. Humans seemed to have a chance to redeem themselves for the destruction of the Buggers. When the piggies brutally murder a scientist attempting to study them, however, the old fears of killer aliens arise again. The Speaker for the Dead is now on his way to Lusitania to discover why the piggies turned to savage, unprovoked killing. He also hopes to right a great wrong he committed earlier in his life. The Speaker for the Dead is… Ender Wiggin, and it is his mission to stop a second alien race from being wiped out.
This was an excellent book, but there are some issues that must be addressed. There are some graphic descriptions of violent death, which may be disturbing to younger readers. There are also some inappropriate references that should only be read by a middle or high school audience. These factors are a drawback, but they cannot alter the fact that this book is phenomenally written. The plot constantly kept me on the edge of my seat. Speaker for the Dead is actually a sequel to another great book, Ender’s Game, but Speaker for the Dead can be read and understood perfectly well without even picking up its predecessor.
BOOK NAME: Ender’s Game
AUTHOR: Orson Scott Card
An alien civilization known as the “Buggers” has attacked the human race twice. Only the leadership of the heroic human commander, Mazer Rackham, saved mankind from certain destruction. However, the Bugger threat still looms, and Mazer Rackham is no longer in a position to command. To prepare for another assault, the International Fleet of starships (I.F.) created the Battle School, designed to recruit and train the genius commanders of the future. These young military leaders will commandeer the I.F. forces against their formidable extraterrestrial foe.
Ender Wiggin is one such recruit. For much of his young life, he has been monitored by the International Fleet. Now, I.F. officials have deemed him ready for Battle School. Ender is still a child, but his intelligence is far beyond his years, and the I.F. wants him to become the next Mazer Rackham. First, though, he must survive many grueling years and challenges at the Battle School, where students are just as capable and dangerous as he is. The Battle School centers on a military combat game in zero-gravity. By competing in the games against the other students, Ender’s talents and abilities will be pushed to the limit, preparing him for the ultimate challenge of saving humanity.
This book ranks highly on the list of my all time favorite books. The futuristic world portrayed by author Orson Scott Card intrigued me. The interstellar wars with aliens reminded very much of Star Wars and Star Trek, two classic sci-fi sagas that I have watched. Ender’s extreme intelligence and skills set him up for greatness. His ability to strategize and think ahead made him an exceptional character to read about. In the story, Ender faces both internal and external conflicts, which tie together to form a multifaceted storyline. For example, while Ender is trying to win the games and crack the code of the mysterious teachers and staff, he must also deal with his longing for his kind-hearted sister. He must also contend with his fear of his evil older brother, who is already planning to take over the world. The book was full of action and suspense, as well as few surprise twists. I strongly recommend reading this book.
Want another opinion? Read Reed’s review!
Posted by BOOK NAME: Feed
AUTHOR: M.T. Anderson
While walking through the bookstore with a 2-foot-high stack of books in my arms, I saw Feed and added it to the stack. It somehow managed to survive the rigorous tests that got it into my bag on the way out of said bookstore, and I’m glad that it did. I started to read it and, while being confused with the language used, was quickly drawn into the vortex that is M.T. Anderson’s book.
Now, don’t go pick up this book if you can’t take bad language. It’s in the teen section for a reason, folks. Please get your parent’s permission if you’re 13 or under.
Moving past that awkward disclaimer, the book revolves around a teenager named Titus who spends his time e-chatting people, taking Spring Break on the Moon (awesome!) and generally hanging out with his friends. This might seem normal (well, except the Moon part), but everything is done over the Feed. The Feed is a network that is integrated into people’s heads and that is used to communicate and get information. Basically, think smartphone/encyclopedia/knowledge base all in one and in your head. That’s a pretty cool idea to begin with, but the way that M.T. Anderson exploits it to force the reader to take a look at our society and what it could evolve into is really enrapturing. Titus meets Violet, a girl who likes to talk in person (shocker) and is generally a little bit strange. When a hacker disables their feeds, they are sent into rehab and Titus learns all about Violet’s view on life.
This book, once you wrap your head around the decidedly futuristic language, is great. I haven’t read a “teen” book in a while that really makes you take as big a step back as Feed did. I can see how Violet was alone in a world where everything was done on the feed, and how that could soon become our society. Basically, read this book at some point in your life. If you’re not old or mature enough now, read it when you’re in high school, or even college. It will do you some good and give you a little perspective on life.
Posted by BOOK NAME: Matched
AUTHOR: Ally Condie
In the Society, the Officials decide. Everything. Cassia has always trusted their choices, decisions, and motives. From when you’re born to when you die, the Society decides. Everything in everyone’s lives are controlled by the white-dressed Officials. When Cassia gets Matched with her best friend, Xander, for life, she is certain it’s the wisest choice for the Officials to have made in her life. Until she sees the face of Ky on her Matching screen for a brief moment before it goes black. Cassia’s certainty in Xander weakens and her curiosity for making her own choices in life such as who she loves overcomes her. Decisions don’t have to be made, but it’s Cassia’s choice whether or not to make them, herself.
Matched was recommended for the fans of Twilight and The Hunger Games, but I beg to differ. Matched had no inappropriate content and sent out a message on the wisdom in making decisions, having hope, and loving someone truly. With a romantic curve ball to the story of the Society in which Cassia lives in, the book contains girly content I honestly loved. This book is recommended for ages 12 and up, containing some harder to understand content that would most likely satisfy the older age group. This is one of the few books I’ll remember when I look back on my good reads and I hope Matched is as enjoyable for you as it was for me!
Posted by BOOK NAME: Ender’s Game
AUTHOR: Orson Scott Card
Hey guys. How are you all doing today? I know I’m happy. I am going to tell about one of my favorite books. It is called Ender’s Game. I think that this book is appropriate for 11 year olds through young adults
Ender is the main character in this book. His real name is Andrew but people call him Ender because he is a third child. There is a law that says you can only have two children but Peter (Enders brother) did so well in battle school that the government thought he would be the next great commander so they let the Wiggins have a third child because they thought that Ender would also be a great commander. It turns out Peter was too violent and Ender was just right.
Ender needs to save the world from the alien Buggers just as Mazer Rackham did about 70 years ago during their second invasion. He killed the Queen bugger. He also is Enders teacher at commander school. He teaches all of the kids who generals think have a chance at being the next commander of their fleet. Ender is the last child Mazer will be able to train before the third invasion which is coming soon. Everybody hopes that Ender is the next great commander.
Can Ender save the world? Will he ever get to see his family again? You have to read this book to find out. The book is part of a series. A very long series that is. It is so long that even today Orson Scott Card is still working on the last book. Have a nice day everybody and make sure you check under your bed for Buggers. I know I will.
BOOK NAME: A Crack in the Sky
AUTHOR: Mark Peter Hughes
Eli Papadopoulos is a teenager who lives in a futuristic America. Global warming has gone extreme, and most of the human race lives in enclosed domes. The insides of the domes are screens that simulate the sky or run ads, and everyone lives fairly happily. Eli’s grandfather was the one who ‘saved humanity’ by thinking of the domes and having his company, InfiniCorp, build it all and take care of everyone. Eli has many relatives, and they are all expected to get a job within InfiniCorp’s ranks. Eli has a pet mongoose, Marilyn, who was given to him by his grandfather. She has been genetically engineered, and can communicate telepathically with Eli. One day, Eli notices a spark on the inside of the dome, and runs to investigate. He doesn’t see anything suspicious, but he begins to be worried and tries to find out more about what is happening. Soon, he discovers a conspiracy plot to escape from the domes because everyone is going to die already. The conspiracy theorists, or foggers, believe that El Guia, a man of the desert, will guide them to safety. Eli begins to doubt his own family, and eventually embarks on an adventure involving a fogger named Tabitha, Marilyn, and his entire family to discover the truth.
As many of you know already, I love science fiction, especially futuristic stuff. I’ll read virtually anything, but this book was really a gem. I’ve recommended it to most of my friends already, and you guys should read it, too! One of the things I liked most about this book was that it gave all perspectives. You got Eli, Tabitha, and Marilyn as well as some people who lived outside the domes. It was good to figure out what the different people were thinking as well as what they knew and didn’t know. It was also cool to see all of the different paths converge at the end of the novel. If you like global warming, this is a great book for you. It’s fairly realistic, and kind of scared me when I thought of how close we are to this coming true. My favorite character would definitely have to be Eli, because he is dedicated to his friends and to finding the truth.
BOOK NAME: Catching Fire
AUTHOR: Suzanne Collins
Have you read The Hunger Games? If you haven’t, read the review before reading this one, because this is the sequel.
Okay… now that you’re caught up, let me remind of what happened in the first book. Katniss and Peeta won the Hunger Games and went back to District 12. Now they live in Victors Village next to Haymitch who was their mentor during the Games. Because they won the Hunger Games, they’re going to be mentors for the next tributes from District 12.
The Quarter Quell is coming up. Every 25 years, they do something special to the games. The last Quarter Quell they doubled the amount of tributes from each district. And that was the year that District 12′s very own Haymitch won the games.
Katniss and her family sit down in front of their TV to see President Snow announce the Quarter Quell and he says that one male and one female of all of the surviving tributes from each district will go back into the games. Katniss is shocked because she’s the only female winner from her district and she’s going to have to go back to the games.
“Anger.” That’s what all the districts are feeling right now. They’re very angry at the Capital. The Capital isn’t treating them fairly. The Hunger Games are getting out of control, and there are too many deaths. The first uprising – a group of people going against the Capital-happens in District 8.
Katniss doesn’t know what’s going to happen at the end of these hunger games, and she also knows that things are growing out of control in the Districts.
Be sure and read the third book in the series, Mockingjay. It’s even more shocking than the first two! Thanks for reading the review. Until next time-which will probably be for Mockingjay. Bye!
BOOK NAME: Ender’s Shadow
AUTHOR: Orson Scott Card
Hi, it’s Mairen again. I don’t know if you remember or not, but when I entered the contest to become a blogger for NG Kids, I reviewed a book called Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card. It is honestly one of the best books I’ve ever read, but then I heard about a parallel novel that was written 33 years later: Ender’s Shadow. The novel tells approximately the same story as Ender’s Game, but from a different character’s point of view. After reading Ender’s Shadow, I will not hesitate to say that it is definitely my favorite book of all time, trumping Ender’s Game and The Giver.
The story is told from the point of view of Bean, a diminutive child who is admitted into Battle School off of the streets of a Dutch town when he is just 6 – two years younger than the normal age. He is small for his age, and is therefore conspicuous among his fellow Launchies. While living on the streets of Rotterdam, he civilizes the children who live there, and is noticed by the manager of a popular soup kitchen. From there, he is passed on to Sister Carlotta, a devout Christian who works for the IF and sees something special in Bean. Throughout Bean’s career at Battle School, much more is learned about his past and his true identity.
One of the things that I really liked about this book was that it makes you think. While reading it, the reader has to figure out what significance the events have towards the events in Ender’s Game as well as figure out what they mean to Bean. I could literally read this book over and over again-in fact, I have! I read it once and liked it so much that I immediately flipped to the front and started over. I’ve read it 5 times now, and I caught something new each time,be it a sly bit of humor or an ulterior motive to a character’s seemingly meaningless actions. Overall, this is a must-read book that I strongly recommend to middle and high school-level readers.
BOOK NAME: Surviving Antarctica: Reality TV 2083
AUTHOR: Andrea White
When you think of all of the hardships in your life, you might think of the time your pet passed away, or when you broke your leg. But I can be absolutely certain that you wouldn’t think of struggling for survival in Antarctica-on a reality TV show.
The year is 2083, and education past middle school is rare. Kids learn in a virtual classroom, watching TV shows about history or literature. One of the channels is a reality TV show called Historical Survivor. This year, the contestants will be 5 14-year-old children, and the top prize is $100,000. In a world where most kids don’t have enough to eat, let alone extra money, this is huge.
Andrea White’s book follows the five teens that are picked to compete as they journey through Antarctica, trying to recreate Robert F. Scott’s 1912 attempt to reach the South Pole. But as they trek through the barren desert, obstacles crop up in their path that make them suspicious of the fairness of the show.
This book was amazing. It incorporates action, adventure, and survival, while still allowing the reader to connect with the characters. It offers an intriguing concept of the future, and really made me think about what people want in life, as well as ideals of friendship and perseverance. I also gave this book to my 9-year-old brother to read, and he loved it as well-proving that it appeals to all audiences, both young and old! It provides a history lesson as well-but it doesn’t feel like you’re learning because you need to find out what happens to the main characters. In short, this book is a great futuristic read that serves a dual role as a science fiction and historical fiction novel.
BOOK NAME: The Giver
AUTHOR: Lois Lowry
Jonas lives in a restricted world. Everyone and everything is controlled by very strict rules, and no one dares break them. But when job assignments come at the Ceremony of 12, something strange happens: the announcer skips Jonas. No one really knows what to do, but everyone stays in their seats. They know that it was intentional, as everything always was. Jonas tries to figure out what he has done wrong.
What will happen to Jonas as he awaits his fate What will his destiny be? What’s really going on in his society? All of these questions and more will be answered as you read on in Lois Lowry’s The Giver.
I absolutely loved this book, and it’s one of my all-time favorites. Jonas’ community seems a little bit odd to start with, but as he matures, he begins to see many things that it doesn’t allow and its many flaws. This book kept me thinking for days after I had finished it. For me, the main question that is pondered in the book is “How much control should a governmental body have over its people and how far should it go to keep them safe?” Safety is a big issue in this story, and in Jonas’ community, no personal choices are ever made, because the government worries people will endanger themselves if they have opinions. One word to think about while you read: color. I won’t say anything more except that this is an amazing book!
BOOK NAME: The Hunger Games
AUTHOR: Suzanne Collins
16-year old Katniss Everdeen lives in the country of Panem, which represents the last remnants of North American civilization as we know it. Each year, the capital hosts the Hunger Games, an event that makes the people of Panem realize that they are under the supreme power of the capital. During the Hunger Games, a boy and a girl between the ages of 12 and 18 are taken from each district to participate. The Games are a fight to the death in a giant arena, and the last person, or tribute, alive wins. When Katniss’s little sister Prim gets picked at random to be the female tribute for District 12, Katniss volunteers to take her place. The rest of the story follows her journey in the Games.
You’ll have to read more to find out what happens as Katniss journeys to the Capital and enters the games. Katniss really inspired me with her bravery and love for her family. She stood up for what she believed in and made sure she was doing the right thing. I think that a lot of themes from the book translate really well into everyday life, and one thing I liked about this book is that you get to see everything from Katniss’s point of view. I also love books that I can’t put down, and The Hunger Games is that kind of book-I was even reading it during class sometimes! It’s an enthralling storyline that makes me need to keep reading, and seeing it from Katniss’s perspective made me feel like it was me going through all of the terrible ordeals. This is a book that takes a more mature mindset, so I would definitely recommend it for middle-school aged kids.
