Graffiti Knight by Karen Bass*****

Graffiti Knight is about Wilm, a sixteen year old boy living in Germany right after World War II. He decides to strike back at the Soviets. He paints graffiti of a stick figure, and next to the graffiti he writes "marionette," or puppet. He is soon famous for criminal acts around the city, harassing the police and Soviets. He now has to escape the Soviet territory, an save all his friends at the same time.

This book is very good. It moved me when Wilm carried his dying sister to the hospital. I think that the whole book is amazing, and the way the author put the book together. I think that almost anyone would like this book.

47 by Walter Mosley***

47 is about 47, a slave on a plantation. He meets a runaway slave who calls himself Tall John. Tall John says he comes from somewhere where everyone is treated equally, and also has futuristic technology. 47 doesn't believe it, and is very stubborn to accepting Tall John's beliefs. Can 47 learn how to be free, and if he can, can he save his friends?

I generally dislike historical fiction, but I love sci-fi and fantasy. These two elements in 47 do not go well together. I think that this book would be a lot more powerful if it is just historical fiction. I felt that the whole idea that Tall John was from another planet is sort of a bad idea, but the book is pretty good when it's just historical fiction. I think that middle school kids might like this book.

Eat, Brains, Love by Jeff Hart****

Eat, Brains, Love is about Jake and Amanda, two high-schoolers who turn into zombies at almost the same time. They travel across the country, growing closer together, and learning new tricks as a zombie. At the same time, a psychic, Cass is helping the government cover up their attacks and tracking them down. Can the two zombies find the cure?

This book is pretty slow to get into, but it's really good once you do. I think that the author did a good job with the plot, and that the characters really grew throughout the whole book. I think that most zombie-apocalyptic and middle school students would love this book.

Unaccompanied Minor by Hollis Gillespie***

Unaccompanied Minor is about April, a 15 year old girl who has been hopping from flight to flight with her mother's flight attendant identification. She has a horrible stepfather, and a stepmother that wants to kill her. April is caught in the hijacking of a flight, and does almost anything she can to get out. Can April save the flight?

This book is a bit boring, it only picks up when she is nearing the part with the hijacked plane. I really think the author could have done a better job with the details, and the whole plot of the story. I think middle school kids would enjoy this book.

Trash Can Days by Teddy Steinkellner****

Trash Can Days is all about a group of teens that are all connected in different ways. Jake used to be friends with Danny, who was dating his sister. Hannah, Jake's sister, is writing a blog to put people down because of what people said about her. D. Wu, Jake's "girlfriend," starts a writing club and gets a bunch of popular friends. This is a tale of a bunch of teens making their way through middle school, and learning about life.

This book is something else. I (I am in 7th grade) can totally say that what the author writes is mostly true about middle school, but some of the aspects are better. I loved the amount of detail that the author used on the characters and the gangs. I think many middle school readers would relate to this book.

Feral Curse by Cynthia Leitich Smith****

Feral Curse is all about Kayla, a werecat that reveals her secret to her boyfriend. Her boyfriend, Ben, runs off and tries to use a spell on the internet to "fix" her. He ends up being struck by lightning, but carrying a curse to each of the carnival pieces. Any were-animal that touched them gets transported to the run down marry-go-round. This leads Kayla and any were-animal that can help her on an epic adventure to help make things right.

This book is very adventurous because the animals from Feral Nights return, and are more defined. The whole idea to incorporate a new were-animal that might eventually join their group. I think that this book has a lot of opportunity for more in the series, and I'd love to see that. I would think that middle school kids would love this book.

The Universe Against Alex Woods by Gavin Extence*****

The Universe Against Alex Woods is all about a kid who was hit by a meteorite. He suffers from seizures and bullying. Then he meets Mr. Peterson when he is found cowering in the back of Mr. Peterson's greenhouse. They strike up an unlikely friendship that helps both of them out. Alex, with his seizures. Mr. Peterson, with his loneliness. But this friendship doesn't last much longer as Alex helps Mr. Peterson with his life, which may be short.

This book is very weird. It has a lot of elements that aren't appropriate for children, teens, or just anyone. It's not horrible, but it can get really tense. Alex cannot see beyond logic. I think that this book is a really deep story. It has a good plot and many people might like it.

Sick by Tom Leveen****

Sick is about Brian and his friends trying to escape form their school. The school has been taken over by these zombie like sick kids. The sick kids try to eat people to get healthy cells to become cured. Brian is one of the only survivors on campus, and he devising a plan with his friends who are trapped with him at school. They go looking for other friends that could have survived. They know that they can't punch a hole in the fence because the zombie-like sick kids would get out and infect whoever is left in the city. So they have to climb the fence to escape the school campus, but everything they do is not with out a price. They lose friends and gain some. In the end, they have to make some of the hardest decisions of their lives.

Sick is a very interesting book. The kids who are sick are almost invincible, with crystal-like skin. It forms like scales and glitters in the sun (which is oddly mentioned a lot). I really thought the idea that the sick kids (I'm calling 'em zombies) are trying to eat healthy flesh, especially places that have a lot of white blood cells, is interesting in a gross sort of way. The whole concept is very good, and middle school horror seekers will love this book.

Feral Nights by Cynthia Leitich Smith***

Feral Nights is about Yoshi, Aimee, Clyde. These three teens are all caught up in a murder of Clyde and Aimee's friend. And did I mention that two of them are were-animals? Yoshi is looking for his sister, who is being convicted for murder, but cannot be found at the moment. They must go and find Yoshi's sister and find out who really killed Clyde and Aimee's friend.

This book has a lot of action. It isn't the best book, but it is one that incorporates a myth into it without twisting it in some huge way. I also noticed how the were-animals were actually friendly throughout the book, unless on a drug or forced to cause pain. I thought that high school readers might like this book.

Beyonders: Seeds of Rebellion by Brandon Mull*****

Beyonders: Seeds of Rebellion by Brandon Mull is a book like no other. I love the way the author writes. I have read all of his Fablehaven series, and loved them, and the Beyonders trilogy is no different. I really love how the characters are defined even more in this sequel, and this book really built upon them. I think that a lot of people will love the first book more than they will love this book, but I highly recommend this whole trilogy.

Book o' the Month for February 2014

The book o' the month for February is My Side of the Mountain. It is the book that I chose because I love the feel of adventure and the way Sam rebels against his parents. I think that a lot of kids think of running away and living like Sam, but it's almost impossible. The way humans have been destroying the forests and natural places for bigger houses or just for their own pleasure is making Sam's story a dream that nobody could ever achieve. Overall though, this book is amazing, and I would recommend it to anyone.

The Creature Department by Robert Paul Weston****

In The Creature Department Elliot and Leslie are invited to his uncle's secret lab at DENKi-3000.  Inside they find things beyond their wildest dreams. They find the secret behind DENKi-3000's success. Creatures. They help Elliot's uncle come up with amazing ideas, and provide essence to help power the ideas. But this may be all for nothing. DENKi-3000 is going bankrupt, and may have to sell their business to Quazicom. Can Elliot and Leslie save DENKi-3000 from going bankrupt?

This book is a very, very creative book. I think that if this book had more creatures in the creature department that this book would have had a lot more room to be more creative than it is now. I love the way that the author incorporates so many hidden details. It open up the plot to new ideas. I think a sequel could happen, and would be an interesting second book. I think middle school readers would love this book.

Blackout by Robison Wells*****

Blackout is all about four teens who are living in a time of crisis. America is overrun with seventeen to twenty-three year-old people attacking national monuments and destroying power supplies. The military is taking all the teens to test for a virus that apparently gives them a special power that is unique to the person that has the skill. The rebellion that is destroying monuments are all teens that have these kinds of special abilities. Can these four teens stop, or help this cause?

This book is highly interesting. It seems like there would be a sequel. The characters are always changing, and the way this book adds the mutation from a virus instead of some sort of injection that every teen has to go through. The detail is great, and the way the U.S is taken over is pretty good as well. I think any reader would love this book, especially if they like longer and more thought out books.

Project X-Calibur by Greg Pace****

Project X-Calibur is an exciting tale about modern-day knights of the round table. Ben has nothing special about him, but is still recruited by Project X-Calibur. He is nothing compared to the surfing champion Kwan. The alligator wrestler, Tyler. The person that thinks he's better than everyone else, Malcom. And the best video game competitor in the world, Darla. It's up to Ben and the rest of these knights to protect the world from the aliens planning to destroy it.

This book is a very interesting tale that kept me entertained for a couple of hours. I think that this book is a really intriguing tale, and it has a lot of good details. It clearly describes everything, and also has a good plot. I really think that middle school readers would love this book.

Zane and the Hurricane by Rodman Philbrick **** (Realistic Fiction

Zane and the Hurricane by Rodman Philbrick is a fictional account of Hurricane Katrina and its devastation on New Orleans in 2005. The title character, Zane, gets stranded in the attic of his great-grandmother's house with his dog, waiting for help. Eventually they are both rescued by two people in a canoe and travel throughout the flooded neighborhoods.

I was too young to remember Hurricane Katrina, but had heard how devastating it was. This book really made me feel what it would be like to live through a hurricane and its aftermath. The chaos and confusion along with the force of nature made for a scary experience. I thought the author did a great job depicting the fear and anxiousness of the main character. 

I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it to any middle school (or older) students, especially if they want to learn more about what it would be like to survive a hurricane.

The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams*

The Restaurant at the End of the Universe is another really random book by Douglas Adams. I didn't really get it at all, except that the answer to the universe is forty-two. I really think that this book could have been a bit less random, and more focused. It had plenty of detail, but some things weren't explained at all. I don't recommend this book for younger readers, or people that like to have a plot in their stories.

Julius Caesar: The Boy Who Conquered an Empire****

Julius Caesar: The Boy Who Conquered an Empire is a non-fiction book about the influential emperor during Roman times. He took over most of Europe and turned the Rome into and empire. This man is Julius Caesar.

This book intrigues me because I like Roman and Greek related history. It is one of the most interesting times in history if you ask me. I really like the gods in their religions. I really think that anyone with a taste for good history would like this book.

So Long, And Thanks For All The Fish by Douglas Adams*

So Long, And Thanks For All The Fish is a really random book. I was really confused throughout the whole book, and really didn't like it. I can't really write a review of this because it was so confusing. It is an alternate Earth that Arthur lives on now. And all the dolphins are gone. This book isn't very good, and I don't recommend it.

The Big Empty by J.B Stephens****

The Big Empty is all about a post-apocalyptic world where Strain 7, a disease, has wiped out a bunch of people. The survivors are forced to live on the coast, and the middle, there is nothing, or, the Big Empty. Keely gets a message telling her about a group of people trying to settle the Big Empty, and would like her to bring a bit of culture to the society. This intriguing tale of awesome adventure is of Keely and six other teens trying to make it in the Big Empty.

This book is very action-packed. It had some dull moments, but then picked right back up. You always have to be on edge for the characters. This book also uses a lot of detail. You never get a clear picture of who Keely is, but with the other teens, you do. Everyone in this book feels real enough to be in our society today. I recommend this book to older readers.

Frozen Fire by Tim Bowler*****

Frozen Fire is an amazing book. You could piece together the story, but some of it was surprising. You could never know who the boy was, or where he was. I think the way the boy was wrongly accused of stuff, like kidnapping people. 

This book is a heck of a tale. When the boy is revealed to Dusty, he tells her that no one every is happy being friends with him. I think that this book is really good, and is really deep. The ending sort of surprised me, and I really liked Dusty, the main character. The boy really built onto her description, giving me a sense of feeling. I really recommend this book.

Dawn by Elie Wiesel*

Dawn is another non fiction book. It is all about terrorism during the Holocaust. The jews have something called the Resistance. They fight for their freedom from Britain in Palestine. Elisha has to kill a captured english-man.

This book is pretty boring. It is short, and I finished it in about forty-five minutes. I think that this book is a bit too deep. It expresses to much feeling and feels like you were being sucked into these problems. And in this book, that's not good. I really don't recommend this book.

The Gardener by S. A. Bodeen**

The Gardener looks cool and all, but it's just not that good. It's pretty short, but a very long read. It drags on, and had almost no plot line at all. One character would disappear, and never be mentioned again.

I think that this book had an interesting idea, but the author sort of fizzled out with it. It was good at some parts, but not most. Also, this book had a really weird way of introducing characters. They would appear on T.V or have secret pasts (hint, hint). I don't really recommend this book.

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson*****

Speak is almost the same as Twisted, as in deals with popularity issues, another book by Laurie Halse Anderson. This book is just amazing. It is about a girl hiding her feelings after calling the police during a party. She is now the school's very own Outcast. Nobody wants to be her friend except for the new girl, but then the new girl finds other friends.

This book is a heck of a story. I really think that this book had a lot of detail. Melinda is always dealing with school troubles. She has bossy teachers who will jump at the chance to punish her. I think that Laurie Halse Anderson creates powerful characters that can influence the way I, and other people, read. I highly recommend this book.

Storm Front by Jim Butcher****

Storm Front is a heck of a book. It has real witches and wizards, and is very entertaining. I think that this book has a lot of detail. It is specific in characters and what they are doing. This book is a bit inappropriate for me. I think that this book also could have developed the villain a bit more throughout the story-line.

I think that this book is very captivating. It kept me reading for about three hours, and it never is was boring for me. I think that this book is definitely not for children. This is a stressed point for me. It was badly inappropriate. Aside from that, this book was pretty good, and I highly recommend it.

The 6th Grade Nickname Game by Gordan Korman***

The 6th Grade Nickname Game is a decent book. It has a lot of details that were left out. I think that if the book were a bit longer it would have been better. This book also has a good plot. It felt very thought out. If this book were a bit longer, it would have been much better.

This book is all about two kids, Wiley and Jeff. They nickname everything. They even nicknamed their class the "Dim Bulbs." I really think that this book could have been more specific with Snoopy, the snoop of the school. Or even with Iceman, The lamest kid in the school turned cool. This book was overall good, and I recommend it
.

The Gospel According to Larry by Janet Tashjiam*****

The Gospel According to Larry is an entertaining tale of a teen writing his own points of view. I'm still lost here; The author said the person and their tale are real, but at the end of the book, it said this tale is fake. I am pretty confused. Josh, the main character, is expressing himself on his little website. He is "preaching" about how society is messed up, and through the whole book, I was agreeing. This book was really good, and I highly recommend this book.

Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson****

Twisted is an amazing book. It shows a lot of the popularity problems at school. Tyler tries to become "cooler" by graffiti-ing the school. He ends up getting buff doing community service, and the richest/prettiest girl in school is now his friend. Tyler doesn't know what he's getting into-some of the worst stuff that's ever happened to him before.

The stuff above can't be specified, it's a bit to jacked up to say. I really think that this book is good, and it was written very well. The characters were very well defined. By nicknames or how Tyler thinks of them. It gradually gets better. The first parts are entertaining, but the end was the best. I highly recommend this book.

Bad Boy by Walter Dean Myers*****

Bad Boy is one of those books that you have to read yourself to get a grasp of. It was all about Walter Dean Myers growing up in Harlem, New York. It was comical, had a sense of feeling, not just a bland, "and then this happened" kind of story. I really liked how this is a true story about racism, and moments in his life that led to Walter Dean Myers becoming an author. It's always something to keep in mind that this is true. I really thought a lot of these moments were well written, and were very detail. I was laughing at some parts, but crying at others. I highly recommend this book.

Eldest by Christopher Paolini*****

Eldest is the second book in the Inheritance series. I think that the first book, Eragon, is better. Eldest is about Eragon and his adventures in the elven world. He learns new spells, new ways to fight, and becomes a better Rider. He helps the Varden fight the Empire to defeat Galbatorix.

This book was very good. I really like how some of the characters returned, presumed dead, or just ran away. A lot of this book was Eragon training, but most of the training entertaining. Not just reading about him sitting around. I think that this book was great, and highly recommend it.

Witch and Wizard by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet*****

Witch and Wizard was an entertaining story of a world taken over by the N.O., or the New Order. Whit and Wisty Allgood are arrested for being a "witch" and a "wizard." They break out of jail with the help of Whit's dead girlfriend, and develop their powers.

This book was amazing as a whole. I think the way Whit could move through objects, and how Wisty could control bodies and forms. The way the author shaped the story was very good, and it hardly lacked detail. I highly recommend this book to fantasy lovers.

Travel Team by Mike Lupica****

Travel Team is a book about Danny. He is the smallest, but maybe is the best, player in the league. When he gets cut from the travel team, Danny's father gets the "rugrats" together to play. They end up showing they can play, and when Ty, the second best, or as Danny thinks, the best, player shows up his father and joins Danny's team, they know they have a chance. 

This book was a good book. This book is about two hundred-fifty pages long, and provided a great story on Danny and Ty. Danny had a lot of good friends that helped support the whole story, and made the whole book more entertaining. I recommend this book to sports fans.

Toes by Tor Seidler*****

Toes is great. It is a really sad, but funny, story of a seven toed cat and his many adventures. I think the best detail is that Toes is smarter than all the other cats, and he communicates with other animals. He is a very adventurous cat, he goes outside on Halloween, and gets so scared that he runs away. I think that having a cat as a main character is a bit cliche though.

This book is and overall good book. It is short, and it kept me entertained for a while. It is a good book for younger kids, no cursing, no violence, just an amazing book. I really recommend this book.