Mrs. Wert - Period 2

Author:           Erin Hunter
Title:               Into the Wild
Publisher:       Working partners limited
Copyright:      2003

Genre:            Fantasy

AR_book:  _X_ Yes   ___ No

Reviewer:       Corey
Rating:           
Review:          Hidden in the forest, searching for mice when suddenly you spot a quivering rodent crouching against a tree surrounded in tall grass.  Hunting, fighting, and defending your home, that’s what the warrior series is about.  Rusty lives in a human home, and is exploring in the woods one day when suddenly, a flying ball of fur collides with his side out of nowhere.  He was being attacked!  He kicks back, and feels his foot make contact.  His quarry stops fighting and says “you fight well, for a kitty pet.”  Angry as he was he couldn’t help being baffled by this sentence.  The stranger is next accompanied by other unknown cats and one of them suggests that he joins them in the woods.  He goes back home and thinks about her suggestion.  He decides to leave his home and join the wild cats of the woods. 

            He soon finds that there is much more to these cats than he thought. There are four clans of cats in the woods and he had joined Thunder Clan and the other clans are Shadow Clan, River Clan, and Wind Clan, which has recently gone missing.  He has to help his clan survive and keep it from being attacked by other enemy clans.  What will happen to his feline group and how will he deal with them.  If you want these questions answered, read the book!

Author:           Anthony Horowitz Title:               Stormbreaker Publisher:       Philomel Books  Copyright:      2000 Genre:            Realistic Fiction AR_book:       Yes Reviewer:       Erik Rating:                Review:          Ian Rider has been leading double life for too long and now it’s too late… It’s Alex’s turn to finish up his work for the MI6. Only Alex can stop the atrocious Herod Sayle from his mysterious plot. But what could it be? Stormbreaker tells the story of Alex Rider’s first adventure from the eyes from the fourteen-year-old boy. This novel is set in the remote headquarters of the Stormbreaker manufacturing lab in Cornwall, England.                Stormbreaker is followed with more exciting sequels with each more thrilling than the last. Anthony Horowitz has written some amazing works and Stormbreaker is one of them. Its nail-biting suspense just keeps you turning to the last page. Any spy or action book fan will fall in love with this book and the five others that follow. Alex Rider undeniably makes everything more exciting.

Author:       Madeleine L’Engle  Title:          A Wrinkle in Time  Publisher:   New York, New York Copyright: 1962   Genre:        Fantasy/ Science Fiction AR_book:   _√_ Yes   ___ No Reviewer:   Anjali Rating       :  Review:        Everyone in the Murray household is impatiently awaiting the father’s return. He had mysteriously disappeared while experimenting with 5th dimension time traveling. Both Mr. and Mrs. Murray are intelligent scientists. The book is about how two of their four children and their friend travel light years through time to save their father. Meg, the oldest and only sister in the family, finds it difficult to conceal her anxiety for her father. To support her and get her through life, she spends a lot of time with her brother, Charles Wallace. The two of them always had a tenacious bond. Charles Wallace is very bright, but is inexplicably known as the “dumb baby brother.” Sandy and Dennys are twins at ten years old. Meg once overheard, “The twin brothers seem to be nice, regular children, but that unattractive girl and the baby boy certainly aren’t all there.”           Meg also has a friend named Calvin O’Keefe. He is a smart, popular basketball player a couple of grades above Meg. He and three witches help Meg and Charles Wallace try to find their father. These witches’ names are Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which. They are all helpful and unique in their own ways. Maybe a little too unique. Are they smart enough to keep the three children unharmed?           With these interesting characters and a page-turning plot, there’s no way you can miss this Newbery Medal book! As you are reading, you come up with questions such as, what does “tesseract” mean? Or, Will everyone come home safely? How does Meg learn to overcome her weakness to save her brother? Also, ask more questions when you read A Wrinkle in Time’s sequel, A Wind in the Door and the rest of the series. One warning: there is a cliff hanger at the end of every chapter!

Author:           Gordon Korman 
Title:               Island: Shipwreck        
Publisher:       New York:Scholastic

Genre:                        Realistic Fiction

AR_book:  __Yes   ___ No

Reviewer:       Evan
Rating:

Review:  Mayday mayday! Island is when six children get on a boat that later crashes, and puts them on a raft that ends up washing up on an uncharted island. On the island can the children find out that some dangerous criminals are lurking on the island too. To survive the island heat, the lack of water, and the criminals they will have to work together. They are off to a shaky because none of them know what to eat or how to survive. Their only hope to survive is to live of the land long enough to be saved. Or will they end up staying on the island never to be rescued?

If you like books with action, and suspense then island is the book for you. If you think the review makes it seem exciting then the book will be ten times better. But the only way to find out just how good it will be you has to read it yourself!

Reviewer:       Gina
Rating:                                               

Review:          Kira-Kira is a book about friendship. Its setting is in the 1950’s to the 1960’s in Georgia. It is about two Japanese American sisters (Katie and Lynn) who are very poor. They have to struggle through life, and their parents have very bad jobs. When Sam (their brother) gets hurt in the woods, and Lynn becomes very sick, things only get worse! Katie starts to steal for her sister, and her Dad gets mad at his boss. Katie and her family are discriminated against, and have no friends because they are Japanese. Will they be able to survive? You have to read this book to find out!

            This book really inspired me! It showed me how lucky we are, and how many people don’t have as much as we do. Lynn is my favorite character because she is not only brave, but very smart, and a good role model for her sister Katie. This book is written in first person, so you get to know a lot about Katie, and how she feels. She really shows her true feelings in this book, and you can really understand what she is going through. I highly recommend this book.

Reviewer:   John        
Rating:            ****

Review:          You can tell it is a good book from the beginning; Harry is isolated from the wizarding world after watching Voldemort come back just a month ago. He is angry and bored; this inspires him to make a stupid decision and pull out his wand to tease his brother. He ends up having to use it however when two dementors come to attack him. He is sentenced to a hearing and is whisked away to Sirius Black’s house which is the HQ of the Order of the Phoenix or wizards Against Voldemort the evil sorcerer. Harry attends his hearing and is cleared of all charges then his school year begins.

                        Harry has a rough school year with two horribly mean teachers constantly making him do tons of homework (and detentions) just for telling people about Voldemort. Also he has horrible dreams influenced by Voldemort, the good guys teach him how to block Voldemort from his mind after a vision of Ron’s dad being bit by a snake (which comes true). Harry goes to visit Ron’s injured dad over Christmas break. Harry has also had the stress of teaching a secret class which is forbidden by the High Inquisitor of Hogwarts Delores Umbridge who makes silly but cruel rules such as banning magazines and clubs. Towards the end of the year Harry has another vision, this one of his godfather, Sirius, being tortured by Voldemort. Harry goes to the place in his dream where fighting breaks out between the Order of the Phoenix and Voldemorts followers, the death eaters. Voldemort reveals himself and send a killing curse strait at Harry. Where is Harry’s godfather? How will Harry survive? The only way to know is to read the piece of art that is… Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

Genre:            sci-fi

AR_book:  _x_ Yes   ___ No

Reviewer:       John

Rating:            * * * * *

Review:  Beauty is some thing everybody wants including Tally Youngblood. However, in her world beauty comes to every six-teen when doctors transform, by surgery, average teens into gorgeous super models. Tally has wanted that to happen for a long time until she meets Shay a girl who wants to go live in the wild with a group called the Smokies. At first Tally thinks that is the stupidest thin in the world. Then after some convincing she goes on her big adventure to the Smokies campout the Smoke. In the Smoke she meets David who she falls in love with. Then some thing horrible goes wrong and the Smokies have to abandon the Smoke.

I really enjoyed this book for its adventure, romance, and great plot and characters. Scott Westerfeld really knows how to make characters come to life! If you want to find out why the Smokies have to leave then read the book! If you liked the Uglies then try the next book the Pretties.   

Genre:            Realistic Fiction

AR_book:  _√_ Yes   ___ No

Reviewer:      Katherine

Rating: 

 

Review: “I’m not sorry for what I did, Noah. The only thing I’m sorry about is that you’ve got to see me locked up like an ax murderer.”

Imagine if your father was thought of as a crazy hooligan that needed a psychiatrist! Not just by your mother, an environmental lawyer, or your sister, but by all the people in your community! Wouldn’t that be ghastly? Paine Underwood, Noah’s dad, is held captive in prison for sinking the notorious Dusty Muleman’s casino boat, the Coral Queen. His reason: The Coral Queen dumps it’s “sewage” into the water, polluting marine wildlife. You might think, well that’s just stupid! But when it comes to the environment, Paine Underwood takes serious measures to help! His drastic deeds land him in the local jail, and he can do nothing to prevent Dusty from repairing the sunken boat. Which is why he asks Noah to complete the job. With school, bullies, and the divorce of his parents, now Noah has a handful of problems to take care after. How will he manage to save the divorce, protect himself, and “flush” Dusty Muleman scheme out???

Personally, I loved this book!!! It’s filled with cliff-hangers and suspense-it’s sure to keep you up wondering about the outcome! My favorite part is when Noah, his sister, and Shelly (a helper) conduct the Operation “Flush”.  I would recommend this thriller to and mystery-fanatics. So if you want to find out what happens in the end, read the book!!!

Genre:            Fantasy

AR_book:  _×_ Yes   ___ No

Reviewer:  Lily

 
Rating: 

Review:        “Molly, Whatever it is, just tell me. Maybe…maybe I can help you.”

         When Peter and his buddies (a.k.a. the lost boys) are forced to aboard a junky, monstrous ship, the Never Land, their life dramatically changes from grueling and dull to risky and adventuresome. All because of this one chest. It’s not an ordinary one, though; it contains a secret so valuable that they captain orders it to be put on a ruined ship while he’s on a luxurious ship, the Wasp, following it. Perplexing, isn’t it? It might sound like the captain is a loony-bin, but he has a scheme behind it. The Sea Devil, owned by Black Stache, is after the Wasp’s predicted treasure. No one would suspect the Neverland

Author:           Theodore Taylor
Title:               Ice Drift
Publisher:       Harcourt
Copyright:      ©2005

Genre:            Fiction

AR_book:  × Yes   ___ No

Reviewer:      Linda
Rating:           

Review:  What if you were stranded on a huge ice floe for six months, fighting starvation and polar bears?  Inuit brothers, Alika and Sulu, had this happen to them. They were hunting for seals when suddenly the ice started to shake, and then cracked. The ice floe was breaking free from land!  The only thing they could do was watch themselves drifting away from everything they’ve ever know, toward the Greenland strait.  They built a shelter quickly, but the hunt for seals, their main food, toke longer then they expected.  Polar bears come and go, and energy was running out.  Jamka, their lead sled dog that stayed faithfully with his owners, did all he could to keep the brothers safe. The sled that was once full of supplies had run out and was stripped to only a few scraps of wood.  Then, when the sun came out, the ice floe began to shrink.  Will they survive?

            I really enjoyed this book because it leaves suspense at the end of every chapter.  My favorite part of the story is when the polar bear is about to attack Sulu, and Alika…well, you’ll have to read the story to see what happens.  Theodore Taylor writes so realistically that it’s almost like you’re on the ice floe with the brothers.   I recommend this book for kids who like to read about survival and the strength between two brothers.

Genre:            Fantasy                                                                                                      

AR_book:        X  Yes   ___ No

Reviewer:        Katie

Rating:             4/5

Review:          In Bamarre people have died violent deaths from retched ogres and fire breathing dragon, but the grey death also contributes a great number to the losses of life in Bamarre. For hundreds of years, the people of Bamarre have suffered the gray death, and lost many loved ones. The gray death is a horrible sickness that has no cure and always ends in death. The grey death comes in three phases. The first is the weakness. In this phase, the person who is sick becomes extremely weak. They have trouble doing the simplest tasks. This phase can last for up to a month. The next phase is the slumber. In this phase, the person who is ill sleeps for 8-10 days. Last is the phase is the fever. During this time, the person’s face turns an ash gray and they have a high fever. At the end of this phase, the person dies.

            The two main characters in this book are Princess Meryl and Princess Addie. Meryl is brave and adventurous. She one day hopes to find a cure for the gray death. Her dream is to be on a quest battling monsters to help her people. Addie is meek and shy. She is afraid of wild beast such as ogres. Addie would much rather practice embroidery than sword fight. She fears for Meryl’s safety, and she doesn’t want Meryl to search for the cure to the gray death. Addie believes you can defeat the gray death by not giving into it. For example, during the weakness, stay active, and during the slumber, stay awake. The sisters are, as you see, quite contrary to each other.

            One day, Meryl finds herself nearly collapsing doing hardly any difficult work at all. When the castle nurse comes to see her, she says that it is none other than the grey death! Addie can’t believe her eyes. Meryl tries to fight the gray death, but every day just keeps getting worse. Soon, Addie feels she has no choice but to search for a cure to the grey death.

            Now, Addie finds herself battling ogres and dragons to save her sister. Her quest and the rest of the book is filled with adventures, surprises, and heart-warming moments. This book is thrilling and enjoyable. I would definitely recommend it to you!  To see if Addie can conquer her fears, find the cure, and reach Meryl in time you’ll have to read the book! 

Genre:            Adventure  

AR_book:  _X_ Yes   ___ No                                                                                                               

Reviewer:       Max

Rating:           

Review:          Are you looking for an outstanding adventure book?  Look no farther than Everest, Book Three, The Summit by Gordon Korman.  Four kids, Dominic, Tilt, Perry, Sammi, and veteran climber Cap Cicero, take their chances to climb Everest.  Two of them, Tilt and Dominic, are eligible to beat out Ethan Zaph and become the youngest to reach the summit.  One of them will do anything to beat out the other, even if it means death.  This book is realistic fiction; the realistic part coming from the places they pass, (i.e. Southern Col, The Balcony) which are real places there.  The book shows determination of young teens who try to climb Everest.  You may want to read the first two books, but when I did, I easily caught on.  If you are a young teen or not and want to read about determination of kids to climb Everest, check out this book.

            Everest, The Summit is one of the best books I have ever read.  Dominic is my favorite character since he has such determination to climb.  My favorite part of the story is when, well, maybe I shouldn’t give it away.  The last thing I’ll add is the book ends with a funeral.  I’m not telling you who.  You have to read to find out!

Author:           Patrick Carmen
Title:               The Dark Hills Divide
Publisher:       Orchard Books

Copyright:      Scholastic Inc.                                     

Genre:            Fiction -Fantasy                                                                      

AR_book:  _X_ Yes   ___ No

Reviewer:       Morgan Rating:          

Review:  

Alexa Dayley, just a meek 12 year old girl. Nobody really, until one fateful day when she finally gets her wish. Even as a little girl she thrived to get beyond the walls that surrounded the kingdom. The walls were at least a mile high, and surrounded all of the cities and the pathways that lead to them. In the center of the island, Bridewell, the main city, branches out to the other cities of the kingdom. To the southwest, Lathbury sits almost on the edge, along with the southeast city Turklock. They are like two swimmers about to go off the diving board, although, nobody dares to swim or jump off the cliff of the Land of Elyon. Why, because the whole island is completely surrounded by fog and nobody knows for sure what’s down there. “If I didn’t see the vicious waves splashing up on the coast I would think we’re just floating in the sky,” Alexa says.  Being the mayor of Lathbury’s daughter may sound exciting, but to Alexa she’s just like any other kid.

Another summer comes by and the same old same old trip to Bridewell looks her way. This may sound boring to you, but because Alexa’s father is so busy all the time, it’s something to look forward to. Just like every other year they stay in the same cottage, Renny Lodge. Unlike the past years she is now prepared to venture outside the walls. When she goes to her favorite library she finds a hidden passageway. Thriving for adventure, Alexa does not realize the danger that awaits her at the end. At the end of the dark musty tunnel a little man, Yipes, comes out to greet her. “Hello Alexa,” he calls out to her. Following the odd stranger she meets many animal friends and a stone that lets her talk to them. The mystical animals tell her about a great danger that will happen to their kingdom if she doesn’t do any thing. Because of the stone she is able to talk with any animal she wants. “Oh, I almost forgot,” the head of the animal kingdom booms,”you can trust no one they may be your enemy.” As Alexa comes back inside the walls, by the underground tunnel, she learns that she was better not to trust what she thought were her friends. Confused about who the dangerous one is Alexa soon find herself in tense mystery. I thought this was an awesome book even though when I picked it up it didn’t seem that way. Just shows you not to judge a book by its cover!

Copyright:      2006

Genre:            Mystery Fiction

AR_book:  _X_ Yes   ___ No

Reviewer:       Natalie    
Rating:           

 

Review:          If you like reading mystery books then The Wright 3 is for you! The Wright 3 is about three kids who try to save the Wright House in Chicago, Illinois, from being destroyed. Those three characters are Calder, Petra, and Tommy. In the beginning Tommy moves back to Chicago. He used to be Calder’s friend and now that Tommy is back Petra becomes very jealous since Calder starts ignoring her. Soon after, they hear about all the weird things going on in the house. Everyone working on demolishing the house is becoming injured and they have to find out what’s going on. Will the Wright House be demolished or will Petra, Calder, and Tommy save it? Read the book to find out!

                        The Wright 3 was an amazing book with many suspenseful parts. It makes you want to read on all the way to the end without stopping. One time, at the end of the chapter, they leave you wondering what was that? What will happen? In Ever chapter the illustrator even gives a picture and you have to find things to solve something. It’s really fun! I know you will like it too. The book also made me want to see the Wright House some day. So if you like mysteries, I highly recommend it!    

Genre:            Realistic Fiction

AR_book:  _×_ Yes   ___ No

Reviewer: Stephanie
Rating: 

Review: 

            You’ve just had your baby boy, but instead of the perfect baby, he is shriveled and crippled. That’s how Sarah Corbin felt on that tragic day in 1922. Petey Corbin, her son, got diagnosed as an idiot. He was sent to an insane asylum when he was two, and every one thought he was mental.

As Petey grows up, he starts to understand things, although the nurses just think the movements that he makes are part of his problem. During his time in the Infants Ward, he makes some friends who understand him, but they always end up leaving. When he’s eleven, he gets moved to the Men’s Ward.

            In the Men’s Ward, he makes a new friend, Calvin. Petey starts learning how to make sounds and can talk to Calvin. As he did in the Infants Ward, he made many other special friends in his new ward. The only thing was that they always ended up leaving him. Then, while they are renovating the asylum,s Calvin gets moved to a nursing home. Petey is all alone.

            A couple of months later, Petey gets moved to a nursing home too. A boy named Trevor protects him from some snowballs being thrown, and they become fast friends. Trevor learns how to live life to the fullest with Petey, while Petey himself has the time of his life.

             Personally, I think that this is a great book and that if you’re looking for a heartfelt story to read, this would be a great choice. Petey is a character that you’ll never forget. He has a disorder, but that doesn’t stop you from loving him. You will get pulled into the book when you read it, and will love feeling how he goes through life. Petey is a great book and I hope that you read and enjoy it.  

Genre:                        Fantasy/ Science Fiction  

AR_book:  _X_ Yes   ___ No

Reviewer: Stephanie
Rating: 4/5

Review:  

     Echtori, a cherubim named Proginoskes, Meg Murry, and Meg’s peculiar brother, Charles Wallace are a few of the characters in this fantastic, page turning story, A Wind in the Door. Charles Wallace has always been different because of his ability to know how his sister and mother feel and what they need and also being small for his age. So, Meg worries terribly when he comes home from his first day of first grade covered in bruises with a black eye, but soon it seems that that is not all that seems to be wrong, he starts seeing things that Meg thinks do not exist. A few days later Charles starts to look pale, and Mrs. Murry, his mother and a scientist, makes a shocking discovery about the illness he has. Meg soon discovers that it is up to her to go on a dangerous mission to save her brother, and (as she finds out later) herself. She will not go alone for affable and trustworthy cherubim named Proginoskes. Together they face the evil echtori and try to save their world.

            This really is a remarkable story about trust, loyalty, hope, and bravery! I really enjoyed this book and if you have a wide imagination and love adventures you will too! Madeleine L’engle really allows you to feel like you are in the book with Meg and Charles the whole time, and she causes you to feel like you have known them your whole life. With Mrs. L’engle’s vivid descriptions this book becomes even better. What is wrong with Charles Wallace? What is his illness? Will Meg be able to save him? You will have to read the book to find out.

Genre:            Science Fiction                                                            

AR_book:  _x_ Yes   ___ No                                                      

Reviewer: Suyash
Rating:                                               

Review:     “In a perfect world.” Have you ever heard of this saying? As we all know the world is not perfect. But in The Giver, Jonas’s world is perfect. There are no wars, no starvation, and no pain. The communities are run flawlessly. Jonas has had a normal childhood, and now he is awaiting the Ceremony of the Twelve. When someone in the community turns twelve, he or she is assigned a job that perfectly fits his abilities perfectly. As Jonas apprehensively waits his turn, he suddenly gets skipped over.

            At the end of the ceremony, Jonas is selected to become the next Receiver of Memory. He doesn’t know what’s happening. The Chief Elder says, “Your training will have to be alone and apart.” Even as he exits the building, Jonas can feel this. His best friend, Asher, doesn’t even know what to say to him. Jonas then meets his mentor, a man that calls himself the Giver. Together, the Giver and Jonas share memories. They are not just normal memories, though. They are memories of the past. When there used to be colors and snow and music. Jonas and the Giver soon realize how meaningless life is without those things, so they plan an escape. But on that very night, things go horribly wrong. Jonas is now in a race for his life. Lois Lowry paints an exhilarating picture that will take you for a ride. Will Jonas escape? Or will he get caught and suffer from the terrible punishment of release? Read the book to find out!

Genre: Fiction 

AR_book:  _X_ Yes   ___ No

Reviewer: Will  
Rating:       

Review:  In this story, Holes, events “fall from the sky,” but fit neatly in place.  The main character, Stanley Yelnats, is accused of stealing shoes belonging to a famous baseball player.  Declared guilty, he is sent to Camp Green Lake, a juvenile detention center with little green and no lake.  The boys sent there have to dig holes in the earth every day for 18 months.  The Warden (note that it is capitalized) says it builds character, but apparently it doesn’t.  Stanley makes a new friend, Zero.  The book may be a bit boring for a while, but thing heat up when Zero hits one of the staff on the head with his shovel and runs away!  Stanley then goes after him, and sets out on an adventure that will change him forever.

This Newberry book is great.  It is filled with suspense, a bit of mystery, and adventure.  When things heat up, it seems a lot better.  It’s just a page-turner.  There are many questions to be answered in this book just waiting for you to read and find the answer!

Genre:            Realistic Fiction

AR_book:  __ Yes   ___ No

Reviewer:       Wyatt

Rating: 

Review:          Everest. The climber’s ultimate dream. Four teens are about to climb it to become the youngest person ever to summit the highest point in the world. The climbers names are Sammi, the only girl, age 15, Perry, age 15, Tilt, age 14, and Dominic, the youngest, age 13. If Dominic is to summit he would crush the record by almost 3 years. Unfortunately, there midnight summit try is ended early because of a rescue mission. The kids have to go back to base camp where the Nepal government comes and says it is “too dangerous” for Dominic to climb, so he will not be able to climb with the team. However, the story takes an unexpected turn when Dominic climbs with Ethan Zaph, the current record holder. If you want to find out what happens next, read Everest Book Three: The Summit.

                        In Everest Gordon Korman pulled me from my beanbag to the Lhoste Face where I was climbing with Sammi, Perry, Tilt, and Dominic. I thought Everest was an amazing book. Unfortunately, one of the climbers is sabotaging the others. The book ends with a happy and sad ending. There is a record broken but also it ends with a funeral. If you want to see what happens to Ethan and Dominic, or see who breaks the record, read Everest Book Three: The Summit.

Genre:            Fantasy

AR_book:  _X_ Yes   ___ No

Reviewer:       Connor
Rating:            *****/*****

Review: Their now is a new prophecy including one cat from each Clan to go on a long journey to save the clans from destruction. Brambleclaw of Thunder Clan, Feathertail of RiverClan, Tawnypelt of ShadowClan, and Crowpaw of Wi ndClan  go to the sun-drown place (the sea) to find out what to do to save their Clans. Not only the four chosen cats go though. Two other cats come along; Squirrelpaw and Stormfur go with them. Meanwhile back at the forest the Clans are wondering where they went because they didn’t know they went on a journey. On the journey they meat a loner called Purdy who helps them through Twoleg place. When they get there they meet Midnight. They find out from Midnight that a great evil is coming from the forest.

This book is as good as the first of the original prophecy, but is more adventurous. This book will make you want to read onward and find out how they escape the danger that haunts the forest. If you thought it was over at the end of the sixth book you need to think again.