Alice in Rapture, Sort Of  by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

"Alice in Rapture, Sort Of" is about a twelve year old girl named Alice and how she and her friends Pamela and Elizabeth survive what Alice's dad calls the summer of the first boyfriend. This book is about Alice growing up without a mom and all her worries about her boyfriend.

It is a funny book with a fast moving plot and realistic events. You can't stop reading because you want to know what's next.

Review by Julie B.

Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix

A boy named Luke is a third child. Where he lived if you had a third child it was illegal. So he is trying to stay hidden, but one day he sneaks over to a house that he thought had a third child. He became friends with a third child named Jen. She is very adventurous and he is very shy and serious. They try to figure out how they can be free again.

The author includes things that you would never have guessed that would happen. He also included very funny things, scary things and sad things. This book just left me in awe.

Review by Ashley R.

Annie's India Diary by Annie Axworthy

I liked this book because I got to learn a lot about India. Annie travels all over India. She saw some Indian gods, tall buildings, and she's been on the train quite a few times.

I liked when the author added all the Indian names in this book. She explained a lot. I took this book because I liked the cover.

Review by Chandni P.

The Black Stallion and Satan by Walter Farley

I like the series of The Black Stallion books. Satan wins the Triple crown of the three horse races. The Black Stallion came from Arabia to the United States to live with Alec. They were going to race in the International race but they got quarantined because El Dorado was sick. Then they went to a farm but the farm caught on fire.

It is a good book because it is an adventure story. It is about a boy and a horse that go on adventures. Also because it is about racing.

Review by Mike C.

The Boy Who Saved Baseball by John H. Ritter

There once was a struggling baseball team that needed to win their next game to save their field. Then one day a boy named Cruz de la Cruz spoke of Danda Del Gato the greatest player ever. Cruz said only he and Del Gato knew the secret of hitting.

This was a very good book because it had many twists and turns. The author was also very descriptive. I could almost hear the crowd.

Review by Ben N.

Dave at Night by Gail Levine

It's about a boy whose father dies and his mother can't keep him so he goes to a orphanage. Although its an orphanage where all the people who work there are so mean that is you say it's cold, they beat you. The boy finds a way out and meets a fortune teller who becomes his best friend, but can they get the mean and smart staff not to be mean to the kids?

What makes this a good book is to see if a man and boy get these mean and smart staff members not to be mean to the kids.

Review by Andrew P.

Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary

There is a boy named Leigh and he writes letters to an author Mr. Henshaw. Leigh tells Mr. Henshaw about how his mom and dad are divorcing and that his dad drives a big truck. Leigh's dad finally comes to see him after Leigh calls him.

I like how this author writes because in the book are all the letters that Leigh writes to Mr. Henshaw. I love reading those kind of books!

Review by Meghan U.

Donuthead by Sue Stauffacher

This book is a book about a boy named Franklin Delano Donuthead. But everybody makes fun of him because he is worried about everything. So he gets called Donuthead and bulllied. But then this new girl comes to his class and she has knotted up hair and dirty clothes. Also he calls up this lady about every day and talks about his health and life.

It was funny how the character worried about everything and thought his legs and arms were two different sizes. The girl tries to teach him not to be afraid of everything.

Review by Samantha D.

The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline B. Cooney

Janie looked at her friend's milk carton and noticed a familiar face. It was her. The milk carton said 'missing' above it. Janie dreamed everyday about how she was kidnapped. The milk carton said she was kidnapped in a shopping mall in New Jersey. She really wanted to know what happened. One day she was cleaning out the attic and found a chest. She opened it and it was the same dress she was wearing in the picture on the milk carton. To find out more, read the book.

I loved this book because you could not put it down. I like how Janie reacted to the problem.

Review by Kailey M.

Fast Friends by Julia DeVillers

There is a girl named Maddy and she practices dance, cheerleading, gymnastics and went to cheerleading try outs and did not make the team. All of her friends made the team so her mom took her to the mall to cheer her up, she got stuck in the girl's bathroom. She met three girls named Clair, Isabel and Kacey and they were stuck in there for quite a while. When they got out they all went shopping at Limited Too and a lady named Karen from the headquarters asked them if they wanted to go the the headquarters and do stuff behind the scenes and they all said yes!

My friend read the series and said it was dad so I started to read the series and I love them too.

Review by Stacey S.

Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen

Flipped is a story of a girl named Juli and a new boy who just moved in on her block, Bryce. Juli really likes Bryce, but Bryce thinks Juli is annoying. The book goes on to tell you each character's point of view on each happening. But towards the end of the book, their feeling's are flipped. Juli thinks Bryce is annoying and,Bryce sees Juli in a whole new way and he likes her a lot more than when it first started.

I think this book is a good book to read because you get to see through both character's point of view. I also like how the author left me hanging on each of the chapters, and I would always want to read more.

Review by Madison B.

Frindle by Andrew Clements

In this book there is a character named Nick Allen. I wouldn't say he's a trouble maker, but he has some crazy ideas. One time he made up this word frindle and he says it's another word for pen. He has his friends start using it and before long the whole school starts using it. See what happens to the word frindle.

I liked that the author made the book humorous.

Review by Nick K.

For Your Eyes Only by Joanne Rocklin

Lucy's teacher, Ms. Silverberg, could not teach anymore so Mr. Moffat stepped into her place. Mr. Moffat gives everyone in Lucy's class a journal. Some use their's better than others. Lucy pours out her life into her journal.

What makes this book so good is that Lucy, like any other person, acts normal and has real life things happening to her.

Review by Katie F.

Frog Princess by E. D. Baker

Emma finds a prince that got turned into a frog named Edric. Since she's a princess she kisses the frog so they can both be humans. But something goes horribly wrong with the kiss! Will the two of them be humans ever again? Will they be frogs for the rest of their lives?

It's an interesting book because you assume Edric will be a human again but instead Emma's a frog too.

Review by Anna S.

Fudge a Mania by Judy Blume

Fudge a Mania is a great book. Fudge, Peter's little brother drives Peter crazy. Fudge also wants to marry Sheila which is bad because she is Peter's worst enemy. Can things get worse? Yes, Peter is going to Maine for a couple weeks during the summer and sharing his summer home with Sheila, can he make it through?

This book is good because it is very funny and exciting.

Review by Julia P.

Goodbye, Amanda the Good by Susan Shreve

Amanda Bates is going to 7th grade. Amanda is a good girl until she meets Fern. After she meets Fern she gets sent to the Principal's office, gets a boyfriend named Slade, and shoplifts. Amanda gets into all of this trouble because Fern talks her into doing it. Will Amanda ever turn back into a good girl again?

I really like this story. The characters are people I can relate to. This book was hard to put down. I wanted to keep reading to find out what would happen next.

Review by Krista M.

Holes by Louis Sachar

"It's all because of my no good dirty rotten pig stealing great great grandfather!" said Stanley Yelnats. A boy who seems to always be in the wrong place at the wrong time. That's how he ended up at Camp Green Lake, a juvenile core camp. His punishment-dig a hole five feet wide and five feet deep in all directions every day for eighteen months. Here he finds true friendships and buried treasure.

Holes is a good book because it reminds you to look on the bright side and things will get better. The author had an interesting way of telling the story.

Review by Emily R.

Ice Princess by Suzanne Weyn

This is a story about a teenage girl trying to pass with her physics project, which happens to be on skating. She wants to get a better feeling of a skater, so she tries it out herself. It turns out that she's really good. Is physics her calling or skating?

I like this story because it is about uncovering who you want to be. My favorite character is Gen. I like her because she is a really good skater and she seems like a different person in the end.

Review by Grace C.

The Kid Who Ran for President by Dan Gutman

It's not every day that a 12 year old boy runs for President of the YOU-nited States of America. His best friend for the last 2 years, Lane Brainard, becomes his campaign manager and together they are on the road of a great adventure. They are joined by June Syers, his vice president and his former babysitter, and Chelsea Daniels the school babe as first lady. Along the way they learn how to use the newspaper starting with Peter Guerra with Capital Times and discovered the power of the internet. Judson Moon, presidential candidate hopeful, learns about the secrets of politics and with Lane starts the Lemonade Party.

I like the idea of a kid running for president and how Judson and Lane change people's ways of thinking and the constitution all on a goof ball idea. The story is very catchy. The most important thing I like is the message. In his story, 12 year old Judson Moon tells kids just because we are young we can still make a difference in this world.

Review by Anthony L.

The Leap of Faith by Lucy Daniels

When Jill, Josie's best friend, tells her Katrina is coming, Josie is excited to make a new friend. Jill's cousin is a great rider, but she needs to learn there is more than competing with her horse. After a fall she will not get back on. It's going to take a lot of courage from Katrina and a wonderful horse named Faith.

I wanted to read this book because I read one of the books in this series before and I could not get it away from my face. I love how the author put the plot in the country and in the present day. This author puts words into form. The books always have a problem in them. For instance, this problem was that they could not get Katrina back on her horse, Flight.

Review by Emma L.

Rebel by Willo Davis Roberts

Rebel decided to go with her grandmother, Gram, to repair and redecorate an old house to use as a rooming house, instead of going with her family to Europe. While Rebel was there she became a friend with her Gram's friend's (Old Vi) grandson (Moses). Moses videotaped a thief stealing a candy bar and a 20-dollar bill. After retrieving the video camera, after it was stolen, they found the wallet from the thief. Inside it were three counterfeit bills. There were many people living in the neighborhood, only four of them were thieves and counterfeiters. How did Rebel and Moses know whom?

It's a good book because instead of just obeying her parents she just says ""NO!!" to them.

Review by Anna S.

Regular Guy by Sarah Weeks

This is about a kid named Guy who thinks he's in the wrong family. Guy and one of his friends switch families for the weekend. Both boys think that they learned something special about their family and the other family.

I like the way the author developed the characters. The characters were kind of goofy, but that is what makes them good characters.

Review by Jack G.

The Report Card by Andrew Clements

Nora has gotten bad grades on her report card. Her secret is she is a genius, a smart genius. When her parents see her report card they freak! Her parents call the school to meet with Nora's teachers and talk about her grades. Nora has agreed to be a bit smarter. t turns out that she and her friend Stephen start making her look very smart. Read to see how Nora turns out!

It looked like a good book because the cover told so much about what this book was about. I liked it because it made you wonder what was going to happen or if Nora would be suspended from school.

Review by Joanna T.

The Secret Circle by Donna Schenker

Jamie McClure goes to a private school for girls only. She is new and does not have any friends. Perlie Wu, Jamie's favorite neighbor died. Jamie soon finds a friend. The friend has a club and wants Jamie to be in it. She soon finds out that the club does bad things. Jamie decides not to be in it.

I really liked how this book is about a girl that goes to a girls only school. It is very different than books with the main characters that go to public schools.

Review by Kristin G.

The Secret Voice of Gina Zhang by Dori Jones Yang

Gina Zhang (Jong) has moved to America and everything is fine until she goes to school. Then when she tries to speak she can't! Gina has one secret, her yarn people. Can she trust her new friend Pricilla with her secret?

Dori Jones Yang weaves Gina's story along with the one Gina makes up. As the story goes on Gina finds what a friendship really means to her and to Pricilla.

Review by Sarah G.

Super Sleepover by Julia DeVillers

In this book, Maddy and her friends get to plan a really cool sleepover for Limited Too! They get to sleepover at the mall and do all these fun activities, like scavenger hunt and listening to C.D.'s! What will Maddy pull off this time?

I liked this book because of all the voices the author uses! It made the book a lot more fun and interesting!

Review by Emily B.

Telling Christina Goodbye by Lurlene McDaniel

This book is about four friends, Chritina, Tucker, Trisha and Cody. They all drive home from a basketball game and their car hits ice and flips over. Tucker is barely hurt, Trisha is injured, Cody is in a coma and Christina is dead. They all have to move on and remember Christina in their hearts.

It is very good and really tells you what's happening. I really was curious on what the book was about.

Review by Marissa O.

The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke

this book is about two boys, Prosper and Bo who run away from their aunt to Venice Italy. They ran away because their aunt only wanted to take Bo and they went to Venice because their dead mother used to tell them stories about Venice. They live in an abandoned movie theater along with three others, getting food and money by stealing. Meanwhile, they have to watch out for a detective who is looking for them. If you like a book with lots of adventures, then read this, The Thief Lord.

I wanted to read this book not only because my sister needed someone to read the same book as her for homework, she said it was really great, the characters are just the kind I like and the author explained things. Now I tell people the same thing.

Review by Maureen G.

Wild Horse Summer by Hope Ryden

Alison is worried because she is going to a ranch where her blind cousin lives. She finds out that she has a "seeing eye horse". When a wild stallion takes her cousin's horse, how will Alison get her back?

I like this book because it's about horses. I also like this book because I like books that are realistic to real life.

Review by Kristen P.

The Watsons go to Birmingham - 1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis

This book is about an African American family living in Flint, Michigan. Byron, the oldest son, is a trouble maker. The Watson family goes to Brimingham, Alabama to try to straighten Byron up. He ends up acting better and the Watsons come back to Flint.

I think The Watsons go to Birmingham - 1963 is a good book because of the characters, plot and the style of writing. I liked the characters and plot because they are a family and the plot brings out some good and bad things about the Watsons. I liked the style of writing because a ten year old boy tells the story.

Review by Genna G.