Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender (R.I.P. Challenge book #3)

15-year-old Alexis, a pink-haired outcast, has come to terms with her dysfunctional life. Her parents are distant due to her mother’s long hours at work and her sister, Kasey, is a friendless doll-collecting wimp whoconstantly needs Alexis’ help. But then Kasey’s mood swings start to get more dramatic. Her speech changes, sometimes sounding a bit archaic. And occasionally, when she gets angry, her blue eyes flash green. As Kasey’s behavior gets more violent and destructive, Alexis realizes that something has possessed her timid little sister. Something that has killed in the past. Somethingthat plans to do a lot more killing in the future. Only Alexis and her new friend Megan can put a stop to the evil plan of a long-dead, but not gone, little girl.Alender’s creepy tale of possession hits all the right notes. Alexis and her little sister, Kasey, are believable characters. And the spirit is effectively malevolent. The tension built slowly and pulled me into the story until I couldn't stop reading...almost as if I was possessed...

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan (R.I.P. Challenge book #2)

Mary's village life is simple. Lives revlove around family and the Sisterhood, which keeps everyone safe from the Unconsecrated. But Mary wants more. Growing up with stories of the world before the Return, she senses that there must be more out beyond the boundaries of her village. Beyond the fences where mindless Unconsecrated pull and hammer and moan, constantly trying to break through to gnaw and gnash and infect the living. Then one day, they breach the fence. That's the day Mary's life changes. Her world expands. And her hopes of a different life are realized - though it's not the life she had wished for.

Think about all the zombie movies you have seen. This is the world more than 100 years later. When all the living have left of our way of life are the stories of their great-great-great-great-great grandparents. The zombies have overrun the world, and only the village is left. There is no way out. There is no other way of life. There is nothing but the village and the Unconsecrated. This is the setting of The Forest of Hands and Teeth. But amid the hopelessness is Mary. Who has hopes and dreams beyond the village. This is her story. And it's riveting...

Hell Phone by William Sleator (R.I.P. Challenge book #1)

Nick is poor. So poor he lives in a tiny trailer, has no computer, and has to work everyday after school. And he has no cell phone. Then he gets the flyer. Cheapest prepaid cell phones in town. With his precious savings Nick buys a $20 phone (a return with no caller ID) and 150 minutes. He's overjoyed and can't wait to talk to Jen, his girlfriend and the reason he bought the phone.

But as soon as Nick turns the phone on, the calls begin. A sobbing woman begging for help. A pushy man who urges Nick to steal cell phone accessories, but won't tell Nick what he wants. And a heavily accented man who warns Nick not to trust "them." And then there are the games that come with the phone: Games From Real Hell. As the cell phone keeps ringing, a wretched, screeching cat noise, Nick gets more and more involved with the callers. Until, finally, they drag him into hell...

This book was a quick, easy read. Intriguing enough for teens who don't usually enjoy reading, and with a plot that holds a reader's interest. I enjoyed it, and recommend it for those who like a tiny rush of fear, but want to sleep well at night!

Camp Confidential: Natalie's Secret by Melissa J. Morgan

This was a happiful book that wasn't a thriller, but was still a good read. It's about a girl from NYC who's sent to camp by he mom to get her away from city life. Things start out smoothly until all of Natalie's friends find out about her little secret, and then things start to go really wrong.

~ Becky Thielman, age 13

Book Description: When her mother makes her leave Manhattan to attend a summer camp in Pennsylvania, eleven-year-old Natalie tries to overcome her aversion to nature and makes new friends while, at the same time, keeping the identity of her famous father a secret.

The Extraordinary Adventures of Alfred Kropp by Rick Yancey

An overaverage high school boy and his uncle enter a world of knights, swords and violence. Alfred ends up with excalibur and lets it fall into the wrong hands. It's up to him to fix that problem with the help of a decendant of a Round Table knight.
~Nelson Thain, age 14

Book Description: Through a series of dangerous and violent misadventures, teenage loser Alfred Kropp rescues King Arthur's legendary sword Excalibur from the forces of evil.

Naruto by Masashi Kishimoto

It was a good read but needed more action.

~Ryan Jones, age 10

Series Descripton: Naruto must pass the difficult test to enter the Ninja Academy; deal with his konohamaru; and learn to get along with his new classmates, Sasuke and Sakura. Assigned to a three-person team, Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura must survive a brutal test against their upper-level ninja instructor, Kakashi. Only two can pass -- will Naruto be one of them?

Orange Planet #1 by Haruka Fukushima

Orange Planet #1 was awesome!! And also very good.

~Lyric Jones, age 11

Book Description: Like a lot of girls, Rui has boy problems. But most girls would be thrilled to have a problem like hers: there are too many boys in love with her! First ther's Taro, the adorable boy next door. Then there's Eisuke, a teaching intern who's just too hot to handle. And finally, Kaoru, the one boy who just may hold the key to Rui's heart!

R.I.P. Challenge!

The R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril Challenge is simple: Click this link (http://www.stainlesssteeldroppings.com/?p=1132) to read about the challenge and sign up, then read four books in any of the spooky genres (mystery, suspense, thriller, dark fantasy, gothic, horror, supernatural, etc.) by October 31st. When you're done, write a review for each. If you have a blog, post the books you plan to read and your reviews when you're doe. If you don't blog, our library catalog has a great feature that lets you post your review for anyone to read. You could also post the reviews on Facebook, MySpace, or another social networking site. Or, even better, send them to me at hmiller@bham.lib.al.us and I'll post them here!

I've officially entered the challenge, and I'm a total horror wimp. I've chosen the following Teen titles:
Hell Phone by William Sleator
Pride & Prejudice & Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith & Jane Austen
The Forest of Hands & Teeth by Carrie Ryan
Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender

Stay tuned for my reviews!

Hoot by Carl Hiaasen

Hoot was a great book! It was about these kids who are basically all outcasts & are trying to save a little bit of nature — some little, harmless owls that are going extinct & need protection against construction workers tearing up their homes! It was an amazing book about helping out nature, that also had an underlying plot about one of the kids & his mom sending him off to military school.

I love this book!

~Becky Thielman, age 13

Book Description: Roy, who is new to his small Florida community, becomes involved in another boy's attempt to save a colony of burrowing owls from a proposed construction site.

Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover by Ally Carter

In this third book by Ally Carter, the Gallagher Academy & it’s top-secret spy students are in for big trouble. Cammie & her friends struggle to find answers after a frightening kidnapping attempt in Boston, realizing that the bad guys are better than ever this time. Who are these people &, more importantly, who is their target?
~Sarah Jane Thielman, age 15

Book Description: When Cammie Morgan arrives at her friend Macey's five-star hotel for the Democratic National Convention, where Macey's
father is about to receive the vice presidential nomination, she thinks she's in for an exciting end to her summer break. But if you're a Gallagher Girl, 'exciting' & 'deadly' are never far apart.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain

This classic tale is a great book to read

over & over again!

~Katie Gardner, age 12

Book Description: The classic story of the mischievous

19th century boy in a Mississippi River town & his friends.

Eldest by Christopher Paolini

Eldest is totally extraordinary!! I couldn’t put it down. My friend, Candice, did the exact same thing as me. She was reading it at lunch!! Eldest is suspenseful and thrilling. I gasped practically every two minutes! I loved it all the way through.
~Molly Richardson, age 10

Book Description: After successfully evading an Urgals ambush, Eragon is adopted into the Ingeitum clan and sent to finish his training so he can further help the Varden in their struggle against the Empire.

Ingo by Helen Dunmore

I really loved this intriguing fantasy tale about a girl living on the Cornish Coast!!! Saphire & her brother Conor love the ocean, & one day find themselves in a world without air that’s filled with adventure. By meeting two merpeople, who show them into a world of pure water called Ingo, they meet frightening creatures & ride wild currents & learn the ways of the Mer. Soon they find it hard to balance life on land with their ocean world. Will they vanish entirely into this other world one day?

~Becky Thielman, age 13

Book Description: As they search for their missing father near their Cornwall home, Sapphy and her brother Conor learn about their family's connection to the domains of air and of water.

Confess-O-Rama by Ron Koertge

This was a great book about young love, true friends, & happy endings.
~Katie Gardner, age 12

Book Description: While his mother grieves the death of her fourth husband, Tony vents his feelings to the Confess-O-Rama, never suspecting who's on the other end of the line.

Warriors series by Erin Hunter

This is actually a whole series of books — but all are amazing! These are fantastic tales that follow a small housecat named Firestar as he finds his way into a wild clan of cats that open up a new world to him! A world filled with battles over territory, hunting day & night for food, learning to become a better warrior, & being accepted by a clan that normally rejects wimpy housecats. I love these books, & can’t get enough of them!

~Becky Thielman, age 13

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

I think it was very adventurous because Percy went through so many fights with monsters just to do a favor his uncle, Zeus. I also think it is cool because he has the power of healing one of his wounds in the water& because his father is Poseidon, the god of the sea.
~Sarah Tyndall, age 10

Book Description: 12-year-old Percy learns he is a demigod, the son of a mortal woman & Poseidon, god of the sea. His mother sends him to a summer camp for demigods where he & his new friends set out on a quest to prevent a war between the gods.

Alcatraz series by Brandon Sanderson

It was the best book I ever read! I loved it, both of them!
~Jana Robinson, age 12

Alcatraz vs. The Evil Librarians Description:  

On his 13th birthday, foster child Alcatraz Smedry receives a bag of sand which is immediately stolen by the evil Librarians who are trying to take over the world, & Alcatraz is introduced to his grandfather & his own special talent, & told that he must use it to save civilization.

Alcatraz vs. The Scrivener’s Bones Description:  

13-year-old Alcatraz Smedry & his companions seek Al's father & grandfather in the Great Library of Alexandria, where they face undead, soul-stealing wraiths called the Curators of Alexandria, & one of the Scrivener's Bones, a part-human, part-machine mercenary.

Bones of Faerie by Janni Lee Simner

15-year-old Liza has grown up in a world destroyed by war. She knows that Before there were things called Airplanes that flew through the sky; that Cars carried people over Roads; and that trees and plants didn't thirst for human blood. But the war with Faerie changed everything. Faeries turned nature against humans, and, though humans won, the world would never be the same. There are three rules that everyone must abide by in order to stay safe in this new, treacherous world:

Don't touch any stones that glow with faerie light, 

or that light will burn you fiercer than any fire.

Don't venture out alone into the dark, 

or the darkness will swallow you whole.

And cast out the magic born among you, 

before it can turn on it's parents.

When Liza's sister Rebecca is born with skin so light it is almost translucent, eyes silver as moonlight off the river bed, and faerie-pale hair, Father takes her to the hillside and leaves her to die. Soon after, Liza's mother leaves in the night. Now Liza is seeing flashes of vision, and runs away before Father can kill her, too,for being born with magic. Her journey will take her to the Outside, where she will find new friends, learn a different way of living, and undertake a dangerous quest to Faerie to find her mother.

This excellent book is a refreshing new kind of Faerie tale. One that takes the best parts of traditional fairy tales - the adventure, mystery and sense of danger - and gives it an entirely new twist. I highly recommend this book to any teen (or adult) who enjoys adventure, tales of quests, and stories that give us new insight into ourselves and the world around us.

Our Only May Amelia by Jennifer Holm

Our Only May Amelia was a great book about a girl in the 1800s. Her family nags her about being a proper young lady.
~Natalie Crane, age 11

Book Description: As the only girl in a Finnish American family of seven brothers, May Amelia Jackson resents being expected to act like a lady while growing up in Washington state in 1899.

The Missing Book 1: Found by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Jonah and Chip receive mysterious letters telling them they are one of the missing. With the help of Jonah's sister, Katherine, they go on an adventure to find out who they really are.
~Amica, age 12

Book Description: When 13-year-olds Jonah and Chip, who are both adopted, learn they were discovered on a plane that appeared out of nowhere, full of babies with no adults on board, they realize that they have uncovered a mystery involving time travel and two opposing forces, each trying to repair the fabric of time.

Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery

I absolutely loved this book! It's a really calming one to read before bed or for some light reading. It's a sweet tale of a girl who's had a terrible orphan life and is FINALLY adopted and sent off to a gorgeous sea coast cottage in Avonlea only to find out that's it's all a mistake and the couple (Marilla and Mathew) meant to adopt a boy! She wins over their hearts with her livid imagination and knack for terrible mischief and trouble! 5 thumbs up!
~Abigail Thielman, age 13

Book Description: A lonely couple arrange to adopt a boy but instead end up with wide-eyed, quixotic "Anne of Green Gables". A tender and humorous 1934 coming-of-age tale.

Case Closed by Gosho Aoyama

Really good and gives a good sense of mystery.
~Luis Jimenez, age 14

Book Description: Precocious high school student Jimmy Kudo uses his keen powers of observation and astute intuition to solve mysteries that have left law enforcement officials baffled.

Absolutely Normal Chaos by Sharon Creech

Mary Lou Finney has a crazy summer! It's a great book!
~Chere Moulin, age 14

Book description: Thirteen-year-old Mary Lou grows up considerably during the summer while learning about romance, homesickness, death, and her cousin's search for his biological father.

The Last Book in the Universe by W. R. Philbrick

Depressing but great.
~Thalia, age 12

Book description: A thousand years in the future, an earthquake destroys much of the planet, and an epileptic teenager nicknamed Spaz begins the heroic fight to bring human intelligence back to Earth.

Here Today by Ann M. Martin

It was exciting, sad, and made you feel like you were in the book.
~ Jenna Sakawi, age 11

Book description: In 1963, when her flamboyant mother abandons the family to pursue her dream of becoming an actress, 11-year-old Ellie Dingman takes charge of her younger siblings, while also trying to deal with her outcast status in school and frightening acts of prejudice toward the "misfits" that live on her street.

Watching July by Christine Hart

I read this book a while ago. I thought it was really good! I like how she thought she escaped her problems when she had just met them.
~Onyeka Anwah, age 13

Starship: Pirate by Mike Resnik

A witty sci-fi adventure infused with Mike Resnik's sarcastic sense of humor. In which the hero, having become disgusted with the military, has become a pirate but must do so without violating his strict sense of morals.
~Tom Haglund, age 16

Peter & the Starcatchers by Dave Barry & Ridley Pearson

It was the most amazing book I've ever read!
~Kailyn Gibbs, age 12

Girlwood by Claire Dean

It's a compelling story about a young girl's coming of age and her response towards hardships. The story revolves around the mysterious Girlwood, a place that can only be found by those who are looking.
~Annabelle Neville, age 12

Stargazer by Claudia Gray

With this sequel readers return to Evernight Academy with Bianca. Of course, this year there is no Lucas. The administration believes Bianca was ignorant of his involvement with Black Cross, the vampire hunting organization. They believe she has broken up with Lucas due to this treachery. Instead, Bianca and Lucas spend the year planning clandestine meetings in order to steal a few precious moments together. They enlist the help of Balthazar, one of Bianca's closest vampire friends. In return, they agree to help Balthazar find his sister, a vampire also being hunted by Black Cross. In addition, wraiths have started invading Evernight. And they seem to be particularly interested in Bianca.

Bianca's rationalizations regarding her continuing relationship with Lucas reflect a teen's disinclination to think about consequences and their difficulty seeing long-term effects of their decisions. Though I was disappointed with the character, I can see the truth in the portrayal. Ultimately, this sequel reminded me of how I felt after reading New Moon by Stephenie Meyer - I was so angry at the main character that I didn't want to read the next book in the series. I was finally persuaded to do so, and ended up thoroughly enjoying Eclipse. Hopefully the next book in the Evernight series will resolve some of the issues I'm having with Bianca as Eclipse helped me come to terms with Bella.

Eli Manning and the Making of a Quarterback: The Incredible Rise of the New York Giants by Ralph Vacchiano

Eli Manning and the Making of a Quarterback is a great book about Eli Manning's journey from the NFL Draft tto his Superbowl experience. I would recommned this book to guys who love football and want to see what goes on behind the scenes.
~Bennett V., 7th Grade, HMS

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rulz by Jeff Kinney

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rulz by Jeff Kinney was a really good book. You got to learn more about Greg's brother Rodrick. This book is about Rodrick tortuing his little brother, Greg. It tells about all the times Rodrick has done mean things to Greg in the past. Rodrick has his own garage band called the Dirty Diapers, but they spell it different to make it look cool. All of his friends come and basically just strum and drum on things. One part in the book taht I can relate to is when Greg and Rodrick's mom gives out "mom bucks." Mom bucks are when you do something nice for their mom and then their mom gives them a monopoly dollar. Monopoly money, if you get enough of it, turns into real money if you cash them in. I would suggest this book to anyone who likes comedy.
~Parker S., 7th Grade, HMS

The People of Sparks by Jeanne DuPrau

Doon, Lina, and Poppy find their way out of the underground city, Ember, which was a city that was supposed to be a pro-catastrophe place. When they follow "The Instructions," Doon and Lina find their way to a town called Sparks. Sparks has a population of 100 or so. But when 300 Emberites find their way to Sparks, tension starts. people of Sparks is an amazing book. You will have to read it to see what happens next.
~Nikaya A., 7th Grade, HMS

Need by Carrie Jones

Zara has felt hollow inside since the day her stepfather died. Worried about Zara's lack of emotion and passion for life, Zara's mother sends her from her home in Charleston to her grandmother's home in rural Maine. The day before she arrives, a boy disappears. A week or so after, another boy goes missing. And Zara starts hearing someone calling her name "Zara. Come to me." Always when she's alone, usually near the woods. As Zara makes new friends and finds a new romance, her hollow feelings subside and real emotion returns. But with the return of emotion comes fear, as the voice continues to call and strange things begin to invade her life.

Zara is a character for the 21st century. She's passionate about human rights and is involved with charities and helping others. She believes in peace and human kindness and crusades for her beliefs. But now that it's Zara in trouble, who will crusade for her?

Anime Club Haiku!

The Samurai Animanga Club met at HHS on April 1st and, in honor of National Poetry Month, did some modified Haiku:

Afro Guy by KeDarian Robinson
Cold hardened steel
1 on my head
bodies lay

Absolute BF by Lin Kabachia
Robot airman
love though forbidden
remains alive

D.N. Angel by Khadijah Hamidullah
Man with wings
stuck between 2 of the same person
running from the cops

Untitled by Stevie Ontiveros
Standing on a hill
holding a blade of destruction
looking for demons

True Black by Michael Wiggins
One body 2 souls
both claim to be the real
only one is the true black

Untitled by Maureen Kamau
Two bound by love
each separate the two
doomed from the start

Emma by Shelsea Walker
A forbidden love
two lovers must fight
but will fate tear them apart

Best of the Best by Lin Kabachia
Sitting by the window sill
reading the best manga in the world
Hana Yori Dango

Naruto by Stevie Ontiveros
A child born today
a demon sleeps within
both asleep for now

Gods of Death by Michael Wiggins
Gods of Death
with the stroke of a pen
all life is taken

Tsubasa by Khadijah Hamidullah
Tsubasa roaming
searching for lost feathers
helping a friend

Squishy by Jonathan Heard
"I shall call you squishy
you shall be mine
and you shall be my squishy"

Harmony by Lin Kabachia
Cranberry and Sprite
mixed together in harmony
tastes amazing

Animanga Club Tribute by Stevie Ontiveros
A boring school day
a horrible week quickly turns
when Animanga comes around

Untitled by Shelsea Walker
Betrayal and true love
friends fight each other
read the manga Alive

2 by Michael Wiggins
2 of us
yet one is mad
which?

Daughter of the Flames by Zoe Marriott

16-year-old Zira’s dying Ruan mother brought a badly injured Zira to the temple after the fearsome attack that left Rua in the control of the Sedorne. Zira’s memories of her life before that night are gone, until the night ten years later when a Sedorne force, sent by the king, attacks and destroys the temple. As the temple people shelter in the Shrine of God, Zira’s memories are unlocked. She is not poor Zira, warrior priestess in training. She is Zahira Elfenresh, the last surviving member of the royal family of Rua. It is she who should be on the throne as Reia, not the Sedorne king.

Once her identity is known, Zahira becomes the leader of the temple refugees. She leads them, unwillingly, to a Sedorne lord who becomes their ally, and much more. But her alliance with the Sedorne leads many of her followers to doubt Zahira. They want Rua for the Ruan, with all Sedorne either dead or driven out of the land. But the Ruan are not a strong fighting force on their own, so Zahira must unite the Ruan and Sedorne people in order to put an end to the bloody rule of the tyrant Sedorne king.

Zira/Zahira is a smart, strong character reminiscent of Tamora Pierce’s Beka Cooper or Robin McKinley’s Harimad Crewe. The book is well-written and the story carries the reader forward quickly and seamlessly. I will be the first to admit that I picked this book up because of the striking cover art, but from the very first page I was hooked. I highly recommend this title to fans of fantasy and strong heroines!

The Gallagher Girl Books by Ally Carter

 I recently read I'd Tell You I Love You But Then I'd Have To Kill You by Ally Carter. I loved this book for many reasons, one of them being the story line. It was about a girl, Cammie Morgan, who goes to a school called the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Women. This school may seem like any other, but really it's "spy school" (in other words they get taught how to speak in 14 different languages, how to kill a man in six different ways, one including a piece of uncooked spaghetti, and other "spy stuff.). When on a class mission (for extra credit), Cammie meets this boy, Josh, who seems to like her and she might just like him back. She and her friends agree on figuring out more about him and set them up on dates. The only problem with this is Gallagher girls aren't allowed outside of the school, so Cammie goes through secret passages to get outside and to meet Josh. How long will this last - can she continue to do this? You have to read to find out. This book had an amazing ending and one that really surprised me. I hope that you read I'd Tell You I Love You But Then I'd Have To Kill You! It's very good!
~Anna Laws, 7th grade, HMS

One of the books I read from the past few weeks was Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy by Ally Carter. I love all of the books in this series, but so far this one happens to be my favorite. I liked this one because there was more excitement in it. For example: the code blacks, the new classified boys' school, and the big test. The story line of the book was that Cammie finds out about a boys' school almost exactly like the Gallagher Academy except called Blackthorne. but, because of what happened last semester with Josh and Cammie, the headmistress of the school decided it would be a good thing for boys and girls to mix, so the boys at Blackthorne moved in to the boarding school. This was because someday the girls would have to work with guys in future missions. When there is a code black the girls blame the guys and bug their dorm rooms and listen in to conversations only to find that the boys were just as smart. The ending was really surprising and I never expected any of that to happen. I loved this book and thought it was great! I can't wait till the next one in the series!
~Anna Laws, 7th grade, HMS

Ms. Heather's Note: The next Gallagher Girls book, Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover, comes out in June!!

Sweetblood by Pete Hautman

The book I am reading right now is called Sweetblood. It is about a girl who believes in vampires and calls herself undead because she is a diabetic. I have told you too much, you will have to read the book for yourself.
~Khiry Young, 7th Grade, HMS

The Watsons go to Birmingham, 1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis

In this story you will experience many fun things. The story takes place in Michigan. This family has three children and are poor, but not that much. The family has to suffer from coldness. So they go visit their grandma for a month. The trip doesn't go as good as they planned. So they have to come to Birmingham to visit their grandma and they find they want to stay there, but they can't because of the house they have. So you have to find out if they stay or not.
~Frida Mendez, 7th Grade, HMS

Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen

Lock and Key was a very interesting story of a young girl named Ruby who goes through many obstacles in her life. After her drug addict mother leaves her to survive on her own she is taken in by her sister and brother-in-law, who she hasn't seen in years. This heartwarming story tells how little you have to do to change a girl who is going down the wrong path. I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone who enjoys books about how tough life is, and that small changes can make you a better person. I enjoyed this book very much.
~Lyndsey Morgan, 7th Grade, HMS

The Underland Chronicles by Suzanne Collins

Gregor the Overlander (Book 1 of the Underland Chronicles)
I read Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins. Gregor is a fantasy fiction book abou this land that is far under our Earth. This land has giant Spiders, Rats, cockroaches, and bats. Most of the people in the underland have really pale skin; because where they live they have no sun. This book is about Gregor and Boots who land in the underland after falling through an air vent. They go on a Journey to find their dad because he got captured by the rats. There is a prophecy that they have to follow though, and if they don't follow it they might all die. I hope you read this book.
~Chris Simpson, 7th grade, HMS

 Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane (Book 2 of the Underland Chronicles)
Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane is a great book by Suzanne Collins. In this book Gregor, Luxa, Boots and a lot of other people go on a quest to kill the bane. Before they find the bane these huge serpents start to attack them and Boots gets lost. Gregor and Ares have to go into the cave and kill the bane. While in the caves a few die so its just Gregor and Ares, they get to a point where they are watching rats kill each other. One of the rats yells "don't kill my baby" right before he dies, but Gregor couldn't tell what she said. So I would tell you the rest but it would ruin it for you. I hope you read this book.
~Chris Simpson, 7th grade, HMS

Gregor and the Code of Claw (Book 5 in the Underland Chronicles)
Gregor and the Code of Claw, by Suzanne Collins, is a great book! If you have read any of the books in the Overlander Series then this book is for you because in my opinion this is the best out of all of them. This book keeps you reading right through it every night. I seriously think this book is the book that I have ever read the fastest in my life. Read this book...
~Tyler Simmons, 7th grade, HMS

Books into Movies (Part 3 of 3)

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd


The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd is about fourteen-year-old Lily Owens, living on a peach farm in South Carolina with her dad and her black stand-in mother in 1964. When Lily was four-years-old, her mother, Deborah Fontanel Owens, died.

Deborah had come back from a three-month rip to pack her's and Lily's things and leave T. Ray (Lily's dad) to go live with a Fontanel family friend in Tiburon, SC. However, they didn't pack fast enough. T. Ray heard them and didn't want to let go of Deborah. Lily remembered a gun being on the floor, and her parents fighting. When her mother dropped the gun, Lily picked it up, wanting to help. Then there was an explosion, and her mother was dead.

No, Lily must find the mysterious family in Tiburn, SC, who may have known her mother, and learn about the Black Madonna Honey. A book for girls and women of all ages (10 and up), this book will be treasured for decades between moms and daughters!

~Mary Rose Patrick, 7th Grade, HMS

Books into Movies (Part 2 of 3)

The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
The Golden Compass is a very interesting, well-written book. It is about a young girl named Lyra. In Lyra's world, everyone has a daemon, which is a part of the person that takes shapes of an animal. Soon, Lyra discovers a group of people called Gobblers, who kidnap children and do an experiment on them, cutting their daemons away. These Gobblers have taken a lot of kids in Lyra's town, including her best friend, Roger. She sets out on a journey to rescue all the kids. This great book shows a young girl with determination and courage that I think will interest anyone who reads it.
~Jenny Frost, 7th Grade, HMS

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants is one of the greatest books I have ever read. Lena, Bridget, Carmen and Tibby have been best friends ever since the beginning of their lives. They have spendt every summer together until now. Lena goes and visits her grandparents in Oia, Greece, where she finds a handsome young man named Kostos and falls in love. Bridget goes to a soccer camp in Baja, California, where she falls in love with one of her coaches. Carmen goes to visit her dad in North Carolina, not knowing that her dad is getting married to a family that she absolutely despises. Tibby just stays home and makes "suckumentaries." She  make friends with a girl three years younger than her and finds out that the girl has Leukemia. The four friends share a pair of pants, no matter how far away they are from each other they will always be close together with those pair of magical pants.
~Nikaya Acfalle, 7th Grade, HMS

Books into Movies (Part 1 of 3)

These books are now out in theaters! Check out them out to see if the original story matches what the author wrote - sometimes the book is better!

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
This story is about this girl, Meggie, and her dad who live on a farm and they love to read books. Her dad is a book saver, which means he takes the book covers off and makes them new ones. Then one day in the middle of the night a mysterious man appears at Meggie's house. Later Meggie finds out that it is Dustfringer, an old friend of Meggie's dad. He comes to their house because he needs to talk to Mo, Meggie's dad. Then she finds out that they need to hide a book because Capricorn wants it. So they go see Elinor, who agrees to help them hide the book. Then Capricorn's men try to take the book, but they get the wrong one and also take Mo. Now Elinor and Meggie have to trade the right book for Mo. So you have to read the book to see what happens next. It is a very good book and I think every girl would like it.
~Frida Mendez, 7th Grade, HMS



Coraline by Neil Gaiman
Do you believe that you can go into another dimension? Well you should; let me tell you about this book called Coraline. It's a mind blowing, heart-stopping, nightmares-having book. If you like weird and mysterious kinds of books this is the book for you. Hurry up and check this book out!
~Aaron Sautter, 7th Grade, HMS

The Clique by Lisi Harrison

The Clique, by Lisi Harrison, is a good book for young teenagers that can actually learn about what happens in the real world for girls. It's very funny, that makes you want to die out of your seat laughing. Also, it has some romance between lots of people in this book. Claire, the new girl, who just moved to Westchester, New York, and is now attending Octavian Day School, doesn't know how to fit in with all the other girls there. Massie Block, the queen bee of the shcool, makes Claire have a very hard time at school. Claire tries to go through it anyways, and fit in as much as she can, so she can be the next Massie Block. Or at least try to be as close as that. If she keeps wearing those white Keds and raggedy clothes of hers, she will never fit in, and will always be the outsider. But, sooner or later, Claire finds out how to sabotage Massie and the rest of her crew, and have some new rules for the school. Then she will finally be popular and fit in; the dream she has always wished for.
~Alex Abel, 7th Grade, HMS