Review: Gabriel's Clock by Hilton Pashley

Gabriel's Clock by Hilton Pashley.

Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
Publication Date: October 2014
List Price: $16.99
ISBN-13: 9780544301764

Review: Watch out for demons! In Gabriel's Clock by Hilton Pashley, Jonathan and his new friends must stop Belial and his minions from the destroying the village of Hobbes End. Read this adventure novel and join Jonathan in saving both the village and his family.

In Gabriel's Clock, Jonathan, who all his life believed he was normal, and his family are assaulted by faceless demons. Jonathan's mother brings him to Hobbes End, a village that is highly secured, and abandons him there to seek help as his dad fights off the monsters. Jonathan soon discovers that he is half angel, half demon, and the arch demon Belial desires to use him as a powerful weapon to demolish Heaven. Teamed up with new friends from the community, Jonathan has to defeat Belial to save the small town-and his family. Will the forces of Belial and his Corvidae servants wreck Hobbes End and Jonathan's family? Or can Jonathan gather the power inside him to rescue those he loves? Find out by reading this action-packed book.

Gabriel's Clock is a thrilling book and there is so much that make it interesting. For example, the setting, a village, has unusual features, such as a lake with glass and a crater at the bottom and a dark forest. These aspects set up the perfect hiding place for the Corvidae. Also, the characters make the novel amusing because they are special-Jonathan is half angel, half demon, Cay's dad is a werewolf, and Elgar is a talking cat. Because the characters are unique, they create suspense, which makes the book more enjoyable. In addition, the author, Hilton Pashley's, style of writing keeps the story fascinating because he switches between from the townsfolk's' point of view and the devils' point of view. He also wrote in third person omniscient. These characteristics produce excitement throughout the story by letting the reader know what both the villagers are doing and thinking and what Belial is doing to shatter their plans. I recommend this book to everyone who is 8-11 years old because there are both boy and girl characters in the story and Gabriel's Clock. is an easy read.

In conclusion, Gabriel's Clock by Hilton Pashley is a compelling read filled with dramatic events. Wait a minute-is that a demon? AH!

Review written by Madison (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for providing a copy of Gabriel's Clock for this review.

Have you read Gabriel's Clock? How would you rate it?

Review: Sniffer Dogs: How Dogs (and Their Noses) Save the World by Nancy F. Castaldo

Sniffer Dogs: How Dogs (and Their Noses) Save the World by Nancy F. Castaldo.

Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
Publication Date: July 2014
List Price: $16.99
ISBN-13: 9780544088931

Review: Growl! Bark! Pant! These are some things that rescue dogs do on the job. Sniffer Dogs, a nonfiction book, stars dogs and their trainers rescuing people in life threatening situations. This book tells how dogs and their noses can save peoples lives. If that sounds interesting, then you should read Sniffer Dogs by Nancy F. Castaldo.

Sniffer Dogs is a collection of real life stories that involve dogs that rescue people in frightening settings like fires, hurricanes, and tornadoes. This book is filled with photographs and stories of all kinds. For example, one story was about the 9-11 catastrophe when a girl was trapped on the top floor of one of the buildings that was hit. The book gives details about how one of the rescue dogs uses his fantastic sense of smell to find her. Is she dead or is she alive? Read Sniffer Dogs to find out.

In my opinion, Sniffer Dogs was really interesting, and the pictures helped me visualize some of the more complex stories. Each page kept me reeled in, and the stories sometimes made me want to cry and sometimes laugh out loud. I recommend this book to people 10 and older because of the complicated vocabulary that might be challenging for younger ages. Examples of higher level words are smuggling, boisterous, and biology. I would also say that this book is meant for dog lovers, because it is all about dogs. I wish that the author had been clearer with some of the events in the story. For instance, when she was describing the cone formation, I had to look at the picture twice to fully understand what she was saying. Overall, Sniffer Dogs was fascinating and kept my interest all the way through the book.

Review written by Makayla (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for providing a copy of Sniffer Dogs: How Dogs (and Their Noses) Save the World for this review.

Have you read Sniffer Dogs: How Dogs (and Their Noses) Save the World? 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: Boys of Blur by N. D. Wilson

Boys of Blur by N. D. Wilson.

Random House Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: April 2014
List Price: $16.99
ISBN-13: 9780449816738

Review: Imagine yourself running through the woods, badly bruised and cut being chased by a deadly stank. The sugar cane is burning; you're running as fast as the speed of light, not daring to look back. All of a sudden, you feel a painful sensation on the back of your head, and you are suddenly falling to the ground unconscious. Slowly feeling your life draining away, you're either quickÉor you're dead. This is just a small section of Boys of Blur by N.D Wilson.

In Boys of Blur, courage is a trait you need to survive in the woods. That's exactly what Charlie and Cotton have. It all starts at a funeral for the death of Willie Wisdom, a former football coach. Charlie doesn't know it, but he has a step cousin, Cotton. Once Charlie meets him at the sugar cane farm, Cotton shows Charlie something that no one else knows. The church they were at was vandalized, but even more surprising, there was an unknown warrior trying to steal the body of Willie Wisdom! There is much more danger than the animals and the occasional burning of the sugar cane. Stanks are an unknown species of a ghost like creature, who can hunt you down. The horrible smell can knock you out or even worse, kill you! The three of them have to work together to survive, but there is much more ahead.

What I liked most about the book is that the author always had a suspenseful ending to each chapter. I always wanted to read more. Each chapter interested me, whether it was action or arguments. When Charlie and Cotton ran, it was so suspenseful; it made me fall off the edge of my seat! The reader never suspects what is going to happen! This book could be recommended to boys and girls. This is a good book for middle school students and elementary kids. The setting makes the plot eerie and spooky. You don't know what's going to happen to the characters or what's going to pop out from behind a bush. Every second, the protagonists had to be aware of their surroundings, especially if they were vulnerable to the stanks. The fate of the world depends on Charlie and Cotton, and that makes the book very exciting. In my opinion, the characters show admirable traits. Charlie would do anything to save some one's life. The way he risks his life to get the antidote for Cotton was really brave. Sugar also shows courage because he helps Charlie get across the swamp. If you enjoy books full of action, suspense, and surprising events you should read Boys of Blur.

Review written by Nicholas (6th grade student).

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

Have you read Boys of Blur? How would you rate it?

Review: Robots Rule! by C. J. Richards

Robots Rule! by C. J. Richards. A Junkyard Bot Book.

Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
Publication Date: November 2014
List Price: $13.99
ISBN-13: 9780544339351

Review: Robots Rule! For one town robots are not a convenience they are mandatory and for George Gearing they are his friends. Robots Rule by C.J Richards was well written, interesting, and really grabbed my attention. The book takes place in a town called Terabyte Heights and everybody has robots to help them with everyday chores or just to look cool but for George Gearing it is more than that.

George and his buddy Jackbot are friends. They do every thing together. They go fishing, play basketball, and play baseball they are best friends. George enjoys fixing robots that other people consider junk, but his Uncle Otto thinks George should work at the junkyard instead. But when his Jackbot is kidnapped George's life changes and the only question is, why would someone kidnap Jackbot?

I recommend Robots Rule to anyone that has an imagination because this book put a picture in my mind that was better than a movie. Great book, great setting, great plot, and perfect for young readers. Robots Rule will make you starve for a second book, really creates a big suspension it is a page-turner I started it reading it in the morning and did not put it down till it was done that night.

Review written by Patrick (6th grade student).

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

Have you read Robots Rule!? How would you rate it?