The Golden Compass

The Golden Compass, by Philip Pullman [YA Fiction]

by Elizabeth, 7th grader

This is a really, really good book. Lyra is an orphan who has spent her life wandering around the halls of Jordan College. Suddenly Lyra is sent away to become Mrs. Coulter’s personal assistant and she is propelled into a world of Dust, armored bears, and the General Oblation Board. Lyra’s only hope is to fulfill her destiny, which she can only do if she doesn’t know what she is doing. Full of suspense, adventure, and betrayal, I highly recommend this book.

The Revelation

The Revelation, by Beverly Lewis [adult fiction]

by Abigail, 7th grader

This book is the conclusion of a five book series. The Ebersol sisters have finally come together and Jake finds out he’s Cadie’s real son. It’s said around and Mrs. and Mr. Ebersol are happy that Leah marries Jonas. I love this book!

Born to Rock

Born to Rock, by Gordon Korman [YA Fiction]

by Marina, 8th grader

The main character in Born to Rock is a perfect child. He’s in student government and is headed to Harvard. He has perfect grades and a perfect life, until he finds out his father is a heavy metal rock god, the total opposite of him. It’s an awesome book that you have to read.

Mates, Dates, and Cosmic Kisses

Mates, Dates, and Cosmic Kisses, by Cathy Hopkins [YA Fiction]

by Lisa, 7th grader

I would recommend this book because it is like the life of many teenage girls. Izzie meets a very cute boy named Mark. She likes him, and he likes her. She waits for days by the phone, forgetting completely about her social life. It is so compelling. You keep wondering when Mark is going to call. Will they end up together? You’ll have to read to find out.

Green Eggs and Ham

Green Eggs and Ham, by Dr. Seuss [Easy Reader]

by Marina, 8th grader

Even if you’re not a little kid, this is a great book. It’s about Sam-I-Am and his friend who refuses to eat Green Eggs and Ham. If you don’t read this as a kid you have to read it now. Dr. Seuss’s legend lives on!

Dial L for Loser

Dial L for Loser, by Lisi Harrison [YA Fiction]

by Abigail, 7th grader

Lisi Harrison writes the 6th book in the Clique series. Massie, Claire, and Alicia go to Hollywood to try out for a new teen movie. When Claire gets the part, envy follows on Massie’s part. All’s well in love and peace, but what’s wrong with hate and greed? I luv this book!

Revenge of the Wannabes

Revenge of the Wannabes, by Lisi Harrison [YA Fiction]

by Meredith, 7th grader

This book is about these 5 girls, and they get in a bunch of fights and every day or week there are also different people are friends that they were mad at the week before. Also, then Massie and Claire got a letter that wants them to go to a modeling job and they wanted to do it, so they did, and the other friends got mad, because they weren’t asked to model for a famous celebrity. I liked the book very much. My favorite part was when Massie and Claire got asked for the modeling job.

Inkheart

Inkheart, by Cornelia Funke [J Fiction]

by Marina, 8th grader

Meggie’s father has an unusual talent. He can read things out of books and read things into books. Now Capricorn, the overlord who Moo read out of a book, is trying to take over and captures Mo, Meggie, Resa, Elinor, and Dustfinger. An awesome imaginative adventure that is a must-read.

Away Laughing on a Fast Camel

Away Laughing on a Fast Camel, by Louise Rennison [YA Fiction]

by Lisa, 7th grader

I loved this book sooo much. I could connect with this book on so many different levels. I also like the British accents! My friends and I have the same relationship as Georgia and Jas. We can annoy each other to death sometimes, but we are still best friends at the end of the day. Dave the Laugh is such a jerk, the complete opposite of Masimo. In short, this book was AWESOME!

The Sea of Monsters

The Sea of Monsters, by Rick Riordan [YA Fiction]

by Monica, graduating senior (!)

If The Lightning Thief was good, then The Sea of Monsters was amazing. I feel like somewhere between writing The Lightning Thief and The Sea of Monsters, Rick Riordan screened his writing. What I mean is, he brings into his second book all the good things from his first, but he replaces all the bad things in The Lightning Thief with even better things in The Sea of Monsters. (That’s still not very clear, so let me give some examples.) Like The Lightning Thief, The Sea of Monsters tells Percy Jackson’s story using Greek mythology in the 21st century and a perfectly paced plot. But the second book definitely rises to a higher level, and the little “flaws” in The Lightning Thief seem to drop away. Now Riordan is expanding his story line, drawing upon more and more characters and developing a much more complex scenario. Even if some characters/monsters are recognizable (C.C., for instance), the plot in general has become much less predictable and therefore much more interesting. We’re not just reading because it’s fun — we’re reading because it’s fun and we want to know what happens. Riordan has also honed his sense of humor. Tyson, in particular, I found hilarious, and Riordan is able to throw in lots of well-timed punch lines and funny comparisons.

In short, The Sea of Monsters was a great book worthy of rereading. And it promises more to come.