The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

The Graveyard Book was the Newbery Winner of 2009.  I thought maybe some of you had not read it yet, and needed to hear a little bit about it first.  The main character's name is Nobody Owens.  Because his parents are murdered when he is just a toddler, he ends up being raised by ghosts and lives in a graveyard.  This is a book full of magic and adventure.  Bod, as his friends call him, lives under the constant danger of being found by the evil man who had killed his parents.  If you want to find out if Bod can escape danger and live a normal life, you're going to have to read the book.  Let me know when you do.  I'd love to hear what you think about it.  Mrs. C.

The Graveyard Book is by Neil Gaiman.  If you like spooky, a little bit creepy books, then you’re going to love the book called The Graveyard Book. The Graveyard Book is a one of a kind story told by Bod Owens, short for Nobody Owens.  Bod, ever since he was a kid, lived in a graveyard.  A man named Jack has been trying to find him and is trying to kill him.  Now Bod has never been out of the Graveyard and is thinking about trying to leave.  Will Bod try to leave or won’t he.  Find out by reading this book.  I like this book because it has lots of voice and character.  I like this book also because it’s adventurous.  If you love spooky and adventurous books then you’re sure going to love this book.  I hope you enjoy it like I did.  

Pineapples1166

Scumble by Ingrid Law

Scumble by Ingrid Law is the companion book to Savvy.  In the book, Ledger Kale turns 13 and gets his savvy which runs in his family.  You do not need to read Savvy to understand this book, but in case you haven’t, a savvy is a special power that only Ledger’s family can know about.  Well a few days after his 13^th birthday, he goes to his cousin’s wedding.  On the way there, he meets a nosy girl named Sarah Jane who follows Ledger to the wedding.  Will Sarah Jane find out about Ledger’s secret?  I recommend this book for someone who likes adventure, with a little romance.

Reviewed by Zimzims123

Magic Thief by Sarah Prineas

One class is reading Magic Thief by Sarah Prineas with me.  The book is really getting exciting now, but I know there were a few students who had trouble getting into it in the beginning.  So, I'd like to know what your opinion is now?  What do you think of the book?  Who is your favorite character?  Why do you like the book now, if you weren't crazy about it in the beginning?

Anyone want to predict what is causing the magical decay in Wellmet?

Click on the title of the book above to visit the author's website.  There are two more books that follow the first, Lost and Found. 

Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke

If you know me, you know I love fantasy books.  Dragon Rider is a great fantasy about an orphan boy, a brownie, and a dragon of course.  They go on a quest together in search of a safer home for the dragon, but meet all sorts of dangers along the way. 

The author of this book, Cornelia Funke, is the author of the Inkheart series.  So, if you've read them, or if you've seen the movie, you might want to give Dragon Rider a chance.  Let me know if you read it, and I'll want to know what you think of it too!

Umbrella Summer by Lisa Graff

We finished reading Umbrella Summer just a little while ago.  I know it brought out strong emotions in me.  I laughed at Annie's worries, but wasn't able to finish reading it out loud to classes without sniffling my way through the ending.  How did this book make you feel?  Were you able to connect with the text in a special way?  Have you ever worried more than you should?

11 Birthdays by Wendy Mass

11 Birthdays is about a girl Amanda, and a boy named Leo who learned to walk together and had every birthday together since they were born!  Then Amanda heard Leo talking meanly to some boys about her. Amanda was heartbroken. So now it is their 11^th birthday and they are not talking to each other.  Amanda can`t wait for her birthday to end.  But that will change.  When she wakes up it is her birthday again.  She thinks she is going crazy but she is not.  Leo and she are the only ones that remember or notice that the day is repeating! So they set off on an adventure that no normal kid would do. I was not able to put down this book!  I hope you will enjoy the book as much as I did.  It was really an awesome book by Wendy Mass and yes it will be in your library. And remember you only have one 11^th birthday.

By Taylor Swift purple girl

11 Birthdays is a fantastic book.  Amanda and Leo, the main characters face a VERY difficult challenge in their lives.  And they must face it together, no matter what.  The town that they live in has some interesting history with some interesting people that may just be able to help the two with their BIG problem!  The book is very hard to put down, that's how good it is!


Reviewed by musiclover101

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon was the Kids Read Across Rhode Island book in 2010 and Ms. Lin, the author was at the State House in Providence.

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin is a Newberry Honor Book of 2010, and one of the Rhode Island Children Book nominees.  Grace Lin is a graduate of Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) in Providence, RI.  Her book is a story of a quest.  As her main character, Minli journeys in search of an answer to her family's problems, she meets magical creatures and hears many stories.  You'll enjoy going with Minli and learning the answer to her question.

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly

I thought this was a wonderful book that would appeal to many of my female readers.  It's about a young girl who lived in the Southern part of the United States at a time when women were treated differently then men.  Calpurnia is expected to learn how to sew, and cook, and knit.  But what she really wants to learn about is the natural world around her.  She loves science!  Luckily her grandfather sees her for who she is, and helps her to explore their similar interests.

Scat by Carl Hiaasen

One of Holden's 6th grade students requested that we review the book Scat by Carl Hiaasen. I've read this book and really liked it. The author does a good job with his characters and creates suspenseful plot settings. When Nick and Marta end up doing some detective work by breaking into their teacher's home, I was on the edge of my seat.  

Here's what School Library Journal said about the book, "When their unpopular biology teacher goes missing in a suspicious fire during a field trip to the Black Vine Swamp, Nick and Marta don't buy the headmaster's excuse for her absence and decide to do some investigating of their own. Eco-avengers; an endangered, hunted panther; illegal pipelines in the Everglades; and an underachieving student with the nickname "Smoke" all play a part in this gripping novel. From the first sentence, readers willbe hooked." 

So, what do you think?  Have you read it?  Did you like it?  Should the 6th grade boy who inquired about this book, take the time to read it too?  Let him know.

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

Maybe by now you've all seen the movie,  but have you read the book?  How do you think the book and the movie compared?  And the best question is, how would you feel if you found out you were a descendant of the gods of Olympus?  Personally, I thoroughly enjoyed this book about a young boy on a quest across the United States.  I loved the mixture of fantasy and adventure, as Percy fought off fantastical creatures and learned about himself in the process.  The movie had a hard time competing with the images I created in my own mind as I read, but I still liked it too. Now I want to hear what you think!

Reviewed by Mrs. Castro

Percy Jackson The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan is a great book if you like action packed books. It's all about a group of kids that have one parent that is a god, and they fight all sorts of monsters.  But the problem in the story is that one of Percy's friends turns on him. So Percy and his friends have to try and defeat him and his army in battle.

 

I thought that this was a good book because when Percy Jackson goes to camp with his friends, it reminded me of when I go camping with my friends. We also get in trouble like Percy and his friends. I think this is a great book, and I recommend this book for grades 3-6.

Reviewed by Crazy Man