Saturday, December 04, 2010

Which Witch? by Eva Ibbotson

I recommend this book because it is very funny and perfect for fans of Harry Potter. A wizard, Arriman, must marry a witch, so he holds a competition on who can cast the darkest spells. Belladonna is madly in love with him, but she's a good witch, meaning she can only cast good spells. She'll do anything to marry him. I recommend this book to kids in 5th and middle school.

Kate I., grade 8

The Skeleton Key (Alex Rider Adventure) by Anthony Horowitz

This magnificent book written by the former number one New York Bestseller is full of thrilling adventures that definitely will keep you hooked. The story is about a young boy named Alex Rider who is sent as an undercover "son" of two other CIA agents to check what is going on with a Russian criminal agent in Cuba. When the two agents disappear, Alex gets worried! Read the book to find out what happens next! I recommend this boo to ages 11 and over.

Animesh M., grade 7

This Book is Not Good for You by P. Bosch

This is the 3rd book of the series, "The Name of this Book is Secret". Cass is on another adventure to stop evil and gain back peace. Fat chance that's gonna happen when a chocolate psycho kidnaps her mother. It's on!

Evelelyn B., grade 7

11 Birthdays by Wendy Mass

There is a boy named Leo and a girl named Amanda who share the same birthday. They spend every birthday together, but recently, they got into a fight. Now their 11th birthday is without each other. Amanda finishes her birthday party and goes to sleep, happy her birthday is over. But, there is one problem. Her birthday isn't over! The next day, it's her birthday again! She has to make up with Leo in order for her birthday to stop repeating! The theme is: Anything can happen whether you expect it or not.

Cindy T., grade 6

Crash by Jerry Spinelli

John Coogan's nickname is Crash. That's because one day, Crash used a football helmet and crashed into his cousin as his cousin yelled bloody murder. The only person that calls him John is a kid named Penn Webbs. Penn is the dorkiest, non-violent, vegetarian that happens to be his next-door neighbor. His best buddy, Mike, and him like to pick on Penn. Then one day, Mike steals Penn's pet turtle and forces him to eat meat in the cafeteria or else, he'll kill his turtle. What side will crash take?

Hans T., grade 8

Mystery of the Tolling Bell by Carolyne Keene

This book is about Nancy Drew and her friends, Bess and George, who try to solve a mystery about White Cap Bay. When water rushes in a cave, a ghost tolls a warning bell for people to get out. Nancy finds out that a group of people are dressed as ghosts and are tolling the bell. They have also been stealing stuff from people. Read the Mystery of the Tolling Bell to discover the secret. Recommended for all ages.

Xiaoyan Z., grade 6

Blood on the River by Elisas Carbone

This book is about an orphan who goes to Virginia to search for the lost colony of James Town. On his journey, he faces a lot of hardships like friendship, losing people that he looked up to, and making big decisions. I recommend this book to 5th grade and up because of some violence.

Jessica L., grade 6

The Thirteenth Child by Patricia C. Wrede

This book is about a thirteenth-born girl ,Eff, and her twin brother, Lan, who is double-seventh son. It tells the story of their life in the west during settlement times, when they were taught magic. This book has vivid details and a great storyline, but lacks a bit in characterization. I would recommend it to fantasy lovers.

Alex K., grade 8

Anne of Green GAbles by L.M. Montgomery

I loved this book! Its detailed description really made it stand out from all the other books. The language was very intelligent, even though Anne purposely had bad grammar. This book was very interesting. The events in this book were very descriptive, especially the one about Diana drinking the wrong juice!

Dina S., grade 6

Wednesday, December 01, 2010

The Dragon's Eye by Dugald A. Steer

This book is about Daniel and Beatrice Cook who go to a very special summer school run by Dr. Ernest Drake. He shows and teaches them about dragons. The children soon become dragonologists. Then, the evil Ignatius Crook wants to steal the Dragon's Eye jewel, which reflects the true Dragon Master. The children and Dr. Drake succeed with many adventures. I recommend this book to people who like dragons, mystery, and excitement.

Jaehyung C., grade 6

Stuck on Earth by David Klass

Stuck on Earth is about an alien named Ketchvar who takes over the body of Tom Filber to decide if humans should live or die. Tom Filber is in middle school and gets bullied a lot. He lives in a family with a mean mom and sister and a sad dad. He's thinking of killing all human beings until he meets a girl named Michelle. Will he let humans live???

Matthew Scholtz, grade 6

The Floating Island by Elizabeth Hadon

Ven Polypheme comes from a family of Nain, the last of 13 children to a famous family of shipwrights. Though most Nain dwell underground and are afraid of the sea, it is Ven's dream to sail upon it and look for adventure. He finally gets his chance when it's turn to do the inspection of the newest ship on his 50th birthday. After being rescued from a piece of driftwood at sea, Ven finds he has the ability to summon the Floating Island, a power so valuable some would kill to have it. Can Ven thwart his enemies' plans while he solves the mystery of the haunted Crossroads Inn?

Lexie S., grade 8

The Contender by Robert Lipsyte

Alfred Brooks is a young man living in the suburbs of Manhattan. But he is in a bad state. His best friend was arrested and is addicted to drugs. Alfred's a high-school dropout. So to take his mind off of things, he starts to box at the local boxing gym. He wants to be a champion, but he's got to be a contender first. I recommend this book to people who like determination.

Aaron O., grade 7

Notes from the Dog by Gary Paulsen

The main idea of this book is to tell that having company is sometimes not bad. A girl named Johanna gives notes to her neighbor's dog to deliver to her neighbor, Finn, whenever he is depressed or sad. Finn also raised more than $10,000 with his friend Mathew to help Johanna who has cancer. I recommend this book to those who have cancer. Both adults and kids may show interest in this book.

Jason K., grade 6

The Hoboken Chicken Emergency by Daniel Pinkwater

This book is about a boy who goes out on Thanksgiving to buy a turkey, but instead he goes to a house and a guy gives him a 260-pound chicken that's alive! But he starts befriending it. I liked it because it was a very touching tale. I would recommend it to all ages.

Nick S., grade 7

Deep and Dark and Dangerous by Mary Downing Hahn

It is a ghost story about a 13-year-old girl who spends asummer at a lake side cabin. There is a picture of a girl who was a mystery. I think it is a good book. I recommend it to 5th, 6th, and 7th graders.

Molly F., grade 6