The Pack by Lisi Harrison

The Pack by Lisi Harrison has a girl group that Sadie (a New girl) wants to join. Sadie has a crush on an off-limits private-school boy. The girl that started the group's name is Lindsy, otherwise known as the queen bee. Sadie doesn't join a normal middle school… She joins a school named Charm House which has students that have magical powers. 

I think you should read this because it is a story that maybe you can relate to in your own life. Sadie was me in 2nd grade when I transferred to my elementary school. Sadie was nervous like myself but she learned to overcome it. Someone in my class was the queen bee and she became my friend after a while.

 Reviewed by: Jayd3n

Save Me a Seat by Sarah Weeks

Save Me a Seat by Sarah Weeks is the 2017 Read Across Rhode Island book for kids. It is a great story that takes place over the course of the first week of school. The chapters alternate between two 5th grade student's points of view. Joe is a big boy who loves food but hates loud noises and feels misunderstood. Ravi is the new student in class. He's from India, where he was considered smart and popular, but his efforts in an American school keep backfiring on him as he struggles to fit in. Then of course there needs to be an antagonist in the story. He is named Dillon. Dillon is a bully and wow what a bully! Will the boys be able to survive the year? I think they'd be happy if they could make it through a week!

What a great story to teach empathy and to help teachers understand their classes from the perspective of their students. I think this would make a terrific first week read aloud. The book flies by and I can guarantee great discussions and new understandings will come from reading it.

Reviewed by Mrs. Castro

Dork Diaries: Tales from a NOT SO FABULOUS Life, by Rachel Renee Russell

Do you like realistic fiction? If you do Nicki. J . Maxwell can help you out in Dork Diaries: Tales of the NOT SO FABULOUS Life, by Rachel Renee Russell.  Nicki is having trouble at her new school because her locker is located next to the meanest, biggest snob at Nicki’s school, Mackenzie. But her locker location is only the least of her problems. Throughout the year Mackenzie does whatever she can to make Nicki’s school year horrible, but one thing turns the tables.  There is a reading week field trip to NYC.  Nicki and her two best friends, Chole and Zoey are doing something unthinkable to impress the reading teacher. They are giving each other temporary tattoos with a pen.  The trend catches on with the most popular boys in school.  The girls are so excited by how many people want tattoos.  The girls start a business where they give people tattoos, but for each tattoo everyone has to donate two books. The business gets so popular that Mackenzie gets jealous. Nicki thinks that her year is turning around until the day of the art show.  Her perfect art piece that she was going to enter gets run over. She also thinks she is losing her friends to the CCP boys until she goes to check out the art show.  Will her pictures of all the tattoos that she gave to the students win a prize?  Looking at the project, Nicki completely forgets that her parents were transferring her to a different school.  Does she still want to leave?  I hope you decide to read this book. It’s really good and I guarantee you won’t want to put it down.

Reviewed by xsoccerstar1234