The Giver by Lois Lowry

 Jonas lives in a community where life is simple. The government gives you your soulmate, your children, and assigns you a job. Everyone's the same, except Jonas. When Jonas receives his job, he is assigned a special job. He is assigned to be the receiver of memory which allows him to break rules and request anything and he will receive it. When Jonas starts his training for his job, he receives his training from the old receiver now named the Giver. Jonas learns that as the receiver of memory he will have to endure the pain of keeping the memory of how life was before. The book gets very interesting when he learns about how life used to be, as he realizes he doesn’t have the freedom his ancestors had. He and the Giver then try to change his community’s life.

I give this book a 4.5 stars out of 5 because the story is interesting but the book ends in a cliffhanger. One interesting thing was when Jonas experiences seeing color. This is interesting because before he became the receiver, his world is only black and white. All of his shirts look the same, an orange is the same color as an apple, and everyone’s skin and hair is the same color. 

This book is the first in the series. The other books are Gathering Blue, Messenger, and Son. The Giver has won the Newbery Award and is written by Lois Lowry.--Reviewed by Kashvi R.

 

The Eighth Day by Dianne K. Salerni

 On his birthday, Jax wakes up in a world where electronics don’t work and the people are gone.  But then, the next morning, everything is back to normal again and he thinks he’s going crazy. And there’s also Ms. Unger’s ghost, who lives with her, moving her things, eating her food, and asking for library books every once in a while. But things are going to change, and fast.

The author of the Eighth Day, Dianne K. Salerni, uses a lot of descriptive words to show the reader how things looked or felt. She switches perspectives with ease and each perspective matches up with the other one. She has intricate characters in which some are mysterious and unknown while others are open and caring. The author gives her characters a whole new look.

This book is a guaranteed five star because of its power to keep the reader reading and explaining old myths and legends in a fun and engaging way. If you liked Percy Jackson or Harry Potter or just any other book that deals with myths and legends, then you’re bound to love The Eighth Day too! - Reviewed by Terrian S.

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

 

The book starts off with a young boy named Pip, who is an orphan. During one of his visits to his mother and father’s graveyard, he meets a convict named Magwitch and they become friends. Then, Ms. Havisham, a strange lady, asks Pip to come visit her house multiple times. Here, Pip meets Ms. Havisham’s adopted daughter named, Estella. He soon realizes that he likes Estella, but she doesn't like him back. When Pip grows up, he gets loads of money from an unknown person to go to London for an education. Pip meets Magwitch in London, and realizes that Magwitch was the one who sent him money. Magwitch soon asks Pip to keep him from getting caught again, which would lead to a great danger. Pip doesn’t know if he needs to go back home and reunite with Estella or keep on completing this risky quest in London.

All in all, I absolutely loved “Great Expectations” by Charles Dickens! It has an extremely realistic touch in the book as if it could happen right now. It is also very dramatic and shocking because of the situations the character encounters. This book is a total page turner because there are twists and turns in the story. It was impossible to put this book down. I highly recommend the book to anyone who loves unpredictable events. -- Review by Jinny P.

The Amulet of Samarkand- Bartimaeus Trilogy Book #1 by Jonathan Stroud

After being abandoned by his real parents and

being adopted by a magician, Nathaniel sets off

to start a new life. Not sure whether he will

become a true magician or just totally mess it

up, that is up to him. Starting off with a cold

welcoming from his new master, this is where

the story really starts to take a turn.

This book brings what everyone wants

happening in real life: Magic. Because

f the wisdom as true as magic and the

action-packed adventures, I could not

stop reading this book! Every time you

urn a page, another surprise is waiting for you there. Even if there isn’t any blood or danger, you can kind of tell if they got hurt or not because the author writes the book in a way to express pain with different words. It is aching for me to tell you the whole story in full detail, but then that would give the story away. Not because I want to, but also because it’s such a fantastic and wonderful book. 

Revenge takes up most of the story. The eleven year old boy, Nathaniel,

wants serious revenge after being humiliated by Simon Lovelace, a

young but sharp and challenging magician, in front of some of the most

important magicians during a meeting with his master, Arthur Underwood.

This book is so adventurous--with terrible lies you can never agree to,

yet so captivating!

If I could rate this book, I would need more than five stars to depend on.

The only reason why is because this book is such a splendid and impressive

book, with the main character having such sharp and one-minded purposes. 

If you like the Artemis Fowl series, or any of the other books written by t
his excellent author Jonathan Stroud, then you will certainly and absolutely
love The Amulet of Samarkand.--Review by Danielle L.

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

Percy is a young boy but he can't focus
on his work or temper. Boarding school
became worst for him. When he found
out Poisidon was his father his mom
sends him to half blood camp for the
demigods. Zeus’s lightning staff went
missing and Percy was a prime suspect.
He and his friends have 10 days to find
it along with other tasks. He also learns
more about his bloodline. I rated this
book 4 stars because it's a little boring
at first. I did get a little bored but other
than that it is a really good book. I
recommend it to anyone who loves
adventures and greek.
--Review by Dawttha P.

Book Trailer: Ghosts of Greenglass House by Kate Milford

Blackthorn Key by Kevin Sands

Kevin Sands’ Novel from 2015, The Blackthorn Key, is a very interesting mystery solving adventure book. The book starts with Christopher Rowe, who lives with his master, Benedict Blackthorn, in London, in 1665. His master dies suddenly and he’s left with no inheritance or belongings. He journeys with his friend Tom through a puzzle left for Christopher from Master Blackthorn. Follow Christopher and Tom through this long, exciting journey filled with intense fights, challenging puzzles and much more.--Review by Kai S.

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

In a world of magic and greed, Artemis Fowl,

a young criminal mastermind, is determined to restore pride in become rich, all while balancing

his family life with his mentally weak mother,

who no matter what, will always love her son,

and though he had never really been coddled,

he envisions himself bathing in gold,and richer beyond his wildest dreams. 

If someone who cares about you is so concerned, would you put them and their lives on the line,
or would you take money over more important things? During one long ride up onto the surface, fairies, trolls, and all sorts of fantastic magical creatures roam the dark world
of Captain Holly Short, but none more deadly that one Artemis Fowl, and his eagle eyed bodyguard, Butler.

I think this book is absolutely amazing, with twists and turns
on every page. If you liked Harry Potter, or any book that contains magic, then you’re sure to love this 5 star blockbuster by Eoin Colfer, Artemis Fowl--Review by Lucas L.

Legend by Marie Lu

The Republic, formerly known as the western coast of the United States is home to
the 15 year-old military prodigy, June Iparis. Loyal and committed to her country, she is being
prepared for success in the nation’s highest positions. Far away, in the slums of the Lake
Sector lives Day, a 15-year-old criminal set on protecting his family and destroying the
Republic at no cost. Both from different societies, they have no reason to cross paths
until a sinister turn of events brings them together to reveal dark secrets.

I would recommend this book to readers who are into mystery, romance and action
because this novel is always twisting the plot and making you just want to dive in deeper.
I rate this book very highly because it's a book you just can't put down and the characters
are really relatable. The author, Marie Lu has earned many awards for her fabulous writing
including the Teen’s Top 10 award and the Indies Choice Award. If you liked the
Divergent Trilogy, you’ll love Legend.--Review by Smrithi A.

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

One of the most important settings in this story is Camazotz. When
they arrive at Camazotz, it looks like a bright town with small gray houses.
Perfectly normal right? That is until they realize all the kids are playing in
synch. In Camazotz, everyone is controlled by IT. If someone is not in
rhythm they get painfully re-processed by IT up in the base of Camazotz
called “Central Intelligence”. I think Meg grew significantly throughout
her journey. In my opinion, she learned to embrace her faults because
sometimes being different gives you an advantage. When she was
thinking about how to defeat IT she was thinking more of the differences
between her and IT other than just how could she physically beat IT.
In the beginning, she hated herself for being different and got into many
fights because of it. I think the author made “IT” a brain to symbolize
that sometimes too much knowledge can be bad. Mrs. Whatsit had
warned Charles Wallace that he was very bright to make sure he
doesn't start thinking he knows everything. Eventually, he ends up
being certain that all of his decisions are correct and he won't let anyone
tell him different. Then it gets to the point where his decisions get him
hypnotized by the man with red eyes and then captured by “IT”. I think
“It” symbolizes too much knowledge can hurt you.

I think there are many different themes to this story but the one that
stands out to me the most is don’t be afraid of being different because
everyone is different in their own way. In the beginning Meg was getting
into fights and getting angry that she didn't fit in with anyone. What's the
point in letting yourself, who you are get in the way of you being happy?
Throughout her journey, she learns to embrace how unique she is and
uses it to help her battle against “IT”. This theme spreads a great message
and I think that's what the author was trying to do.--Review by Aaron W.

Book Trailer: Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

The Midnight Hour by Benjamin Read & Laura Trinder

In the book The Midnight Hour, there is a girl named Emily, and after a weird midnight mail delivery, her parents go missing. She has to take care of her mom's hedgehog. Emily with her stowaway hog wants to find her parents while she is looking for them she has to overcome a lot of obstacles. To even have a chance to get them back.

I would rate this book 4 1/2 stars because it was a really enjoyable book. But there were some parts that I did not like.

I would recommend this book to 4th - 9th graders because if a little younger they might think some parts of the book are scary and they might not get the point of the book. If you like magic and a little tiny bit of scary this is the book for you.

--Review by Katherine B.

The Roar by Emma Clayton

I loved this book because it is an action-packed interesting sci-fi (and I am NOT a typical fan of sci-fi) with each turn, something will happen, resulting in me sitting on the edge of my seat. This book has well-developed characters that are painfully relatable, each sharing a flaw every human can identify with; fear, anger, pain, misunderstanding, and-- greed. The author uses sharp vocabulary in the book, thus the book is full of wit and twists in the plot. The Roar is truly a timeless book, it can emphasize issues we are facing these days, and will always face, such as pollution, scams, and growing hunger for power. This book is about seeing the real world-- not the things you think you see. Witty, gripping, and heart wrenching, it is a true masterpiece. Mika Smith is a misfit living in a broken world with special abilities; when he was young, he had his twin sister, Ellie taken away from him, everybody thought she was dead, and only Mika thought she was alive. Resulting in Mika on the search to find his long lost sister. A dangerous path, a war, and a big secret; Mika will discover many secrets, and find his sister, only to a big race against power-hungry leaders---- and time. A truly wondrous book; those looking for adventure, look now, or those who seek thrill and excitement, your quest for thrills has been complete, The Roar is everything you’ve always thought a good book could be. I fully suggest this book to those that appreciate a nice lengthy novel with a cliffhanger at where you least expect it. Darn it, why’d the cliffhanger have to be THERE?! If I could, I would rate this book 5/5 stars, excellently written; unique, thrilling, and a pure joy to read.--Review by Mingyue X.

The Witch's Boy by Kelly Barnhill

This book is called The Witch’s Boy, and it is by Kelly Barnhill. In the beginning,  Ned's brother Tam falls off a raft and is not able to survive in the raging waters. Ned, the boy who lived, is known as the wrong boy. His mother is a witch with extreme healing powers. We also meet a girl named Aine, who loses her mother at the beginning of the story. She will always remember her mother's last words to her, "The wrong boy will save your life, and you will save his."

I didn't enjoy this book. I have never really enjoyed books with magic, so this wasn't the book for me. I give it 1.5 stars out of 5. If you do like books with magic, you will enjoy this book, though. 

If you liked the Harry Potter series by JK Rowling, you will surely enjoy this!--Review by Noah K.

I Survived The Great Molasses Flood, 1919 by Lauren Tarshis

Carmen the main character lives with her dad in Boston as Italian immigrants.  She basically has a normal life, goes to school, has a friend she hangs out with. So everything is fine until of course the molasses tank breaks and it floods Boston.  I enjoyed this book but did not love it, there was a bit of nonsense in the beginning. The book was in general kind of sad. Her life seemed to suck. 

I would recommend this book to third graders who want to see what the world was like when they weren’t alive. I would give this book 3 stars. It was cool to read, I just wouldn't sit and read these all day. To be honest if you liked this book you would probably like the other ones but then again I have only read this one. --Review by William C.

The Last Apprentice: Revenge of the Witch by Joseph Delaney

Tom Ward is the seventh son of a seventh

son which means that he would be the spook's apprentice, and deal with the dead, witches, and boggarts. One day, the spook leaves

his house and Tom is forced by a girl to feed

a witch who the spook keeps locked up in a

pit. The witch escapes, so Tom is forced to

kill her. The witch's family is mad at Tom,

they try to kill him but the spook kills them.

I enjoyed this book and would give it four out

of five stars. I gave it that rating because it is

filled with action, horror, and suspense. I

would recommend this book to a person

who enjoys action, horror, and suspense books. I think that if you like

the book "Lord of the Rings" by J.R.R. Tolkien,  you would enjoy reading "The Seventh son" series by Joseph Delaney.--Review by Samuel B.

Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident by Eoin Colfer

Artemis gets a call from Butler saying that

his father may be alive and Captain Short

thinks that Artemis was trading with the

goblin clan, B’wa Kell. Captain Short

captures Artemis and Butler, but it turns

out they weren’t trading with B’wa Kell.

Artemis and Captain Short team up together

to take down B’wa Kell.

I enjoyed this book because before I thought that Artemis Fowl was just some boring book, but when I read it I loved it and had to read the second book. I rated this book 4 out of 5 stars because the books are leading up to one another and the second book helped me understand part of the first book.

I would recommend this book to 5th graders and 6th graders because I think that they would be the most interested in this book. If you liked Artemis Fowl book 1 then you might like this book too--Review by Catherine H.

Legend by Marie Lu

On the streets of Lake, there is a boy with an alias of Day, who is the country’s most wanted criminal. In an elite and wealthy sector, lives June, military prodigy. In this riveting and fast-paced tale of romance, action, and suspense, June and Day, two fifteen-year-old teenagers from opposite ends of the social spectrum, learn the truth about the Republic of America and to which lengths their country will go to to keep its secrets. 

This bestselling book is an absolute gem, and it’s definitely one of my favorite series of all time. An absolutely stunning debut book, Marie Lu does a phenomenal job of bringing the book to life, with action-packed scenes and heart-breaking moments, unexpected plot twists, as well as comedy relief that will have you rolling on the floor laughing, then on the edge of your seat in anticipation, smiling to yourself in delight, and the next moment bawling your eyes out. I rate this book 5 stars. I would recommend this to people who enjoy sci-fi and dystopian books, and would like a fast-paced, action-packed adventure romance series to read. 

If you liked the book Legend, you might enjoy… Prodigy, Champion, Rebel (the rest of the series by Marie Lu). Artemis Fowl, by Eoin Colfer, and Heroes of Olympus and the Percy Jackson series (by Rick Riordan). --Review by Ashley H.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Perculiar Children by

Ever since Jacob, a normal boy, was a little kid, his grandfather had been telling him stories and pictures of his blissful life as a boy; of a levitating girl, a mistress who can turn into a bird. But when a terrible family tragedy sets Jacob to go to a mysterious island where his grandfather’s stories took place, he slowly finds secrets he never knew existed.

I really recommend this book to all readers who are into mystery and action, because this novel is constantly in motion and there are many events. Ransom Riggs is an amazing author, and I would rate this book very highly. This is a story you can’t put down, and the photos are fascinating to look at (though they can be a bit creepy).

 This book has twists that you will never expect, and if you liked The Night Gardener or The Mysterious Benedict Society, then you might like this book too!--Review by Kelly B.

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien

This book I am reviewing is called Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O’Brien. Mrs. Frisby, a widowed mouse with four small children, is faced with a terrible dilemma. Either they move away to their summer quarters or risk her family’s lives . Her youngest son, Timothy, falls ill with pneumonia and must not be transported. Thankfully, she encounters the Rats of NIMH. They’re an extraordinary breed with a brilliant solution to her dilemma, and Mrs. Frisby in turn renders them a great service.On a scale of 1 to 5, I rate this book 3½. This book was the winner

of the 1972 Newbery Medal. In addition, the movie, The Secret of

NIMH(1982), was based on this story. There are certain things

I enjoyed  about this  book were that they narrated the story in

first person and it described the character’s emotions clearly. I also l

iked how the author introduced characters; a well written summary

about each of them which gave me the knowledge to infer about

what happens next. This book could have been improved by making

the plot more direct by using less vague vocabulary.  If you enjoyed

reading this book, you should also consider reading, From the

Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg,

Island of the Blue Dolphins  by Scott O’Dell, The Phantom Tollbooth

 by Norton Juster, and Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo.

--Review by Rudradip R.

The Blackthorn Key by Kevin Sands

Christopher Rowe is an apprentice

apothecary to his kind master, Benedict

Blackthorn, who teaches him how to

make remedies, care for master Blackthorn’s

shop, and solve codes and puzzles. On Oak

Apple Day, Christopher’s birthday, he

starts to make an enemy out of another

apothecary, Nathaniel Stubb. When a cult

starts murdering apothecaries, including Christopher’s master Blackthorn, Christopher

teams up with his dear friend Tom to find

what master Blackthorn had been working

on secretly. But, it isn’t that easy. Many puzzles and codes stop the two

friends from reaching what mattered most to master Blackthorn, what

he died for. Characters backstab others, double meanings are everywhere,

and it was just enough of confusing to keep me interested but still understandable. I really enjoyed this book! 

I rate this four out of five stars because it was really creatively written,

with many great details. However, it was a little gory and menacing

regarding the Cult’s murders, considering it was already a murder

mystery. Though overall, it was a really great book!

I would recommend this book to people who like mystery regarding
secret potions and codes. It was a very mysterious and mystical book
with a lot of twists and turns for people who love an exciting and intense
read! If you liked mystery books such as The Westing Game, Caraval,
and Chasing Vermeer you are going to love this book! After reading
this book, I wanted to reread all of my mystery books! Such a
great read!--Review byAlexandra H.