The Prophet of Yonwood
takes place in the time before the City of Ember even existed. The world is facing wars and imminent destruction, when a young girl visits the town of Yonwood. A respected woman in the community has a vision predicting the destruction of the world.
I thought this prequel was disjointed and simply strange. It didn't seem to have a cohesive storyline and wasn't as well-crafted as her other two books set in this world (see reviews
here and
here). I was actually pretty disappointed.
s-factor: none (that I remember)
mrg-factor: none
v-factor: ->Some frightening events.
Overall rating: ***
Alcatraz Versus The Evil Librarians
is the [true] account of Alcatraz Smedry and his discovery of the conspiracy of evil librarians trying to take over the world [don't believe it]! He must face the evil librarians using nothing more than his talent for breaking things and a pair of lenses.
I like the style of writing Sanderson employs to draw kids into reading. He throws in a lot of random humor and definitions. But, don't believe all that stuff about evil librarians. Librarians are simply awesome!
s-factor: none
mrg-factor: none
v-factor: ->
Very mild fighting.
Overall rating: ****
The People of Sparks
continues the story of Lina and Doon and the rest of the Ember-ites. After coming above ground and discovering a whole new world with sun and sky and weather, the people find it not terribly easy to adjust to so many new things. The people of the town of Sparks, where the Ember-ites settled, find it also hard to share during the hard winter.
I didn't think this sequel was as enchanting and well-plotted as the first (reviewed
here). But, I thought it was great to develop how the people would adjust to this new life and how those above-grounders would accept the newcomers. It is an interesting look at these conflicts. Still a pretty good read.
s-factor: none
mrg-factor: none
v-factor: ->Some mild conflicts.
Overall rating: ****
The City of Ember
tells the story of the people of Ember through the eyes of two young and curious adventurers: Lina and Doon. Ember is a dying city where the electricity that everyone depends on for light and heat and pretty much everything is becoming less reliable. When Lina finds a mysterious box with clues hinting at an exit from Ember, she and Doon decide to solve the clues and find the way out of Ember.
I really enjoyed this imaginative and exciting book. I thought the ideas were really clever and I am sure kids will love to try and solve the clues along with Lina and Doon. Easy to read and interesting enough to keep me turning the pages.
RATINGS:
s-factor: none
mrg-factor: none
v-factor: none
Overall rating: *****
Amazing Grace: William Wilberforce and the Heroic Campaign to End Slavery
is very obviously the story of William Wilberforce...and the heroic campaign to end slavery in England. William's early life and the events that lead to his conversion to Christianity are told in a way that make it obvious that he was led to fight against slavery. It chronicles his successes and many failures all while touching on the beautiful life he led.
After watching the amazing (pun intended) movie, I found myself really fascinated with Wilberforce. This book only fed that interest, as I realized what an awesome person he really was - in so many ways even beyond his attempts to end slavery in England. He was a highly moral person (after his conversion) and tried to make England a better place, not only for slaves but for all people! The biography is really well-written as well, making it easier to feel like you are getting to know him. READ IT! (Or at the very least, watch the movie.)
s-factor: !(Maybe a few here and there).
mrg-factor: nonev-factor: ->There may have been some slave-related events, but I don't recall them.
Overall rating: *****
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