February Student Book Reviews

Posted on February 10, 2011 by Mrs. Hembree

February Book Reviews on PhotoPeach

Deltora Quest by Emily Rodda – Review by Julius

This is a magical and mysterious book about wizards and sorcerers. There are two boys that are best friends and one happens to be the king of all the land. The king’s best friend, Jarred is accused of trying to kill the king. He is banished from the palace and has to survive in the poor town of Del.

Suddenly he finds out that there has been a great darkness that has been attacking Del for a long time. His son and his partner in crime have to set out and find the stones that complete the belt of light and defeat the shadow lord. CAN THEY SURVIVE?

There are many reasons why I liked this book. Here are a few; this book has a lot of adventure and fantasy, and I love adventure and fantasy. Also, this book reminded me of Harry Potter because it has that whole wizards and wands defeating the darkness effect.

Another reason why I love this book is that it was very suspenseful. Throughout the book, I was so scared to turn the page because you didn`t want something horrid to happen to the characters, but yet you didn`t want to stop because you were also dying to know what happens next.

This is a quite easy read and is fairly short. I really recommend this book to any age, although you have to be a fantasy and adventure lover because this book contains a lot of it. Even so, you should still give this book a go because I am betting you will like it.

Little Brother by Cory Doctorow -Review by Blake

This is a great, fun filled book about Winston, but please calls him Marcus. He is only 17 years old, but he has figured out how the system works and he works the system; a smart, fast and wise, networked world. He has no trouble outwitting his high school surveillance systems. His whole world changes when he and his friends skip school and get caught in the after math of a terrorist attack in downtown San Francisco. He is captured by the Dept. of Homeland Security and whisked away to a secret asylum. Read the book to find out the rest!

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth by Jeff Kinney – Review by Elliott

This is about a kid named Greg who is having a hard time in middle school. He is trying to fit in with all the so called popular kids. He also just lost his best friend, but deep inside they still want to be friends. They are both trying to find new friends, but keep ending up together somehow. You will be taken on a long and funny ride with Greg as you experience his life and his friends. Be sure to read the other books first, as this is number 5 in the series. If you like really funny books, this one is for you!

Captain Underpants and the Wrath of the Wicked Wedgie Woman by Dave Pilkey- Review by Mark

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes action because it is funny and it has a lot of fighting in it. It is really interesting because the teacher turned into a villain and had hands coming out of her hair!! The author gives a lot of details in the story; for example when they were about to go to sleep and they heard something in the bushes and it turned out to be the Wedgie Woman! She took them and made a portrait of George and Harold so the other children would not notice that they are not there. The author makes the story interesting and you do not want to do anything until you finish it.

Bud Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis – Review by Devon

Have you ever felt so lonely, that you want to rip the despicable out of everybody you never met? Well I could tell you, not the best idea…. But don’t try to explain this to Buddy….. I MEAN BUD!

Bud is not too bright, which means that his imagination can lead to some drastic things, but cause some great adventures… Would you try to escape from a foster family with a boy who sticks pencils up your nose and makes your nose drip in the puddles of blood, when they lock you outside the house in a scary dark shed? I guess not, but Bud can’t stop himself. He’s pretty smart which greatly adds to the adventures of Bud Cosweld on the lam!

This book is amazing… a perfect book for anybody who wants to read an amazing story they can’t put down. This book is my favorite!

Eldest by Christopher Paolini–Review by Moses

Eldest, the second book of the Inheritance series is a timeless fantasy! After the death of Durza (Gallbatorix’s right hand man) and the victory for the Varden, Eragon suffers from a fatal scar from the duel with Durza in the first book. Too make matters worse Adjaid, king of the Varden and Murtagh dies, Eragon mourns for them. Meanwhile Gallbatorix is planning something to avenge his defeat. I recommend Eldest for older readers because of violence. I really enjoy this book, Check it out today!

Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan -Review by Jack

“Look, I don’t want to be a half blood.” This is what Percy Jackson said before he started his long journey. He did not know the gods were tangling him in a mystery of the stolen lightning bolt. One that no simple person would have imagined. He could see what no normal person could see. Percy never wanted to be a half-blood. He just was.

This book is about his big adventure to unlock the mystery of Zeus’s stolen lightning bolt. Only Percy and his two friends are on the journey. All the Greek gods think he stole it, except his father. Percy was set to have an adventure he never asked for. One a half blood had to face, even though Percy never asked to be a half blood, or have a marvelous adventure. It was hard enough with the mystery of his father’s disappearance and his mom’s terrifying boyfriend.

If you like the Greek gods, or want to read about a half blood’s exclusive adventure, this is the book for you. I recommend this book to everyone.

Bella The Bunny Fairy by Daisy Meadows- Review by Diana

Bella is a fairy that had a bunny until Jack Frost took the magical bunny. Rachel and Kristy are both best friends they also are friends to the fairies. The setting is in Rachel’s cousins house at Easter. The pets found a hole in the castle wall, so they escaped to the human world. Will the friends rescue the bunny or will the goblins take the bunny back to the castle? Read this book to find out.

Book Review: A Finders-Keepers Place

Posted on February 6, 2011 by Mrs. Hembree

“I KNEW RUTH WAS GONE the second I woke up.”

I knew I was HOOKED the minute I read that first line. Ann Haywood Leal’s (one of our school’s former teachers) second book, A Finders-Keepers Place is the kind of book that makes you think about it days after you finish the last page.

Eleven year old Esther and her sister Ruth live with Valley, their manic-depressed and neglectful mother. After Esther does a search of the house, finds her drugged out mother, cartons of melted strawberry ice cream all over the kitchen floor, and the Mark and Pack receipt, she races to the store on her bicycle. There she finds Ruth curled up between the packages of toilet paper on the bottom shelf of the grocery store. Forgotten, frightened and chewing on a cocktail wiener. “I got left,” she tells her sister.

A Finders-Keepers Place is a book that will crawl inside you. The characters are almost too believably real and raw. This is not a book about a pretty family who goes astray. Nothing about this family is easy. It’s a family torn upside down by harsh reality of life with poverty, neglect, and mental illness. A mother who, when she gets out of sorts, can forget her kids at the grocery store, or throw away all their appliances in the garbage because she gets a notion to live a simpler life.

Esther and Ruth are survivors who know how to hide when they need to. Who find new clothes at the Goodwill donation station and a warm meal when the cooks throw extra hamburgers out behind the restaurant. They are on a quest visiting all the town’s churches to find their father, the elusive pastor Ezekiel, who they pray will save them from this crazy life.

A Finders-Keepers Place is an honest book dealing with a reality of life most people don’t want to admit exists. Ann Haywood Leal writes with a griping honesty that will capture your emotions and twist you into knots. This is the kind of book I wish would win the Newbery.

Ages 10+ due to mature content.

Reviewed by Mrs. Hembree

Student Book Reviews- See What We Like

Posted on December 10, 2010 by Mrs. Hembree

The Lost Hero By: Rick Riordan Review by Tracy

The Lost Hero is about a prophecy that needs to be completed. This is the first book of the series The Heroes of Olympus. This book is about 3 demigods, Jason, Piper, and Leo. Jason woke up on a bus forgetting his memories. Piper, a girl who says that Jason is her boyfriend, has a secret. And Leo has his way of using tools to create amazing items. The prophecy that was for told was very eerie to me; “Seven half-blood shall answer the call. To storm or fire, the world must fall. An oath to keep with a final breath and foes bear arms to the Doors of Death.”

Together these three must overcome every obstacle in their way to save the queen of Olympus. Will they succeed or will they fail? Read to find out the story that’s about to unfold.

This book also has Percy Jackson and a bunch of his other previous characters that he used in the series Percy Jackson and the Olympians. This is the author of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians, which include The Lightning Thief, Sea of Monsters, Titians Curse, Battle of the Labyrinth, and The Last Olympians. Also, he is the author of the Kane Chronicles, which has The Red Pyramid, and the author of Maze of Bones the first book of 39 clues. So if you’re an adventure loving, Greece lover then this is a superb book to read. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did!

Later Gater by Lawrence Yep Review by Diana

This book is about a boy named Bobby. Tomorrow is his birthday and his brother Teddy has to buy him a present. Bobby’s mom tells Teddy to get an animal instead of a pair of socks. So, Teddy drove to a pet store on a bus with a ton of people while Bobby was with his dad at work having fun.

When Teddy went inside the pet shop, the owner said he should get a hamster or a turtle. Teddy thought that they were too nice. So Teddy got an alligator because he wants to scare Bobby. Do you think Bobby got scared? Read this funny book to find out.

The Missing: Book 3, Sabotaged By: Haddix Review by Alice

This book is the 3^rd book in “The Missing” series by Haddix. In this book, Jonah and Katherine take a girl, Andrea, one of the 36 missing kids from history, back to Roanoke Colony. If you are in the 5^th grade, I am sure you know of Roanoke Colony, one of the settlements England brought to the USA. Although, mysteriously, when John White (the colony’s leader), goes back to England for 3 years and comes back. everything is missing. No clues, except one carving that says “Croatoan”

So, when they go back into time, they see nothing, they lost the Eculator. The Eculator is a time travel device that keeps them camouflaged and safe. On their walk they bump into tracer Natives. They follow them and find something surprising! They later find out why time seems messed up. They are being sabotaged.

This book is recommended by me to all of the adventure, sci-fi, and mystery fans. This book will make you want to keep going and NEVER stop! Both genders will LOVE this book. But, I highly recommend reading the first and second book beforehand.

Into the Gauntlet Review by Moses

Into The Gauntlet is the grand finale of the 39 Clues series. Dan and Amy are hopeless, they have no leads. When they finally find the Clues, it is stolen. Suddenly, they find a poem on their doorstep, but it is stolen by evil Isabel Kabra. Somehow they manage to find out the Clues, but they do not know that they are followed by others. The clues lead Amy and Dan to a small island, only to be discovered by everyone else. They decide to team up and find out that the clues are the recipe to a serum which will make you the most powerful person in the world! Suddenly, evil Isabel crashes their celebration and she is holding a gun…. Read this wonderful book to find out what happens next.

The Sorcerer’s Stone by J K Rowling Review by Moses

This book is one of the most delightful fantasy books I have ever read. With a mix of Roald Dahl and J.R.R. Tolkien, it is both funny and suspenseful. The story begins when Harry receives a letter from Hogwarts, a school for Wizards. At the school he makes friends with a boy named Ron and a girl named Hermione. They “accidentally” find out that there is a stone that can give any wish the user wanted. They learn the hard way that someone else wants the stone too, and that someone will hurt, even kill anyone who gets”in the way”! Who will win, who will perish? Find out by reading this terrific book.

Firestorm reviewed by Gabe

I liked this book a lot. It is about a boy named Jack who goes on a quest to save the oceans. On his quest he meets new friends and learns new skills. The reason that I liked this so much was because it has a good balance of action, adventure and science fiction. It was also interesting because Jack learned about pollution and how it could affect his future. I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Chocolate by Wendy Blaxland Reviewed by JudyAnn

This book is a great book to read if you adore chocolate like I do! It tells interesting facts about chocolate. For instance, chocolate is made from powdered cacao beans which are the seed of the cacao tree. Also, the first chocolate was made thousands of years ago and was loved by many Aztec Indians. Well, now that I’ve told you so much about this book, you should check it out and I hope you enjoy it!

Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins Review by Will

The Hunger Games was the best book I have read in a long time! I would recommend it to anyone who likes action, romance and suspense. The most suspenseful part of the book was when there were only three people left in the games. Read it to see why.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Review by Yana

Greg’s life is miserable; his mom buys him a diary and makes him write in it, he is forced to join the swim team, his parents make him do everything that he does not want to! Greg’s has to make sure that his friends do not find out about his diary.This book is funny and silly and I really enjoyed reading it. I think that you would like it too.

Skeleton Key Review by Mark

This book is very interesting because in the beginning it just tells you that no one knows where the skeleton key is. I started to read it and I enjoyed it. I would recommend this book for people who like adventure because this is big journey to a haunted house to get a key for an old kingdom. When they find the key, they discover that it is cursed! There is a letter saying that they will be taken to horrible places. Read this excellent book to find out what happens to them.

Bystander Student Review by Elliott

Posted on October 21, 2010 by Mrs. Hembree

Bystander by James Preller. Student Review by Elliott

Bystander is a amazing book! Not only does it have good writing, it has great suspense. It is about a 7th grader that just moved to a new school. He is eager to make friends with the “right” people. That doesn’t work out so well, because his so called “friends” are bully’s. So, what will Eric do; be a bystander, or the bully’s next target?

Babysitter’s Club Student Review by Anna

Posted on October 12, 2010 by Mrs. Hembree

Babysitter’s Club is a really good book. The one I read is a graphic novel version. When I started reading it, I could not put it down. It is about these girls wh want to earn money, so they decided to be babysitters.

Bystander by James Preller

Posted on October 5, 2010 by Mrs. Hembree

I think inside we all know that bullying is bad. There’s no good reason ever to bully someone else. We learn that from when we’re little. But what about being a bystander to a bully? What do you do when you see someone being mistreated by someone else? Do you say something to the bully? Do you tell an adult? Do you pretend you didn’t see anything? Do you stop it? These are the questions 13 year old Eric has to think about when he is the new kid in town, wants new friends and finds out the one friend he found is a bully. Does he keep quiet? Does he say something and get beat up himself? Read Bystander and find out! Review by Mrs. Hembree

The Lemonade War Student Review by Taylor

Posted on September 30, 2010 by Mrs. Hembree

The Lemonade War by Jacqueline Davies

The Lemonade War is about a kid named Evan who makes a deal with his sister Jessie. Whoever makes the most money selling lemonade in 5 days gets to keep the money AND get the other person’s money too! On the first day Evan sells lemonade with four other guys and makes $45.00. Jessie was selling lemonade with just Megan. I can’t tell anymore or I will ruin it for you. I recommend this book!

Review by Taylor

Book Review: The Year the Swallows Came Early by Kathryn Fitzmaurice

Posted on September 15, 2010 by Mrs. Hembree

I was sold on this book by the second sentence. “We lived in a perfect stucco house, just off the sparkly Pacific, with a lime tree in the backyard and pink and yellow roses gone wild around a picket fence. But that wasn’t enough to keep my daddy from going to jail when I turned eleven.” A prickly beginning to a book that will stick with you long after you finish the last page.

One of the joys of reading for me is sometimes stumbling upon a book that just moves me in a way I never expected. The Year the Swallows Came Early is that kind of book. “Groovy” Robinson wants to go to culinary school when she grows up, but unfortunately learns some harsh life lessons when she turns eleven. She also learns that life is complex and the power of forgiveness is tremendously powerful.

I imagine more girls will pick up this book than boys, but it doesn’t have to be that way. The author fully develops Groovy’s friend Frankie into a believable but flawed character, and just as noteworthy as Groovy. Try it out, I hope you will like it as much as I did. (Review by Mrs. Hembree)

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