National Velvet by Enid Bagnold

Title: National Velvet
Author: Enid Bagnold
Date Published: 1935
Reviewer: Leah (12)
Rating:

National Velvet is a book about a girl named Velvet who loves horses. In the beginning of the book she has only one horse, but soon she receives 6. Velvet is a very good rider and everybody comments on how well her seat is. She has 3 sisters: Mally, Merry, and Edwina, and one little brother named Donald. This book in the beginning can seem kind of confusing, but you should understand more as you go along. One thing I noticed about this book is that I could not really connect with Velvet even though I love horses too. I think this is because the author did not give enough description of the character. Don't get me wrong it is a very well written book, but I felt no connection. Velvet was supposedly born with a natural seat and I don't doubt that that can happen, but it just seems she barely had any practice and was an amazing rider who wins awards, which I think is very unrealistic. When I finished this book I was not very satisfied first because I did not understand the character, and at the end she did not get what she deserved. I am sorry to say that I would not read this book again or recommend it to a friend. On a good note this is a great book on girl empowerment. #GirlPower

I Was Here by Gayle Forman

Title: I Was Here
Author: Gayle Forman
Publisher: Viking Books
Reviewer: Katie (12)
Recommended Age: Grade 9+
Rating:

 I’m doing this review on the book, I Was Here by Gayle Forman. I think it’s good to be honest in book reviews.  Well, here I am being honest. I totally cried about six times. That being said, I might want to tell you what this book is about. Cody is the girl whose story I am telling you about, and her best friend Meg who committed suicide. Except that Cody thinks that somebody helped her.  In this book you go on a long journey with Cody to find out what really happened to her better half.
     Cody and Meg had known each other since they were children. Meg went off to college and Cody stayed in the town they grew up in.  Cody would go to visit every once in a while, but the visits grew less and less as Cody was unconsciously envious that Meg got out of their small town. They never kept secrets though. Or that’s what Cody thought.
     Meg’s ex-boyfriend, Ben, and Cody went on a search for the suspect who might have helped Meg commit suicide.  They ended up in Nevada to confront him.
     Reading this book will make you feel what Cody felt. Anger at the people calling her dead best friend crazy and sadness over losing an amazing character/friend. In conclusion, this a tragically beautiful story with well thought out characters and I recommend it to all teenagers who enjoy thought provoking and emotional books.