Fresh Ink

www.portersquarebooks.com 25 White Street Cambridge, MA 617-491-2220 Learn more about Fresh Ink and sign up to be a reviewer!

[freshinkpsb]

Get a Grip, Vivy Cohen! by Sarah Kapit

This book is about a girl on the autism spectrum. Her mother doesn’t want her to play baseball because she is worried that Vivy will be the only girl and the only kid on the autism spectrum on the baseball team. She really wants to play baseball, and she has been practicing her knuckleball for years. When she was little, she went to a baseball game, and her favorite baseball player VJ Capello taught her how to do a knuckleball grip. Vivy’s social skills teacher tells her to write to someone, and she chose VJ Capello. She was spotted throwing to her brother by a coach and he lets her join his baseball team. This book is awesome and the way that Vivy tells her story is so amazing. I really recommend this book to anyone who likes baseball.

- Sophie, 11

[freshinkpsb]

InvestiGators, by John Patrick Green

This is a great starter graphic novel for beginning readers that know how to read little chapter books. One reason is because it has silly songs and characters. The second reason is that there are really easy words and crazy words. These are the reasons that I think that InvestiGators is a good book.

- Avi, 10

[freshinkpsb]

The Revenge of Magic: The Last Dragon, by James Riley

This is a sci-fi fantasy book that takes place all over the world where magic is real. This is the second book in the Revenge of Magic series. Forsythe Fitzgerald is a teen whose dad is taken by an Old One, which is basically the creators of magic. Forsythe sets out to rescue his dad, his friend’s brother, and defeat the Old Ones. There is betrayal and action and I would recommend this book to anybody who likes magic and adventure. I give this book 5 out of 5 stars.

- Walter, 11

[freshinkpsb]

The Feminist Agenda of Jemima Kincaid, by Kate Hattemer

I read The Feminist Agenda of Jemima Kincaid in about a day. The writing was engaging, though the plot line could have used some more thought. If I were writing this book, I probably would have put way less sexual content, and included more about Jemima and her best friend, Jiyoon. Their friendship, I found, was a main part of the book, and could have had more emphasis. I found the back cover description misleading. I also found that there was not really enough feminism to be determined a feminist book. I would recommend this book to most people.

- Corona, 12

[freshinkpsb]

Parked, by Danielle Svetcov

I would recommend this book to 8 or 9 year old’s. I like this book because it tells you no matter who you are you can always find kindness in your heart. The two main characters are Cal and Jeanne Ann. Cal is a boy who loves to draw wings and Jeanne Ann is a girl who loves to read books. This book reminds me of My Jasper June because they both show even if you don’t have a friend, you can always find one. I just really love this book!!!

- Lillian, 8

[freshinkpsb]

Aggie Morton, Mystery Queen: The Body Under the Piano, by Marthe Jocelyn

Have you ever wondered what Agatha Christie's books were like, but you  were too young for them? Now you can get a taste of Agatha Christie with this book. Someone is murdered and Aggie Morton and her immigrant friend Hector Perot must figure out who did it. This mystery will have you hanging on the edge of your seat for the answer to who did it.

- Molly, 12

[freshinkpsb]

Together We Caught Fire, by Eva V. Gibson

This book was a bit predictable. Having read many young adult romance books before reading this one the ending is foreseen. The book was also not very memorable. The day after I finished the book I had forgotten most of the plot already. If I knew my friend liked that kind of story I would recommend it but otherwise I wouldn't even remember to think about recommending the book.

- Helena, 14

[freshinkpsb]

What I Carry, by Jennifer Longo

I had really high expectations for this book and I was not disappointed. I know you’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but the cover looked amazing and the story it told was even better. The author takes you on an emotional roller coaster and it’s like you’re right next to the main character. You live her life and can predict what’s going to happen. You just want her to open up and accept these people into her life!! I cried at LEAST five times. I just love this book so much and I have no better words to describe it. Thank you for the opportunity to read this beautiful book.

- Charmaine, 13

[freshinkpsb]

All the Days Past, All the Days to Come, by Mildred D. Taylor

This sequel to Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry exhibits the adversity that African Americans during the Civil Rights Movement faced. Taylor’s style of writing gives much emotion to the book and helps people understand what many African Americans went through during this time. I prefer this book to the first in the series because it is more complex. I would recommend this book to kids and adults, probably 11 and over.  It does have some violence, but it is needed in the novel to help the reader thoroughly experience the time period.

- Ankaa, 12

[freshinkpsb]

Me and Bansky, by Tanya Lloyd Kyi

A great page turner with an interesting plot: Dominica's school has cameras in every possible place. Every motion is spotted, every conversation recorded. Soon the footage from the cameras has been hacked into, and is quickly spreading around the school. Dominica gathers her friends and decides to take action against the cameras in an art based protest. 

Nadia, 14

[freshinkpsb]

Scars Like Wings, by Erin Stewart

I really enjoyed this book because it was really realistic, and it had a lot of feeling about it. I would definitely recommend this book to many others. One thing that I didn't like about the book was that they were in high school, but not really talking like they would in high school. They would say things that 5th or 6th graders, and just to make it more realistic, it would be better for the story if they used more words their age. I think this book was amazing, and the storyline wasn't like anything I've ever read before! I loved it!

- Isobel, 12

[freshinkpsb]

Henry Heckelbeck Gets A Dragon, by Wanda Coven (illustrated by Priscilla Burris)

I really liked Heidi Heckelbeck because it was funny, and a good book for someone to read aloud to you. Also, I liked the series. Now it is her brother’s turn. I liked Henry Heckelbeck Gets A Dragon because it is telling you that you can do anything. For example, Henry thought he couldn’t do magic, but actually he could do it. You should read this book if you like entertaining mysteries.

- Amelie, 9

[freshinkpsb]

The Last Human, by Lee Bacon

This is a good book because it is written from a robot’s point of view. Its name is XR_935. The story takes place in the future when robots take over the world and there are no more humans. Or are there? Dun dun dun... It turns out there is one more human, her name is Emma and she is on a mission to find a place on a map. Emma will die if XR and his acquaintances (or are they his friends) help her get there, even if it means breaking the rules of their robot society.

- Sophie, 11

[freshinkpsb]

A River of Royal Blood, by Amanda Joy

This was one of the best books I have read in a while. The plot twists and just the plot in general were very good. I don’t think there is anything I didn’t like about this book. They only thing would be that it starts a little slow, but if you keep reading it gets so much better and you will fall in love with this book. I would definitely recommend this book to my friends. This is more of a dystopian novel, which is a type I don’t read very often, but it was amazing. The book is pretty gory so if you don’t like that type of thing, then read with caution.

- Lara, 14

[freshinkpsb]

I Hope You Get This Message, by Farah Naz Rishi

What would you do if the world was ending in six days? How many more chances would you get to live again? Jesse is a tough boy who can’t afford hope when all he’s known is challenges. All Cate has ever wanted is to have a normal life, a normal family. Ever since his sister left, Adeem has been angry at her for leaving him. Three completely different stories and three even more different people find the web of their lives spinning together, and as the end of the world creeps closer, they discover what is worth living for.

- Audrey, 12

[freshinkpsb]

Give and Take, by Elly Swartz

This is a story about a girl named Maggie whose family fosters babies. When Izzie the baby arrives, everyone is always reminding Maggie that she shouldn’t get attached to her new “baby sister.” But how can Maggie not get attached when Izzy is an adorable chubby baby? Maggie has been saving things to remember Izzie by in a cardboard box under her bed, along with other memories. When Izzie leaves for her forever home and her friend gets bumped from Maggie’s all-girl trap-shooting team to let a boy join, Maggie’s collection gets out of control.

- Clara, 11

[freshinkpsb]

The Dragon Warrior, by Katie Zhao

If you like books about myths (Greek, Norse, Egyptian etc.), you will like this book. I like this book because it has two people OBSESSED with this videogame called “Warfate.”

- Jacob, 9