Review: The Secrets of Tree Taylor by Dandi Daley Mackall

The Secrets of Tree Taylor by Dandi Daley Mackall.

Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: May 2014
List Price: $16.99
ISBN-13: 9780375868979

Review: You will be reading a review on one of the strangest mystery books ever written. This murder story might give you the chills. Dandi Daley Mackall wrote adventurous story of The Secrets of Tree Taylor in 2014. The book is about teenager Tree Taylor on her adventure to find out who killed Mr. Kinney. Sit is not that easy solving a mystery case so this 289 page book will make you want to find out who killed Mr. Kinney.

It all starts off with Tree Taylor waking up to a loud gunshot. She runs outside and stops when she sees that her dad is at the Kinney's house. He tells her to stay there, but then the police and ambulance arrive. Before she can react, Her friend Jack shows up and picks her up. She investigates and talks to Mrs. Kinney. She keeps investigating until Jack calls her saying that there has been a robbery at his place and he has killed the robber. Tree comes crying but the cops are talking to him like he is in trouble. He is. The whole robbery is a joke. She goes back to investigating and finds evidence at the Kinney's house. It is aÉ You have to read to find out.

I liked the fact that the book's characters are well developed. The plot of The Secrets of Tree Taylor is confusing and unrealistic that it made me not want to read it. If someone would play a prank about a robbery, he wouldn't just get away with that he would have to at least get consequences. Because I did not enjoy the plot, cold-hearted boy, and mischievous girl I do not recommend this book. However, if this type of mystery interests you, you might want to give it a try.

Review written by Eric (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Random House for providing a copy of The Secrets of Tree Taylor for this review.

Have you read The Secrets of Tree Taylor? How would you rate it?

Review: Conspiracy 365: Malice by Gabrielle Lord

Conspiracy 365: Malice by Gabrielle Lord. A Conspiracy 365 Novel.

Kane Miller
Publication Date: June 2013
List Price: $5.99
ISBN-13: 9781610672191

Review: Cal, Winter, Ryan, and Boges have faced one daring adventure after another in the Conspiracy 365 series by Gabrielle Lord. In Malice, Winter has been given a threat in a note that merely says, "The Drowner . . . 30 days." She and her friends have thirty days to decipher the note and save themselves from the threats that continue to haunt the.

Malice takes readers to Perdita, a fascinating remote location where nothing is as it seems. She encounters mysterious people who her warn her every step of the way. Perdita, overgrown from years of abandonment, holds secrets Winter must uncover in order to save herself and her estate from the mysterious people who sent the note. She only has 30 days. Is it possible to put all the pieces together in that amount of time, or might Winter's time be up?

The Conspiracy 365 series is exceptionally well done. Every book in the twelve-month series has an independently engaging plot that all comes together in the 12th book. However, the supplemental books are not as strong. To fully appreciate the characters, it is important to read the original twelve books. If those books are skipped, the characters seem flat. Winter is one of the more unique characters from the series, so her character holds together the story quite nicely. The mystery of "The Drowner" is overall clever and gripping. That being said, Gabrielle Lord has an excellent series on her hands, and it's time to move on to a new series. There's only so many life-threatening situations these characters can withstand. A new Black Ops trilogy by Lord wil be an exciting new start!

Review written by Margo Nauert.

We would like to thank Kane Miller for providing a copy of Conspiracy 365: Malice for this review.

Have you read Conspiracy 365: Malice? How would you rate it?

Review: The Art of Secrets by James Klise

The Art of Secrets by James Klise.

Algonquin Young Readers
Publication Date: April 2014
List Price: $17.95
ISBN-13: 9781616201951

Review: James Klise's novel, The Art of Secrets, involves the main character, Saba Kahn, an ordinary sophomore in high school. James Klise summarizes his book with, "A fire destroysÉ A treasure appearsÉ A crime unfoldsÉ" Saba Kahn's life turns upside down when her apartment is burned to pieces in a mysterious hate crime. Suddenly, she's the most well known person ever. That's where the crime unfolds, although it is hidden. Everything changes from that point.

Saba Kahn experiences some big changes in her life, some better than others. The Kahn family comes home one day from a nice day at a local park only to find that their apartment building was burned into a huge pile of soot. Most people believe it was a hate crime. Saba suddenly becomes one of the most popular sophomores in school. She is dating the hottest senior ever, her teachers finally notice her, and her tennis team is more triumphant than they have ever been. During this time, she has to battle her protecting father. Her closest friend, Kendra Spoon, and her brother discover a Henry Darger piece of artwork in a dirty alley while wandering the streets of Chicago. This painting is worth an immeasurable amount of money. Unfortunately, about 4 days before setting up the decorations for the event, the priceless painting is stolen and the detectives find no trace of anything or anyone. In this story, everyone's guilty until proven innocent, but who is guilty and who is innocent?

James Klise's writing style was expressive and intriguing, making me feel like my hands were glued to the suspense in the storyline. In the beginning of the book, I thought it was very suspenseful and exhilarating yet grounded. I think this book would be meant for an older age group (preferably the high school crowd) because of some of the mature content that might be inappropriate for younger kids. Most of the mature content involved cursing and profanity. I believe the author was mainly trying to express the characters' feelings, but it did make me feel slightly uncomfortable. As I headed towards the middle of the story, it was fast-paced and riveting. The author managed to fit in the development of each of the characters indirectly. I think that the way Klise formatted the book, where each chapter is one person's perspective of the crime, prevented me from losing interest. I thought that learning about each character's perspective would help me to connect the clues at the end of the novel. I also thought that I would find out who was proven guilty. When I reached the last 40 pages, I couldn't put it down. I kept reading, though I found myself very disappointed that all of the hints and clues that were given did not connect at all. Some people might enjoy cliffhangers, but I like a solid ending where everything is resolved. I learned to not trust everyone you know and regrettably, no one gets everything they want, nor will you always you figure everything out the first time. To conclude, at the beginning of the book, I was clueless; unfortunately, at the end, I was still clueless!

Review written by Anneliese (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Algonquin Young Readers for providing a copy of The Art of Secrets for this review.

Have you read The Art of Secrets? How would you rate it?

Review: Expressionista by Jackie Walker & Pamela Dittmer McKuen

Expressionista by Jackie Walker & Pamela Dittmer McKuen.

Beyond Words Publishing
Publication Date: September 2013
List Price: $16.99
ISBN-13: 9781582704296

Review: Do you love clothes? Then Expressionista is a perfect book for you. Expressionista written by Jackie Walker & Pamela Dittmer McKuen is all about clothes and fitting in. This is a nonfiction book that lets you look into the world of fashion.

Expressionista is all about how to express yourself through fashion. There are 5 main personas. Personas are types of fashion aspects. You will learn a lot of information about fashion from this book. All throughout the book there are quotes from all of your favorite pop, stars such as Selena Gomez, Taylor Swift, Carly Rae Jepson, and Lady Gaga. Lastly this book is able to help you understand what you need to do to like yourself and the clothes that you wear. If finding your true fashion is exciting to you than read the book!

Expressionista didn't really capture my attention. Some parts of Expressionista were good and kept me wanting to read like when it says the 5 types of personas I wanted to learn more about them. However I wouldn't recommend this book unless you're all about fashion and clothing. If you're the type of person that takes 2 minutes in the mourning to pick out your clothes, then Expressionista isn't the book for you. It's for serious fashion girls who might love reading what their favorite pop stars have to say about fashion and how the most of what's in their closet.

Review written by Sydney (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Beyond Words Publishing for providing a copy of Expressionista for this review.

Have you read Expressionista? How would you rate it?

Review: Mojo by Tim Tharp

Mojo by Tim Tharp.

Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: April 2013
List Price: $16.99
ISBN-13: 9780375864452

Review: Finding dead bodies, getting arrested for stuff you didn't do, that is what happened to Dylan in Mojo. This is an amazing book written by Tim Tharp. Dylan is the tough protagonist that has most everything happen to him.

To begin, a beautiful girl goes missing, and a kid named Dylan finds the body bag in a trashcan. Dylan is treated like he killed the girl and stuffed her into the body bag. Even the police push him around like he does drugs and killed the girl. Then another girl named Ashton Browning is found dead in the other side of town. There are many suspects. The closer Dylan gets toward the truth, finding the murderers, the higher the stakes of this game are getting. Will Dylan get caught?

Since I am not a fan of mysteries, I didn't really enjoy the book. The book, on the whole, didn't keep my attention. There was definitely action, but there were also slow parts. For example, in Chapter 1 was a place with a slow story line until Dylan found the dead body. Unlike In Chapter 9 there were cops showed up outside of Dylan's tent. In my opinion, I think this book is more for boys because the protagonist is male. In addition, boys would enjoy the chase scenes and the danger involved. This book is good for 6th graders and up because there is a lot of racism and things little kids shouldn't know. Since I do not prefer mysteries, I am not the person to go to if you want to know what a good mystery book is, but I would suggest Mojo.

Review written by Ben (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Random House for providing a copy of Mojo for this review.

Have you read Mojo? How would you rate it?

Review: Scowler by Daniel Kraus

Scowler by Daniel Kraus.

Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: March 2013
List Price: $16.99
ISBN-13: 9780385743099

Review: Life is nearly normal for nineteen-year-old Ry and his mother and sister. After his abusive father, Marvin Burke, destroyed their lives, Ry has worked to shed his life of the terrifying memories. In a horrific look at mental illness, Daniel Kraus takes readers into the minds of Ry and Marvin in Scowler.

On their dilapidated farm, Ry, his mother, and sister try to eek out a life that brings some normalcy to their damaged lives. They think they've succeeded until an escaped convict shows up on their property. After learning of the catastrophe at the prison and finding out that Marvin had been transferred to that prison, Ry and his mother know it's time to leave their farm behind and run away to a new life. But, when Marvin surprises them as they are packing, they know their hopes of escape are shattered. Fourteen minutes later, a meteor crashing onto their land offers a distraction and hope, but the fervor of Marvin's find sends their lives into an even more disturbing tailspin. As imaginary friends of Ry's past come once again to life, he finds that maybe there is a monster lying in wait inside him too.

Scowler is an unnerving look into the world of the mentally disturbed. It is filled with symbolism and depth that is often not present in young adult books of this genre. However, Scowler could just as easily been a novella. In fact, it might have been more effective. At times it seems as if Kraus is trying to fill pages by adding unnecessary details. Readers might find themselves saying, "Get on with it . . ." The overall storyline has the potential to be truly terrifying, but the over-development of inconsequential details takes the reader away from the actually in-depth plotline. Nonetheless the fear, blood and gore, and disturbing characters will definitely appeal to young adult readers.

Review written by Margo Nauert (6th grade teacher).

We would like to thank Random House for providing a copy of Scowler for this review.

Have you read Scowler? How would you rate it?

Review: Promises to Keep by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

Promises to Keep by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes.

Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: March 2013
List Price: $16.99
ISBN-13: 9780385741927

Review: Growing up in this generation most young adults will picture a glittering, supernatural, human fighting against other strange, fictional characters when they hear a book about vampires. After reading Promises to Keep by Amelia Atwater- Rhodes, it will change that perspective on vampires completely.

It all begins with a crashed party and an epic clash of events. At the center of all this chaos is Jay, a young witch and vampire hunter. Somehow he finds himself in a situation no one has ever expected. He finds himself at the vampire empress Kendra's fabled Heathen Holiday bash where he is dragged into a trap. He has always raced his way though these dangerous conditions, but this time he won't be able to get out of it so easily. Throughout this nerve-wracking evening he meets an insane vampire and another mysteriously supernatural person in the middle of the forest floor. In this thrilling story, Jay Marinitch may be the only hope to stop the rise of a vampire-controlled slave empire called Midnight.

Personally, I think that this book is decent. It definitely will catch any reader's eye. It has a very unique and interesting plot. I recommend Promises to Keep to readers age 12 and older because there is some language in the story that would not be recommended to be read by younger readers. A weakness of this book is that it is a bit vague in the beginning. But in spite of that, I gradually became more interested. However, I know that other readers will be captivated by this unique story from the very beginning.

Review written by Lauren (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Random House for providing a copy of Promises to Keep for this review.

Have you read Promises to Keep? How would you rate it?

Review: The Chosen of Gaia by M. Mariz

The Chosen of Gaia by M. Mariz.

Marcela Mariz
Publication Date: August 2012
List Price: $11.99
ISBN-13: 9780985808433

Review: Have you ever wanted to live on a perfect planet? Well, so did Albert, Ruth, their parents, and their dog Soap from The Chosen of Gaia, written by M. Mariz. The family gets extremely close to reaching that perfect planet. But is it really that perfect after all?

Albert and Ruth are twins and live with their mom, dad, and dog, Soap. They are a close family and eventually have to come to a decision once they face two options. Albert has a dream that comes true and a man named Julius visits them to say that they have been chosen - chosen to go to a new "perfect" planet away from Earth. They decide to go and they are told that they have 30 days to decide whether or not they want to return to Earth or stay on planet Gaia. Though they go through rough patches, the family begins to love the planet and decides to stay there. All is well until Victor, the father, and his friend, George are framed for breaking into the president's home and stealing important documents. When the president is found dead from a heart attack, suspicion surrounds George's family. While trying to redeem their family name and innocence, find the real culprit and a little love along the way, the family just might make it throughÉ or will they?

The Chosen of Gaia is a decent book. I wouldn't have been impressed if I had to buy the book but would have happily gotten it from the library. It's a great science-fiction book with little romance and lots of mystery and suspense. Although the end is engaging, it takes awhile for the book to interest the reader. I found not interested in continuing the book, but once I reached the last 50 pages, I sped through them. The Chosen of Gaia's audience would be 10 to 14 year olds since all of the content is appropriate for that age group, but it does have difficult concept to comprehend and wouldn't be a great book to share with immature minds. Overall, I give The Chosen of Gaia three stars because the ending almost makes up for the dull start and middle. I just wish Mariz made sure to have an interesting beginning and middle to match the end.

Review written by Abby (6th grade student).

We would like to thank JKS Communications for providing a copy of The Chosen of Gaia for this review.

Have you read The Chosen of Gaia? How would you rate it?

Review: Life with Lily by Mary Ann Kinsinger and Suzanne Woods Fisher

Life with Lily by Mary Ann Kinsinger and Suzanne Woods Fisher. Book One in The Adventures of Lily Lapp.

Revell
Publication Date: October 2012
List Price: $12.99
ISBN-13: 9780800721329

Review: For Lily, everyday is a new adventure! In the Life with Lily, by Mary Ann Kinsinger and Suzanne Woods Fisher, five year old Lily Lapp is growing up in an Amish community in rural New York, and she's learning a lot of new thing about the world. In this book, Lily explores the world through the eyes of a young Amish girl who living a life full of surprises, both good and bad. Journey with Lily Lapp through the new experiences you will see in this book, the first in a series.

Lily Lapp is a young girl living on a small Amish farm in upstate New York. Her life is much, much, different from ours, as you will see in this book. But this is the only life Lily has ever known; the simplistic life of any other four year old girl. Lily and her family, her mother, father, and brother, Joseph, own a farm in an Amish village, surrounded by friends and family they have known they're whole lives. But change is inevitable; Lily will have to adapt to a new life as they welcome a new baby brother into their home, a new teacher at school, and many more things. Lily Lapp is starting school with her this year, along with her cousins Hannah and Levi. So is Mandy Mast, the mean girl who always seems to get Lily to do something that gets her into trouble. Lily must learn to live in a diverse world where not everything is as simple as it should be. In Life with Lily, Lily learns that change comes to everyone; she is definitely experiencing it herself. What will happen when Lily must move away from her small farm in upstate New York? Lily's life will never be the same, and with every day she's learning something new!

The book Life with Lily is, in my opinion, a decent book, even if a bit boring. Personally I did not find it suspenseful or engaging, though the detail and imagery was wonderful. I could really feel what Lily was feeling, and take in her surroundings as if I was standing there watching the scene. The plot is hard to identify, as this is the type of book that has many little problems or conflict along the way rater than a main conflict. The characters were not developed as well as I would have liked, but that was probably the best that could happen due to the main character being a five year old. I suppose you would say this story has "flat characters", because we do not find out much about Lily's personality.

Also, I found no suspense or hook to this book whatsoever. I have to admit that it took me over a month to read just because the story struck me as dull and unexciting. The plot did not capture my attention at all, personally. The story does have a very relatable moral, though; change is inevitable. In this book, Lily is facing many changes that are not unlike what everyone else in the world faces. It was interesting to watch as she coped with these changes as she grew through the book. The book does provide fascinating insight about the Amish way of life, and I learned a lot of new things by reading it. I would recommend this book for younger readers, grades 3-5, who aren't looking for a lot of action, but rather looking to learn new things and explore different ways of life. All in all, Life with Lily is a fairly dull book with some good aspects such as the presence of a good moral and creative imagery.

Review written by Amina (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Revell for providing a copy of Life with Lily for this review.

Have you read Life with Lily? How would you rate it?

Review: The Bronte Sisters: The Brief Lives of Charlotte, Emily and Anne by Catherine Reef

The Bronte Sisters: The Brief Lives of Charlotte, Emily and Anne by Catherine Reef.

Clarion Books
Publication Date: October 2012
List Price: $18.99
ISBN-13: 9780547579665

Review: Inspiring, fascinating, these are all words to describe The Bronte Sisters written by Catherine Reef. In Yorkshire, England around the 1800's, the idea of a woman writing and publishing books was absurd. Even with the limitation for women, the three Bronte sisters, Charlotte, Emily and Anne produced each of their own nineteenth century stories that are now very famous.

"You know full well as I do the value of sisters' affections: There is nothing like it in this world," said Charlotte Bronte once. These words are truly inspirational to her and every young female who strives to do something that is discouraged by others. I think that these words meant a lot to her because after her mother and other sisters had died from the plague she and her sisters Emily and Anne had lost hope in writing. After years struggling with boarding schools and illness's they knew that their loved ones would not want to give up on their dreams just because of a few unfortunate events.

Even though personally I was not fond of this book I have to admit that it is a very inspiring story. I would give The Bronte Sisters 3 stars because it is a good story and I admire all of the Bronte sisters but it did not necessarily fit into my preferred book genre. I recommend The Bronte Sisters to anyone that just jumps into a historical nonfiction book or an aspiring writer with big dreams but small chances.

Review written by Lauren (th grade student).

We would like to thank Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for providing a copy of The Bronte Sisters: The Brief Lives of Charlotte, Emily and Anne for this review.

Have you read The Bronte Sisters: The Brief Lives of Charlotte, Emily and Anne? How would you rate it?

Review: The Mourning Emporium by Michelle Lovric

The Mourning Emporium by Michelle Lovric. A Companion to The Undrowned Child.

Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: August 2012
List Price: $17.99
ISBN-13: 9780385740005

Review: "There will be danger. We may be fighting for our lives, For Venice. For London, for our world if necessary." says eleven-year-old Teodora Gasperin, in The Mourning Emporium Review, the thrilling novel by Michelle Lovric, the second book in the Undrowned Child Series.

The Mourning Emporium Review begins with Venice being completely destroyed by an ice flood. Many people have died, and Teodora's or Teo's adoptive parents are missing. Teo immediately suggests that the evil Bajamonte Tiepolo is trying to once again destroy Venice just as in the last book. Then the reader is introduced to Teo's sidekick, Renzo, who is the Studious Son. Teo is the Undrowned Child; Renzo and he are both protectors of Venice. You will need to read the book to find out what happens to these boys who are left with no parents.

In my opinion, The Mourning Emporium is a great book because I love the setting, gritty London in the 1900's. Of course that might not appeal to everyone, but for me, the setting really enhanced the story. At some points during the book, the dialect does detract from the story. For example, when the boys are in London, the accents are extremely thick and the grammar is not proper. So it is difficult to understand some of the dialogue. In the book, a new character called Turtledove grabs Renzo and yells at him. Later in the dialogue, I find that Turtledove is a dog, which I didn't understand initially. Since Turtledove was doing very strange things, I needed to go back to see why that was happening. The dialect and grammar didn't detract in a major way, but I would've preferred that the characters speak more clearly. Unfortunately, the plot was very predictable and overused. Two kids save the world! We've all seen it. For example, the cruel captor on the Scilla Miss Uish is overthrown by the orphans. They throw her into the water butÉoh, surprise surprise! She gets away and joins Bajamonte Tiepolo in a boat full of ghost convicts.

On a positive note, Michelle Lovric does a great job with mystery. Because when a new mystery is introduced I feel fully engaged. In addition, parts of the book are very funny. The prime example for me is, "Despite being fully twelve years old, Teo could not resist sticking out her tongue at her captors." I feel that the characters always stay the same, no matter what. So the characters are static which makes it very frustrating reading sometimes. Overall, balancing the positives and the negatives, The Mourning Emporium is a good book, and I would recommend it for Grades 6-8 because of some gruesome and graphic scenes. I would give this book three out of five stars.

Review written by Luc (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Random House for providing a copy of The Mourning Emporium for this review.

Have you read The Mourning Emporium? How would you rate it?

Review: Delusion by Laura L. Sullivan

Delusion by Laura L. Sullivan.

Harcourt Childrens Books
Publication Date: January 2012
List Price: $16.99
ISBN-13: 9780547688367

Review: Can you escape a strait jacket in less than a minute? Can you make it seem like everything in the world disappear? Well, Fee and Phil, two illusionists perform these feats and more in Delusion, a fantasy story written by Laura L. Sullivan.

In the beginning, the two sisters, Fee and Phil, perform ÒmagicÓ in the hall of delusion. One night in the middle of one of Fee and Phil's acts, there was a German bombing. So Fee and Phil travel out to the middle of the country for safety. Shortly after arriving in the country, Phil venture out for a walk and find a College of Drycraeft, English School of Magic, where she finds her Òthought to be deadÓ brother inside. Fee and Phil know how to fight; they want to help win the war. They decide to try and team up with the magic school and teach them how to fight. Will they succeed?

I liked the fantasy Delusion, although I did think the beginning of the story is slow, hard getting into. If I were to rate this book overall, I would give it three stars out of five stars. I think this book is appropriate for sixth grade and older. Also, girls would prefer Delusion because it has a little romance in it along with fantasy. I appreciated how Fee and Phil have different personalities. For example, Fee cares about all living things, in the story they ate a pig they had been raising for a couple of months, and Fee was devastated to hear the news. Also Fee cared about the war, but not like Phil; the war was the only thing Phil could think about. Phil was more ready to take chances and do dangerous things than Fee. I found it fascinating in the beginning because people escaped from a strait jacket and made it seem like everything in the world disappeared. I think that's very cool that people can actually do that. Delusion is a good book that if you like fantasy and some romance. If so, you would definitely want to read Delusion!

Review written by Katie (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for providing a copy of Delusion for this review.

Have you read Delusion? How would you rate it?

Review: The FitzOsbornes at War by Michelle Cooper

The FitzOsbornes at War by Michelle Cooper. The Montmaray Jounals, Book III.

Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: October 2012
List Price: $17.99
ISBN-13: 9780375870507

Review: How would you have liked it if the Nazis forced you out of your homeland? This happens to Sophie FitzOsborne, a princess of Montmaray, a fictitious island near Cornwall, England. Sophie takes refuge with her cousins in Britain. Michelle Cooper creates an extremely realistic setting in her conclusion to the Montmaray Journals Trilogy, The FitzOsbornes at War.

The FitzOsbornes at War begins as Britain declares war on Germany. Sophie's brother Toby joins the RAF to help the war effort while Sophie goes to London to work at the Ministry Of Food. A family friend, the Colonel, gets her to infiltrate cocktail parties at the American Embassy to find out if there is a spy in the midst. A couple years later, Toby gets shot down over Belgium, Axis territory, and his chances of survival are slim. Read the book to find out what happens to Sophie and the FitzOsbornes.

The FitzOsbornes at War did not appeal to me. Although there are historical facts, realistic characters, and compelling details of the Blitz, I found that I was not the best audience for what the book has to offer. First, I felt it was inappropriate for my age group because it includes mature content that made me uncomfortable. Also, because the book is written from a girl's perspective, girls would most likely enjoy it more. Probably the most significant reason that I did not fully enjoy The FitzOsbornes at War has more to do with the fact that I hadn't read the first two books. Without reading the first two books, it is hard to follow the characters. For instance, I didn't know what happened to their mother and father, so I wasn't up to date. Therefore it is critical that the first two books are read before beginning this one. Overall, the right audience for the book might have truly enjoyed the realism and strong historical story line, but I did not. I might have enjoyed this better if I had read the first two books. So I would not rule out The FitzOsbornes at War, but I would recommend that the readers know the background and are more prepared for the mature content.

Review written by Ian (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Random House for providing a copy of The FitzOsbornes at War for this review.

Have you read The FitzOsbornes at War? How would you rate it?

Review: Presidential Pets: The Weird, Wacky, Little, Big, Scary, Strange Animals That Have Lived in the White House by Julia Moberg

Presidential Pets: The Weird, Wacky, Little, Big, Scary, Strange Animals That Have Lived in the White House by Julia Moberg.

Imagine Publishing
Publication Date: July 2012
List Price: $14.95
ISBN-13: 9781936140794

Review: Have you ever read a book with an amazing start, one that has an opening that draws you into the book? Well, in Presidential Pets by Julia Moberg, it does just that. It makes me want to read more immediately. But then, when I turn the page, I am not too impressed. Only one-fourth of the page has cute, fun, little facts about the pets. The rest of the page contains statistics, accomplishments, and facts about the presidents' lives and terms. A small bullet list of other information completes the page.

Based on the title, Presidential Pets is expected to be a book about all of the pets of our previous presidents (George Washington through Barack Obama). But, it contains facts about the presidents' terms and their lives. This book is better for getting some facts for a research project rather than learning about pets. Presidential Pets will appeal to people who are interested in the accomplishments of presidents more than people seeking fun facts about pets. I prefer the author's fun, Dr. Seuss - like wording that she uses to begin the story. It is a fun, engaging, interesting style that has readers laughing and enjoying the book.

This fun style is contrasted with awkward sayings such as, ÒMany called him Walrus for his mustache silhouette and despite his animal nickname, Chester Arthur did not own any pets.Ó Ms. Moberg also includes other interesting quotes that have little to do with presidential pets. For example, one quote is about Ronald Reagan and Jelly-Belly jelly beans. However, even though I am not a fan of this book, I do think that the illustrator, Jeff Albrecht Studios, is an amazing artist. The illustrations are greatly detailed, comical, and overall impressive. This book does not live up to the expectations set from looking at the cover. But, when read for the right purpose, it is interesting. Unfortunately, I give Presidential Pets two stars for being inconsistent.

Review written by Allie (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Charlesbridge Press for providing a copy of Presidential Pets: The Weird, Wacky, Little, Big, Scary, Strange Animals That Have Lived in the White House for this review.

Have you read Presidential Pets: The Weird, Wacky, Little, Big, Scary, Strange Animals That Have Lived in the White House? How would you rate it?

Review: Foretold: 14 Stories of Prophecy and Prediction by Carrie Ryan

Foretold: 14 Stories of Prophecy and Prediction by Carrie Ryan.

Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: August 2012
List Price: $18.99
ISBN-13: 9780385741293

Review: Crystal balls, oracles, prophecy, prediction. Has prophecy and prediction ever interested you? Well Foretold would be a great book for you. The book Foretold is written by Richelle Mead, Lisa McMann, Laini Taylor, Meg Cabot, and about six or seven more authors. The book is not in any series and is edited by Carrie Ryan. Since the book is written by many authors and has many stories I'll just name a few of the characters. From Gentlemen Send Phantoms, there's Pippin or ÒCathyÓ. From Out of the Blue there's Kc Conrad and Kyle Conrad.

Again because the book is many stories I'll go over a few of my likes. One of my favorite stories is called The Chosen One by Saundra Mitchell; it's about a girl named Corvina who is the princesses' bed mistress. So the princess gets ill and Corvina is forced to go on a quest involving 'Óthe fabled cupÓ, flaming witches, breathless reaches, and an Earthenwork defiler. This particular story is good in my opinion because it has a satisfying ending, is full of action, and has believable characters. But just to give a small overview, all of the stories have something to do with prophesy and prediction.

But with the good comes bad, some of the stories might be exciting to you ,but if you like fantasy and adventure like me, I don't think that you'll find this book pleasing to read. I guess it's because the stories are short but almost all of the characters are flat and static. Also, some of the plots are predictable and have frustrating endings. But then again a lot of the themes were important in my eyes. Like never give up, and most of the time you should wait before you act. I would rate this book a 6 out of10.

The mystical art of prophecy, will it ever be revealed?

Review written by Mark (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Random House for providing a copy of Foretold: 14 Stories of Prophecy and Prediction for this review.

Have you read Foretold: 14 Stories of Prophecy and Prediction? How would you rate it?

Review: What Came From the Stars by Gary D. Schmidt

What Came From the Stars by Gary D. Schmidt.

Clarion Books
Publication Date: September 2012
List Price: $16.99
ISBN-13: 9780547612133

Review: Can Tommy Pepper save a planet's last hope or his own? Read What Came from the Stars by Gary D. Schmidt to find out.

Tommy Pepper is in the 6th grade at William Bradford Elementary School in Plymouth, Massachusetts when he receives a green and silver necklace. Strange things begin to happen to Tommy and the people of Plymouth. Tommy's mother has died, and the necklace he received brings back memories of his mom. The chain is from a planet called Valorim, and it has special powers. Unfortunately, Lord Mondus is seeking the necklace, and he will stop at nothing to get it.

In my opinion, What Came from the Stars is an average book. There were a few suspenseful parts, and I enjoyed the storyline, but there was not enough action to suit me. I prefer less dialogue and more thrilling events. If you like books about special powers, you may appreciate this book. Check it out the next time you visit the library.

Review written by Jacob (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children's Book Group for providing a copy of What Came From the Stars for this review.

Have you read What Came From the Stars? How would you rate it?

Review: Eighth Grade is Making Me Sick by Jennifer L. Holm

Eighth Grade is Making Me Sick by Jennifer L. Holm.

Random House Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: August 2012
List Price: $15.99
ISBN-13: 9780375868511

Review: Are you in eighth grade? Do you like reading about people your own age? If your answer to those questions were yes, then you would definitely love the book Eighth Grade Is Making Me Sick by Jennifer L. Holm.

Ginny Davis is starting eighth grade and she has a lot of things she wants to accomplish this year. She wants to tryout for cheerleading, convince her mom to let her bike to school, work on art, look good in her family's Christmas photo and much more. Some of these things don't work out for her, but some work perfectly and some work, just not the way she had expected. For example, she wanted to have a cool Halloween costume but ended up being a worm! Join Ginny as she goes through many hardships with her family and at school.

Eighth Grade Is Making Me Sick was not one of my favorites. The beginning doesn't really make sense and there are a lot of confusing parts. It really wasn't what I had expected. I got home to start reading and I found out it isn't like a normal book. It is made out of letters and pictures and texts. Some ideas were not clearly explained or seemed really random! For example, one letter is explaining that a refrigerator broke. It is signed Òthe management.Ó I had no idea who the management was! I eventually guessed that it was Ginny's mom. Although 8th Grade is Making Me Sick is targeted to readers ages 12 and up, I think that this book is not appropriate for anyone below eighth grade. It could be viewed as inappropriate. Eighth graders might be able to connect with it but I couldn't. Personally, I prefer a traditional book, and I did not like how this book is organized.

Review written by Lilia (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Random House for providing a copy of Eighth Grade is Making Me Sick for this review.

Have you read Eighth Grade is Making Me Sick? How would you rate it?

Review: Poison Tree by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

Poison Tree by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes.

Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: July 2012
List Price: $15.99
ISBN-13: 9780385737548

Review: Do you love supernatural, blood curdling, suspenseful stories about vampires and shapeshifters? Then you have to read Poison Tree by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes. Sarik, a normal girl who's dad wanted her to become someone she's not is living her own life in fear. A stranger, Alysia, who can't be the person she is trying to be, tries to tell herself that she has to put her job behind her. Alysia has always tried to call herself something more than a mortal.Both Sarik and Alysia must handle the situation and decide what price must be paid about what happened on a stormy night.

Throughout the whole book, Sarik and Alysia both face their own problems. For Sarik, being a shapeshifter can't be easy. She sees her own sister get killed right in front of her and then watches her dead human body just lay there hopelessly. A few other characters pop up throughout the book and tell their stories. Alysia even gets back in touch with an old friend, Christian, who tries to help her with her problems. At the end of the book Sarik also runs into someone familiar. You'll just have to read and find out what happens!

Poison Tree is not my favorite book, but I liked it. I thought the book was a little slow for me but it does keep the suspense flowing. If you are like me and read a lot of supernatural type books, then it may interest you. This book is appropriate for kids ages 11+ because It describes very graphic scenes and has mild language. Some people may be able to relate to this book because the main characters face their own personal problems. I give this book 3.5 stars out of 5, because like I said, I thought it was a little slow but still likeable. All in all, Poison Tree is an enjoyable book and I think many people will enjoy it. Go grab a copy today!

Review written by Morgan (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Random House for providing a copy of Poison Tree for this review.

Have you read Poison Tree? How would you rate it?

Review: Last Laughs: Animal Epitaphs by J. Patrick Lewis and Jane Yolen

Last Laughs: Animal Epitaphs by J. Patrick Lewis and Jane Yolen.

Charlesbridge Publishing
Publication Date: July 2012
List Price: $16.95
ISBN-13: 9781580892605

Review: Death, remembrance, and laughter are three words that describe Last Laughs written by J. Patrick Lewis and Jane Yolen. Last Laughs is about animals that remember other animals and how they died. After that, they laugh about it.

Here's an example: ÒWin some. Lose some. Venison.Ó From the deer's point of view 'win some' means that the deer avoided the shots from a hunter, and 'lose some' means that sometimes the hunter hits the deer. Venison is deer meat.

There are aspects I like and do not like of this book. What I like is that the epitaphs are funny and they rhyme. The part that I did not like is the main idea because it's all about animals that have died. I like animals, so reading about them dying is sickening to me. If it were up to me, I would recommend this book to 4th graders and up because the vocabulary is hard. I honestly think that 3rd graders would not like to read about dead animals. Last Laughs is not one of my favorite books because I like animals. Some people could find Last Laughs humorous, but I did not. I don't think animal lovers should read Last Laughs.

Review written by Dalton (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Charlesbridge Press for providing a copy of Last Laughs: Animal Epitaphs for this review.

Have you read Last Laughs: Animal Epitaphs? How would you rate it?

Review: Precious Bones by Mika Ashley-Hollinger

Precious Bones by Mika Ashley-Hollinger.

Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: May 2012
List Price: $16.99
ISBN-13: 9780385742191

Review: Fights, southern hospitality, and friendship all describe the book Precious Bones written by Mika Ashley-Hollinger. Precious Bones' main character, Bones, lives in a small town during the summer of '49. Come follow Bones' journey as she goes through love, family, friendship, and most of all heartbreak.

Bones is a 10-year old girl who lives in a swamp within a small town near Jacksonville, Florida. She has a best-friend named Little Man and they love each other very much, you can always tell that he loves Bones because he follows her throughout all of her crazy stunts. Bone's dad is very protective over their land so when two Yankees come onto their property asking a bunch of questions, he chases them off with a pistol. Bone's and her dad run into them again with the Reemses brothers. The next day one of the Yankee men is found dead near their house. Bone's and little man are the people who find him along with a hunting knife that looks exactly like Nolay's. Little Man comforts Bones saying that all of the hunting knives in Florida look a-like. Bones and Little Man go to see one of their friends who is an army veteran, Mr. Speed. Soon another man is found dead and all of the signs point to Bones' dad Nolay. One sign leads to another and they find the killer for the murderÉ Do you think Nolay killed them or did someone else? Precious Bones is an okay book throughout most of itÉ But at the end it felt worth it even with all of the less interesting parts in the book. Mika Ashley-Hollinger drags on through most of the book being very descriptive but boring. Once I got used to the southern accent of the book I seemed to get the book more which cause me to enjoy the book overall. Now if you like the descriptive, southern kind of book, I encourage you, read on! But, if otherwise this book might be a book to skip. The only thing appealing to me throughout Precious Bones is the mystery. Hollinger keeps you guessing so that might be worth reading Precious Bones but it might just be a mystery not worthy to read. I only give Precious Bones 3 stars for the descriptiveness throughout the book but the plot and storyline? Not so muchÉ I also give Hollinger props for the way she makes you feel throughout the book. If Bones is sad, you are sad. You feel everything that the characters feel during the book. I was very disappointed during the book until the end where everything was tied together where I felt was ended perfectlyÉ

Review written by Abby (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Raab Associates for providing a copy of Precious Bones for this review.

Have you read Precious Bones? How would you rate it?