Review of Plague by Michael Grant

Plague: A Gone Novel by Michael Grant; Katherine Tegen Books, 2011.

In this fourth book in the Gone series by Michael Grant, the kids discover that flying snakes called greenies are spreading parasites through their droppings. The parasites eat the infected host and eventually hatch as huge insects, or “gut roaches”, which cannot be killed by Sam’s blazing powers. Hunter is the first person to succumb to the parasites. Additionally, a deadly flu is spreading among the kids. This flu literally causes the sick person to cough up his lungs and die. Unfortunately, the flu is immune to Lana’s healing touch.

Perdido Beach is running out of water, and Albert has sent Sam and three others on a quest to explore Lake Tramanto. Brittney/Drake has escaped, kidnapped Jamal, and is heading toward “The Darkness”. Caine shows up in Perdido Beach to help save the kids from the gut roaches. Little Pete causes it to rain, which brings all the kids out into the streets to play in the water.

As you can see, there are two main plots in this novel and too many subplots to even mention. Having not read the first three books in the series, I was totally lost when I started reading Plague. I had to go back, read detailed synopses of the previous books and make extensive notes just to understand what was going on. The characters are all so different, and there are many conflicts, cliques, and side stories. The kids have formed their own sort of society and their own form of government. I don’t honestly see how the characters have survived, and some of them have not, with all the obstacles that are constantly being put in their way! The novel is exciting and is a real page-turner, despite the sometimes

Plague cannot really be read as a stand-along novel. I encourage people who want to read the book to read the first three books before this one. I recommend this book for high school and public libraries, but only if the first three books are in their collections.

Review of The Wish Stealers by Tracy Trivas

The Wish Stealers by Tracy Trivas.  Aladdin, 2010.

Sixth-grader Griffin Penshine loves to make wishes!  That is until she is unwittingly tricked by an old woman into accepting a box of “lucky” pennies. The pennies actually belong to people who made wishes on them and threw them into a fountain. The old woman stole the pennies from the fountain, and, with them, the wishes, which makes her a “Wish Stealer”. In order to break the “Wish Stealer” curse that the woman put on her, Griffin must somehow either return the pennies to their owners or to others in need of the same wishes. This leads her on many adventures, including using alchemy for a science project, giving a puppy to an elderly lady, and becoming a bass guitarist in a rock band.

The Wish Stealers is a quick and cute read, perfect for upper elementary and middle school students. There is just enough of a scary element in the book to keep the reader on the edge of his seat without becoming gory or violent. Griffin’s last name, “Penshine” was a smart choice. It is a play on shiny pennies, which is the focus of the book; it also happens to be the color of Griffin’s hair! Each chapter in the book ends with a quote, which serves to tie the story together. One drawback of the plot is the stereotyping of the mean girls in the story; as usual, they are rich, spoiled, and beautiful. Griffin, on the other hand, is a likeable character and is determined to do what is right. She has a wonderful relationship with her grandmother; it is this relationship that adds a twist to the end of the story. Unfortunately, some of the scenes in the story are a little contrived, and the ending is too tidy. Despite its flaws, younger students will enjoy reading what Griffin has to go through in order to save her family and friends.

I recommend this book for upper elementary, middle school, and public libraries