Sunday, January 22, 2017

Mouseheart by Lisa Fiedler

Three mice escape a boa constrictor and try to find their missing mother. Instead, they find a kingdom and one of the mice is a prince. I recommend this book for 3rd graders and up.
Sanjana K., 6th grade

Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan

This about a girl who used to live on a ranch with many acres. When her father dies, everything goes upside-down. She has to go to California and becomes a peasant.
Elizabeth B., 6th grade

Life on Mars by Jennifer Brown

Arty, who has a space-obsessed family, has big plans to discover life on Mars. When Arty's dad gets a job in Las Vegas, he realizes he won't be able to see the stars anymore. When his parents go looking for a house, Arty has to stay with a scary next-door neighbor. I recommend this book to 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders.
Reagan R., 6th grade

Liar & Spy by Rebecca Stead

George is a 7th grader when he meets 12-year old Safer. Safer says the man that lives next to him, named Mr. X, may be smuggling dead bodies. Safer draws George into his surveillance plan. Safer then urges him to break into Mr. X's home, but when George refuses, Safer goes alone. I believe 5th and 6th graders will enjoy this book.
Reagan R.. 6th grade

The Duel: The Parallel Lives of Alexander Hamilton & Aaron Burr by Judith St. George

This book explores the lives of Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr in a very interesting way. Hannah S., 6th grade

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

Nine-year old Bruno's father was a German general during World War II. Because his father was promoted, Bruno and his family had to move to a house near a Jewish concentration camp. There, Bruno had no friends like he had in Berlin, so he decided to explore the area until he finds a boy his age, Shmuel -- wearing striped pajamas -- on the other side of the fence.
Jung L., 8th grade

Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

In 1932, Hitler created a camp for German children in Berlin called Hitler Youth. Hitler Youth was an organization for teenagers dedicated to Hitler. Hitler did not accept Jews or handicapped people for the camp. The youth were trained to get ready for war under Nazi command. Some boys agreed to be a part of the Holocaust. I was shocked how severely a bigot ignored human decency.
Jung L., 8th grade

Ever After High: Once Upon a Time: A Story Collection by Shannon Hale

I think this book's main idea is to be true and kind. Looks are not the only thing that matters. (This book is a story collection, so it has a lot of main ideas). I like one of the stories where someone who is chaotic feels fond of few people. I recommend this book to someone who knows Ever After High stories and who likes fairy tales.
Rebecca L., 6th grade

Ever After High: Dragon Games: the Junior Novel by Stacia Deutsch

I think the main idea of this story is that people don't change that easily, especially someone who is evil. I liked this story because there were some surprises. It didn't go as I expected. I recommend this book to 8-12-year olds.
Rebecca L., 6th grade

Storybook of Legends by Shannon Hale

I think the main idea of this book is that it's okay to rebel and walk your own way. I think this book also says that just because someone looks bad, or someone's parent or siblings are bad, it doesn't mean that person is evil or bad. I recommend this book to somebody who likes fairy tales and fantasy.
Rebecca L., 6th grade

Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein

This is a book of poems. I loved these poems because they were really funny. I liked "Smart. "It is about a boy who trades 1 dollar for 2 quarters because 2 is more than 1. It goes on and on, until he has 5 coins, all pennies. The other one I liked is "Sick." This one is about a boy who doesn't want to go to school, but then he notices it is Saturday.
Ian J., 6th grade

Chomp by Carl Hiaasen

The main idea of this story is that Wahoo's family does not have much money after the incident when an iguana fell on his father's head. I like this book because I learned a lot about wild and tame animals. I didn't like that there is violence toward animals in this book. I would recommend this book to 4th or 5th graders.
Ian J., 6th grade

Okay for Now by Gary D. Schmidt

This book is about not judging people because of their relatives. Ever since people learned Doug's brother was a criminal, they thought Doug had a twisted criminal mind too. But soon, people found out that Doug's brother had not robbed any stores, and everyone wanted to become friends with him. It sounds boring, right? But if you read it, you will have a shock! I would recommend this book to anyone.
Ian J., 6th grade

Crenshaw by K.A. Applegate

Crenshaw is about a boy who has an imaginary friend. Jack's mom and dad do not have jobs. Now they are almost poor. This book is great because it make me want to read more. I recommend this book to anyone who has an imagination, especially a big one. I think that 3rd-5th graders should read this book. The only reason I read this book is because my mom told me to read it. It turned out to be good!
Ian J., 6th grade