The Dreamer

The Dreamer by Pam Muñoz Ryan and Peter Sís

**** 4/5  Fiction

This book is a fictional story based on the childhood of Pablo Neruda, a famous poet.  Neftalí- Neruda's real name- is a dreamer.  He imagines things often. His dad doesn't like that. The kids at school taunt him. Neftalí still cannot stop dreaming. The story line is okay.  I would prefer something that is a bit more fast-paced, but I really like how the authors wrote it. It was a very nice read.

I am a Genius of Unspeakable Evil and I want to be your Class President

I am a Genius of Unspeakable Evil and I want to be your Class President   By Josh Lieb

**** 4/5 stars  Comedy

When I rated this book, I was torn between 3 and 4 stars. The main character, Oliver Watson, isn't exactly nice but that is what makes the book funny. Oliver is teased at school but he claims that that will change when he is able to reveal his true identity as an evil genius. Currently he is running for class president. The title is pretty self explanatory. Oliver is a genius of unspeakable evil and wants to be your class president.

The Total Tragedy of a Girl Named Hamlet

The Total Tragedy of a Girl Named Hamlet   By Erin Dionne

***** 5/5 stars   Realistic Fiction

This book is very real. The charaters act like how people would usually act and you can really sense the emotions in the characters. Hamlet 's school year is not going well. Her seven year old genius sister, Desdemonda, skipped so many grades that Desdemonda is now at Hamlet's grade. Desdemonda has also befriended Saber and Mauri. Hamlet does not like them. Pretty horrible right? It gets worse. Desdemonda also ends up being Hamlet's math tutor and if that is not enough, Hamlet's parents are Shakespearean professors so when her class starts their Shakespeare project things start to get nightmarish.

The Girl Who Could Fly

The Girl Who Could Fly   By Victoria Forester

***** 5/5 stars Fantasy

I like creative books. The Girl Who Could Fly  is very creative. Piper McCloud can fly. She doesn't fit in with her town so when a mysterious beautiful woman arrives at her house offering her a place at her school where there are other children like her, she says yes. There, her friends can create their own weather, they can move things without touching them, and are incredibly smart. It seems like a dream come true to Piper but this fantasy land is much more dangerous then it seems.

Maniac Magee

Maniac Magee  By Jerry Spinelli

**** 4/5 stars Fiction

Maniac Magee is different from other kids. He is much braver and much faster. He can untie any knot and he is always on the move. His parents died in a train crash, and he ran away from his aunt and uncle. He ran to Two Mills. Two Mills is split into two parts: the East End and the West End. White people live in the West End and black people live in the East End. Maniac never stays in the same house for very long. He lives in both the East and West Ends. Some people don't mind that he lives on both Ends, but some people mind a lot. Maniac does it any way. The only reason I gave this book four stars was because it wasn't fantasy or science fiction. Other than that, I loved it.

The Lost Hero

The Lost Hero  By Rick Riordan

**** 4/5 stars Fantasy

I gave this book four stars because I didn't like how it was written. The plot was good and it was funny but it would have been better if Rick Riordan wrote it better.  The writing seemed forced to make the story interesting and funny. It is about 3 kids, Piper, Leo, and Jason. They  are half-bloods. Half- bloods are half-Greek god and half-human. Piper, Leo, and Jason are sent on a quest together to free the goddess, Hera. With hardly any experience, it seems unlikely that they will survive.

The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place and the Mysterious Howling

The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place and the Mysterious Howling By Maryrose Wood

*****5/5 stars Fiction

This book is very unique.  The Incorrigible children were raised by wolves. They eat raw meat, don't wear clothes, howl at the moon, and do anything else wolf like. They are found in the woods by Fredrick Ashton. To civilize them he hires a governess, Penelope Lumley, a girl of about 15. Penelope does not expect children raised by wolves. Will she be able to do it?