BITA: Book ReviewsAll student work and photos are published with the written consent of their parent(s) or legal guardian(s).
"Ships of the Great Lakes" reviewed by Bounnam
"Skeleton Woman" reviewed by Caelli
"Haunted Lakes" reviewed by Ebony
"Frozen Stiff" reviewed by Leroy
"Keeper of the Light" reviewed by Surlaina
Ships of the Great Lakes
A book review by BounnamAnyone who has heard "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" by Gordon Lightfoot knows that shipping on the Great Lakes can be dangerous. Ships of the Great Lakes by John Penrod tells about some of the ships that work these dangerous waters.
From the tiny Welcome, one of the first small sailing vessels to sail the Great Lakes to modern day ore boats, which because of their incredible size can't get through the Saint Lawrence seaway to the ocean, Penrod tells all about the fantastic boats of the Great Lakes. He writes about huge ore boats that can carry 61,000 tons of cargo, a weight equal to that of 40,000 automobiles. He explains how locks lift or lower ships from one lake to another. He tells about the Edmund Fitzgerald, the huge ore boat which sank with all twenty-nine crew members on November 10, 1975.
People who live near any of the Great Lakes, people who kayak, sail or motorboat on them, or someone who is just interested in ships will enjoy reading Ships of the Great Lakes. Hey, now that Mr. Wright has written my book review for me, I might try reading the book myself!
Skeleton Woman
Written by Alberto Villoldo, Illustrated by Yoshi
Reviewed by Caelli W.Skeleton Woman is about a young Aleutian girl named Annuk who gets carried away by a tsunami, a giant wave. Her friends and family look for her, but are not able to find her. They pray that the sea will take good care of her. When they move to another village they don't think of Annuk as often and eventually forget her.
Years later, a fisherman goes out in his kayak to fish in a place he's never fished before. Feeling a powerful tug on his line, he pulls it up quickly and, to his horror, finds that he has hooked a human skeleton! Scared to death, he paddles with all of his might to get away, but the skeleton, which turns out to be Annuk's, is tangled in his line and follows the fisherman home.
When he gets home, he feels safer and begins to feel sad for the skeleton and the person who had lost their life. What happens next, you won't believe! You'll have to read the book to find out.
I really enjoyed this book. It is exciting and the author's writing really captured my imagination. I almost felt like I was part of the story. Yoshi's illustrations are beautiful and very realistic. They help bring the story to life. I would recommend this book for readers of all ages. You can never be too old for a good story!
Haunted Lakes review by Ebony
The book Haunted Lakes is about superstitions about lakes, seas, and lighthouses. Some of the stories in here about sea serpents or ghosts. There are many about ghost ships. Some of the ghosts are nice and some leave traces of themselves.
One of the stories in chapter one is called "Mugged for a Mug." It is about a light keeper name J.P. Rademuller. He drank a lot of beer and was known for making good beer. One night two men that were already drunk came in and asked for some beer. Rademuller refused so the men hit him on the head with a bat. He died and some say he still haunts the lighthouse looking for his killers.
I think this is a good book. I'd recommend it to older people. This would also be good for people who are into superstitions and people who believe in ghosts.
Frozen Stiff
A review by LeroyThe book Frozen Stiff by Sherry Shahan is about a boy and a girl who go up to Alaska and take two kayaks and go kayaking without their parents' permission. As you might guess, they end up getting in a bit of trouble.
While lying in their tent one night, Cody notices that water is seeping under the tent door. She and Derek go outside to find out what is happening. They see Cody's kayak drifting away far out on the water. All of their food and the stove to cook it on are in the boat. How will they survive with only one kayak and no food or stove?
The story's message is to never do anything dangerous without your parents' permission. In the story, Cody and Derek go on a dangerous kayaking trip without letting their parents know. When they lose Cody's kayak and become stranded nobody knows where they are, so they can't send help. This is a great message whether you kayak or not. So, if you read this book, pay attention to what its trying to tell you and you'll never get yourself in trouble.
I liked the book Frozen Stiff because the author writes so that it feels like you and a friend are the kids in the story. I highly recommend this book because its great. It is full of adventure and excitement. If you like to read and you're interested in a great story about kayaking, you should read Frozen Stiff.
Keeper of the Light review by Surlaina
Keeper of the Light by Patricia Curtis Pfitsch, is about a young girl named Faith who has been taking care of a lighthouse on Lake Superior in place of her father, the light keeper, who drowned while trying to save sailors from a sinking boat. Faith loves her life as a light keeper, but Mr. Chesterfield of the Lighthouse Board thinks that a man is needed for the job. In 1872, when the story takes place, women were not allowed to do men's jobs. So, Faith's mother forces her to move to town and go to school to learn how to be a proper young lady.
The author's message is that people should not judge each other according to their sex. A girl can do just about any job a man can do and, in some cases, can do it better. One stormy night the boat that her mother and Mr. Chesterfield are on gets caught in a storm and crashes on the rocks by the lighthouse. Although Faith promised that she would stay away from the light, she breaks her vow and runs to help the new keeper. Together, they manage to save the shipwrecked sailors and passengers. Faith proves that she can do a dangerous job just as well as a man and manages to impress both her mother and Mr. Chesterfield.
Keeper of the Light is a an exciting story. It was hard to put down. Several nights I got caught reading under the covers after lights out. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys adventure, or spends any time on the Great Lakes or near the ocean. It should be required reading for all men and boys!
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