Book Review: The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan

The Red Pyramid
by Rick Riordan
The Kane Chronicles

Hyperion Books
ISBN-10: 1-4231133-8-1
ISBN-13: 978-1-4231133-86
Publication Date: May, 2010
List Price: $17.99

Review: Carter Kane has been living out of a suitcase, traveling around the world with his father, a brilliant Egyptologist, Dr. Julius Kane. This is because six years ago, his mother died by a horrific accident involving magic. But while he is being homeschooled by his father, his younger sister, Sadie, is living in London with their grandparents. Sadie has just what Carter longs for—a “normal” life and some cool school friends. But, what Carter has, Sadie longs for—time with their father. The kids have almost nothing in common with each other… until now in the exciting premier novel in the Kane Chronicles Series, The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan.

Carter and Sadie are reunited on Christmas Eve, when their father brings them to a British Museum not far from Sadie’s home with a promise that he’s going to “make things right”. But, what Julius planned does not happen; instead of his plan, he summons a scary statue that banishes him and creates a blistering outburst. Soon enough, Carter and Sadie find out that the gods of Egypt are waking from the Duat and that the nastiest of them—Set—has in mind a hazardous scheme to take control of the world. To save their father, they must embark on a crazy quest that brings them farther from safety and closer to their own history, which is linked to the old House of Life, a covert order existing since the time of the first pharaohs of Ancient Egypt! From the author of the bestselling series, Percy Jackson & The Olympians comes this first of The Kane Chronicles, mixing non-stop achievement, humor, anticipation, and suspense in a grand story of valor and conformity.

The Red Pyramid is great. It makes readers want to read it, plus it is a long book, so it doesn’t end quickly. My favorite part of the book is when Muffin (Sadie’s protector cat) turns into Bast, the goddess of cats, while Amos Kanes’ house is under attack by magic demons. She starts fighting them by using her long knives. I also liked the chapter names in the book. Mr. Riordan always makes them very funny, such as “Muffin Plays with Knives”, or “I Face the Killer Turkey”. The Red Pyramid lives up to Rick Riordan’s usual excitement and adventure – making him one of my favorite authors! The first book in The Kane Chronicles also received many praises from different people, such as The New York Times #1 Best Seller, and Magazine.com. So, in short, The Red Pyramid is an awesome book, and I just can’t wait until the second book in the series comes out.

Review written by Karan (7th grade student).

We would like to thank The Mehta Family for providing a copy of The Red Pyramid for this review.

Have you read The Red Pyramid? How would you rate it?

Book Review: Roll Up the Streets by John Badek

Roll Up the Streets
by John Badek
Non-series

Kane Miller
ISBN-10: 1-935279-62-9
ISBN-13: 978-1-935279-62-4
Publication Date: September, 2010
List Price: $15.99

Review: Adventurous, hilarious, and amazingly stinky! The only book I’ve read like this is John Bladek’s Roll Up the Streets. The story is about Jake Machet, the boy that always complains, who moves to a town filled with a horrible stink that no one else seems to smell. Who wouldn’t want to read a book about stinky smells and bad meat? I too was skeptical of this book, but it turns out to be a fantastic read!

The story begins with Jake Machet in a closet hiding from security guards. He quickly proceeds to catch the reader up on the story so far. When he first came here to this new town, Jake had to meet the richest man and employer in the area. From the beginning Jake doesn’t like him, when he mentions the stink J.P. Rumblegut quickly sneers at him and then walks away. Plus, J.P. gives free candy to all the kids except Jake. Oddly, Jake’s teacher can smell the stink as well. Soon, Jake meets a girl in his class named Sammie who also smells the horrible stink. They both are warned not to eat the corndogs in the cafeteria. The duo become best friends and they find out that the trail of stink leads to J.P. Rumblegut’s lair. Once, in the labyrinth Jake and Sammie find an evil brainwashing corndog plan – a plan to zombify the entire country and turn them into slaves, all working for the notorious J.P. Rumblegut! Will Jake and Sammie ever be able to expose J.P.? Will J.P. Rumblegut ever give Jake a piece of candy? And will Jake ever get out of that darn closet? All answers shall be exposed in this tale of mysterious dolls and bad lunchmeat.

This is one of the books I thought that I would hate just judging from the cover and the synopsis. I stood corrected. This was one of the most entertaining books I have read in awhile! John Bladek did a wonderful job blending mystery and adventure together. I really enjoyed Jake’s stubbornness with certain topics, such as J.P. Rumblegut never giving him candy or his insistence that the dog which bit him was a werewolf and that he would turn into one as well. However, I did not like it when Jake’s teacher gets brainwashed because she was a veteran anti-corndog revolutionist. She’s always very kind, so it seemed unfair. My favorite part in the whole story is when Jake describes the guard dogs: “A wolf-dog as tall as my bike, crouched four feet away. Poisonous slime dripped off its ten-inch fangs. It had burning red eyes, and smoke poured out of its nose with every breath.” This boy sure has an imagination! I recommend this book to children ages nine and up for some mild language and younger readers may be confused by the plot. I give this book four out of five stars.

Review written by Ohm (7th grade student).

We would like to thank Kane Miller for providing a copy of Roll Up the Streets for this review.

Have you read Roll Up the Streets? How would you rate it?

Book Review: Thomas and the Dragon Queen by Shutta Crum

Thomas and the Dragon Queen
by Shutta Crum
Non-series

Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
ISBN-10: 0-375-85703-6
ISBN-13: 978-0-375-85703-4
Publication Date: July, 2010
List Price: $15.99

Review: Thomas and the Dragon Queen is everything you would expect in a tale of the medieval times; there’s a chivalrous knight, a kidnapped princess, and a fire-breathing dragon. There are only a few problems. The knight is twelve and a midget compared to all the other boys, the princess is content in her prison, and the fearsome Dragon Queen has a treasure though it is not what you would expect it to be. Shutta Crum did a wonderful job writing Thomas and the Dragon Queen , and Lee Wildish’s amazing, black & white illustrations add to the story. The main characters are Thomas, Princess Eleanor, the Dragon Queen, and Jon. This book is a mix of adventure and humor.

The story starts off with Thomas and his siblings reenacting a story that their father had told them the previous night. Near the end, they all see a knight on a mighty black warhorse. The knight has mud all over his armor and appears to be exhausted. Thomas takes the knight home so his bruises could be treated. It turns out that the knight is looking for a page and he thinks that Thomas is the perfect boy for the job. Thomas then goes to the castle and does many menial tasks as a page such as cleaning armor and serving meat roast. Thomas eventually becomes a squire and makes the acquaintance of a stable boy named Jon. While they are talking, Princess Eleanor comes and meets them. She has come to feed her father’s steed, Heartwind. As Thomas continues his training he learns that Princess Eleanor had been kidnapped by the Dragon Queen! Thomas then seeks the king and pleads to be knighted, and his wish is granted. Thomas becomes the shortest knight of the realm! His old master gives him a gift, a beautiful sword with a bright steel blade and an ivory hilt. Thomas is granted a quest to save the Princess. Will Thomas ever be able to find the princess? Can Thomas make it home alive? Only you can find out by reading Thomas and the Dragon Queen.

Thomas and the Dragon Queen is a remarkable book. It was a little surprising that Thomas did not feel much remorse when he loses his sword to the lake monster. One of my favorite parts of the story is when Thomas meets Princess Eleanor: “It was the princess! Thomas raised his eyes a little more; he had to see her. She was wearing a green and blue gown with long sleeves. Her dark hair was caught up behind her. Oh! And he was standing so close to her! He gulped. Wouldn’t Ma and Da want to hear of this! Then he looked down at his ash-colored rough clothes. To make matters worse, bits of straw and horse dung hung off him. Maybe Ma and Da wouldn’t want to hear of this.” This was hilarious! Also, there is a typo in the phrase above as it’s printed in the book. ‘Ma and Da’ were capital the second time but, not the first. This book is recommended to children ages seven and up because younger readers may not comprehend the storyline and seven-year-olds would enjoy the pictures. I give this book five out of five stars.

Review written by Ohm (7th grade student).

We would like to thank Random House for providing a copy of Thomas and the Dragon Queen for this review.

Have you read Thomas and the Dragon Queen? How would you rate it?

Book Review: The Girl Next Door by Selene Castrovilla

The Girl Next Door
by Selene Castrovilla
Non-series

WestSide Books
ISBN-10: 1-934813-15-X
ISBN-13: 978-1-934813-15-7
Publication Date: April, 2010
List Price: $16.95

Review: Everyone is going to die someday, but there is one way that is scarier than most: cancer. To be sure, there are a lot of horrible illnesses, but there is little more alarming than having the doctor say, “It’s cancer.” What makes it even more horrific is if the patient has yet to reach adulthood and the prognosis is bleak. Such is the case in Selene Castrovilla’s novel, The Girl Next Door. Jesse must face a terminal illness, and right by his side through everything is Samantha, the girl who lives next door to him.

Jesse is a senior in high school – an all-around perfect guy, until he gets the news that he has cancer. With only a 4% chance of survival, Jesse’s world comes crashing down all around him. His father ran off when he was just a boy, his mother drinks too much to be able to support him, but he has Sam. He and Sam have been best of friends ever since they were in strollers, and their friendship is what gets Jesse from day to day as he faces rounds of chemotherapy and radiation. Sam, once an honor student, is failing out of high school because her only thought in life is Jesse. She sleeps in his room and helps him through the good and the bad. As Jesse’s cancer grows, so does their love for one another. But, will their love be enough to overcome the odds?

The Girl Next Door packs in so many emotions in a short amount of pages. It’s a roller coaster ride from beginning to end. Sam and Jesse have an enviable relationship – starting as friends and turning into lovers. They must find a way to have an adult relationship while dealing with the worst life has to offer. The reader is allowed into the mind of a dying teen as he goes from hatred and anger – wanting to shut himself off from everything that reminds him of what he’s losing – to acceptance and peace. The reader also gets to see firsthand the effect cancer has on those left behind. Sam’s emotions are all across the board. She wants so desperately for Jesse to fight to live another day, and then she questions her motivations. She asks the questions everyone wants to ask: “Why had I insisted, bullied him into this? For him, or for me? I’d wanted him to fight, and to try everything, but wasn’t that selfish when I wasn’t the one whose life was at stake?” Sam must deal with being an insecure teen, and be thrust into adulthood well before she’s ready. But The Girl Next Door shows that sometimes the worst of times bring out the best in people. Jesse and Sam grow and mature throughout the book and their relationship should be a model for others. As Jesse and Sam’s relationship grows, so does Jesse’s relationship with his mother. Readers can’t help but be moved as the walls between Jesse and his mother slowly crumble. Castrovilla has taken a horrific situation and made it into a warm, thought-provoking book that will keep readers thinking long after the last page is turned.

Review written by Margo Nauert (6th grade teacher).

We would like to thank JKSCommunications for providing a copy of The Girl Next Door for this review.

Have you read The Girl Next Door? How would you rate it?

Book Review: SCARS by Cheryl Rainfield

SCARS
by Cheryl Rainfield
Non-series

WestSide Books
ISBN-10: 1-934813-32-X
ISBN-13: 978-1-934813-32-4
Publication Date: March, 2010
List Price: $16.95

Review: “What does biology or algebra or sonnets have to do with anything I’m going through?” How many times has a teen uttered those words? How can something as mundane as school ever compare with what’s going on inside? Cheryl Rainfield examines a teen who is facing far too many internal monsters to deal with biology in her book, SCARS. Kendra may seem like any other teenager, but she is far from that. She fears every minute of her life for safety, and to deal with that fear, she turns to her own form of therapy.

Kendra is a victim of abuse. Memories of childhood sexual abuse that began around the age of two and lasted for nearly ten years haunt Kendra. She has started having more vivid memories of the events that she’s buried so deep in her mind. Every day she’s getting closer and closer to discovering the face of the man that abused her. The closer she gets, however, the more he taunts her. He finds a way to leave her frightening letters and haunting voice messages, “You will learn to be silent.” But Kendra can’t stop remembering. The only way she can ease the pain inside is to cut herself. As the blood leaves her body, so does the pain. But, Kendra’s cuts get deeper and deeper. The closer Kendra gets to the truth, the more frightening her life becomes. Will she ever see his face? What might happen to her if she does? Rainfield explores the horrors of abuse and cutting along with the struggles that teens have in relating their troubles to their parents in such a way that SCARS proves to be not only a novel, but also a guide to teens and adults in dealing with abuse.

SCARS is the kind of book that engrosses the reader from the first page through to the last. Kendra is a complex and likable heroine. She is witty and opens her mind to the readers. The mother-daughter relationship in the novel is heart-wrenching. There is a girl who so desperately needs a mother, and a mother who has no idea how to give her what she needs. It is such a common relationship flaw – and mothers of teens can learn a great deal about what their daughter really needs by reading SCARS. Teenage girls can learn as well the importance of support systems in life. Kendra finds support, but not in the most expected places. Plus, Kendra learns to love herself and have the confidence to be herself – regardless of what others say. That’s a hard lesson for teens, and one that is critical to learn. SCARS not only makes good reading, but it makes the reader think. So many teens today turn to self abuse like cutting, and by reading books like SCARS they can find that there are other ways to let out the pain. SCARS is a book that belongs on every high school library shelf.

Review written by Margo Nauert (6th grade teacher).

We would like to thank JKSCommunications for providing a copy of SCARS for this review.

Have you read SCARS? How would you rate it?

Book Review: THE GECKO & STICKY: The Power Potion by Wendelin Van Draanen

THE GECKO & STICKY: The Power Potion
by Wendelin Van Draanen
THE GECKO & STICKY

Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
ISBN-10: 0-375-84379-5
ISBN-13: 978-0-375-84379-2
Publication Date: June, 2010
List Price: $12.99

Review: Adventurous, witty, and eye-gluing, I don’t know too many books that can be described this way except Wendelin Van Draanen’s The Gecko & Sticky: The Power Potion. This book is the fourth installment in The Gecko & Sticky series. The main characters are Dave-a delivery boy, Sticky- a talking and kleptomaniac gecko, and Damien Black- an evil treasure hunter. The Gecko & Sticky: The Power Potion is one of a kind. Van Draanen does an excellent job combining humor and adventure in The Gecko & Sticky series.

The story starts with Dave Sanchez aka The Gecko, making his last delivery of the day. He is riding his bike to Gypsy Town to pick up a package for Mr. Damien Black, which is surprisingly in a strange tube. Dave and Sticky have met the Mr. Black on several occasions in the past. On one of their expeditions, they found an ancient, Aztec wristband that held five gold ingots, each with its own special power. Through a series of events, Sticky obtained the wristband and gave it to Dave who became a super hero known as The Gecko. In one of The Gecko’s earlier adventures, he foiled Damien Black’s illegal operation of breaking into a bank. Now Mr. Black is out of jail and up to no good. Before Dave and Sticky go to Mr. Black’s home, curiosity takes control and they open the tube. What they find is shocking, a blue liquid in an amber glass. Dave and Sticky believe that is evil because Mr. Black wants it. They empty it out into a plastic bottle and put it away on a kitchen shelf. Then, they make their own blue concoction and put it in the tube. They deliver the tube in the disguise of a gang member to make sure that Dave is not recognized. Eventually, Mr. Black finds out the power potion is a fake and presumes that the gypsy man ‘suckerooed’ him. Mr. Black, being a man who does not like to be ‘suckerooed’, decides to kidnap the gypsy. Can The Gecko and Sticky save the day? Or will the gypsy man be doomed to a life of potion-making servitude? You don’t need any power potion to find out, only read the book and all answers will be unveiled.

This is a hilarious book! I couldn’t stop laughing when Sticky told Dave that he had to look ‘Gangsta’ and that he needed ‘Bling’ to deliver the package. The Gecko & Sticky: The Power Potion is also filled with Sticky using all of his favorite catch phrases in Spanish. My favorite is ‘Is he loco-berry burritos? ‘Who could resist laughing at that? This book is mostly realistic with Dave’s normal life aside from The Gecko and Sticky, like bullies, homework, tests, and pet problems. The Gecko & Sticky: The Power Potion is a great book for children eight and up because younger readers may not understand the plot. I have not read the previous books in the series, but I think reading the other books is not essential. The book does a good job of explaining the back story. A prologue would have helped better explain the relationship between Dave and Damien Black – providing new readers the background they need, but not being too repetitive for veteran readers of the series. I give this book four out of five stars.

Review written by Sheila (7th grade student).

We would like to thank Random House for providing a copy of THE GECKO & STICKY: The Power Potion for this review.

Have you read THE GECKO & STICKY: The Power Potion? How would you rate it?

Book Review: Lunch Lady and the Summer Camp Shakedown by Jarrett J. Krosoczka

Lunch Lady and the Summer Camp Shakedown
by Jarrett J. Krosoczka
Lunch Lady Series

Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
ISBN-10: 0-375-86095-9
ISBN-13: 978-0-375-86095-9
Publication Date: May, 2010
List Price: $6.99

Review: Hilarious, epic, and mysterious all describe Lunch Lady and the Summer Camp Shakedown by Jarrett J. Krosoczka. The main characters are the Lunch Lady, her assistant Betty, the Breakfast Bunch kids, and the Swamp Monster. This is the fourth book in this exciting series of graphic mysteries.

Summer camp should be filled with relaxation and fun and games, but that’s not what the Breakfast Bunch find when they go to summer camp. Instead a hungry, gross, yet maybe not real, swamp monster attacks the camp literally! The story begins with three kids on a bus heading to summer camp talking about what they’re going to do. When they get to the camp everyone welcomes them, and Ben tells them about an unknown swamp monster. Most of the campers are scared. There are boys and girls sleeping in cabins, and everyone is talking about different things. One night three kids sneak out of their cabins and into the kitchen to get the tasty food, and all of a sudden they see the swamp monster. Will they be able to capture the monster? Or will it ruin their summer camp? Find out in Lunch Lady and the Summer Camp Shakedown.

This is a great graphic novel. It is filled with laughs and hilarious dialogue. For example, I really liked it when the kids go to get a tasty treat. I also laughed when I saw that the Lunch Lady and Betty had gadgets to try and trap the monster that were related to food. Also, the Lunch Lady is a fun character. She has clever ideas for capturing crooks, and always finds a way to save the day! Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I recommend the Lunch Lady books for all kids – and even adults. It’s a fun, quick read!

Review written by Andrea (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Random House for providing a copy of Lunch Lady and the Summer Camp Shakedown for this review.

Have you read Lunch Lady and the Summer Camp Shakedown? How would you rate it?

Book Review: The Red Umbrella by Christina Diaz Gonzalez

The Red Umbrella
by Christina Diaz Gonzalez
Non-series

Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
ISBN-10: 0-375-86190-4
ISBN-13: 978-0-375-86190-1
Publication Date: May, 2010
List Price: $16.99

Review: A secret plan, to save the children, they must be sent away… Alone! Christina Diaz Gonzalez paints this picture in The Red Umbrella. The main characters are Lucia, Frankie, Mr. and Mrs. Baxter, and Lucia’s parents. This historical fiction book is sure to please. However, The Red Umbrella is a non-series book. The story follows 14 year-old Lucia Alvarez as she moves from her carefree life in Cuba to struggling to make a new life in Nebraska.

The story starts with Lucia and Frankie hanging out at the beach, showing how easy her life is in the year 1961. Soon, the communist revolution hits Lucia. Her friends are joining the revolutionary brigades and neighbors are disappearing. Lucia witnesses firsthand the terror the revolution has caused, people getting shot and an anti-revolutionary pharmacist hanged in public. Lucia’s own family is trying to turn them in. Manuel, her crush, is against her life style. Everything seems wrong for Lucia. Things get worse when her family makes the heart-tearing decision. They buy airplane tickets for Lucia and Frankie; only Lucia and Frankie. The two Alvarez kids are put into a new country, new fashions, new languages, and well-meaning strangers. Will Lucia and Frankie ever go home? All answers lie under the cover of The Red Umbrella.

Looking at the cover I thought, “Oh no! This book is going to be boring!” But, you can’t judge a book by its cover and that was so true when it came to this book. This book is shocking; I didn’t think I would see any violence in this book but I was wrong. It is also filled with hilarious moments, like in the scene where Mrs. Baxter urges Lucia to eats Tabasco sauce with eggs: “‘oh my, you don’t like it? Mrs. Baxter’s eyebrows were scrunched together. ‘I thought you liked spicy food. I read that in Mexico they put it on everything…’ ‘Ughmm.’ I cleared my throat. ‘In Cuba, we no eat spicy food. Mexico yes, Cuba no.’ even my ears felt hot.’” Plus, the storyline is very interesting. It told what people had to go through to survive during the revolution. It gives children great insight into a fascinating time in history. This left me hysterical. This book is most appropriate for everyone ages 11 up due to some language and violence.

Review written by Ohm (7th grade student).

We would like to thank Random House for providing a copy of The Red Umbrella for this review.

Have you read The Red Umbrella? How would you rate it?

Book Review: Conspiracy 365: August by Gabrielle Lord

Conspiracy 365: August
by Gabrielle Lord
Conspiracy 365

Kane Miller
ISBN-10: 1-935279-57-2
ISBN-13: 978-1-935279-57-0
Publication Date: August, 2010
List Price: $10.99

Review: Being buried alive in a coffin is one of the most horrid nightmares imaginable, but it is far from a dream for Cal Ormond in August, the 8th book in the Conspiracy 365 series by Gabrielle Lord. Cal wakes up on his 16th birthday in restraints at a maximum security hospital. He realized his life was saved, but then he realizes the price he’s paid. Cal has been on the run since January – hoping to finish what his father started before his mysterious death in January. Very few people believe in Cal’s innocence – including his own mother. How can Cal possibly continue his quest when he is undoubtedly facing an inescapable prison sentence?

In the final scene in July, Boges and Winter, Cal’s only allies, must turn to the police to help find Cal who has been buried alive. Although Cal is rescued, he has a new charge added to his long list of offences. He is accused of the kidnapping of his comatose sister, Gabbi. Suddenly the fact that he’s lost the Ormond Riddle, the Ormond Jewel, and his father’s drawings seems insignificant. Cal desperately finds a way to escape the hospital with just one goal in mind – to save his little sister. With everything gone, Cal must find a way to offer himself in exchange for Gabbi. Will the kidnappers bite? Will Cal be able to save her, or will this be one death he will ultimately blame on himself?

August is one of the most exciting books in the Conspiracy 365 series. The emotional rollercoaster ride Cal must experience is heart wrenching. When his mother stands in front of him accusing him of not only attempted murder, but of kidnapping his sister, readers can feel his pain. It seems as if everything in Cal’s life is hopeless. Because of Cal’s obvious love for his sister, readers have become attached to her as well, and they are holding on to every word awaiting her return to safety – praying that there will be one! The mystery of the stolen twin also develops further in this story. It’s been that carrot dangling in front of the reader. Who is this boy that bears a striking resemblance to Cal? Why did Great Aunt Millicent sing the song, “one was found the other was lost”? And most importantly, why is the white dog from Cal’s recurring nightmare found in this other boy’s room? This piece to the puzzle is thoroughly exciting. Readers know something is up, but we’re only getting ever to slightly closer to an explanation. Could this “twin” issue be the key to the entire puzzle? There are only four more months left for Cal to figure out the conspiracy that surrounds him. Undoubtedly September will be no less exciting.

Review written by Margo Nauert (6th grade teacher).

We would like to thank Kane Miller for providing a copy of Conspiracy 365: August for this review.

Have you read Conspiracy 365: August? How would you rate it?

Book Review: Storm Warning by Linda Sue Park

Storm Warning
by Linda Sue Park
The 39 Clues

Scholastic
ISBN-10: 0-545-06049-4
ISBN-13: 978-0-545-06049-3
Publication Date: May, 2010
List Price: $12.99

Review: The ultimate treasure hunt continues in Storm Warning, the ninth book in The 39 Clues series. Each book in the series is written by a different author, and the author of Storm Warning is Linda Sue Park. Amy and Dan are two teens in search of the 39 Clues – a quest granted to them in their grandmother’s will. The Cahill family is the most powerful family in the world, and each family branch is racing to uncover the clues to find out the secret to becoming the most powerful people on the planet. In that Amy and Dan’s parents have passed away, their eccentric au pair, Nellie joins them on their quest. Can Amy and Dan uncover another clue before the extended family members stop them - - - permanently?

Storm Warning begins with Amy and Dan leaving the Beijing airport and heading to the Bahamas and then to Jamaica with Nellie and their cat, Saladin snuggled in Dan’s arms. Their journey is paved with deception, tribulation, and death. The clues center around pirates and strong women in pirate history. But, although they uncover the clues, they must solve an ultimate riddle to make sense of their findings. All along the way, they are followed by “the man in black” who has already tried to kill them once, and the Kabras who see death as no obstacle to uncovering the clues. After meeting a long-lost friend of their grandmother and putting her son in fatal danger, Amy and Dan have to begin to question their loyalties. Nellie is behaving strangely, and they’re finding that the Cahill family is really larger than they’d known. Join Amy and Dan as they fight for their lives in the ninth installment in The 39 Clues mystery.

Scholastic has landed on a gem with The 39 Clues series. Not only are the books vastly entertaining and suspenseful, but the series is also accompanied by game cards and an on-line game where readers can join in the race to uncover the 39 Clues! Linda Sue Park has done an exceptional job of continuing the series. She provides enough background so that new readers can get intrigued, but not too much so that veteran 39 Clues readers will be bored. Certainly new readers to The 39 Clues series should start at book 1 – The Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan. The characters in the series are solid and entertaining. Amy and Dan struggle with typical “brother/sister” issues while battling for their lives. It’s wonderful to see how squabbling siblings would die for one another if needed. Also, Nellie is a very different au pair. She’s sly, resourceful, loving, and deceptive. Her character keeps readers on their toes! Finally, the villains are characters you love to hate, but yet you see how Amy and Dan never falter in the understanding of right from wrong. The storyline is suspenseful, and clues are embedded in the series through a cryptogram of sorts. Readers of all ages will find enjoyment in The 39 Clues series, and Storm Warning is no exception.

Review written by Margo Nauert (6th grade teacher).

We would like to thank Scholastic for providing a copy of Storm Warning for this review.

Have you read Storm Warning? How would you rate it?

Book Review: Conspiracy 365: July by Gabrielle Lord

Conspiracy 365: July
by Gabrielle Lord
Conspiracy 365

Kane Miller
ISBN-10: 1-935279-56-4
ISBN-13: 978-1-935279-56-3
Publication Date: July, 2010
List Price: $10.99

Review: Cal continues to fight for his life in July, the 7th book in the Conspiracy 365 series. Cal has been on the run ever since he was wrongfully accused of attempted murder in January. He is on a quest to understand the Ormond Singularity before December 31st! He was warned in January that it is up to him to finish what his father started before his mysterious illness that took his life leading to the series of events that seem almost certain to claim Cal’s life as well. Cal has managed to life half of the year on the run, ever so slowly getting closer to an understanding of the Ormond Singularity, but can he make it another six?

July begins with Cal struggling for his life in a fish net. With a great deal of luck on his side, Cal is brought up on deck with the fish, and although the police are nearby, he is able to hide from them once again. The captain on the ship does not intend to let Cal off the hook easily though. In exchange for hiding him, Cal is indebted to him and expected to shovel fish as pay for the captain. Aboard the ship, he realizes that he is not among friends. After another narrow escape, Cal sets of on his journey to uncover more information about Piers Ormond’s will from his great-aunt Millicent. But, like everything else in Cal’s life, visiting his aunt turns out for more than he’s bargained for. Is he going to put yet another relative at risk? Will Cal be able to make sense of the riddles before the thugs catch him? Race to July to find out what the world has in store for Cal.

Once again, Gabrielle Lord has written an excellent mystery. The Conspiracy 365 books are filled with suspense on every page. Readers find themselves holding their breaths as they forge through the pages! Although it is fairly hard to believe that the Australian police would be so incapable of capturing Cal, there is still a hint of believability keeping the readers entrapped. Readers are forever questioning Cal’s loyalties – wondering if the next person that offers to help him is really friend or foe. Cal gets into one of the most frightening predicaments to date in July. The thugs want him dead by his birthday (July 31st), and by the end of the book, it seems as though they’ve finally succeeded. Will they need to really turn to the police – his biggest threat – to save him? August can’t come soon enough!

Review written by Margo Nauert (6th grade teacher).

We would like to thank Kane Miller for providing a copy of Conspiracy 365: July for this review.

Have you read Conspiracy 365: July? How would you rate it?

Book Review: The Ball Hogs by Rich Wallace

The Ball Hogs
by Rich Wallace
Kickers

Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
ISBN-10: 0-375-85754-0
ISBN-13: 978-0-375-85754-6
Publication Date: June, 2010
List Price: $12.99

Review: In The Ball Hogs, Ben is on a soccer team and is determined to win. But when ball-hog Mark stands in the way, will Ben’s team have a chance? The Ball Hogs the first book in an early-reader series, Kickers written by Rich Wallace.

Ben joins a soccer team in his town and finds it is super fun until Mark comes along. Mark is tall and fast and brags a lot. Ben wants to prove to himself and the team he can be a better player. But then Mark and Ben aren’t getting along at school either. Playing four-square used to be fun until Ben had to make a new team. But then Ben learns that he needs to stop being a ball hog too. Will Ben learn to pass and learn to start getting along with Mark? I guess you’ll have to pick up the book to find out.

The Ball Hogs is a good book. It uses descriptive details and it seems like a real life situation. The solution is good and fair. This book is intended for younger readers, probably kids from second grade through fourth grade. It fits early readers because not a lot of big words are used, and the font size is big. I think the author did a good job with this book. He based some of things that happened on his own experiences of when he coached his son’s kindergarten soccer team. All in all it was a good book and I enjoyed it very much.

Review written by Sheila (7th grade student).

We would like to thank Random House for providing a copy of The Ball Hogs for this review.

Have you read The Ball Hogs? How would you rate it?

Book Review: Efrain's Secret by Sofia Quintero

Efrain's Secret
by Sofia Quintero
Non-series

Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
ISBN-10: 0-375-84706-5
ISBN-13: 978-0-375-84706-6
Publication Date: April, 2010
List Price: $416.99

Review: Suspenseful, adventurous, and exciting all describe Sofia Quintero’s Efrain’s Secret. The main characters are Efrain, his mom, Nestor, Candace, and Rubio. Efrain is a Puerto Rican boy who lives in the Bronx , and the story is described from his perspective on what happened in his very eventful senior year.

The story starts out with Efrain looking over the costs and requirements of going to Harvard University. After looking over them he decides that he is going to need more money and will have to get a higher score on his SAT’s to get in. His whole life has been dedicated to going to an Ivy League college; he became an honor student, tutored people who were academically challenged, and studied in most of his free time. Eventually he meets his old friend Nestor, a boy who dropped out of school and became a drug dealer. Nestor convinces Efrain to join him, saying that drug dealing would be the fastest way to make enough money to go to Harvard. He told Efrain to face it, his good-for-nothing father left his mom and would not be willing to pay for college and his mother is already struggling to put food on the table and a roof over their heads. Efrain takes on a double life - honor student by day, drug dealer by night - a life that only Nestor knows about. One day, he meets an African American girl from New Orleans named Candace, who has relocated due to Hurricane Katrina. Efrain and Candace fall in love. Will Efrain ever make it to Harvard University? Will Candace ever go home? All answers will be unveiled in Efrain’s Secret.

First of all, I think that Efrain’s Secret is an outstanding book. I like the part when Efrain sees the rating of the game that Nestor’s six-year-old brother, Melo, plays because I could relate to that experience. Efrain is shocked that such a young boy would be playing a mature game. The book is also very descriptive, so much to a point that I felt like I was with Efrain. Also, the author uses words that would be used by someone who lived in the ‘hood’. This makes the book seem more realistic and brings the plot to life. Some words of caution however, this book is for young adults. I recommend that readers should be over the age of thirteen to read this book because it contains a lot of strong language and adult humor. Finally, the general idea in the book – a person with the ability to go far, but without the resources – is a challenge many readers could identify with. Efrain shows how he’s willing to risk everything to achieve his dream. Overall, this book deserves five out of five stars.

Review written by Ohm (7th grade student).

We would like to thank Random House for providing a copy of Efrain's Secret for this review.

Have you read Efrain's Secret? How would you rate it?