Review: This or That by Crispin Boyer

This or That by Crispin Boyer.

National Geographic Kids
Publication Date: April 2014
List Price: $12.99
ISBN-13: 9781426315572

Review: Do you like puns, games and facts? If you do, This Or That, The Wacky Choices To Reveal The Hidden You by Crispin Boyer IS THE BOOK FOR YOU!

The point of the book is to pick one or the other, and then in the next page it shows a real life equivalent of it and facts about it. For example, Teleport or Virtual Reality and in the next page I'll talk about atom transportation and oculus rift. On some pages, if you picked this more than that you are adventurous. There are 9 chapters, and the first chapter, Power Up, is about superhuman powers. The second chapter, Good To Go, is about going to places. The 3rd chapter, Help Wanted, is about jobs. The 4th chapter, Gross Anatomy, is about weird body functions. The 5th chapter. Misadventures, is about exploring. The 6th chapter, Friend Zone, is about your social life. The 7th chapter, Mad Science, is about scientific concepts. The 8th chapter, Offbeat Facts, is about doing things that will scare you. The final chapter, Absurd Situations, is about crazy scenarios. In summary, the entire book is filled with fascinating choices.

In my opinion, this book is really interesting, and it made reading a fun experience. This book is for both boys and girls because there are female topics and male topics. Some of the vocabulary is very simple and some is higher level. The book also uses slang, for example, LOL and OMG. If a person doesn't understand slang, then they would not like this book. Anyone who enjoys reading thought-provoking facts will LOVE THIS BOOK!

Review written by Alex (6th grade student).

Have you read This or That? How would you rate it?

Review: Cool Beans: The Further Adventures of Beanboy by Lisa Harkrader

Cool Beans: The Further Adventures of Beanboy by Lisa Harkrader. The Sequel to The Adventures of Beanboy.

Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
Publication Date: May 2014
List Price: $16.99
ISBN-13: 9780544039049

Review: In Cool Beans: The Further Adventures of Beanboy by Lisa Harkrader, Tucker MacBean is bullied by a kid named Wesley. The art club teacher, Mrs. Frazee, Coach Wilder, and Beecher MacBean are the main characters in this fiction book. Tucker is an ordinary kid, and he makes posters, drawings, and comics of H2O, a superhero, and Beanboy, H2O's sidekick. This book is the second part of a series; the first book is called The Adventures of Beanboy.

In the beginning, Tucker and Beecher go to the sports store. Even though they don't play sports, they went there to cash in the gift cards from their dad. Then Beech saw a baseball helmet that looked like Iron Man's. He grabbed it and he put in on his head. Then Wesley came in, stole the helmet off of Beech's head, and cashed it for himself. Sadly, it was the last one. Tucker went to go chase after him but saw Emma, the shiniest girl in school, and got distracted. So he didn't get the helmet back. Then he went home to do his New Year's Resolution, but instead he started to draw. Tucker continued to draw more Beanboy pages, and then when he returned to school his comic was everywhere. It kept happening and a boy named Owen Skeet was interested, but when he got to art club, he saw the scariest thing, Dillon. He was a big and scary kid that always got detention. The principal announced to the school that they were having an annual carnival, and they would have a dodge ball tournament. Tucker wanted to join with his art club members because the helmet Wesley bought was the prize.

I really liked Cool Beans: The Further Adventures of Beanboy because it was funny, surprising, and very interesting. At first, I thought it was just good, but then when I got into the book more, it became more exciting and I thought, "What is going to happen next? " For example, are Emma and Tucker going to do anything together or what is Wesley going to do with Tucker? What will happen when he entered the dodge ball tournament? It also makes you wonder who is posting Tucker's comics.

It is very funny because Beech says his C's like T's, and since he is a little kid he does funny little kid things. Students in middle school will like this book because it is just right reading level, and most of it takes place in a middle school. Girls and boys will enjoy this book because it involves both girls and boys in it so both genders can relate to it. The only thing I didn't like about this book was the beginning because it doesn't hook you as much as the middle and the end do. Overall, the book is hard to put down because the reader can't predict what will happen.

Review written by Aiden (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for providing a copy of Cool Beans: The Further Adventures of Beanboy for this review.

Have you read Cool Beans: The Further Adventures of Beanboy? How would you rate it?

Review: Frostborn by Lou Anders

Frostborn by Lou Anders. Book 1 in the Thrones and Bones Series.

Crown Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: August 2014
List Price: $16.99
ISBN-13: 9780385387781

Review: Have you ever felt like a misfit? In Thrones and Bones Frostborn by Lou Anders, Karn and Thianna are misfits in a Viking-type setting where there are fantasy characters such as giants, trolls, and dragons. In this book, Karn and Thianna experience a great adventure!

In Thrones and Bones Frostborn, the two protagonists, Karn and Thianna, feel like they don't belong. Karn is the oldest in his human family, so that means that he has the responsibility of one day running the family farm. All he really wants to do, though, is play a board game called Thrones and Bones. He despises the thought that one day he will have the responsibility of running the family farm. Thianna lives in a village of giants, but the only problem is that she is half human and half giant. She is only 7 feet tall. That is huge for a human to be 7 feet tall, but not for a giant. She is about half the size of most giants in her village. In this book, Karn wakes the undead, people come after Thianna and her magical horn, and they meet an enormous fire- breathing dragon named Orm. They find themselves together, struggling to stay alive while protecting a magical horn Thianna's mother stole from someone many years ago.

I adored this exciting, suspenseful book. The author's writing style reminds me of Holes by Louis Sachar. I could not stop reading Thrones and Bones Frostborn. The author used great description in this book such as this passage that appeared on page 11, ÒThe giant glowered down at her over a large bulbous nose and bushy blond beard.Ó There is also phenomenal vocabulary such as, "glowered...bulbousÉ" from page 11. The reader could probably draw a picture to go along with every page. In my opinion, this book is suitable for both girls and boys. The author included dragons for boys and snow spirits for girls. I loved every part of this book, but people who do not enjoy reading about magical creatures might not like this book very much. I believe this book is for ages 12 and older because the writing style would be a little too hard to understand for a lower level reader. Also, I would recommend it for ages 12+ because of the complex vocabulary. In conclusion, Thrones and Bones Frostborn is a perfect combination of suspense and action.

Review written by Calden (6th grade student).

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

Have you read Frostborn? How would you rate it?

Review: National Geographic Kids Myths Busted! 2: Just When You Thought You Knew What You Knew by Emily Krieger

National Geographic Kids Myths Busted! 2: Just When You Thought You Knew What You Knew by Emily Krieger.

National Geographic Kids
Publication Date: May 2014
List Price: $7.99
ISBN-13: 9781426314780

Review: Funny facts, surprising facts, facts proven to be wrong! Learn new and surprising things at the same time. Well, Myths Busted! 2 by National Geographic: Kids is a great book to read. This book includes facts that are believed to be true.

Myths Busted! 2 has many facts to present to the reader. There are many common beliefs that are inaccurate or just plain wrong. For example, is cheese a mouse's favorite meal? Are they always craving cheese? Incorrect! Mice eat what they can get their tiny paws on. If that was interesting, the book offers more! Myths busted! For centuries people have believed facts that are wrong. This book explores facts that people have believed. Moss grows only on the north side of trees? The truth is in this book. This book contains many facts about things you may believe to be scientifically proven. In addition to the silly facts, there are scientific facts, animal facts, space facts, food facts, and more.

I thought this book was interesting in so many ways most of the facts surprised me. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to learn. Everyone can grow to like this this book, and with this handy little book, you can outsmart almost anyone! Give a test to someone you know. I enjoyed this book; you will too. Test your knowledge with this book. This book is good to read in a car, vacation, or wherever you want. Share the book with a friend, a parent, or anyone you know.

Review written by Kyle (6th grade student).

We would like to thank National Geographic Kids for providing a copy of National Geographic Kids Myths Busted! 2: Just When You Thought You Knew What You Knew for this review.

Have you read National Geographic Kids Myths Busted! 2: Just When You Thought You Knew What You Knew? How would you rate it?

Review: A Pinch of Magic by Kiki Thorpe

A Pinch of Magic by Kiki Thorpe. The 7th Book in The Never Girls Series.

Random House Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: January 2014
List Price: $5.99
ISBN-13: 9780736430975

Review: Do you believe in fairies? If so, then A Pinch of Magic written by Kiki Thorpe might be just the right book for you! A Pinch of Magic is an exciting story about four best friends: Mia, Kate, Lainey and Gabby, who has a portal Pixie Hollow.

In the story, Mia, Kate, Lainey and Gabby are volunteering for a block party. Mia signs up for the bake fair. Mia's only problem is that she can't bake. Then, when she makes a bet with the Taylor twins, she knows she needs help! There is only one person who can help Mia goes to Pixie Hollow for help. Dulcie (a baking fairy) agrees to help them. Will Mia win the bet? Or will the Taylor twins win?

A Pinch of Magic is a great book! I love how the author put Pixie Hollow and the real world together to make the book more unique. This book would be good for girls' ages 8 to 10, since it has a lot of very easy words. A Pinch of Magic has a lot of fantasy elements. The Never Girls is a series; so if you like A Pinch of Magic, then check out the other books in the series; In a Blink, The Space Between, A Dandelion Wish, From the Mist, Wedding Wings And the Woods Beyond. To conclude, this book was a good book.

Review written by Sarah (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Random House for providing a copy of A Pinch of Magic for this review.

Have you read A Pinch of Magic? How would you rate it?

Review: Where I Belong by Mary Downing Hahn

Where I Belong by Mary Downing Hahn.

Clarion Books
Publication Date: September 2014
List Price: $16.99
ISBN-13: 9780544230200

Review: If you like outdoors, woods, adventure and action, you would enjoy the book Where I Belong by Mary Downing Hahn. The book is full of action and is also perfect for anyone who loves the woods.

In this fiction book, Brendan's mom left him at the hospital when he was just born. Brendan was sent to a new family, but it didn't work out. Brendan finally met Mrs. Clancy, his foster mom, who takes good care of him. Brendan doesn't love Mrs. Clancy, but she treats him well. Brendan is an artist, but he learns that school is no place for drawing. Brendan disliked school. Consequently, he flunked sixth grade, and was enrolled into summer school. In summer school, Brendan meets his new best friend, Shea. When Brendan and Shea are not in school, they spend their time in the woods building their tree house. They also enjoy time spent with their friend, the Green Man, a homeless old man. Brendan and Shea's lives are progressing very steadily until something happens that changes them forever.

I really enjoyed Where I Belong. I love how the author included so many details. I could really picture in my mind what was going on. The book was super interesting, and I didn't want to stop reading because I was excited to find out what happens next! The story seemed so real. All of the characters are very unique in their own ways. Shea is a tomboy, Brendan is an artist, and the Green Man is a homeless old man. Both boys and girls would enjoy the book. There are elements that boys would like, such as the woods. Also, there are things girls would like, for example, Shea and her personality. I think this book would be best for middle school and up because anyone younger wouldn't understand the plot. To conclude, Where I Belong is a great book, and I would highly recommend it.

Review written by Ali (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for providing a copy of Where I Belong for this review.

Have you read Where I Belong? How would you rate it?

Review: The Bully Bug by David Lubar

The Bully Bug by David Lubar. A Monsterific Tale.

Starscape
Publication Date: September 2014
List Price: $16.99
ISBN-13: 9780765330826

Review: Do you like bugs? Do you like genetic mutations? Then this book is the book for you. The Bully Bug by David Lubar is a book about a boy named Lud that turns into an insect. Lud and his brother Bud are playing in their backyard when they decide to tip over an oven. They just happen to find a cereal box under it and Bud decides to open it and out comes a swarm of radioactive mimic beetles. They bit Lud and about three days later he turns into a bug. Lud needs help immediately. So he turned to an unlikely person for help. A nerd, and his name is Norman. Although Lud has beaten Norman up a countless number of times he still chooses to help him.

I loved The Bully Bug; it is amazing! The best part has to have been when the final transformation is in process. I recommend this book to people who like fantasy genres and people that are around the age of 9-10 because there are bigger words here and there but other wise the book is perfect for kids around that age. Although I don't usually enjoy fantasy books, this one surprised me. Usually when you think of fantasy you think of kingdoms and kings and queens, well this fantasy story is the complete opposite. It's just about a boy that lives in a small town and that he turns into a bug.

The book is really astounding! I want to read this book 15 times over. The book has so many fantasy like features it's incredible. The characters are really well developed. David Lubar's writing style makes The Bully Bug more interesting then it already is. The moral of the story is don't tip over ovens and open up the cereal boxes underneath them.

Review written by Aaron (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Starscape/TOR for Teens for providing a copy of The Bully Bug for this review.

Have you read The Bully Bug? How would you rate it?

Review: That's Creepy: Spine-Tingling Facts That Will Test Your Creep-Out Factor by Crispin Boyer

That's Creepy: Spine-Tingling Facts That Will Test Your Creep-Out Factor by Crispin Boyer.

National Geographic Kids
Publication Date: August 2013
List Price: $12.95
ISBN-13: 9781426313660

Review: Ghosts, witchcraft and vampires galore! This book, as you can probably guess, is about creepy things. It's called That's Creepy! by Crispin Boyer. It's a book about the weird, creepy, unexplainable things that are being discovered.

Take ghosts. There's the legless lord, who is seen in a photo, even though he's being buried only a few miles away. You'll also see the specter of the Scottish castle, whose picture was taken for a creepiest phantom picture. Vampires are some of the most famous of monsters. Take the classic, Dracula. Some people, when they are afraid of vampires attacking them, they will dig up graves of so-called ÒvampiresÓ and found blood oozing from their bodies. When they saw that, they would drive stakes into their bodies. But in reality, when a body decays, it will ooze out all of its fluids. Another big topic was witchcraft. Witchcraft was a really big thing back then because they believed that witches were really demons in disguise. Eventually it stopped, but people still have fun dressing up like witches on Halloween.

I loved That's Creepy; it's a great book for Halloween and a book that I would think is one of those books that you almost can never put down since it has a lot of great stories about all the spooky sightings around the world. I liked reading about the supernatural ghosts and how the different roles they play in stories. I would recommend this book to 7 year olds to teenagers, and anybody who likes to read a good scare!

Review written by Athira (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Media Masters Publicity for providing a copy of That's Creepy: Spine-Tingling Facts That Will Test Your Creep-Out Factor for this review.

Have you read That's Creepy: Spine-Tingling Facts That Will Test Your Creep-Out Factor? How would you rate it?

Review: Jennifer Murdley's Toad by Bruce Coville

Jennifer Murdley's Toad by Bruce Coville. A Magic Shop Book.

Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
Publication Date: November 2007
List Price: $6.99
ISBN-13: 9780152062460

Review: Do you like magic, toads or both? If so you should read about a schoolgirl that has a magic toad, in Jennifer Murdley's Toad written by Bruce Coville.

One day Jennifer Murdley has to wear her brother's underwear to school because all of hers are in the washer. Everything is going wrong for her until Jennifer ends up in this mysterious magic shop. She buys a toad from the shop because she thinks it will be good for her essay. Little does she know, that the little frog will change anything and in the end. She has to find a way to bring everything back to normal.

Jennifer Murdley's Toad is perfect for children children between ages 8-10, because it has good vocabulary and is easy to understand. The setting of this book is in a little town, and it's a very realistic setting throughout the entire story. They go to school like normal kids, but the one difference is Jennifer's magic toad starts trouble, which the younger readers will love. This story is a fantasy story with talking toads and a ÒmagicÓ shop that can move place to place, wherever the owner wants to go. Another interesting aspect is the characters in this story are very different from each other. Jennifer wants to be pretty like Sharra and her other friends. Sharra is a show off and acts like the boss. Ellen, Jennifer's best friend cannot keep a secret. Jennifer's little brothers are very weird and annoying. These characters are very original. Jennifer Murdley's Toad is recommended to a girl or boy.

Review written by Alexa (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for providing a copy of Jennifer Murdley's Toad for this review.

Have you read Jennifer Murdley's Toad? How would you rate it?

Review: Dust Girl by Sarah Zettel

Dust Girl by Sarah Zettel. Book 1 in The American Fairy Trilogy.

Random House Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: June 2013
List Price: $9.99
ISBN-13: 9780375873812

Review: Is she really only part human? Calliope LeRoux, a young girl of courage and determination, faces challenges, and that helps her find out who and what she really is. While Callie is living in Kansas, a lot of problems occur, but she somehow manages to work through these problems. They're not small problems, though. They're stranger problems than you'll ever hear about. Some are understandable. Others, not so much. If you're into mysteries, you should read Sarah Zettel's amazing fiction book, Dust Girl.

Callie LeRoux, living in the year of 1935 in Kansas as a young girl, goes through a lot of experiences, good and bad. Where she lives, there is barely any water. It hasn't rained for a long period of time. Kansas has been part of the Dust Bowl along with Indiana, Arkansas, Texas, and Oklahoma for 5 or 6 years. Callie lives in the Imperial Hotel in Slow Run, Kansas with her mother. Her father had left them, but he promised he'd be back, and her mama made a promise to wait there. Her papa is a black man, which makes her part black. That is why she has to give people a fake identity. Her fake name is Callie McGinty. That all changed on the 14th of April, on a Sunday, in 1935. That was the day a huge dust storm crossed over. That was the day her mom had just vanished. Then her journey begins. She meets a man named Baya. A while later, he vanishes, as well. She encounters a strange family, the Hoppers, who want a place to stay, and they choose to stay at the Imperial Hotel. Soon Callie discovers they're part fairy, but not the good kind. She tries to get away from the creatures. A boy she meets, Jack Holland, helps her do that. Soon they find themselves in the middle of nowhere. Eventually they meet a woman who can help them. They go on a journey together, a quest for Callie's momÉand dad. They face challenges, and soon Callie discovers who and what she really is.

Dust Girl is an interesting, mysterious book that anyone would enjoy. I recommend it for girls mostly, maybe 11 and up, because this book is about a young girl, very clever and decisive, going through problems and finding out that there is more to her and her family than she thought. The setting is really creative. The whole plot is brilliant, with humor, danger, mysteries, and adventure being brought into it. I enjoyed the book, and now it's your turn!

Review written by Kierra (6th grade student).

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

Have you read Dust Girl? How would you rate it?

Review: I'm Going to Catch My Tail by Jimbo Matison

I'm Going to Catch My Tail by Jimbo Matison.

Abrams Books
Publication Date: October 2014
List Price: $14.95
ISBN-13: 9781419713828

Review: Have you ever seen you cat run around and try to catch his tail? Then you will love I'm Going to Catch My Tail. I'm Going to Catch My Tail by Jimbo Matison is a hilarious picture book about a cat that wants to catch his tail.

The cat has a bad dream and so his tail wakes him up. Then the cat wants to catch his tail, he goes under the blankets, through mountains of toilet paper, and into a laundry basket but cat still can't catch his tail. What will this poor cat need to do to catch his tail?

I'm Going to Catch My Tail is a great book for 3-7 year olds. Little kids will love this book and they may even want to have their own cat. In I'm Going to Catch my Tail Jimbo Matison has written a great has engaging illustrations and a fun story line that preschool kids will want to read them over and over again.

Review written by Max (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Abrams Books for providing a copy of I'm Going to Catch My Tail for this review.

Have you read I'm Going to Catch My Tail? How would you rate it?

Review: Mummies in the Morning by Mary Pope Osborne

Mummies in the Morning by Mary Pope Osborne. A Magic Tree House Book.

Random House Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: September 2014
List Price: $14.99
ISBN-13: 9780385387583

Review: Traveling is fun. Traveling through time is even better! The Magic Tree House: Mummies in the Morning by Mary Pope Osborne is for ealy chapter book readers, and it is an adventurous and interesting story. It is part of the Magic Tree House series with over 50 titles. This story will keep you wanting to know what is happening next.

Mummies in the Morning begins with Jack and Annie going up to their tree house where they start reading their Egypt book. Suddenly an Egyptian cat appears. Then the magic tree house spins and goes back in time to Ancient Egypt. They follow a cat into the Great Pyramid of Giza and get lost. A ghost of a past Egyptian queen comes across them and Jack and Annie are frightened. But the ghost helps them find artifacts and get out of the pyramid. The Royal Egyptian parade is approaching them. Will they get out on time?

Mummies in the Morning is good and very fast-paced. The plot is interesting and I like the actual parts of real history in it. They do not develop the ghost queen that much, but Jack and Annie are well-developed characters. I like how they look for real artifacts from actual history. They do not explain how the cat appears in the beginning because the tree house has not start spinning because that is how they travel in the book. I recommend Magic Tree House: Mummies in the Morning for kids ages 7-10.

Review written by Eric (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Random House for providing a copy of Mummies in the Morning for this review.

Have you read Mummies in the Morning? How would you rate it?

Review: National Geographic Kids Weird but True! 6: 300 Outrageous Facts by National Geographic Kids

National Geographic Kids Weird but True! 6: 300 Outrageous Facts by National Geographic Kids.

National Geographic Kids
Publication Date: May 2014
List Price: $7.99
ISBN-13: 9781426314902

Review: Did you know that NASA is developing a printer that prints edible pizza? Did you know that 1.9 billion years ago planet Earth smelled like rotten eggs? These are just are just some of the weird but true facts in the book Weird but True these facts that will catch you in awe.

National Geographic Kids is at it again coming out with their sixth Weird but True book! This book has facts that will have you saying, unbelievable or no way but hasn't they all? Here is an example of why this book has some appalling facts! Did you know a prison in Brazil uses geese as an alarm system-they honk at anyone roaming the grounds! As you can see these books are easy and fun for kids to read. I think of them as scattered, colorful, yet informational encyclopedias.

I personally enjoy Weird but True book they have had me since 2nd grade! These books are easy to understand so I recommend the age range of 2nd grade and up. These types of books are what make reading fun; so personally I give this book a 10 out of 10. One reason is how tied in you get into the book; this book has so many fun facts to learn; you can finish this book in possibly a day; I know I did! Also it's exciting one is how much you take away from it. You can learn so much from this book I hope you will check it out.

Review written by Arsima (6th grade student).

We would like to thank National Geographic Kids for providing a copy of National Geographic Kids Weird but True! 6: 300 Outrageous Facts for this review.

Have you read National Geographic Kids Weird but True! 6: 300 Outrageous Facts? How would you rate it?