Creek Critiques

Three years ago, Miley Cyrus was unknown.  Her life in
Tennessee was filled with friends, family, school, and living on a farm.  Then a new popular show came on television called Hannah Montana.  Now, since Miley is a star, quiet and peaceful days and nights have been replaced with sold-out concerts, television appearances, and magazine shoots. But through all of this crazy stardom, Miley has the “best of both worlds.” One night she might be putting on a concert for all of her fans, and another night she might be with her family and close friends.  In Miles to Go, Miley writes the story about her life, stardom, fans, school, family, and childhood.  She tells it all - from childhood to teenager, then to getting her driver’s license.  This is a great book written by one of today’s biggest stars as she looks back and keeps moving forward.


Olivia C.’s Rating: ****

Eighth-grader Matt is super-jealous of his perfect best friend Keith.  Keith is great at sports, popular with girls, and always gets good grades.  Matt, on the other hand, is pushing 5 foot 1 and doesn’t have very good luck with girls.  His one talent is that he can play classical guitar like nobody’s business.  When Keith tells Matt he plans on writing a rock musical, Matt laughs him off, but he really does it - and performs it for the whole school.  Matt’s jealousy quotient rises.  Will Matt ever have his day in the spotlight?

Miss Simer’s Rating: **

Miss Simer’s Rating: ***

Miss Simer’s Rating: ***

Leo Caraway is the leader of his high school’s Young Republicans, he has earned a full scholarship to Harvard, and he is just counting down the days until college.  While taking an end-of-the-year Algebra exam, Leo says “pinball” to a neighboring student to help him remember how to find vectors, and then he is accused of cheating and stripped of his Harvard scholarship.  Desperate, Leo decides to track down his biological father - the lead punk rocker of the band Purge - and beg him for Harvard tuition money.  When he finally meets Marion X. McMurphy AKA “King Maggot,” he is surprised by how fatherly the man turns out to be.  Leo joins the band on their summer tour as a roadie and gets to know the life of a rock star.  Join Leo on his path to self-discovery in this rocking novel by Gordon Korman!

Miss Simer’s Rating: **1/2

Troy Billings is a 6 foot 1, 295 pound, seventeen-year-old living in Manhattan, New York .  He is in the pit of despair and the novel begins with him standing on the subway platform, contemplating suicide.  Suddenly he hears a voice telling him not to jump.  He looks around and see the filthiest, skinniest, most rancid-smelling homeless teenager you can imagine.  This homeless teen is none other than the legendary Curt McCray.  Troy has heard of Curt from high school, and he can hardly believe that skinny, homeless kid is the REAL Curt McCray.  Curt tells Troy that since he saved his life, he now owes him lunch, and thus begins a roller-coaster friendship between the unlikely duo.  Curt is constantly on the verge of passing out due to malnutrition and Troy is constantly on the verge of huffing with embarrassment.  Troy mentions to Curt that he played the drums in junior high, and Curt is a talented, gifted guitarist.  So, when Troy introduces Curt to his dad, Curt explains that the two are starting a band together.  One lie leads to another and soon Troy is getting lessons from his punk-rock idol, who happens to know Curt, and the two are scheduled to perform in their band Rage/Tectonic.  The pair forms a perfect friendship, with Curt pushing Troy to reach his potential, and Troy pushing Curt to get off drugs and find a home.  The author’s description of their relationship is inspiring and very realistic.

Miss Simer’s Rating: ***