Rating: 
Summary: Tries to go deep, just doesn't get there...
Review: This book was too short, and a little to "up." There are hardly any conflicts, and the narrow-mindedness of the ideas strike me as almost comical. Instead of exploring the nature of the "armageddon" problem, the writer navigates around it. I don't find the problems the characters were in realistic. There are plenty of "gifted" kids in the world who don't end up treated in the ways the main characters were treated. They lament over hardships, instead of trying to overcome them. At the end, when they supposedly DO "overcome" something, I was wondering what happened. Little or no development of relationships. Bad things are bad. End of story. However childish, this was obviously not meant to be that good: the tension that would be necessary in the story could not have been handled so well in 200 or so pages of the book. Even a young adult audience may shudder. Still, maybe children would like this book? I don't mean to sound snobbish ; ) -- I just didn't like this book. Try walking down the street telling people horror books are evil and YOU will be starting Armageddon for real.
Rating: 
Summary: Review: Welcom to the Ark
Review: This is a poinant sory of profoundly intuitive kids who do not fit into society and are put into an institution. These four incredible individuals find each other and create the Ark. They find within themselves the power to end violence and prevent the destruction of mankind by its only predator, itself. This book is filled with lessons about human nature, wounded people and ties that go too deep to be broken. A provocative eye-opener and an all-in-all fantastic book.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent Book!
Review: This is absolutely an excellent book -- no questions about it! Tolan presents the unique and identifiable story not through straight text, but through journals of the characters, transcripts of meetings, letters, e-mails and many more literary devices. This keeps the reader's attention even through the uncommon 'slow' or 'boring' parts.The story-line it's self is extremely well done. People of all ages can (or would like to) relate to the brilliant, yet misunderstood, characters. If you liked the literary masterpiece "The Giver" you MUST read this book!
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Summary: Intelligent and original
Review: This novel is a brilliant piece of literature, particularly compared to most of the trash that populates the Young Adult section of most libraries and bookstores I've seen. It follows the plight of four extremely gifted children living in an private "nuthouse". Two psychologists at the Center start a program to try and connect these kids with other gifted children around the world--a program that the four children dub "The Ark". As a gifted high-school student, I know what it's like to be feared or--worse--placed upon a pedestal because you can do things that others can't. I truly identified with the characters in this novel, as will many others, I think. In any case, this is an engrossing read with wonderfully crafted characters and an intriguing plot. It begs for a sequel.
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Summary: The magic of fiction. . .what a spell it weaves
Review: Tolan's book, Welcome to the Ark, provides a wonderful, magical story that you can't help but believe. I've read it twice since I got it (a few months ago) and every time I finish it, I just sit, as if frozen, and think. Being a believer in such "impossible" abilities and psychokenesis and the like, and a rabid internet addict, this story hit home for me. It wove it's spell and made me yearn to be able to "connect". I will definately be recommending this book to my friends.
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Summary: Our Opinion
Review: We are 5 students in high school, who are reading this book because we had too. Once we started reading it we discovered how real it was. The book itself may not be a true story but it has real problems in it. Real problems that people go through everyday. Like there are really people who sterotype other people because of silly things. We are only halfway through this book and it has already made a big impact on us. We would recommend this book to others.
Rating:
Summary: This is an excellent book!
Review: Welcome to the Ark is an excellent book with a captivating story. It features 4 children with brilliant minds who, for various reasons, are placed in Laural Mountain Rehabilitation Center, a private nuthouse. With the help of 2 psycologists at the center the kids realize that there is more to their group home, or "The Ark" as they dub it, than meets the eye. Together they make connections with others like themselves around the world. But the CEO of Laural Mountain is trying to gain faim from his medical treatments and he is determined to do anything to get it... This amazing story kept me captivated through the entire thing. The only thing I could have asked is that there was more of it
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful!
Review: Welcome To The Ark was entertaining, exciting, touching, and thoughtful. It gave new insight to giftedness and wove an imaginative story that was both compelling and creative.
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