Football Genius

October 1st, 2008

Reviewed By:Shark

I liked Football Genius because there is a lot of football in it and I like football a lot also. It is about a boy named Troy, who can basically see any football play and say it and is always correct. Any team, any player, except during the preseason (which is before the regular season and has 5-6 weeks in it). But, when Troy decides to help the Atlanta Falcons when his mom gets a job with the team, things don’t exactly turn up in roses. The defensive coach,Coach Krock,is the worst defensive coach ever. He is mean and probably is never happy or nice. He has two friends to help him out. One is Tate(a girl) and Nathan (a boy).
Find out what happens to thirteen-year-old Troy and his friends in Football Genius.
Oh, by the way, this book is written by a real football player!
Have YOU read this book? Join the discussion by posting your comments below.

Charlotte’s Web

July 5th, 2008

Reviewed by: Jessica

Have you every seen a spider save a pig’s life? I’ll tell you!

This story is about a girl named Fern who saves a pigs life. She takes good care of him until he gets really big.

One day, he hears Fern’s dad say “were gonnna have a big ham!” If you want to know what’s going to happen next read it today! I liked this book because it’s so comforting and sad. So read it if you like sad stories. So go out and find it today!

Thank you Jessica, for your enthusiastic review! I know there are a lot of kids (and former kids) out there who have read this book so let’s get some comments going! How sad was it? Two days of sadness? A week? Did you cry actual tears, or was it a lump in your throat? Were there any parts that made you laugh? I can’t wait to hear from you! Comment below.

Allie Finkle’s Rules for Girls

July 1st, 2008

Reviewed by: Root

Have you ever moved before? Well, this book talked about someone that moved. Here a girl named Allie Finkle is very mad because she is moving. Her best friend is a cry baby. Allie is sad, mad, and happy about moving.

I like this book because maybe you had moved before. Also I like the book because I moved before. When I heard that I was moving I felt happy. I felt happy because there was a girl who wasn’t nice. Also in the book there was a girl who was not nice too so I can connect with that.

My favorite part is when Allie’s room got fixed up. Her room was very old. They got new wallpaper. She was scared when her room wasn’t fixed.

I also like that the book has real events that can happen to you. Also the book is very humorous. One thing that was funny is when they had a cupcake fight. An exciting part in this book is when she was moving. This part is important because she can meet new people. You should read this book because this book is very real!

Thank you, Root for your terrific review. Everyone has either moved or knows someone who has, and it really can be exciting and scary and horrible and wonderful all at once! Have you read this book? Have you ever moved? Tell us about either below in the comments!

The People in Pineapple Place

June 28th, 2008

Reviewed by: Sabrina

Have you ever seen something no one else has? That’s what happened to August. He was almost the only person to see everything differently.

August Brown just moved from Vermont to Washington D.C. with his mother and he didn’t really like it. But one day, he discovers a place called Pineapple Place, and soon discovers that the people there are only visible to him. As he has fun with the children he meets, he gets strange looks from grown ups. At the same time, is he sure the fun will last forever?

What I liked was the fact that August was with people like him. Me and August are similar because I’m the one who usually sees things differently. My favorite part was when August discovered Pineapple Place because he knew that he would finally connect with someone.

I thought the writing was really cool because the author really showed how each of the characters felt when something happened. She explained everything so detailed, I could see everything in my mind.

During the whole time, Pineapple Place changes August’s whole life because April and the others showed him that fun was anything. Then Pineapple Place moves and the rest is a mystery to August…

Thanks to Sabrina for an excellent, personal review of this book. We can’t wait to read it, because we live near Washington DC, and everyone loves a book set near home!

Have you read this book? We want to hear from you! Post your comment below!

Happy Birthday Smiley!!!

June 28th, 2008

We hope you have a great day, and a terrific year!

The Doll People

June 27th, 2008

Reviewed by: Raquel

How would you feel if all of your dolls were alive? Well, for Nora and her sister Kate, that’s how things are. But the exciting part is that they don’t know their dolls are alive! Their doll, Annabelle is the most special. But what happens when Annabelle’s auntie disappears all of the sudden? Go on an adventure with Annabelle and her family and friends to go find Auntie Sarah.

In the book, “The Doll People,” Annabelle’s auntie goes missing! Is she in the house, is she outside, where is she? These are the questions that had been going through Annabelle’s head ever since her auntie had disappeared. While Annabelle had been trying to figure out what had happened, she ended up finding something that told a lot of things about the disappearance of her auntie, but she didn’t tell anyone because she wanted to be the only one who knew. Annabelle didn’t look too strong until a friend came along to help her. Can Annabelle find her auntie without letting the humans know that she is alive? Or will she get trapped and go to permanent doll state?

My favorite part of the book was at the end because at the beginning, she didn’t believe in herself too much. I thought the author’s writing was good because she wrote an exciting mystery, but there were some parts where you really laughed. And I liked how at the end of a chapter it left you hanging so you just HAD to read the next chapter to find out what happened!

Thank you Raquel for an exciting review of what seems like an exciting book! It seems like the kind of book that would keep you up all night, reading just one more chapter and then one more and one more…! Have YOU read this book? Did you stay up all night reading it? What was your favorite part? Post your comment and let us know!

Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief

June 24th, 2008

Reviewed by: Rose

Do you like mystery? Well in this book there’s a lot of it!

This girl Sammy loves binoculars, she can’t use them but that doesn’t stop her from looking at the Heavenly Hotel across the street.

Sammy is a girl who lives in an apartment with her grandma, who she calls “Grams.” Her mom is in Hollywood looking for a job. Nobody really knows she lives with her Grams. Every time someone knocks at the door she hides. This girl Sammy loves to use her binoculars, but Grams won’t let her. She should have listened to Grams, now she’s in trouble! To find out how Sammy solves this problem, pick up this book and read.

Sammy and I are a lot alike because I would also take the same risks even if it meant getting in trouble. I love to use my binoculars, and I love an adventure.

What I like about this book is that right in the middle there are little funny words and funny figures of speech like a girl at her school being poked in the butt with a pin.

Sammy is close to finding out who is the thief. She does crazy things to find out who it is. She hides in a bush and puts some money on the sidewalk to see if the man will take it. Now read and find out who is the thief, you’ll be surprised who.

Thank you Rose for such a lively review. We can’t wait to find out who the thief is!

Have YOU read this book? Tell us what you think, but don’t give away the ending!

In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson

June 23rd, 2008

Reviewed by: Jordan

What do a little Chinese girl and a big league baseball player have in common? NOTHING!

In the story a little girl from a clan in China moves to Broklyn, New York with her mom. There she has some trouble with her English. But guess what? In one chapter she has trouble with her Chinese. In the story, she finds a good sport, a hero and herself all in the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson.

I never knew that it was so hard to move from one country to another. Like how she had to present a poem to the class and she got one of the words wrong and then the class laughed at her. Then she felt embarrassed.

Will the little girl ever meet Jackie Robinson? Will they ever cross paths? Find out in the year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson.

Thank you to Jordan for a wonderful review and a great point of view.

Have you read this book? We look forward to hearing what you learned from this book! Post a comment below!