Newbery Book Club Reader Reviews 2012

The Adventures of Sir Gawain the True

by Gerald Morris

 

    Sir Gawain is an adventurous and brave knight of the great King Arthur’s round table.  One day he comes upon a maiden captured by a dragon in obvious need of his knightly assistance. He does the right thing, kills the dragon and sets the maiden free. But he lacks the courtesy of a great and well-rounded knight and does not receive well the maiden’s gratitude. During King Arthur's Christmas feast a rather large and scary man burst in and challenges one of the knights to cut off his head. Sir Gawain being an adventurous and brave knight takes up his challenge and obliges his request to lose his rather large and scary head. Surprisingly the now headless being gets up and puts his head back on his body and lets Sir Gawain know he will do him likewise in a years’ time. This begins an interesting chain of events the author manipulates using comedy, drama and just plain weirdness. The story is about how Sir Gawain changes as what is important becomes clearer like friendship and the things that make life real. I enjoyed this book and in particular its humor but don’t nominate it for the Newbery.

- Liam

 

Aliens on Vacation
by Clete Barrett Smith

 

This book was weird and exciting. Scrubs mom and dad were archeologists who traveled around the world. Scrub had to stay with his grandma for vacation. As it turns out his Grandmas house was an intergalactic vacation home for aliens. All the aliens are in disguise so no one knows they are aliens except Scrub and his grandma. Read to find out more about their adventures. An awesome read!
- Sean

 

Amelia Lost
by Candace Fleming

 

This book is a non-fiction book about Amelia Earhart’s life, and death, in the skies. In it we explore Amelia’s childhood, life, and last few years. We will also explore deeper into her death and the things that happened during and after it. It was a good book, and I hope that you read it. I’d suggest it to people who know who Amelia Earhart was, and want to learn more about her.

I don’t think this is a Newbery book, but it was still a good read.
- Sarah

 

City of Orphans
by Avi

This book is about a boy named Mak. Mak is a newsboy in New York City during 1893. When he is attacked by a gang of boys, he finds Willa, a tough girl with a big stick. He offers to take her home to give her some food, and our story begins. As Mak and Willa get home, Mak’s sister Emma is arrested for stealing a pocket watch at the hotel she works at. Mac then goes off to find a lawyer for her, and ends up becoming an undercover detective in the hotel his sister worked at. I won’t tell you how it ends, because then I would be a spoiler. I really liked the book. The book switches back and forth to and from different characters constantly (every other chapter or so), just as a warning for people who don’t like that kind of book. It was very well written, and I could really get a feel for the characters. Their personalities really showed through the first few chapters you met them in. It had a lot of information about the time period as well, so you could get a picture of the environment where the book takes place in your head. I hope you read it, and I hope you like it.
- Sarah

This was a really good book. There was some sadness and some adventure. My favorite part was when the house was on fire because the Newsies were finally beating the Plug Uglies. In the beginning of the book, I didn't really like it but when I got to the middle, I started to like it and by the end, the book was really really good. I hope there is a second book some day! Try it...you'll love it once you get into it.
- Ryan

 

Dead End in Norvelt
by Jack Gantos

I have never read Jack Gantos's other works; the back cover says he's the author of the "Joey Pigza" series, which I've heard of but never read. In this book the story is about the author's experiences in his hometown, Norvelt, Pennsylvania. The back cover says that it melds "the entirely true and the wildly fictional" so we can guess that there might have been real people like the characters in this book, but probably most of the experiences are fictionalized. The main character and narrator is the author himself, who is grounded for the summer of 1962 by his parents and forced by his mom to assist an elderly neighbor named Miss Volker, who has a most unusual task for hom to do. In the beginning, Miss Volker reminded me of one of my favorite characters from a book, Caroline Sheppard from Agatha Christie's The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. The whole gossip thing with Miss Volker's "spotters" is exactly like Caroline Sheppard's "agents". I liked that a lot.  But the beginning and middle were the weakest part of Dead End in Norvelt, in my opinion. Some of the humor seems weak and forced, and I like natural humor. Probably the funniest part in this whole book was when Jack dresses up as the Grim Reaper and visits someone whom Miss Volker thinks has... how do we say it nicely?... left this world. The end of the book, however, was pretty good, but unfortunately Mr. Gantos tries to tie in a mystery plot at the very end. As a very big mystery fan, I think the end part is much too short to have a mystery in it. And, since it couldn't be one suspect as it wouldn't "fit" this book, the identity of the killer is quite easy. I won't tell you who it is, though. All in all, Dead End in Norvelt is an okay book, nothing special or memorable but it has its funny parts. I think it's a little too long for a bunch of un-connected plot lines, but it's okay.
- Karl

 

 

The Dragons Tooth
by N. D. Wilson

 

This book is about a boy named Cyrus, his sister Antigone, and their brother Dan. In it, they are living in a motel when a strange man comes to it and requests Cyrus’s room. The man gives Cyrus the keys to his car and won’t take them back. That night the motel is burned down by a gang of men. That starts a whole whirlwind race between the Smith family and the gang on their tails. The gang captures Dan and it turns into a quest to save him as well as themselves. The going is hard, but when the going gets hard, the tough get going. This was a good book and was very interesting. The style is fantasy-realistic fiction, and was a good read. I hope anyone who reads it will like it. It is the kind of book that sucks you in if you like action, fantasy, or both! I hope you will read it. Please read!
- Sarah

 

The Emerald Atlas
by John Stephens

 

The Emerald Atlas excels in everything a fantasy-lover could want - excitement, a good story, and the impossible weaved into to it perfectly. John Stephens is certainly an author to be interested in.

- Bryan

 

This book is about a girl named Kate (short for Katherine), her sister Emma, and her brother Michael. When their parents abandoned them, they went bouncing from orphanage to orphanage. They didn’t think that Cambridge Falls would be any different. They find out that magic is, and has been, real. They also learn about three books that only they can use to save the world.
       This book is a very good read, but I wouldn’t suggest it as a Newbury. I think its writing style was very good, and it was action-packed. Good for fantasy/sci-fi lovers. I think it is good for ages 10-100.Please read!
- Sarah

 

 

The Flint Heart
by  Katherine and John Paterson

 A "basic fantasy story" includes, usually, some clever children, a few fairies, a wise old being (I say "being" because he- he is usually male- can be human, fairy, or wizard), and parents who are either affected by the events in the story or have no knowledge of them at all. The Flint Heart is what one many call a basic fantasy story, and all of the elements that I have written about are in it. The book begins with a backstory regarding a medicine man named Fum and a warrior named Phutt who, we are told, lived in the Stone Age. The former has made an object called "The Flint Heart", which makes its wearer stronger and more powerful but also turns him into a mean and selfish individual.  Then we fast-forward to the main events of the book, wherein "The Flint Heart" is found by a farmer, Billy Jago, who lives in Dartmoor, England. It turns him into, essentially, a brute, and after a meeting of the children his son Charles goes to seek out a fairy, whom he thinks can help them- which leads into, as I said, a basic fantasy story. We have the clever children, a fairy, by name De Quincey, a wise old fairy called the Zagabog (which reminds me remarkably of a Dr. Seuss-like name), and finally there are the parents. Well, there are a lot of "basic fantasy stories", so I wasn't expecting that much. What is good: this is a fun little fantasy with some funny characters (the talking hot-water bottle would be a fine addition to any book) that is rather short; it's really a novella, and a short novella at that. What's not so good: the fact that most of Billy Jago's family have not as much as a speaking-part in this book, with the exception of main characters Charles and Unity. There are a good many books that do this, but a question I always ask myself is, Why introduce characters who have no part in the book at all? This is by no means anything with even a vague chance of winning the Newbery, nor should it, in my opinion. The Flint Heart is a quick read that should not at all be taken seriously, but it is fun, amusing, and I liked the very brief time I read it.
- Karl

 

 

Flyaway
by  Lucy Christopher

Flyaway is about a girl named Isla who loves the swans, just like her dad. Trailing a flock of swans one year, her dad  collapses onto the ground. When she gets to the hospital, she meets a boy named Harry. When she goes to his room, she sees a lone swan trying to fly. She then knows she wants to, NEEDS to, help that swan. She also has a school project in art: make a model that shows something that can fly. She chose to make a model of swans wings. And tries to help the swan find her flock and fly. If you want a judgment, you will have to read the book and judge it for yourself.
-Sarah

 

 

The Friendship Doll
by Kirby Larson

This book was about a doll from Japan and was based on a true story about 58 dolls sent to America. Out of the 58 dolls, the whereabouts of only 45 of them are known today.   It takes place from around the end of WWI to the beginnings of the US involvement in WWII.  The cool thing is that it’s told from the viewpoint of different people and of the doll, too.

It was a really good book and I think it should be considered for a Newbery.  It makes you think about a lot of things.  It was a wonderful book, and I think that you should read it!
-Sarah

 

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making
by Catherynne M. Valente

In this book, a girl named September travels to Fairyland. On the way there she meets a flying leopard, a green wind, and a peculiar gnome. The journey there was hard, but just wait. The journey gets ever harder, but she will succeed with a book loving wyvern named A-through-L (or just Ell) and a blue skinned Mirad named Saturday. Together, the threesome will ride a giant bicycle, sleep in a forest where it's always Autumn, overthrow a cold hearted dictator who threatened fairyland, and find a way for September to get home, all (seemingly) in a second. This book was very good, and worth a Newbery. It was a weird at first, but a bit farther into the book it clears up. The writing style is very fantasy-like, and is a good read. To all those to read it out there, I only say that this is a book well worth your time. Please read!

- Sarah

 

It has been a long, long time since the fantasy genre was first popularized by authors such as C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkein. Now, as I mentioned in a previous review, the "typical fantasy" book is definitely the most predominant kind in the genre. Fantasy books are a lot of fun, but they seem to often be so incredibly similar that they just get boring for me--I don't want the same thing over and over. Therefore, this book didn't much interest me much when I first
heard of it--another fantasy book, I thought. The same thing again. But I was wrong, and I am proud to admit it. The Girl who Circumnavigated Fairlyland... is, in my opinion, a masterpiece. Ms. Valente is a fantastically clever author, and of all the books I have read for the Newbery Club this year this book is, without a doubt, the one I think most deserves the award. Why? you ask. Well...
Our protaganist is September, an adventure-loving girl who gets whisked away from her bland life to the magical Fairyland--we've never seen this before, huh? Soon, however, we see that this book isn't one of those "typical fantasies." In this book, the conventions and "regulations" of fantasy are, to our delight, subverted and turned upside down. What a wonderful effect! The brilliance of what Ms. Valente does is fantastic: she not only writes a fantasy book but also a parody of fantasy books. I hate to keep comparing books to Agatha Christie's, but, as she is my favorite author, I keep coming up with
similarities. Valente does for the fantasy genre what Christie did for the mystery genre: she knows we know what's in a fantasy book, and she uses this to her advantage, subverting everything we expect against us. And the fantastic twist ending--oh so clever. It's the exact opposite of what we expected because of Lewis's Aslan and Tolkein's "lost kings"...but I'll say no more. Valente's one great flaw is characterization, I'll admit. It's not perfect--sometimes characters are "cardboard cutouts." However, I personally feel that this not-perfect characterization is Valente's way of parodying the
"cardboard characters" in the "typical fantasy" books, and I feel that it does not take away from the brilliance or the charm of this book. A masterpiece, I have to say--definitely deserving of the Newbery, as it represents everything the award stands for: it is, to quote from the Newbery website, "Marked by eminence and distinction; noted for significant achievement; marked by excellence in quality; marked by conspicuous excellence or eminence" and "Individually distinct."

-Karl

 

 

Hidden
by Helen Frost

I am a huge fan of Helen Frost's previous works, and Hidden did not disappoint by any means. It is the story of two girls whose lives are forever altered when one of their fathers accidentally kidnaps the other girl, they never meet, but they know each other. Ten years later, they meet at summer camp. Frost brings tremendous depth to her characters, settings and plot. She is to be highly commended for writing not only in such beautiful prose but also in verse. The story is so believable and so real, I could not put it down. The setting is vivid and sharp, handing the reader crystal clear mental images. Each character is deep and dynamic, acting just how you would expect them to, yet somehow, not predictably. And the plot was just incredible. It was so obscure and original, yet somehow, it all made sense and worked seamlessly. I've been recommending this book left and right, and so I strongly recommend it to you too. However, Hidden is definitely a young adult book ! with concepts that might be frightening to children, and themes that kids younger than 7th grade might not grasp. This has Newbery potential, but I fear that it's more intense themes may disqualify it.
- Anna

 

 

Icefall
by Matthew J. Kirby

This book is about a girl named Solveig, who lives in Norse during a war between her father, the king, and a chieftain. She and her brother and sister are sent to an icy stronghold beneath a glacier in a fjord. They get stuck there in the winter when the fjord closes, and discover that there is a traitor among them. They must figure out who it is, so that they may defeat them. They start to become desperate, and as spring approaches, there may just be an answer.
This book was an amazing fantasy book, but it is not a Newbery. The author did a great job writing it, and I give it two thumbs up! Great book!
- Sarah

 

 

Incorrigible Children Book 2: The Hidden Gallery
by Maryrose Wood

The Hidden Gallery, book 2 of The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place, is a great book. In this thrilling new sequel to The Mysterious Howling, Penelope, the children, and the Ashtons are visiting London. There, Penelope makes a new friend, and receives an invitation to meet her former headmistress, Miss Mortimer, at one of the grandest restaurants in the city. Everything seems too good to be true. As it turns out, it is. The meeting with Miss Mortimer is not a hearty reunion, but brings troubling news:The Incorrigible children are in danger! On top of that, a mysterious gypsy fortuneteller predicts for the Incorrigibles' future; "The hunt is on, wolf children." What could it all mean? Read The Hidden Gallery and find out.

- Danielle

 

Inside Out & Back Again
by Thanhha Lai

I often grow tired of coming of age stories, of families moving and trying to fit in, but Inside Out & Back Again was a breath of fresh air. Lai tells her story so beautifully, I could not put it down. Written in diary-like instillations in verse, the book is dynamic and innovative, welding together intricate poetry and the voice of a child. The settings are clear and described beautifully, although they are not the focus of the story. Really, the crux of the story is about a young girl named Ha from Vietnam who moves to America with her family. Ha's feelings are beautifully displayed. Although the plot may not be the most original, the main character is lovable and wonderful, and the writing is exquisite. I see this book going very far, perhaps a Newbery Honor. I would surely recommend this book to children grade 4 and up, but it may not keep the interest of the average 13 or 14 year old.
- Anna

 

 

Lexie
by Audrey Couloumbis
This book is about a girl named Lexie and she goes on vacation with her dad and her dad's girlfriend Vickie and her two sons Ben and Harris aka Mack. I liked that they go on vacation to the Jersey shore and have adventures.
-Lisa

 

 

 

 

Liar, Liar
By Gary Paulsen

 

.Liar, Liar is a book about a boy named Kevin who is very good at..... lying!But one crazy week shows Kevin the error of his ways. To make his life easier, Kevin spins a web of lies designed to keep him out of class and projects, get his siblings to drive him to school,spend time with his crush(Tina), help his aunt, and stop his best friend from annoying him by being a hypochondria. As you could probably predict, this web crashes around Kevin's ears, creating the need for amends. Kevin changes his entire demeanor to solve the problem.This book was full of details and well-developed characters, as well as a solid theme and moral. Liar, Liar is a good book for all ages.

- Marissa

 

The Midnight Zoo
by Sonya Hartnett

In this book two boys find a zoo. One boy is Andrej and the other is Tomas. They are sent running from their camp when war threatens the family. When they stumble upon the zoo, they find out a shocking secret. The animals can talk! They stay for a while, listening to the animals’ stories and feeding them. They eventually have to find a way to free them, and let them go back to their homes.
       This book is not eligible for a Newbery because the author is from Australia. This book was very close to the animals, and was mostly about them. The writing style is mostly realistic fiction with a swirl of fantasy mixed in. I think it was a great book. I suggest it for ages 8-14 or 15, maybe older. Please read!
-Sarah

 

No Passengers Beyond This Point
by  Gennifer Choldenko

Despite having likable characters and a twisted, detailed plot, No Passengers Beyond This Point leaves too many loose ends and confused readers. Finn, India and Mouse, three siblings, are all flying to their Uncle's house in Colorado when suddenly they find themselves in an obscure, far off land. Although the conclusion of the book explains some of the oddities, so many are left unexplained that I was forced to re-read the ending many times to see if I had missed a crucial piece. The setting is well described, and the characters are pleasant, if fairly unremarkable. I sincerely wanted to like, even love this book, and did so until the last three chapters. The author introduces so many new concepts so quickly that the reader finds himself or herself having to stop, reread and dissect the sentences in order to picture what is happening. To all those out there who enjoy novels with desperately confused plotlines and wacky story twists, this may just be a book for you.!
 Despite its originality however, I doubt this book will win a Newbery.
- Anna

 

Pie
by Sarah Weeks

The story begins with the death of Polly Portman, nationally famous for her pies and the owner of the "Pie" shop in the small town of Ipswitch. Polly is known as the Pie Queen for her delicious pie and for winning numerous contests including the famous "Blueberry Award". The Blueberry award is given to celebrate the most distinguished contribution to American pie making. And Polly won an unheard of thirteen Blueberry awards in a row.
The story is about pie, the deliciousness of pie, ingredients of pie and the smells and tastes of pie abound throughout and make you want to eat some good pie.You will be wise to first heat yourself up a slice before you sit yourself down to read this very good book. But the book is not just about pie. The story is also about Alice and her relationship with her somewhat different Aunt Polly, the Pie shop and the people of Ipswitch.
Aunt Polly was different in that she would not charge for her pies. The towns people tried to change this and convince Polly to charge something but she just refused. Afterwards a strange thing happens and the best available pie ingredients just started showing up in deliverys to Aunt Polly's store. Aunt Polly being different in life was also different in her death and in her will bequeathed her pie shop to the towns Reverend which upset Alice's mom. And her famous pie crust recipe to her cat Lardo. However, she bequeathed Lardo to Alice.
The fun and mystery begins with lots of twists and turns after Alice's house and Polly's shop were broken into and Lardo goes missing. Alice and her friend Charlie take on the challenge of solving this mystery and finding Lardo. Alice learns by the end of the book exactly what her Aunt Polly meant when she said,"The most important ingredient in pie is the love that goes into making it." Aunt Polly reminded Alice that everyone has a gift. Aunt Polly had a gift for making pies and never forgot to express her gratitude for it. In her death Aunt Polly found a mysterious way to bequeath Alice and her mom the means to use their own gifts. I highly recomend you read this book.
- Liam

 

I picked this book up to read because the cover had a kitty on it.  There was a kitty cat in the book but the book wasn't about a cat at all.  The book was about a woman who had a talent for making pies.  She was really good at making them but then she died.  Her granddaughter Alice was really sad but in the end, she learned how to make really good pies too.  I think it has a sad ending though and I wished there was another book in follow-up to this.  Worth reading.

- Ryan

 

The Princess Curse
by Merrie Haskell

This book is sort of like a twist on the 12 dancing princesses. In it, 12 princesses are under a curse, and the king is offering a reward to anyone who can cure it. A young herbalist’s apprentice, Reveka, wants the reward for herself. Her quest to cure the princesses turns into an adventure, though, when she finds out where the princesses are going and what they are doing. The ending is really amazing. I thought that this book was a fun read, but I wouldn’t suggest it as a Newbery book. It is more of a fantasy book, but it takes place in a medieval-type era, and has a lot of facts from that time period hidden in it. I think that anyone would enjoy this read. Please read!
- Sarah

 

 

Queen of the Falls
by Chris Van Alsberg

This book is a picture book for older people, say 10 and up. It is about a woman named Annie Edson Taylor, a retired charm school teacher, who attempts to brave the falls. She designs her own barrel to go in, complete with plenty of room for her and a LOT of pillows. She went over the falls and, when she survived, went on to make money from it. But it didn’t exactly go as planned. When people found out she was just an old rickety woman, they left her. But still she persisted. And even despite all that, she still is known as the Queen of the Falls.
- Sarah

 

 

The Romeo and Juliet Code
by  Phoebe Stone

The Romeo and Juliet Code is about a young English girl named Felicity. She is sent to America to escape the bombing during WWII.  When her uncle, Uncle Gideon, starts getting letters from Portugal, Felicity wonders if they are from her mother and father. They stayed in England, so why would they be sending mail through Portugal? And why would the letters be in code? She must break into Gideon's office to find out. What will she find there, and what will happen then?
To find out, read the book!
-Sarah

 

Saving Zasha
by  Randi Barrow

This book is about a Russian boy named Mikhail right after WWII. In it, Mikhail finds a beautiful German Shepherd, but anything German is forbidden. He has to keep Zasha fed and hidden so that he can have a dog again. He finds a man named Dimitri trying to breed a new Russian super dog on the farm next door, and wonders if he should give Zasha to him. His mind is made for him when men come looking for Zasha. Will his Zasha live? And what will happen to him if she’s found?
       This book was an amazing read, but it’s not a Newbury book. It was mainly a historical fiction book, and was a very good read. I wouldn’t suggest it to people who don’t know about WWII. It was a great book. Please read!
- Sarah

 

 

The Secret Zoo
by Bryan Chick

In this book a group of kids find a secret zoo. The kids are Noah, who is the leader; Richie, who is more like the nerd of the group; Ella, who is strong and steadfast; and Megan, who first traveled to and found the secret zoo. They find out about an ancient magic that helped create the Secret Zoo, and the man who wants to destroy it. They also meet a bunch of teenagers who seem to be hiding a secret of their own. In the end, the results will shock everyone. This book was a bit confusing because it is the second book in a series. I think we should consider different books for the Newbery. It's writing style is very fantasy/realistic fiction, and it is a great read if you put aside its sequel-ness. A fun book, please read!

- Sarah

 

 

Shantorian
by Patrick Carman

The story opens with the interrogation of Adam Hederson. He and his three friends are a group that call themselves Trackers. They call themselves Trackers because Adam invents cameras and other surveillance equipment. All this starts out just for fun until the Internet Security Directive (ISD), an underground agency believed to protect the internet, enlists them to capture a hacker named Shantorian. Shantorian is launching cyber attacks and placing the internet at great risk. However, the ISD comes under the suspicions of the Trackers. Trackers was a suspenseful mystery. The brief introduction for those who didn't read the first book the author wrote doesn't help much, so make sure to read Book 1 in the series first. Since both books are a good read you'll be happy you did.
- Liam

 

 

Small Acts of Amazing Courage
by Gloria Whelan

In Small Acts of Amazing Courage is about a girl, Rosalind, who lives in India. She lives  there with her mom, because her dad is fighting somewhere. When one of her servants baby is sold, she wants to help find it again. She finds it under a bridge where the baggar gang lives. Rosalind decides to buy the baby back, and feels good helping him. It sparks a life of helping in her. When her father gets back, she is immediately sent away to England to get a proper education. There she meets her two aunts, and helps people even more.
-Sarah

 

The story is about Rosalind, a fifteen year old British citizen growing up in India shortly after WWI. Rosalind’s father is a British officer away at war who returns to find his daughter beginning to test her budding new identity. A few years earlier her parents’ sent her brother, Edward, to attend school in England where he dies expectantly. Because of this, Rosalind’s family, especially her mother, are forever affected. This event prevents Rosalind from being sent off to be educated in England allowing her to grow up alongside her Indian nanny’s daughter, Isha. Although she has been traditionally educated and is knowledgeable of her parents homeland, India becomes the only motherland she has known. Naturally curious, she seeks to learn and understand the people and land around her. Rosalind’s observations and experiences as well as her best friend Isha give her a view of India different from her parents and even some Indians which challenges and leads to conflict for all.
 
As fate would have it, Rosalind is called to take one small act of amazing courage. Once she does she cannot see herself turn back. This path her father believes is away and not toward becoming a proper English woman. This story is historical fiction set in India at the time M.Ghandi has begun to lead the Indian British citizens on the path to self-rule through civil disobedience. As her mother land moves toward eventual independence Rosalind finds herself
moving towards hers as well. Rosalind questions and must choose amongst clashing values involving mans’ law, moral law, society and cultural rules and norm. The question of what is the right thing to do, when the moral thing to do is not the lawful thing to do? How does this young girl choose and live those consequences? Read the book to find out. We loved this story. We felt
as if we lived this experience in time and knew the places and people, so much so we missed them when the story ended. This book has everything a Newbery winner should have. We highly recommend it. 
-Liam and Lisa

 

 

Small Persons With Wings
by  Ellen Booraem

Small Persons With Wings is a fictional book with fairies, or small persons with wings.  It's about a girl named Mellie who lives in Boston.  When Mellie was 5, she had a small person named Fidus, who flew away the next year.  Mellie's grandfather dies and her family inherits his inn.  The inn is infested with small persons and they want something from her and her family.  I'd recommend this book to 4th graders and older.
-Morgan

 

 

Sound Bender
by  Lin Oliver & Theo Baker

This book is about a boy named Leo Lomax, a thirteen-year-old sound lover, and his brother Hollis, a music lover. When their parents die in a flight over Antarctica, they are left with their step uncle, a money-obsessed man that they call Uncle Crane. When a mysterious package comes in the mail for Leo, his life will change forever. Soon he, his friend Trevor, and Jeremy, the owner of a music store, are on their way on an amazing journey that will reveal a lot about his father and his past.
       I think this book was a really amazing read, but I don’t know what to say about it. I think it could be a Newbury, but I’m not really sure. The writing style was very action packed, and the book just has a very modern feel to it. I hope you will read it. Please read!
- Sarah

 

 

Squish
by  Jennifer Holm

This book is about Squish, Peggi and Pod. Squish has to save his friends from ....This is a good book because it is a funny adventure.
- Callahan

 

 

 

The Trap
by  Michael Grant

    This book was about a boy named Mack who must gather twelve other twelve-year-olds who have powers like his. Together they must save the world from a vicious Pale Queen. The Pale Queens banishment is going to end in 33 days, and they must stop her, or else everyone and everything on Earth will be destroyed.
       This book is a sequel to the book The Call, which I would suggest you read first. It really will help you understand some of what the author is trying to tell. The writing style is definitely fantasy, and is in a third person view. I think it is good for most ages, at least 10/11+. It was a fun read. Please read!
- Sarah

 

Troubletwisters
by Garth Nix and Sean Williams

Troubletwisters is a book about Jaide and Jack Shield; twins who live with their mother. One day their father comes home and tells the twins he has a present for them. The twins investigate, and instead of a present they go into the house they see tons of white eyes and hear a voice inside their heads. Their mother then spirits them away to live with their mysterious Grandma X. They find out from their grandma that the gift drew a powerful evil to them. The Evil tries to take over every living thing, and it is the twin's job to fight it off. Troubletwisters was an interesting book based on the children-with-special-powers-fighting-an-ancient-evil plotline. In my opinion, the most interesting piece of the book was "The Evil". "The Evil" was an ancient intelligence that takes over different kinds of animals, including humans. I thought that it was a very creative an creepy villain. I thought the weakest part of the book was Grandma X, who was the mentor for the twins. The authors tried to make her very mysterious, but at times it seemed overdone. I would recommend this book to middle schoolers ("The Evil" was scary at times) and I'm looking forward to a sequel.
- Brian

 

Troubletwisters is a book about two twelve year-old twins named Jaide and Jack Sheild. They both possess supernatural powers- but neither of them know it. One day when their father comes home from his job as a treasure-seeker, he tells the twins he has a gift for them. When they go to see what it is they find a pole. Overcome with curiosity, they both reach out and grab it. All of a sudden they start to hear strange voices in their heads and see big bulging eyes everywhere. Then, while trying to escape the strange voices, their house explodes. And so they are taken to go live with their father's mother, Grandma X. But this is just the start of their adventure to protect themselves (and the world) from the mysterious voice, which is also known as "The Evil".
 Troubletwisters was overall an enjoyable book, not a Newberry, but still a good read. The only problem was that at some points its was sort of confusing or vague. For example, some parts of the plot, like the twins finding out they had powers, didnt move quick enough. By the time it was fully explained, you were at least a quarter into the book. Also, Grandma X was so mysterious at times that the plot was a little hard to follow. I would recommend this book to anyone ages 11 and up  because at some points, The Evil can be a little creepy. Since Troubletwisters is a cliff-hanger, there should be a sequel.
- Devin

 

This book is about a pair of twins named Jaide and Jack Shield. They are sent to live in their grandma’s mysterious house when their house gets “Blown up by a gas leak”. While they’re there, they find out that they are trouble twisters, people with magical abilities depending on their powers favors. The two twins are sent on an adventure that will need all of their focus, attention, and cunning to complete. With The Evil, as it is known as, starts to seep into our world, they will have to protect this world and fix the east barrier. If they do not succeed, this world will be destroyed.
In this book you see a kind of change in the two main characters. They both become more aware of their surroundings, and become more aware to changes in their environment. They gain control of their powers (more or less) and discover great secrets surrounding their pasts. This book was really nice in the way the author suddenly showed the changes around the house and the town without giving too much away. This book is not for the Newbury, but it was really good anyways! Please read!
- Sarah

 

 

True (--sort of)
by Katherine Hannigan

This book is about a girl named Delly and her adventures. She is constantly getting into trouble, so when she meets Ferris she doesn't think it will change anything. But little does she know it will help her change her life forever.

This book is very distinguished. It is Newbery quality, but I don't know if it would win. I hope that other people will read this to help me decide what the writing style is. I recommend for ages 10-100. Please read!
- Sarah

The story is about a girl who is always getting in trouble for stealing brownies and borrowing her neighbors canoe without asking. She kept getting into trouble until she met a girl named Ferris Boyd -- she looked like a boy but she was a girl. She couldn't talk so she used a note pad. They became best pals. She continued to get into trouble until the principal threatened to throw her out of school. Ferris Boyd showed her a secret fort. This was one of the best books I've ever read! Try it, you will like it. It's interesting right from the start.
- Sean

 

 

The Unwanteds
by Lisa McMann

The Unwanteds is a book about a strange land called Quill. In this land every year, there is a Purge. The Purge is when the creative and thoughtful people are sent to their deaths while the smart, intelligent Wanteds are sent to a university. Alex, an unwanted, is about to face his death at the Death Farm when Mr. Today, a smart old wizard, brings them instead to the magical world of Artime. In Artime there are talking statues, strange creatures in charge of teaching the Unwanteds the Arts, and where art is its own magic that could be used as a weapon or gift. When the battle for Artime comes closer and closer, secrets start to emerge and plots are revealed.
The book begins and ends with the reader on the edge of their seat, and the next twist is never far away. You get to know Alex and his friends so well that by the end, you feel like you know the characters like they were old friends. The book switches to different people every so often. Some people may find it cool, but some people may find it annoying. It helps you see what the true value of art can be, and I hope whoever reads it will like it like I did. Please read!
- Sarah

 

 

Waiting for the Magic
by Patricia MacLachlan

This book was a good book that I read in one sitting. It was funny and exciting. The best part was when they picked the first four dogs and the cat. I'd like a Mom like that!
- Sean

 

 

 

 

We Are Not Eaten By Yaks: An Accidental Adventure
by C. Alexander London

The author introduces the main characters, Oliver and Celia Navel who are 11 yr old twins. The twins have unusual living conditions in that they live in the N.Y.C. Explorers Club where their parents, Dr. and Dr. Navel, are the "Explorers in Residence". The club members are all adventurers and daredevils. The twins trek all over the globe with their parents, but they prefer to stay at home and just watch TV. They are so big on TV that their biggest wish is to have cable. The mystery and adventure starts soon after they overhear a plot to kill their father. This initiates their search for their mother who disappeared on a Tibetan expedition to find the" Lost Tablets of Alexandria." The tablets are a catalog of the world's knowledge and are still believed to exist hidden in a secret place. Despite the twin's dislike of adventure they travel to Tibet where they encounter talking yaks, oracles, grave robbers, witches and a Council with an evil plan. I liked this book because of it's an interesting comedy and I recommend it for elementary students for a fun light read. This is bound to be a series.
- Liam

 

This book is about two children who live in an exclusive club for adventurers. Any normal child would be excited to meet famous explorers, and to go on great adventures every summer, but not Oliver and Celia Navel. They just want to sit in the house and watch their shows in peace. When their father takes up a bet to find the Lost Tablets of Alexandria, they know they're going to be dragged along. They don't however, expect to run into yetis, an evil monk, Poison Witches, a spirit, and, ultimately, have the adventure of their lives. But all they want to do is get home and watch cable after the whole miserable affair was over with. I think this book was a very quick and funny read. It was more of a fantasy/adventure book than realistic fiction, and is a good humorous read. Although I don't think it deserves a Newbery it is enjoyable and funny, please read!
- Sarah

 

Good book, fun, scary and worth reading it. My favorite part of the book is when Oliver, Celia and the Dad come back from their adventure and get rewarded by the explorers.
- Sean

 

 

Wild Life
by Cynthia DeFelice

11yr old Erik is a junior hunter who lives in New York. One day when he gets home he discovers that his mom & dad, both army reservists, are called to service in Iraq. Erik is sent to rural North Dakota to live with his grandma & grandpa. Once there he finds a dog hurt by a porcupine. Together with the local vet Erik helps the dog who he calls Quill.The dog & boy become close friends.
   Unfortunatly, (for Erik) the vet finds Quill's owner.Erik decides he and Quill will run away. This story is about friendship,trust & learning to let go. I enjoyed the story especially the relationship between Erik and Quill and what happens during their time spent living in the wild. I recommend this book for  a good read and would recommend it recieve a Newbery honor.
- Liam

 

Wild Wings
by Gill Lewis

This book is about a boy named Callum. Callum lives  on a farm with his father and brother. When Callum catches Iona fishing with her hands on his property, he doesn’t know what to do. Iona, however, does. She decides to tell Callum a well guarded secret: There are ospreys on his farm. They are vulnerable to poachers trying to steal their eggs, so Iona and Callum guard this secret well. When the female osprey gets caught in fishing line, they know they need to get help. But that simple decision leads Callum on a journey from his home in Scotland to West Africa and back again.
       This book is not eligible for a Newbery because the author is from Britain. This book had a great natural feel to it, and is very good. The writing style is more realistic fiction than anything, and
was a great read. I suggest it to ages 9-13 or 14.  Please read!
-Sarah

 

 

Wonderstruck
by Brian Selznick

 

Wonderstruck is a great book. I liked how the point of view
alternated from Rose, fifty years ago, and Ben and how they met at the end of the book. The story was told in words and pictures and I thought that really added to the book. There was also the mystery of Ben's father, and who the old woman in the museum was. The entire plot came together and made sense at the end. Wonderstruck is definite
Newbery material.
-Danielle

 

Wonder Struck is a great book. It's characters, plot, layout, and storyline all work together perfectly to make it an incredible read. Brian Selznick is one of my favorite authors, and will be one of yours to after you read Wonder Struck.
-Bryan

 

From Selznick's novel, The Invention of Hugo Cabret, I was entranced by his excellent writing and gorgeous illustrations. However, despite the high quality of his work, the limited quantity of words in the book Wonderstruck makes it unlikely to be eligible for the Newbery award. Half of the story is told in pictures, and half through words, alternating between the two until they collide at the end. Although this is a fascinating and extremely successful form of storytelling, the Newbery award criteria demands that we not look at the pictures, and without the pictures, this book loses so much. Ignoring the half of the story told in pictures, the plot becomes confused and short. Setting aside that major flaw in the books eligibility, the characterization was fantastic: all of the characters were likable and deep, acting sensibly and with emotion. The setting too was well set, and deeply described, but would have been lacking had the pictures not been included. The plot is interesting and different, though not as obscure as The Invention of Hugo Cabret. Really, the thing that stands out about this book is the pictures and how they play into the words and the story as a whole: seeing that as it is, the book really does not qualify for a Newbery award. However, it would not surprise me if this book, like its predecessor will go on to earn other awards in illustrations and innovative story telling.
- Anna

 

This book is two stories about two different people. The story in words is Ben's, and the pictures are Rose's story. Ben is deaf in one ear. He always has been. His mother had died three months ago, and he was living with his aunt and uncle. One night he decided to stay in his old house, and he found a book. That same night, he was calling someone when a bolt of lightning struck the house, and he became completely deaf. After that he ran away to New York City to follow a note on a bookmark to his dad. There he met a boy named Jamie who let him stay in the American Museum of Natural History. He lived there for a few days, and while he was there he found out where he could try to find his father. He went there, but instead of finding his father, he found his grandmother.
Rose was born deaf, and didn’t like it when her teacher came to teach her lip reading. One day she ran away to New York City to find her mother, who was a famous actress. Her mother told her to wait in her dressing room for someone to take her home, but she instead went to find her brother Walter. Her brother worked at the American Museum of Natural History. When she found Walter, she stayed there with him.
Fast forwards to Ben's time. He finds his grandmother, who is none other than Rose. They meet, and Rose tells him about his father, and her life growing up. While he was there, Rose took him to see her exhibit in the Brooklyn Science Center. She had helped to make a model of all five boroughs of NYC. Then, that night, Ben and Rose look at the stars together.
The book is really touching and could probably win a Newbery. I thought that Brian did an excellent job conveying the story, and I’m sad that I finished it so fast. He really is an amazing author. I hope everyone else will read it. I just have one comment: Wow. Please read!
- Sarah

I really like the book. I read the book fast because of all the pictures and the story. I didn't mind so many pictures. One story was actually told in the pictures and then the two people meet. In this book, you actually feel like you're in the book. My favorite part was when the boy became all the way deaf. I didn't like the end because I felt like it stopped in the middle of the story. I do hope there is another book because this was the best book that I have ever read. I would recommend that you read this book. There was a lot of adventure which made you want to keep reading!
-Ryan

 

When you begin to “read” Wonderstruck you believe Mr. Selznick is telling two stories and not one. The story of Ben and of Rose are clearly set at different times .Yet the relationship between these two stories only grows to reveal just how intertwined Ben and Roses lives actually are. Ben is a boy growing up in rural Minnesota in the 1970’s. He has just suddenly lost his only known parent, his mom. Ben shortly after losing his mom in another twist of fate also loses the hearing in his only functioning ear. Rose’s story is set in the 1920’s. Rose is a girl who is deaf, isolated and misunderstood in the relationships she has. She is eager to go out into the world around her to find something more. Ben too decides to go out into the world, more specifically NYC, to follow clues he’s gathered from his mother’s private belongings. Ben believes these clues will lead him to his dad whom he knows little about.
Both Ben and Rose at personal risk become seekers. Interestingly what they each sought that starts their venture is not what they find, but, what they find is exactly what they really sought. What is so creative and innovative is that the stories are not told in the same language and the difference is Rose’s story is told with no written words only a language of image, gesture, silent thought and feeling and Ben’s story is told in written words of English which evokes all those same things. Each story enriches the other. There is suspense, mystery, the lost, the found and this incredible plot twist as the actual relationship between Ben and Rose is revealed.
When I read this book I knew it was distinguished. Wonderstruck easily meets the key criteria to award the Newbery: 1- Quality of theme. The books theme is interwoven between the two stories and how this is revealed makes it original and innovative 2- Quality in presentation of information (accuracy, clarity and organization). The two stories could not have come together as a whole and worked so well if the presentation failed to provide these necessary elements of information. 3-Well developed plot. The plot and timing is well developed or this original and innovative way of telling Ben and Roses story would not have worked as well as it did. In. 4- Well delineation of characters. The characters are well-defined, believable and you become easily involved in what happens with them 5- Well delineated settings. The settings work even if they begin at two very different places and times and then they merge in this unexpected and satisfying way. 6- Appropriateness of style. Mr. Selznick’s style of storytelling is so unique and it brings so much more to the table then words alone can. He sets the bar that much higher for all other authors this year.
The story style presented through written and image language communicates more than either could on its own.. This book has much to offer children of all ages no matter what their reading level precisely because it uses a universal language and not just the written one. Children do not need to depend on the written word to experience and enjoy this book. This I believe is what distinguishes Mr. Selznick from all the other notable books on this year’s Newbery short list.
Maybe because I’m 9 years old I miss the controversy the adults see in nominating Wonderstruck for the Newbery award.  Some adults don’t believe there are enough written words and the story depends too much on pictures.  I just don’t understand how the committee can ignore such a distinguished book based on a lack of “Text” for imagery and believe Mr. Selznick somehow comes up short because there are not enough written words telling his story. I personally never found my “Textbooks” superior to real literature yet no one would dispute their abundance of valuable text. Is the number of written words or images important? And when did that become more important than the story telling. Consider how Mr. Selznick succeeds where others fear to tread and he does it without the familiar ( for some of us) sounds words make in our head as their read.

Mr. Selznick has found a way to use an familiar and unfamiliar language to tell the whole story in an way that is always appropriate and in context. Mr. Melcher would be made proud if the committee fulfills the purpose he set when he created the Newbery award and that was to encourage, recognize, support and reward original creative work in the field of children’s literature. What work this year is more creative, original or evolves the standard of children’s literature than Mr. Selznick in Wonderstruck? None!

- Liam 

You'll like it here (everybody does)
by Ruth White

The book opens with one of the main characters,Meggie,a 6th grader, recalling a traumatizing experience when she was 8 years old. A man came into her 3rd grade classroom with a knife and claiming to be a alien hunter. After this event her family moved to North Carolina.Meggie's brother,David age 12, is the other main character.Meggie and David  have a "different" kind of family.All their family wants is to lead a peaceful life but they find themselves driven out of their new home by angry neighbors and in  their escape end up on a parallel earth. They settle into their new city on parallel earth and find their new life involves a mysterious group called the fathers,lotus pills,and Elvis. This story is also about friendship. I liked this book because it has mystery, scifi and adventure. I recommend the club read it because is has all the elements for a Newbery nomination.
- Liam

 

This book is awesome and has lots of adventures.  It is very suspenseful.  The book was about a family of aliens that lived on Earth but the humans attacked them and drove them off Earth.  They escaped and went to a parallel world.  I liked Colins, Gramps, and David....read this book to find out which of these are the aliens.  Definitely worth reading.
-Sean