Book Review: Benched by Rich Wallace

Benched
by Rich Wallace
Kickers

Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
ISBN-10: 0-375-85756-7
ISBN-13: 978-0-375-85756-0
Publication Date: October, 2010
List Price: $12.99

Review: Whoosh! That is the sound of a soccer ball hitting the net in the book Benched, an amazing book. Benched is part of the Kickers series which is written by Rich Wallace, and Ben is the main character. Ben, a nine year old boy who plays soccer and is very energetic, plays soccer for a team is called the Bobcats. Therefore, this book would be a great choice for any soccer player.

Soccer is more than a sport it is a lesson where you and Ben learn many life skills. For instance, Ben learns many things out on the soccer field. One, thing he learns is how to handle being bullied and what to do. Ben, also learns that there are consequences for bullying the other team back. Some consequences are good and some are bad, but they all have an outcome on the story.

Benched is a considerably remarkable book. The way the author Rick Wallace makes you feel the character's emotions. For example, in the book Ben gets really upset because he is getting fouled and the referee isn't calling the fouls. The reason I picked up this book and read it because I am also a soccer player and have hardships and wanted to hear what other soccer players go through. Also, I have a connection with Ben. My connection is that Ben keeps getting fouled and the referee isn't calling it. That same thing happened to me. The only exception is that he didn't get physically hurt like I did. I got fouled and got hurt and the referee didn't even call it! So you can feel the tension and heat between the two teams. Anyone who loves soccer would love Benched.

Review written by Caitlin (6th grade student).

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

Have you read Benched? How would you rate it?

Book Review: The Reinvention of Bessica Lefter by Kristen Tracy

The Reinvention of Bessica Lefter
by Kristen Tracy
Non-series

Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers
ISBN-10: 0385736886
ISBN-13: 978-0-385-73688-6
Publication Date: January, 2011
List Price: $15.99

Review: I would like a Pixie haircut please! is something that Bessica Lefter never thought would change her entire life for the worst. In The Reinvention of Bessia Lefterit tells about a girl named Bessica Lefter and how her life is flipped upside down from just one trip to the mall. The author (Kristen Tracy) really showed how this girl faced middle school by herself, with no best friend to keep by her side.

When Bessica calls her best friend, Sylvie Potaski to go shopping for new school clothes, somehow her whole life gets as bad as it could ever get. They want to go from elementary school to middle school as completely new people. To do so they decide to get all new clothes, get all new haircuts, and go to a different school than their elementary classmates. When Sylvie walks into her house with her extremely short haircut, her mother goes crazy. She even goes to Bessica's house to forbid the two girls from ever seeing each other again. Therefore, Sylvie has to go to a different school than Bessica. This makes Bessica go crazy as well. But not only does Bessica have to face middle school by herself, but her grandmother (the only one who seemingly understands her) is going on a trip with her crazy boyfriend she met online, for six whole months! She has already planned to try out for many things and join many clubs, so even though she's alone she still does everything as planned, in hopes of making new friends. But in the end when she almost tries out for cheerleading, something else much unexpected happens, and she tries out for mascot! In the end she ends up fighting for the spot against a popular cheerleader, and a puker! Will she work as hard as she can for the coveted spot of mascot? At this point, Bessica doesn't even know if she will!

There were things that made me like the story at some points, but at other times, I didn't seem to enjoy it as much. For example, at times the author would go into extreme detail, and then go completely off the topic as described. But then I usually liked how the author made it seem like Bessica was actually telling the story, she did this by saying and doing things that adults usually wouldn't do. For example, I don't imagine adults calling their friends stupid very often, or going to the mall to buy new school clothes. I feel this way because she said things that I don't imagine adults saying to their friends. I also didn't like how she overused some terms that sixth graders would use. One term that the author overused was "not so hot". Sometimes it wouldn't even make sense with what the author was saying or explaining. This story did not win any awards but I indeed think that in some point in time, it will since it is a recently published book.

Review written by Bianca (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Random House for providing a copy of The Reinvention of Bessica Lefter for this review.

Have you read The Reinvention of Bessica Lefter? How would you rate it?

Book Review: Montooth and the Canfield Witch by Robert Jay

Montooth and the Canfield Witch
by Robert Jay
Carty Andersson

Cloverleaf Publishing
ISBN-10: 0-615-29645-9
ISBN-13: 978-0-615-29645-6
Publication Date: August, 2009
List Price: $27.99

Review: Legend has it that the Canfield family is really a family of witches. They've been around for years, but still remain a secret. Now there's only one Canfield left, Sally. So what happens when an average eighth grader meets Sally Canfield? The magnificent story is told by Carty Andersson, a brave young eighth-grader who has just that opportunity. Carty's magnificent adventure comes to life in Montooth and the Canfield Witch, written by Robert Jay. Montooth and the Canfield Witch is the first book of the Carty Andersson series.

Carty Andersson is a typical eighth-grader who lives in Florida. She loves visiting the swamp near her Aunt Lilly's house. One day Carty is on her way back from her aunt's house when she runs into a huge alligator in the swamp. While she is hiding from the alligator she spots the Canfield's house, and is curious because the Canfield's are supposedly witches. She also spots two men spying on Sally Canfield, the last member of the Canfield family. A while after the encounter, Carty must again travel into the swamp to look for plant species for her science project. While she is searching with her friends she spots a rare plant that they need for the project on Canfield property. So, Carty has to take on the difficult task of asking Sally Canfield if they can have a sample of the plant. When Carty goes to ask Sally, Sally invites her and her friends into the house. While there, Sally reads them an old fable about a large alligator named Montooth. Soon Carty begins to like Sally and becomes very worried for her. She has discovered that the two men who she saw in the swamp were treasure hunters plotting to steal something from Sally. Carty has to make a difficult decision. Should she risk her life and try to help Sally? Or should Carty keep herself safe and let the men hurt Sally?

Montooth and the Canfield Witch is a delightful story that combines fable and fact. I love the way the author made Carty a strong and determined girl. The author's descriptions of the swamp were also amazing. They made you feel as if you were right in the swamp with Carty. The other thing I liked was that the author used both fable and fact in the story. He used the fable or legend of Montooth, and he used the fact about the Salem witch trials. I thought the Salem witch trials added an interesting touch to the story. I enjoyed the fact that the story takes place a long time ago, during a period without modern technology. The plot of the story was very suspenseful and made you want to keep reading. The location was also very interesting, because the story takes place in a Florida swamp. I thought it was interesting that Sally's house is some what near Carty's aunt's house. Usually you would think that witches would live very far away from everyone. You would also not think that a witch would invite someone into their house. But I liked the fact that Sally was not necessarily a wicked witch, just a different person from everyone else. Montooth and the Canfield Witch is a great read for anyone interested in witch stories or fables.

Review written by Savannah (6th grade student).

We would like to thank MM Book Publicity for providing a copy of Montooth and the Canfield Witch for this review.

Have you read Montooth and the Canfield Witch? How would you rate it?

Book Review: My Name is Not Angelica by Scott O'Dell

My Name is Not Angelica
by Scott O'Dell
Non-series

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
ISBN-10: 0-395-51061-9
ISBN-13: 978-0-395-51061-2
Publication Date: January, 2011
List Price: $18.00

Review: Do you like stories about the trials and tribulations of African slaves? If you do, than the story My Name is Not Angelica is the book for you. Written by Scott O' Dell, this story is a wonderful one in which Raisha, called Angelica by the Danish people, is brought over to the Danish Virgin islands. I've jumped ahead of myself. Let me tell the story from the beginning.

16-year-old Raisha lives in a tribe with her native people in Africa. The whole tribe is invited to a king's banquet, so they immediately accept the offer. During the night, when the tribe is sleeping, Raisha, Konje, to whom Raisha is betrothed, and Dondo are taken by slavers and transported to the Danish Virgin islands. The small island is having a drought and the slaves are working extra hard. Slaves are encouraged to stay with their masters and they will be tortured if they disobey. Escaped slaves have been gathering in local encampments and talk to each other in the same way that they would communicate in Africa, by talking drums. Konje escapes and soon becomes the head of a camp. After Dondo is caught trying to free a slave, he is tortured and Raisha heads to the local camp that Konje leads. Many slaves gather there and are planning to defend themselves when they receive news that French soldiers from nearby Martinique are coming. They face almost certain death when they are outnumbered by the French soldiers. Everybody jumps over the cliffs so they can't be punished for what they did, that is, everybody except Raisha, who tries to save the life of her unborn child.

I found My Name is Not Angelica very interesting. At first it was a bit difficult to keep the numerous characters straight, but it got easier as the story progressed. The story flew by at the beginning and it didn't concentrate on the details as much as I would've liked. However, I felt as though I was right there with Raisha going through the difficult situations she faced. Believe me, there were many decisions that she had to make and she knew that each one would change her life forever. It would be a pretty hard decision to make. I highly recommend this book especially for kids looking for a quick but interesting read. It is a fairly easy read, probably targeted for a middle school audience. I rate it 5 out of 5 stars.

Review written by Colleen (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for providing a copy of My Name is Not Angelica for this review.

Have you read My Name is Not Angelica? How would you rate it?

Book Review: Snakes and Other Reptiles by Mary Pope Osborne

Snakes and Other Reptiles
by Mary Pope Osborne
Magic Tree House Research Guide

Random House Books for Young Readers
ISBN-10: 0-375-86011-8
ISBN-13: 978-0-375-86011-9
Publication Date: January, 2011
List Price: $4.99

Review: Snakes, lizards and more reptiles! Snakes and Other Reptiles is written by Mary Pope Osborne and Natalie Pope Boyce. Snakes and other Reptiles is part of the Magic Tree House series, but it is a research guide. It is the 21st research guide in the series. It is for any age since Snakes and Other Reptiles is a nonfiction book so people can read it for fun or to study and get a little knowledge on reptiles.

Snakes and Other Reptiles focuses on snakes, lizards, crocodilians, turtles, and tortoises. It also, includes a section about the future of reptiles. Some of the most interesting snakes can "fly", spit, and strike fast over a foot. Also, readers will learn how some cultures honor snakes. For example, ancient Egyptian and the Hindu cultures respect snakes. Snakes and Other Reptiles also, includes information about predators of snakes, lizard and turtles. Readers will also learn about many different types of lizard. The biggest lizard is the Komodo dragon, and the smallest lizard is the jaragua lizard. Snakes and Other Reptiles includes sections about crocodiles, turtles and tortoises, too. It is simply filled with exciting facts about snakes and other reptiles.

I liked Snakes and Other Reptiles very much since I learned a lot from it. I learned about snakes and lizards that I had never even heard about. The pictures are also really engaging. Plus on the side or bottom of the pages, the two characters from the Magic Tree House series, Jack and Annie interject some humorous facts. Finally, the facts are organized neatly so that it can be used as a good reference book as well as an interest book f pleasure. Snakes and Other Reptiles will teach readers all about snakes, lizards, crocodilians, turtles, and tortoises. I enjoyed it very much.

Review written by Vraj (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Random House for providing a copy of Snakes and Other Reptiles for this review.

Have you read Snakes and Other Reptiles? How would you rate it?

Book Review: A Crazy Day With Cobras by Mary Pope Osborne

A Crazy Day With Cobras
by Mary Pope Osborne
Magic Tree House

Random House Books for Young Readers
ISBN-10: 0-375-86823-2
ISBN-13: 978-0-375-86823-9
Publication Date: January, 2011
List Price: $12.99

Review: King Cobras! A Crazy Day with Cobras is written by Mary Pope Osborne and it is the 45th book in the Magic Tree House series. Also, it is mostly fiction with small passages filled with facts. Annie and Jack travel back in time 400 years to India. The Magic Tree House Books are mainly for children ages 12 and under. As they travel back in time to India, Annie and Jack are heading for a lot of trouble and scary situations.

Suddenly, after school Teddy and Kathleen came to tell Jack and Annie that something is wrong. Annie and Jack are brother and sister who found a Magic Tree House in the woods and constantly something goes wrong and they go on a mission to help their magical friends. Two of the magical friends are Teddy and Kathleen. They live in Camelot and Merlin is the leader of Camelot. His favorite orphan penguin, Penny, has been turned into stone by Teddy and they have to save the penguin by collecting four objects. Teddy and Kathleen uncovered the first one which is an emerald shaped in a rose. Jack and Annie travel to Agra, India where the Great Mongol, Shah Johan, ruled. They pretend to be ambassadors from Frog Creek. They find the Emerald stone but, Annie's love of animals causes Jack and Annie to stay longer and head for more trouble.

I liked A Crazy Day with Cobras very much. It contains facts with some fun and adventurous fiction. Some of the characters actions are funny. In fact, they sounded so calm in scary situations. Also, the illustrations are excellent. You can really see what the characters are doing. You can also see the situations and what the characters are seeing. A Crazy Day with The Cobras was really awesome and I liked ending. Also, the author didn't make the beginning slow so you wouldn't be bored for a long time before Jack and Annie would get mixed up in dangerous. All the 45 Magic Tree House books are good. This book was one of the best Magic Tree House books I have read.

Review written by Vraj (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Random House for providing a copy of A Crazy Day With Cobras for this review.

Have you read A Crazy Day With Cobras? How would you rate it?

Book Review: A Young Wizard's Handbook: How to Trap a Zombie, Track a Vampire, and Other Hands-on Activities for Monster Hunters by A. R. Rotruck

A Young Wizard's Handbook: How to Trap a Zombie, Track a Vampire, and Other Hands-on Activities for Monster Hunters
by A. R. Rotruck
Non-series

Wizards of the Coast Books for Young Readers
ISBN-10: 0-7869-5548-1
ISBN-13: 978-0-7869-5548-0
Publication Date: September, 2010
List Price: $12.95

Review: Have you ever wondered how to trap a zombie, or kill a medusa? If so, then you should read How to Trap a Zombie, Track a Vampire and Other Hands-On Activities for Monster Hunters by A.R Rotruck. As soon as you start flipping the very first pages in the book, you will immediately be pulled into the story.

Throughout this book, there is a wide variety of mythical creatures and the information you could ever want to know about them. One of the creatures in the book is the goblin. In the brief paragraphs about goblins, it reads "sometimes known as the mosquitoes of the monster world." On every page (including the goblin page), there is a fun activity you make and play, use, trap, etc. I liked this book mostly because of the fun activities tucked deep inside the book.

Not only does this book explains about a specific creature, but it also explains how to trap, kill, and banish a creature. Do you have an unfriendly ghost in your house? Or maybe you are curious as to how to track a vampire? Look deep inside this book and follow the directions EXACTLY to how they are written. You might even get lucky enough to catch a werewolf. This book is suitable to any person who can handle unusual creatures. I suggest this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy books involving the mythical creatures that live within feet of you. Also, to any child who has a mind that wanders. How to Trap a Zombie, Track a Vampire and Other Hands-On Activities for Monster Hunters taught me multiple useful and handy tips about the mythical creatures of the world and I think it will teach you too.

Review written by Krystyna (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Raab Associates for providing a copy of A Young Wizard's Handbook: How to Trap a Zombie, Track a Vampire, and Other Hands-on Activities for Monster Hunters for this review.

Have you read A Young Wizard's Handbook: How to Trap a Zombie, Track a Vampire, and Other Hands-on Activities for Monster Hunters? How would you rate it?