Flush

Hiaasen, Carl. Flush. NY: Random House, 2005. 263 pages. (Fiction / Humor)

Flush is a great book that shows how important our environment really is to others and the turtles that are going extinct because of the dumping. The main characters in Flush are Noah, his dad Paine, Dusty Muleman, and Abbey. These people live on the shores of Florida and Noah’s father was a successful fisherman until he committed many crimes and lost his boat license. He lost his boat license because of the crimes he committed. Noah faces the problem that Paine has sunk Dusty Muleman’s casino boat because he’s dumping his sewage into the ocean, which is illegal. So Noah’s father is sent to jail and while there Noah and his sister try to catch Dusty in the act of dumping the sewage into the ocean. Noah and his younger sister Abby go out in the middle of the night once the casino boat has closed and try to catch Dusty in the act of harming nature. They go through a lot of problems to get the evidence but you will have to read to find out.

I would have to describe myself as Noah trying to defeat the troubles that aren’t only bothering him but also his family. I would also describe myself as Noah because I love to help the environment as much as possible. The scene that had a great impact on me was when Noah described how the waters looked and smelled. The waters looked green, disgusting, and disrespected. It smelled like old sewage and dying plants and animals because of the pollution. It made me feel bad and depressed about what Dusty was doing to the waters that future generations would swim in and even his own kids. In ten words I would describe this book as adventurous and sad, but it can also have a big impact on how you do things in your everyday life.

Reviewed by: Urbs518

Dear America: When Christmas Comes Again

Levine, Beth. Dear America: When Christmas Comes Again. NY: Scholastic, 2002. 168 pages. (Historical Fiction)

This book was about a girl named Simone Spencer who lives in New York City with her mom who she calls “maman”, her dad who she calls “papa”, and her brother Will, who will soon go to war. There are also some other characters in the book: Sam (who she falls in love with), Alice (a friend), and Francie (a friend from New York). The story takes place in 1917-1919, in New York City and the Western Front (Paris and France) in World War I. Shortly after Simone’s brother went to war, Simone decided that she too wanted to go. She began talking with her parents who finally decided to let her go. Before she went to war, her friend Francie gave her an angel she saw in an antique store they went shopping at. Simone really liked that angel and was so happy to get it. While on her way to the war, she was hoping to see her brother. When she got there, she worked as a switchboard operator. She was known as the “hello girls” by the soldiers. I loved this book so much. It was hard for me to put it down. I love books about history because they are interesting and are fun to learn from. I really recommend it to anybody because it was a GREAT book and was funny and fun to read. It had some sad parts, but it turns out to have a happy ending. In the back of the book, there is a story of what the family did and what they moved on to become. There is also a true story of World War I. In the book there are pictures of New York City from 1917 through 1919.

Reviewed by: ChickenNoodleSoup23

Hoot

Hiaasen, Carl. Hoot. NY: Yearling Random House, 2002. 292 pages. (Fiction / Humor)

The main character in Hoot are two teenagers: Roy Eberhardt and Beatrice Leep. Another character whose real name does not show up until the end of the story is Mullet Fingers, Napoleon Bridger Leep, who can catch mullet, a small fast fish with his bare hands. The story is set in Florida. There is a single lot of land in Florida which has many burrowing owls living in the soil; a Mother Paula’s Pancake House is going to be built on this land unless the kids prove that it’s illegal. Bridget, Roy, and Mullet Fingers have to prove the the burrows are not abandoned and they actually do have animals in them. One thing that was interesting is the kids kept vandalizing the property until they could come up with a better idea to stop the Mother Paula’s Pancake House.

I thought this book was very interesting, and I liked it very much. I have and I am reading other Carl Hiaasen books. I would suggest Carl Hiaasen to any other person who wanted to read a good book. I have known about Carl Hiaasen, so I was suggested this book and others by my family. I would easily give this book a ten out of ten for all the main aspects of the book.

Reviewed by: MasterChief40

The Thief

Turner, Megan Whalen. The Thief. New York: Greenwillow Books, 1996. (Fantasy)

The Thief has everything a good story should have: “fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases, escapes, true love, miracles…” Well, it has everything except the true love and monsters, but you cannot have everything, can you? It follows the exploits of Eugenides, named after the God of thieves, who is recruited from the king’s prison by his royal scholar, the magus, to obtain an item of extreme importance to the king. What the object is and why Gen must obtain it remains a mystery that only the magus and the king hold. In return for his services, the king offers to grant Gen a pardon and set him free upon his return or place a bounty on his head so high every freeman “from this country or any other” (13) will come looking for him. Joining him on his quest are the magus; Pol, a soldier; Sophos, possible heir to the thrown; and Ambiades. From the dark of his prison cell to the light of the distant mountains, Gen makes his way to an unsure future. The best thing working for the novel, aside from the fact that it is wonderfully written, is that it is character driven. The characters are well developed and multi-leveled. It is Gen’s pride and boastfulness that land him in prison at the beginning of the novel, but it is these traits that ultimately redeem him by novel’s end. The worst thing working for this novel is that it is character driven. That is to say that at times the book might be too slow for some younger readers who might grow impatient with the pacing, but, should they be able to pass the halfway mark, they will be well rewarded as the action picks up and the true story is spun.

Reviewed by: Disreputable Dog

Sealed with a Diss

Harrison, Lisi. Sealed with a Diss. NY: Alloy Entertainment, 2007. 248 pages. (Fiction / Clique Series)

Sealed with a Diss is about the mega popular Massie Block whose clique of girlfriends includes Alicia Rivera, Dylan Marvil, Kristen Gregory, and Orlando, Florida native, Claire Lyons, whose love of anything sticky, sweet and gummy is never-ending. Massie has been offered the ultimate chance to be the eighth grade alpha next year. Everything in this series of books are in the cutthroat social world of OCD: the exclusive private school located in Westchester, New York, where the most common brand names around are Louis Vuitton, Ralph Lauren, Vera Wang, Miu Miu, and Prada.

There is a special secret room in the basement of OCD that is set aside for the most popular eighth grade girl ( the alpha.) The former alpha, Skye Hamilton, is hiding the key to the room and Massie has found it and is on her way to alphahood. Along the way, Claire discovers that her boyfriend, Cam Fisher, has been carrying on with Nikki, a girl from his summer camp. Massie’s boyfriend, Derrick Harrington, or Derrington, as the clique secretly calls him thinks that Massie is too “immature” and Massie thinks the same of him. Derrington wears shorts all of the time, even in winter and wiggles his butt when he’s happy. Massie has a mission to hook up Skye Hamilton with Chris Abely, a former crush of Massie’s. Since Chris just broke up with his über-blonde girlfriend, Fawn, it’s not easy in the least.

All of the girls in the clique must have a date for the upcoming dance or they will be disqualified from the race for the Room. They all show up with dates at the dance, even though their dates abandon them in the middle of the dance, they become the new alpha’s of next year eighth grade alphas.

I thought that this book was a clever rendition of a group of young girls who go through their own “troubles” in their Prada-filled world. (I put “troubles” in quotes because their so-called problems are nothing compared to a real person’s life.) However, it was well written and humorous,s and I am eagerly waiting for the next book to reach our libraries and stores.

Reviewed by: JackSparrow136

Daniel’s Story

Matas, Carlos. Daniel’s Story. NY: Scholastic Paperbacks, 1993. 144 pages. (Historical Fiction)

In this book there is one main character named Daniel who is 14 years old. The story takes place in Germany, in a concentration camp and at Daniel’s home and hiding place in 1941 during the Holocaust. Daniel and his family are forced to go into hiding from the Nazis because his family is Jewish. If they did not go into hiding, they would be sent to a concentration camp where they would surely die. Along with his immediate family there were other family members and friends that were hiding with him. In many circumstances when they were in hiding, Daniel would find a small place to hide where the Nazis wouldn’t look. Unfortunately, there was not room for everyone and many members of his family and friends were killed.

After a period of time, there are only two members of the family left: Daniel and his father. They are eventually captured and sent to a concentration camp. Upon their arrival at the camp, Daniel and his father were only given one set of “ragged” clothing. They go through harsh times but are still able to make some friends.

Daniel and his father are horrified by all the gruesome images they see during their time at the concentration camp: burning bodies, people being shot and hung became a part of everyday life at the camp. Daniel was able to endure this horrible time because he always tries to make the best of things and maintain a positive outlook of what will become of him and his father.

I selected t his book based on a recommendation by my mother’s friend who would also babysit for me and my brother and sister when we were younger. I have always been curious about the Holocaust and what motivated one man, Hitler, to murder 6 million people based on his prejudice. Because I enjoyed this book so much, I have also read Number the Stars and am currently reading Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl. The more I read about life during the Holocaust, the more curious I become. I think this is because I feel that I can always learn more.

Reviewed by: SF42Lax

Misty of Chincoteague

Henry, Marguerite. Misty of Chincoteague. NY: Macmillan Publishing, 1947. 158 pages. (Historical Fiction Series / Horses)

The Phantom was the wildest mare on Assateague Island. She was like the wind; the white "map" on her shoulders was her mark of freedom. Paul and Maureen Beebe had their hearts set on owning her. They really wanted to buy and tame her, but they started to face a problem they had to earn money to buy her. The roundup men had tried to capture her for two years. They never could catch her because she was so fast. Pony Penning Day has a surprise for everyone; Paul not only brings in the Phantom, but her newborn colt as well, but they need to earn money to buy them still. What are they going to do? This book is named after Misty, the Phantom’s daughter, the new born colt.

I would recommend this book to other people because this is a well written book, and it is about ponies. If you like ponies, I would recommend this book to you. Another reason this is such a great book to recommend to you is because it tells you about the history of Assateague and how the wild ponies got there. This book is based on a true story of the Pony Penning Day where they round up all the ponies for auction, and it is still going on today.

Reviewed by: AlpacaLover23

Surviving the Applewhites

Tolan, Stephanie. Surviving the Applewhites. NY: HarperCollins, 2002. 216 pages. (Fiction)

While reading Surviving the Applewhites, you will find the main characters are Jake Semple and the Applewhite family: Cordelia, E.D., Destiny, Hal, Lucille, Randolf, Zedediah, and Sybil. This story takes place in North Carolina at Wit Point, a home-school academy. Jake Semple has no other place to go to school except for Juvenile Hall and, of course, Wits Point because he has been kicked out of every other school by doing bad tricks like burning the school down. Everyone has to get along with Jake and teach him what he needs to learn. During school, Jake learns to work with other people and that he really doesn’t have to act badly. With the help of a play, The Sound of Music, the Applewhites end up performing, Jake Semple finds another side of himself, a good side.

This would be a book I would definitely recommend to someone my age. I don’t know if younger kids would really know what everything meant in this book. I thought about this book, and it came to me that it has a moral or a lesson to learn from. When someone acts badly, something might have gone wrong in their family, and they aren’t getting the love they need. Also, everyone usually has a good side to them even though sometimes you have to work at it to get it out.

Reviewed by: IrishDancer64

Elsewhere

Zevin, Gabrelle. Elsewhere. NY: Square Fish, 2005. 276 pages. (Mystery)

Meet Liz: she’s just a normal 15 year old girl who gets pimples and bad hair days everyday .One day she was walking in the busy streets of New York City to meet her best friend, Zoey, to help her pick out her prom dress. As Liz was crossing the street mindlessly, a taxicab hit her. The next thing she knew, Liz woke up in a bunk bed in a very bright room. Liz realized they were swaying and she found out she was on a boat. The girl above her, she later found out, was named Thandi, who told her that they were dead along with all the other people on the ship they were on. The two girls became fast friends. Thandi died by getting shot in the head, Liz told her she got hit by a car. The two go out on the deck of the ship when two elderly woman come up to them to tell them that the ship was headed to a place called, Elsewhere.

If you like this book a lot, go out and buy it!! I highly recommend this book . It’s very humorous even though it is a little creepy. The character was like someone I know because Liz is always asking questions about everything, I guess she has a good reason to because she is dead, or is she?

Reviewed by: GSD7

The Moffats

Estes, Eleanor. The Moffats. NY: Harcourt Inc, 1941. 212 pages (Historical Fiction / Humor)

In the book, The Moffats, the main character is Jany. Jany is a nine-year- old girl in 4th grade. She has three other siblings, Sylvie, Joe, and Rufus. This book takes place in the 1940’s. The Moffats live in a big yellow house on New Dollar Street, in the town of Cranberry. In the beginning of this book, a man comes by and nails a “For Sale” sign onto their house. Throughout the story all of the Moffats try to forget about the sign and go about doing their normal activities. In this book Jany gets trapped in a breadbox all afternoon, Joe dances with a dog in front of the whole town, and Rufus hitches a ride on a boxcar during kindergarten recess. The Moffats are a hilarious bunch that turn everyday activities into a great story.

I would definitely recommend this book to someone else because it is very funny. There wasn’t one chapter without one of the Moffats turning a mistake into a very funny adventure. I think the best adventure was when Joe had to dance with a dog in front of the whole town. He was at Jany’s dance recital when one of the dancers did not show up. The dance teacher begged Joe to do it, because Jany was always doing it around the house. The teacher thought he would now a little of it. Joe finally said yes, and then he started the dance. In the middle of the dance, dog from a lady’s lap in the audience, jumped up onto the stage. The dog started running and jumping around with Joe. When they finished, the audience went wild. I liked this book a lot!

Reviewed By: Kae5495

Danger.com @ 7/ Most Wanted

Cray, Jordan. Danger.com @ 7/ Most Wanted. NY: Aladdin Paperbacks,1998.
229 pages. (Mystery Series)

The main characters in this story are Andy, Syd, Andy’s real father, Silias, Andy’s mom, and Syd’s mom, Wendy. In this book, Andy finds out that he is adopted and that his father is a murderer. Andy does not take this news well at first, but then grows to want to find his father and see if the story that his adopted mom is telling him is true about his father killing his mother. Andy finds out where his father works and gets his e-mail. Every night they would e-mail each other and talk about their lives. Silias finds out where Andy lives and visits him a visit. Andy asks him if he killed his real mother, Silias says that it wasn’t true. Syd came over to Andy’s house and saw his father. When Silas met Syd, he gave her a weird smile that made her feel weird. Andy saw his father talking behind a building with another man mysteriously.

I would definitely read another book from this author because I like reading mysterious and scary books and the author explained everything well from where they lived to what they were planting and what colors where in the garden. The scene that most impacted me was when it was night and they were digging near a full moon. The character I most despised was Silias because he is not a very good person or father and would do anything to get money. I would recommend this book to any of my friends or family because it is very suspenseful book with a great ending.

Reviewed By: April Girl

Keeping the Moon

Dessen, Sarah. Keeping the Moon. New York: Penguin Group, 1999. 228 pages. (Fiction)

Colie is a formerly corpulent girl who lives with her mother, who is a personal trainer. Colie’s mother is going away over the summer and she has to stay with her overweight and pretty dorky Aunt Mira in Colby, North Carolina. In this new town, Colie is trying to fit in with the crowd, make new friends, and be herself even though she still doesn’t quite know who that is. One night Colie goes out with her new found friends with a whole new look: dyed hair, no lip ring, and gorgeous makeup sure to help her be more confident and be her inner self. The question is, does she succeed? Does she really know who she is now?

I really enjoyed this book because after going through all of Colie’s experiences, it really helps you realize how to be who you really are and how to not cover up your true self. This book also helps you realize that even if you aren’t picture perfect, it doesn’t mean you aren’t beautiful, and I know some people who have doubted that. I would definitely read another book by this author; she is really descriptive in the way people look and very dramatic: just the way Colie, being a teen, acts. Sarah Dessen also creates a good picture in your mind about what’s going on.

Reviewed by: PinkPopper

Demon in My View

Atwater-Rhodes, Amelia. Demon in My View. NY: Dell Laurel Leaf, 2000. 176 pages. (Fantasy Series)

The main character is Jessica Allodola, the author of Tiger, Tiger and Dark Flame who seems to know “too much” about Vampires. Aubrey is one of the strongest Vampires ‘alive,’ Aubrey is also the main character in Dark Flame. Caryn Rashida is a witch from the Smoke Line; she is skilled in healing but is not much of a fighter. Fala is an Egyptian Vampire who has a sick desire to get rid of Jessica for knowing too much about the Vampire world. The story takes place in present time New York City in the human world and in New Mayhem inside the Vampire world.

The problem Rachel faces is trying to avoid all the Vampires that are out to kill her, although many of them won’t even try to harm her because of Aubrey. The reason why people wouldn’t harm her because of Aubrey is because Aubrey swore that if anyone tried to harm Jessica, he would silence them. One interesting event that happens is the fights that take place throughout the story, mostly the fights with Aubrey, Fala, and Dominique; those are the ones with the most action in them. Another type of interesting events that happen throughout the novel is the romance that goes on between the characters.

My favorite character was probably either Jessica or Aubrey. The reason why I liked Jessica was because she’s kind of an outcast, and she loves to write stories – like me. The reason why I liked Aubrey is because of the way he acts and the decisions he makes. The character I disliked the most was Dominique Vida because she hunts down all Vampires no matter who they are or what the cost. Another reason I don’t like Dominique is because she doesn’t care about Jessica at all and because she threatens her a few times. One scene that I liked the most is when Aubrey and Jessica are alone at the top of a hill and Jessica is asking Aubrey why he hasn’t done anything to harm her if ‘all’ Vampires are out to kill her. I would recommend this book for others if they like a lot of action and some romance, and if they’ve read the first book in the series. I would read another book by this author, and already have, because I love stories about Vampires and I loved this book. One reason why I chose this book is because it is the sequel to In the Forest of the Night, and the second in the four book series. Another reason is because my sister recommended this book for me because she knows I like this type of books.

Reviewed by: Kirby

Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony

Colfer, Eoin. Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony. NY: Hyperion Books for Children, 2006. 385 pages. (Fantasy Series / Humor)

The main characters in this book are Artemis Fowl, the only boy in the world who knows about the fairy civilization; Artemis’s body guard, Butler; Holy Short an x secret fairy cop; and Minerva Paradizo a rich demon hunter. This story takes place in many different places like Barcelona, Spain; underground in a fairy civilization; a demon island called Hybras; and in Southern Sicily. There are so many places in this book because Artemis needs to go anywhere a demon shows up. The main problem in this book, Artemis Fowl, is that the fairy civilization is about to be discovered by someone other than Artemis, and demons are going to start showing up all over the world. To stop this problem Artemis has to literally blow up Minerva Paradizo’s plans to discover the demon and fairy civilizations. Some other interesting events that happen in Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony, are that Artemis travels to the demon world and travels back in time to save a friend, Holy Short. One other interesting event: Artemis goes “missing” for three years!

If I were to give this book a one word label it would be awesome! My one word label would be awesome because this book was fun, exciting, and thrilling. When you start to read this book you just can’t put it down. I would recommend this book to anyone.

Reviewed By: Pablo

Among The Hidden

Haddix, Margaret. Among The Hidden. NY: Aladdin Paperbacks, 1998. 153 pages. (Sci-Fi Series)

The book I have chosen to do for my book review number is Among The Hidden. This book takes place on a farm. The characters in the story are Luke and Jen. The problem in the story is that Luke wants to be a normal person like his brothers, but he can’t. Luke is a third child, and the government won’t allow three children in a family. Contractors started coming and building a new development near Luke’s house. Soon families start moving into the new development. Luke studies the houses and families very carefully. After awhile Luke came up with a name for each family in the new development. One day after everybody in the “Sports Family” leaves the house, he sees a face in the window; Luke has to investigate. One day when his mom, dad, and brothers were away, he snuck over to the house where he saw the face and it turns out that she was another third child. Her name is Jen, and she is planning a raid so all the third children in the world could be free. Will Jen’s plan work and will Jen and Luke ever be free?
I chose this book for my book review because it looked interesting. Also some of my friends recommended it to me. They told me what it was about and that they liked it. I wouldn’t recommend it to someone who doesn’t like to read, but I thought it was a pretty good book.

Reviewed by: Sally56

The Keys to the Kingdom: Drowned Wednesday

Nix, Garth. The Keys to the Kingdom: Drowned Wednesday. NY: Scholastic, 2005. 389 pages. (Fantasy Series)

Arthur Penhaligon, a simple 7th grader who has just moved to a new neighborhood, is about to return to the House (the center of the universe with many different sections and territories ruled by the seven days of the week and run the Secondary Realms- places outside of the House, such as Earth) again. Previously, dangerous dog- faced men infected his entire neighborhood with a fatal sickness, and Arthur traveled to the House to end it. Then, he had to end the reign of Grim Tuesday and plug an enormous flood of Nothing (the substance that all things are made from and, ironically, will destroy anything at the first touch) which, left unchecked, will destroy the House and the universe. Now, Drowned Wednesday has invited him for a luncheon, but he may be lunch! Arthur must survive the Border Sea, sorceress pirates, and the stomach of a Leviathan Whale in order to take the Third Key, find part three of the Will, and save himself and his friend Leaf. With danger around nearly every corner, Arthur will be hard pressed to find even a place to sit and think in peace. With non-stop, page-turning adventure, this book will keep you glued to it until the end! Definitely a must-read for any fantasy- adventure fan, I would definitely recommend this book as a casual read.

Reviewed by: MorningStar

Eclipse

Meyer, Stephenie. Eclipse. NY: Little Brown, 2007. 629 pages. (Fantasy Series / Vampires)

The book I chose is Eclipse, by Stephenie Meyer. The main characters in the book are Isabella Swan (Bella); her vampire boyfriend Edward Cullen, his brothers and sisters Alice, Emmett, Jasper, Rosalie, Esme, and Carlisle; Bella’s father Charlie, her mother Renee; Jacob Black; and the vampire after Bella, Victoria. Victoria is after Bella because the Cullens killed her mate. The book takes place mostly in Forks, Washington. This is the third book in its series. In this book, the Volturi, the leaders of all vampires, want Edward to turn Bella into a vampire because of her immunity to the abilities (like making someone feel pain, read minds, see into the future, make people feel happy) vampires acquire when they become vampires. By the end of the book Bella is not a vampire yet. Bella’s best friend, Jacob, a werewolf, does not want Bella to be turned into a vampire. He wants Bella to leave Edward and love him. Meanwhile, a vampire named Victoria is after Bella to avenge her mate that was killed by the Cullens. Victoria makes an army of vampires and plans to attack Bella. Alice, who can see into the future sees this and gets the werewolves to help them defeat Victoria. Will Victoria kill Bella, or will the werewolves and vampires be able to kill Victoria? You can find out by reading Eclipse.

I really enjoyed this book. It was the best of the three. You were always wondering what would happen next, who Bella would choose, and whether or not Victoria would kill her. I would recommend this book for people who like vampires and suspense. It has a little bit of romance because Edward loves Bella. It is a long book, but it is worth it. The final fight is fun to read because Victoria is finally killed after two books of trying to hunt her down.

Reviewed by: Popalockalicious

A Series Of Unfortunate Events: The End

Snicket, Lemony. A Series Of Unfortunate Events: The End. NY: Harper Collins, 2006. 337 pages. (Adventure Series)

The main characters in this book are Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudalair, along with their worst enemy, Count Olaf. This story takes place on an island in the middle of the ocean that is populated by castaways. The main problem in this book is that the main characters, Violet, Klaus, and Sunny, get shipwrecked with Count Olaf on an island in the middle of the ocean. After they get shipwrecked, the three Baudalairs have to figure out a way to get rid of Count Olaf and get off the island. At first the Baudalairs try to solve this problem by abandoning Count Olaf on a coastal shelf near the island, but it doesn’t work, so Violet comes up with an idea late at night to escape from the island: wait for the coastal shelf to flood and then sail away on a boat the islanders built for castaways to use when the shelf floods once a year. One interesting thing that happens to the Baudalair orphans in this book is that a friend of the Buadalairs also gets shipwrecked on the island but she is pregnant and unconscious. Another interesting event that occurs is when the Baudalairs get captured by Count Olaf . They quickly escape and sneak away to the far side of the island, but what they find is a secret underground library in the roots of a tree.

I would read any other book by this author because his books are very well written, and once you get into it you never want to stop. Also, I would recommend this book to anyone that likes a good mystery and loves a story about a notorious villain that commits many crimes and seems to always get away with it. I think this book is a really good end to this series of books Lemony Snicket has written. This book sums up any question you could have about this series. If I were the author, I wouldn’t do it any other way. If I had to put this book into one word I think it would be “perfection.”

Reviewed by: CareBear12

Rebel Angels

Bray, Libba. Rebel Angels. NY: Random House, 2005. 548 pages. (Fantasy Series)

This story is about a girl named Gemma and her friends who live in two worlds. One of the worlds is called “The Order” and the other is the real world. There are a lot of other realms, but the Order is where her mother used to hang out. She loved it there. In this book they talk about her mother, but she died in the first book. Her mother sacrificed her own life to save Gemma the realms anything you touch turns to something else. It is beautiful place with hills and forest. But now the magic from the realms is lose and anything could happen at any time. Her friends and her have to bind the magic. In the real world her brother works at a place where people who need a little extra help, go. One day she goes to her brother’s work and she meets a woman who knows about the realms and about Circe. Circe is a person from the realms who is trying to get all the magic. It is up to Gemma and her friends to stop her. It is going to be a very dangerous job. She thinks that this woman can help her so they become pretty good friends. Then one night they go to a ball at her brothers work, and they have fun at first but then she has to go to the realms and try to bind the magic, it is not an easy job. When they get there they have to fight all kinds of creatures. When she gets back her dad is ill from drug abuse, her brother is in love with one of her friends, and a guy named Simon is trying to win her heart. If you want to find out what happens next in her crazy life then you should read this book.

I liked Rebel Angels because it has a lot of action and a lot of emotions, like it was sad, mysterious, and exciting. It is a long book, but it is a really good book.

Reviewed by: LaxLady014

The City of Ember

DuPrau, Jeanne. The City of Ember. New York: Yearling, 2003. 270 pages. (Fantasy Series)

In a city called Ember, Lina Mayfleet who is a messenger was originally suppose to work underground. But, to her luck, she switched with a boy named Doon Harrow who is now working underground. One day both of them came upon a note (half chewed up by Lina’s baby sister Poppy) that they think is the instructions to get out of Ember. The reason why Lina and Doon want to leave Ember so bad is because Ember is completely dark: there is nothing beyond there, and they are running out of supplies to live: food and candles. They are hoping the note is instructions that will possibly lead them to a new world of light without candles. Once Lina and Doon put the note back together, they find out that it is instructions to get out of Ember. But they realize that the only way to get out of Ember is by the river underground…

I would recommend this book for someone to read because it’s full of mystery, like you never know where the river leads to, if Lina and Doon do get out of Ember, and what will happen next.

Reviewed by: Dance1422

Point Blank

Horowitz, Anthony. Point Blank. NY: Philomel Books, 2002. 215 pages. (Action / Adventure Series)

Alex Rider is back as Alex Friend in Point Blank. In this book, two of the richest men in the world die. The surprising thing is no one knows how they die. At this time their sons are currently enrolled in a private school called Point Blanc. This is a school for rich boys who have problems. Only some of the richest boys in the world attend Point Blanc because of the fee for a semester. Alex is sent to Point Blanc as Alex Friend, the son of a very wealthy man, to see if there is any link between the two deaths of the wealthy men that had be killed. Unfortunately, he comes to see that the director of Point Blanc, Dr. Grief, and the assistant director, Mrs. Stellenbosch, plan to keep the real boys for their money. Dr. Grief made clones of himself that resembled the boys to send back to the boys’ families so those clones can grow up and become very wealthy. Then Dr.Grief can have all the money and fame that the clones get. Meanwhile he’ll keep the real boys locked up at Point Blanc. Alex reports what he finds back to MI6, where a secret crew is then lead by Alex to stop Dr.Grief and save the boys. Can Alex save the day? Find out in Point Blank.

In ten words I would describe this book as a book of adventure and excitement that never ever stops because as soon as one adventure stops a new and more exciting one begins! I would defiantly suggest this book to readers, but this is part of a series of books. You should start with the first book, StormBreaker, and work your way through the series.

Reviewed by: B-mini13

Click Here

Vega, Denise. Click Here (to find out how I survived seventh grade). NY: Time Warner Book Group, 2005. 215 pages. (Finction / Humor)

Erin Swift is your normal 12, almost 13, year old girl. She is starting seventh grade and is so not looking forward to it. She has a best friend, Jilly, who has been friends with her since kindergarten. They get their envelopes that say which track they will be on for the rest of the school year. They have never been separated, and they were determined that they were going be together this year. As they open the envelopes, they find they are on separate tracks. They are sure that this will be the worst year ever because there not together. Their first day of junior high is rapidly approaching, so they spend as much time with each other as possible. Every day Erin writes a private blog that is her way of expressing her feelings toward everything and everyone. Everything seems to be moving along great until her private blog gets switched with the wrong disc and now is online for the whole school to see. Read this book to find out how Erin survived seventh grade with all of her deepest feelings posted for the whole school to see.

Jilly reminds me of my friend L-. She is funny and fun to be around. She is also very caring, but that works against her too. Sometimes she takes things to heart just like Jilly, but we love her for it. She is friends with everyone and nice to everyone. She always gives people a chance even if she doesn’t know them. Read this book to see if Erin and Jilly can survive seventh grade.

Reviewed by: PopRocks3

The Dark and Deadly Pool

Nixon, Joan Lowery. The Dark and Deadly Pool. NY: Dell Yearling, 1987. 179 pages. (Mystery)

This story is about a girl named Liz who works at the Ridley Hotel. Liz, Fran, and Detective Jarvis are the main characters. The story mainly takes place in the Ridley Hotel. It also takes place at Liz’s house. The problems they face are that someone is stealing stuff from the hotel and strange things are happening. They try to solve it by staying in the dark and trying to find out clues why all these weird things are happening. Some other interesting events that happen in this story are a romance between Liz and Fran. They are way different and Liz feels awkward around him because she is so much taller than him. Liz reminds me of my very best friend because she is tall, pretty, and their personalities are about the same. She sometimes feels awkward around people who are shorter than her that she likes.

I didn’t really like this book. I didn’t like it because in the first chapter is like the only part where the creature attacks her. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes stories about other people’s lives.

Reviewed by: LaLaLogan17

Flush

Hiassen, Carl. Flush. NY: Alfred A. Knoph, 2005. 263 pages. (Fiction / Humor)

Noah and his sister Abbey live in the Key’s in Florida. Their father was just sent to jail for sinking a casino boat. Noah and Abbey can’t understand why. They soon found out why their father sunk the boat. He sunk it because he knew after all the passenger’s left and no one was around the crew unloaded all the waste tanks right into the ocean. All the waste was contaminating the water and the beaches around the area. It also made it unsafe for all the fish in the contaminated water. So now their father is in jail the kids take it upon themselves to stop the person from contaminating the water. They also try their best to clean up the beaches.

Flush is a well-written book by Carl Hiassen. This book tells a lot about Florida and some of the animals that live in the harbor and in the mangroves. This book is written so well you don’t want to put it down. It sucks you in and makes you want to keep reading chapter after chapter. I can say it is one of the best books I have ever read.

Reviewed by: Me

The Trap

Smelcer, John. The Trap. NY: Henry Holt, 2006. 170 pages. (Survival Fiction)

Johnny was a Native American boy from Alaska that was so attached to his grandfather that he risked his life to save him. Traplines were very important in the wilderness because they catch food for families to eat. Albert Least-Weasel, Johnny’s grandfather, caught animals for his family and brought the food back on a snowmobile. One day Albert told his wife that he was going out to check his traps, and the weather was getting colder by the minute. When Johnny came to see his grandfather, his grandmother told him hadn’t returned. Little did his family know, Albert was hours away from home and had accidentally stuck his foot in a trap. Luckily, his grandson idolized him so much that he had the guts to go out and find his grandfather. While Albert was still alone, the wolves were coming after him and there was nothing he could do about it. Johnny arrived just in time to scare off the wolves, but on the return trip, his grandfather died.

When Albert became stuck in his own trapline, I became scared for him just picturing his situation. If I were him, I wouldn’t want to cut off my leg, but I would try as hard as I could to try to get the trap off. The grandfather only suffered with it on his foot hoping that someone would come out to save him. The grandfather was missing for a total of four days without food and shelter. I would have been very scared and not know what to do because I’ve never experienced it before. Even though I know survival skills, I wouldn’t be able to use them because I’d be anchored to the trapline. This scene had the greatest impact on me because the grandfather dies due to not being able to help himself, and it made me depressed to think his grandson tried to help but didn’t reach him in time.

Reviewed by: Brine66

Shattered Mirror

Atwater-Rhodes, Amelia. Shattered Mirror. NY: Dell Laurel Leaf, 2001. 227 pages. (Fantasy Series)

The main characters are Sarah Vida, a well skilled Vampire Hunter Witch, from the Vida Line. Christopher Ravena is a ‘friendly’ Vampire that goes to Sarah’s school. Christopher’s sister is named Nissa who is also a ‘friendly’ Vampire who goes to SingleEarth, a place where the three races, Vampires, Witches, and Humans go to try to make the world a better place for all races. Nikolas is a very well known Vampire who is the only one to ever kill a Witch from the Vida Line; he is wanted by every Vampire hunter. The story takes place in our present day at Nikolas’s house in London and in a high school in the United States. The problem that Sarah faces is that she must defeat Nikolas and any other Vampires that get in her way. Sarah goes about solving the problem by finding Nikolas by going to his house. Other interesting events that happen throughout the story are the battles that go on and the way Sarah acts around Christopher.

The reason I picked this book was because it is the sequel to Demon in My View. I have read all the books in the series so far and look forward to reading the next one– also the last– in the series. I would definitely recommend Amelia Atwater-Rhodes’ books to anyone who likes books about action, Vampires, witches, and Shape-Shifters.

Reviewed by: Kirby

Midnight Predator

Atwater-Rhodes, Amelia. Midnight Predator. NY: Dell Laurel Leaf, 2002. 248 Pages. (Fantasy Series)

The main characters are Turquoise, a Vampire Hunter who works for Bruja; Bruja is a large group of high-killing Vampire Hunters. Turquoise is sent to assassinate Jeshickah, a terrible Vampire who created a place called Midnight over three hundred years ago. Midnight is a more than just a place for Vampires, it’s a slave trade. Vampires sell humans to other Vampires for money; the Vampires that buy the unlucky humans will either be bred for their beauty or will become bleeders. The other Vampire Hunter who joins Turquoise on her mission is a girl named Ravyn, who isn’t great friends with Turquoise. Midnight was destroyed long ago but recently a new Vampire has brought it back, one of Jeshickah’s fledglings, Jaguar. Jaguar is a very odd Vampire who doesn’t seem to be the type who would own Midnight, for he is nicer than most Vampires. But Turquoise and Ravyn can’t just walk right into Midnight; they have to be sold into it. One of Turquoise’s Vampire “friends” that she does business with sells them into Midnight; his name is Nathaniel. The last main character is a Vampire named Lord Daryl who bought Turquoise two years ago on her eighteenth birthday, ruining her life. The story takes place in present time inside Midnight and the main building of Bruja.

The two main problems that Turquoise faces is trying to kill Jeshickah, for she is a very powerful Vampire and has many friends that would try to avenge her death if she was killed. Another problem that she Turquoise faces is figuring out if she can trust Jaguar or not. They become fond of each other, but then she realizes what he is. Turquoise goes about fixing the problems by being patient and figuring out how to assassinate Jeshickah. She also fixes the other problem by talking to Jaguar at a café in the human world. An interesting event that happens in the novel is how it goes back and forth from the present and past in the life of Turquoise. Other interesting events that happen throughout the novel are the continuous battles that happen and the short but sweet romantic moments that happen between Jaguar and Turquoise.

The reason that I chose this book is because it’s the sequel to Shattered Mirror and the last book in the series of Vampire books Amelia Atwater-Rhodes has written. I enjoyed this book very much and didn’t want to stop reading it. I liked the character Jaguar the most out of all the characters because he is the most unique, but I really wish it told more about him. Since I liked Jaguar the most, I really don’t like Ravyn because she wants to kill Jaguar. Ravyn wants to kill all Vampires no matter if they’re good or bad. I really recommend this book – and series – for people who like books with a lot of action and some romance.

Reviewed by: Kirby

Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

Brashares, Ann. Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. New York: Delacorte Press, 2001. 294 pages. (Fiction Series)

Turning the pages of the book Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants you will find the main characters are Carmen, Lena, Bridget, and Tibby. These four girls are very close friends that live in Georgetown, New York. They always would hang out in the summer, everyday, until this summer where each girl is going somewhere. Lena and her sister are going to Greece; Bridget to Baja, California; Carmen to South Carolina; and Tibby is staying home. This is very hard for them because it there first summer apart. Each girl is doing her own thing with family or sports. What the “sisters” end up doing is sending pants (that magically fit everyone and are from the Salvation Army) around to each person, so it is kind of like having friends near without them really being there. On their journeys each person makes new friends and ends up having an interesting time- both good and bad. They also learn many lessons.

I will always remember this book as a good book and will always recommend this book to friends because there are so many life lessons that you can learn from this story. Also you really can’t predict what is going to happen next in this book which makes it much more exciting when it happens.

Reviewed by: IrishDancer64

Auntie Mame

Dennis, Patrick. Auntie Mame. NY: Little, Brown, 1953. 204 pages. (Historical Fiction)

The main characters of Auntie Mame are Patrick Dennis himself, his eccentric aunt, Mame, and his aunt’s Japanese servant, Ito. When young Patrick suffers the loss of his father, he is sent off to be raised by his outlandish yet loveable Auntie Mame. The 1920’s to about the 1950’s mark the whimsical adventures of Patrick and Mame, as Patrick grows up. The final and overall problem for Patrick is that quirky Mame has taken to finding ladies as candidates for Patrick as wife wise. After defeating a trio of beautiful but arrogant goldiggers, he finally marries Pegeen Ryan, a statuesque redhead with sharp wit. Other interesting things that are good to know are that Auntie Mame did get married, but her husband was kicked in the head by a horse and died, leaving her extremely filthy rich. ( No, she didn’t marry him for his money.*sigh*)

I love this book and all of its characters. I have read it at least three times and I never get bored of it. Patrick Dennis is actually a false name too; it’s not the author’s name. (Not given for safety reasons)

Reviewed by: JackSparrow136

Rakkety Tam

Jacques, Brian. Rakkety Tam. Canada:Philomel Books, 2004. 372 pages. (Fantasy Series)

Step into the pages of a book with a country that has talking animals, fighting squirrels, hares, and badgers, trecherous wolverines, and a massive abbey with red brick walls. The book,Rakkety Tam, takes place in this country. It is about a feisty young squirrel named Rakkety Tam McBurl(also known as Tam). He is on a mission with his friend Doogy Plumm and a grou of fighting hares called the Long Patrol. They embark on their journey seeking Gulo the Savage and his crew of deadly vermine. They want to stop them from killing innocent creatures. Gulo is after his brother who he does not know is dead, and the Walking Stone which will give him the power to govern the icy northern lands. Gulo and his savage horde believe that his brother and the stone are hidden inside Redwall Abbey. When Tam and his Group reach Mossflower Wood, they gang up with the creatures of Redwall Abbey and set out to put a stop to Gulo's ways once and for all.

When you read this book, you will find yourself in one of the most adventerous and gruesome tales ever told. I really liked this book because of the battles, adventures, and interesting stories told. This book is so well written, that once you begin reading it, you can never put it down. I felt very excited and anxeous when I read this and I really wanted to knw what happened in the end after I started reading.

Reviewed by: Lesh

Fortune's Journey

Coville, Bruce. Fortune's Journey. NY: Bridge Water Paperbacks, 1997. 255 pages. (Historical Fiction)

This story is about a sixteen-year-old girl named Fortune and her traveling theater group called The Plunkett’s Players that venture west during the Gold Rush in 1853. The group consists of Aaron, a seventeen-year-old actor with a big attitude; Walter, the tallest and most kind hearted man Fortune has ever met; Mr. Patchett, the artistic director for The Plunkett’s Players; Edmund Wallach who had been abandoned by another troupe and then picked up by The Plunkett’s Players; and Mrs. Watson, a widowed woman with a big secret. This story takes place all the way from the East Coast to the shining city of San Francisco. Fortune must get the troupe to San Francisco safely, but on the way she encounters love with a boy named Jamie who eventually joins the troupe. Fortune and the troupe join a wagon train that is going to San Francisco. Near the end of the book, the troupe faces a horrible disease. Everyone except Fortune and Mr. Patchett gets this disease. Amazingly everyone except for one person beats the odds against one of the most deadly diseases of that time. But who doesn’t survive? You will find out if you read this wonderful book.

If I were to give this book a couple words to describe it they would be “mind-catcher.” This is a book that will make you want to read it.

Reviewed by: FizzyJunior31

Searching For David’s Heart

Bennett, Cherie. Searching For David’s Heart. NY: Scholastic, 1998. 220 pages. (Fiction)

The main characters in this book are David, Sam, and Darcy. David is Darcy’s brother and also one of her closest friends, and Sam is Darcy’s best friend. Sam likes to call himself “The Great Samdini” because he believes that he is as great as his idol magician, Houdini. This story takes place in many places, but the main place would probably be Darcy’s house. The problem that Darcy and Sam face is that David gets a new girlfriend, and forgets about Darcy (at least that’s how it seems to her.). Then on the night of Darcy’s birthday, Darcy and David get into a huge fight. Darcy is in such anger that she sprints into the street, and David is chasing after her. When all of a sudden, David dies a tragic death. He died by having a car hit him while running across the street to chase after Darcy. But amazingly, his heart is perfectly fine. So the family decides to donate his heart to another family. Darcy wants to solve it by tracking down the family that has his heart, just so she knows that somewhere, he is still alive. Some other interesting things that happened in this novel were that, while looking for David’s heart, Darcy and Sam find themselves in crazy situations, like sleeping on a trailer with a mule named Daisy, and sleeping on truck that is delivering furniture to Florida.

I would completely and totally recommend this book to a reader. I loved it and it grabbed me and wouldn’t let me go. I couldn’t stop reading it. The action in there and the miracles that are being written about were just beautiful. I almost cried and I never cry when it comes to books. I would give this book 10 out of 10.

Reviewed by: Garfield3

Holes

Sachar, Louis. Holes. NY: 1998. 233 Pages. (Fiction / Humor)

When Stanley Yelnats gets accused of stealing a shoe from Clyde Livingstone, he has a choice: go to jail or go to Camp Green Lake. His family, who are very poor, send Stanley to Camp Green Lake, a camp for delinquents. When he gets there, after a nine-hour trip, he realizes that there is no lake in Camp Green Lake. Neither is there any fun. The boys have to work from very early in the morning until they finish a hole that is five feet wide and five feet deep. In this nightmare, Stanley must make the right friends and choices, but also to find out who the mysterious warden is and what she is searching for.

I think that this book was very well written because it had just the right amount of suspense and mystery, mixed with a touch of irony and humor. It also speaks out for many causes such as racism, while keeping you interested in the book. For all these reasons, and more, I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who likes to read.

Reviewed by: ToastedOats

Football Genius

Green, Tim. Football Genius. NY: HarperCollins, 2007. 244 pages. (Sports Fiction)

This story is about a young twelve year old boy named Troy White. Troy isn’t just a regular boy, he has a special talent. He can predict football plays before they happen, and he tries to use it to his own advantage. He lives in Atlanta, Georgia, the home of his favorite football team, the Atlanta Falcons. Troy’s home is next to a famous football player’s house, named Seth Halloway. Troy’s mom has just got the job of Public Relations for the Atlanta Falcons. Troy thinks that this is the perfect chance for him to show what he can do. Troy’s enemy just happens to be a Dallas Cowboy fan, named Jamie Renfro. Troy has to deal with Jamie starting quarter back on his school football team, and he has to convince Seth that he can predict football plays. Troy finally gets Seth to listen, but now the coaches don’t believe him. But the Head Coach, Coach McFadden realizes that Troy has a special ability, and then fires Coach Crock who was trying to get Troy’s mom fired.

I selected this book because I am a real sports fan and as soon as I read the back cover of the book, it grabbed me instantly. It was also given to me as a gift by my grandmother and was personally signed by Tim Green himself which interested me even more in reading the book. After each chapter, I wanted to read more and more, and I could not but the book down.

Reviewed by: HockeySnipper13

Smugglers Island

Avi. Smugglers Island. NY: Morrow Junior Books, 1994. 178 pages. (Mystery)

In this book Shadrach or Shad is a snoopy, sneaky, trouble maker who is trying to put a local liquor smuggler boss away in jail for good. Brian, Shad’s little brother, is just a tag along who wont leave Shad alone until Shad lets him help put the smuggler boss away. They lived on Lucker’s Island in a small house with their parents Mr. and Mrs. Faherty. Shad is trying to put Kinlow, the smuggler boss, away for good because he has everyone scared on the island, even his parents. Kinlow’s smuggling has caused many families to move from the island and has threatened almost everybody else. To put Kinlow away for good, Shad tells everything he knows to a government agent, Sheraton, who comes to the island every couple weeks, but it turns out that Sheraton is one of Kinlow’s men, and the man he has been avoiding is a real undercover government agent. Eventual Shad tells the man he has been avoiding, the real government agent, everything he knows. After Kinlow is captured, Shad and his family are very happy and relieved that Kinlow is gone.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to read because it is an exciting book, and you just want to keep reading and reading. The most exciting part of this book is when Shad is holding a gun at Kinlow, telling him to apologize to his parents. I would not like to be in this situation because I would crush under pressure. Then again, I would never get in this situation in the first place.

Reviewed By: Pablo

The Penultimate Peril

Snicket, Lemony. A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Penultimate Peril. NY: Harper Collins, 2005. 353 pages. (Fiction Series)

The main characters in this book are the Baudelair orphans: Violet (age 16), Klaus (age 14), and Sunny (age 7). Another main character is Count Olaf. This story takes place in a hotel called The Hotel Denouement. The main problem the Baudelair orphans face is making sure an object called the sugar bowl doesn’t get into the wrong hands of any of the hotel guests. At the same time they have to escape from Count Olaf’s clutches unharmed. The Baudalairs try to solve this problem by getting as many friends as they can to protect them and help them retrieve the sugar bowl. The only problem is that they don’t know exactly were it is. Another interesting event that happens in this novel is that a person who is trying to help the three orphans gets killed, and then the children and Count Olaf are accused of murder and sent to a small town court for a sentence. Another interesting event that happens in the book is that the same man who gets killed shows the children his life’s work - a secret underground library that contain information of every villain the three Baudalaires had ever come across.

This book made me want to keep reading and reading because there isn’t a part in it that makes you want to stop. I would read another book by this author because the problems the children face never end. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a really long mystery with a million possibilities that keep you guessing.

Reviewed by: SouthPole

Spirit Seeker

Nixon, Joan. Spirit Seeker. NY: Bantam Doubleday,1995. 197 pages. (Mystery)

Holly is a normal teenager whose dad is a criminal investigator. To most people this sounds like an exciting job for their parent to have, but to Holly it’s just another long day fatherless. When her dad accepted the job, both her and her mom knew that he would be working long hours, but they miss the man they once knew. One night Holly’s dad was working very late hour, so she assumed he must just be on another case. When he came home, Holly was still awake. He told her he had bad news. Her boyfriend’s parents had just been murdered. Holly immediately rushes to the crime scene even though her father forbids her to. The crime investigators gather evidence and it all points to her boyfriend, Cody. Holly knows he’s innocent. Is Cody really the murderer? This book leads you from chapter to chapter with compelling details that keep you reading. I highly recommend this book.

Holly reminds me of one of my good friends, Mara because she is very determined but also quite gullible. She’s so set on what she believes that nothing or no one can change her mind. Holly and Mara are also very reliable and self-reliant.

Reviewed by: CupcakeSalt

The Five People You Meet In Heaven

Albom, Mitch. The Five People You Meet In Heaven. NY: Hyperion, 2003. 196 pages. (Fiction / Inspiration)

Eddie is an 83-year-old maintenance worker at Ruby Pier. He is currently working on saving a little girl’s life from a falling cart off of Freddy’s Free Fall. The beginning is the end, and Eddie is dead. Now he must go through heaven meeting each and every one of the five people who have touched his life in some way. Some he knows, some he has never meet. Eddie is not quite enjoying himself on his journey through life again. He only seeks one question; did he save the little girl before he died? He asks his first four people if he saved her, do they know? Or is it the last helpless number five who is going to tell him the answer? I enjoyed how this book tells you what you want to know, what happens once the main character dies? This definatly told you what you are interested in, kind of like a behind the scenes tour. I would highly recommend this book to all; anyone can enjoy this flashback on life story.

Reviewed by: PinkPopper