Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

Along for the Ride is a book about a teenage girl named Auden. Auden spends her high school years missing out on the experience of being a teen. When she gets the opportunity to go visit her dad, step-mom, and her new baby sister Thisbe, Auden packs her bags right away. She goes looking for a fun summer but ends up spending half of her time taking care of Thisbe. When her dad and step-mom start fighting, the only person there to help her is her new friend, Eli.

Uma H., grade 6

Odysseus and the Serpent Maze by Jane Yolen and Robert Harris

Odysseus, prince of Ithaca, has always been very bored. The age of heroes has passed. All the monsters have been killed. Are there any adventures left for a boy who wants to be a hero? His time comes when he, his best friend, and two girls are captured by pirates. It leads them to an island where he must face the secrets of the Labyrinth. Will Odysseus and his friend live to tell the tale?

Jack G., grade 6

Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time by Mark Haddon

The main idea is how Christopher Boone, a troubled 15-year-old boy, struggles to cope with his life. His world becomes even more complicated after the dog Wellington is killed with a garden fork. A positive element of the book is that one can experience the thoughts and feelings of someone who is completely different  I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in reading an entertaining and unique story.

Christina C.

Cosmic by Frank Cottrell Boyce

Liam is a very unusual 12 year old boy. For one thing, he looks like an adult. Everyone thinks he's an adult so he ends up pretending to be a teacher, and almost drives a car. Then, he enters himself in a contest with a classmate pretending t be his daughter hwre he learns how much his actual dad cares about him. I liked this book becasue it was funny and exciting. Recommended for middle school.

Bad Island by Doug Tennapel

This book is about a family who gets stranded on an unknown island on their way to vacation. The island is full of strange and dangerous things and they have to work as a family to get off. I would recommend this for the ages of 8 to 14 who enjoy a good adventure.

Cole E., grade 7

The Ruins of Gorlin by John Flanagan

In the book The Ruins of Gorlin, young Will is selected for Ranger training. This book is about Will and his journey as a ranger's apprentice that all lead up to the climax. An epic battle between Will and the legendary beasts occurs.

Harrison C., grade 6

The Somebodies by N.E. Bode

The main idea of this book is to not lose hope. In this book, Fern faces many challenges and has to overcome them. Sometimes she feels that there is no way to accomplish these asks but by thinking hard and not losing hope she overcomes them. I really enjoyed this book because it was well written and had a lot of action. I would recommend this book to 5th and 6th graders.

Emily D., grade 7