David

Wednesday Wars Review By David Cherna

Wednesday Wars, written by Gary D. Schmidt, takes place during the New York 1967-1968 school year and around the end of the Vietnam war. I definitely would give this book five stars. If you have read and enjoyed Shakespeare before, you will especially like this book. One of the reasons I gave this book five stars is I could understand a bit more about what Holling Hoodhood and Mrs. Baker were talking about because I have read some Shakespeare in the past. Another reason I gave this book the rating that I did is I can relate to Holling because he is a regular kid with real life problems and a complicated life.

The characters of Wednesday Wars have varied and unique personalities. Holling Hoodhood is the main character in this book who gets into many odd situations. Holling’s teacher, Mrs. Baker, is, according to Holling, out to get him. Danny Hupfer is Holling’s friend who is nice to Holling. For example, when Mickey Mantle won’t sign Holling’s baseball because he is wearing yellow tights with feathers on his butt, Danny gives Holling his autographed baseball. Holling’s other friend Doug Swieteck is a teacher’s worst nightmare. He once made up a list of 410 ways to get a teacher to hate you and supposedly they started to get illegal around number 167. Holling’s girl friend, Meryl Lee, gets closer to Holling as the school year goes on. Mai Thi, a Vietnamese girl, got transferred from Vietnam by Catholics to New York where she is safe from the war. Many other characters appear in this book who all make this book interesting and fun to read.

The town where Holling lives is located in New York. His house is located in the middle of town. Everyone who lives north of Holling goes to Temple Beth-El on Wednesday afternoons and Saturdays and everyone south of him goes to Saint Albert's on Wednesday afternoons. Since Holling goes to Saint Andrew Presbyterian just on Sundays that means that Wednesday afternoons are free. So Mrs. Baker, to fill in the time, makes Holling read Shakespeare which Holling hates initially. That is why this book is called Wednesday Wars. How will the “battle” end?



The Kid Who Became President Book Review By David Cherna

In the book The Kid Who Became President by Dan Gutman, thirteen year old Judson Moon becomes President in the year 2001. Dan Gutman is one of my favorite authors so I choose this book. As soon as I started reading The Kid Who Became President I was hooked. Being able to relate to The characters like Judson Moon and Lane Brainard is another reason I like this book. This is a good book for anyone who likes a casual book with a humorous plot. I would definitely give it five stars.

Judson Moon is an average kid. His campaign manager, chief of staff, and close friend, Lane Brainard is more of a smart, crafty, and strategic person. Lane, to save Moon’s presidency, resigns making it seem that he was giving bad ideas to the President. Moon’s First “Babe” Chelsea Daniels is a fashion freak who becomes a caring person but not many believe her transformation. Instead the public thinks it’s a fake to try to make the president look better. Some local newspapers read “Chelsea Cares! (Yeah, Right!)” or “First Lady Gives Away Wardrobe, Clears Closet Space For New Duds” Mrs. Syers is an old and wise Vice President who eventually falls in love with the White House’s Chief Usher, Roger Honeywell. Roger Honeywell is basically Moon’s Presidency teacher guiding him throughout the process by giving Moon hints and tips on what to do and or how to do it. Everyone helps Judson become a successful president.

On January 20, 2001, thirteen year old Judson Moon becomes the president of the United States of America. Since he is only a kid he knows almost nothing about being president. At first he rejects the presidency but after he realizes that he should accept the position. With the help of Vice President Syers, the First ”Babe” Chelsea Daniels, Chief of Staff Lane Brainard, Chief Usher Roger Honeywell, and Secret Service agent John Doe, Moon’s Presidency is on the lower end of success. Moon is always getting himself into things sometimes safe and other times not so safe. The adventures in The Kid Who Ran For President by Dan Gutman will keep you from putting this book down.

 __The Lightning Thief__  Book Review By David Cherna  In the book __The Lightning Thief__  by Rick Riordan, Percy Jackson, a twelve year old boy who goes from school to school trying not to get expelled, discovers he is a “half-blood” or a demigod. His godly parent is Poseidon the god of the sea. One of the reasons I chose this book is that I have read other books by Rick Riordan and really liked them. I loved this book so much I lost track of time when I read it!

__The Lightning Thief__  is a very exciting story and is one I will remember for a while. The setting continually changes. From Camp Half-Blood, to the Underworld, to Olympus, there is always action. The main conflict in this story is that Zeus’ master lightning bolt has been stolen. Percy then gets sent on a quest with Grover, a satyr, and Annabeth, a daughter of Athena. The characters start to adapt to each other on their quest. A bit of a romantic relationship develops between Percy and Annabeth. Along the way they meet some pretty surprising events happen like fighting Medusa and the Furies. Each chapter tells you a bit more of the story but leaves you with more and more questions, leaving want to read the next chapter, and the next, and the next. I couldn’t put this book down.

I definitely think this book is good for anyone who likes mythology, action, adventure, and/or mystery. This book is based on the Ancient Greek stories about Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, and more. There is action on every page as Percy Jackson travels the country trying to solve the mystery of who stole Zeus’ master lightning bolt and return it thus avoiding a war. I personally liked that this book combined so many genre elements.



 The Hunger Games Trilogy, by Suzanne Collins Report by David Cherna

  __ The Hunger Games __ , __Catching Fire__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">__Mockingjay__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> are all part of the Hunger Games Trilogy, written by Suzanne Collins. The Hunger Games Trilogy is about a girl named Katniss Everdeen, and her story about traveling to two different Hunger Games, a fight to the death that is broadcast on live television, and how she ended up sparking the fuse to start a rebellion that would end the dreaded Hunger Games and the rule of the Capitol of Panem if it succeeded. <span style="background-color: transparent; display: block; font-size: medium; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; display: block; font-size: medium; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> This book takes place far in the future, in what used to be North America, after a devastating war. Destroying our current society’s way of life long before the beginning of the book lets the author introduce imaginative elements of government, economic divisions, fashion, and technology. The main character, Katniss Everdeen, grew up in District Twelve, a poor coal-mining society. Being from this kind of society makes Katniss more independent, and it also teaches her how to hunt to feed her family. Learning to be self-reliant early on plays a big part her eventual victory in the Hunger Games. <span style="background-color: transparent; display: block; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> District Twelve is not the only district where life is hard. People in all districts are oppressed by the Capitol, the city where all the rulers and rich people are, and are isolated from the people in the other districts. The cause of all the anger and frustration with the Capitol is because the Capitol makes each district send one boy and one girl as tributes, to fight in the hated Hunger Games. Katiss’s defiance at the end of the Hunger Games ends up starting a domino effect that triggers the rebellion. The theme is that the determination of just one or two people can be all it takes to set in motion world-changing events. <span style="background-color: transparent; display: block; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I liked the plot because there was so much suspense and action, but it was balanced with other elements of the story, including a romantic dilemma, and intrigue. The books have a lot of gore and violence, making it appeal to older audiences, but it still appeals to younger audiences, to a point. The style of the books pulls you in so much that you can’t put the series down. The tempo of most of the book is pretty fast, although the occasional slow parts are very informative about characters and their history. These addictive books are a good read for all ages. This series deserves, without a doubt, five stars. <span style="background-color: transparent; display: block; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; display: block; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; display: block; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; display: block; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">  //Failure is Not an Option Review //<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By David Cherna

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> //Failure is Not an Option//<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> by Gene Kranz is an autobiography about his life, especially about his time at NASA. This book is perfect for you if you like space or the history of space travel. Even though this book has really long pages and has a lot of pages, I would still give this book five stars because of how in depth Kranz goes into about his life experiences. The reason I chose this book is because when I grow up I want to be one of NASA’s flight directors, just like Gene Kranz was.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gene Kranz boyhood started out in Toledo, Ohio in the early 1930’s. His dad died when he was only seven, and his family moved to West Toledo after his father’s death. Kranz worked as a paperboy during WWII and later during high school, one of his papers was titled, “The Design and Possibilities of the Interplanetary Rocket,” in which he outlines a two-stage interplanetary rocket that went to the moon and built a space station, which is something he ended up helping NASA to accomplish. He obtained a scholarship to a Naval Academy, but failed the physical because he had indications of diabetes. Kranz later got a scholarship to Parks Air College. After he graduated, Kranz served in Korea, but not before he got married to Marta Cadena. When he came back to the U.S. he joined NASA, and over the years, Kranz worked his way through the ranks to become one of NASA’s Flight Directors.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gene Kranz is the main person in this book. His story takes place mostly in Cape Canaveral, Florida and Houston, Texas and in the 1960’s but also in Toledo, Ohio; St Louis, Missouri; Virginia and the early also 70’s. One of his personal achievements is winning the The National Space Club; Astronautics Engineer of the Year Award, in 1992. He is also a recipient of the 1995 History of Aviation Award for the "Safe return of the Apollo 13 Crew.” Marta Cadena Later Marta Kranz is Gene Kranz’s wife and her husband named his plane after her. Gene Kranz had several people help him through his journey through life, including Chris Kraft and Harry Carroll. Harry Carroll had flown 86 combat flights over Germany, Italy, and Japan. He later became the oldest man to complete the Outward Bound Mountain Challenge. He inspired Kranz with his enthusiasm and passion about his work.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This book is incredibly detailed, and as a result I only have completed the first five chapters of this book, starting with a summary of his boyhood up until the very descriptive recollection of the Mercury missions. The later chapters of this book tell about the Gemini missions as well as the Apollo missions, including the near death experience of Apollo 13. I love the book so far and I look forward to the engrossing chapters ahead.