Review: How Tia Lola Saved the Summer by Julia Alvarez

How Tia Lola Saved the Summer by Julia Alvarez. A Tia Lola Story.

Alfred A Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: May 2011
List Price: $15.99
ISBN-13: 9780375867279

Review: Summer breaks are for relaxing and having fun, right? Miguel thinks the same thing until he learns that Tia Lola's lawyer, Mr. Espada, and his three daughters are coming to visit. How will Miguel survive? He's shorter and not too fond of girls. How Tia Lola Saved the Summer by Julia Alvarez is a great book. This book is one book in the Tia Lola series. You can read it without reading the rest of the series. Can Tia Lola, his wonderful aunt, save Miguel's summer break?

Miguel is a young boy in elementary school. School has just let out for the year and he's looking forward to a nice, long, relaxing summer. He's disappointed to find out that three girls are coming to stay with his family. After his parents went through a divorce, Miguel is suffering. Three girls certainly can't do much good! It's up to Tia Lola to save the summer. As it turns out, she does, creating a summer camp. Tia Lola gives everybody swords, and they learn to remind themselves that they can overcome everything by looking at their swords. The girls love it and Miguel finally gets his wish: to have a real father again. Victor, the widowed father of the girls, Victoria, Esperanza, and Cari, befriends Miguel's mother. He decides to come and live with them in Vermont. Maybe Miguel will have a father after all! Join, Miguel, Vicky, Essie, Cari, and their dog, Valentino, in Tia Lola's summer camp, where Miguel finally learns to enjoy his summer.

The author, Julia Alvarez, does an excellent job of writing How Tia Lola Saved the Summer. She writes with solid understanding of the predicament she's writing about. She truly gets into the story and makes the reader feel the tough situations that everybody is struggling through. Her exceptional characters made the story really interesting to read. Tia Lola has the true qualities of a perfect aunt. She's caring and solves everybody's problems. Each chapter is about somebody's problem that Tia Lola solves in an interesting way, reflecting the author's ability for writing. It's an excellent book. All of the events are based off of what you might see every day over summer break, including catching tadpoles in the pond. Join the girls for a packed summer filled with fun, just ready to burst. I think the book is wonderful, just waiting for a young reader to open it and travel to a different world. I rate How Tia Lola Saved the Summer four out of five stars.

Review written by Colleen (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Random House for providing a copy of How Tia Lola Saved the Summer for this review.

Have you read How Tia Lola Saved the Summer? How would you rate it?

Review: The Screaming Stone by J. P. Osterman

The Screaming Stone by J. P. Osterman.

Infinity Publishing
Publication Date: April 2011
List Price: $16.95
ISBN-13: 9780741466051

Review: Every family has secrets, but the McCarten family has a few more than most. Irish folklore combined with lies and secrets that span generations comprise J. P. Osterman's middle-grade novel, The Screaming Stone . Marcie and her older, teenage cousin Robbie have a wild sense of adventure. Longing to be future spies, Robbie and Marcie work together to uncover their family's secrets in hopes that by finding the truth they will one day bring peace and order to the McCarten family.

Dysfunction lies deep in Marcie's family. Her mother suffers from untreated mental illness causing her to be distant and abusive. Under the care of her grandparents, Marcie finds solace, but it is not enough. Robbie, her closest ally, is a socially challenged teen. Although his awkwardness drives her crazy, he is the closest thing she has to a real friend. As the entire McCarten clan gathers together after the death of a relative, Robbie and Marcie stumble upon a key that might just unlock the secrets that haunt their family and find enough treasure to save their family's land. By studying Irish folklore and embarking on a treasure hunt, Robbie and Marcie find much more than they'd expected.

The Screaming Stone is an entertaining read for middle school children. Osterman uses Irish folklore well in helping to create a fascinating treasure hunt. Certainly the primary storyline is suspenseful as Marcie and Robbie hunt for hidden treasure. But, the supplemental storylines are equally compelling. Marcie's mother suffers from mental illness, though it is a mystery as to the source of her problems. Late in the story it becomes clear that she is schizophrenic, but there is a turning point in her life that seems to have put her over the edge. Part of the mystery is coming to terms with Marcie's mother and understanding the lies that have created her past. Plus, Robbie's character is interesting as well. The book never reveals what is behind Robbie's awkward behavior and mannerisms, but he seems to be somewhere on the autism spectrum. He is highly creative and inventive, but lacks the social skills needed to function in regular situations. Overall, these unique characters along with the mystery and suspense make The Screaming Stone a good book.

Only a few elements of the story are somewhat bothersome. The time period of the story is unclear. Upon reading a novel such as this, it is automatically assumed it is current unless the author makes the time period evident. However, this is not the case here. For some reason, this was trying as a reader. It isn't until the book is nearly halfway over that it becomes clear that the story takes place in the late 1960's or early 1970's. This is evident when they visit the library and use the card catalog (something of which today's middle school students have no knowledge) and when they watch the Red Skelton Hour on television - which ended in 1971. It is uncertain why the author chose this time period for the novel, and for that reason it probably would be better received if it were current so kids could relate to the characters better. A time period for historical fiction should have a purpose. Plus, the inconsistencies in Robbie's character are frustrating. For example, he is clearly very bright and reads books from the adult reference section of the library, but yet he is unable to read common words. While in the library, Robbie says

"Here's a book called The First Book of Caves. The subject card says it has ill-us-tra-tra-"

"Illustrations," I said, reading beside him.

Robbie is too bright to not be able to read such a common word. His behavior is also very inconsistent, which could be related to his "issues", however since they are never really explained that is frustrating as well. Being that it takes place in the early 1970's, autism was not the common word that it is today which might explain the author's avoidance of labeling Robbie's behavior disorder. Plus, schizophrenia along with most mental illnesses was not as understood during that time period which might explain the lack of treatment Marcie's mother receives. But, in the end, these are somewhat trivial concerns because the mystery, family dynamics - particularly with the grandfather, and lore make The Screaming Stone a solid book for kids to enjoy.

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

We would like to thank Infinity Publishing for providing a copy of The Screaming Stone for this review.

Have you read The Screaming Stone? How would you rate it?

Review: The Door in the Forest by Roderick Townley

The Door in the Forest by Roderick Townley.

Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: March 2011
List Price: $16.99
ISBN-13: 9780375856013

Review: An enchanted forest awaits readers in The Door in the Forest by Roderick Townley. Secrets lie beyond the door, as you can probably guess, hidden in the forest. Sure, you can find it, but the island it rests on is heavily guarded. Danny, Wesley, and Emily embark on a quest to get into the forest where magical events happen. Emily claims to have heard her mother talking to her at night. Is it true? Is her mother dead or alive? In The Door in the Forest, you can never tell what's going to happen next.

The Uncertainties are plaguing a small town called Everwood, where young Daniel and his brother Wesley live. Soldiers and people alike are arriving from the city for war. Soldiers are occupying the small farming town and driving the people out. They consume a huge amount of food and make the villagers angry. A new girl, Emily, arrives. With her, she brings new secrets that are revealed only to her closest friends, Danny and Wes. They find a sacred piece of paper that tells of a way to get onto the island, but a wicked and crazed captain takes it and it gets burned eventually. After getting onto the island, Emily is reunited with her mother, who was killed by the same soldiers who are occupying the town. Together, Daniel, Wes and Em come face to face with exotic creatures like white leapords and transforming cats that vanished a long time ago. Daniel soon realizes that the captain is trying to burn the whole town. Will Danny, Wes, and Em be able to do anything to stop him?

This is a very good, interesting book. The author wrote it with heaps of enthusiasm and did exceptionally well. It is a fascinating book about magical forests with transforming animals. However, I despise swearing, and there are several swear words throughout the book. But the author does a great job talking about wild creatures that don't exist. It is ery imaginative! Throughout the book, Roderick Townley does a really outstanding job using his imagination, and making the book appealing. He captures his reader's attention and makes them want to continue reading. I was entranced and I found the book irresistible. Enchanted forests don't really interest me, but if all the others were like this one, I'd definitely change my opinion. Like I said, Townley does a great job with his imagination, and the result is a magnificent book. Roderick Townley has a huge talent for writing, which was truly displayed in this book, The Door in the Forest. I'd rate it a four out of five stars.

Review written by Colleen (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Random House for providing a copy of The Door in the Forest for this review.

Have you read The Door in the Forest? How would you rate it?

Review: Game-Day Jitters by Rich Wallace

Game-Day Jitters by Rich Wallace. Kickers.

Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: January 2011
List Price: $12.99
ISBN-13: 9780375857577

Review: Game-Day Jitters is an amazing book, written by Rick Wallace and is part of the Kickers series. Ben is the main character, who has some pre-game soccer jitters. This book is amazing because of the way Rick Wallace makes the story progress. Any sports fan, especially a soccer lover, would love Game-Day Jitters.

Nervousness and excitement describe Game-Day Jitters by Rick Wallace. Ben is a 10 year old soccer player who has a big semi-championship and then an even bigger championship if they win that one. Focus, pass, and play like a team is what Ben always tells his team, but Ben doesn't follow his own advice when they are playing in the championship. Ben also gets to competitive with sports and since he got so competitive he loses a friend that really understands his sports dilemma. His brother Larry is also big on sports like cross country and at his meet Ben learns the meaning of a true friendship. Is he to late though? Has he lost his best friend forever?

To sum it all up the whole story is about a boy and his troubles with friends and soccer. Rick Wallace is a excellent writer. To demonstrate the relationships between the characters, he wrote, "He did look over a few times and I mimicked his favorite gesture, beating my chest and pointing." It's easy to get a sense for how characters feel. Anyone who loves sports would love this book, but especially soccer fans. Game-Day Jitters reminds me of when I play soccer and get competitive with someone on the other team. So go out play sports and read this book.

Review written by Caitlin (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Random House for providing a copy of Game-Day Jitters for this review.

Have you read Game-Day Jitters? How would you rate it?

Review: Dead Rules by Randy Russell

Dead Rules by Randy Russell.

HarperCollins Children's Books
Publication Date: June 2011
List Price: $16.99
ISBN-13: 9780061986703

Review: Imagine dying during a freak accident and then finding yourself walking and talking at a school, with other people around you. Jana Webster, of Webster and Haynes, is 16 years old and has died in a bowling accident. But instead of going to heaven like she has always imagined, she wakes up in a school bus, in strange clothes with strange people around her. Dead Rules by Randy Russel tells the story of what Jana Webster is willing to do to get her true love, Michael, back. She would kill (literally) to have him.

The story begins with Jana waking up on the school bus. She doesn't know where she is, who she is with, or where she is going. All she knows is she wants back is her beloved Michael. He is the one she was destined to be with, that much she is sure of. But the longer she is at the horrible Dead School, the more she begins to fall in love with the forbidden slider, Mars. Jana tries to be reunited with Michael but none of her schemes seem to work. So out of depression Jana tries to KILL Michael so they will be reunited. Little does Jana know that Michael has moved on and although Jana doesn't want to admit it, she herself has moved on too.

Dead Rules by Randy Russel is a wonderful book that is perfect for middle school and high school students that shows what some people are willing to do for their loved ones. For me the book was amazing. It started off at a good pace but got a little slow towards the middle but the pace was brought back up towards the end. Something exciting was almost always having and the book is a little suspenseful and left the reader anxious to look ahead. Dead Rules is very creative and full of laughs. The characters go well together and compliment each other's personalities. I give the book four stars out of five and would recommend it to everyone!

Review written by Samantha (6th grade student).

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

Have you read Dead Rules? How would you rate it?

Review: Young Fredle by Cynthia Voigt

Young Fredle by Cynthia Voigt.

Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: January 2011
List Price: $16.99
ISBN-13: 9780375864575

Review: Imagine being a tiny mouse living in fear of almost everything but food. What would you do if your family pushed you out of your nest and someone carried you outside to the wild? A young mouse named Fredle experiences this exact event after becoming sick from a mysterious and delicious food in the top of the pantry. This is the first event in a book titled Young Fredle, written by Cynthia Voigt. And it is a very exciting adventure book written in such a way that you could see it happening any time from 150 years ago to present day.

When Young Fredle the mouse is kicked out of his nest to 'went' after becoming sick, he is taken outside the kitchen and the house. This is the most important event in his life for it is his greatest (and only) adventure ever and it teaches him many important things that save his life. Fredle is a large kitchen mouse with a very troublesome sweet tooth. I like Fredle a lot because he is very good at learning just like me, even though his family and friends do not allow any change in their lives. He meets many people like field mice, cats, and a group of raccoons who try to eat him. He also meets a large snake and loads of cellar mice along his journey to return home, but the big question is will Fredle survive the journey?

Cynthia Voigt used figurative language very well; she didn't overuse it so that it took away from the story and made it confusing, and she didn't use too little making the story boring. The book was written very well, it could have taken place nearly any time in history. This is a very good factor because if someone likes books from a certain time period, they can just think it is in that period. That will let them enjoy reading the book more than if the author told them that they disliked. The plot is also very good because throughout the story there are times of calm, of excitement and moments of breakthrough. Cynthia Voigt filled the genre very well by including all of the necessary elements of an adventure novel- excitement, setting change, and suspense. The hook however is not very exciting or interesting, but after the first or second chapter, it gets much more interesting. The author described things very well; I could easily tell where the characters were and what the location looked like. The book is very well paced; it is not too slow or too fast the entire time, and it varied in speed appropriately throughout the book. By the time you have gotten to the last chapter you have a pretty good idea of how the book will end. Overall, the book is great; though I am a bit too old for the book, I still liked it. From the point of view of my age (12), I would rate it an 8 out of 10. If I were 10, which is probably the best age to read the book, I would most likely give it 10 out of 10. Readers near the recommended age of 10 will like or even love Young Fredle.

Review written by Noah (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Random House for providing a copy of Young Fredle for this review.

Have you read Young Fredle? How would you rate it?

Review: How Tia Lola Learned to Teach by Julia Alvarez

How Tia Lola Learned to Teach by Julia Alvarez. A Tia Lola Story.

Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: October 2010
List Price: $15.99
ISBN-13: 9780375864605

Review: Did you ever think that one person had the ability to influence and change a whole town? How Tia Lola Learned to Teach by Julia Alvarez is a great book. This is the story of how Tia Lola influenced a whole town just by helping everyone out in a small way. This is an amazing story about how Tia Lola, Miguel and Juanita's aunt, arouse their whole town.

In the story "How Tia Lola Learned to Teach ," Tia Lola helps out their whole town in many ways. In the beginning of the story, Tia Lola is called to volunteer at Miguel and Juanita's (her niece and nephew) elementary school. At first, Tia Lola does not know what she is being asked to do there. She is needed to help teach Spanish at the school. She is worried that she will not be able to teach because she never went to school. She stopped going to school when she was very young. Tia Lola does not want to volunteer at the school now that she knows she will be teaching there. Will Tia Lola get her courage and go teach at the school?

One more way that Tia Lola helps out the town is by helping a friend with his restaurant. She cooks for the restaurant and she gives dance lessons. Every Friday night, she teaches the customers of the restaurant a very special Mexican dance. She also cooks original Mexican food for them. Some customers come just to eat the food and also to learn the dance. This is the most special night of the week at the restaurant. Everyone loves it!

Another way that Tia Lola helps out the town is by helping one of her niece's friends. With the help of her niece Juanita, Tia Lola gives Juanita's friend, Ofie, a half birthday party because she is not allowed to have birthday parties. They turn a Spanish holiday, the carnival, into her half birthday party. For the carnival, they need costumes, so Juanita gives Ofie her old Halloween costume to use.

Another exciting thing that happens in this story is that the United States Department of Immigration sends Tia Lola a letter saying she has to leave the country and go back to the Dominican Republic. This means that she can no longer live in the United States because her visa has expired. The whole town is sad because she has helped out everyone in the town in some way. The letter says that she must go to the immigration center that week and leave. When the rest of the town hears this, they try to think of a way to convince the people at the Immigration Center to let Tia Lola to stay. To do this they all go to the immigration center on the day that Tia Lola is being asked to leave, and they tell the judge there how much Tia Lola helped out the town. They think that by telling him this, it will convince him into letting Tia Lola stay.

This is the second story out of four Tia Lola stories. I thought that this story was great. If I had to rate this story, I would give it a rating of 4.5 out of 5. This was an enjoyable story, and I would recommend it for children of all ages. If you like this story, you should read the other Tia Lola stories by Julia Alvarez.

Review written by Yahvi (5th grade student).

We would like to thank Random House for providing a copy of How Tia Lola Learned to Teach for this review.

Have you read How Tia Lola Learned to Teach? How would you rate it?

Review: Roots and Blues: A Celebration by Arnold Adoff

Roots and Blues: A Celebration by Arnold Adoff.

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Publication Date: January 2011
List Price: $17.99
ISBN-13: 9780547235547

Review: Culture isn't always the most interesting thing to read about, right? That's what I thought until I read Roots and Blues by Arnold Adoff. He really writes in an interesting way. This book is a collection of poems that relates what life was like for African Americans that worked on massive plantations. Since when did culture and social studies get so interesting?

Roots and Blues is a series of poems that relates what life was like for African Americans during the time where they were forced to do manual labor on plantations. It mixes their feelings through their music created during this time period and historical evidence on what was going on around that time period. In the beginning, the African people live in their native land. They're then put on the chain gang and brought to America. In America, they live under extremely harsh conditions, as described through the poems. African Americans invent a new style of music to convey their feelings, called the blues. They communicated their feelings through their music and others actually understood their thoughts. Soon, fabulous musicians appeared, some of which are still popular today. The blues brought people together and unified the African Americans through a time of terror and hate.

The author, Arnold Adoff, does a wonderful job of mysteriously conveying the feelings that the African Americans probably experienced during the time period discussed in the book. Through poems, he hints at what they felt and how they expressed their feelings through a new style of music called the blues. It leaves the reader trying to decode the words that are said. The author opens up paths of interpretation that the reader can follow. You can interpret it different ways, which makes the book fun to read. The author does a phenomenal job of writing this story. He shows heaps of enthusiasm through his writing. I like how the author communicates the feelings of the African American people through poems. By doing this, it helps the reader understand information in a fun and exciting way. Roots and Blues is an excellent book, and Adoff writes with exceptional experience and makes reading worthwhile. I rate this book five out of five possible stars.

Review written by Colleen (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for providing a copy of Roots and Blues: A Celebration for this review.

Have you read Roots and Blues: A Celebration? How would you rate it?

Review: Amelia Lost: The Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart by Candace Fleming

Amelia Lost: The Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart by Candace Fleming.

Schwartz & Wade Books
Publication Date: February 2011
List Price: $18.99
ISBN-13: 9780375841989

Review: On the day of July, 24, 1897 a hidden miracle happened. Amelia Earhart was born. A history maker, a time stopper, and a phenomenon were what made up the brave Amelia. There was one problem though, no one knew that. All they saw was a cute little baby. In the book titled Amelia Lost it tells of her brave accomplishments. The author Candace Fleming explains who Amelia Earhart really was, a brave woman. She tells of the funny times and the bad times of Amelia. However there has always been one question to be solved, what happened to Amelia Earhart?

If you were to live with Amelia in her childhood you would say that she was a boy. Obviously she was not. Still people thought she was. A good example is when in the winter at her grandmother's house instead of using one of the girl sleds she used the metal boy sleds. That almost made her spoiled because she just asked for one and she got it. Then, when she got home to her parents house one year she got a .22 rifle. Her mother was terrified but her dad said it was fine. With that gun she shot rabbits, squirrels, rats, birds, and all the small game she could find. From then on she became independent, smart, and eventually an adult. In her teens she started to think more of what she wanted to be. One day she saw an airplane and said she wanted to become a pilot. Not one person believed in her. None of that let her down. One day she said she was going to fly around the world. That year Amelia did. Her Family her friends and most of all her crew were all waiting for her. Overall Amelia's crew was the most important because they were responsible for filling her gas tank up. The head of the crew Chief Leo Bellarts kept trying to contact Amelia. But, every time he tried there was no response. When worst came to worst he gave up. Amelia Earhart was gone.

Amelia Lost is a stupendous book. Personally the best books I have ever read. One great part was when they were trying to find her because it was full of suspense. I thought they were going to find her but I knew no one would. An amazing part was when they kept talking about how small the boat was where Amelia had to fill her tank up but how no one could see something so small, even the most skillful pilots. Out of five stars I rate this book with five stars and that is because most non-fiction books sound like textbooks but this one never did. In fact, it actually feels like you are Amelia sometimes. Also, I say this because I really like books like that because it helps the reader to keep reading not stray away to another book. It is a great book for readers ten and up. Mainly because you need to have to have a lot of background knowledge of Amelia Earhart. In the end it is a very inspiring book. If you have not read Amelia Lost you are missing out on a lot.

Review written by Zain (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Random House for providing a copy of Amelia Lost: The Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart for this review.

Have you read Amelia Lost: The Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart? How would you rate it?

Review: Teenie by Christopher Grant

Teenie by Christopher Grant.

Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: December 2010
List Price: $16.99
ISBN-13: 9780375861918

Review: Suspenseful, riveting, exciting, unexpected, tragic, heart-breaking… all words to describe Teenie, by Christopher Grant. In this book, a young girl named Martine (people call her "Teenie" as a nickname) has several problems occurring in her life, such as her best friend Cherise and the internet love whom she has never met, the guy of her dreams, and a nasty bully coming after her. On top of all of this, Martine also has to get her grades high enough to attend YASSAP, an exchange program for extremely educated kids. Teenie is a marvelous book for readers who are ages 14 years olds or higher and is a book readers can easily relate to.

Martine begins as a geeky girl who just started high school as freshman. One day, when she decides to dress all pretty for school after getting her braces taken off, the guy she has like for the longest time comes up to her and begins to talk to her. Not only that, but Martine realizes that how she looked and acted before, needs a huge adjustment. So she completely changes her look. Martine has also been working extremely hard to get into this exchange program for YSSAP. So, Martine has to worry about the guy she likes, the way she looks, and her grades (just like any other teenage girl). But then, Martine's best friend Cherise is actually going to go out and meet "Big Daddy", that's what Cherise and Martine call Cherise's online boyfriend. Martine gets nervous for Cherise because so many signs point to danger in a situation like this, so when Chehrise almost got herself into grave danger, Martine loses her best friend. On top of all of this, the guy Martine has liked for the longest time turns out to not be what she expected. And because of this guy, a major bully is after Martine too. Teenie is a fantastic book and describes how Martine gets through all of these situations in her life.

There are some really good aspects to this book, but there are also a few negatives. First, it explains the main characters growth and development very well, and some people may be able to relate to some of the events that take place. The book also contains some lessons to be learned and how Martine uncovers those lessons out the hard way teaches kids these lessons even more. The book is suspenseful and always had me guessing, and it is very riveting. I always looked forward to reading Teenie. Although, some readers should be cautioned because some chapters are very inappropriate for kids under 14 years of age, and there is some foul language in this book. Otherwise, this book is really good.

I rate Teenie with four stars.

Review written by Abby (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Random House for providing a copy of Teenie for this review.

Have you read Teenie? How would you rate it?

Review: The Queen of Water by Laura Resau & Maria Virginia Farinango

The Queen of Water by Laura Resau & Maria Virginia Farinango.

Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: March 2011
List Price: $16.99
ISBN-13: 9780385738972

Review: What do you think of when you're thinking about queens? Do you think of the rich, famous, and elegant? Or do you think of the smart, charming, and powerful? Well, with this queen, those descriptions are completely opposite. She is an indigenous, poor girl in Ecuador. And, she isn't the Queen of England or France, but Water! The Queen of Water is Maria Virginia Farinango. She is actually a real person, and this is a true story. Maria's life story is told by the authors, Laura Resau and Maria Virginia Farinango.

Maria Virginia Farinango, or "Virginia," is an indigenous, farmer in Ecuador. She is only seven years old when she is taken to be a servant for a "mestiza," or higher-class person. There she stays and grows up. During her time there, her master "La Doctorita" beats her many times and makes her learn Spanish. "La Doctorita's" husband, "Niño Carlitos" treats Virginia much nicer, when he isn't drunk. As she is growing up, she learns how to read, write, and learns about science. Soon, when Virginia is fifteen years old, she leaves "La Doctorita" and "Niño Carlitos" and goes back to her family. Unfortunately, she doesn't remember much of her original language, so communication is hard. But she still goes to school, gets a job, and makes friends. Soon she moves out and goes to live in the hotel in which she works. Virginia quickly is at the head of her class in school, and eventually she competes in a beauty pageant where she is crowned, "The Queen of Water!"

The Queen of Water is one of the best books I've ever read! It's amazing how it is a true story! The Queen of Water shows us how other cultures work and how we are very lucky to have what we have. The authors did a phenomenal job with descriptions; it's like you're actually with Virginia as things happen! The character development really grew quickly in every sentence. Virginia starts out as a poor uneducated girl, and grows into an intelligent young woman. I love the fact that the characters and places are so realistic. After you read the book and walk outside, you feel like you just walked out of a whole other world. The greatest part about this story is that it's true; it actually happened! The Queen of Water might be a more interesting or relatable story for girls because it talks about the physical development of girls. But in general it is a great book fro everyone to read. I give this book two thumbs up!

Review written by Savannah (6th grade student).

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

Have you read The Queen of Water? How would you rate it?

Review: Crawling with Zombies by Gerry Conway

Crawling with Zombies by Gerry Conway. The Hardy Boys: The New Case File.

Papercutz
Publication Date: October 2010
List Price: $10.99
ISBN-13: 9781597072205

Review: I'll wager that you've never seen Joe Hardy as a zombie before! That all changes in Crawling with Zombies by Gerry Conway. This is the first book out of a new graphic novel series called The Hardy Boys The New Case Files based off Franklin W. Dixon's original Hardy Boys. Unlike the original, this book is a graphic novel. Frank and Joe once again will track down dangerous criminals as the world's favorite undercover team.

Frank and Joe Hardy are back! In Crawling with Zombies, they must once again track down ruthless criminals. Local teenagers are having "zombie fests" where teens dress up as zombies and terrorize local establishments. Usually, they're harmless. This time, some have almost died and endangered others in the process. Some unknown force is driving them and controlling them. Join the most famous undercover team of the century in tracking down the unknown force compelling the teenagers. Frank and Joe get in with the crowd by dressing up with the teenagers and mysterious events start to unfold. Join these two brothers as they track down criminals and bring them to justice.

Gerry Conway does an excellent job writing Crawling with Zombies. Don't be alarmed by the cover; it's just make-up tricks and false masks to make teenagers look like zombies! I was hooked right away. The Hardy Boys by Franklin W. Dixon were always some of my favorite books. This is the first book in a series and is based on The Hardy Boys. Gerry Conway does an excellent job of writing the story and imitates the way that the original author wrote. He's enthusiastic and makes the plot interesting and compelling to read. Paulo Henrique is the illustrator of this comic and does very well illustrating. The masks look very realistic in the book and make it interesting to read. Join these two brothers as Frank and Joe once again track down dangerous criminals and bring them to justice.

Review written by Colleen (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Papercutz for providing a copy of Crawling with Zombies for this review.

Have you read Crawling with Zombies? How would you rate it?

Review: Daddy-Long-Legs by Jeanne Webster

Daddy-Long-Legs by Jeanne Webster. Looking Glass Library.

Random House Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: January 2011
List Price: $10.99
ISBN-13: 9780375868283

Review: Letters, money and pictures. Daddy-Long-Legs by Jean Webster shows the importance of education and values through letters involving Jerusha Abbot (Judy) and a benevolent and wealthy trustee.

Daddy-Long-Legs begins with Jerusha as a seventeen year old in an orphanage asylum. Because her high school grades (particularly her writing) are very high, she gets to go to college. So, a wealthy trustee gives Judy a chance for college with only one requirement; that she writes to him monthly about her education and life. Daddy-Long-Legs is the nickname she gives the mysterious trustee. Throughout her schooling, Judy faithfully writes Daddy-Long-Legs, sharing with him the good and the bad. She writes about her struggles in school and about her wonderful trip to Lock Willow farm for the summer. She even tells him about Jimmy McBride, a boy she's come to like. After completing her education, Jerusha gets a wonderful surprise - she gets to finally meet Daddy-Long-Legs - her wealthy trustee.

Although I didn't enjoy this book much, you might. Daddy-Long-Legs was probably intended to be read by 8-12 year old girls. Unfortunately, I'm not a girl, but if I were, I would most likely rate Daddy-Long-Legs a 4 out of 5. You do need to read the book to find out why she calls him Daddy-Long-Legs because that is interesting. Something that I didn't enjoy in reading this book is the format the author used, mostly because the book is totally written through letters. Plus, in one of the letters, Jerusha uses French, instead of English, which makes it hard to decipher. However, the storyline is the second best part of the whole book. In other words, the story is good, but the fact that Jean Webster wrote it as a bunch of letters was distracting to the plot. I do know, though that a lot of people love reading books like that, so if you enjoy reading letters, it's the book for you. My favorite part of the book is the pictures that she draws in her letters to Daddy-Long-Legs.

Review written by Michael (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Random House for providing a copy of Daddy-Long-Legs for this review.

Have you read Daddy-Long-Legs? How would you rate it?

Review: The Storm Before Atlanta by Karen Schwabach

The Storm Before Atlanta by Karen Schwabach.

Random House Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: December 2010
List Price: $16.99
ISBN-13: 9780375858666

Review: Suspense, courage, and dedication are three words that describe The Storm Before Atlanta by Karen Schwabach. It is 1863, and eleven year old Jeremy has one goal. He wants to be a drummer boy for the union army, so he can die a glorious death. His plans are off to a great start, but the closer he gets to dying while fighting the wars, the more he wants to live. As the campaign to take Atlanta rages on, Jeremy meets many new friends. One friend is Dulcie, a slave that has run away from her owner and joined the union army. They are faced with many threats of being killed or enslaved, and they are pushed to survive dozens of life or death situations. After surviving many battles, they arrive at the battle to take the confederate headquarters, Atlanta.

The Storm Before Atlanta captures issues of race, class, and courage. The story especially captures thoughts and emotions on slavery from both sides of the war. The author is so descriptive, which makes it easy to put yourself in the situations. For example, the story tells of the whoosh of cannon balls and the hot smoke of blazing rifles as Jeremy enters his first battle. The characters in the book have well developed personalities that change as the book progresses. For instance, Dulcie, who hates white people at the start of the book, had become great friends with a white boy named Jeremy. The Storm Before Atlanta is full of action that will keep you interested. In almost every chapter, something surprising happens. The story is so captivating that it made me wish it had an epilogue. The Storm Before Atlanta deserves five out of five stars.

Review written by Zach (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Random House for providing a copy of The Storm Before Atlanta for this review.

Have you read The Storm Before Atlanta? How would you rate it?