Review: Operation Oleander by Valerie O. Patterson

Operation Oleander by Valerie O. Patterson.

Clarion Books
Publication Date: March 2013
List Price: $16.99
ISBN-13: 9780547244372

Review: Troops, bomb. The words in my head repeat like music that won't stop. At the bottom of the TV screen the words 'BREAKING NEWS' blare in red letters." Operation Oleander by Valerie O. Patterson has many suspenseful moments like this that keep you reading until the end. The main character of this book is a thirteen-year-old girl named Jess, whose father is enlisted in Afghanistan. She will make events such as this one leave you eagerly waiting to see what will happen next. Jess will additionally cause you to really love this book, just like I did.

On a pleasant morning, government men surprisingly show up at Jess' house to inform the family that a bomb went off in Afghanistan. They tell Jess and her family that her father is injured, and two other American soldiers are dead, one including her friend, Meriwether's mother. Later in the day, Jess goes to set up the Operation Oleander donation table. All of the donations go to an orphanage in Afghanistan, so they can pay for supplies to get an education. Today, it seems as if people don't appreciate it as much because of the bomb. Therefore, she leaves to visit Meriwether, who was not in a good mood at all. Meriwether gave Jess a feeling she didn't want to be her friend anymore. Will Jess ever be able to start Operation Oleander again, and will she reclaim her friendship with Meriwether?

Operation Oleander is a book that certainly keeps you on your toes. For example, when Jess debates whether or not her dad really is okay when she talks to him over the phone. On top of this, Valerie O. Patterson creates a very inspiring plot, one that many readers 10 years and older would enjoy, and not be able to put down. Operation Oleander is intended for this age for a few reasons. First, there are a couple parts where kids might not understand if they don't have insight about wars between countries. In particular, when Jess' mom tells her that her dad suffers shrapnel being in his eye, people might not know what shrapnel is. Secondly, there are some intense situations, such as when Meriwether tells Jess, "If it wasn't for you, my mom wouldn't have been at that stupid orphanage in the first place." However, the vocabulary isn't too complicated, with only some words such as casualties and fulfillment, so it would be a comfortable read for kids this age. In addition, if you read at fair level, it wouldn't be a long read only being 187 pages. Likewise, some students that read at a lower level may think this is a long book. Furthermore, the theme of this book is if something goes wrong, you should still try to keep with it. This can be a very important message to people of all ages, especially kids, who are discouraged easily. The main character, Jess will compel you to get up and try to resolve your problem. For instance, when someone detours around the Operation Oleander donation table, Jess has to find out what she can do better so people appreciate it again. Besides that, she could just make you want to start helping others, like she did for the orphans. I doubt that readers will disagree--- Operation Oleander is a great novel, and I would definitely read it again!

Review written by Amber (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Houghton Mifflin for providing a copy of Operation Oleander for this review.

Have you read Operation Oleander? How would you rate it?

Review: Arrival by Chris Morphew

Arrival by Chris Morphew. Book 1 of The Phoenix Files.

Kane Miller
Publication Date: October 2013
List Price: $6.99
ISBN-13: 9781610670913

Review: You just moved to Phoenix, you learn the world will be destroyed in 100 days; a crazy hobo is your only guide to save the world. The police are after you. How would you react? In Chris Morphew's book Phoenix Files Arrival, a group of friends find themselves in that situation. But this is only the beginning of the adventure. Phoenix Files Arrival is only the first book in the exciting new Phoenix Files series.

"Saving the world and super powered hobos", this is Luke's life. Luke is an average boy who has just moved to Phoenix. Since he had been here he suspected something was weird about Phoenix. Could it be the security officers all around the town, or the fact that the neighborhood hobo has sent Luke, Peter, and his other friend Jordan some hard evidence? Evidence that the head of security is plotting against the human race and will annihilate the world in 100 days. After all that has happened a secret meeting is established between the hobo, Luke, Peter, and Jordan to discuss saving the world. At that meeting, the police come and try to arrest the hobo, but the hobo didn't go down without a fight. He also gave Luke, Peter and Jordan clues to a hidden map. The map gives Peter and Jordan the location to two places that give them information needed to save the world. But can they overcome all the obstacles in their way to save the world?

Suspense, action, and a crazy hobo, all you can ask for in a book. To me, the Phoenix Files Arrival was an extraordinary book. I loved this book because of all the suspense. The following passage is an example of the adventure: "It was all real. Every last stomach-churning bit. And Ms. Pryor knew it." The many cliffhangers kept me turning the pages. The creative plot and interesting characters gave the book depth. I especially liked when Luke, Peter and Jordan were faced with a new dilemma that could lead to disaster with any small mistake. For instance, when they were sneaking around in top-secret facilities. The action came into play when the mischievous Luke, Peter, Jordan and the hobo got together in the meeting at the airport. In addition, more action ensued when the hobo became imprisoned behind bars. I would recommend this book for anyone fourth grade to seventh grade student. I think this because although I loved the book, it may be harder to process when you are smaller or too easy when you are older. I think that some of the words are too advanced for littler kids, like Òcohort.Ó I also think the book would be good for a boy, or any girl who likes action and fast-paced novels. I also believe that this story would be good for any reader who likes inspiring characters. The characters in the story are inspiring because they take on the world even with all of the events going on in their own lives. For example, Luke's parents divorced. I believe that taking on the world is an important quality in a character that I think all stories should have. My final reason why I love this book is because of Chris Morphew's excellent writing style. ÒIf this thing is legit, we could be in serious trouble,Ó and ÒThen a shoulder collided with my face and I was suddenly on the ground.Ó These are examples of how Chris Morphew creates suspense. To me, the suspense that was created tied the story together. All in all, I loved Phoenix Files Arrival, and I encourage you to read this remarkable book.

Review written by Sam (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Kane Miller for providing a copy of Arrival for this review.

Have you read Arrival? How would you rate it?

Review: The Caged Graves by Dianne K. Salerni

The Caged Graves by Dianne K. Salerni.

Clarion Books
Publication Date: May 2013
List Price: $16.99
ISBN-13: 9780547868530

Review: In Catawissa, sometimes the dead don't stay where you put them. This is merely one suspenseful quote from Caged Graves, the excellent book by Dianne K. Salerni.

The book begins when Verity Bonne, a teenage girl, returns to her hometown, Catawissa, Pennsylvania in 1867 to meet her soon-to-be husband face-to-face for the very first time. At this point, it all goes wrong. When Verity arrives in Pennsylvania, everything doesn't go as planned. She has a distant relationship with her father, Nate's not all what he seemed in his letters, and some shocking news is revealed about her mother and aunt's death. While in Catawissa, Verity goes to see her mother's grave and finds that it is caged along with her aunt's grave. She wants to find answers to everything. Some mysterious events happen that lead up to all of the answers such as on the Fourth of July, two men almost kidnapped Verity, because of the reason her mom and aunt's graves are covered in cages. During the story, a close relationship forms between Verity and another guy even when Verity is engaged. Who will she end up with? At the end of the story, Verity, her aunt, and two of her cousins are put in serious danger and Verity learns some very shocking and tragic news. All of the cliffhanging events lead to tough decisions and even put Verity in serious mortal peril.

Caged Graves by Dianne K. Salerni is a magnificent book that leads to turn every page you read. Although there is a negative side to this book, and that is the many challenging, very accelerated, and some slightly inappropriate words for some people. Caged Graves' storyline is intended for girls more than boys because of some of the events that occur during the story such as the romance and some of the small events that happen. However, there are some parts that boys may enjoy, such as the parts that include some gory details. I would recommend this book to girls 7th grade or higher because of the accelerated words and some of the gory, and mysterious events. Caged Graves is definitely a blend of mystery, fantasy, and realistic fiction. In the book, there is a lot of violence involved at the end of the story, for example "Clasping it in both hands, she turned around and fired it" and "There was blood everywhere." There are many cliffhangers, especially the suspense of it all when Verity is figuring out why her mother and aunt's graves are caged. There are elements of witchcraft, buried treasures, grave robbers, gory violence and kidnapping involved. In my opinion, the book was a little too violent and intense closer to the end of the story; otherwise Caged Graves couldn't get any better. I really enjoyed the all the suspense that kept me at the edge of my seat. All in all, I thought that Cages Graves was a marvelous book to have read and the author, Dianne K. Salerni, did a wonderful job writing this book!

Review written by Chloe (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Clarion Books for providing a copy of The Caged Graves for this review.

Have you read The Caged Graves? How would you rate it?

Review: The Short Seller by Elissa Brent Weissman

The Short Seller by Elissa Brent Weissman.

Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: May 2013
List Price: $15.99
ISBN-13: 9781442452558

Review: Maybe you should call a lawyer. Mrs. Sachs said, "Dad needed a lawyer? Was he going to jail?" The book The Short Seller is an excellent book written by Elissa Brent Weissman. The main character is Lindy Sachs, and she is a very ordinary girl until strange events occur.

The year starts off as a normal year for Lindy. Then, all of a sudden, she gets sick with mono (short for mononucleosis). Mono is a disease when you get a sore throat and you feel very tired all the time. So since she is at home all day and has nothing to do, her father asks her if she can trade a stock for him. Once she made the trade, she thought that it was fun. So she asked her dad if she could borrow $100 to trade stocks of her own. Her father said that he would talk with her mom about it. They decided that it was okay for her to make trades. She got the money, but since Lindy still had the information on her parents' account from when she made the trade for her dad. She went into it and took the money without her parents knowing, but then the stock market took a big plunge, and she lost all of the money that she took from her parents. How will she ever get all of the money back in time before they notice it is missing?

When you read The Short Seller, you will find that you have been glued to the book because in every chapter there is something that leaves you wanting to read on. Also, another element that I liked about the book The Short Seller is that I can relate to Lindy because she is in accelerated classes and in middle school, just like I am. This is also a good book because things always happen when you least expect them to happen. For example, when Lindy was sleeping for long hours and nobody knew what was happening to her, the doctor said, "I was afraid it might be mono". Nobody expected her to have mononucleosis. I also learned some new information. For example, when Lindy got sick, I didn't know that there was such a thing as mononucleosis. I also learned that some actions in the stock trading market could be illegal, even though it doesn't seem like they are illegal. This is a good book for ages 10 and up because there are sophisticated topics in the book such as the stock market, and younger kids might not understand trading on the stock market. In conclusion, I enjoyed this book The Short Seller, and I hope to read more books by Elissa Brent Weissman.

Review written by Veronica (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Atheneum Books for providing a copy of The Short Seller for this review.

Have you read The Short Seller? How would you rate it?

Review: Written in Stone by Rosanne Parry

Written in Stone by Rosanne Parry.

Random House Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: June 2013
List Price: $16.99
ISBN-13: 9780375869716

Review: Just a daddy's girl who likes to stay inside? You better think again. Written in Stone by Rosanne Perry is an interesting book. The main characters are Pearl, a tween girl, Henry, a teen boy, and Mr. Glen, a grown man. This book is full of so many interesting things about Indians' lives and has so many cool phrases in the Indian language, like "Nah-gwee-nau" and "Oo-nu-gwee-nau".

The year was 1923, and Pearl was waiting on the shore for the whalers to come back from their trip. Pearl was so excited for their return, but things started going wrong. A man wants to buy masks and their artifacts to display at the museum, but are the masks what he's really looking for? Pearl knows something's going on, and she wants to get to the bottom of it before it's too late. Will it be too late?

There are many reasons why you should read Written in Stone. In particular, I liked the part when Pearl found out about why Mr. Glen was at their land and what mischief he was up to. A close second was the part when Pearl was really brave and threw the shell from her mom's blanket into the ocean. It was really brave for her to do that because she loves and cares about her mom a lot, and that's hard for her to do. That's the only part of her mom that she has left. I didn't like the parts when she was on the boat because for about a whole page or so, it talked about her riding on the boat, which is boring to the reader. In summary, I would recommend this book to anybody who likes mysteries because of all the little mysteries there are to find out the big mystery in the end.

Review written by Ashlynn (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Random House for providing a copy of Written in Stone for this review.

Have you read Written in Stone? How would you rate it?

Review: I am Jack by Susanne Gervay

I am Jack by Susanne Gervay.

Kane Miller
Publication Date: March 2013
List Price: $5.99
ISBN-13: 9781610671286

Review: Butt head! That is the sound of school for Jack. I Am Jack is a compelling story written by Susanne Gervay. In this book, Susanne really makes it hard to stop flipping pages.

The story kicks off with a perfect life; Jack is living with his mom, his sister and four days a week with his mom's boyfriend. He has friends inside and outside school, until one day when someone named George Hamel calls Jack, "Butt head." Then everyone starts calling Jack, "Butt head". Soon after, his friends stop playing with him. All he has left is just his family and the only friend that wouldn't betray him, Anna. He is also afraid that if he tells his mom, she might miss work and could get fired. Let alone that he hardly has much time to speak to her about anything. In I Am Jack, the author really engages the reader and makes it hard to stop flipping from page to page.

I Am Jack is a very good story. People in 4th, 5th, and 6th grade probably will like it, however, a younger or older person might disagree because of either the vocabulary or storyline. Also, a girl might not like it as much as a boy, (because of how this book is worded) but this book is still great for both gender. It will also be easier to understand if a bullied person, a bystander, or a former bully reads this book. This book also supports anti-bulling environment by showing what it feels like. In addition, this is one of those books that make you feel like you are in it. Readers will empathize and think about what it would feel like to be in Jack's situation. I Am Jack by Susanne Gervay gets four out of 5 stars, in my opinion, for its detailed descriptions and its fantastic storyline.

Review written by John (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Kane Miller for providing a copy of I am Jack for this review.

Have you read I am Jack? How would you rate it?

Review: The Flame in the Mist by Kit Grindstaff

The Flame in the Mist by Kit Grindstaff.

Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: April 2013
List Price: $16.99
ISBN-13: 9780385742900

Review: There's evil a-comin from the hill. If the mist doesn't get you the Agromods will. A Flame In The Mist by Kit Grindstaff takes place in Anagliva and will have you hanging on every word, on every page.

In Anglvia, the sun never shines. Jemma lives within a web of lies. She is not who she thinks she is. With Her rats, two magical crystals, her stone, and a timeline related to her powers, Jemma must make a decision that could change everything forever.

I absolutely loved this book. I believe that it is intended for both girls and boys. Girls would enjoy this book because it is about a girl and you can hear her thoughts and feelings, like when Jemma has a reoccurring nightmare that haunts her dreams. However, for the boys, there is a lot of conflict and fighting like when Jemma is lost in the dark forest with monsters and the mist fighting her at every turn. Certain grim parts might scare children younger than 5th grade. For instance, an important character has to cut off a body part to stay alive. I would suggest this book for 5th grade and older because of some of the gloominess in some of the chapters, but anyone older would enjoy it a lot. It is a relatively long book, 449 pages, so if you do not like longer books, this book would not be for you. Also if you do not like fiction, this book would not be for you. The plot will keep you hooked most definitely, because there is danger around every corner. Over all, I loved this book and I hope you will give it a try!

Review written by Clare (6th grade student).

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

Have you read The Flame in the Mist? How would you rate it?

Review: Every Day After by Laura Golden

Every Day After by Laura Golden.

Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: June 2013
List Price: $15.99
ISBN-13: 9780385743266

Review: I will sacrifice what ever it takes to keep my Mama away from the mental asylum and ME out of an orphanage, Lizzie explained. Lizzie Hawkins is a 12-year-old girl who lives in Alabama, southern Alabama with a lot of people counting on her, especially her mother. This is the book of the century. The bank is about to take Lizzie's house. She must now figure out how to keep the bank from taking her house. But, how?

Lizzie Hawkins has a very harsh life of her own. Lizzie's dad could not handle all of the stress of debt and the bank threatening to take their home, so he left them. Her mother has gone into a very deep depression, due to this, and can no longer take care of Lizzie. Lizzie is now left with the bank, her mother, and the house resting on her shoulders. The town's psychologist wants to see her mom to make sure she's okay. Lizzie cannot let the doctor see her mother in the condition that she is in right now; therefore she is doing whatever it takes to distract him away from her mother. She is very apprehensive that he will take her to a mental asylum and Lizzie to an orphanage, where she belongs. Can Lizzie keep her house without any help at all? All hope is lost for Lizzie and her mother. Lizzie must now figure out how to pay the bills, take care of her mother, and conquer the most difficult challenge of her life.

Laura Golden's elaborative and engaging novel makes you feel like you are actually in the story feeling all of the character's emotions and struggles throughout the book. Every time you start a new chapter, you learn more and more about each character's complex thoughts, decisions and actions. Now, some readers might struggle and may feel that the vocabulary is impenetrable. Also, Golden shows the solitary struggles that Lizzie Hawkins goes through each and every day. The author develops each and every character very meticulously which made your eyes just keep moving and I couldn't put it down, no matter how hard I tried! Lizzie learns that it's ok to, "É. play the cards your dealt," and it's fine if you need to ask for help every once an awhile. Or in other words, when you are faced with a problem, you should not get frustrated, but figure out ways that you can improve the situation. She teaches us that there are always other things that we can do to improve the hardship that we are faced with. You don't always have to solve the problem in one try. I believe that this book is meant for any one who likes books inspirational characters, vivid, outspoken characters and themes as you go through the book. I think that it would be meant for ages 9 to 14 because of some of the books intricate scenarios. This novel gives you a reason to turn mighty sour lemons into sweet lemonade!

Review written by Anneliese (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Random House for providing a copy of Every Day After for this review.

Have you read Every Day After? How would you rate it?

Review: Lives of the Scientists by Kathleen Krull & Kathryn Hewitt

Lives of the Scientists by Kathleen Krull & Kathryn Hewitt. A Lives of Book.

Harcourt Childrens Books
Publication Date: July 2013
List Price: $20.99
ISBN-13: 9780152059095

Review: In the informational book, The Lives of the Scientists, by Kathleen Krull contains information about famous people like Albert Einstein. The book is a series of biographies. It has been a favorite for twenty years.

According to Marie Curie we should "Be less curious about people and more curious about ideas." Albert Einstein said "Mozart's music is so pure and beautiful that I see it as a reflection of the inner beauty of the universe itself." Edwin Hubble wrote to his former classmates that he was busy "toying with such minor matters as the structure of the universe."

The scientist in this book that I most admire is Albert Einstein. I like him best because he was both a musician and a scientist. Albert Einstein had dropped out of high school but he was very intelligent so he accomplished much including learning how to play the violin. However, he was not always successful such as in his family life. He said, "I have not bestowed the same care to understanding people as to understanding science." At the age of 54, Einstein fled Nazi Germany.

I would recommend this book for anybody who likes science. It tells very interesting things about scientists. Also, people who just want to know facts about scientists would enjoy this book. The book includes biographical information on scientists and especially provides information about the inventions they made while they were alive. If you are not fully interested in science, don't read this book. Otherwise, you can fully enjoy this book. Accelerated readers interested in science and scientists will definitely enjoy this book.

Review written by Todd (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Houghton Mifflin for providing a copy of Lives of the Scientists for this review.

Have you read Lives of the Scientists? How would you rate it?

Review: Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein.

Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: June 2013
List Price: $15.99
ISBN-13: 9780375870897

Review: You will be given the chance to play a brand-new game, Mr. Lemoncello said. Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library is a fun-filled book written by Chris Grabenstein. Kyle Keeley, Mr. Lemoncello, and Kyle's friend, Akimi, are all the main characters in the story. This book is a puzzler for everyone.

You may think that Kyle is just spending his weekend in a library with his friends, playing a brand-new game. Well, you're wrong. When Mr. Lemoncello tells the kids that they will be competing against each other to be on all of his toy commercials, the whole weekend gets turned around. Kyle and his friends must find clues in the library to help them escape, but, of course, there has to be someone in the way of Kyle winning the prize. Charles Chilington gets in Kyle's way during the whole competition. Kyle fights for the chance to be in Mr. Lemoncello's commercials. Will Charles Chilington beat Kyle and his teammates before noon?

Chris Grabenstein's book is a fun puzzler for any gender because in the story, it never is too boyish even though the main character is a boy. The book doesn't talk about any girly things in particular. Girls might want to read this book too, since there is no violence either. Grabenstein's clues in the story always leave a cliffhanger for you and the characters. You never know what will end up happening. The author made Kyle to be a character that will never give up. Based on how the story goes, it makes you hunger to know what happens next. I think this story would be a good choice for kids from fourth to sixth grade because it has some difficult vocabulary that younger kids might not understand. For instance, it says in the story, "Éparticular periodical." Those words may be hard for kids under the age of nine or ten. Grabenstein leaves you with so many cliffhangers in the story; it's hard to put the book down. This book always forced me to keep going, so I can find out what happens next. Also, Grabenstein describes Kyle's challenges and frustrations so well, the reader could empathize and feel how Kyle feels. On the other hand, some readers might get bored at certain points in the story, perhaps when there is a lull in the action. The theme of the story is illustrated by Kyle and his friends who show that it's not about winning, it's about having fun. All in all, I think Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library deserves an A+ for its descriptive writing.

Review written by Jessica (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Random House for providing a copy of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library for this review.

Have you read Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library? How would you rate it?

Review: The Dragon at the North Pole by Kate Klimo

The Dragon at the North Pole by Kate Klimo. A Dragon Keeper Book.

Random House Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: September 2013
List Price: $15.99
ISBN-13: 9780375870668

Review: Do you believe in fairy tales? Kate Klimo hands us this wonderful new book, extending the Dragon Keeper series further in The Dragon at the North Pole, as part 6 of the adventures, following Jesse, Daisy, and Emmy across their journeys.

In Goldmine city, Emerald the Dragon is convinced, that if it snows, Santa Claus will come. However, Dragon Keepers Daisy and Jesse said that in Denver, it never snows. When they wake up, the see Emmy left a note, saying that she has gone to help Santa Claus. To the Dragon Keepers' surprise, they see a giant swath of snow everywhere. Daisy and Jesse ask the Professor (Remove the part in parenthesis: The name is unknown) online about the North Pole. Of course, to the Professor's dramatic power, the only information the two youngsters get is that the North Pole gets many distasteful and dangerous creatures; this won't stop Jesse and Daisy from protecting Emmy. When they arrive at the North Pole, Santa is there along with Emmy. However, Jesse eavesdropped on Santa talking to Emerald, and hears something about the Dragon Egg interceptor. Is there something more behind this then they might think there be?

The Dragon at the North Pole is a fantastic book, capable of confining readers to its pages. It has no stereotypes, absolutely original, suspenseful, including sub-plots tied together with well-developed ideas. The characters were multidimensional, changing and growing, seemingly empty of stereotyped characters. Daydreamers and fantasy fanatics would like these, and this one is included. I thought The Dragon at the North Pole had most of the things I hunt around for in a good book. The characters were believable, original, and well rounded. However, some characters appear to be static and remain unchanged. The plot went along smoothly, using a good pace from scene to scene, showing simple text, and was very easy to understand. It appears to be perfect for the kids who finished the Magic Tree House stories but aren't quite ready for Harry Potter. The well-developed ideas made the book great, and absolutely wonderful. The writing style Kate uses is perfect for children of all ages, holding a title of originality, is lively, full of action, and has a good plot.

Review written by Vincent (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Random House for providing a copy of The Dragon at the North Pole for this review.

Have you read The Dragon at the North Pole? How would you rate it?

Review: Barry by Kate Klimo

Barry by Kate Klimo. Book 3 in the Dog Diaries Series.

Random House Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: August 2013
List Price: $6.99
ISBN-13: 9780449812808

Review: If you would like to read an emotional book about loosing a friend, or knowing what it's like to live through a dog's eyes. Then, Dog Diaries: Barry by Kate Klimo is the perfect book for you to read!

In Dog Diaries, readers will feel the emotion just like Barry (the main dog) feels it. Barry and his best friend Michel go on adventures such as saving people that are buried deep under snow caused by an avalanche, and saving people about to get hypothermia. He also lives with his mom and brothers. One day when he was young, he went into the deep snow but he sank because he didn't know how to walk in it. All Barry had to do was make his paws wider.

This book, Dog Diaries: Barry, would be for audiences approximately 9 and up. Overall, this would be one of the best books to read at your public library.

Review written by Tommy (6th grade student).

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

Have you read Barry? How would you rate it?

Review: Too Cool for This School by Kristen Tracy

Too Cool for This School by Kristen Tracy.

Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: August 2013
List Price: $16.99
ISBN-13: 9780385740708

Review: So, do you like realistic fiction books? If so, Too Cool for this School by Kristen Tracy is a good one. There are lots of good books, but this one is awesome. You'll pick it up and finish it pretty quick if you love middle school drama.

Lane is in 6th grade at Rio Chama Middle School. When her spunky comes to visit she thinks her life is over. She needs to use her skills to get through the time she has with her cousin. Lane and her cousin Angelina "Mint" Travel have to learn to get along. Angelina A.K.A. Mint lives in Alaska. She definitely has her own personality. Lane and her friend Ava think that Mint is weird but her parents think she is just spunky. Her father wants Lane to look out for her but when she starts bugging Lane it is very hard for Lane to do it. Will she look out for her cousin? Read the book to see.

In the book the author ends each chapter at the right spot to make you want to come back and finish the book. The characters in the book and the plot were well developed through out the book. At the beginning the book is slow and it is hard to come back and finish it. But, once you get to where Mint comes in the book starts to get really good. The story is great and all of the characters are very well personalized. You'll probably like this book if you're in middle school. Read the book to find out what happens next.

Review written by Sydney (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Random House for providing a copy of Too Cool for This School for this review.

Have you read Too Cool for This School? How would you rate it?

Review: Operation Robot Storm by Alex Milway

Operation Robot Storm by Alex Milway. A Mythical 9th Division Novel.

Kane Miller
Publication Date: January 2013
List Price: $5.99
ISBN-13: 9781610670746

Review: Albrecht, Saar, and Timeon embark on a stormy adventure in Operation Robot Storm by Alex Milway. The fury British giants take on many mythical monsters and bad people. These yetis go on many adventuress in The Mythical 9th Division so make sure you read all of them.

Three yetis travel to Wales to investigate some missing soldiers lost in snow. They were lost in Wales but in this time of the year it doesn't snow there. On their mission they will have to find the soldiers but is there something else behind this storm. Does the crazy snowy weather have anything to do with it and did anyone mean to make the weird weather. What parts do the robots play in the story? Is there something that nobody knows, you'll just have to find out yourself when you read Operation Robot Storm.

If you are in the age group of from 4th grade to 7th grade this is the right book for you. If you like a challenge this book has some high level vocabulary but if it's to hard you might not like it. Also its plot has some twists and turns that might be confusing for some people but if you read on it will make sense. The Mythical 9th Division series has all the adventures of Albrecht, Timeon, and Saar. Operation Robot Storm is the first book in the hairy series. So don't miss out on Operation Robot Storm.

Review written by Sean (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Kane Miller for providing a copy of Operation Robot Storm for this review.

Have you read Operation Robot Storm? How would you rate it?