Friday, June 5, 2009

My Sister's Keeper

My Sister's Keeper
by Jodi Picoult


This story shows just how unbreakable a bond is between sisters. Kate suffers from Leukemia. Kate is 16 and her sister, Anna, is 13. At this point, Kate needs a kidney transplant, and Anna is required to give her own kidney. Kate wants to make her own decisions, though, so she hires a lawyer and sues her parents so she can make her own medical decisions. However, there is one crucial decision that might tear the entire family apart and change their lives forever. This book will be sure to inspire you, and definitely change you perspective on things.

-N. Ortega

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
by J.K. Rowling


Most of you have probably seen the movie, but there are things in the book that aren't in the movie. The ghosts of Hogwarts are in the book much more than in the movie. Harry, Hermione, and Ron are very good friends by the end of the book. You'll have to read the book to find out what I mean!

J.K. Rowling did a spendid job! Everything is detailed and vivid. It is a very imaginative adventure. Some of the concepts are hard to picture, but it's all so interesting! I couldn't put this book down.

-L. Hall

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Twilight

Twilight
By Stephanie Meyer


This book is about a young girl named Isabella who moves to a place in Washington called Forks. Bella gets attached easily to he new school she goes to : she has plenty of friends to talk to but she's a very shy girl. Of course, she sees a nice young man named Edward Cullen the first day of school. Edward seems repulsed by her in a strange way: he tries not to be around her, and she overhears him asking the office to change his class. All of a sudden, he's gone for a few days and when he comes back, things are better. One day Bella was in the parking lot at school next to her truck, then all of a sudden a van was heading her way in fast motion and she sees Edward far away from her. As the van gets closer, Edward mysteriously saves her with his bared hands.

Bella is full of questions and constantly pesters Edward. Bella is still constantly trying to figure it out, until Edward tells her: he can't control how he reacts to the scent of her blood. Later on Bella and Edward fall so deeply in love, but Bella is in some trouble with other vampires who eat human blood instead of eating animal blood like Edward's family. These other vampires try hard to find her because her blood smells the richest to them, too. Bella wants Edward to turn her into a vampire, but Edward isn't sure.

Will the other vampires find her? Is Edward going to turn Bella into one of his own and let her be part of the family? What's going to happen? Read the book to find out what happens to Bella and Edward when the bad vampires find her.

-E. Fernandez


Bella is a magnet for danger, but never in her life has she been in as much danger as she is in Forks, Washington, a small, rainy town where her father is on the police force. In Forks, Bella meets Edward Cullen. Edward is different: his eyes are intense, he moves with speed quicker than the blink of an eye, and he saves Bella’s life on multiple occasions. There is one other remarkable thing about Edward: he’s over a hundred years old, and a vampire: and he thinks Bella smells tastier than anything else. This book is the first in the series and introduces readers to a world of romance, mystery and danger.

-Ms. McConnel

I read the Twilight series since my daughter was reading the books and I enjoyed them. The creative way the author treated the subject matter was fun to read, and it presented a fresh take on an old subject.

-Mrs. Grogan

Twilight is a book about a girl named Isabella Marie Swan, they call her Bella for short. She moves from Phoenix,Arizonan to Forks,Washington to live with her father. She meets new friends and on her first day of school their names were: Mike,Jessica,Ben,Angela,Lauren,and some more teenagers. She also meets the Cullen's: Edward,Rosalie,Jasper,Emmett, and Alice. They weird thing is they were all vampires! Edward was a cute,old-fashion vampire that falls in-love with Bella... and Bella falls in-love with Edward. Along the way she meets Jacob Black, a Native American boy, with long brunette hair, he has beautiful eyes. Also, along the way of a little fairy tail... let me rephrase that, NIGHTMARE, a vampire was after Bella and not for her beauty... for her blood! The smell of her blood triggered to him and he started chasing after her sent. Near the end she tells her father that she wants to go home, and not to be cooped up in this house anymore. So she left with Edward... where she would be safe. But when Edward leaves her with Alice and Jasper... They leave to somewhere far away from the vampire, James. But there were three other vampires helping him but one that was with James gave the Cullen's a heads up about James saying that he will never stop until he gets Bella... and he didn't...

-A. Pepper



Bella, who can help her bad luck streak? Clumsy, quiet, smart, ECT. She is 17 years old and she just moved in with her father in Forks, Washington, and the rainiest city in the U.S. She meets Jessica and Mike and a lot of other people at school. When she saw Edward, she didn’t mind him. But then in Biology class, He was being rude and couldn’t stop staring! He left in a hurry and didn’t come back for almost a week. She thought it had to do with her being there. But then, Edward starts talking to her and he finds out from Jacob, an old friend, that he is a vampire . She asks him and he tells her everything she needs to know about vampires. He told her it’s very dangerous to be together but she didn’t care. They were in love. At the end, she asks him if she can be a vampire with him and he, of course, said no.



-C. McGee

May Bird and the Ever After

May Bird and the Ever After
By:Jodi Lynn Anderson


Ghosts, darkness, dead people, scary creatures! If you enjoy those things in stories, then May Bird is a great story for you to read. This story is about a girl named May Ellen, who lives near the woods.May is consider the ''weird'' girl at school so her only friend is a hairless cat named Somber Kitty. Her cat acts like a guardian to her. May enjoys the woods. It makes her feel free.One day though May finds a letter and a map in the woods. The letter is calling for her help to go to the lake. May looks for the lake and one day falls in. After May falls into the lake, the journey and adventure begins.Join May and her cat in this story, and see if May is able to get out before she becomes a ghost! If you can not handle scary books, then this may not be good for you.

-A. Houston

The Twinkie Squad

The Twinkie Squad
By: Gordon Korman


The Twinkie Squad is a overall good book. It has a lot of really funny moments in it.Serious moments are in it as well. This book is about a group of kids who are in a after school counseling group,called the Special Discussion Group.This group is also called "The Twinkie Squad". They are all referred to as weirdos and names of that manner. When Douglas Fairchild comes to Thaddues G. Little Middle School, things change.He is the son of the ambassador,but Douglas has also flunked! It does not take long to figure out that Douglas will be in the '' Twinkie Squad'' after all the disasters and troubles he has caused. It's not like his old private school at all! In this book you can see the friendships that Douglas makes, and all the hilarious things that goes on. At first no one wants to even be apart of the Twinkie Squad, but at the end many more students do.

-A. Houston

Stargirl

Stargirl
by Jerry Spinnelli


It was the first day of school at Mica High School and the halls are buzzing about the new girl who calls herself Star girl Caraway. To say she is different is an understatement. Her clothes are different as are her mannerisms, and she has a pet rat she carries around in a bag that has a picture of a Sunflower on it. Leo Borlock learns about Stargirl from his best friend Kevin Quinlan. During lunch, while Leo and Kevin are sitting together, Star girl pulls out a Ukulele and begins to strum on it and dance around the lunchroom. Day after day, she does this focusing on one particular person to whom she sings Happy Birthday. It is unclear how she knows that someone has a birthday. Hillary Kimble says she thinks Stargirl is a "plant," someone put in the school by the administration to get students interested in school, to create school spirit. Through this whole book, she is someone you would most likely never meet at school and that is what makes this book so interesting. There is no one like Stargirl.

-M. Jefferson

Bridging Beyond

Bridging Beyond
by Kathleen Benner Duble


"The Bridging Beyond" is a wired, scary, crazy book that makes you think about life in a unusual way it’s a book that will give you nightmares, make you scared to finish, but also make you scared that if you don’t finish than the dreams will stay with you forever. But that’s what makes it so great it’s a book like no others it has scary parts, it has funny parts, and a lot of tragic parts in it .But that’s what makes you want to flip on to the next page and keep reading and that’s, also the kind of book you tell all your friends you half to read. This is really a book I will never forget.

-M. Jefferson

The Pearl

The Pearl
by John Steinbeck


The pearl is about a poor family that lives in a small poor town called “Las Paz”. Kino always hears songs in his head that either expresses his feelings or they tell him that something’s about to happen. He has a son named coyotito and his wife’s name is Juana. One morning as Juana was making their small amount of food for breakfast, Kino heard the song of evil and instantly coyotito was bit. As Kino’s small village gathered around to see what the commotion is about, Juana suggest that they go to the doctor. Now the doctor is a very greedy and selfish man, he’s racist and only helps the rich with problems. He tells Juana and Kino that he won’t treat coyotito unless they come up with the money to pay him for it. So desperate to find money Kino, Juana and coyotito sail out on Kino’s canoe and try to find clam pearls. When Kino dives into the water he sees something glisten in a clam and instantly the clam shuts. So he takes the clam and brings it back to the canoe. When he opens it he finds “the pearl of the world” as some pay call it. At first the pearl seems like a blessing, that it will help all of Kino’s problems. Juana warns Kino that such a great pearl will cause many problems for them. Kino doesn’t listen. Many problems come their way such as greed, rubbings’ and even killing. It’s to the point that it’s so crazy, that the family has to run away.

This book was great. It kept me interested the whole journey. It hits all of your emotions. On a scale of one to 10 I give the book a 10.

-M. Colon

Swindle

Swindle
by Gordon Korman


Did you ever think what money would make a person do? Griffin Bing will do anything to stop a con-artist. One day when Griffin and his best friend Ben decide to have a sleep- over at the soon to be demolished Rockford house. When Ben and Griffin finally realize that everybody else was too afraid to come that’s when they start to look around the house. As they look around, Griffin looks inside of a draw and finds a rare Babe Ruth baseball card. So old that they know they would get fortunes for it. s the next day Griffin and Ben decide to go to the pawn shop and sell it to the owner, S. Wendell. Not knowing of his collectibles to baseball cards, S. Wendell cons Griffin into selling the baseball card. Later finding out of this great fortune he just lost, he holds a meeting at his school with a unique set of talents. He tells the kids what happened to the card and tells them his plans on stealing it back. Hesitant at first, the kids then agree after hearing that they get a cut of the money. In the plans, Griffin is the tools and brains (leader) of the group. Ben is just his partner in crime. “Pitch” is the rock- climber and takes care of the scaling of the house. Logan, the dedicated actor, takes care of keeping the nosey neighbor out the way so he doesn’t know what happens. Savannah, who loves animals a lot, whispers the mean Doberman so he doesn’t attack them. Melissa, who is a computer “whiz”, takes down the alarm systems. The master plan is set and the kids are ready to get the card back.

I enjoyed this book because of the action and the great plan the kids made up themselves. I also likes this book because the kids stand up for kid rights.

-M. Colon

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

New Moon

New Moon
by Stephanie Meyer


Edward's family throws a birthday party for Bella, she slices her finger on an envelope and Jasper attacks her because he cannot control his blood urges. Edward decides to leave Bella forever because he thinks its best for her so she can have a normal life. Bella lives her life in a depressed trance and spends a lot of time with Jake at La Push where she learns that he and his whole family are werewolves. Bella and the Cullen’s go to Italy to rescue Edward where he is attempting to make the "Volturi" mad which are a powerful family because he thinks Bella is dead and is trying to get the Voluturi to kill him. They rescue Edward and Bella and Edward are reunited. It was so close because Edward was like 2 seconds of almost being killed. Bella was so happy because she and Edward were meant to be and they deserve each other.

-A. Caldwell

As you know Bella Swan is addicted to Edward Cullen, a vampire she fell in-love with. Well Edward decides that it would be better if he left Bella alone and leave and never come back. She gets all depressed and well her father,Charlie is sick and tired of her being so sad all the time so he threatens her to go to Jacksonville to live with her mother. Then she says she would straighten up and all of a sudden she starts hanging out with Jacob Black, a Native American boy with long beautiful hair and gorges eyes. They kind of fall-in-love. Well along the way Alice, Edward's -sister- if u could say visited Bella and said that Edward thought that she was dead because she jumped off a cliff to go cliff-diving... Alone. So he thought she was trying to kill herself because he left her, well he was going to show that he was a vampire to the whole world... So she goes after him to show him she is alive. Will she get there in time? Will she save Edward from showing himself and getting killed? Read the book to find out!

-A. Pepper

In the beginning of New Moon, Bella turns eighteen! Another year of not becoming what she wants to become, a vampire. Edward and his family throw Bella a birthday party, but a simple paper cut can throw off EVERYTHING! Bella was opening her presents from the Cullen family and she cuts herself opening one. No big deal right? Wrong. Edward reads Jaspers thoughts and pushed Bella across the table, and she cut her self up more because there was shattered glass. Alice pulled Jasper out of the house. Edward felt so bad, on the way home, no one said a word. However, the next day, Edward announced that he was leaving and Bella could not believe it. So she goes into a “depression” stage until Charlie, her dad, tells her to go and hang out with Jacob. And she falls in love with him, or so she thinks. They hang out every day and one day Jacob offers to go cliff diving. When Jacob leaves to get something, Bella goes and tries to cliff dive herself. But, she does not know that Alice saw her do that before she even done it. When she is in the water, she hears Edwards voice, not for the first time. When Bella gets home, Alice is waiting for her, but with bad news. Edward was so upset that he thought Bella was going to kill herself that he is going to expose himself to humans! So Bella, Alice, and Jasper are on their way to Italy to save the day!

-C. McGee

Romiette and Julio

Romiette and Julio
By Sharon M. Draper


This book is about teenage love. Romiette is a very nice smart teenager. She lives with her father and mother. Her father is an anchorman and her mother owns her own shop of African art and clothing. Her best friend is Destiny. Destiny believes in the stars and always tries to find her and Romiettes soul mates. Every night Romiette has a dream that she’s drowning and that a man either saves her or drowns her. She has a terrible fright of water. The closest she gets to it is taking a shower or a bath. Julio is sweet, nice and always dreams of moving back to Texas where he moved from. In Texas he had to move because of the gang violence. He doesn’t like the new state he moved to. His dad tried to move away from the gangs and now there’s a gang at Julio’s school that dislike him because he’s from Texas. Julio doesn’t understand it; it made him very angry because he doesn’t even like gangs. So the first day of school all of his frustration was let out on this boy Ben, he punched him in the nose. After they talked it out, Julio and Ben became good friends. They started talking on the phone and even the computer Julio liked using the computer and so he started to have room chats. There he met Romiette. After a while of them talking they begin to like each other and that’s where all the problems began. But the biggest problem is the gangs don’t like seeing them together, so now they have to fight for their love.

I like this book because it’s about love and shows the troubles people go through. It also shows friendship, which I think is very important in life.

-M. Colon

When Julio and his family leave Texas to move to Ohio, he thinks the worst has happened in his life. He hates the cold weather, and he misses his friends and family down in Texas. But everything changes when he meets Romiette in a chat room and finds out she goes to his high school. The two begin spending more time together, despite objections from the local gang, the DevilDogs, who don’t like Julio because of his Latino heritage. When Romiette and Julio decide to entrap the gang members and get them punished, their plan goes horribly wrong. Will the two make it through the ordeal alive, or are they doomed to repeat the deaths of Shakespeare’s characters Romeo and Juliette? This book will have you on the edge of your seat.

-Ms. McConnel

I thought this book was really good. It kept me interested. Some books get boring after a while, but this one didn't! In the middle of the book it gets REALLY interesting!!! I could not stop reading because I wanted to see what happened next. You want to read books that will make you keep reading. This book also has a very good endiing. I think you should read this book because it's very good. BUt be careful, because it can be addicting!

-B. Clark

Gossamer

Gossamer
By Lois Lowry


Gossamer can be described in one word. Heartwarming.I loved it.This was one of those books when you start it, and you can not put it down. This book is about a young boy named John who has gone through so much.When you read what he has had to put up with and do, you may actually cry(like me!). John stays with a lonely old woman and her dog after all that has happened. The old lady does not have all the latest electronics and gadgets, so as much as John didn't want to stay before that made him not want to stay even more.
Each night John, the dog, and the old woman are visited by two creatures. The oldest is named Eldest and the youngest is named Littlest One. They give them all their dreams at night,by using objects that are close to them by heart or physically.The problem is though sinisteeds are soon coming. These are creatures that make bad nightmares in their dreamers. Littlest has just been learning how to distribute dreams though, and it may be up to him to strengthen John before they come.After all that John has been through it would take a miracle to get him to be healed from his past.Most of him has healed though, so if Littlest powers are not stronger then the sinisteeds, then John will always be a angry eight year old boy. I think Louis Lowry was very creative and smart.This book has persuaded me to read more of her stories.

-A. Houston

Littlest is a strange creature: a dream giver. Not quite human, but not quite animal, Littlest exists in a strange place between reality and imagination. Her duty is to bestow pleasant dreams to sleeping humans (and on occasion, their pets), and with the help of her teachers, Fastidious and Thin Elderly, she begins to develop a perfect gossamer touch. But just as Littlest learns to bestow happy dreams, so do Sinisteeds inflict nightmares. Can Littlest strengthen the humans she gives dreams to enough to resist the pain of nightmares? One of her assignments is particularly fragile: a boy, John, whose father used to abuse him, and whose mother has been forced to give him up to foster care. John has a lot to be angry about, and very little to be happy about, making him a perfect victim for the Sinisteeds.

-Ms. McConnel

The Giver

The Giver
by Lois Lowry


The book "The Giver" was an amazing book about a boy named Jonas, and how he lived in a perfect community, and how when he turned 12 he would receive his final assignment .The assignment he receives is actually the receiver he is meant to receive memories. Also Jonas assignment teacher is called The Giver.
Jonas starts to receive memories that are painful and sad and since he’s not used to these feelings he starts to react to different things very funny. By the end of the story Jonas finds out a lot of things he decided later in life he didn’t want to know he also experiences some things that takes him to a whole different world.

-M. Jefferson


"The Giver" is all about a boy named Jonas and his fighting chance to get out of the world he lives in. Jonas lives in a "perfect" society, an extreme modern day spin on Communism. Everything in his life is equal to everyone else, and the rules are strictly enforced. Once he is assigned the job of Receiver, he realizes there is more to his life. There is a world out there with feeling, emotion, and color: if he could only find a way to reach it. His job as receiver is to receive memories from the Giver, some with pain and some that are fun and happy. Whether he wants it or not, the secrets of his society come out and he is forced to face them. Once he becomes sick of the way he lives, he plans an escape. It's dangerous and daring, but he knows something has to be done. Will he make it out with a future? This book is great, and allows you to use your imagination. The story is beyond belief and makes you appreciate the way we live, with individuality.

-J. McVerry

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Aquamarine

Aquamarine
by Alice Hoffman


I love this book. It's about two best friends named Claire and Hailey who find a mermaid in a swimming pool. The mermaid is named Aquamarine. There was a storm that day and that's how she ended up in the pool. There are two problems in the story, one of them being Hailey having to move all the way to Australia for her mom's job as a marine biologist, and the other problem is that Aquamarine is in search of true love. Luckily, Aquamarine will give the girls one wish if they succeed in helping her find true love. Aqua falls for the hot lifeguard, Raymond. So it's Claire and Hailey's duty to make him fall in love with her, although that doesn't work out too well. But in the end it all works out and shows just how strong the power of friendship really is. If you have a best friend, then you're probably going to love this book just as much as I did.

-N. Ortega

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw
by Jeff Kinney


This book is about a kid named Greg Heffley. Greg is an ordinary middle school kid, but his brother Rodrick keeps on getting him in trouble. Greg needs to try to ignore Rodrick and try to impress Holly Hills.

The book is really good to read because it has a lot of comedy. This book is the best!

-C. Smith

Eclipse

Eclipse
by Stephanie Meyer


"Eclipse" is about how Edward and Bella are doing. Bella is a magnet to danger, but this type of danger is a whole lot worse. There has been a rampage of mysterious killings in Seattle and the Cullen’s think it is a whole flood of newborn vampires. So now, instead of just Bella being in danger, the Cullen’s and Jacob are also in danger. They have to prepare to fight and kill all the newborn vampires. But, the master mind behind all of this is Victoria. But, in the end, the good guys win. Oh, and Edward proposes to Bella.


-C. McGee

The new Twilight craze has really been heating up. As you know, there are four books in the series. "Eclipse", book three, is great all around.

With the return of Edward Cullen, things have gotten closer to normal, but Bella is still hurting. She's scared he will up and leave again. However, that's not the only problem she faces. Edward and the family are in danger, from people of their own kind. Along with the danger and risk of Edward and Bella being together, Jacob is bitter. He loves Bella with all of his heart, and it pains him to see her with Edward. Bella understands because they had become so close when Edward left. Will she be faced with a hard decision? Pick up a copy of "Eclipse" to find out!

Stephanie Meyer shows just how talented she is in this book. The writing style is unlike any other. It will be sure to have you trapped in. You'll never put it down. The mix of action, risk, romance, and lust makes for the perfect novel for people of all ages.

-J. McVerry

Bella had always gotten into danger but not as much like now. She has endangered the Cullen’s family and Jacob. Now they are in war. Who may you ask they are up against? The funny thing is that Jacob and the Cullen’s are not fighting each other but they are working together. Even though the werewolves and the vampires are enemies they have to work together to keep Bella safe. The Cullen’s and Jacob’s pack of werewolves have to make a truce. They are up against Victoria, a vampire who despises Bella. Why does she despise Bella? The reason why is because her mate, James got killed by the Cullen’s and she never got over it. So the war has begun. Who will win? Who will die?

-A. Pepper

The Host

The Host
by Stephanie Meyer


This is about a "spirit" who is put in a body that they other person is still in. The person leads the spirit to the last surviving normal people. The spirit, or alien, then becomes attached to the people there. She helps the people to learn about the other spirits, the Souls, and she helps them to live on.

In my opinion this book is thrilling yet unusual in many different ways. I have to applaud Stephanie Meyer for this awesome book. It is filled with twists and turns that most people never see coming. The very end will surprise you! It is sort of hard to read due to the two voices (of the spirit and the body), but I think it is worth any confusion.

-L. Hall

Monday, June 1, 2009

Stormbreaker

Stormbreaker
by Anthony Horowitz


This book is about a kid named Alex Rider who unfortunately lost his parents. His uncle, Ian Rider, watches him until an accident occurs. Alex is attracted to where his uncle used to work. When he arrives at the building (a so-called bank) he thinks it looks a little weird for a bank. He figures out that it isn't really a bank, and he thinks the people there are a little crazy.

When I started this, I was like "is this about a regular kid with a semi-real life?" Later in the book, I realized it's not. It is filled with a lot of action, mysteries, and more. If you want to see what it's about, read it! This book was so exciting, I carried it everywhere I went until I finished it.

-J. Clemson

Alex Rider thinks his uncle is a bank manager and that their lives are quiet and simple. After his uncle is killed in rather mysterious circumstances, Alex realizes that nothing is what he thought. His uncle was a spy for an elite British agency, M16, and now they want Alex to finish the mission his uncle died on. Forced into spying, Alex is trying to uncover the secret of a computer donation which, from all appearances, will change the educational system for the better. But there is something sinister at work here, from the businessman who runs a plant like it is a secret military zone to the murder of Alex's uncle, nothing is safe. Alex must work quickly, or all the children in Britain may face disaster.

This is an exciting read with lots of action and plot twists, and Alex is clearly meant be to be a teenage counterpart to 007 and other famous spies.

-Ms. McConnel