Book Reviews

George's Marvellous Medicine

5/15/2017

The fictional book George's Marvellous Medicine by Roald Dahl is about a boy who makes a powerful magic medicine that can control the way things grow! The main character is George. George hates his grandmother, who is always acting like a witch to him the moment he was born. He is a very smart boy, and will keep his promises to the end. The main problem is grandma. Grandma has always been a pain in the neck for the family. When the medicine did its magic on her, grandma still didn’t change her evil thoughts and feelings. I love how the book has the action of pouring the ingredients, the excitement of the results, and the thrill of the magic that happens when the medicine is brewed. The book made me want to keep on reading, with its very detailed descriptions of the ingredients, and the funny statements of surprise and humor that the characters make. This is a book that will let you see the characters touch the very tips of the unpredictable magic world. -Serena

The Magic Finger

5/15/2017

The fictional book The Magic Finger by Roald Dahl is about the Greggs when they try to survive their new life as birds after a girl cursed them with her magic finger. The main characters are the Greggs. The Gregg family is made of a wife, a husband, and two sons, Philip and William. The men in the family love to hunt, not for survival, but just for the sport of it! Everyone of them has a gun, even Philip, who is only eight! The main problem are the results of the magic finger. It turned them into human-bird hybrids, and the ducks they were chasing are now bird-human hybrids. What a disaster! I love the conflicts the the Greggs face in this story. From learning to fly, all the way to how to build a sturdy nest. The characters are so interesting, with humans with bird’s wings! I also love the unexpected change in the Greggs feelings toward animals. It made me feel warm inside with joy and happiness. -Serena

The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me

5/15/2017

The fictional book The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me by Roald Dahl is about when a boy meets the Ladderless Window-Cleaning company and helps them with their job, and likewise when they help him reach his dream. The main character is Billy, a nice young boy who later becomes the wonderful Business Manager of the Ladderless Window-Cleaning company. Billy is a very trusting young lad, with a big dream to achieve. The main problem is that the Ladderless Window-Cleaning company is starving from not eating for days. Billy wants to help them, but how? I love the details that the author put into describing the settings, and characters. What really stuck to me was the huge Hampshire House, with its six hundred and seventy-seven filthy windows, as well as the luscious pink and purple flowers of a tinkle-tinkle tree. The way the story was set up, made me feel excited to see what would happen next. I love this short, but awe-striking book that kept my attention all the way! -Serena

Esio Trot

5/15/2017

The realistic fiction book Esio Trot by Roald Dahl is about the love-sick Mr. Hoppy doing a clever tortoise trick, to woo his beloved Mrs. Silver. The main character is Mr. Hoppy, a very, very shy man. Mr. Hoppy loves Mrs. Silver, and longs to invite her to have a cup of tea, but in the end, his courage always fails him. It has been many years, and Mr. Hoppy still hasn’t brought himself to express even a small hint of his love. The main problem is how to pull off the tortoise swapping trick. In order to win Mrs. Silver’s love, Mr. Hoppy helps make Mrs. Silver’s pet tortoise, Alfie, grow bigger. A lot of things could go wrong, what if Mrs. Silver notices too early? What if Mr. Hoppy calculated wrong? What if, if Mr. Hoppy does succeed, Mrs. Silver doesn't want to be with him anymore? As you can see, many things could go wrong. I love that this book has a very clever story plot. It made me feel included with the plan, churning my brain for more ideas, and all the while carefully devising along with Mr. Hoppy. I also love the unexpected twist, when Mr. Hoppy first introduced the Tortoise Swapping Trick. It seemed so sudden, and unanticipated, that I almost fell out of my chair with surprise! If you love a nice short story to enjoy some time to yourself, then this book is just right for you! -Serena

Twits

5/15/2017

The fiction book The Twits by Roald Dahl is about two awful people, husband and wife, who treat animals very badly, then their pet monkeys finally devise a plan to get rid of them once and for all. The main characters are Mr. and Mrs. Twit. They are the worst couple one could ever imagine. Mr. Twit has an extremly hairy face,and he never washes it. Mrs. Twit used to be a pretty woman, but she kept on thinking evil thoughts, and so her face started to change. Now they are both equally ugly, which is to say- unthinkably ugly. Every single day, the two disgusting scoundrels will play tricks on each other, with the goal of making the other suffer. The problem is how to get rid of the Twits. It all relies on Muggle-Wump, the dad of two monkey children, and the husband of a monkey wife. Will he come up with a plan so great, it could end the evilness of the Twits, once and for all? My opinion of this book is wonderful! Even though it is shorter than most books I read, it still has the trill of a plan, humor of the results, and most of all the excitement you feel when you ask the question, “Really, can it actually work?” I also like the interesting characteristics that the characters have and how they face their problems in their own unique way. Such as the Roly-Poly bird, with its lovely flying feathers, and the ingenious tricks that the Twits play on each other. I think, it is pretty impressive the author could come up with such a great plot in such a short story, and end it marvelously! -Serena

Percy Jackson’s Greek Heroes

5/15/2017

The mythological book Percy Jackson’s Greek Heroes by Rick Riordan is about the exciting individual stories of the greatest, most famous heroes ever in Ancient Greek history. There is no main character over all, just the main character in each of the twelve chapters. Still the same, there is no main problem, just the many, many exhilarating fights, and conflicts in each of the heroes stories. My opinion of this book, the companion of Percy Jackson’s Greek Gods, is the best! I love the sarcasm and humor the young demigod narrator has in his speech. The author is the best at describing the thoughts, feelings, environment, and action of every scene. Every chapter has the action of defeating monsters, comedy with the hilarious statements, and drama of heartbreak and yearning that I love! I also love how every chapter takes me to a whole new setting, the lush forests, or the winding thorny bushes, with the golden halls of a palace, or the grimy, dirty walls of a dungeon. Whether you have no knowledge of greek heroes, or you’re an expert, this book has got you covered! -Serena

Pip Bartlett’s Guide to Magical Creatures

5/12/2017

The fiction book Pip Bartlett’s Guide to Magical Creatures by Jackson Pearce and Maggie Stiefvater is about an 11 year old girl named Pip Bartlett who loves magical creatures. Over one summer Pip visits her aunt who owns a magical creature hospital. One day when she was there she was attacked by fiery fuzzles the set on fire when they are scared. Will Pip be able to escape the fuzzles fiery grip? I like this book because it kept me interested me all the way through and made me want to keep reading because I love magical creatures and it is a story of friendship. Also it had a lot of humor the way Pip was allergic to just about everything. -Jonah

I Survived The Destruction of Pompeii

5/12/2017

I read the historical fiction book I Survived The Destruction of Pompeii, AD 79 by Lauren Tarshis. When the volcano erupts, Marcus has to find his father and get out of Pompeii. The main character is Marcus, an eleven year old slave. The main problem is Marcus has to find his father and get out of the city. I like this book because there was a lot of action and adventure. -Max

My Brother Sam is Dead

5/12/2017

My Brother Sam is Dead is a historical fiction book by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier where a family named the Meekers has a son named Sam who goes of to war. While his little brother Tim works in the tavern and goes on a expedition through many violent and brutal things. Tim is a young boy who works in a tavern with his mom and dad. Tim the main character who ages throughout the book. Also he is stuck in a war that his mother and father hate. The main problem is that Sam has been convicted of being a cattle thief. The story made me feel excited because I was always wanting to know what was next. Also the setting was interesting because it is a real place in Connecticut. -Carson

The historical fiction book My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln Collier is about a boy a 12 year old boy named Tim Meeker who is the narrator. He is stuck in the middle of a war. One day Tim and his father were coming back from verplanck's point after selling their cattle they were attacked by cowboys and father was captured. Tim said to himself “ I’m done with war” and so did mother. I liked this book because it was sad and books that are sad remind me of the fun times I had with my grandpa. Also the plot twist was cool because it kept switching back and forth from Tim to Father Tim to Father. I recommend this book to a friend. -Jonah

The book My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier was an amazing historical fiction book about a family’s difficulties during the Revolutionary War. The book focused on a kid named Tim because he had a brother supported the Americans and his father supported the British. In the book, Tim doesn’t know if he should support the Americans with his brother, or the British with his father. In the end, I really liked the story. The story made me feel more interested and disgusted by war, and it was really unexpected what happens in the epilogue. -Beck

The book I read is on My Brother Sam is Dead and it is a fiction book. It is about the Revolutionary war showing how it broke up families. It was made by Collier and Collier. Main characters are Tim and Sam. The problem is that the British and the patriots are fighting and it breaks up the Meeker family. I liked this story because the story persuaded me to believe war is horrible and there were very nice suspense in the story. -Aadi

My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier is an amazing, wonderful, educational historical-realistic fiction book. In the story Sam joins the US army and fights for his “country” at a cost. The main problem is that Sam is gone in the war. Tim is the main character; he is Sam’s younger brother who is very mature and responsible for his years. This story always wanted me to keep reading. It held my interest a lot because I love the Revolutionary War a lot. It was very cool that Tim dodged all conflicts for the most part and took all these responsibilities during Sam’s absence. This story had a bunch of action and suspense. The story did because it had head slicing, soldiers hanging, and WAR! The plot was very unexpected on how Sam didn't come home instead he reenlisted in the army. The setting was very interesting, it was because it was in a real place in the US. The story made me feel amazing that my brother doesn't just run away from home and do dumb things. -Jared

My Brother Sam is Dead by James Collier and Christopher Collier is a historical fiction story mainly about a boy named Tim and his family, the Meekers. They go through many struggles to just survive. The main problem of the story is that Sam goes away to war. I liked this story alot because of it made me want to read more. I was interested because of the ups and downs of the story. The information was presented very cleverly. It make me infer what was going to happen next and kept me suspended. That's why I like the book My Brother Sam is Dead. -Chloe L.

My Brother Sam Is Dead by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier is a fiction book about a family being torn apart because of the Revolutionary War. The main character is Tim Meeker, a boy who lives in a Tory town called Redding. In the story the war starts to spread to Redding and things start to get bad. I liked the book because it had a setting in Redding during the revolutionary war which was unique because it was a fiction book. I also liked how there are a lot of plot twists when you least expect it. -Kalyan

My Brother Sam is Dead is a historical fiction book by James and Christopher Collier. This book is about how life is unfair in the war and there could've been another way than people suffering. The main characters in this story are Tim, Sam, Mother, and Father. One main problem is that two people in Tim's family have died so life gets harder for mother and Tim, and mother has just given up. She doesn't care anymore they all just want the war to be over. My opinion of this book was it was very well written it held my attention the whole time and when class would end I didn't want to put it down. -Izzy

My Brother Sam is Dead is a historical fiction written by Christopher Collier and James Lincoln Collier. Sam is one of the main characters; he is brave and stubborn. Tim is the other main character; he is young, scared, and curious. The main problem is Sam joins the Revolutionary War on the Patriot side, and runs into some real issues. I really liked this book because it had points where I was happy then sad then curious. If I was not reading it in class I would have read the whole book in a day. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes history and excitement! -Zoe

My Brother Sam is Dead is by James Collier and Christopher Collier, and it is about how a family who gets torn apart by the war. Tim, the main character, is the narrator of the story and wants to be in the danger and excitement of the war. The main problem is that Sam goes off to fight in the war which leaves mother, father, and Tim at home. I like the book because it held my interest. The story had action because the plot kept turning and changing. It was unexpected when when Sam was shot and executed at the end. The story made me feel excited to read all the books by James, and Christopher Collier. -Michael

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

5/12/2017

Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone by J.K Rowling is a fiction book about an 11 year old boy named Harry Potter whose parents died to a very evil wizard Voldemort and then he had to move to his evil muggle aunt and uncle. On Harry’s 11 birthday he realizes that he is a wizard and he gets to go Hogwarts school for wizard and Witch craft. I think the setting was very cool because there are a lot of magical objects on the school campus. Also Harry Potter's scar was very cool. -Jonah

The book/movie Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling is a fiction book about a boy who learns about a whole new world out that he has never heard of. The main character, Harry Potter, is an eleven year old boy who suffers through living with his terrible aunt, uncle, and cousin because his parents died. The main problem in this story is that Voldemort (a dark wizard) is trying to steal a stone called the sorcerer’s stone which gives you everlasting life. One interesting setting is that it is in a wizard school called Hogwarts and Hogwarts is full of magic and there are classes like transfiguration and potions instead of math and reading. This story had action because Harry, and his friends Ron and Hermione, fight a three-headed dog, play this human wizarding chest that people can get hurt in, and fight trolls. I love the Harry Potter series and I hope that these reviews will make more people want to read these magical books. -Jennifer

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is a fantasy themed book about a boy who has to go to a wizarding world. This book is written by a fantastic author named J.K Rowling. The main character is Harry Potter, a boy who is brave, kind, and heroic in every way. The main problem is an evil wizard named Voldemort is trying to get a special stone for him to gain more power, and Harry Potter has to try and stop him. This book made my keep on reading because their were so many twists and turns Also, the conflicts the characters face are no ordinary problems, but they include magic and suspense. -Faith

I read the fictional book Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling, about a boy who learns he is a wizard and his life takes a turn for the better. The main character of this story is Harry James Potter and he lives with his stubborn mean and rude aunt and uncle. Harry is a small 11 year old boy who feels like the last unloved puppy in the box for sale until he goes to hogwarts and learns he is a wizard and that an evil wizard called Voldemort (You Know Who) wants to kill him and tried to kill him as a baby. The main problem in this story is that the evil wizard who killed his parents still wants to kill him. I loved this story because it has so many twists and turns in the plot and it has so much action. I will admit the opening is a bit weird but other then that it made me want to keep reading I would always beg for another chapter. So after all that I would recommend this book to a friend who likes magic and action. -Haile R.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is by JK Rowling is a fiction book. The main character is Harry Potter, a new wizard in Hogwarts a school for wizards and witches with his new friends Ron and Hermione. The problem is that an evil wizard named Voldemort is trying to get a stone that will make him live forever, so Harry Potter and his friends have to try and stop him from getting the stone. I love this book because it has a lot of action and it held my interest a lot because I like magic. -Brandon C.

I Survived the Hindenburg Disaster

5/11/2017

I read the historical fiction book I Survived the Hindenburg Disaster,1937 by Lauren Tarshis. When the Hindenburg is about to land the blimp catches fire. The main character is Hugo, an eleven-year old boy with brown hair. The main problem is when the Hindenburg is about to land from Germany the Zeppelin catches on fire. I liked this book because it had a lot of action and mystery. -Max

Warriors : Crookedstar’s Promise

5/11/2017

Warriors : Crookedstar’s Promise is a fictional book by Erin Hunter. In this book Crookedstar the main character goes through the life of a kit and even becomes the leader of RiverClan. The main problem is, that Crookedstar made a promise to mapleshade, a dark forest warrior. And this promise stated that Crookedstar had to be loyal to his clan more than anything else. I liked this book because it’s plot was very interesting. I like this book and recommend it to all my friends. -Michael

The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma

5/8/2017

The science fiction novel The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma by Trenton Lee Stewart is about a group of extraordinary children who are trying to save the world while being held hostage by an evil genius, whose plans have finally come to a triumph. The main characters are the previously explained Mysterious Benedict Society, in my other book reviews. Here I shall only share what these characters have newly developed, starting with Constance Contraire. Constance is a four year old, and was already known to have the ability to detect patterns and predict the near future. Now through an embarrasing test, Constance has proven to have mental telepathy, where she can plant thoughts into minds, read minds, and control minds. But these actions have a great cost on her, for when she tries to control what should not be controlled, she gets so ill, even worse than the flu! Next, is the 13 year old, Reynie Muldoon. Reynard has always had the knack for finding the “puzzles” in problems, then cracking the code. In this book, Reynie and Constance’s relationship is less bumpy than others, since Reynie is always more patient with the conflicts of a young child. He has always thought through things with utmost curiosity, and observance. Never wanting to miss an important detail, that would prevail to their victory. Then, there’s Kate Wetherall, the ever-energetic 14 year old. Kate has been known to spring right to action, without giving a chance much second thought. Later on, Kate is found to have the love and worry for her secret agent father, Milligan. It is also demonstrated that Kate can gauge distances with perfect accuracy, which comes to hand later on. When dealing with the Ten Men’s leader, McCraken, it is known that Kate has the reputation of a witty, clever, and bold young girl, “the one who bites” (that’s what they call her). She might be even better than some of the Ten Men themselves. Last but not least is George (Sticky) Washington, the spectacled 13 year old. Later it is shown, that Sticky truly cares a lot about his friends, even willing to sacrifice himself to let Kate escape. Sticky has the bad habit of polishing his spectacles when he’s nervous, but he has finally gotten his anxiety under control. Despite his few occurrences of cowardness, Sticky has the evidence of a hero. The main problem is that Mr. Curtain has captured the four children in some unknown place, as a ransom, to get his precious Whisperer back. My opinion of this last book of the series is marvelous! I love the way the riddles made me have to think and experience the way the characters feel in their situation. Then the way the author described the settings are so detailed, I feel as if I’m touching the rough walls, or gliding across the gleaming floor! I love the twists and turns of humor in Kate’s expressions, the passionate love Milligan has for the children, and the forever-going taste of excitement and adventure in these pages that fill my mind with joy. -Serena

Gabby Duran and the Unsittables

5/8/2017

Gabby Duran and the Unsittables written by Daryle Conners and Elise Allen is a fantasy science fiction book that has elements of excitement, mystery, suspense, and humor. The title character, Gabby, is considered one of the best babysitters because of her patience and understanding towards her charges, especially the unusual children. She was recruited to babysit alien children and the story took off when she was assigned to babysit Wutt and at the same time attempting to win the French horn solo with school orchestra. The best scene in the book took place when Gabby first Wutt; it dialogue between Gabby and Ms. Edwina was very funny. The difficulties and intrigues along the way makes the story a good read. I would recommend this book to those who enjoy reading adventure stories involving fascinating characters. - Isabella

Prairie Evers

5/8/2017

The realistic fiction, Prairie Evers by Ellen Airgood is about the challenges that the previously homeschooled Prairie faces when she attends primary school for the first time in her life because her family moved back into town. She faces many obstacles due to the absence of her grandmother, not fitting in with the rest of the school, and judgemental attitude of the town. She overcomes the challenges with the support of her family and her best friend, Ivy. The main character, Prairie, is a shy determined girl who is trying her best to adjust to the many changes in her life that are happening all at once. She shows her determination best in the scenes where she attempts to raise chickens on her own. I would recommend this book to anyone who has determination and perseverance. - Isabella

Tales From A Not So Perfect Petsitter

5/5/2017

Tales From A Not So Perfect Petsitter is a fictional story by Rachel Renee Russell. This book is about a middle school girl named Nikki that really wants to help her crush Brandon by keeping a mommy dog and her seven puppies over night at her house. The problem is that Nikki’s mom said no to the puppies. I really liked this story because it made me feel thankful for all the foster parents of stray dogs without homes. The story also held my interest because the puppies kept making messes and drama for Nikki and that was interesting. That's why i really liked this book. -Chloe

The School For Good and Evil: A World Without Princes

5/5/2017

The title of the book is The School For Good and Evil: A World Without Princes. It is a fictional book by Soman Chainani. The main characters are Sophie, Agatha, and Tedros. In this book the characters go on a wild adventure to save their world as they know it. This all starts from a misleading wish that led them to the school that changed what everyone thought and knew. This book is amazing and I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves adventure. -Mikayla

The Worst Class Trip Ever

4/28/2017

I read The Worst Class Trip Ever by Dave Barry. This book is about Wyatt, Matt, Suzanna, Victor, Cameron trying to save the White House from two shady people. The main character is a nerdy embarrassed 8th grader named Wyatt. The problem is two weird people are trying to blow up the White House. I liked this book because have way through there was a twist which made me want to read more. -Anthony

Tales From A Not So Happily Ever After

4/27/2017

Tales From A Not So Happily Ever After, by Rachel Renee Russel is a fictional book about a middle school girl named Nikki that is alway in the middle of some type of drama. This story is about Nikki transporting into Fairytale Land. There she makes many friends and encourages them to be brave and she tells them that they can be whatever or whoever the want. The main problem of the story is that Nikki need to find a way to get out of Fairytale Land. I really liked this story because it had an unexpected plot in the end and that made me want to keep reading more. The plot was that i thought the Queen of hearts was going to kill Nikki but then suddenly her friends saved her. That's why i loved reading this Dork Diaries book. -Chloe L.

The Mark of Athena

4/27/2017

The Mark of Athena is a fiction book written by Rick Riordan. This book is about the Roman and Greek camps who are at war. The main character is Percy Jackson, a young, well trained, brave, hero. The main problem is Percy and his friends need to shut the doors of death. This story is packed full of action so I did not want to stop reading, I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in greek mythology. -Zoe

The Gollywhopper Games

4/27/2017

The Gollywhopper Games is a fiction book by Jody Feldman about a kid who enters and tries to win a contest about boardgame knowledge with a huge prize. The main character in the book is a kid name Gil. He is a smart, brown-haired, and likeable kid. He wants to try to win the competition he’s in, but he has a bully, a dummy, and a smart person in his way. I liked the book because it was interesting how each character solved each problem, or conflict, and it was interesting where every question the contestants asked, it was in a new place at a new time. I would recommend this book to anyone, and I loved it! -Beck

Capture the Flag

4/27/2017

Capture the Flag by Kate Messner was a fiction book about three kids that try and find out where the first ever American flag was taken. The book focuses a lot of one kid named Anna. She is tough, headstrong, and very smart. But the problem though is that she wants to figure out where the first American flag is, because she thinks it’s stuck in the airport she’s staying in, but there’s an infamous gang who’s in her way from stealing it. I loved the book because it was interesting how the author chose the airport for where the action was going to take place, and it was unexpected who turns out to be trying to help them, and who isn’t….. -Beck

Warriors: Omen of The Stars - The Forgotten Warrior

4/27/2017

Warriors: Omen of The Stars - The Forgotten Warrior is a fictional book by Erin Hunter. The Main characters are Jayfeather, Lionblaze, and Dovewing who are special cats with powers. Jayfeather can dream his way into other cats’ minds. Lionblaze can not be defeated in battle. And Dovewing can hear things from miles away. The main problem is that Tigerstar, the evil former leader of shadowclan made the dark forest. And now is recruiting clan cats to help him destroy the clans. But he is promising the clan cats that all he is going to do is to train them to their best. I liked this book because it had a lot of plot twists. I also could not put this book down. Out of this series this is my 2nd favorite book. -Michael

The Terrible Two

4/27/2017

In a humorous fiction The Terrible Two by Jory John and Mac Barnett, the pranksters Miles Murphy and Niles Sparks kept life in Yawney Valley Science and Letters Academy fun and interesting with their hilarious pranks. They also try to best their nemesis Principal Barkin by attempting pranks that cause the closure of the school for the first time since he became principal. Both Miles and Niles are amusing characters. Miles initially wanted to be the “the king of pranks” in his new school, so he did not want to team up with the school’s best original prankster Niles. However, Niles, who is a more disciplined and cautious of the two, was patient and in the end, they became a good team and the best of friends. The best scene of the book is when Principal Barkin first discovered a surprise left by the pranksters in his office and tried to hide it. The book’s humorous tone as well as funny illustrations makes it a fun read. I would recommend this book to anyone who has a sense of humour and loves reading entertaining stories. - Isabella

Captain Riddle’s Treasure

4/26/2017

The book Captain Riddle’s Treasure by G.V. Rama Rao is about some kids who try to find a treasure. The main character is Ruth, a strong willed teenager that is amazing at riddles. The problem in the story is that the kids are banished to an island but then rescued. After they are rescued they are expected to help a captain find some treasure. I liked the story because they face all sorts of mythical beasts from Godzilla to aliens. -Kalyan