Review: Soccer by Mary Pope Osborne

Soccer by Mary Pope Osborne. A Magic Tree House Fact Tracker Book.

Random House Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: May 2014
List Price: $4.99
ISBN-13: 9780385386296

Review: Do you like soccer; want to know more about it? Well Soccer will teach you every last detail about soccer. Annie and Jack will find and discover new and amazing facts about soccer. Did you know that in China, the Chinese people were the ones who created the roots of soccer? Soccera nonfiction book by Mary Pope Osborne and Natalie Pope Boyce will answer the many questions kids ask about soccer today. Such as, who was the best soccer player? Who started soccer? What is the World Cup?

Soccer is filled with up-to-date information, photos, illustrations, and fun pieces from Jack and Annie, the Magic Tree House Fact Trackers are the perfect way for kids to find out more about the topics they discovered in their favorite Magic Tree House adventures. Soccer explains to young readers about the many facts about soccer.

At the end of the book, if you want to have more information about soccer, Jack and Annie explains the websites you could use, the books, also Jack and Annie teach how to use the websites and book properly. Also they give you some tips and pointers along the way at the end just to make sure they aren't forgetting anything.

I recommend for both boys and girls that are 7-10 years old. The reason I chose this age group was that this book is short. (123 pages) Soccer also has some challenging words for young readers. This book is an exciting and educational book that will teach and explain soccer to young readers.

Review written by Khushali (6th grade student).

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

Have you read Soccer? How would you rate it?

Review: Dirty Rotten Pirates: A Revolting Guide to Pirates and Their World by Moira Butterfield

Dirty Rotten Pirates: A Revolting Guide to Pirates and Their World by Moira Butterfield.

Ticktock Publishing
Publication Date: August 2014
List Price: $8.99
ISBN-13: 9781783250486

Review: Do you like pirates? Do you want to learn more about them? Well, in Dirty Rotten Pirates by Moira Butterfield, you learn everything from typical pirates to the pirates you might not have thought existed. Buccaneers to Privateers, these pirates don't joke around; either do your job correctly or your life is in danger. This non-fiction book is phenomenal and has you staying up all night just to finish.

In Dirty Rotten Pirates there are pirates from Asia to Europe, and they raided and captured each other. Life was dirty and rotten for the average pirate. Barely a few pirates actually got rich and have a life of wealth. Rules were strict and either you followed them or received punishment. Punishment was brutal, being marooned, shot or worse. There weren't just one type of pirate; there were the proper pirates. But there are more. For example, there are many pirates from Asia, and also Vikings are also pirates. Pirates vary, as there are buccaneers- the typical pirates, and privateers- licensed pirates. A job of a pirate was very dangerous and could endanger the worker. For example, the Gun Master that is, the person who shoots and loads the cannons, had very dangerous job. Being injured was very bad, since germs weren't known at the time, and they didn't clean the tools used to remove limbs. So if the pirate didn't die from the surgery, they probably died from infection.

Dirty Rotten Pirates was extremely interesting and kept me hooked every page throughout the book. I was very intrigued and wanted to know more and more about pirates. I learned so much; for example, I learned new famous pirates more than Black Beard. I even learned there were female pirates. This book I would recommend it to boys ages 9-12, since it's about pirates. The information in the book was very impressive and kept me reading. The artwork was very fun, goes with the information, and shows what pirates look like in an entertaining way. I was astonished at how the book showed real pirates living and working, and how descriptive it was. I learned so much about pirates just from one book. Dirty Rotten Pirates is an informational but entertaining book with great description and artwork. I hope you love it as much as I did.

Review written by John (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Ticktock for providing a copy of Dirty Rotten Pirates: A Revolting Guide to Pirates and Their World for this review.

Have you read Dirty Rotten Pirates: A Revolting Guide to Pirates and Their World? How would you rate it?

Review: This or That by Crispin Boyer

This or That by Crispin Boyer.

National Geographic Kids
Publication Date: April 2014
List Price: $12.99
ISBN-13: 9781426315572

Review: Do you like puns, games and facts? If you do, This Or That, The Wacky Choices To Reveal The Hidden You by Crispin Boyer IS THE BOOK FOR YOU!

The point of the book is to pick one or the other, and then in the next page it shows a real life equivalent of it and facts about it. For example, Teleport or Virtual Reality and in the next page I'll talk about atom transportation and oculus rift. On some pages, if you picked this more than that you are adventurous. There are 9 chapters, and the first chapter, Power Up, is about superhuman powers. The second chapter, Good To Go, is about going to places. The 3rd chapter, Help Wanted, is about jobs. The 4th chapter, Gross Anatomy, is about weird body functions. The 5th chapter. Misadventures, is about exploring. The 6th chapter, Friend Zone, is about your social life. The 7th chapter, Mad Science, is about scientific concepts. The 8th chapter, Offbeat Facts, is about doing things that will scare you. The final chapter, Absurd Situations, is about crazy scenarios. In summary, the entire book is filled with fascinating choices.

In my opinion, this book is really interesting, and it made reading a fun experience. This book is for both boys and girls because there are female topics and male topics. Some of the vocabulary is very simple and some is higher level. The book also uses slang, for example, LOL and OMG. If a person doesn't understand slang, then they would not like this book. Anyone who enjoys reading thought-provoking facts will LOVE THIS BOOK!

Review written by Alex (6th grade student).

Have you read This or That? How would you rate it?

Review: Frostborn by Lou Anders

Frostborn by Lou Anders. Book 1 in the Thrones and Bones Series.

Crown Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: August 2014
List Price: $16.99
ISBN-13: 9780385387781

Review: Have you ever felt like a misfit? In Thrones and Bones Frostborn by Lou Anders, Karn and Thianna are misfits in a Viking-type setting where there are fantasy characters such as giants, trolls, and dragons. In this book, Karn and Thianna experience a great adventure!

In Thrones and Bones Frostborn, the two protagonists, Karn and Thianna, feel like they don't belong. Karn is the oldest in his human family, so that means that he has the responsibility of one day running the family farm. All he really wants to do, though, is play a board game called Thrones and Bones. He despises the thought that one day he will have the responsibility of running the family farm. Thianna lives in a village of giants, but the only problem is that she is half human and half giant. She is only 7 feet tall. That is huge for a human to be 7 feet tall, but not for a giant. She is about half the size of most giants in her village. In this book, Karn wakes the undead, people come after Thianna and her magical horn, and they meet an enormous fire- breathing dragon named Orm. They find themselves together, struggling to stay alive while protecting a magical horn Thianna's mother stole from someone many years ago.

I adored this exciting, suspenseful book. The author's writing style reminds me of Holes by Louis Sachar. I could not stop reading Thrones and Bones Frostborn. The author used great description in this book such as this passage that appeared on page 11, ÒThe giant glowered down at her over a large bulbous nose and bushy blond beard.Ó There is also phenomenal vocabulary such as, "glowered...bulbousÉ" from page 11. The reader could probably draw a picture to go along with every page. In my opinion, this book is suitable for both girls and boys. The author included dragons for boys and snow spirits for girls. I loved every part of this book, but people who do not enjoy reading about magical creatures might not like this book very much. I believe this book is for ages 12 and older because the writing style would be a little too hard to understand for a lower level reader. Also, I would recommend it for ages 12+ because of the complex vocabulary. In conclusion, Thrones and Bones Frostborn is a perfect combination of suspense and action.

Review written by Calden (6th grade student).

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

Have you read Frostborn? How would you rate it?

Review: A Pinch of Magic by Kiki Thorpe

A Pinch of Magic by Kiki Thorpe. The 7th Book in The Never Girls Series.

Random House Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: January 2014
List Price: $5.99
ISBN-13: 9780736430975

Review: Do you believe in fairies? If so, then A Pinch of Magic written by Kiki Thorpe might be just the right book for you! A Pinch of Magic is an exciting story about four best friends: Mia, Kate, Lainey and Gabby, who has a portal Pixie Hollow.

In the story, Mia, Kate, Lainey and Gabby are volunteering for a block party. Mia signs up for the bake fair. Mia's only problem is that she can't bake. Then, when she makes a bet with the Taylor twins, she knows she needs help! There is only one person who can help Mia goes to Pixie Hollow for help. Dulcie (a baking fairy) agrees to help them. Will Mia win the bet? Or will the Taylor twins win?

A Pinch of Magic is a great book! I love how the author put Pixie Hollow and the real world together to make the book more unique. This book would be good for girls' ages 8 to 10, since it has a lot of very easy words. A Pinch of Magic has a lot of fantasy elements. The Never Girls is a series; so if you like A Pinch of Magic, then check out the other books in the series; In a Blink, The Space Between, A Dandelion Wish, From the Mist, Wedding Wings And the Woods Beyond. To conclude, this book was a good book.

Review written by Sarah (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Random House for providing a copy of A Pinch of Magic for this review.

Have you read A Pinch of Magic? How would you rate it?

Review: Mummies in the Morning by Mary Pope Osborne

Mummies in the Morning by Mary Pope Osborne. A Magic Tree House Book.

Random House Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: September 2014
List Price: $14.99
ISBN-13: 9780385387583

Review: Traveling is fun. Traveling through time is even better! The Magic Tree House: Mummies in the Morning by Mary Pope Osborne is for ealy chapter book readers, and it is an adventurous and interesting story. It is part of the Magic Tree House series with over 50 titles. This story will keep you wanting to know what is happening next.

Mummies in the Morning begins with Jack and Annie going up to their tree house where they start reading their Egypt book. Suddenly an Egyptian cat appears. Then the magic tree house spins and goes back in time to Ancient Egypt. They follow a cat into the Great Pyramid of Giza and get lost. A ghost of a past Egyptian queen comes across them and Jack and Annie are frightened. But the ghost helps them find artifacts and get out of the pyramid. The Royal Egyptian parade is approaching them. Will they get out on time?

Mummies in the Morning is good and very fast-paced. The plot is interesting and I like the actual parts of real history in it. They do not develop the ghost queen that much, but Jack and Annie are well-developed characters. I like how they look for real artifacts from actual history. They do not explain how the cat appears in the beginning because the tree house has not start spinning because that is how they travel in the book. I recommend Magic Tree House: Mummies in the Morning for kids ages 7-10.

Review written by Eric (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Random House for providing a copy of Mummies in the Morning for this review.

Have you read Mummies in the Morning? How would you rate it?

Review: Percy Jackson's Greek Gods by Rick Riordan

Percy Jackson's Greek Gods by Rick Riordan.

Disney Publishing Worldwide
Publication Date: August 2014
List Price: $24.99
ISBN-13: 9781423183648

Review: Imagine yourself as a Greek God's child, and you're about to tell about all your aunts and uncles who they were when you were not even thought of yet. Percy Jackson from Percy Jackson and the Olympians gives his amusing reviews on all of his aunts and uncles who are Olympians. Percy Jackson's Greek Gods by Rick Riordan is written in the perspective of Percy Jackson. Apollo jumps up, turns to his mother and says, ÒI need a bow and arrow, asap!Ó He was just born, and he was demanding bows and arrows! Then he shoots Hera with the arrows! This is just a small excerpt from Percy Jackson's Greek Gods.

Mythology is the key to this book. Percy Jackson gave reports on Hestia, Demeter, Persephone, Hera, Hades, Poseidon, Zeus, Athena, Aphrodite, Ares, Hephaestus, Apollo, Artemis, Hermes and last but not least, Dionysus. These are the Greek Gods. The Greek Gods control basically the whole Earth. He enjoyed writing about his aunts, uncles and his own dad. I'm not going to tell you who his dad is; you need to read it to find out! No going on the Internet. He tells about how the Greek Gods were born and how they grew up to be adults. The setting is Mount Olympus. All the gods are normally on Olympus. In Percy Jackson's Greek Gods, there is a dice roll between the three most powerful gods. Whoever gets the lowest dice roll gets the gloomy underworld. Whoever gets 3-4 in the dice roll gets the sea. Whoever gets 5-6 gets the sky. The youngest brother, Hades got the underworld. The middle brother, Poseidon, got the sea. The oldest, Zeus got the sky and he became the ruler of the heavens. If you think about it, the dice roll wasn't fair. That's why Hades gets mad and wants- guess what? - Revenge.

I personally loved the book because I love mythology and humor. I love to read every single book from Rick Riordan, he tells his story in such detail. I can always picture what is happening. I find that very hard for someone to do, so I applaud him. This book informed me about the Greek Gods and mythology that I didn't know. Even if you think you know a lot about Greek mythology, you probably didn't know the vast amount of detail that Riordan includes in his book. Percy uses descriptive verbs such as trembled and shook with fear. Sometimes it gets confusing with all the marriages, so you might want to write them down. This would be a boy and girl book. I recommend the book for kids ages 10-13 because of length of the book and the sophisticated vocabulary. Overall, Percy Jackson's Greek Gods will be enjoyable for most upper elementary and middle school readers.

Review written by Sara (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Disney Publishing Worldwide for providing a copy of Percy Jackson's Greek Gods for this review.

Have you read Percy Jackson's Greek Gods? How would you rate it?

Review: October Ogre by Ron Roy

October Ogre by Ron Roy. A Calendar Mystery Book.

Stepping Stone Books
Publication Date: August 2013
List Price: $4.99
ISBN-13: 9780375868887

Review: Do you like a spooky, suspenseful story that is just right for Halloween season? If so, then Calendar Mysteries: October Ogre by Ron Roy is just right for you. It is a great mystery that will keep you on the edge of your seat. You'll also be frightened with scary ogres, witches, and ghosts.

Take a frightening adventure with Bradley, Brian, Nate, and Lucy, four friends that go to a hotel that has been transformed into a haunted house for Halloween. They have to try to take a candy basket that is protected with spooky things. If they do so, they'll get a special prize. They have noticed that every child that goes in does not come out. This gets Nate really frightened. They enter the haunted house and follow the green footprints that the ogre at the entrance tells them. They decide to spit up into pairs and see if they find the candy. Soon Brian disappears and the rest of the kids get scared. Will they ever find their friend and get out of this house?

I recommend Calendar Mysteries: October Ogre for kids 6-8 years old because the story is not intended to scare you in any way. It's written so that you could be on the edge of your seat wondering what will come next. It is also a short seventy-page book that is perfect for new chapter book readers. This book has some funny parts and suspenseful parts that get you wondering, Where did he go? It is a great book that I would recommend to any person that loves a good mystery. If your looking for a interesting mystery than check out Calendar Mysteries: October Ogre by Ron Roy today!

Review written by Christian (6th grade student).

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

Have you read October Ogre? How would you rate it?

Review: The Eiffel Tower Incident by Sir Steve Stevenson

The Eiffel Tower Incident by Sir Steve Stevenson. An Agatha: Girl of Mystery Book.

Grosset & Dunlap
Publication Date: March 2014
List Price: $5.99
ISBN-13: 9780448462233

Review: Do you like mystery novels? Well, this is the book for you. They are on a mission on who killed the Russian diplomat and to save dash's career as a detective. In Agatha the Girl of Mysteries: the Eiffel Tower Incident, by Sir Steve Stevenson and Stefano Turconi brings mystery into a whole different place on the other side of the world.

Agatha, who is the mystery girl in her family, Dash who is the detective in the family, Chandler who is Agatha's helpful butler, and their cat, Watson are on a mission to find the murderer who killed the Russian diplomat in at the Eiffel Tower. With only the diplomat's final words "Red Rose", they try to hunt down the culprit. They first think it is a brand of wine, but they have no luck with that. After they notice the two pictures in the newspaper, their adventure begins.

If you are a mystery lover you should read Agatha's whole series. This book I would recommend for ages 10-12 because even though it looks like an easy book, there are challenging words in there. I liked this book because each page has something good or entertaining to read. Her clues and ideas are constantly bringing her into different situations and different places. Agatha will continue her journey soon in Sir Steve Stevenson and Stefano Turconi's next book.

Review written by Khushali (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Penguin Young Readers Group for providing a copy of The Eiffel Tower Incident for this review.

Have you read The Eiffel Tower Incident? How would you rate it?

Review: Queen of the World! by Jennifer L. Holm & Matthew Holm

Queen of the World! by Jennifer L. Holm & Matthew Holm. A Babymouse Book.

Random House Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: September 2013
List Price: $6.99
ISBN-13: 9780375832291

Review: Are you the one always with big ideas? Then this book is for you. It's called Babymouse: Queen Of The World! by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm. So if you're the one daydreaming instead of paying attention, read this book. You may find you have something in common!

In Babymouse: Queen Of The World!, the main character is Babymouse. She is a middle school girl, and she is a mouse. She really wants to be popular - queen of the world, if you will. But she can't be the queen of the world. That position is already taken by Felicia Furrypaws, a cat. Baymouse wants to be just like her. When Felicia has a sleepover party, it feels like everyone is invited but her. One day Felicia forgets her book report. She says if Babymouse gives her the report, she'll invite her to the party. When she is about to leave for the sleepover, she realizes she already has plans with her best friend, Wilson. Many things go wrong at the sleepover, and Babymouse realizes that Wilson is a true friend.

I enjoyed Babymouse: Queen Of The World!, even though the reading level is more for early elementary readers. A girl would probably enjoy it more than a boy, but it is a good book for all readers. I think this is a good book because it has a really sweet message, that true friends forgive you no matter what. It's really sweet, and I think a lot of girls can relate to it. It is also a funny book; she daydreams a lot. Jennifer L. Holm tells girls to be what they want to be through this funny, amazing story. Sure, she isn't the most popular, but she realizes she has everything she needs and life is good. If you read Babymouse: Queen Of The World! and enjoy it - Good News! There are 9 other books in this series. I recommend this book to all the dreamers and lovers of all things girly.

Review written by Alison (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Random House for providing a copy of Queen of the World! for this review.

Have you read Queen of the World!? How would you rate it?

Review: Watch the Cookie by Nancy Cote

Watch the Cookie by Nancy Cote.

Sky Pony Press
Publication Date: October 2014
List Price: $16.95
ISBN-13: 9781629146300

Review: Have you ever just done everything with your best friend? You feel as if you guys are almost connected. There is a very similar situation in the book Watch the Cookie by Nancy Cote except in Watch the Cookie something happens and tears them apart.

In Watch the Cookie, a boy named Sam and a mouse named Mousey are very close. But then Sammy has to go somewhere and they get separated. And something happens to Mousey. What is Mousey going to do?

Watch the Cookie is a wonderful picture book for a five or six year old. The writing isn't very hard to read and there very few words on the pages so they could read it and it won't take them a long time. The illustrations help the book and make you understand the book better. A boy or girl would enjoy this book. It is a good book for early readers and for parents to read to younger children.

Review written by Isabella (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Sky Pony Press for providing a copy of Watch the Cookie for this review.

Have you read Watch the Cookie? How would you rate it?

Review: Timmy Failure Now Look What You've Done by Stephan Pastis

Timmy Failure Now Look What You've Done by Stephan Pastis. Book 2 in the Timmy Failure Series.

Candlewick Press
Publication Date: February 2014
List Price: $14.99
ISBN-13: 9780763660512

Review: Imagine this. You are a helpless little boy running his own business; he has a mom, a great aunt, a girl that's totally crazy for him, and a 1,500-pound polar bear as a work partner. What can possibly go wrong? In the book Timmy Failure Now Look What You've Done by Stephan Pastis, learn exactly what it is to be a professional detective, or you might just figure out the mystery of the millennium.

You might think having your own detective business is an easy thing, well trust me, it's not! Timmy has no time for shenanigans, he would much rather admire his greatness than do anything, but the point is that he has no time for that either, the Worldwide Enemy of Da Goodness In Everything (aka the wedgie) will do everything in her power to make herself sound like the best person in the world, but Timmy will not let that get in his way to becoming the greatest detective there ever was. All is peaceful, but not until the superintendent announces a multi-school best detective contest makes Timmy loose his mind. When anyone mentions anything about contests or detectives, Timmy must win. But when Timmy gets in trouble one day and cannot turn in his participation form, he is not able to win unless he goes to another school with a later due date. Timmy is now on a mission to get moved to a school for bad kids, Glouberman academy.

This book is a perfect book for both girls and boys young and old. Although this book has some vocabulary that may not be understood by little children, it is still the perfect book. And do you know what's even better? There is a whole series of Timmy Failure books written by Stephan Pastis. This book is a great choice for anyone who is a mystery, comedy, or Stephan Pastis fan. This book will also help children find out how important friendship is and that in every situation you should be supported. Learn what it's like to be a true detective as you go on exciting and ironic adventures with Timmy and friends. So you probably think that you have everything down and understand all of this so well, you can just go to the store and buy this book right now, but there is just one more thing you need to know, Timmy's quote and this just might be the only three things you need to know about him; I was born, I founded an empire, I exhibit greatness, said by Timmy Failure.

Review written by Julie (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Candlewick Press for providing a copy of Timmy Failure Now Look What You've Done for this review.

Have you read Timmy Failure Now Look What You've Done? How would you rate it?

Review: The Monster's Ring by Bruce Coville

The Monster's Ring by Bruce Coville. A Magic Shop Book.

Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
Publication Date: October 2008
List Price: $6.99
ISBN-13: 9780152064426

Review: If you're looking for a book that middle school kids would enjoy then The Monster's Ring by Bruce Conville is the perfect book. This book has suspense, action, and mystery. This one of the books in the Magic Shop Book series. There are four books in this series.

In The Monster's Ring there is a fifth grade boy named Russell who gets bullied a lot by another fifth grader named Eddie. Russell finds this magic shop and is given a magic ring with a monster engraved into the stone. He reads the directions but not carefully and gets himself into a lot of trouble. Then he does the same thing again but something worse happens. He does it a third time and thinks he can't go back to normal. With the ring rats told him to go back to the magic shop and he told him to stay over night and when he woke up it was gone. And with the bullying he scared the bully and he did not bully him again.

I liked a lot of things in this book like how it was about a boy changing into three different monsters, and that how tried to resolve his problems on his own if he didn't need help. The thing I didn't like was that they portrayed the principal as a very bad man yet he wasn't that bad he was just doing his job. People should read this book because it has a lot of mystery and that people that are into mythical creatures would like how he changes from creature to creature with each twist of the ring. A boy or a girl would like this book because it is not really about one or the other it is basically just about how he resolves all of his problems and how he changes back into normal Russell. So if you like mythical creatures this book is the perfect fit.

Review written by Kerstin (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for providing a copy of The Monster's Ring for this review.

Have you read The Monster's Ring? How would you rate it?

Review: The Missing Chancleta and Other Top-Secret Cases by Alidis Vicente

The Missing Chancleta and Other Top-Secret Cases by Alidis Vicente.

Pinata Books
Publication Date: November 2013
List Price: $9.95
ISBN-13: 9781558857797

Review: In a world, where an eight-year-old detective has cases to solve... and assassins to findÉ she does what she can to solveÉ theseÉ cases.

The Missing Chancleta AND OTHER TOP-SECRET CASES By Alidis Vicente is a book that is about an 8-year-old girl, named Flaca that is a detective and loves to solve cases. In The Missing Chancleta AND OTHER TOP-SECRET CASES you get to know three epic mysteries being solved byÉ DETECTIVE FLACA! You don't get to decide who did the crime, but its fun to see WHOÉ WASÉ THEÉ CULPRET? She does the work in a fun way for kids to have fun while they read.

The Missing Chancleta AND OTHER TOP-SECRET CASES is good for kids 8 and up. You read better in Spanish? Hmmmmm, I hear this book is Spanish and English. This book would be interesting for kids that are interested in detective books. It is an amazing book that should be great for a kid that also wants a smile on their face.

Review written by Yesenia (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Pinata Books for providing a copy of The Missing Chancleta and Other Top-Secret Cases for this review.

Have you read The Missing Chancleta and Other Top-Secret Cases? How would you rate it?

Review: Soccer on Sunday by Mary Pope Osborne

Soccer on Sunday by Mary Pope Osborne. A Magic Tree House Book.

Random House Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: May 2014
List Price: $12.99
ISBN-13: 9780307980533

Review: If you're a fan of adventurous books, then Soccer on Sunday is the perfect book. In this addition to the Magic Tree House Chronicles, Jack and Annie go somewhere they have only dreamt of going.

In Soccer on Sunday, Jack and Annie go to Brazil to find the fourth secret of greatness. After going to the World Cup to see Pele play, they still can't find the secret. They spend the rest of their day with a new friend that might be able to help solve all their problems.

Soccer on Sunday is a great book for 7-10 year olds. It has a simple but entertaining plot that is perfect for young readers. Soccer on Sunday is written for children who are just starting to read chapter books, and the vocabulary is appropriate for that level. Jack and Annie are wonderful characters that will appeal to all readers. Plus, like every other Magic Tree House book, it is filled with adventure, excitement, and learning too.

Review written by Michael (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Random House for providing a copy of Soccer on Sunday for this review.

Have you read Soccer on Sunday? How would you rate it?

Review: Togo by Kate Klimo

Togo by Kate Klimo. A Dog Diaries Book.

Random House Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: January 2014
List Price: $6.99
ISBN-13: 9780385373357

Review: Do you like fiction and history? This book is a historical fiction and fantasy book, but has a lot of action and adventure. In the Dog Diaries: Togo by Kate Klimo, it follows a husky sled dog from Nome, Alaska's journey to the lower 48 States of America in a competition to become the most well none dog in the land. This book is a part of a series called Dog Diaries with other installments named Ginger, Buddy, and Barry.

Dog Diaries: Togo, begins with a group of sled dogs in Nome, Alaska that transport their owner from place to place and race in local dog races. The owner's favorite is Balto, another sled dog. He is the fastest sled dog in Nome, and all the other dogs are jealous. One dog-named Togo is very jealous and determined to become more popular. Balto is old now so Togo tries to run faster than the other dogs to beat Balto's record. Togo runs so fast that his trainer brings him and all the other dogs down to the lower 48 states of America to show off their talent. Starting off in the Northwest, Togo sees a challenge because the running place is a roller rink with wood not snow. Togo accepts the challenge and runs. The crowd is surprised at how fast he can run. He ran in rinks in Oregon, California, Arizona, Nevada, and other North and Southwestern states. Then Togo's owner got a call and Tago has to race Balto back in Nome, Alaska. Who will win the race? Can he beat Balto? Only the book knows.

Overall Dog Diaries: Togo is good. It has a solid storyline and plot and the characters are developed well. The book pulled me into the story line as if I was in the audience at the races. I think that if you read Togo you will want to read the other books in the series. Togo has a lot of courage to go up against Balto in the race and is an inspiration to me for over coming challenges. The trainer inspires you to have someone by your side after every move you make. But most of all, the crowds of people at the races spoke to me in a way neither Togo nor the trainer did, they always push you to keep going during challenges. The book has an adventurous plot that I really enjoyed. I recommend this book for middle school readers. This is the best book I have read so far this year.

Review written by Eric (6th grade student).

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

Have you read Togo? How would you rate it?

Review: The Trouble With Magic by Ruth Chew

The Trouble With Magic by Ruth Chew. A Matter-of-Fact Magic Book.

Random House Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: January 2014
List Price: $15.99
ISBN-13: 9780449813799

Review: Have you ever wondered what would happen if you opened a bottle, a wizard would come out instead of a genie? Could there be bad wizards that can't get rid of roses in your room or even a forest. Well, in The Trouble With Magic by Ruth Chew, a wizard named Harrison Peabody is a bad wizard. Not evil, but cannot undo things that he has created. Harry has an umbrella that gives him the magic. The kids Barbara and Rick are on a mission to find out how to undo the magic by finding his umbrella.

In The Trouble With Magic, Barbara and Rick need to find Harry's umbrella to make him happy again. Harry has lost his umbrella that gives him the magic when they all had gone to the park to have a picnic. While they were there they saw something in the water. That something was Harry's friend George that was a sea serpent. This story was fun and filled with adventure. Barbara and Rick go on the mission and find that umbrella. They make Harry happy again. Harry finally gets the umbrella and fixes the made with the magic that he created.

The Trouble With Magic is very entertaining. It is a fantasy book with wizards and sea serpents. This book has adventurous characters (Barbara and Rick) that will do anything to help someone in need (Harrison Peabody the wizard). The story focuses on the need to help. The author wants the people reading this book to imagine themselves in the book and play the role of the main character. This is a good book for kids 8-10 years of age because the book has mostly easy vocabulary and it's not that long. Trouble with magic would be perfect for kids to teach them to never give up. Barbara and Rick don't give up on finding the umbrella and finally do. The plot is original It was fun to read. The Trouble With Magic has strong details and very descriptive writing. This is one of the many books that Ruth Chew has written. So, do you want to know if Rick and Barbara find Harry's umbrella and make him happy again? Then read The Trouble With Magic By Ruth Chew.

Review written by Devanshi (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Random House for providing a copy of The Trouble With Magic for this review.

Have you read The Trouble With Magic? How would you rate it?

Review: The Skull of Truth by Bruce Coville

The Skull of Truth by Bruce Coville. A Magic Shop Book.

Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
Publication Date: May 2007
List Price: $6.99
ISBN-13: 9780152060848

Review: Are you looking for the creepiest, yet most interesting book in town? If you are interested in reading a book that will take you on an adventure, you will love The Skull of Truth by Coville. In The Skull of Truth, Charlie has taken something that he will never forget. This is one of several books in the series.

In The Skull of Truth, Charlie is forced to take the skull of the truth. Now that he has stolen it, he has to keep it until Mr. Elives, the shopkeeper, returns to give it back. Everyone knows that Charlie lies a lot, but now that the skull is here, things have changed. Now that he possesses the skull, he must always tell the truth. In the process Charlie loses some friends, but in the end he regains them and even makes more! I've said too much; if you want more, you'll just have to read the book.

The Skull of Truth is really fun, and it is an adventurous book to read. It is exciting and mysterious at the same time. The book kept me on my toes too. Whenever I had free time, I wanted to read that book. I was anxiously waiting to find out what would next. The author ends the chapters very nicely just in the right place. For example, at the end of the book, when Charlie has to return the skull to Mr. Elives, the chapter ends right before he decides what he is going to do. I recommend this book to third-sixth graders. This is because the concept might be too hard to grasp for a younger age group, and might be too easy for an older age group. This book is wonderful, adventurous, and eerie in all the best ways!

Review written by Annika (6th grade student).

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

Have you read The Skull of Truth? How would you rate it?

Review: National Geographic Kids Almanac 2015 by National Geographic Kids

National Geographic Kids Almanac 2015 by National Geographic Kids.

National Geographic Kids
Publication Date: May 2014
List Price: $14.99
ISBN-13: 9781426314612

Review: Do you know what was found in a lake in Louisiana? A pink dolphin! People can learn facts like this in National Geographic Almanac 2015, a nonfiction reference book. It has many interesting facts about science, animals, events all around the world, and other topics.

The book National Geographic Almanac 2015 contains sections on a variety of topics. One section, ÒOur World,Ó tells about events like the Women's FIFA World Cup, inventions like real light sabers, and animal species like a flying frog. Amazing Animals includes facts about animals. It tells about animal relationships, families, tricks, cute animals, and naughty pets. Also, facts about helping the environment are explained in the section Going Green. In addition, Awesome Adventure tells about jobs, facts about survival, and extreme sports. Furthermore, Super Science and Wonders of Nature have facts about space, eyes, rocks, disasters, weather, and biomes. Fun and Games includes different activities you can do. Facts about horoscopes, foods, languages, and mythology fill the section Culture Connection. Another interesting section, History Happens, informs the reader of presidents, cultures, and government. ÒGeography RocksÓ contains facts about continents, oceans, landforms, weird things like an apple-shaped racecar, vacation spots like Hawaii, and roller coasters in the chapter. In summary, there are a wide variety of sections in National Geographic Almanac 2015.

National Geographic Almanac 2015 was amazing. I would recommend it to anybody who is interested in nonfiction and learning. This book includes cool facts, photos, quizzes about each section, an activity section, and homework helps. The Almanac covers topics about everything from dolphins to Earth. My favorite sections are Amazing Animals, Super Science, and Culture Connection. It includes cute animals like meerkats, Amazonian milk frogs, harp seals, baby Emperor penguins, deer, and pandas and gross animals like the puss moth caterpillar. If you think that insects are gross, stay off of page 56. Those who are interested in science, history, geography, and nonfiction will like the book National Geographic Almanac 2015. It has fun family activities and cool crafts. Since so many topics are included, it has something everyone will enjoy. This book exceeded my expectations, and I hope you will like this book as much as I did.

Review written by Anna (6th grade student).

We would like to thank National Geographic Kids for providing a copy of National Geographic Kids Almanac 2015 for this review.

Have you read National Geographic Kids Almanac 2015? How would you rate it?

Review: Cheesie Mack is Not Exactly Famous by Steve Cotler

Cheesie Mack is Not Exactly Famous by Steve Cotler. A Cheesie Mack Book.

Random House Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: February 2014
List Price: $15.99
ISBN-13: 9780385369848

Review: Do you like comedy, suspense, and adventure? Than Cheesie Mack is Not Exactly Famous is a perfect book for you.

Cheesie Mack is Not Exactly Famous is the fourth book in the Cheesie Mack series. In this book Cheesie and Georgie find an artifact that makes them famous. Meanwhile Georgie's dad is getting married, Georgie loses the ring, and Cheesie has trouble getting the correct copy of a Harry Potter book with J.K Rowling's signature after Cheesie's sister copies it. I encourage you to read the book to find out how Cheesie switched the Harry Potter books and if Cheesie and Georgie found the ring.

Cheesie Mack is Not Exactly Famous is intended for ages 10-12 because it has some harder words that I didn't know but it gives a definition on most of them. This book was a funny book and had pictures, lists, information that would be on Cheesie's website, and other areas like that to keep the book interesting. I also personally like how it tells multiple stories. It also refers back to stuff earlier in the book and stuff that happened in other books. Overall this book was really good so if you want to know how the rest of the story plays out you have to read it for yourself.

Review written by Alex (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Random House for providing a copy of Cheesie Mack is Not Exactly Famous for this review.

Have you read Cheesie Mack is Not Exactly Famous? How would you rate it?