Chasing Vermeer, Blue Balliett

Genre: {Mystery, Horror}
Book Summary: Petra Andalec and Calder Pillay together, strange things start to happen. Seemingly, unrelated events connect. An eccentric old woman seeks their company. Before they know it, the two find themselves at the center of an international Vermeer Painting. They must draw on their powers of intuition.
Rank (0-5): {5}
Would you recommend this book to a friend? {Yes}
My review of this book: I recommend this book to people who like horror and mystery stories/movies. In this book they have some horror and mystery parts. I would recommend it it for 8-12 year olds. It would be easy to read.
by {Jennifer N} in grade {7}

Inkheart, Cornelia Funke

Genre: {Fantasy}
Book Summary: This book is about how Meggie, Mortimer, Elinor, Dustfinger, and many other characters try to put an end to Capricorn while staying alive and together instead of being captured by him. It's also about how Meggie uses her voice to save her family and friends.
Rank (0-5): {5}
Would you recommend this book to a friend? {Yes}
My review of this book: Most of the time when I read magic books, I think the plot is useless and the characters don't make sense. But in Inkheart, it is the complete opposite. I like how the characters are very lifelike despite where they came from and their powers. I also think that the plot was interesting and a very good idea for a fantasy genre book. I also like how the book was only boring a couple times so you wanted to keep reading.
by {Ryan G} in grade {7}

The Sea of Monsters, Rich Riordan

Genre: {Fantasy}
Book Summary: This book is about a boy, Percy Jackson, who goes on a dangerous quest with his friend Annabeth. They go without permission to save their close friend, Grover, who has been taken by a cyclops in the Sea of Monsters. They also go to get the Fleece, the only thing that can save a girl's spirit (Thalia). In the end, they save Grover an dThalia, but they realize they've been tricked. Servants of the Titans poisoned the tree, hoping Thalia would come alive again with the Fleece, so there'd be two kids of the Big Tree to try to use as a deadly weapon. Luckily for them, noe there are two kids to try to use as a deadly weapon, Percy and Thalia.
Rank (0-5): {5}
Would you recommend this book to a friend? {Yes}
My review of this book: The Sea of Monsters is an amazing book. Each event is filled with action, making it extremely compelling. The characters act like any other teenager would, and to add to any readers' interest, they have super powers. I don't see how anyone could not love this book. I'd recommend it to anyone who loves humorous, action-filled, fantasy stories!
by {Lauren G} in grade {7}

Project Princess, Meg Cabot

Genre: {Realistic Fiction}
Book Summary: This book was about spring break! Mia goes to build houses for the homeless. It is with he Gifted and Talented class, so Michael will be there. Now don't think why she wants to go is to help homeless people...
Rank (0-5): {4}
Would you recommend this book to a friend? {Yes}
My review of this book: This book was really short which I didn't like. It was only 50 pages! It also didn't explain it very well but I guess that makes sense because these are Mia's entries and she was tires from working. Besides that, though, it was very interesting and I liked the point of the story with how she's going to help people. The ending was also cute.
by {Lizzy K} in grade {8}

Princess in Waiting by Meg Cabot

Genre: {Realistic Fiction}
Book Summary: This book is abou how Princess Mia thinks that she doesn't have any talents. She also missed her new boyfriend's birthday. In this book, she solves that and many other problems.
Rank (0-5): {5}
Would you recommend this book to a friend? {Yes}
My review of this book: I really like this book. Since she thinks she has no talents, she asks her best friend Lily. Lily says it's obvious, but won't tell her. In the end, she figures out it was writing. It had some problems that teens face, but it also had a way bigger problem. like putting parking meters in Genovia. It was worth reading.
by {Lizzy K.} in grade {8}

Summer Promises by Diane Schwemm

Genre: realistic fiction
Book Summary: This was the last book in the Silver Beach trilogy and probably the best one. this is the first summer that Elli and Sam are together from the beginning of the summer, and they are in love. After Ethan\'s girlfriend\'s death last year, he returns to Charlotte, and plans to marry her. Elli will do anything to prevent this because she thinks Charlotte is so bad for her little brother, and asks Sam to do something for her to help the situation. Sam has no idea what to do because it might mean losing Elli.
Rank (0-5): 5
Would you recommend this book to a friend? Yes
My review of this book: I didn\'t expect anything to happen the way it did in this book, but i loved it. It was pretty dramatic, but not in a bad way. All the stuff that happens in this book made me dislike Charlotte\'s character so much, but i was happy with the ending and everything. I really wish there were more books to this series!
by Haley in grade 11

Alicia by Lisi Harrison

Genre: realistic fiction
Book Summary: This was another one of the Summer Collection from the Clique series, this time about Alicia. Alicia goes to Spain for the Summer to visit her cousins and relatives. While there, the newest pop singer is looking for a girl to star in his new video. Alicia is determined to be the one, even though she\'s only half Spanish. She finds a lot of obstacles in her way, though, like a job, a huge bill, and her cousins who want the same spot.
Rank (0-5): {___}
Would you recommend this book to a friend? Yes
My review of this book: I liked this book a lot. I think that it would have been annoying for someone who doesn\'t know spanish because there were parts where Alicia\'s cousins said stuff in spanish, but i didn\'t mind it at all. All the adventures Alicia went on were funny and i loved the ending more than any of the other books so far- it was so crazy and unexpected! i can\'t wait for the next one!
by Haley in grade 11

Dylan by Lisi Harrison

Genre: realistic fiction
Book Summary: This is one of the Summer Collection books from the Clique series. It\'s about Dylan, who goes with her mom (a host of a tv show) to Hawaii\'s Aloha Tennis Open. Her mom has to interview a tennis player named Svetlana, who came back from rehab after having public anger problems. Dylan figures out that to get the guy she wants, she needs to know how to play tennis, so she teams up with Svetlana for lessons.
Rank (0-5): 5
Would you recommend this book to a friend? Yes
My review of this book: I loved this book. It was so funny and dramatic, and i was able to read it really fast. I liked the ending so much- it wasn\'t what I was expecting at all, but it was still really awesome. So far, it\'s been really cool to see how each of the girls\' had completely different experiences during the summer, but they\'re all so interesting and funny!]

by Haley in grade 11

The Ashleys by Melissa De La Cruz

Genre: realistic fiction
Book Summary: This book is about a group of girls that go to an all-girls school. They are all named Ashley, are all rich, really pretty, and have a good sense of fashion. Then one summer, a girl named Lauren Page finds her family becoming suddenly rich. She gets a makeover, new clothes, a new house, and tons more because she can finally afford it after not being able to fit in for so long. Now, as Lauren looks back, she can remember the Ashleys being really mean to her, and she has had enough. Lauren tries to get in with their clique, but they don\'t know that what she really wants is revenge.
Rank (0-5): 5
Would you recommend this book to a friend? Yes
My review of this book: This book was really funny, and actually somewhat realistic. Usually i find that a lot of books where the main characters are super-rich are unrealistic, but this book wasn\'t. My favorite part of the book was the titles of the chapters- they were all really funny, like \"MTV isn\'t the only one with parental control\". I liked each of the characters, too. They were all really different from each other, and the ending was kind of like a cliff-hanger, so i can\'t wait to read the next one!
by Haley D. in grade 11

Rocket Boys by Homer H. Hickam, Jr.

Genre: realistic fiction
Book Summary: This book was about a boy named Sonny Hickam who lived with him family in the town of Coalwood, West Virginia. The entire town revolved around the mining industry, and Sonny\'s dad held a really high position there. Sonny\'s dad assumed that he would follow in his own footsteps and become a mining engineer. Sonny had a very hard time with things because his older brother was a college football player, and to his dad, Sonny didn\'t measure up to his standards. Sonny, along with his friends, began to find his passion in rocket-building, much to his father\'s dismay. This book tells Sonny\'s story of how his dreams turned into his future.
Rank (0-5):3
Would you recommend this book to a friend? Yes
My review of this book: I had to read this book for school, so i wasn\'t really expecting it to be good. After I read the first few chapters, though, I actually started to enjoy reading it. I didn\'t really like reading all the descriptions of how to build a rocket, but it was still a good book. Rocket Boys, even though it takes place a long time ago, had a lot of things that i could relate to, as far as Sonny\'s high school experience goes. It was pretty cool to think that most of the stuff written in this book actually happened, too.
by Haley D. in grade 11

Peer Pressure by Francess Lantz

Genre: realistic fiction
Book Summary: This book is about a girl named Luna. She and her 4 friends are working for Luna\'s parents\' coed surfing camp for the summer. Luna\'s been stressed about a huge competition, though! She wants to live up to her mother\'s rep as a former U.S. champ surfer, but it\'s not so easy! Also, at camp Luna meets David, who she likes, and he likes her too! But he hates surfing! Will Luna win the competition and David?
Rank (0-5): 5
Would you recommend this book to a friend? Yes
My review of this book: This book was very good! It is the first in the series called Luna Bay ( A roxy girl series) I rated it a 5 because it was full of interesting subjects and lots of different things were going on at once! It kept me on the edge of my seat! It was also funny! I\'d definitely recommend this to a friend!
by Lauren D. in grade 8

A Home For Amanda Romero by Robert Segarra

Genre: Realistic Fiction
Book Summary: Amanda Romero is a 13 year old girl who had always dreamed of having a bedroom of her own, and a little privacy. It is all she thinks about night and day now that she is becoming a teen. One day her dream comes true, but in order for this to happen, the family needs to move to a new town. Amanda and her family will have to make all new friends, and adjust to life in a new place, and this is where I found the book most interesting. It is the way that Amanda adjusts to peer pressure and to her new home that had an effect on me. I think this is an interesting book for any teen going through life changes and trying to fit in with friends.
Rank (0-5): 5
Would you recommend this book to a friend? Yes
My review of this book: I found this book to be very positive in its message because it teaches girls, and really anyone feeling peer pressure that it is okay to not give in to it, and that reaching your goals can sometimes be a very difficult thing to do. But it is worth the effort in the end.
by Rachel B. in grade 11

Emily's Runaway Imagination by Beverly Cleary

Genre: fantasy
Book Summary: Emily Bartlett loves books. When her cousin writes that they just got a library, Emily is determined to get a library in her town. But everybody thinks that Emily is getting her hopes up way too high.
Rank (0-5): 5
Would you recommend this book to a friend? Yes
My review of this book: I loved this book it was so cute! I can make a lot of connectionsto Emily. I love the way Emily lets no one get in her way and believes that there is going to be a library. I never wanted to put the book down. I would defenitly recommend this book to a friend.
by Abby Z. in grade 7

The Kidnapping of Christina Lattimore by Joan Lowery Nixon

Genre: mystery
Book Summary: The kidnapping of Christina Lattimore is about a girl who gets kidnapped. She gets kidnapped ny a guy who worked at a burger joint that her and her friend go to every day after school. When she gets out everybody thinks that Christina faked the kidnapping so she could get money for herself.
Rank (0-5): 4
Would you recommend this book to a friend? Yes
My review of this book: I thought this was a good book but some parts of the book were scary, like when she was kidnapped by a guy who works at a burger joint that her and her friend go to everyday. Her friend had told her that they should try a different place but she didn't listen and then she was kidnapped.
by Ava O. in grade 7

Princess in Love by Meg Cabot

Genre: realistic fiction
Book Summary: This book is about how Princess Miahas a boyfriend, but the problem is that she loves Michael, her best friend's brother. She also gains confidence throughout the book as she gets ready for Genovia.
Rank (0-5): 5
Would you recommend this book to a friend? Yes
My review of this book: I really liked this book. It was funny seeing everything through her eyes. You would think that because she's a princess she would be popular; but that doesn't apply to her. In the end youreally want her to end up with Michael, and she does, but there are a few suprises in it. Even though it's not like the movies, it was worth reading.
by Lizzy K. in grade 8

Thwonk by Joan Bauer

Genre: fantasy
Book Summary: This book is about a girl who is a photagrapher who needed to take a picture of something like cupid, or something and so was drieving home and found a doll in the road and brought it home and the doll coame to life and he was cupid. Only she can see him. So then the cupid doll makes a boy fall in love with her.
Rank (0-5): 5
Would you recommend this book to a friend? Yes
My review of this book: I think that was a good book and I recommend it to a friend. It had a lesson that I learned. it was such a good book that I couldn't stop reading it. It had a nice ending. Not everything in life is easy or fair.
By Alyssa B. in grade 8

The Lost One by Lynne Ewing

Genre: fantasy
Book Summary: This is the sixth book in the Daughters of the Moon series. Tianna has no memory of who or what she is. Then Tianna finds a note written in her own hand writing. Then she finds out that she has a telekinetic power and a strange bunch of girls are watching her. What's going on?!
Rank (0-5): 4
Would you recommend this book to a friend? Yes
My review of this book: This book is the sixth book in the Daughters of the Moon series. This book is just as good as the other books in the series. It's full of mythology, magic and you meet another Daughter of the Moon. You get to see things from Tianna's point of view. You also find out what will happen to Catty, another Daughter of the Moon. So if you liked the rest of the series you should definitely read this one.
by Elizabeth R. in grade 7

The Sacrifice by Lynne Ewing

Genre: fantasy
Book Summary: This book is the fifth book in the Daughters of the Moon Series. It's about a girl named Serena. She is in love with the enemy. His name is Stanton. But now he has to choose...keep Serena safe safe and face his master's anger or turn against the one he loves.
Rank (0-5): 4
Would you recommend this book to a friend? Yes
My review of this book: I would recommend this book to a friend for a few different reasons. If you have read the other books in this series, keep reading! it only gets better. if you like mythology this series is full of it. There is also some magic in these books. Also in this book you see things from Stanton's point of view, which is different. That's why I would recommend this book to a friend.
by Elizabeth R. in grade 7

Ripped at the Seams by Nancy Krulik

Genre: Realistic Fiction
Book Summary: This book is about a girl named Sami. She may come from a small town but she has a big dream. She wants to become a fashion designer. But what will happen when another designer steals her designs?
Rank (0-5): 4
Would you recommend this book to a friend? Yes
My review of this book: I really liked this book for a few reasons. First it's about a girl who wants to be a fashion designer and I think that's a really cool idea. The author also did a great job of making the story interesting. it does have some unclean parts to it though. But apart from that I really liked this book.
by Elizabeth R. in grade 7

Moon Demon by Lynne Ewing

Genre: Fantasy
Book Summary: This book is the seventh book in the Daugthers of the Moon Series. Vanessa is dreading her birthday because it brings her one year closer to make her choice. She is also doubting her friend Michael and even herself. Then she meets a mysterious man named Hector.
Rank (0-5): 4
Would you recommend this book to a friend? Yes
My review of this book: I really liked this book a lot. It is very similar to the other books in the Daugthers of the Moon series. AS usual, it's full of mythology and magic. You see things through the eyes of Vanessa. You get introduced to a new kind of enemy in this book. In this book things are not really what they seem. I would really recommend this book if you liked the other books in this series.
by Elizabeth R. in grade 7

She's Got the Beat by Nancy Krulik

Genre: Realistic Fiction
Book Summary: This book is about Miranda, who moves to Austin, Texas. She joins a band called Sin-phony. and falls in love with the bass player. She tries really hard to get him to notice her but he doesn't. Or does he?
Rank (0-5): 4
Would you recommend this book to a friend? Yes
My review of this book: I would recommend this book to a friend if they like music. This book is not very predictable because there are so many twists and turns to the plot. They also use very discriptive language. Another thing about this book I like is that it's not choppy and flows. That's why I would recommend this book to a friend.
by Elizabeth R. in grade 7