Out of Control

Reviewed by Brenna Bales (age 10) for Reader Views (6/08) As Wanda E. Brunstetter works her writing magic, she unravels another wonderful tale about the Amish life, perfect for any day that you would like a book to read. This is a lesson-learning tale about Rachel Yoder of Lancaster County, a young girl who finds herself in a lot of trouble during the winter. From letting her cat in, to having a bet for a sled race which ends up in a creek accident, to much, much more. Each time she tries to make it better she gets herself into even more trouble. Can she cure herself all the mischief she is getting into? Or, will it continue for the rest of the entire winter? Then, in the end, Rachel finds out that patience has its own rewards, and no matter how much trouble you get into, your family still loves you. The author is very successful at bringing out Rachel's true feelings after her many accidents. The writing in "Out of Control" is very well done, and it leaves you wanting to read more by this author. An experience that both Rachel and I have in common is when we both spilled paint on a special piece of clothing, and then, trying to get the paint off, end up in a worse situation than when we started. Any person of any age can read this book, because you definitely learn the lessons that Rachel uncovers through hard work and perseverance. I recommend this book to any reader. I would like to see Ms. Brunstetter create a series about Rachel's big sister Esther, and possibly even a series about her older brother Jacob. I enjoyed this book because it brings out memories of hilarious times. It also brings out some bad memories, but that doesn't get me down now that I have read this book. I have never visited an Amish community, but after having read this book I hope to someday. My opinion on this book is -- out of one through ten, with ten being the best -- I would rate it a nine. This book, "Out of Control," by Wanda E. Brunstetter, was one of the best books I have ever read in my entire life. It was like a rollercoaster that kept going up and down -- in a good way.