The Life of Pi by Yann Martel: Reviewed by Chelsea Lee

Piscine Molitor Patel, also known as Pi, thinks his life will never change. So when his family announces they're moving to Canada, Pi's world is tipped upside down. Once on the boat to Canada, tragedy strikes. Pi finds himself in a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger, a hyena, a zebra and a chimpanzee. What was going to be an exciting new chapter in his life turns out to be a fight for survival. 

I would rate this book 4/5 stars because it had a slow beginning. The author uses a lot of writing to describe something simple, but overall it was an amazing book.

I recommend this book for ages 12 and up, as there are some deeply philosophical concepts that need to be understood to understand the plot. 

Insurgent by Veronica Roth: Stop Motion Book Review By Dianna Hu

The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis Reviewed by Cindy Chen

Marley & Me by John Grogan: Reviewed by Deristhi Govender

Summary: When newlyweds, John and Jenny Grogan, adopted a Labrador Retriever puppy named Marley, they had no idea what they were in for. As Marley grew, so too did his knack of getting into trouble. Marley chewed up furniture, hurled drool, swallowed a necklace and even got kicked out of obedience school. Despite being troublesome, Marley was also incredibly loyal, affectionate and lovable. With perseverance, training and a host of heartwarming moments in between, Marley became a treasured addition to the Grogan family. At the end of it all, the book highlighted that dogs are man’s best friend and, that’s a true story, indeed.

My favourite character was: John Grogan, without a doubt! John was Marley’s dad and trainer. He was incredibly kind and I loved how he sincerely believed in Marley’s ability.

My least favourite character was: My least favourite characters were the snobbish French poodles of Boca Raton.

I rated this book 4 1/2 stars because: As a puppy-parent, I could relate to so many scenes in the book. The story made me laugh out loud and cry at times. I highly recommend it to all dog-lovers, grades five and up.

Girl who could Fly by Victoria Forester: Bianca Zebrowski

Piper McCloud is a young girl living in Lowland County, but she is different from the rest. Ever since she was a baby Piper could fly, and soon her surprising talent is discovered by Dr. Hellion. She is taken away to a "school" for children with powers, called I.N.S.A.N.E. She soon discovers that it's not right, and she and her new friends must escape, which is harder than it looks.

This is a incredibly riveting story following Piper's journey, and is one of my favourite books. With a great plot, and cliffhangers at the end of chapters, you simply won't be able to put it down!

The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis reviewed by Cindy Chen

I read the book The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis over the break. This book was about a girl named Parvana and her family. Parvana has to leave their home to escape the bombs and the Taliban. Parvana and her family had to move to Cabul. Her family barely has any money and she has to go and sell her things with her father, but one day he gets taken away by the Taliban for no reason. Women aren't allowed to go on the streets without a man let alone sell things. So to save her family Parvana cuts her hair and dresses up as a boy. On the streets, she also meets one of her old school friends Shouzia. They decide to make money together to buy trays and to sell things off of their trays, but their jobs right now are barely enough to afford food. So to be able to buy trays they have to find a better paying job. Shouzia has heard of a way to earn lots of money but it's not very ideal. Parvana and Shouzia have to dig up bones. When Shouzia and Parvana finally earn enough money to buy the trays. They sell things for a while off of their trays and life is good for a while. Later Parvana learns her sister Nooria is getting married and they have to go to the wedding. Parvana doesn't want to go so she stays with her old P.E teacher and they wait. Parvana's father was later released from his prison but he was in really bad shape. Before they moved the school he used to teach at got bombed and it crippled his leg. He had many issues with walking. One day Parvana finds a woman and she smuggled her into her house to help and she tells her that bad news. Where Parvana's mother and sister went for Nooria's wedding got bombed and many people were killed.  Parvana, her father, and Mrs. Weera set out to go find her mother and Nooria but will they succeed?

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo reviewed by Rheanna Finigan

Kaz Brekker, a criminal prodigy with a dark past is offered a job, one that would make him rich beyond his wildest dreams, but it can’t be done alone. He enlists a group of five dangerous outcasts to complete the heist with him. They’ll be lucky if they make it out alive, that is, if they don’t kill each other first. 

Six of Crows is one of my favourite YA fantasy books. Not only does it have a great, fast-paced plot it has amazingly written characters. I can’t wait to read the sequel to this book and other books by Leigh Bardugo.

I would give this book 4.5 stars.

All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven Reviewed by Sophia Tsepenyuk

All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven is a truly phenomenal book. It looks at the idea that despite your love for someone, it isn’t always possible to save them. Theodore Finch (the main character) is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might kill himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him. Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation when she can escape her Indiana town and her aching grief towards her sister’s recent death. When Violet and Finch meet on the top of the bell tower, contemplating suicide, it’s unclear who saves whom. Later they end up pairing up on a project to discover the “natural wonders” of their state, and throughout their wanders, they end up making much more important discoveries that will be uncovered throughout the novel. This book is definitely worth a few tears: it’s written beautifully, it’s raw, relatable and brutally honest and I love it. Without a doubt, I would give this book a big bold 5-star rating, and I would really recommend it to others.

Pax by Sara Pennypacker reviewed by Caitlyn Mullen

     Pax, by Sara Pennypacker, is the story of a boy and a fox. But on a deeper level, it is also about the choices we make when we love someone, whether or not that someone is a human or an animal. Pax is a fox, discovered and rescued when he is a kit, by a boy named Peter. A deep love and attachment develop between the two of them until one day when Peter's dad forces Peter to release Pax back into the wild. The rest of the novel is largely about the two of them trying to find one another again. However, what is most important is not their search to relocate each other, but what each learns about himself along the way.
     The setting of Pax is purposely vague. Readers are uncertain of the exact location or year that the story takes place because neither is ever clearly expressed. The author keeps this information ambiguous in order to create a feeling of universality and timelessness in the book, so readers know this could be happening anywhere at any time. One thing readers know for sure, however, is that a war is looming in the background throughout the novel, creating in both the novel's characters, and in its readers, feelings of nervousness, uncertainty, and fear.
     Helped along the way by memorable characters, human and animal, Pax and Peter face a number of challenges as well as experience some profound moments of joy. These challenges and these moments of joy help Pax and Peter to grow and to change in ways that will alter their lives forever. And readers will learn that sometimes love is about letting go, not holding on.
     Though not always easy to read, I highly recommend Pax. Anyone with a love of or interest in animals, humanity, adventure, and/or adversity will appreciate this novel. I give it a 5-star rating.

Vango: Between Sky and Earth by Timothy de Fombelle reviewed by Houtian Zhong

Vango’s life is a mystery. He and his nurse, Mademoiselle, were washed up to the shores of the Aeolian Islands when he was three years old. He lived quietly with Mademoiselle until he was ten, when he unexpectedly discovered the “invisible monastery.” After three years of sharing his time between the monks at the monastery and his nurse, he decided to become a priest and go to the outside world. However, because of his past, there were people after him. He had to run away from them and unravel his mysteries before time ran out. What choices would he make? Did he have any friends who would help him? The first of a series by Timothée de Fombelle and translated by Sarah Aroizzone, this page-turning book features an exciting plot with intense and thrilling moments. There is a historical background and real historical figures appear in the story. I would rate this book 4.5 or 5 stars, and I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in reading a breathless historical fiction tale.

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas: Reviewed by Sophia Tsepenyuk

I am pretty sure you have heard about the amazing book, The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. I mean having received the Michael L. Printz Award, as well as the Coretta Scott King Award, this book has 4.5 (if not 5) -star reviews everywhere. This book calls out issues such as police brutality and racism through displaying the deep struggles of not only growing up in a poor black neighborhood known as “The Hood” but also making the reader understand the pressure and change of mindset the lead character has to go through when going to an almost all-white fancy prep school. There was so much praise surrounding this book that I was extremely excited to read it. As the sole witness to her friend Khalil’s fatal shooting by a police officer, Starr is overwhelmed by the pressure of testifying before a grand jury and the responsibility of speaking out in Khalil’s memory. The incident also means that the carefully built-up boundary between Starr’s two worlds begins to crumble. This book is really honest, and really shows the reader a deep point of view about the sad part of a person of colour. Though I feel like this book gives a bit to many stereotypes, this book definitely deserves all the praise.
I give this book a solid 4.5 stars.