FLIP

Rating:
Summary: The Greatest Book I've ever read
Review: Anyone who remembers being a kid will recall the joys of discovering a cool book. David Lubar remembers childhood so well that he's made a specialty of writing just that sort of book for kids to discover. In Flip, twins Ryan and Taylor stumble across a cache of alien discs that contain the personalities of legendary humans from throughout history. For Ryan it's a blessed escape from the confusion of ordinary life, but for Taylor it means twice the bother as she tries to keep her brother out of trouble. Lubar shares valuable lessons about the difficulties of youth, and it's not just kids that are his intended audience. Want to discover a really cool book even if you're all grown up? Any of Lubar's books will do the trick, but Flip and Dunk are my favorites.

Rating:
Summary: Lubar fans sure to Flip over his new novel
Review: Anyone who remembers being a kid will recall the joys of discovering a cool book. David Lubar remembers childhood so well that he's made a specialty of writing just that sort of book for kids to discover. In Flip, twins Ryan and Taylor stumble across a cache of alien discs that contain the personalities of legendary humans from throughout history. For Ryan it's a blessed escape from the confusion of ordinary life, but for Taylor it means twice the bother as she tries to keep her brother out of trouble. Lubar shares valuable lessons about the difficulties of youth, and it's not just kids that are his intended audience. Want to discover a really cool book even if you're all grown up? Any of Lubar's books will do the trick, but Flip and Dunk are my favorites.

Rating:
Summary: excellent book, very entertaining
Review: This is an entertaining young adult novel about twins who discover alien disks that allow them to become historical figures for a short time. Ryan especially loves the disks, and begins to use them almost like drugs to escape from his screw-up life, while his twin sister Taylor tries to keep him out of trouble. The book is fast-paced and, in places, funny; the twins are likable and believable. The most engaging character is Ellis, a friend of the twins.
I have a few minor quibbles with the book, the most important being with the ending. The McKenzies have some family problems, and we don't see these get resolved by the conclusion of the book, yet we are clearly supposed to believe that the final confrontation provides a way out of the family difficulties. But the young people themselves discover some truths about life and their own identities, and do it in an interesting way.