Bad Connection Review

Bad Connection by Melody Carlson

Reviewed by Shelby

This is a really good book about a girl named Samantha Mcgregor. She is a 16 year old strong christian who sometimes gets the gift of dreams or visions from God, showing her someone in trouble. When her former friend Kayla goes missing, God sends her clues to help find her while she's also trying to balance out her fathers death, a brother on drugs, and a cute boy who likes her. Can she do it all before Kayla and another girl die?

Check this book out at the Middle School Library.

AR 4.5

Pts. 9

Mister Monday Review

Mister Monday by Garth Nix
Reviewed by Kellen


What do a plague, a burning school, and minute hand of a clock have in common? They all have one thing in common, Arthur Penhaligon. Arthur is the new kid in a very normal town, or so it seems. One day at school, Arthur was jogging with a few classmates, now he had a hard time doing this chore because of his severe asthma. While jogging his lungs just stopped! He thought he was going to die, and he was going to. But then something strange happened. Two men came out of no where! One of them was in a stroller type device, the other was the stroller man's servant. The man in the stroller asked Arthur if he was Arthur, he said yes. Then the man in the stroller gave Arthur a minute hand of a clock and then the story begins......
Mister Monday was a very mystifying book about a kid who really was apart of a bigger scheme in life. Most guys would like this book. I'd say that you should at least be 12 to read this book because they use some very interesting vocabulary.
I'd give this book 10 out of 10 for it's marvelous use of fantasy and reality. This book will always keep you guessing and trying to figure out what is Arthur really in for and is he over his head?
Well, read the book and find out!

AR 5.9, 12 pts

Fairest Book Review

Book Review by: Shelby
Aza, the daughter of innkeepers was a very homely girl, but she could sing very, very well! She found out that she could illuse, or seem like she was singing from elsewhere. One duchess who didn't insult her like normal people did, brought her to see the king and queen's wedding. Aza met the prince, king, and queen and the queen make Aza into her lady-in-waiting.... As long as she sang for her at the townSings! (Singing and beauty are very VERY important.) The king fell ill and Aza is now struggling with her heart for the prince and singing for the queen who threatens her! After being accused or persuasion and not being loyal, she runs away and finds out who she really is......

AR 4.1
Pts. 8

The Mysterious Benedict Society Review

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
Reviewed by: Shelby
This was one of the best books I've ever read, and you won't want to put it down until you've finished. The book is about four children (later known as the Secret Benedict Society) chosen for their skills and intelligence to go to a school and figure out how Mr. Curtain is sending secret messages through T.V. broadcasts. And why....
They are in more danger than they think. They speak with Mr. Benedict, the manthat has been researching this for years, throught Morse code. Talking in riddles they have to find out how to stop Mr. Curtain from carrying out his plan. Though the Whisperer may be stronger than they think! Each child has his/her own story and problem that may help in the end.

Coraline Book Review

Coraline by Neil Gaiman
Reviewed by Shelby
Coraline is a very interesting book about a child that moves into a new house with 14 doors. Only one is locked, and when opened it opens to a brick wall. At night, curious Coraline opens the door to the mirror image of her house, not a brick wall. The other mother and father want her to stay and to let them love her. She leaves but the other mother traps her parents. In her adventure to find her parents and three lost souls she finds the true personality of the mother with black button eyes, but also makes friends with her crazy neighbors and a talking black cat. Will she be trapped with her other parents in the mirror world or will she unlock the secrets to getting out?

Earthseed Review

Earthseed by Pamela Sargent
Review by Shelby
This is a great book that catches your eye and makes you not want to put it down until you finish. This science fiction book is about Ship, who cares for children brought from Earth to live on a habitable plant trying to preserve pure humankind. As Ship gets close to a habitable planet. Ship sends probes to search it. While preparing for their departure, Ship sends them into the Hollow, a small piece of Earth to prepare for what they will face on the new planet. When new people arrive and real personalities appear it's up to Zoharet and her friends to save Ship and even their own destinies.

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

It's a mixture of mystery, magic and adventure centering around a girl called Meggie and her father, Mo. The author creates great characters and really imbues the story with her love of books. It's a hard book to put down and definitely should not be seen as a children-only book because there's so much in it to enjoy.

Find time and read this book. It might be a little slow to start but stick with it you'll find it's a good story.

4 scales

AR 5.4, 23 points

Time Tripper - YesterMorrow

This book is about Harry Keller an average High school student. Who can go into another dimension called A-time. Well I guess he's not so average. In A-time Harry can view people time lines, the past, present, and future of people depending on the choices they make

Everything is going great in A-time when he discovers creatures that he calls Quirks. Quirks are bad events in time that try to force their way into people's time lines. Most of the unfortunate events are minor for instance, drop your mail or have a cramp in your leg but Harry finds a huge Quirk, a suicidal Quirk on Todd Penderwhistle's future time line. On top of all of this, Harry is faced with a huge conflict in his own life- the same boy, Todd threatened to kill Harry earlier that morning. Harry is faced with a decision- Will he use his power to save his enemy Todd, or just say "Well that's too bad for him."
The author, Stefan Petrucha (who has written many popular books including some of the Nancy Drew series) does a phenomenal job of story telling what otherwise could have been a confusing A- Time.

This book is not in the middle school library. It can be found at the Paynesville Public Library.

4 Scales

AR 4.7, 7 points

Something to read.

I was thinking since it's now 4th quarter and you'll be looking for something new to read. I'd like to suggest Scott Westerfeld, Midnighters series. There are 3 books in the series. They read really fast and it has a good story.

A girl moves to a new high school in Bixby, Ok. and finds out that there is a secret hour only a very few know about.

The books are like popcorn you keep going until the last kernel is gone.

4 scales

elsewhere

I just finished reading elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin.
I had read different reviews and they were all good.
I will be honest as I read the book I had to keep telling myself to keep going. It wasn't a bad book but I kept waiting for something big to happen. When I was done I realized it was a good book. It's about a girl being dead but it's not creepy.
Give it a try.
You can find it at Paynesville library. If not on the shelf request it.

3 1/2 scales

AR 4.3, 9 pts.

I just finished reading Beastly by Alex Flinn. It is the contemporary retelling of Beauty and Beast the fairy tale from the beast point of view. It a charming story with the beast being a self centered teen boy who's father is famous and wealthy. The beauty is a girl who is smart, poor and unnoticed in the well do private school.

A very good read.

Dewy's rating 4 scales.

The Alchemyst by Michael Scott

"The Alchemyst" was most definitely a page-turner. One of the most major things I liked about the main characters was that they weren't perfect. Sophie and Josh both had their own personal fears and like normal fifteen year old, they were not immune to making mistakes. This makes them a lot easier to understand and connect with. Also, there is a lot of mythology mentioned in this book, and afterwards, I had an incredible urge to go read some mythology for myself, making this book a good start on becoming interested in mythology. "The Alchemyst" is a fabulous book and I would recommend it as a must read.

4 Scales

AR level 6.4, points 14

Jeff Kinney Rules!!!!!

Ohhhh, my sides hurt from laughing so hard. Give me a second to wipe the tears from my eyes.

Jeff Kinney's second book Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules is as funny as the first.

Enjoyed every minute reading it. There's a secret in this one that Greg is trying to keep under wraps. You'll have to read it to find out if he does.

I have heard the kids in the middle school talking about the book and it's all been good. You have to get a copy and read. Make sure you have Kleenex near by to wipe your eyes from laughing.

5 Scales

AR level 5.2 Points 3

I just finished reading Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney. I had a hard time writting this review since I had so many tears in my eyes from laughing so hard.


It's not your typical diary. He tells you from the start of the book, it's not going to be "dear diary this or dear diary that". It's about Greg just trying to get through middle school. You meet his family and friends. You meet his brother Rodrick who joy is torturing Greg.


I liked everything about the book from the story to the pictures. It was a fast and fun read. I am looking forward to Mr. Kinney's next book, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Rodrick Rules.



It's must read. 5 scales

This book is AR. Level 5.2, 3 points.