Gym Candy by Carl Deuker

I’m going to do my book review on Gym Candy by: Carl Deuker. High School football star Mick Johnson is determined not to follow in his father’s footsteps and make the same mistakes his father made on the field. But after being tackled outside the end zone in a crucial game, Mick decides his current training plan isn’t working. It isn’t long before Mick finds himself purchasing and using “gym candy.” Mick gets the results he’s been looking for, and a lot more he didn’t have in mind, and he soon finds himself trapped. . . Will Mick ever stop using steroids? If so what will happen. This book has not won any awards but I think it will in the future. The recommended reading age is 12 and up. Quotes from famous writers and reviewers are, “Kick of the football season with this riveting title.” Says The Bulletin. “Deuker. . . knows his stuff. . . This is a solid sports tale with a valuable message.” Says KLIATT. A quote I liked from this book is when Mick’s Dad tells him when he is little boy, “There’s no crying in football.” Other books by Carl Deuker are, Payback Time, Heart of A Champion, Night Hoops, and many more. I really liked this book and it kept me on the edge of my seat and I’m sure it will do the same for you. Recommended by Noah Smith

Penny from Heaven by Jennifer L. Holm

Today I’ll be recommending the book Penny from Heaven by Jennifer L. Holm. It’s about an 11 year old girl, Penny, who is living in 1953. She has great ideas of what she wants to do to have fun in the summer, but it seems like her mother is saying no to all of them. Worst of all her mom starts dating the milkman. How will she make this summer more fun? Well her troublemaker cousin, Frankie will try to help. Penny is a really great character who just wants to have fun, but will she have even less fun if she gets in trouble with Frankie? The recommended reading age is 10+. This book is most like Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson. I think Jennifer Holm writes most like Wendy Mass (She wrote Jeremy Fink and The Meaning of Life.) because they both write in the perspective of kids that are 11 and 12 and make it believable. My favorite part from this book is “Nonny starts crying. “My Freddy good boy.” “That’s right,” Uncle Paulie says, a fat tear running down his cheek. “Regular party in here,” a voice says from the top of the stairs.” I like this part because it just shows how funny the book is. The author has also written Turtle in Paradise. This book has won a Newbery Honor and is a fast historical fiction read that will also count as award winning. The School Library Journal said, “Penny and her world are clearly drawn and eminently believable, made up of seamlessly interwoven details from everyday life.” So will Penny make this a great summer, or will her mother ruin it all? Recommended by Laura Snyder

Shades of Blue by Karen Kingsbury

Have you ever known what you are doing is wrong, but you’re doing it anyway? Have you ever walked away from your past life to start a new one? Brad Cutler did just that. Brad’s life turned out amazing. He is getting married to the girl of his dreams, and has a job working for her dad. His high school girlfriend is the only one standing between him and his fairytale life ahead of him. I am recommending the book Shades of Blue by: Karen Kingsbury. It is about how a man walked away from everything he had in Holden Beach. One day, what he had done in his past years finally caught up with him. He goes back to reconcile, and ask forgiveness from his first love, Emma. Shades of Blue was copyrighted in 2009. Karen Kingsbury has won many awards including, 2009 Extraordinary Woman of the Year award, and the 2007 Evangelical Book of the Year for her novel, Ever After. Her other books include, the Bailey Flanigan Series, the Red Gloves Collection, the Above the Line series, Ever After, the Redemption series, the Firstborn series, and many more. She is an amazing author for children and adults. I can not wait to see the movie Shades of Blue after reading the book. It has 336 pages packed with faith filled messages, and mistakes not to be repeated. It is recommended for ages 18 and up, but I thought it was a good book for 14 and up also. “Karen Kingsbury's books have a way of grabbing your heart and refuse to let go until the last page is turned. I read this book in one sitting. I just couldn't wait to find out how the story would end.” says LMS on Amazon. “Powerful! I couldn't put it down, and the message still stays with me. Kingsbury tackled another difficult subject beautifully.” Tammy shared about the book. My personal reaction to the book was, I loved it! It was the second best book I read this year after Catching Jordan. It not only has a powerful message, but it will bring out the emotions of anyone who reads it, guaranteed. Shades of Blue reminded me of the book Muted Grey. It was about the same topic, and both made me want to do something for the main characters. I thought this fit into many different genres such as Romance, Realistic Fiction, and Religious. I think it is geared more towards girls because it is emotional, and men don’t usually like to show their emotions. It was overall a really phenomenal book, that I hope you all read. Recommended by Isabel Brehm

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

“ As a rule, Ginny Blackstone tried to go unnoticed-something that was more or less impossible with thirty pounds (she’d weighed it) of purple and green backpack hanging from her back.” This is my favorite quote from the book 13 Little Blue Envelopes Maureen Johnson. In this quote it shows the funny and witty side of Ginny. in this captivating novel Ginny goes on a self discovery. She gets a package telling her to get on a plane and go to London. When she arrives she can open the envelope in the package. The envelope leads to another and then another until the 13th envelope. All the envelopes lead her to do things she’s never done before and push her to the limit. Maureen Johnson has a writing style similar to Sarah Dessen. They both have very realistic writing styles. Some other novels Maureen Johnson has written are, The Name of the Star, Suite Scarlett, Scarlett Fever, Girl At Sea, and The Key To The Golden Firebird. Publisher’s weekly says, “Equal parts poignant, funny and inspiring, with a delicious fairytale ending.” I could not locate a review from an author for this 13 and up novel. This book had not won any awards. To get to the 13th envelope you’ll have experience every tear, laugh, and awkward exchange Ginny goes through to get to where she needs to be. Recommended by Meg Stecklein

The Enemy by Charlie HIgson

How are you all doing now? In the final quarter of this lovely and educational year I read and recommend the book The Enemy by Charlie Higson. "The Enemy grabs you by the throat...and bites off your ear. It's kids versus zombies and no one is playing nice. The action-and boy, is there action-takes us through a London transformed by the unexplained illness that has turned every adult into a shuffling, drooling, kid-crunching machine. Bonus: zombie royals." Is what Michael Grant said about it. Your first thought is probably awesome and a little scary. You are absolutely correct. It is about a post apocalyptic London. Everybody on Earth above the age of fourteen either died or worse turn into a zombie. Most of the kids of London went either to Waitrose or Morrisons, the supermarkets nearest to them. They stay alive by going out of the sanctuary of the store to search for food and kill dogs who have been infected. It starts out with Small Sam, a main character, getting kidnapped by zombies, another character getting killed by zombies, and Arran, another main character, getting bit by a zombie. Then there are two plots: one is about Small Sam, who was the kid who got taken, and him getting back to his group and the other is about the people in the supermarkets getting a visit from Jester, a kid in a patched coat, telling them to go to the Buckingham Palace where a bunch of kids are and life is much better. They go with the strange kid and make their way across London fighting “adults” AKA zombies, crazed monkeys, and more zombies. Will they get across London? Will Small Sam find his way back to his friends? Only way to know is to read this 448 page science fiction novel. Also a reason to read is that this book has a map. I really liked this book. It had a lot of action and adventure. The characters were very brave, or they were very manipulative and power hungry, both things characteristics make the book interesting to read. Amazon said, “Full of unexpected twists and quick-thinking heroes, The Enemy is a fast-paced, white-knuckle tale of survival in the face of unimaginable horror.” I agree totally with that statement. Charlie Higson also wrote Happy Now, Full Whack, Getting Rid of Mister Kitchen, King of the Ants, Young Bond series, The Fear, The Dead, Monstroso. The Enemy have not won any awards. It is for people 14 years and up, and I would say not for the faint of heart. A quote from this book is “Standing in the corridor was a large plastic bin on wheels. He looked inside. Empty tins of dog food. That explained the spaghetti with meat sauce. Oh well, he'd eaten worse.” I picked this quote from the book because it shows how bad they are and a bit of what they are going through. I would say this book is a lot like the Gone series by Michael Grant. In both the kids have to survive by themselves. Also both text has a great amount of gory details. I also think in this book Charlie Higson is a lot like Michael Grant. I think this because they usually have a lot of characters in their books. They both wrote books from a young adult perspective. This is a breathtaking story that will keep you reading until it is done. Hope you read it because I can’t say it enough it is a really awesome book. It is also okay if you read it just to look at the map. Recommended by Carl Schneider

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

“May the odds be ever in your favor.” Effie Tinket repeats a lot in the book The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.This is a must read for all! A lot of people have read this but if you haven’t you need to. It is the best book I have read all year, and best movie I have watched in my entire life. The Hunger Games was a well-written fiction novel for young adults. It is a great mix of action and a romantic love story, that kept me reading during independent reading time. It all starts in North America as it is today has been destroyed and after the area is divided up into 12 districts. The region is controlled by a very rich and weird government that is called “The Capitol”. A 16-year-old girl named Katniss Everdeen chooses to take her little sister’s place to participate in the Hunger Games held at The Capitol every year; Katniss was one of 24 “tributes” that are chosen each year. The games were made to place children from 12 to 18 years old in a big, dangerous arena to fight until the death. The fight is not only highly publicized, but it is also televised around the country. Unfortunately for her, she must deal with deciding whether or not to kill strangers, or have a love connection between Katniss and another from District 12. You must read to find out what road she takes in her life. The reading age for this book is 12 and up. It is a 384 page turning book that kept me reading. This book hasn’t won any awards yet. But I think it should in the future. It was awesome. Suzanne Collins also wrote Catching Fire, and Mocking Jay. My favorite character in this book is Katniss, I like her because she is the best person ever. She is willing to help anybody. But she also has a nasty side to her, when it comes to the hunger games. I also went to the movie and found lots of difference so I suggest you all read the book and go to the movie. “I was obsessed with this book. The Hunger Games is amazing.” A quote from the famous author Stephenie Meyer author of the twilight saga.”Brilliantly plotted and perfectly paced.” said John Green, The New York Times Book Review. My favorite quote from the book is “Here’s some advice. Stay alive,” this is said by Haymitch, Katniss and Peeta’s weird mentor, this was my favorite quote because it is kinda funny, and very good information for just going into the hunger games. It is funny because obviously that is the best advice you can get, and it is true because the statement is true. "One more time? For the audience?" read this awesome book to find out what this sentence means. I recommend this book to everybody! Recommended by Megan Maahs

Batboy by Mike Lupica

The book that I am going to do my book review on is, Batboy. It is written by Mike Lupica.It is about a kid named Brian and how he wants to get his dream job, Being a Batboy! He tried to get it when he was fifteen and they said he had to wait a year. So, the next year he wrote a letter and got the job, with the Tigers. After he had been working with the Tigers for a while, his all-time favorite player got drafted to the team. Brian thinks he is a hero until he finds out the truth. Read to find out what happens with brian and how he figures this out. This is a great book that is filled with twists and turns at every page. This book is probably more for boys than for girls. I liked this book because it is easy to relate to because Brian is my age. The recommended reading age is 10 and up.Other books by the same author are, Travel Team, Heat, Summer Ball, The Big Field and many more. He has been the New York times bestselling author, and has many bestselling books. People who bought this also bought, Two-Minute Drill (Comeback Kids), Travel Team, The Big Field, Heat, Hero, and Long Shot. A quote that I liked from the book was, “ Brian Felt like he was close enough to baseball that he could reach out and grab it.” I liked this because it shows how much Brian loves baseball. A quote from Kirkus reviews is, “This book is great who ever likes sports and sadness and action read this and you will not stop reading this book and you will love it.” Overall I thought this was a great book! Recommended by Frank Brehm

High Heat by Carl Deuker

The book I am recommending is High Heat by Carl Deuker. It is about a high school baseball player named Shane Hunter. Shane is a closer for his team, Shorelake. Everything seems to be going good for him until the middle of one of his games. During the game, two men come into the stands and arrest his dad. Shane is confused but soon finds out that his dad is accused of money laundering. His dad gets bailed out of jail, but he still isn’t innocent. While on bail, he commits suicide. Now Shane and his family are faced with the problems his dad left them. They don’t have very much money, so they need to sell their house and Shane and his sister have to transfer to a public school. They move into city housing and Shane gets into trouble with some other kids for stealing. Shane is let go, but he has to do community service at a local baseball field. He fixes up the field so it is ready to be played on. The manager at the field sees Shane’s love for baseball and convinces him to play for the team. During one game that Shane is closing, he goes up against the kid whose family moved into his old house. The kid’s name is Reese. Reese took Shane’s friends, his house, and his spot on his old team. Shane is angry at Reese so he throws the ball right at his head. Reese’s helmet shatters and he is critically injured. He slowly recovers but isn’t the same great hitter he was before the injury. Now Shane is left to deal with the choices and mistakes he made. He has a rough time pitching and gets benched. He finally is able to put the past behind him and focus on what he is doing. His team makes it to the playoffs and are on their way to the state championship.

This book is a excellent choice for any baseball player or fan. I really enjoyed it and consider it a very good read. In this 277-page book you will experience the everyday hardships that Shane faces during his high school years. High Heat has not received any awards, but I think it certainly deserves one. The recommended reading age is twelve and up. “Time and baseball work to ease a teenager’s hurt in this intense, narrowly focused novel....Enough taut sports action to satisfy the most avid fan” ALA booklist says. “Delivers baseball action along with a rich psychological portrait, told through a first-person narration,” says School Library Journal. If you liked The Big Field and The Batboy by Mike Lupica, you are sure to like High Heat. Some other books by Carl Deuker are Heart of a Champion, Payback Time, Gym Candy, and many more. A quote from the book is, “For a second his eyes met mine and locked. Blue friendly eyes, confident eyes....I reared back and fired the ball harder than any ball I’ve ever thrown in my life. Only I didn’t throw it outside. I threw it inside. Up and in. High heat.” Later in the book, a college coach notices Shane’s skills and considers offering him a scholarship. To earn it, he has to have a good season and do his best in school. Can he get the scholarship that he so badly needs? If he can, it will be a great help to his family. You have to read to find out the answer to this question and many more. I highly recommend reading High Heat and I’m sure you will enjoy this captivating novel as much as I did.

Recommended by an 8th Grader

My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have cancer or have you ever lost someone from cancer? If you have you know it can be a very difficult time. Today I will be recommending the book My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult. Sixteen year old, Kate, has been fighting leukemia since her childhood. Just so happens Kate’s younger sister, Anna, was born to help Kate survive. Anna is thirteen and has had countless surgeries, transfusions, and shots just to lengthen Kate life. Anna and Kate’s parents are in the hospital twenty-four- seven with her. Anna feels not wanted and forgotten. Kate’s kidney needs to be replaced, now Anna is expected to donate one of hers. Anna has not had a choice to choose if she wanted to continue to help Kate. Anna will decide to do the unthinkable, even if it tears her family apart, and even end fatal for her sister. This inspiring novel will alter the way you make decisions. It is also a heart touching novel will leave you thinking about it days to follow.
This is 448 page book is recommended to young adults. This is #1 New York Bestseller, but has not won any awards. It also received a four in a half star rating from Barnes and Noble. Some other books by Jodi Picoult are Plain Truth, Keeping Faith, and Nineteen Minutes. My Sister’s Keeper ties in with the book Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick. Both of the main characters have leukemia. The main characters describe their long journey of pain, suffering, and survival. So will the sick kids get cured? This question and many more will remain until the end!
Daily News declared, “Has the emotional tenacity to fuel tears and talk!” Once you read this book you will agree with me of this statement by Susan H. Woodcock, “This is a real page-turner and frighteningly thought-provoking. The story shows evidence of thorough research and the unexpected twist at the end will surprise almost everyone. The novel does not answer many questions, but it sure raises some and will have teens thinking about possible answers long after they have finished the book.” I couldn’t have described this book any better. A quote from the book I found was, “When they gently turn Kate’s face to the other side, the tissue paper beneath her cheek is damp. I learn from my own daughter that you don’t have to be awake to cry.” I found this quote very true. When you have a hopeless time in your life, you think about it always, even when you are sleeping. This quote really made relate to when my grandpa was fight a brain tumor, it was really hard to not think about. I cried a lot during those hard six months. It must be even harder to be the one in pain physically. This quote goes to show that cancer is not an easy obstacle for anyone.
The minute you pick this book up, you will not want to put it down! This novel will make you have so many predictions, but they will all end in a twist! This breathtaking novel will have tears running down your face multiple times! Will Kate be free of cancer? Read to find out!

Recommended by Morgan Olsem

A Heartbeat by Loretta Ellsworth

I am going to be doing my book review on In A Heartbeat,
by: Loretta Ellsworth. Amelia lived because Eagan died, but Eagan
isn’t gone completely! This heart-touching novel is about two
different girls. The first girl Eagan, was an amazing ice skater. One
competiton Eagan did a jump, fell and it her head. Eagan’s life was
gone that day.The second girl Amelia, is very sick and needs a heart
transplant. Amelia takes Eagan’s heart, but after Amelia wakes up
she’s developing different feelings about things. For example: she
wants to run more, and she even wants to ice skate. Both things she
didn’t want to do before the heart transplant. Also Eagan is trying to
tell her something, but what could she want to say? Read to find out!
My favorite quote from the book is. “ My eyelids fluttered as I
heard Mom’s voice carry to the backseat. I can’t believe the nerve of
that reporter at the press conference. He asked me if we’d known all
the problems in store for Amelia, would we still have gone through
with the transplant. What did you say dad asked. But it was me who
answered him, In a heartbeat!” I liked this quoted because it shows
how much confidence Amelia had! Publisher weekly says, “Readers will
likely come away teary eyed and inspired to become organ donors
themselves.”
In this book each chapter is someone else speaking. I really enjoy
when books do that. Because whenever you don’t know who’s speaking you
can look back and it tells you who! My favorite character in this book
would have to be Eagan. Because when she got her license she said she
wanted to be a donor when she died. I don’t thing I would ever do
that, not even after reading this book.
The recommended reading age for this book is 12 and up. This book
has not won any awards, although I thing it should have! Loretta
Ellsworth did win an award in another book, In Search Of Mockingbird.
Other books by this author are, In Search Of Mockingbird, The
Shrouding Women.

Recommended by Lisa Schroeder

What Jamie Saw by Carolyn Coman

I read the book What Jamie Saw by Carolyn Coman. The recommended reading age is young adult. It is about a boy named Jamie who wakes up in the morning and sees Van throw his little sister Nin. They go and get all of there things into the car and drive off without Van. They needed to get away from him because he has behavior problems. They go to a guy named Earl’s house and get some food and rest. Then two days later Earl takes them to his trailer in the middle of nowhere. They won’t be bothered or found. Until one day when Jamie’s teacher comes by to talk to Jamie’s mom. They ask Jamie to go outside so they can talk. They made a plan to keep Jamie at school after classes are over to be in a better place then something happens. Read this 128 page quick novel to find out what happens next. The author uses great detail to make sure you know what is going on at all times.

My favorite quote from the book is Just who did Jamie think was going to open that door? I like this because it is a huge part of the story and it is a cliffhanger sentence.

Kirkus Reviews says: It's a profound characterization and a remarkable achievement in a book about ordinary people trying to put their lives in order.

Publishers Weekly says: "This work seems to spring directly from Coman's heart into the reader's own."

Recommended by Beau Kramer

After Ever After by Jordan Sonnenblick

The book that I recommend all of you should read is After Ever After by Jordan Sonnenblick. It has not won any awards even though it should and the recommended reading age is 12 years old and up. It is the sequel to Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie. It is about Jeffery, a teen in remission, and his friend Tad, another teen in remission and their life. Jeffery and Tad are a little different because of the fact that they both had cancer. Some people don’t realize what they’ve been through and why they do things certain ways. Tad doesn’t have strong enough legs to walk, so he is in a wheelchair and Jeffery’s brain doesn’t work the best. They make a promise to each other. Tad promises he will walk at graduation and Jeffery promises to study hard enough to pass the test all 8th graders must pass. There are lots of ups and downs throughout the process of achieving each of their goal, but something major changes everything. You will have to read to see if your everyday problems can even compare to what happens with Tad and Jeffery.
This book has sad parts, but it’s hilarious. One of the funniest part is when the gym teacher gives the kids a lecture about why fitness is important. He says, “We were all born with two things: a body, and a brain. The problem is that you all sit in school all day on your big, old, cushy hineys working on the brain part. Then you go home and what do you do? You sit around some more. And let me tell you, when I was a kid, we didn’t have any of the Nitendo, Sega Genesis, Wii, three-D GameCube stuff. Our three-D game platform was called a park. Our Nitendo virtual reality war game was called hide-and-seek. And Wii was the sound we made when we jumped fifteen feet from a tire swing.” Jordan Sonneblick has also wrote other books including: Notes from the Midnight Driver and Zen and the Art of Faking it.

Kirkis reviews says, “In this companion novel to Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie (2005), Steven’s little brother Jeffrey, now in eighth grade and in full remission from leukemia, discovers that happily ever after isn’t quite what he expected. First of all, his hero big brother abandons him to take a year off from college to play drums in Africa. Then he finds out that to get into high school, he’ll have to pass a statewide standardized test in math, his worst subject. Finally, he is stricken by the news that his best friend Tad, also a cancer survivor, is back in treatment. The only bright spot is that cute new girl Lindsey is showing an interest in him. Now if he could just figure out how to talk to her! Told with Sonnenblick’s trademark self-deprecating humor, this stand-alone tween narrative slots neatly into the space between the author’s YA and J titles, sensitively dealing with issues of family, friendship and death in a way that will appeal to middle-grade students. Recommended for fans and new readers alike.”

Recommended by Becca Kennedy

Notes to Self by Avery Sawyer

Today the book I will be recommending to the class is Notes to Self, by Avery Sawyer. This suspenseful novel is about Robin, and her best friend Emily. One night at midnight, they have a tragic fall, they are both in a coma. Robin wakes up and can’t remember a single thing, but she thinks she owes it to Emily to find out what has happened that night. Everything that Robin remembers she writes it down on a sticky note, so she has a bunch of notes to herself. Throughout the notes she will uncover who is really close to her. Also she will uncover some of her family secrets that she would have never expected. Why did Robin and Emily fall? How did they fall? Why did she leave her house at midnight? These are all questions that Robin and the reader, are trying to figure out all the way to the end of the book.


This book reminds me of the book If I Stay by Gayle Formann, because they both are injured, and both have to uncover the truth about what happened. My favorite quote from this book is “I made it Notes official: I like to sing. Maybe I’ll do it in front of other people someday.”
I like this because it shows how much Robin relies on her notes. I probably really helps her. The recommended reading age is grades 8-12.

Amazon had a great review about this book: “When things get out of control, Robin wakes up in a hospital bed and Emily doesn't wake up at all. Just getting dressed becomes an ordeal as Robin tries to heal and piece together the details of that terrible night. Racing to remember everything in the hopes of saving Emily, Robin writes a series of notes to herself to discover the truth.”

I was unable to find a author review for this book.

This book has not won any awards yet, but I think it should in the near future.

People who bought Notes to Self also bought:

Forever Is Over by Calvin Wade and

If I Stay by Gayle Formann

Avery Sawyer is a pen name, the real authors name is Laura Schaefer, she has also written; The Teashop Girls and The Secret Ingredient.

I hope you guys enjoy this book as much as I did.

Recommended by Quinn Herbst

There's a Boy in the Girl's Bathroom by Louis Sacher

I just read There’s a Boy In the Girl’s Bathroom by Louis Sacher it was about a boy named Bradley who is in the fifth grade and doesn’t have very many friends and doesn’t really try at school. School is a very rough place for Bradley until Jeff comes a long, a kid from Washington D.C. Carla is another friend of Bradley’s and she is the counselor. Jeff does not actually like Bradley but they are both hard up for friends. Later Jeff starts to hang out with the cool people and the girls. Colleen a girl is having a birthday soon. My favorite quote in this book was “Give me a dollar or I’ll spit on you.” I liked that quote because it shows how Bradley is kind of a bully too. It’s the winner of 19 Children’s choice awards. It deserved every award too. I could not find any quotes form people about the book. Read to find out if Bradley is still friends with Jeff or if Bradley goes to the birthday party!

Recommended by Ethan Kluesner

6th Target by James Patterson

What if you were working in a foreign country as a nanny, and you were just taking your child to the park, and you got abducted? What would you do if the killer pointed a gun in your face? The child’s? That is just the questions that are posed in James Patterson’s 390 page book, 6th Target.

This book has not won any awards. The recommended reading age is young adult to adult. James Patterson has written at least ten other books including Double Cross. To compare James Patterson to another author that most people have read would be Peg Kehart.

My favorite quote from the book is the first four words “A killer in waiting,” it tells you a lot about the way James Patterson writes and makes a lot of suspense happen right away. I loved this book and this author and I am looking forward to reading the rest of his books. The characters make a lot of developments and are fun and easy to follow.

As Time Magazine says “The man who can’t miss,” I believe that James Patterson is an amazing writer and “can’t miss”

Recommended by Anna Luber

Catching Jordan by Miranda Kinneally

A girl quarterback? Yes. Is she crazy? Not most of the time. In the book Catching Jordan by Miranda Kinneally, Jordan Woods is the starting quarterback for Hundred Oaks High School in Tennessee. She is also the team captain who gets lots of respect from the guys on her team. All is well until Tyler Green, who is an awesome quarterback, moves to town from Texas because his parents got in a car accident and he needs help taking care of his mother and sister. Ty is not only amazing at football, but he's hot too and the look of him takes Jordan out of her "zone." Jordan and Sam Henry have been best friends since they were seven years old. When Jordan and Ty become close, Henry gets really jealous, and even more when Jordan and Ty start dating. Henry goes without talking to Jordan for many days, until someone tells her that Henry has always wanted to be more that best friends with her. Jordan wonders why she never noticed that Henry liked her for more than a friend. Jordan has always wanted to play football for the University of Alabama, but when she goes for a visit, she realizes they're a bunch of jerks and has second thoughts about her dream.
All of a sudden, her life feels like a mess. Just a few months ago everything was going great. Jordan now has many decisions to make. Will she keep the position of starting QB or will Ty take her place? Will she choose to stay with Ty or fall for her best friend, Henry? Lastly, will she go to the college of her dreams or decide to go somewhere else?
This is by far the BEST book I've read all year!! If I had to rate this book from one to ten, I would definately rate it at a ten! I could not put this down and it takes a lot for me to say that about a book! In this book, you will read about teenage relationships, football, and of course drama. For anyone who liked the Dairy Queen series by Catherine Gilbert Murdock, you will love this! Murdock and Kinneally both have similar writing styles and they both write about girls playing football and falling in love. This book hasn't won any awards, but I really think it should! This is also Miranda Kinneally's first and only book as of right now. The recommended reading age for this book is ages 13 and up.
My favorite quote from the book is, "Later that night, I'm sitting on the dock, writing in my journal while watching the moon shining down on the algae-covered Lake Jordan. When I got home, I stripped out of that stupid grey dress and hurled it into the closet, where I found Henry's blue Converses nestled against a pair of my cleats. And then I noticed his Super Mario Bros. T-shirt, so I sat down in the closet and cried into Luigi's face. And then I realized how psycho that was, so I ran out to the lake. (After putting clothes on, of course.) As soon as my back was to the house, I started bawling. I don't know what's worse: me screwing up on the field and letting my team down, or knowing that Alabama never wanted me to play in the first place. Now, I keep opening and closing my cell phone. I want to call Henry so much. But why bother?" This tells about how Jordan is missing Henry so badly and that she is angry that Alabama never really wanted her to play for them.
A quote from a famous author about the book is, "Whoever said football and girls don't mix hasn't read Catching Jordan. I couldn't put it down!"
— Simone Elkeles, New York Times bestselling author of the Perfect Chemistry series
A quote about the book from a review source,"Catching Jordan is the chocolate cake you eat after a very fulfilling meal. I couldn't get enough of it and it ended way too soon. I definitely would recommend this book to anyone, because when you get right down to it, this book can be summed up in one word: AWESOMENESS!!!" -- A Cozy Reading Corner
Overall I think this is a fantastic book and you all should read it!

Recommended by Sarah Kluesner

Guts by Gary Paulsen

The book I am reviewing is Guts by Gary Paulsen. It is an autobiography. It is about how many of the challenges Brian faces in many of Gary Paulsen’s other books such as Hatchet, Brian’s Winter, Brian’s Hunt and many more, have actually happened to him,and how he survived through these dangerous survival situations. I really liked this book and I also learned a lot of new things about survival.
One of my favorite quotes from this book is “I am living now on a sailboat in the Pacific Ocean and it is grand and beautiful and challenging, and full of mystery and, sometimes, deadly.” Kirkus Reviews says “It’s a patchwork, but an entertaining one, and as likely to win him new fans as to answer questions from his old ones.” The recommended reading age is 10-13,and this book has not won any awards. I think anyone who has read any of Gary Paulsens books should read this book to find out about this fascinating old author.

Recommended by Ross Wedewer

Woods Runner by Gary Paulsen

The book I am doing my review on is Woods Runner by Gary Paulsen. Sadly this book has not won any awards. It is about a Brave young lad named Samuel, and he is raised in a small village in the woods. One day while hunting in the woods he saw smoke in the direction of the village. He went back home and when he arrived everything was destroyed. People were dead and homes were burned to the ground, but he couldn’t find the bodies of his parents. Are they alive? What does Samuel do without his family? Read this exhilarating novel to find out.
This is one of my new favorite books. It kept me on the edge of my seat wanting more! Gary Paulsen never disappoints me with his great books such as, Hatchet, Lawn boy, Brians hunt, Dogsong and many, many more. Kirkus reviews says "A superb reflection on the nature of war." This book is unlike anything Gary Paulsen has ever written before. It magically ties the revolutionary war into a story about a boy who belongs in the woods, trying to find his parents. Normally Gary Paulsen doesn’t write about war, but in this case change is good. I’d recommend this for people ages 12 and up.

Recommended by Ross Wedewer

Double or Die by Charlie Higson

This quarter I read the book Double or Die by Charlie Higson, and it was amazing. It is about
James Bond when he was 13 year old in 1930’s. This is the third book in the series. It starts with James
Bond and his friend in their dorm room in Eton, a fancy school in London. James’ friend gets a letter
from Prof. Fairburn, who is in charge of a crossword club, and the letter is odd because there are a lot of
mistakes. Together, and with the help of a few other people they meet, they try to put clues together from
the errors in the letter. They have to try to find Prof. Fairburn soon before too late. While searching for
the professor James goes to the Royal College of Surgeons and sees some disgusting medical anomalies.
He also gambles, meets a tramp named Theo, maims a man horribly, and gets drunk forcibly. Will James
find Professor Fairburn? Or will he lose everything?
My favorite part of this 382 page book is when James finds himself in an illegal casino
and he has to lay a bet while playing roulette.
“The croupier prepared to spin the wheel, and at the last moment
James leaned over and slid his chips along the table to number seven.
His own lucky number.
The wheel spun, the ball was rolled, it whizzed around the rim, dropping slowly, ever so slowly,
then it caught the slots and bounced across, rattling and jumping in all directions. It seemed to rest for a
moment in one slot only to jump out again a moment later and hop across the wheel to another.
James was sweating. He was aware of nothing else in the except this one tiny object the silver
ball as it danced around the wheel.
He had no idea if the band was still playing, even if there was anyone else in the casino. It was
just him and the roulette wheel.
He could bear it no more. He closed his eyes, just as the ball stopped making any sound. There
was a brief hush then a cheer went up, and James opened his eyes.
The ball was nestling snugly in the number seven slot.” I like this part because it kind of gives
background to why James Bond gambles and he is 007. It is also very intense. VOYA said, “The mystery
turns to high action-adventure with danger at every corner...” Charlie Higson has five books in the Young
Bond series, as well as Enemy series. He has also written King of the Ants, Happy Now, Full Whack,
Getting Rid of Mister Kitchen, and Monstroso. The only one of his books that won any awards is Blood
Fever, which won the Blue Peter Book Award, but I think Double or Die should have won the awesome
award. I think this book is a lot like any of the Alex Rider books because it is in London. There is also a
bad guy, which James has to fight. Charlie Higson is like Anthony Horowitz because he writes teenage
spy books and that is pretty close to what this book is. I loved every part of this book. This book is for 13-
17 year old. I like how they show James Bond as smart, adventurous, and brave, instead of strong and
having gadgets. I couldn’t find any quotes from a famous author about this book. This book is stupendous
and if you don’t read it you are missing out.

Recommended by Carl Schneider

13 Gifts by Wendy Mass

Hi classmates. I chose to do my book review on the book 13 Gifts, by Wendy Mass. It's a sequel to 11 Birthdays, and Finally. I loved this book! I think you should read it, but I'd suggest reading the first two, first. You don't have to, but you might understand some of the characters a little better. Tara has to go live with her aunt, uncle, and cousin Emily for the summer, while her parents go on a trip to Madagascar. They say it's a punishment, but is that really why she ended up in such a mysterious town? She meets a strange old lady who is holding a big secret inside. Read this page-turning book to find out the real reason why Tara has to miss out on the trip to Madagascar. I liked this book because it had funny parts, mysterious parts, and a few weird parts. There were a couple times while I was reading it that the main character, Tara, would get mad, and I would too. You can get so into this book, almost like you're right there with them.
The reccomended reading age is young adult. This book has not won any awards, but Wendy has gotten an award on a different book. A quote from this book is "Like all big mistakes, mine started with a goat."
Wendy has also written the award-winning books A MANGO-SHAPED SPACE, LEAP DAY, JEREMY FINK AND THE MEANING OF LIFE, HEAVEN LOOKS A LOT LIKE THE MALL, and many more.
“A fresh twist on the familiar themes of middle-grade family and school dynamics.” Booklist said.
I highly reccomend this book!

Recommended by Alexis Mescher