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Saturday, October 13, 2012

Pish Posh

Potter, Ellen. Pish Posh. New York: Scholastic, 2006. 166 pages. (Mystery)

This book is about a girl named Calra and her friend Annabelle. Clara’s parents are very rich and own their own restaurant called Pish Posh, only the rich and popular people can eat there. If someone becomes a “nobody” Clara kicks them out. One day she went over to a guy named Dr.Piff and she told him he was a nobody. Dr.Piff said that she might know a lot about the restaurant and yet there was something that not even she could see. She kept thinking about Dr.Piff’s words. One night when she was sitting in her tree climbing room, in her tree she heard something, a noise was coming from her roof. She had a glass bubble that went over her roof because her tree was too tall. So she opened the bubble and was looking around. She saw cop cars down below and she saw a dark figure standing on her roof. She wasn’t scared but curious, so she stayed as still as she could be and just watched the figure move along on the roof. To find out what happens next, you should read this book.

I personally didn’t like this book because it didn’t get exciting until the 5th chapter.

Reviewed by: HighFive

Pish Posh

Potter, Ellen. Pish Posh. New York: Scholastic, 2006. 166 pages. (Mystery)
This book is about a girl named Calra and her friend Annabelle. Clara’s parents are very rich and own their own restaurant called Pish Posh, only the rich and popular people can eat there. If someone becomes a “nobody” Clara kicks them out. One day she went over to a guy named Dr.Piff and she told him he was a nobody. Dr.Piff said that she might know a lot about the restaurant and yet there was something that not even she could see. She kept thinking about Dr.Piff’s words. One night when she was sitting in her tree climbing room, in her tree she heard something, a noise was coming from her roof. She had a glass bubble that went over her roof because her tree was too tall. So she opened the bubble and was looking around. She saw cop cars down below and she saw a dark figure standing on her roof. She wasn’t scared but curious, so she stayed as still as she could be and just watched the figure move along on the roof. To find out what happens next, you should read this book.

I personally didn’t like this book because it didn’t get exciting until the 5th chapter.

Reviewed by: HighFive

Yotsuba

Azuma, Kiyohiko, Yotsuba, New York, Yen Press, 2003. (Comedy / Manga)

Yotsuba

Mischievous girl
With great adventures
Good for all people.

Making friends today
Catching cicadas tomorrow
Earth concerns the next.

Young father at rest
But, not for a long while
Will he rest again.

Loving of flowers
And also good friends and
Curiosity

Told with many people,
But Yotsuba is the star
She is happy here

Yotsuba is a great manga-style book for both genders and all ages. I recommend it to everyone! They plot is great with this curios little girl. Put on your best clothes and grab your wallet because you’re going to court. You’re going to sue Kiyohiko Azuma for splitting your side open!

Reviewed by: MightyMouse

The Inventions of Hugo Cabret

Selznick, Brian. The Invention of Hugo Cabret. New York City: Scholastic Press, 2007. 525 pages. (Historic Fiction/Graphic Novel)

I just ended the book called The Inventions of Hugo Cabret. That book was a fantastic and I loved the pictures in it. I would just sit there for five to ten minutes just admiring all the great details the author put into them not to forget the time.

A young boy’s father worked at a clock shop so you can see why it’s called the Inventions of Hugo Cabret. But one day Hugo’s father went to a museum and found a mechanical man but it was broken. So they decided to fix it. Hugo’s father then made a book of drawings that would help tell how to fix it. But one day his father never came home, so Hugo was extremely anxious to find out where he was. Then all of the sudden the door burst open and it was his uncle and he said pack up your things and let’s go. Hugo then went to the train station where his uncle fixed all of the clocks and he taught Hugo how to fix the big clocks too. As you can see, his family is into the clocks and mechanical businesses and so fixing clocks is bound to be in his blood. Hugo’s uncle drank and wouldn’t come home till the street lights were on.

But one day Hugo was waiting for his uncle and he never came back that night. Hugo waited the next day, he didn’t come back then. But then Hugo meets a girl named Isabelle and they become best friends and they have some fights and situations they need to help each other out with. But if you want to find out what happens to Hugo’s father, uncle, and relationship with Isabelle, you’ll have to read this book to find out.


Reviewed by: TTYL1234

A Time For Dancing

Hurwin, Davida Wills. A Time For Dancing. New York: Penguin Groups, 1995. 257 pages. (Realistic Fiction)

Samantha and Julie have been best friends forever. The power and spirit of dancing has formed a bond between them nothing and no one could break. So bring on senior year, bring on college, anything. As long as they have each other, nothing could ever be impossible. But then, Julie is diagnosed with cancer. And the doctors are certain there is no cure. So Sam and Julie must face the hardest thing that has ever been thrown at them, saying goodbye.

This book is beautifully written. The author does a magnificent job describing the friendship between the girls. It’s a great novel. I especially loved this novel because it helped me. My great grandfather recently died of cancer. This book helped me understand that he never really left me, and that he is still with my everyday. I would definitely recommend this book to everyone I know.

Reviewed by: JustGuess☺

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Turnabout

Haddix, Margaret. Turnabout. New York City: Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing Division, 2000. 223 pages. (Sci-Fi)

It was 2000 and Amelia Hazelwood and Anny Beth Flix where each over the age of 100 and were simply waiting to die. On their deathbeds they each signed a form, oblivious to what they were agreeing to. A few months later, they are doing wonderful… they can hear, see, and move better. They are soon informed that they have received a PT-1 shot to make them younger each year and that so far it is working.

Now, in the year 2085 Melly and Anny Beth are teenagers and they will soon need someone to take care of them when they are younger. But they can’t trust anyone anymore even the agency who gave them a second chance at life.

This book was OK. It lacked the thrill that makes you never want to stop reading. On a scale of ten, it was a five.

Reviewed by: DancingPenguin96

Babe & Me

Gutman, Dan. Babe & Me. NY: HarperCollins, 2000. 163 pages. (Sports)

My book is about a kid “Joe Stoshack” that can go back in time by holding old baseball cards. The only way he can get back to his time is by holding a present time baseball card. He wants to go back in time on game 3 of the World Series, which was the Chicago Cubs vs. the New York Yankees. They do this to win money off of bets with bookies, and autographed baseballs by Babe Ruth so Joe and his dad will be rich. With his dad he goes back in time to see if Babe Ruth called his shot. He tries to make a bet about what will happen during the game so he’ll have a lot of money when he comes back to present time. This is took place at Wrigley Field on October 1, 1932 in Chicago, Illinois. Joe gets to spend a day with Babe Ruth during the World Series of 1932. When he does he gets autographs from him, and gets to go to the game where the Babe Ruth supposedly called his shot.

Does Babe Ruth call his shot? Or is it a myth? To find out read this book. I would you recommend this book to someone to read if there into fiction stories about baseball, and most importantly Babe Ruth. This book is a book that you do not want to stop reading because you want to know what happens next. How I selected this book is because I’m a big Babe Ruth fan. He encouraged me to play baseball because of how good he was at baseball.

Reviewed by: Dirkadirk3

The Hit-Away Kid

Christopher, Matt. The Hit-Away Kid. NY: Little Brown, 1988. 60 pages. (Sports)

The book I am reviewing is about a kid, Barry, who loves to win baseball games. He is known as the hit-away kid. One day Barry missed a pop fly, he lied and said he caught the ball. His little sister Susan saw him cheat and wants him to tell the truth about catching the ball. Barry told his parents about lying to everyone about catching the ball and they want him to tell the truth. Barry doesn’t know what to do because he doesn’t want anyone else to know he lied. A boy Alec from the other team took a glass dog that belonged to his brother Tommy and wouldn’t give it back unless Barry made a deal with him. Barry had to hit two home runs or Alec would keep his brothers dog Does Barry hit the two home runs? Does Barry tell the coach the truth or maybe pay the consequence of lying? Or should he keep that incident to himself, and have the tension build up on him that he’s a cheater that keeps playing by his made up rules because he loves the game so much that he always wants to win?

I would recommend this book to someone who has ever been in a situation to tell the truth about something that they lied about and doesn’t know what to do.

Reviewed by: Dirkadirk3

A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier

Beah, Ishmael. A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier. New York: Sarah Chrichton Books, 2007. 229 pages. (Memoir / Non-fiction)

This book is about a group of African boys who live in Sierra Leone, Africa. There is a terrible war going on and you can’t trust anyone. You always suspect the worst, which is that everyone around you is rebels. Ishmael Beah is a 9 year-old boy who is just trying to find his family. His village, Mattru Jong, has been taken over by rebels who would take a red-hot bayonet and carve the letters RUF (Revolutionary United Front) on your stomach. This meant you were not only scarred for life, but you could never escape the rebels. If you went into a village, you would be unwelcomed and thrown out.

What will happen next? You’ll have to read it for yourself.

I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone because, even though there is bad language and lots of blood and violence, everyone should know what it’s like to be in a war and why we should be grateful that we are alive today. Because of its goriness, blood and violence, you should probably not read this book if you are easily sickened or saddened.

Reviewed by: Jazzy GB

Monday, October 8, 2012

Candy Floss

Wilson, Jacqueline. Candy Floss. New York: Roaring Book Express, 2006. 333 pages.(Realistic Fiction)

The book that I am reading for this reading log is about a girl, around 11 years old, who’s name is Flora Barnes, who is the main character. Her parents are divorced, and so she has to put up with a lot. At school she has problems too. Flora lives with her mom in London and get’s to see her dad on the weekends. Her dad Charlie lives on the upper part of his run down café. Flora’s mom has a boyfriend named Steve, who has a son named Tim, but they all call him Tiger. Tiger is Flora’s little stepbrother, and he is very mischievous.

In the beginning of the book, Flora is celebrating her birthday, and after she was done opening all of her presents, her mom told her something she really didn’t want to hear. They were moving to Sydney, Australia! Flora’s stepfather was promoted to a manager of his job and they were sending him to Sydney, to get a similar job up and running well. Flora is worried about friends at school and not being able to see her dad. Her best friend Rhiannon is the most popular girl in her school and she is worried she won’t be able to see her, or that Rhiannon will get mad at her. She begged and pleaded her mom and everyone to stay, but her mom said no and that this would be a great experience for her. Flora had told her dad about the trip, and said they were going to be there for six months. She did not want to go to Australia, she wanted to stay with her dad at his café, but at the same time she wanted to go with her mom. She thought that her dad would be lonely so she decided to stay with him. Then the day came, after crying and talking about things, Flora still wanted to stay in London.

As she watched her mom, Steve and Tiger drive off she wondered if she made the right decision.
I really enjoyed reading this book because it relates a lot to me. I used to cry myself to sleep sometimes during my parents divorce, I have to wonder if I made the right decision sometimes, and I have to get used to it, which after all isn’t too bad. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone! It is a funny, sometimes sad, but it is a very good book and I loved it!

Reviewed by: Duck 'O Lantern

A Diary of a Young Girl

Frank, Anne. A Diary of a Young Girl. New York: Bantam Books, 1967. 283 Pages. (Non-fiction / Diary)

The book I read is a Diary of a Young Girl written by Anne Frank . She was a Jewish girl alive during the holocaust. What a coincidence that she started to write her diary right when the holocaust started. In the book she tells about a boy that she meets by him asking her if he could walk her to The way the find this diary after she died was her dad was visiting the place where they were hiding and he stumbles upon her writing and finds out that she was keeping a diary.

It’s really great because she tells her opinion on everything to the diary, (also known as kitty). She treats it like it’s her best friend, and she’s not afraid to right anything in it. In the beginning things are kind of slow but then all of a sudden there running from home so they don’t get put in the concentration camps. Probably my favorite thing about this book is that everything that she’s talking about is really happened, word for word. It keeps you locked into the book because she waits one or two days and then writes what has happened and in the middle of the book a lot of things are going on.

JimiHendrix

The Spiderwick Chronicles: The Seeing Stone

Diterlizzi, Tony and Black, Holly. The Spiderwick Chronicles: The Seeing Stone. NY: Simon and Schuster, 2003. 108 Pages. (Fantasy Series)

Here is another adventure in the world of Spiderwick. The Grace children-twins Simon and Jared, and older sister Mallory-find a special eye piece or “seeing stone” that lets them see many strange creatures that cannot be seen with a naked eye. When Simon dissapears while looking for his cat, Jared and Mallory go on a scary adventure through the woods to try and find him. The kids come across a hungry troll in a swamp, and barely escape from it. They find a camp of goblins where they are keeping Simon and all sorts of other creatures, even a griffin. With the help of Hogsqueal, a hobgoblin, they manage to free Simon, save the griffin, and lead the goblins to the hungry troll for dinner.

I selected this book because I read the first one and couldn’t wait to see what would happen next. I will definitely read the rest of the Spiderwick books!!!

Reviewed by:MiniMe