Summer Reading List

Summer Reading List

·        The Cabinet of Wonders  By Marie Rutkoski

Petra's  dad worked for the prince for a couple of years. When her dad came back, his eyes were gone. They were stolen by the prince. Determined to get her dad's eyes back, Petra embarks on a dangerous journey.

·        Heck, Where the Bad Kids Go  By Dale E. Baye

Heck is about two siblings named Marlo and Milton Fauster. After they were killed in a marshmallow explosion, they are sent to Heck. Heck is an underworld for bad kids. Willing to risk their lives (or spirits), the siblings will stop at nothing to get out.

·        Theodore Boone, Kid Lawyer  By John Grisham

Theo Boone dreams of being a lawyer.His dream comes true when someone commits a crime. A perfect crime, leaving no evidence. Theo wants to prove that the accused is guilty, but the only witness is too scared to speak up.

·        Heart of a Samurai  By Margi Preus

This book is about a boy named Manjiro. Manjiro was raised in Japan where he was taught that outside of Japan, there are barbarians and monsters. One day Manjiro is stranded on a desert island with some friends. They are rescued by Americans, "barbarians". The farther Manjiro strays from his home, the more he discovers new places. No matter how fascinating the other places are, Manjiro still wishes to return home but Japan won't let foreigners in. Even if Manjiro makes it back, will he be greeted, or despised for associating with the "barbarians"?

Here are other books I think are good summer reads, but I already have reviewed them.

·        The Hunger Games  By Suzanne Collins (reviewed in February)

·        Doctor Proctor's Fart Powder  By Jo Nesbo (reviewed in January)

·        Gilda Joyce Psychic Investigator  By Jennifer Allison(reviewed in January)

·        School of Fear  By Gitty Daneshvari (reviewed in January)

Amelia's War

Amelia's War  By Ann Rinaldi

*** 3/5 stars Historical Fiction

This book is mediocre. It is about a girl named Amelia. Amelia lives in Maryland during the Civil War. Many people in Amelia's town are changing to help the war.  For example, Amelia's brother ran away to fight in the war. Also, Amelia's mom works at the hospital to help the wounded. Amelia wants to help as well, although it is very hard for her to help. It was well written and interesting, but it was also slow-moving and tedious at places.

Rules

Rules By Cynthia Lord

***** 5/5 stars  Fiction

Rules is about a girl named Catherine. Catherine wants a regular, normal life but it is hard for her to have that because her brother has a disability. Catherine has rules for David like: "when someone says hi, you say hi back" and "no toys in the fish tank."  As the summer drags on Catherine meets people such as Jason, a person that Catherine befriends and ,like her brother, has a disability. It gets harder and harder for her to cover up her brother's and Jason's disability, so instead of covering them up, Catherine learns to accept them.

Al Capone Does My Shirts

Al Capone Does My Shirts  By Gennifer Chokdenko

**** 5/5 stars  Historical Fiction

This book was very interesting. It is about a boy named Matthew "Moose" Flanagan. Moose lives on Alcatraz Island because his dad was offered a job there.  Moose gets involved in a series of events some involving Piper Williams, the warden's daughter and his sister Natalie, who isn't right in the head. Moose really wants to live a normal life away from Alcatraz and everything else on it, but Alcatraz is far from normal.

Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life

Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life  By Wendy Mass

***** 5/5 stars  Fiction

What I really liked about this book was that at one point in the story it seemed believable but fantastical at the same time. This book begins when Jeremy Fink  receives a box from his dead dad. The box claims to hold the meaning of life, and the only way to open without destroying what's inside is to use the keys. Only problem is that the keys are missing. There is a deadline to open it: Jeremy's birthday. That is in a month. One month to find 4 keys that could be anywhere. Will Jeremy be able to do it?

Skellig

Skellig  By David Almond

**** 4/5 stars Fantasy

When Michael moves into a new house, formerly owned by Ernie Myers, he is pretty miserable. His parents are continuously worried about his horribly sick baby sister and their garage is such a wreck his parents won't let him go in it. Michael goes into the garage anyway.  There, he finds bugs, broken furniture, mice, and a man. The man says he is nobody, nothing, he just wants to die.  

I really liked how the writer, David Almond, hooked everything together. The things that were happening in Michael's life are all connected, from the man he finds in his garage, to what he is learning in school, to what the next door neighbor's interests are.  What I didn't like was how some questions weren't answered.

So B. It

So B. It   By Sarah Weeks

**** 4/5 stars  Fiction

I listened to this book on tape.  That is probably why I rated this book 4 stars. I think listening to books on tape aren't as fun as actually reading them. What I did like about this book is that it was exciting and realistic. This book is about a girl named Heidi. Heidi's mom is not quite right in the head. She can only say 23 words. One of the words in soof. It drives Heidi crazy to not know what is means so one day she leaves her apartment in Reno to go to Liberty, New York where the answers lie.