Waiting for Normal by Leslie Connor

Waiting For Normal, by Leslie Connor, is action packed book filled with happiness, sorrow, and love! Addie’s life is not what you nor I would call normal, but to her this is a daily process. This book will teach you life is NEVER what it appears. Just keep on going and you will succeed. Waiting for Normal is recommended for people ages 10 and up. No matter how old you are books like this one can be an inspiration.

--- KLIATT {Starred Review} Says “[Waiting for Normal] persuades that good people and delightful possibilities are all around, even in the most unpromising circumstances.” This means no matter who you are, or where you come from, good things will happen to you even if you have giving up.

My favorite quote from this book is “All or Nothing.” I think the world is always an “All or Nothing” situation. My reasoning is either something great or horrible, whether you admit it or not.

Everyone who reads this book will enjoy it!

Recommended by Deann Ostwinkle

War Games by Audrey and Akila Couloumbis

WarGames

I read the book WarGames by Audrey and Akila Couloumbis. This book is a Newbery Honor Winner. The reccomended reading age is 8-12 years old. It was published October of 2009. Some more books by Audrey Couloumbis is Love Me Tender and Getting Near to Baby. Akila Couloumbis grew up duing WWII and this is based on his childhood in Greece.

The back of the book says “For 12-year-old Petros, World War II feels unreal and far away. What’s real is working in his papa’s garden. Playing marbles with his friends. Fighting with his older brother, Zola. Zola, who must always be first. Who must always be best. But when the Germans invade Greece, the war suddenly comes impossibly close. Overnight, neighbors become enemies. People begin to keep secrets (Petros’s family most of all). And for the first time, Petros has the chance to show Zola that he’s not just a little brother but that he can truly be counted on. Soon what were once just boys’ games become matters of life and death as Petros and Zola each wonder if, like their resistance fighter cousin, they too can make a difference. “

New York Times Review says “In this richly detailed novel…the greatest risk for the villagers, besides enemy soldiers, may be the suspicion that comes between neighbors.”

Publishers Weekly says Newbery Honor–winning author Audrey Couloumbis (Getting Near to Baby) collaborates with her husband, Akila, to tell a story inspired by his family history in Greece during WWII. Twelve-year-old Petros and his older brother, Zola, live in the small town of Amphissa. Their rural life is interrupted when Nazis invade and a German commander takes up residence in their home. The family fears that their ties to America (the boys' father ran a store there, but they returned to Greece when it went bankrupt) will make them a target, and they hide all signs (such as American toys and clothing) that they are anything but an ordinary Greek family. Inspired by the courage of their cousin Lambros, a soldier who has escaped capture, Petros finds his own ways to contribute, including helping drop notes to spread war news; he also has an uneasy relationship with the German commander, who is something of a supportive presence but still the enemy. The Couloumbises craft a poignant and plain spoken account of the everyday impacts of a vast war and the importance of small victories.

My favorite quote from this book is “I can shoot two birds with one stone.” I thought what Zola does is very tricky. I think that everyone will enjoy this book because it will catch your attention from page one! This book is like no other you will ever read. It keeps your attention and you never know what is going to happen next.

Recommended by Deann Ostwinkle

The Juliet Club by Suzanne Harper

I just read the book The Juliet Club by Suzanne Harper. It is about a high-school girl named Kate Sanderson, who suddenly gets dumped by her boyfriend for the Miss-Perfect girl at her high school. When Kate is invited to a Shakespeare studies class in Verona, Italy with her father, she decides to go, and totally forget about her break-up. The problem is, how can she stay away from a summer romance when she is in the place where Romeo and Juliet died for each other? Read to find out how Kate lives her summer in Verona, Italy!
This book is for ages 12 and up. My favorite quote from this book is “ ‘Those boots will look perfect with my black coat’ Sarah said dreamily. She rolled over on her stomach and hung her head over the edge of her bed, the better to see Annie who was stretched out on the floor and sulkily reading the latest e-mail.”
Publishers Weekly said “Plenty of drama-on-and-offstage will keep readers in their seats.” “This Shakespearean update is an absolutely delightful read” School Library Journal said. This would be a great book for any girls who want a great read! Another book by Suzanne Harper is Secret Life of Sparrow Delaney.

Recommended by Lucy Mulert

Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

Twenty Boy Summer is a book about 3 best friends, Anna, Frankie and Matt, who end up in a tragic accident the day before Frankie and Matt, who are brother and sister, go on vacation to California. Matt ends up dying due to a heart infracture, and Frankie and Anna are devastated. Frankie lost her big brother, but Anna lost something more than that. Shes had a crush on Matt forever, and during her birthday party, Matt and Anna kissed inside her house. The few weeks before they were going to leave for California, Anna and Matt were extremely happy. But before he died, Anna promised Matt that she would let him tell Frankie about them. He died before he could tell her, and Anna has kept that secret for over a year. When Frankie asks Anna to go to California for the first time since Matt died, Anna feels a little reluctant to go, but feels she should be there for Frankie. Read to hear about their experiences, and the drama that unfolds from a twenty boy summer bet.

"A sincere, romantic tearjerker. Readers will easily relate to Anna's authentically depicted feelings of lust, longing, shame and fear as she cautiously embarks on a new summer love,” says Kirkus Reviews.
"Will satisfy fans of Sarah Dessen,” Booklist comments. This book is for young adults. One of my favorite quotes from this book is “In that single moment, Matt, formerly known as friend, became something else entirely.”
I recommend this book for anyone who likes the author Sarah Dessen and anyone who likes summer adventures.

Recommended by Maddy Clark.

The Daughters by Joanna Philbin

The book The Daughters is written by Joanna Philbin, who also wrote the sequel The Daughters Break the Rules. This book is about 3 girls, Lizzie, Carina, and Hudson, best friends, who share something in common. Their parents are famous. This may sound like a dream come true to some people, but to them, it’s their biggest battle. Paparazzi, pressure, and the ever present need to be and look fabulous. Lizzie, the main character in the book, has super-model Katia Summers as her mother, and she isn’t what you would call, “drop dead gorgeous”. She has been told time after time that her mother is “walking proof of God”, and her awkwardness doesn’t help the fact that every time she goes to events with her mother, photographers seem reluctant to take her picture. But when discovered by a new photographer, who assures her she is the “next face of beauty”, she re-evaluates herself, and comes up with a different outlook on life, and herself. Susan Riley from Mount Kisco Public Library says, “Readers will be intrigued by the well-drawn characters and their growth over the course of several months.” Ilene Cooper says, “An appealing writing style that gets readers into a New York state of mind.” I chose this book because some friends suggested it and it looked good. My favorite part of the book is when Lizzie is being photographed in Central Park, because I think it would be fun to dress up however I wanted and pose how I liked with a photographer taking my picture. This book is for mainly girls from 6-9th grade, but younger or older girls would like it. Here is what the back of the book says.
The only daughter of supermodel Katia Summers, unconventional looking Lizzie Summers has come to expect fawning photographers and adoring fans surround her gorgeous mother. But when Lizzie is approached by a fashion photographer who believes she’s “the new face of beauty,” Lizzie surprises herself and her family by becoming the newest Summers woman to capture the media’s spotlight.

Recommended by Maddy Clark.

Peak by Roland Smith

A book I have read this year is Peak by Roland Smith. Peak Marcello scales skyscrapers. Once Peak scales the skyscraper, he leaves his mark, a blue mountain, on the skyscraper. After climbing many skyscrapers Peak is caught, and his unreasonable mistake sends him to court. His life turns upside down when his dad gives him the opportunity of a lifetime, to climb Mount Everest. This book compels the reader to find out what will happen to Peak, and the thrilling novel sucks the reader in.
The age suggestion for the book is Young Adult, but Adults would also enjoy the exhilirating adventure of Peak Marcello. The published date of Peak is 8/1/2008.
A quote from the book Peak is...”My name is Peak. Yeah, I know, weird name. But you don’t get to pick your name or your parents.” One writer’s opinion on Peak was “Everything a great adventure story should be and a whole lot more-with powerful, unforgettable characters and a driving, can’t put down plot” Terry Trueman said this about the book Peak.
Peak by Roland Smith has won many awards. The awards include ALA Best Book for Young Adults, and A Junior Library Guild Selection. Another book by Roland Smith is Elephant Run.
My personal opinion on the book is that Roland Smith did an amazing job on the book. He wrote the book so that we could travel with Peak, and understand what Peak is feeling during his trip. I enjoyed the book, and I hope you read it, and enjoy it, too!

Recommended by Lucy Mulert.

Hacking Harvard by Robin Wasserman

I’m doing my book review on Hacking Harvard
by Robin Wasserman. It is a book about three guys Max, Eric, and
Schwarz who try to get Clay into the best school in the world Harvard.
Clay is not very smart and only does what they want because they pay him
to. They made a bet with the Bums that they could get Clay into
college. Will Max, Eric, and Schwarz lose the bet, or will they win it
all? I think people who like puzzles and are interested in Harvard
should read this book. A quote that I liked in this book was “His
earpiece beeped, and Eric’s voice came through, crystal clear. ‘Another
load, coming up.’ ‘Hurry please’, Schwarz begged. ‘Being up here is not
good for my asthma.’ ‘Schwarz, you don’t have asthma.’ The back of the
book says- It's the ultimate challenge: breaking into the Ivy League.
The hack:
To get one deadbeat, fully unqualified slacker into the most prestigious school in the country.
The crew:
Eric Roth -- the good guy, the voice of reason.
Max Kim -- the player who made the bet in the first place.
Schwartz -- the kid genius already on the inside...of Harvard, that is.
Lexi -- the beauty-queen valedictorian who insists on getting in the game.
The plan:
Use
only the most undetectable schemes and techno-brilliant skills. Don't
break the Hacker's Code. Don't get distracted. Don't get caught. Take
down someone who deserves it.
The stakes:
A lot higher than they think.
They've got the players, the plot, and soon -- the prize.
It's go time.
. Other book by Robin Wasserman are Crashed, Wired, and Skinned. The reading age is young adult.

Recommended by Collin Koerperich

I recently read Hacking Harvard by Robin Wasserman. I really enjoyed this book because I thought the title sounded interesting. It’s about a group of friends Eric, Max, and Schwarz they all attend high school as seniors, one day Max makes a bet with some rivals of theirs, the task is simple get a low life into the University of Harvard. One problem with this though Max’s wager is a little more than Eric and Schwarz signed up for. What will happen when these 3 friends HAVE to get a F student into one of the most prestigious schools in the country? Read to find out. My favorite quote of the book is one of the chapter guidelines “There is no success like failure.” The appropriate reading age is Young Adult. The Booklist says Wasserman, author of the novels in the Seven Deadly Sins series and a Harvard alumni, writes a story that is harsh, funny, sophisticated, unpredictable, and edgy. The carefully crafted story line is full of twists and turns, concluding with a surprising ending, and the central characters are multidimensional and multitalented young people who speak in authentic, clever dialogue. The vivid Cambridge, Massachusetts, setting and an ironic “don’t-try-this-at-home” introduction add to this memorable reading experience. I recommend this book to anyone who likes edgy storyline.

Recommeded by Nolan Kennedy