Rating: 
Summary: Wow! This is a really great book!
Review: The book Swear to Howdy by Wendlin Van Draanen was really interesting. It had me wanting to read another chapter everytime I quit reading, and it had a lot of drama in it. Joey and Rusty are best friends and they lived next door to each other. They both had an older sister, and they were the same age, and they were best friends. Rusty and Joey were always trying to do something to their sisters. One night they wanted to do something and they went to far.
I really liked the book a lot. It is probably for teenagers and adults because they would understand it more. This book made me realize that you should think before you do something and make sure it won't hurt anybody.
Rating:
Summary: A Bittersweet Story of True Friendship
Review: This book starts with a humorous beginning but has a serious plot near the end. Rusty is a perfect example of a true friend. This bittersweet story will fill your eyes with tears, yet you will still have a smile on your face. READ THIS BOOK! :)
Rating: 
Summary: Formulaic rather than thought provoking
Review: When Russell Cooper moves in next door to Joey Banks, the two boys become best friends. Joey nicknames Russell "Rusty" and from that moment on they share secrets and cause mischief. From accessorizing their sisters' drinks with bugs to hiding the fact that the family goldfish won't survive no matter what Joey does, they never run out of adventures.All of their mishaps have one thing in common: Rusty always swears that he'll never breathe a word about anything that goes wrong, no matter how much it might hurt other people or how much it eats him inside. But when a tragic accident occurs, Rusty realizes that friendship, loyalty and secrecy are not always bound together, and that telling what appears to be a harmful secret might sometimes be beneficial in the end. Wendelin van Draanen, author of the SAMMY KEYES mysteries, tries her hand at a new voice here --- that of a Southern boy. While the voice feels authentic, the plot tends to lag until the predictable end, where it rushes through some of the most emotionally important aspects of the story. Because of the possible intense implications of Joey and Rusty's actions, the conclusion seems too neat, with every character and their futures accounted for. There is no question that the lesson SWEAR TO HOWDY teaches is important, but it comes out as formulaic rather than thought provoking. --- Reviewed by Carlie Kraft Webber
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