Title: Nancy Drew: Where's Nancy
Author: Carolyn Keene
Genre: Mystery
Reviewer: Marisa
This book is about Nancy going missing. Nancy was about to work on
a big mystery at the museum,but she disappeared. So her friends Bess,
Ned, and Georgia set out to find the missing detective. They have never
tried to solve a case without Nancy. So they start looking for clues in
Nancy's bedroom. They come across a calendar hanging on the wall.
The calendar contains her tasks for the week. They try to track her down
according to what is written on the calendar. They have no luck. Her own
Dad hasen't seen her in 3 days. Will they ever find Nancy Drew?
I would recommend this book to mystery lovers. When I was reading it
I could actually visualize what was going on. I would have never guessed
the ending. It was exciting to read what was going to happen next. I really
liked this book and I hope you do to.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit
Title: When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit
Author: Judith Kerr
Genre: Historical Fiction
Reviewer: Sidd
First of all, this book has nothing to do with a pink rabbit. Actually, this story is mainly about a 10 –year old girl named Anna and her older brother named Max. They are Jewish, and they lived at the time when the Nazis first took power. Their father is a writer, and the Nazis won’t let him publish his works anymore. Even so, they still went on with their normal lives. Then, one day, Anna’s father escaped and relocated to Switzerland. Soon afterwards, their mother told them that they also had to escape to Switzerland. Will Anna’s family be able to stay one step ahead of Hitler?
This is a historical fiction piece. This book had thrills and comedy on every page. Just imagine, the effect of being Jewish in that time period, even I would be scared. I just couldn’t put this book down. I recommend this book to anyone with a passion for history or anyone yearning for a touching book. I can honestly say that this book will leave a lot of memories for me.
Author: Judith Kerr
Genre: Historical Fiction
Reviewer: Sidd
First of all, this book has nothing to do with a pink rabbit. Actually, this story is mainly about a 10 –year old girl named Anna and her older brother named Max. They are Jewish, and they lived at the time when the Nazis first took power. Their father is a writer, and the Nazis won’t let him publish his works anymore. Even so, they still went on with their normal lives. Then, one day, Anna’s father escaped and relocated to Switzerland. Soon afterwards, their mother told them that they also had to escape to Switzerland. Will Anna’s family be able to stay one step ahead of Hitler?
This is a historical fiction piece. This book had thrills and comedy on every page. Just imagine, the effect of being Jewish in that time period, even I would be scared. I just couldn’t put this book down. I recommend this book to anyone with a passion for history or anyone yearning for a touching book. I can honestly say that this book will leave a lot of memories for me.
Claws
Book Title: Claws
Author: Dan Greenburg
Genre: Realistic Fiction/Suspense
Reviewer: Chelsea
This book Claws is about a fifteen year old named Cody. In the beginning of the story he decides to run away from his mother, due to mental abuse. His mother had been abusing him from a very young age when she first threatened his love for her with his beloved teddy bear, almost competing with the bear for his affection. As she threatened “do you love me more than the bear?”, and was not satisfied with his answer, she persisted and then proceeded with cutting off the bear’s head. The abuse endures for several years until he finally makes his decision to run away.
He goes across almost the whole country, from New York to Texas, to try to escape his mother who is constantly trying to track him down. He previously worked at a fast-food restaurant for some time, but he likes to keep moving to ensure that his mother will not find him. As he moves on, he finds a job that interests him. It was a job at the Sam Houston Tiger Ranch. Cody begins his job thinking that he would not be able to physically meet the tigers, but he was very wrong.
Right when he thought he met all the tigers, they introduced him to Brutus. Brutus was the biggest and most aggressive tiger they had at the ranch. Cody often tried to avoid Brutus. Cody does the regular chores, cleaning up after the tigers, feeding them, and taking his assigned tiger for walks around the ranch.
While working at the ranch he meets Sunny, the owner. He also meets the co-owner and his three new cabin mates. During his experience he has some rough spots. He finds out from his cabin mates that they heard a rumor that Sunny may have possibly murdered her brother Wayland. As he tries to figure this out, the police come and tell Sunny that they think she killed Wayland a few years back. Cody helps her unravel this mystery by asking some people in town about the whereabouts of Wayland.
A few days after Sunny was proved innocent, a tornado came through the area. Cody and the staff try to find all the tigers that have escaped from their cages during the storm. After all the chaos, his mother finds him and wants to bring him back home. During an intense argument Cody and the staff manage to stall his mother until tomorrow. They ended up calling the police. The next afternoon, his mother returned again only to be confronted by Cody, the staff, and the police. Since Cody was fifteen, the police stated that if he did not want to go back home with his mother he didn’t have to. After another heated argument, his mother finally gave up. Cody decided to stay at the ranch. Now Sunny and the rest of the staff were his family, since he had nowhere else to go.
I would recommend this book because, it has suspense and a very interesting plot. It is an intriguing subject matter to read about, including the topic of tigers, Cody’s wild abuse experienced from his mother, and the independence and determination of Cody to find happiness through freedom. Every time I read one chapter I just had to read the next, and the next, and so on. I couldn’t put this book down.
Author: Dan Greenburg
Genre: Realistic Fiction/Suspense
Reviewer: Chelsea
This book Claws is about a fifteen year old named Cody. In the beginning of the story he decides to run away from his mother, due to mental abuse. His mother had been abusing him from a very young age when she first threatened his love for her with his beloved teddy bear, almost competing with the bear for his affection. As she threatened “do you love me more than the bear?”, and was not satisfied with his answer, she persisted and then proceeded with cutting off the bear’s head. The abuse endures for several years until he finally makes his decision to run away.
He goes across almost the whole country, from New York to Texas, to try to escape his mother who is constantly trying to track him down. He previously worked at a fast-food restaurant for some time, but he likes to keep moving to ensure that his mother will not find him. As he moves on, he finds a job that interests him. It was a job at the Sam Houston Tiger Ranch. Cody begins his job thinking that he would not be able to physically meet the tigers, but he was very wrong.
Right when he thought he met all the tigers, they introduced him to Brutus. Brutus was the biggest and most aggressive tiger they had at the ranch. Cody often tried to avoid Brutus. Cody does the regular chores, cleaning up after the tigers, feeding them, and taking his assigned tiger for walks around the ranch.
While working at the ranch he meets Sunny, the owner. He also meets the co-owner and his three new cabin mates. During his experience he has some rough spots. He finds out from his cabin mates that they heard a rumor that Sunny may have possibly murdered her brother Wayland. As he tries to figure this out, the police come and tell Sunny that they think she killed Wayland a few years back. Cody helps her unravel this mystery by asking some people in town about the whereabouts of Wayland.
A few days after Sunny was proved innocent, a tornado came through the area. Cody and the staff try to find all the tigers that have escaped from their cages during the storm. After all the chaos, his mother finds him and wants to bring him back home. During an intense argument Cody and the staff manage to stall his mother until tomorrow. They ended up calling the police. The next afternoon, his mother returned again only to be confronted by Cody, the staff, and the police. Since Cody was fifteen, the police stated that if he did not want to go back home with his mother he didn’t have to. After another heated argument, his mother finally gave up. Cody decided to stay at the ranch. Now Sunny and the rest of the staff were his family, since he had nowhere else to go.
I would recommend this book because, it has suspense and a very interesting plot. It is an intriguing subject matter to read about, including the topic of tigers, Cody’s wild abuse experienced from his mother, and the independence and determination of Cody to find happiness through freedom. Every time I read one chapter I just had to read the next, and the next, and so on. I couldn’t put this book down.
Monday, October 27, 2008
The Lightning Thief
Title: The Lightning Thief
Author: Rick Riordan
Genre: fantasy
Reviewer: Kyle
This is the first book out of four in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. The story takes place in modern times at the beginning, and then goes to Camp Half-Blood, then on a quest to save the gods from a war. As he leaves for home for the summer, his mom tells him that they are going to the beach. There, danger comes as they sleep in the cabin. In rushes Grover, who is not wearing his fake feet to hide his hooves. Percy’s mom takes him to a “summer camp” called Camp Half-Blood. It was very rainy. On the way, they face the Minotaur. It “kills” Percy’s mom, and Percy kills it using its own horn. He makes it to camp, and he is welcomed in the Hermes cabin because he is a newcomer (Hermes is the god of travelers and thieves, and it is undecided who’s son he is). He likes camp and gets to know everyone until they play capture the flag. And this isn’t your typical capture the flag game, unless you normally use magic items and real swords and spears in it. There, he protects the border, and is hit with an electric spear, and is sent into a creek. In the water, he fights remarkably and fends off the other team. He is cut, but somehow the water heals him. It is decided: Percy Jackson is the son of Poseidon. After that is decided, he is offered a quest to find Zeus’s master bolt, the main power source for Zeus and to retrieve Hades’ helm of darkness, the item that allows him to blend with shadows. Both items are stolen, and Poseidon is blamed for it. If Percy doesn’t find it by June 21, there will be an all out war among the gods. A war so deadly, it could make the Trojan War seem like a balloon fight! He has 10 days to find both items and get them back to Olympus. They make a deadly journey into the Underworld.
I read this book because it was recommended by Mrs. Milanowski. I loved it. It is a very exciting story. Right when I thought I knew where everything was, it was a trick! This book also taught me about Greek Mythology. It is the best book I ever read! Read it! It won’t let you stop reading until you finish it!
Author: Rick Riordan
Genre: fantasy
Reviewer: Kyle
This is the first book out of four in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. The story takes place in modern times at the beginning, and then goes to Camp Half-Blood, then on a quest to save the gods from a war. As he leaves for home for the summer, his mom tells him that they are going to the beach. There, danger comes as they sleep in the cabin. In rushes Grover, who is not wearing his fake feet to hide his hooves. Percy’s mom takes him to a “summer camp” called Camp Half-Blood. It was very rainy. On the way, they face the Minotaur. It “kills” Percy’s mom, and Percy kills it using its own horn. He makes it to camp, and he is welcomed in the Hermes cabin because he is a newcomer (Hermes is the god of travelers and thieves, and it is undecided who’s son he is). He likes camp and gets to know everyone until they play capture the flag. And this isn’t your typical capture the flag game, unless you normally use magic items and real swords and spears in it. There, he protects the border, and is hit with an electric spear, and is sent into a creek. In the water, he fights remarkably and fends off the other team. He is cut, but somehow the water heals him. It is decided: Percy Jackson is the son of Poseidon. After that is decided, he is offered a quest to find Zeus’s master bolt, the main power source for Zeus and to retrieve Hades’ helm of darkness, the item that allows him to blend with shadows. Both items are stolen, and Poseidon is blamed for it. If Percy doesn’t find it by June 21, there will be an all out war among the gods. A war so deadly, it could make the Trojan War seem like a balloon fight! He has 10 days to find both items and get them back to Olympus. They make a deadly journey into the Underworld.
I read this book because it was recommended by Mrs. Milanowski. I loved it. It is a very exciting story. Right when I thought I knew where everything was, it was a trick! This book also taught me about Greek Mythology. It is the best book I ever read! Read it! It won’t let you stop reading until you finish it!
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
The Lion,the Witch,and the Wardrobe
C.S Lewis
Genere:Imagitive Fiction
Reviewer: Katie
Would you like to open a door and enter a new world? Narnia, the land beyond the wardrobe, is a secret country known only to Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy. This story takes place during World War II in London. The children are evacuated from London due to German bombing and staying with an elderly professor in his home. In their new home, the children began to explore.
Lucy, who was the youngest child, climbed into the wardrobe closet and found that it led to a snow-covered land called Narnia. In Narnia, she meets a fuan by the name of Mr. Tumnus. He tells her that Narnia is ruled by a wicked White Witch who has doomed it to always be winter, but never Christmas. Mr. Tumnus is to turn any human he finds to the White Witch, but he tells Lucy that he likes her and wants to help her return back to her world.
When Lucy returns back, no one believes her about her adventure. To prove that Narnia exists, she takes her brother Edmund with her into the wardrobe. He tries to follow her, but gets lost and caught by the White Witch. The witch gives him some Turkish Delight to eat and promises him power to become King of Narnia if he brings the other children to her castle.
Lucy and Edmund return home and convince the other children to come back to Narnia with them. There they find out that Tumnus has been captured for helping Lucy return home. The children then seek to help him. They come across two beavers who inform them that there is a myth. It states that the poor children of Adam and Eve must be placed in the throne of Cair Paravel, and if that were to happen, the evil time would be over and done with. This is something that the White Witch wanted to prevent.
Edmund decides to leave the group of children and meet the White Witch in order to obtain power from her. Once he gets there, he realizes that he was betrayed and the witch had no intention of giving him any power or more Turkish Delight! She then uses him to try and capture the other children. With the help of a great lion, Asian, the children confront the witch. However, in order to save the children, Asian gives himself up and is killed by the witch. In the end, Asian comes back to life, there is a battle, and asain finally kills the White witch. The children become kings and queens, spending many years in Narnia until they grew up. One day, they returned back to their world and found themselves as children again.
There are several main characters in the book. The four children are brothers and sisters. The eldest is Peter, who is the hero of the book by helping overthrow the White witch. Susan is the second oldest child. She did not believe in Narnia at first. After the victory, she is crowned Queen Susan. Edmund is the third child. He also did not believe Lucy, but when he did get to Narnia, he was enchanted and went over to the dark side for Turkish Delight and power. Eventually, he regretted this and helped save Narnia. Lucy is the youngest child. She is the one who discovered the land of Narnai. The White Witch is the queen of Narnia. It was her fear of prophecy that told that if two sons of Adam and two daughters of Eve were ever to come to Narnia, the winter would end and her overthrow would be at hand. Aslan is the lion who sacrifices himself to spare the life of Edmund. He becomes reincarnated and eventually kills the White Witch. The professor is who cared for the children after their evacuation from London. Mr. Tumnus is a faun who helped Lucy return home when she stumbled onto Narnia.
My favorite character in the book was Edmund. Even though he was considered the villain of the book, I felt that he was the most interesting because he changed the most during the book. In the beginning, he did not believe Lucy’s stories of Narnia. Once in Narnia, he became tempted by the power that he could obtain and the endless supply of Turkish Delight he could have! Eventually, he realized that betraying his family was not right and then helped to overthrow the White Witch. I felt it was very interesting to watch how he was at first tempted by power but then realized how his actions might affect not himself, but his own family and the rest of the citizens of Narnia.
C.S Lewis
Genere:Imagitive Fiction
Reviewer: Katie
Would you like to open a door and enter a new world? Narnia, the land beyond the wardrobe, is a secret country known only to Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy. This story takes place during World War II in London. The children are evacuated from London due to German bombing and staying with an elderly professor in his home. In their new home, the children began to explore.
Lucy, who was the youngest child, climbed into the wardrobe closet and found that it led to a snow-covered land called Narnia. In Narnia, she meets a fuan by the name of Mr. Tumnus. He tells her that Narnia is ruled by a wicked White Witch who has doomed it to always be winter, but never Christmas. Mr. Tumnus is to turn any human he finds to the White Witch, but he tells Lucy that he likes her and wants to help her return back to her world.
When Lucy returns back, no one believes her about her adventure. To prove that Narnia exists, she takes her brother Edmund with her into the wardrobe. He tries to follow her, but gets lost and caught by the White Witch. The witch gives him some Turkish Delight to eat and promises him power to become King of Narnia if he brings the other children to her castle.
Lucy and Edmund return home and convince the other children to come back to Narnia with them. There they find out that Tumnus has been captured for helping Lucy return home. The children then seek to help him. They come across two beavers who inform them that there is a myth. It states that the poor children of Adam and Eve must be placed in the throne of Cair Paravel, and if that were to happen, the evil time would be over and done with. This is something that the White Witch wanted to prevent.
Edmund decides to leave the group of children and meet the White Witch in order to obtain power from her. Once he gets there, he realizes that he was betrayed and the witch had no intention of giving him any power or more Turkish Delight! She then uses him to try and capture the other children. With the help of a great lion, Asian, the children confront the witch. However, in order to save the children, Asian gives himself up and is killed by the witch. In the end, Asian comes back to life, there is a battle, and asain finally kills the White witch. The children become kings and queens, spending many years in Narnia until they grew up. One day, they returned back to their world and found themselves as children again.
There are several main characters in the book. The four children are brothers and sisters. The eldest is Peter, who is the hero of the book by helping overthrow the White witch. Susan is the second oldest child. She did not believe in Narnia at first. After the victory, she is crowned Queen Susan. Edmund is the third child. He also did not believe Lucy, but when he did get to Narnia, he was enchanted and went over to the dark side for Turkish Delight and power. Eventually, he regretted this and helped save Narnia. Lucy is the youngest child. She is the one who discovered the land of Narnai. The White Witch is the queen of Narnia. It was her fear of prophecy that told that if two sons of Adam and two daughters of Eve were ever to come to Narnia, the winter would end and her overthrow would be at hand. Aslan is the lion who sacrifices himself to spare the life of Edmund. He becomes reincarnated and eventually kills the White Witch. The professor is who cared for the children after their evacuation from London. Mr. Tumnus is a faun who helped Lucy return home when she stumbled onto Narnia.
My favorite character in the book was Edmund. Even though he was considered the villain of the book, I felt that he was the most interesting because he changed the most during the book. In the beginning, he did not believe Lucy’s stories of Narnia. Once in Narnia, he became tempted by the power that he could obtain and the endless supply of Turkish Delight he could have! Eventually, he realized that betraying his family was not right and then helped to overthrow the White Witch. I felt it was very interesting to watch how he was at first tempted by power but then realized how his actions might affect not himself, but his own family and the rest of the citizens of Narnia.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Inkspell
Book: Inkspell
Author: Cornelia Funke
Genre: Fiction, fantasy
Reviewer: Carl
This book is the second of a trilogy. The first book is Inkheart. The story continues with a girl named Meggie and her father who was known as Silver Tongue. He and his daughter both have a special talent that can be dangerous. They can read a book or story and make characters from the book come to life in their world or accidentally transfer someone from their world into the book. The “writer” of the books, Fenoglio, lives in one of the books … he got read into the book. Something tragic happened to Meggie’s mom in Inkheart … Silver Tongue had read her into “Inkheart”. On her journey to the “Inkworld” she lost her voice. In Inkspell she gets read out of the book.
Since Fenoglio has not written another sequel yet, the world is going into chaos. Things that should not happen are happening. More and more people are getting hurt. There is another man, Orpheus, has the same talent at Meggie and her dad. Only he uses his “gift” for evil and trying to gain money and power.
I would recommend this book because the author made up a whole new world. You can feel the characters’ emotions in the book. It is a great fantasy to think of being able to read people in and out of books. You don’t realize how that will change your world or the world that a person gets sent to. The last of the trilogy, Inkdeath, was just released and I can’t wait to read it.
Author: Cornelia Funke
Genre: Fiction, fantasy
Reviewer: Carl
This book is the second of a trilogy. The first book is Inkheart. The story continues with a girl named Meggie and her father who was known as Silver Tongue. He and his daughter both have a special talent that can be dangerous. They can read a book or story and make characters from the book come to life in their world or accidentally transfer someone from their world into the book. The “writer” of the books, Fenoglio, lives in one of the books … he got read into the book. Something tragic happened to Meggie’s mom in Inkheart … Silver Tongue had read her into “Inkheart”. On her journey to the “Inkworld” she lost her voice. In Inkspell she gets read out of the book.
Since Fenoglio has not written another sequel yet, the world is going into chaos. Things that should not happen are happening. More and more people are getting hurt. There is another man, Orpheus, has the same talent at Meggie and her dad. Only he uses his “gift” for evil and trying to gain money and power.
I would recommend this book because the author made up a whole new world. You can feel the characters’ emotions in the book. It is a great fantasy to think of being able to read people in and out of books. You don’t realize how that will change your world or the world that a person gets sent to. The last of the trilogy, Inkdeath, was just released and I can’t wait to read it.
The Phantom Tollbooth
Title: The Phantom Tollbooth
Author: Norton Juster
Genre: Fiction
Reviewer: Patrick
Meet Milo, he is a bored little boy. Not just sometimes but ALL the time! He is not interested in anything. One day Milo found a bulky package in his room. It contained a genuine turnpike tollbooth just waiting to be built. When he drives his electrical car through the tollbooth gate his magical journey begins. He first congregates a watchdog named Tock and travels to the city of words called Dictionopolis. It is positioned in the foothills of Confusion near the Sea of Knowledge. He meets a Which named Faintly Macabre who told the story of Princess Rhyme and Princess Reason. Dr. Dischord specializes in noises and becomes a part of his trek. Then he travels to the city of numbers, Digitopolis and meets a Mathemagician. The escapade continues as the dynamic trio; Milo, Tock, and a friend named Humbug voyage to the Mountains of Ignorance on a quest to reinstate peace connecting all those he has met. What Milo discovers in the end is a superior lesson for us all.
Over all, I loved this book and I could not stop reading! This book had stunning words bursting with color. Besides the fact of the dazzling vocabulary, the book is so good it could essentially write itself! There are implausible twists and turns like a rollercoaster which just adds to the interest of the characters in the book. In conclusion, this piece of magic is just extraordinary, and in my opinion I give it a prevailing A, and I think you should really check it out.
Author: Norton Juster
Genre: Fiction
Reviewer: Patrick
Meet Milo, he is a bored little boy. Not just sometimes but ALL the time! He is not interested in anything. One day Milo found a bulky package in his room. It contained a genuine turnpike tollbooth just waiting to be built. When he drives his electrical car through the tollbooth gate his magical journey begins. He first congregates a watchdog named Tock and travels to the city of words called Dictionopolis. It is positioned in the foothills of Confusion near the Sea of Knowledge. He meets a Which named Faintly Macabre who told the story of Princess Rhyme and Princess Reason. Dr. Dischord specializes in noises and becomes a part of his trek. Then he travels to the city of numbers, Digitopolis and meets a Mathemagician. The escapade continues as the dynamic trio; Milo, Tock, and a friend named Humbug voyage to the Mountains of Ignorance on a quest to reinstate peace connecting all those he has met. What Milo discovers in the end is a superior lesson for us all.
Over all, I loved this book and I could not stop reading! This book had stunning words bursting with color. Besides the fact of the dazzling vocabulary, the book is so good it could essentially write itself! There are implausible twists and turns like a rollercoaster which just adds to the interest of the characters in the book. In conclusion, this piece of magic is just extraordinary, and in my opinion I give it a prevailing A, and I think you should really check it out.
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