City of Beasts by Isabel Allende

This book is about a boy named Alexander who travels with his grandma to South America. Here, he makes a new friend and meets a tribe of natives. This book is good because of a major plot twist. I would recommend this book to children between the ages of eleven and fifteen.

Cody D.

Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick

This book is about Max meeting back up with his friend from preschool, Freak. Max has always been called stupid, but ever since Freak has been around, his brain seemed to start thinking. Together, with Max's huge body and Freak's giant brain, they become Freak the Mighty. I liked this book because of the suspense and action. Grades 5 and up.

Zachary D.

Hardy Boys: The House on the Cliff by Franklin W. Dixon

Frank and Joe Hardy, detectives, went to spy on smugglers. They used a telescope to look at a ship. Suddenly, they heard a cry for help. They quickly went into a house. No one was in there. They went outside to check. But something was wrong. Their telescope lenses were missing! Even their motorcycles weren't working. Frank and Joe searched for the smugglers and along the way, there was danger. Even their father was captured. I would recommend it to ages 9 and up.

Matthew T.C.

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

Anna Karenina primarily concerns the illicit affair of two people high in society and the struggle of a man who aims to win the love of a princess. Their marital life is also rather rocky, all owing to his strange ideals. Anna Karenina's bulk (a dense 963 pager in one edition) probably scares the world away before the long, descriptive sentences do. Despite these, in the Russian novel is a rich story famed for the realism of each character's actions and feeling- repulsive or foolish as they may seem.

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

Ponyboy is a fourteen-year-old gang member also know as a "Greaser". With the death of his parents, his life depended on his two older brothers. Throughout the novel, there are constant confrontations with a rivalry gang known as the "Socs". His life turns after a friend killed a Soc, which ultimately helps Ponyboy understand the importance of loyalty, family, and friends. This novel is very quick and full of great events that will keep a reader sucked in. I recommend this novel to those who are 13 and up.

Kristy C.

Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke

When the Valley of the Dragons is threatened by humans, Firedrake is the dragon and Sorrel the brownie, a cat-like creature, decide to search for the fabled Rim of Heaven. They meet Ben, a homeless boy, living in a city and he joins them. Ages 9 and up.

Jack B.

The Extraordinary Adventures of Alfred Kropp by Rick Yanecy

I liked this book and spent 5 hours reading it in one day. Alfred is a boy who goes and steals a sword from a big company that turns out to be the last secret organization for the Knights of the Round Table. The only problem was that everybody except 12 people died at the end. The book sucked me in because it was so exciting. People from 12 to 14 would probably like it.

Jackson A.