Lewis Harris

Maine Student Book Award Nominee 2010-2011

So, I'm sure I'm in the minority here, but I was not in love with this book. I listened to it on audio, and I didn't find myself enjoying it until disc 4...of 4. I found the narrator to be annoying and have too high an opinion of herself, although I enjoyed watching her realize that some of the other children her age would be okay. I also thought that she was overreacting and just having stress from moving, and when that ended up not being the case, I was disappointed. I'm sure this book will be popular with kids (it's already gone missing from our library once) but it was not my type of book.… (altro)

Another book I obtained from Amazon Vine. This is just a little slip of a book but it was an entertaining read.

Svetlana is different from other kids. She only eats red things and likes to sleep under her bed; oh and she can hear people's thoughts. Ms. Larch also only eats red things but to Svetlana Larch smells like the worst of all rotting things. Then three girls at school go missing and Svetlana is convinced that Ms. Larch is involved. Can Svetlana find out the truth before it is too late?

When I started reading this book I wasn't that taken with it but as the story progressed I liked it more and more. Svetlana is like so many young adult girls you read about, she has an attitude problem and is a loner. Oddly enough she is transitioning from being home-schooled at the beginning of the book (just like the character in another book I read called Wings). It is a cute little story and Svetlana is a like-able character.

The book was fast-paced and interesting. I didn't find Svetlana's buddies or enemies to really be all that engaging. Svetlana was a good character and I liked her neighbor Mrs. Bones. Svetlana's plucky attitude put me in mind of other books with outstanding child geniuses in them (Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl, Book 1), Theodosia and the Staff of Osiris, The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie). Still it was a good opening book. I think this could be a very entertaining series and I do hope we see more books about Svetlana. This is also a book that could be read to younger children; it has some entertaining humor in it and doesn't take itself too seriously.

I will be keeping my eye out for other books about Svetlana Grimm; she could be a riot to read about as she goes on a mission to destroy all things unnatural and evil.… (altro)

A Taste for Red by Lewis Harris is a wonderful, funny read about a girl who thinks she might be a vampire. Svetlana Grimm sleeps under her bed, has a sixth sense, and only likes red food – it’s the obvious conclusion, right? She’s starting sixth grade after being homeschooled her whole life, and she is NOT happy about it. The new science teacher is interesting, though. She’s absolutely beautiful, but smells like rotting food. And she seems to have it out for Svetlana. Her only hope may be the strange old lady who lives next door, and her new – if unwanted – friends from school. This fun, exciting middle grade novel is perfect for girls and guys who want to jump on the teen vampire bandwagon, but aren’t quite ready for some of some of the racier teen books.… (altro)