Pod's Blog

The Warrior Heir by Cinda Williams Chima 458 Pages****

2010-11-30T14:22:00.000-08:00

The Warrior Heir by Cinda Williams Chima is a fantasy book about magic. In this book, there are normal people and normal societies, but there are also people in the four magical guilds. They are wizards, enchanters, warriors, seers, and sorcerers. They have magic crystals in their hearts giving them special powers. Jack, a sixteen year old boy, notices that he is super strong and powerful one day when he didn’t take his medicine. As a baby, he had a crystal implanted in him when he lost his own. He was a wizard, but his wizard doctor, Dr. Longbranch, implanted a warrior’s crystal. There are not many warriors left, and a tournament that is held needs warriors to fight for the two opposing houses, the White Rose and the Red Rose. Jack is manifesting and getting all his powers. He finds a magic sword that was his aunts, and that’s when the race to get to Jack turns on. Both houses want Jack to fight for them. Then, a new girl comes to his school named Ellen Stephenson. She and Jack become friends, but there is something different about her. She never asks questions about Jack’s whereabouts, and she is very easygoing. Also, a new assistant principle comes to Jack’s school. His name is Mr. Hastings, and he is a wizard. He starts to train Jack to be a warrior. Then, Jack realizes that his town is swarming with wizards, evil and good. It is now no longer a safe haven. When Jack goes on a trip to England, he is forced to go to the tournament. It is a fight to the death, so who will he be fighting? Who will he fight for? It’s up to you to find out!

Rating Erik P.
****

The Wizard Heir by Cinda Williams Chima 458 Pages****

2010-11-19T06:00:00.000-08:00

Fantasy

The Wizard Heir by Cinda Williams Chima follows The Warrior Heir in this series. This book starts when a 16-year-old wizard, Seph McCauly, sets fire to a warehouse by accident because his powers get out of control. In his past he had been moved around for various problems. Seph knows he is a wizard, but doesn’t know how to diffuse his power. If he doesn’t learn how to do that soon, the manifesting wizard will self destruct. Seph’s lawyer/guardian sends him to a school in Maine run by Dr. Leicester, a wizard. When other wizards go there, he links to them and basically makes them his slaves that enhance his magic. When Seph refuses to link to Dr. Leicester, he starts sending Seph nightmares and traps him in the school grounds. Then he meets Jason Haley, who can somehow survive these nightmares. Also, he wants to help the dragon, an anonymous name for the person who is fighting the Roses. Jason helps Seph survive until he sends a message to his lawyer to get him. Linda Downey, Jack’s Aunt comes, and they escape. Seph did not know her, but the family in Ohio takes Seph in. He has to stay in the town because it is a sanctuary where Leicester’s wizard links can’t get him back. All is well for the next few weeks. But one day Jack, Ellen, and Madison, Seph’s friend, are sailing. A wizard created storm blows Seph and Ellen to and island where the wizard council is being held. Seph is taken prisoner and tortured by Leicester. The wizard council is actually a trap for the people in Trinity, Ohio. Leicester forms another different plan for the guilds and forces everybody in the council to fight including Jack and Ellen. How will Seph get out of his execution, and who will dry to stop Leicester? Will the Dragon die once and for all? Read this suspenseful book!
Erik P

Crocodile Tears by Anthony Horowitz***** 408 pages

2010-10-25T11:15:00.000-07:00

Crocodile Tears, by Anthony Horowitz, starts when Alex Rider is spending New Year’s with his friend Sabina Pleasure. He goes to a party hosted by Desmond McCain, the founder of First Aid. As they drive home, a sniper shoots their car and sends them flying into a loch. Alex knows something is seriously wrong when MI6 requests him for yet another dangerous mission. There is this genetic altering facility that experiments on plants. Alex then finds out that First Aid is setting up disasters and makes boatloads of money by getting to the scene first. His mission is to infiltrate the genetic plant and figure out what evil disaster First Aid is setting up next. Desmond McCain’s plan is to release a poison on the wheat in Africa, made by this facility. Many will die. Alex just makes it out of this hazardous facility alive only to be captured by McCain and flown to Kenya. He releases the poison, and it is activated on one field that will spread. Alex is left to die hanging over crocodiles when a spy from India saves him. He is injured, and Alex is left to stop the poison with a bomb and native guards chasing him. How will Alex save Kenya? Will he even survive himself? Is he going to stop Desmond McCain once and for all? Read and find out.

Rating Erik P.
***** Period 7

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins ***390 pages

2010-10-25T11:11:00.000-07:00

Mockingjay, by Susanne Collins the third in the epic series of the Hunger Games, comes to a screeching halt of disappointment. Throughout the book, characters get distorted and their personalities change. It all starts when the Capital firebombs District 12. Many die because district 12 distributes coal which is very flammable. The remaining survivors travel to the elusive District 13, which was not even existent after the Capitol bombed them. Now they have built an underground community that is safe and unknown about in the Capitol. One thing is missing. Peeta has been captured by the Capitol in the breakout and is being tortured to break Katniss. In thirteen, they want to form a rebellion, with Katniss as the Mockingjay to be their figurehead. She gets cool weapons and an awesome battle suit. She performs a lot of propos to show that she is alive and well. The only bad thing is that Peeta and some of the other tributes are still in the capitol. They get them out but it was a very risky plan. Peeta is delusional and messed up because of the hijacking the capitol did to him. The Capitol is starting a war and the Mockingjay has to do something. A group of soldiers including Katniss, Gale, Boggs, Finnick, Peeta who has somewhat recovered, and some other people get sent to assassinate President Snow. Then they realize something. The Capitol’s streets are set up with traps called pods. This is the Games. You could step forward to release a spray of bullets, or a barbwire net that kills you either way. They finally reach Snow’s mansion where many Capitol kids were huddled. A hovercraft appeared and dropped care packages attached to parachutes for the kids. That’s when they get blown to bits by the bombs in the care packages. Everybody comes rushing to help, but then the next set of bombs goes off killing more people. This is Gale’s design of a weapon. He has become a coldhearted soldier. Katniss becomes calculating and heartless. Peeta becomes deranged. Will any of them make it by the time Katniss gets to Snow’s mansion? Will Katniss even make it to kill him? This is the Games and it is real for everybody. There are only two options. Kill, or die.

Rating Erik P.
*** Period 7

Ghostgirl by Tonya Hurley***328 Pages

2010-05-23T16:05:00.000-07:00

Ghostgirl by Tonya Hurley is a story about a girl, Charlotte Usher, who has trouble fitting in but is eager to be a part of the popular crowd. She would die for popularity, and she does. After being paired up with the most popular boy in school for class, she chokes on a gummy bear. With no one around, she tragically passes on. However, in her afterlife, she becomes a ghost and must attend Dead Ed – a school for kids who have died. The goal of Dead Ed is to make sure the kids accept their death. Only then will they really be at rest. The kids must also work together to save their ghost home, an old house on the market and ready for demolition. However, Charlotte is too preoccupied with using her new powers to become “alive” again to pay attention to the class. To become “alive," she can transport herself into others, controlling the person she has taken over. By doing this she can communicate with others as if she was still living. The kids at Dead Ed have just about had it with Charlotte. Her lack of understanding the importance of saving the house irritates them. Oddly enough, the most popular girl, Petula, has a younger sister, Scarlet, who can see Charlotte. Charlotte uses Scarlet’s body to carry out her plan to fix her mistakes. Why not host the dance in the house so people can really see how cool the house is? Maybe it will be saved. Prue, the meanest girl at Dead Ed, is jealous that Charlotte is able to do this. Most of the kids in the living world and Dead Ed seem to think hosting the party in the house is a really good idea. Charlotte thinks that to accept her death, she must finish what she started, which was to kiss the popular boy, Damen, at the dance. Although Scarlet is a little reluctant to let Charlotte use her body to do that, it is Charlotte’s only hope.

When the dance begins, everyone is excited. The living kids are having an awesome time, marveling at the spooky house. The Dead Ed kids are happy because they get to make the house even scarier with their powers. Minutes before midnight, Charlotte is dancing with Damen, ecstatic that she is getting her opportunity to kiss him. Unfortunately, Prue becomes angry when she sees Scarlet’s ghostly figure wandering around, realizing that Charlotte is in Scarlet’s body. When Damen is about to kiss Charlotte, Charlotte must transport out of Scarlet’s body and let Scarlet have the kiss. Charlotte didn’t want Prue to hurt Scarlet. Prue thought Charlotte got the kiss, and began to tear the house apart. Walls were shaking, and the Dead Ed kids became visible. At first, the living kids thought everything was a special effect. When they realized it wasn’t, they were scared and afraid. After an all-out battle, Charlotte admitted it was not she who kissed Damen. Prue was shocked that Charlotte would have been so selfless. By doing so, Charlotte had accomplished what she was meant to do. She accepted her death. Prue and Scarlet apologized to each other. With Scarlet and Damen watching, the Dead Ed kids graduated and moved on to be at peace. I would recommend this book to middle school girls. The novel was a little weird because you couldn’t relate to the ghosts. I couldn’t tell how important it was to save the house, and the whole thought of it was creepy. However, the novel was an interesting because it was something different. I would give it three stars for a good story and funny characters.

Alana F. Period 3

The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis****

2010-04-30T14:15:00.000-07:00

Realistic Fiction
　
The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis is an interesting novel that helped me realize how families must really feel about war in Afghanistan. Parvana, the main character, is a young girl who must dress up as a boy after her father is arrested by the Taliban to make money for her family. In Afghanistan at the time, the Taliban did not allow women to go outside without wearing clothes that cover their entire body and face. Women could also not go out if they were not with a man. However, since Parvana’s father was arrested, her older brother had passed away, and her youngest brother, Ali, was just a toddler, she, her mother, and her sister could not go outside. This was a big problem, since the family now had no source of income. Her mother became depressed and the children began to starve. Luckily, a friendly neighbor Mrs. Weera came over to help the family along. She helped Parvana’s mother get out of her depression and coached the family, treating them like a team. Paravana now had to be the one to make money, no matter what it would take.
One day, Parvana’s sister Nooria was asked for her hand in marriage. The
family needed to move to get to the suitor’s home, but Parvana decided not to go. She stayed with Mrs. Weera. Unfortunately, Parvana soon met an upset girl who had run from the same town her family had just left to meet Nooria’s suitor. The Taliban had destroyed it, and Parvana had no idea if her mother, sister, baby brother, and baby sister were okay. A knock arrived on her door one night, and she was surprised to see it was her father. Two men had helped him get home since he was weak, but the fact that he was home and out of prison cheered Parvana up a lot. She was unsure of her future and family, but by being strong, she was a big help to everyone. Her bravery and curiosity definitely made this novel special.
Alana F.
Period 3

*How to Build a House by Dana Reinhardt*****

2010-04-22T13:29:00.000-07:00

*Realistic Fiction*

How to Build a House by Dana Reinhardt is an excellent novel about Harper Evans, a girl who was troubled by her parents’ divorce. She felt trapped in her home of Los Angeles, living only with her dad and occasionally her little brother, Cole. The divorce not only separated her mother from her father, but her stepsister, Tess, from her. Tess had been her best friend growing up. Now, they were almost enemies, blaming each other’s parent for the divorce. Harper felt that she needed to escape the chaos at home and decided to join a teen volunteer program. The program was designed to help a family rebuild their home due to a tornado in Tennessee. Even though Harper didn’t know anything about construction, she knew she could relate to the family. Both of their homes seemed to be ripped away from them in a matter of seconds. She worked with other teens that came from San Francisco, New York City, and Salt Lake City to name a few. The family she helped was very kind, especially their son, Teddy. Harper and Teddy ended up having a summer romance, and Harper didn’t want to leave Tennessee. She occasionally called her dad, knowing he missed her. He in turn said to call Tess. Harper tried, but she couldn’t manage to dial the last number of Tess’ phone, fearing the conversation wouldn’t make anything better. One night, she heard a knock on the door. Harper answered it and was surprised to find Tess standing there in front of her. They talked for a while, and eventually they forgave one another for what happened, realizing it wasn’t either of their faults. Over the next few days, the teens finished up the house while Tess and Harper caught up on everything they had missed out on with each other. When the time came for Harper to leave, she and Teddy promised to keep in touch. Harper felt better about leaving Tennessee, because after all, both she and Teddy now had a good place to call home.
　
Alana F. Period 3

*Miss Spitfire by Sarah Miller******208 pages

2010-03-30T05:02:00.000-07:00

Miss Spitfire by Sarah Miller
208 pages

Miss Spitfire by Sarah Miller is a biography about Anne Sullivan, the teacher of Helen Keller, educating Helen. Helen could now read, write, and even speak despite her disabilities. Helen was blind, deaf, and a very stubborn child. Anne grew up lonely, sad, and hard-headed. The two eventually made a perfect team, and were inseparable. Anne Sullivan had had a rough childhood, and Helen was her last shot at being successful. She was an orphan, and had no family to care for her. Anne was nervous, since she was an untrained as a teacher, and didn’t want to go back to Perkins School a failure. Perkins School for the Blind was her only home. Growing up Anne had poor eyesight, and Perkins was the only place that could help her. Once with Helen, Anne realized Helen had a temper, Anne knew teaching the child would not be an easy task. The only way she was going to get through to Helen was to bring her away from her home, alone, where her parents couldn’t constantly protect her from Anne’s harsh orders. For example, when Helen didn’t want to use her silverware, there was no dinner for Helen. That’s how it was with Anne around. Day after day, after agonizing lessons and difficult situations, Anne finally broke through to Helen. Helen realized what language was. The world opened up to Helen, and the Keller family was overjoyed. For the next fifty years, Helen and Anne were friends, always together. Helen always called Anne “teacher,” the name Anne had spelled into Helen’s hand from the beginning. They were lifelong pals, only separated when Anne passed away in 1936. Helen passed away thirty-two years later, in 1968, remembered as a miracle to the world. This book was an enjoyable, interesting read. I recommend it to anyone interested in Anne or Helen’s story.

Alana F.
Period 3

Catalyst by Laurie Halse Anderson****233 pages Realistic Fiction

2010-02-27T10:23:00.000-08:00

Catalyst by Laurie is about Kate Malone, an intelligent, young high school girl. She has a confusing, conflicting life as a senior with college decisions, family issues, and friend drama to deal with. Kate feels most comfortable just sitting in chemistry class, learning, instead of being at home with a disagreeable brother, Toby, and a father who is a Reverend, usually out doing church business. When Teri Litch’s house burns down, who comes to the rescue? Reverend Malone,of course. Teri, who is rude, short-tempered and mean, is now rooming with Kate. However, Teri’s son, Mikey, is the exact opposite. Cute, funny, and adorable, he is the only person Teri is ever nice to. Kate not only has to deal with the stress of wondering if she got into the only school she applied for, M.I.T., but now has the burden of having to grant Teri’s every wish. Kate’s friends begin to worry about her, because she no longer has the time to hang out. The Malone family and many other community volunteers start to rebuild a new house for Teri, her mother, and her son. Teri works every day at the house, even skipping school, imagining what things would be perfect for Mikey, such as a playroom. But one day when the work on the house was just about finished for the day, the electricity went out, and Mikey was missing. Everyone scrambles, calling his name, and he is quickly found in what was going to be his room. Unfortunately, he wasn’t found conscious. The ladder of his metal fire truck had gotten stuck in the outlet on the wall, electrocuting him. An ambulance was called to the scene, and he was shipped away to the hospital. What will happen to Teri if Mikey is gone? Will Kate and Teri make up?
Alana F.Period 3

Lush by Natasha Friend ***178 pagesRealistic Fiction

2010-01-28T12:16:00.000-08:00

Lush by Natasha Friend is about a family who struggles with an alcoholic father. The main character, Sam, is very conflicted because her life revolves around making sure her little brother, Luke, stays safe. Her mother is into yoga, so much so that the family is almost driven mad by it. Sam dislikes that her mother does yoga to avoid everything else because she pretends nothing is wrong. That is, until one day, when Sam is left to babysit Luke while her dad has a short temper. When Luke starts to hoot and holler on the couch, Sam joins him feeling the need to relieve some stress. Their father, who was trying do work in his office, came storming out. That night, he had too much to drink, and it was downhill from there. He went over to Luke and smashed a bottle over his head. From that point, Luke was traumatized, and wasn’t himself. He usually was very enthusiastic and now was as quiet as a mouse. Sam’s mother then realizes something needs to be done. While the family seeks help, a neighboring family helps out, even though Charlie Parker, an enemy of Sam, is in it. Does Sam find something out from Charlie she didn’t know before? What happens to her dad after his violent behavior?
I thought Lush was something new to read, and it was definitely interesting. At the same time though, I had trouble relating to it since I have never encountered the same problems as Sam.
Rating: ***
Alana F.Period 3

The Cupcake Queen by Heather Hepler****242 pages Realistic Fiction

2010-01-19T11:47:00.000-08:00

The Cupcake Queen is about a fourteen-year-old girl named Penny Lee who has a lot of crazy things going on in her life. Not only are her parents divorcing, but she has to deal with moving all the way from Manhattan to a little town named Hog’s Hollow, where they crown a Hog Queen every fall. She feels that she has no say in what is happening and feels like her parents are completely blocking her out. Her mom owns a new bakery, called The Cupcake Queen, where she helps out and goes to in her spare time. She knows how to decorate the cupcakes and is a very creative girl. One day, when her mom needs help to catering a party, Penny decides to go. Only when they get there does she realize it is for the meanest, most selfish girl in Hog’s Hollow, Charity, who also happens to be in her grade. From there, disaster strikes. Cupcakes fly, ruining the party, but worse, Charity haunts Penny from then on. At school, Penny is bullied by Charity and her friends, leaving Penny to end up being completely aggravated with her life at Hog’s Hollow. Only when she meets some friends, Tally, Blake, and Marcus, do things look up. Penny even enters a contest to create a float for the Hog Queen Parade!
Will Charity ruin her chances at winning? What happens when Penny’s dad offers to let her come back to New York City? Penny is forced to make big decisions, but luckily has her friends by her side. Rating: ****Alana F.

Viola in Reel Life by Adriana Trigiani****282 pages Realistic Fiction

2010-01-19T11:46:00.000-08:00

Viola in Reel Life is about a girl named Viola who loves making movies. She is used to her life in Brooklyn, but one day her parents decide she is going to attend a school in Indiana, called The Prefect Academy for Young Women, for a year when they are away. At first she dislikes it, doubting her parents’ choice. She misses her home and friends and is confused because everyone seems find the school interesting but her. Viola tends to hide behind her camera, viewing the world from her own perspectives. She is very artistic and creative, which helps her eventually fit in. She even finds someone who has the same interests in film as she does and enters a film competition. After a while, she begins to realize how beautiful Indiana really is and how great her roommates at the school are. Viola learns to become independent and has experiences that would have never happened in Brooklyn. She becomes more open to others and is surprised by what a good year she has.

I would definitely recommend this book to someone who has attended summer camp or has been away from home before because you will really be able to relate to the challenges Viola faces when she is on her own. Rating: ****Alana F.

The Patron Saint of Butterflies by Cecilia Galante****

2010-01-13T13:15:00.001-08:00

The Patron Saint of Butterflies by Cecilia Galante****292 pagesRealistic FictionThe Patron Saint of Butterflies by Cecilia Galante is about two girls, Agnes and Honey, who live at a religious commune called Mount Blessing. Everyone at the commune is called a “Believer,” and they follow a man named Emmanuel. Agnes and Honey have been best friends since birth, but as they get older, their friendship fades, too. Honey has always been a little different than everyone else: knowing what the world is like outside of Mount Blessing, breaking rules, and doubting her beliefs in Emmanuel. She doesn’t have much of a family to look after her, for her mother left her at the commune. Agnes, on the other hand, has a family, and strongly believes in the religion, trying to be perfect and become a saint. One day when Nana Pete, Agnes’s grandmother, visits the commune unexpectedly, she finds out Mount Blessing has a dangerous secret. To keep the girls safe, she brings Agnes, her little brother Benny, and Honey back to her house in Texas. On the way, they are startled by the world they’ve never known. Automatic doors, restaurants, and stores thrill Honey, while Agnes is opposed. Her only goal is to concentrate on what is holy and saint-like, hoping to someday return to Mount Blessing. Unfortunately, there is another big secret that Honey discovers soon after about herself and Agnes. What will happen to these girls, their families, and the rest of the “Believers” at Mount Blessing?
Rating: ****Alana F.Period 3

39 Clues Book 1 Maze of Bones by by Rick Riordan****

2009-10-26T14:11:00.000-07:00

Today, I’m reviewing a book called 39 Clues. The setting of the story takes place in modern day in various places. The main characters of the book are Dan and Amy Cahill. These two kids want to take part in finding clues that unlock a secret to their family instead of taking 1 million dollars from their aunt Grace’s will. Along the way, most of the family members try to stop the kids from winning the challenge. At the end of the book, Amy and Dan find out that Ben Franklin is a Cahill and has hidden the first clue in the Poor Richard’s Almanac. At the end, the kids get the clue and start looking for the other clues. There are 10 books in the series following Dan and Amy on this adventure.
by Derek C.

Lemonade Mouth by Mark Peter*****

2009-10-05T05:00:00.000-07:00

Lemonade Mouth by Mark Peter Hughes *****
338 pages
Realistic Fiction
Lemonade Mouth by Mark Peter Hughes is about five freshmen by the names of Wen, Stella, Olivia, Charlie, and Mo. By fate, they all end up in detention the same day in a drab classroom at the basement of the school. A couple of them have never been to detention before, while for others, it’s the usual routine. While there, they learn that they all have something in common that they never knew about before--that they all have a passion for music. After becoming friends and wondering if they should form a band, things start getting in the way and arguments arise. Luckily, the students agreed to stay together, and came up with a clever and catchy name, Lemonade Mouth, after the famous Mel’s Organic Lemonade. Many of the older kids, especially those from a competing band, Mudslide Crush, make fun of them and say they don’t know what they are doing. After Lemonade Mouth’s first concert though, a lot of students changed their mind, claiming the music was moving and they became true fans. Wen, Stella, Olivia, Charlie, and Mo had been outcasts, but not anymore. They became pretty famous around their area, and finally, their big break came. They auditioned for a local radio’s contest, called Catch a RI-Zing Star, but the day before the show, they all seem to be out of it and have bad luck. What will happen when they get on stage and they aren’t ready?
Rating: *****
Alana F.
Period 3

Eragon by Christopher Paolini ****

2009-09-17T04:31:00.000-07:00

Fantasy
497pages
Eragon by Christopher Paolini starts off with young farm boy Eragon hunting deer in the forest when he stumbles upon a strange sapphire stone. He does not know what the stone is or where it is from. One night Eragon is awakened by a strange noise, which he realizes is coming from the stone. It appears to be breaking and out pops a little dragon. In Alagaesia, where Eragon lives, dragons have long been a legend to humans. As the dragon grows, she learns to communicate with Eragon mentally, and he learns that he is her rider. He tries to keep this a secret, but soon the ruthless leader of Alagaesia, Galbatorix, learns of the dragon. He has tried to keep dragons a secret since the fall of the dragon riders hundreds of years ago and sends men to capture Eragon and the dragon, Saphira. They escape but in the incident Garrow, Eragon’s uncle and guardian, is killed and the Ra’zac, the evil creatures sent to capture Eragon, have fled. Now, Eragon is thrown into a quest for vengeance and understanding. His only helpers are Saphira and an old storyteller Brom who just might know a bit too much about Galbatorix and the "legends" of Alagaesia.
Rating
****
Rebecca B.
Period 7

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova ***

2009-09-10T17:03:00.000-07:00

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova is a story of a girl whose name does not get revealed because she is the one telling the story. The story starts with her one night wandering through her father’s library only to come across an ancient book and faded letters addressed to “My Dear and Unfortunate Successor.” She’s tortured by not knowing the secrets of her father’s past. As she digs deeper into the letters’ meaning, she is led to an evil hidden deep in the corners of history. The letters in fact lead to a century-long search of the truth of Vlad the Impaler, the most feared ruler of not just his time. For years historians have risked their sanity and even their lives to find his secrets. Now, she has to decide to either find them or follow in her father’s footsteps into a world that destroyed him when he was a young man. Will the stories she discoveries in Ivy League Libraries come close to the secret that no one in history has found?

by Paige B.

Spud- The Madness Continues by John van de Ruit 337 pgs ****

2009-05-31T17:06:00.000-07:00

John (Spud) Milton lives in South Africa it is 1991, and he is about to start his second year at an all boys boarding school. But this year will not be easy. He must juggle rugby, cricket, a trip to London, his diary, schoolwork, his crazy classmates, girlfriend issues, and a wacko grandma. This will not be easy, but it will be funny. Spud- the Madness Continues is a great sequel to Spud and is a great read for boys.

I highly recommend this series.

Jonah
Period 2

So long and Thanks for All the Fish by Douglas Adams 204 pgs ***

2009-05-31T17:04:00.000-07:00

Arthur Dent is finally back on earth, and he is hopelessly in love with Fenchurch who is considered to be a complete nutcase by her brother. Together, they embark on a journey to find Wonko the Sane and try to find out where all the dolphins went. In the end they go to Preliumtarn where they meet Marvin, the super depressed robot, and see God’s final words to man.

Jonah M. Period 2

Mostly Harmless by Douglas Adams

2009-05-31T17:01:00.002-07:00

Mostly Harmless by Douglas Adams, the fifth book in the increasingly inaccurately named Hitchhikers Trilogy 227 pgs ****

Arthur Dent wants to be completely normal. Too bad he can fly, and he has traveled in space. After surviving a spaceship crash on an unknown planet, he becomes the village sandwichmaker, one of the best jobs available, using the meat of the perfectly normal beast to make some of the best sandwiches around. On the other side of the galaxy, Ford Prefect is in a bit of a mess. After breaking into his own company’s offices, he then discovers something is not right, The Company is under new management! I guess he never got to say goodbye to the sea monster in its tank. After proceeding to knock his CEO out, he then steals a large amount of money from the corporation. After falling over 50 stories and being shot at by Vulgans, he finally wonders, what should I do next?

This is a wonderful conclusion to one of the best science fiction series of all time.
Jonah M. p.2

Maximum Ride, The Angel Experiment by James Patterson 413pgs **

2009-05-31T17:01:00.001-07:00

Angel has been kidnapped, and it’s up to Max and the rest of the flock to save her and discover where they came from and why they were made. Yes made. They are all genetically engineered bird humans with wings and super strength. They have to brave some of their greatest fears to rescue angel and to discover who they really are.

Jonah M. Period 2

Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports by James Patterson 407 pgs ***

2009-05-31T16:56:00.000-07:00

Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports by James Patterson 407 pgs ***

Six amazing flying mutant kids are given the task of saving the world, which is a pretty big thing to do. In the third book of this exciting series, Max and her family face dangers from flying robots, wolf men and Jeb, a puzzling man who works for the corporation that made Max and doesn’t seem to have a side. Traveling from Arizona to California to France, and even Germany, The Flock is in for a tough time.

But hey, who said saving the world was going to be easy?

Jonah M. p.2

Over to you by Roald Dahl- 159 pgs ***

2009-05-31T16:54:00.000-07:00

Over to you by Roald Dahl- 159 pgs ***

This is a collection of stories about WWII both made up and real. It is mostly about fighter pilots and the troubles they faced.

It is a great, quick read by one of the greatest writers ever.
Jonah M. Period 2

The Hunt for Red October by Tom Clancy- 387pgs *****

2009-05-31T16:44:00.000-07:00

The Hunt for Red October by Tom Clancy- 387pgs ***** It is the Height of the Cold War, CIA analyst Jack Ryan is charged with a nearly impossible mission, helping a Russian nuclear missile submarine defect to the United States with one of the USSR’s best officers. The problem is that the ship is built with the latest stealth technology, making it nearly invisible to a sonar operator’s ears, and the commander of the sub, Marko Ramius, doesn’t want to be found until he wants to be found. A great game of hide and seek is afoot, with the stakes as high as a possible nuclear war.

The book is a brilliant novel about the cold war, submarine warfare, and intelligence gathering. I strongly recommend this book for any upper level reader.

Jonah M.

Song of the Gargoyle by Zilpha Keatley Snyder **

2009-05-11T08:18:00.000-07:00

Song of the Gargoyle
Zilpha Keatley Snyder
219 pages

The main character’s name is Tymmon. Tymmon is a poor boy who wants to become a knight. His father, Komus, is a jester who gets kidnapped by Black Helmet. Tymmon meets a gargoyle named Troff. Now, it’s up to Tymmon and Troff to rescue Komus from Black Helmet.

Will Tymmon become a jester or a knight? Will Tymmon and Troff rescue Komus or will Black Helmet capture all three of them?

I wouldn’t recommend Song of the Gargoyle. In the beginning there’s not much action because Tymmon’s life is described. Although the beginning is slow, the middle has more action. For example, Tymmon and Troff goes on an adventure to rescue Komus. Even though I did not like this book, someone who likes books about the Middle Ages might like it.

Rating: **
Tyler K.

Castle in the Attic by Elizabeth Winthrop **

2009-05-05T08:27:00.001-07:00

Castle in the Attic
Author: Elizabeth Winthrop
170 pages

The main character was a boy named William. William was a gymnast, and he loved the toy castle that Mrs. Phillips, the maid, gave him before she left to go to England. He loves the castle and he plays with it all the time.

William was a sneaky little boy because in the middle of the night, he would sneak up into the attic and play with his little toy castle. The king of the castle was Sir Simon. Sir Simon was turned into lead by a man named Alaster. But William wants revenge on Alaster because Alaster hurt his little toy knight.

I wouldn’t really recommend this book because it was pretty boring, because it was really slow in the beginning and the middle because there was little action. I don’t really find the Middle Ages that interesting. If you like the Middle Ages, I think that you might like the book and find it more interesting than me.

Rating**
Shane P

The Door in the Wall by Marguerite De Angeli *

2009-05-05T08:26:00.001-07:00

The Door in the Wall
120 pages
Marguerite De Angeli

This book was about a boy who lived in the Middle Ages. His name is Robin whose parents had to leave to do some things and left him with a maid. Robin is crippled and doesn’t like the maid. He scares her away by throwing porridge in her face. Brother Luke a monk comes to Robin’s house and takes Robin to his monastery.

While at the monastery, Robin learns to swim with his arms because his legs are crippled. Later, he receives a letter from his father telling him to come to the castle where he was fighting the Welsh. It was a long journey. Robin, Brother Luke, John-go-in-the-Wynd, and a horse went on the journey. It's a long and fierce journey because Robin had to hike on crutches a long distance, and he also had to sleep in a log because it was raining.

This book was not very good. I wouldn’t recommend this book unless you like books on Middle Ages. The end of the book was really not that good and I thought it was one of the worst books I ever read in my life.

Rating *
Jack R

Stephen Colbert's I Am America (And So Can You!) ****

2009-04-30T14:50:00.000-07:00

Let me hit this one right off the bat: when you open Stephen Colbert's I Am America (And So Can You!), don't expect riveting prose and tear-jerking poetry. Also don't expect for him to agree with the ideas you grew up with. In fact, don't expect researched theorems, either. However, do expect to find some of the most hilarious irreverence to come along since the Three Stooges. He's Stephen Colbert. He doesn't need any of those things to captivate an audience. All he needs is himself and a little caffeine.

Apparently, Stephen Colbert isn't able to fit all his unique opinions into his Comedy Central news report The Colbert Report, so he's taken the liberty of placing the rest of his myriad ideas into book format. The result is a guaranteed laugh-fest, and even a substitute for a Bible, or, at least, that's how he defines his creation. For fans of the show, this is essentially more Colbert, which is an entirely good thing. This is not a book. At least, not in the traditional sense. Between the numerous footnotes and sideline doodling, humorous charts depicting all sorts of American essences, and flippant attitude towards many subsets of American culture, Stephen manages to turn the pages of a simple shredded tree into a menagerie of bizarre opinions. It's hard to tell whether this is a book, or something much more dangerous. You can even hear his voice in your head if you listen closely.

Within this book, you will listen to Stephen rant about his views on parenthood, religion, science, race, the media, and much more. Though his views aren't always the most conventional, he preaches his Colbert-ican attitude proudly throughout the book. His ideas, in fact, are more sensible than a lot of the political ideas normal people have today. I say that devoid of humor.

Though Mr. Colbert is obviously not a writer, he's a great humorist, and thankfully, his entertaining style transfers to the written word. For fans of the show, this is a must read and a great companion to the many other Colbert paraphernalia you no doubt have. And even if you've never tuned in to one of his reports, this is still a recommended read. The unique perspectives on America will have any normal human being hooked within minutes.
Mark G.

The Spellman Files ***

2009-04-02T12:34:00.000-07:00

The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz is the story of Isabel Spellman, a woman born into a family of private investigators. Isabel has shown interest in the family business since she was eavesdropping on her elementary school peers, and she has worked for her family since the age of twelve. Although this life seems ideal for Isabel, the Spellman home is not an easy one to live in. Being employed by her mother and father is a problem in itself, but when she finds out that her telephone has been wired a true battle begins. In the midst of this are her siblings, her perfect older brother David who has left the family business to become a lawyer, and her younger sister Rae who is addicted to two things: sugar and recreational surveillance. Uncle Ray just adds to the tension. When he is not aggravating Rae, named after him after he was diagnosed with cancer, he leaves on what has become known to the Spellmans as, “Lost Weekends.” This means that he has run off to a motel somewhere to drink and play poker and needs to be picked up in a day or two. When you add all of this chaos to the fact that her parents are following her twenty- four seven and she is working on a case from fifteen years ago, you come up with the craziness of Isabel Spellman’s life. But when Rae goes missing while on a “recreational surveillance” venture all other problems are forgotten until Rae is located and returned home safely. With a family of private investigators, how hard can it be to find a fourteen year old?

Keira G.

Per. 2

Girl Overboard ***

2009-04-02T12:29:00.000-07:00

Girl Overboard by Justina Chen Headley is the story of Syrah Cheng, billionaire Ethan Cheng’s daughter. She has everything a girl could want, from one of a kind designer clothes to a Mercedes sitting in the garage awaiting her sixteenth birthday, and she doesn’t want any of it. The one thing she wants is to fly down a mountain on her snowboard with her best friend, Age, but she can’t do that. Just a few months before Syrah tore her ACL while riding in the back country alone where she was buried by an avalanche. It was a miracle that she was found when it was said that she had about a ten percent chance of surviving. Although she has gone through extensive surgery and physical therapy, and her doctor told her that she is healthy enough to snowboard, her parents won’t allow it. On top of that, Age has gotten back together with his old girlfriend, who doesn’t allow him to talk to Syrah. Unable to snowboard and ignored by her family, including her half siblings who are old enough to be her parents, Syrah is a prisoner in a mansion. It isn’t until she finds Amanda, a three- year -old with cancer who also loves to snowboard, that she decides to help. For her entire life people have only heard her last name and tried to get close to her to get to her father; however,when Syrah is about to make a name for herself separate from her father, she is in the world of snowboarding and beyond.

Keira G.

Per.2

The New Policeman by Kate Thompson*****

2009-03-23T08:37:00.000-07:00

The New Policeman, by Kate Thompson, combines classic Irish folklore with modern storytelling to create a unique plot in an unfamiliar land that is nonetheless things that we have, for the most part, seen before.
All J.J. Liddy’s mother wants for her birthday is time. The time seems to be seeping away from the residents of Kinvira, a small town located near the sea of Ireland. J.J. takes upon himself this seemingly impossible task; he tries to do odd jobs for his mother, to give her more minutes in an ever-shortening day, while also trying to fit in homework and music practice for the upcoming family dance. But, just like all the other people, J.J. just doesn’t seem to have enough hours to complete his tasks. That is until a neighbor reveals a secret…
As it seems, time is leaking from Earth into an alternate version of Earth, the classic Irish folklore land or Tir na N’Òg, where time stands still. So now, not only is time passing in the “Land of Eternal Youth, “ but there are less hours in the other world. J.J. must team up with a “Fairy” named Aengus Òg to find the leak between the two worlds and restore time to its original flow. From the plot mentioned above, you might not say there’s much to the story; no obvious antagonist, little knowledge of the worlds; among other things. In fact, the plot is rather light in the basic sense: an Irish Teenager searches for a rip in the fabric of Time to save both worlds. But, you’ll only get a small sense of the big picture if you don’t pay attention to the scenes that are obviously a back story. If you look closely, you’ll see a deeper plot present itself, one that enhances the experience much past the basic events of the story. Thus, this is a challenging read for most young adults, but the journey is very worth it. The book is also very rich in Irish Folklore, making it a must-read for those close to their Irish heritage, or those interested in the unique mythology of Ireland.

by Mark G. p. 2
Rating: *****

The House of the Scorpion by Farmer, Nancy *****

2009-03-20T20:11:00.000-07:00

Science Fiction Pages: 380

Matteo Alcrán (Matt) is a clone, and he was harvested out of a cow. He is the clone of El Patrón, a powerful drug lord. The story takes place in the future and in Opium, a piece of land between Mexico, now called Aztlán, and the United States. Opium is ruled by El Patrón, who is over 140 years old. Matt was created so El Patrón could harvest Matt’s organs when his own organs began to fail. Matt has been raised by Celia, one of El Patrón’s workers. Matt has never met another human besides Celia and the doctor in his entire life because humans treat clones like animals and El Patrón doesn’t want his great-great-grandchildren to have to see him. When Matt is six years old, he jumps out of the window and meets Tom, Emilia, and María. They are all descendants of El Patrón, and have never seen a clone before. Disgust automatically overwhelms Tom and Emilia, but María likes Matt and builds a strong friendship with him as the book continues. The children take Matt back to their family and Matt is treated as a prisoner for several years. He is kept in a room full of sawdust until El Patrón comes to his rescue. El Patrón realizes how similar Matt’s personality is to his as a child and wants Matt to have a better life than he had. As Matt grows into a teenager, he realizes that he loves El Patrón like a father. When Matt finds out that El Patrón only created him for his organs, Matt knows that he cannot let this happen to him. He has high expectations for his life and must leave Opium before El Patrón kills him for his organs. Will Matt be able to escape and start a new life on his own or will he be killed for his organs?
Find out by reading The House of the Scorpion .

Caroline W.
*****
Period: 8

How It Happened in Peach Hill by Jocelyn, Marthe ***

2009-03-20T20:08:00.000-07:00

Historical Fiction Pages: 232

How It Happened in Peach Hill is the story of a fifteen-year-old girl named Annie. Annie and her clairvoyant mother who has traveled from town to town Annie’s entire life is scamming people of their money. All Annie’s mom does is lie to people while Annie assists her. When they move to Peach Hill, her mom makes Annie act like an idiot so she can eavesdrop on the townspeople without them becoming suspicious. Annie’s mom puts on a wonderful show for the citizens of Peach Hill and most of them fall for it, especially Mr. Poole. Mr. Poole lives in a huge house on the outside of town. He begins to really like Annie’s mom and decides that he wants to showcase her talents at a performance at his house. Meanwhile, Annie has decided that she’s sick of acting like an idiot and she begins to like a boy named Sammy Sloane. She pretends that her mother magically cured her, and she begins to act normal and go to school. At the showcase at Mr. Sloane’s house, people begin to doubt Annie and her mom. Annie decides that she is sick of lying to people and wants to start a new life on her own. When her mom moves on to the next town, Annie stays in Peach Hill and begins her new life. Read to find out how Annie makes a new life for herself.

Rating: Caroline W
*** Period: 8

The Swarm by Frank Schatzing ****

2009-03-20T20:06:00.000-07:00

The human race is in danger: whales start killing people in Canada; exploding lobsters poison water supplies in Europe and thousands die; toxic, eyeless crabs poison New York City; and to trump it all, the North Sea shelf collapses, destroying the offshore drilling industry and ravaging England and Norway. The events are connected – an unknown white substance seems to be controlling sea organisms. Sigur Johansen, a Norwegian scientist, Leon Anawak, a Native American and other experts try to figure out what is happening. They realize that their efforts could save the world. Top government officials have their own ideas about who should win this war with the sea, especially Judith Lee, a top general who has her own plans for confronting the danger. Can humanity win the war against something that they can’t find or is the sea going to have its ultimate revenge for humanity’s abuses? – A challenging read for advanced readers.

Jonah M.
898 pages

New Moon by Stephanie Meyer ****

2009-03-20T20:04:00.000-07:00

New Moon by Stephanie Meyer is the second book in the series Twilight. Bella Swan has fallen in love with Edward Cullen, a vampire. Edward and his family decide to throw a little birthday party for Bella. Bella cut her finger opening an envelope. Edwards’s brother, Jasper, is the newest vampire in the family, and can't control himself. He tries to attack Bella. Edward decides that it is best for Bella if he leaves, so that Bella can live a normal life. He does not want Bella to get into anymore danger. Bella becomes very depressed and is very lifeless now. She spends most of her time in her room, or in La Push with Jacob, a family friend. Bella almost jumps off a cliff to get Edward to come back. Edward could see that she was going to jump and assumed she had died. Alice, Edward's sister comes to check on Bella because Edward has gone to the Volturi to ask for death. Edward and Bella cannot live without each other. They rescue Edward, and both Bella and Edward are reunited at last.

547 pagesAmanda G. period 7.

Absolute Brightness by James Lecesne ***

2009-03-19T12:37:00.000-07:00

Absolute Brightness by James Lecesne depicts the real life horrors of teenage prejudice. When fifteen year old Phoebe learns that her estranged cousin is moving in with her dysfunctional family, she can’t think of anything that she would like to happen less. Her negative feelings about the situation only increase when thirteen-year-old, obviously gay Leonard shows up on their doorstep. Leonard becomes a trouble magnet when he flaunts his differences instead of hiding them. Whether he is walking down the halls in pink and lime green plaid Capri pants and homemade platform sneakers or giving beauty advice to the women in Phoebe’s mother’s hair salon, Hair Today, Leonard always finds a way to be himself. It wasn’t until Leonard mysteriously disappeared that Phoebe realized what a huge impact he made on her life.

472 pages

Keira G.

period 2

Brisingr by Christopher Paolini ***

2009-03-19T11:57:00.000-07:00

Brisingr by Christopher Paolini is the third book in the Inheritance series. The book begins soon after Eldest ends. The citizens of Carvahall have joined the Varden in their struggle against the terrible King Galbatorix, where Eragon and his dragon Saphira play a huge role as the last free dragon and Rider. They are sent on missions to find allies and are key components in battle, when they never know if Eragon’s brother Murtagh and his dragon, Thorn, will rear their ugly heads. They must leave the Varden to help the dwarves choose a new king who is sympathetic to the Varden’s cause and consult with their elf teacher, The-Cripple-Who-Is-Whole. As they embark on their quest they realize their destinies.

748 pages

Keira G.

period 2

Three Willows by Ann Brashares ***

2009-03-19T11:40:00.000-07:00

Three Willows by Ann Brashares is the story of friends Polly, Jo, and Ama. These girls have grown apart as they went through middle school and barely keep in touch now that eighth grade has ended. As their summers begin, they all start to realize that nothing is turning out as they planned. Polly has decided to follow in her grandmother’s footsteps and become a model, which means working on her look. She hardly eats at all in order to lose weight. Her mother barely notices because she spends hours at a time in her art studio. While Jo is adjusting to her new job on the beach, she finds out that her parents have decided to separate for the summer. While the news doesn’t come as a shock, it does change the fact that no one will ever be home anymore. This leaves the house alone to Jo, her new friends from work, and her potential boyfriend Zach. Meanwhile, studious Ama has won a scholarship to take courses during the summer as class credit for the upcoming year. When she receives her letter, she expects an invitation to formal classes in an air conditioned library. What she got was a perilous hiking trip that she hates even before she gets there. As their summers start to turn into disasters, Jo, Ama, and Polly realize how much they’ve missed each other and the value of their friendship.

318 pages

~Keira G.
period 2

Bounce by Natasha Friend ***

2009-03-13T08:20:00.000-07:00

Bounce by Natasha Friend is the story of a thirteen- year- old girl named Evyn. Evyn lives with her dad, Al, who they call Birdie, and her brother, Mackey, who is a few years older than she is. Evyn's mom died when Evyn was one year old. They live in Maine and Evyn's best friend's name is Jules. When Birdie tells Evyn and Mackey that he is getting married to a woman named Elini, Evyn is not thrilled. To make it worse, they have to move to Boston AND Elini has six kids! When Evyn tells Jules, she is devastated. When they move, Evyn has to share a room with fifteen year old twins Cleo and Cassandra. At Evyn's new school she becomes friends with the popular girls once they find out that she is Ajax's step-sister. They think he is adorable and ask her to find out who he likes. She lies to them about who he likes to keep her popularity. When they find out that Evyn lied to them, they set out to destroy her. To make her life worse, Birdie and Elini tell the family that they are having another child together. At first, Evyn hopes that they are kidding. When she finds out that they are for real, she learns to be positive, even in bad situations. She also learns how to build new friendships, even when you live hundreds of miles away from your best friend. When Jules finally comes to Boston to visit, Evyn and Jules are able to have the time of their life, even though Evyn's life is now completely different!
Caroline W.

188 pages
Period: 8

Where I Want to Be by Adele Griffin ***

2009-03-13T08:13:00.000-07:00

Where I Want to Be by Adele Griffin is the story of two sisters named Jane and Lilly. Jane was killed by an ongoing car as she was walking across the street. Where I Want to Be explores both girls' perspectives on what really happened to provoke the accident and on the day of the accident. Lilly is seventeen. She is the younger sister, has always been really popular and has a lot of friends. She has always fit in well and she has a very loving boyfriend named Caleb. When she first started dating him, Jane was very excited when he came over to their house. Caleb had been almost killed by a dog when he was in middle school and Jane had tons of questions for him. Jane is the older sister and is eighteen when she dies. Jane had a mental disability. Once Lilly outgrew the age when she enjoyed make-believe, Jane had always felt left out of her younger sister's life. After Caleb had been coming over to their house for a while, Jane got sick of him being there all of the time because, after all, it wasn't his house! Jane starts to become disappointed with her life when she compares it to her sister's. Her grandparents, who she was extremely close too, died, and that pushed her completely off of the edge. Find out the final reasons leading up to Jane's actions by reading Where I Want to Be.

Caroline W

150 pages
Period: 8

Where I Want To Be by Adele Griffin ***

2009-03-13T08:10:00.000-07:00

Griffin, Adele Pages: 150

Where I Want to Be by Adele Griffin is the story of two sisters named Jane and Lilly. Jane was killed by an ongoing car as she was walking across the street. Where I Want to Be explores both girls' perspectives about what really happened to provoke the accident and what happened on the day of the accident. Lilly is seventeen. She is the younger sister, who has always been really popular and has a lot of friends. She has always fit in well, and she has a very loving boyfriend named Caleb. When she first started dating him, Jane was very excited when he came over to their house. Caleb had been almost killed by a dog when he was in middle school and Jane had tons of questions for him. Jane is the older sister and is eighteen when she dies. Jane had a
mental disability. Once Lilly outgrew the age when she enjoyed make-believe, Jane had always felt left out of her younger sister's life. After Caleb had been coming over to their house for a while, Jane got sick of him being there all of the time because, after all, it wasn't his house! Jane starts to become disappointed with her life when she compares it to her sister's. After the death of her grandparents she is pushed completely off of the edge. Find out the final reasons leading to Jane's actions read: Where I Want to Be.

Rating:
Caroline W.

Period: 8

Pretty Tough by Liz Tigelaar ***

2009-03-05T11:46:00.000-08:00

Pretty Tough by Liz Tigelaar is the story of sisters Krista and Charlie Brown who have grown apart since Charlie entered high school. Since then the girls have hardly spoken to one another and the words that they do exchange aren’t ones that leave them on good terms. While surfing Charlie meets the new soccer coach, Martie, who is looking for general athletes to join the team. Knowing that her sister has high hope of being captain this season, Charlie agrees if only to see Krista’s face when she hears that she’s on the team. When Krista hears she is more convinced than ever that Charlie is a freaky surfer rebel who is out to get her. Being under constant pressure from her best friend Brooks and her dream boyfriend Cam, Krista just doesn’t have the time or energy to worry about her younger sister ruining her chances at the one thing that is entirely hers. Being on the team turns out great for Charlie; she can get under Krista’s skin and do well in her new position at starting striker. As the season goes on, the girls come closer together as sisters and as a team, but will a big misunderstanding ruin their chances at a championship title?

~Keira G. Period 2

246 pages

Welcome

2009-03-05T11:38:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Mrs. Pod's blog!