Student Saturday

Extraordinary by Miriam Spitzer Franklin

Student reviewer:  Madison

Pansy is an average fifth grader. She and her friend Anna used to do everything together or at least brave, extraordinary Anna does. After one last big fight, Anna goes to summer camp. She contracts meningitis while there and comes back completely brain-frazzled. When Pansy learns that Anna will undertake brain-surgery she knows that this is her chance to make up with Anna, not that silent girl in a wheelchair. She is determined to be extraordinary, do all the things she promised to do, but never did. Many people feel like they will never be as good as others, like they are just too ordinary, Pansy especially. Navigating through fifth grade in her mismatched shoes, the hard work, the heartbreak can change you. This book is deep. It made me laugh, made me cry reading it was an unforgettable experience. I recommend this book to anyone who has ever wished they were better, ever felt out-shined by a friend.

The Flea by Virginia Haviland

Student Reviewer: Anonymous

The Flea’s main character is the shepherd, who as the story states is not very clever. The story begins in the king of Spain’s throne room. After that, the setting switches to the Castilian highlands, where the shepherd, his brother and mother live. AS the shepherd sets out for the castle, he travels on a path. He arrives at the king’s throne room, where the main part of the story ends.  A flea jumps onto the King of Spain, who names it and calls it a royal flea. When the flea grows very large, the king has it killed and its skin made into a tambourine for his daughter, the Infanta to dance with. The King makes a riddle for the Infanta’s suitors to solve, and if they solve it, they marry her. After no suitor can solve it, the King says the next suitor to miss will be killed. The shepherd wanted to try, so he traveled to the castle, making friends with an ant, a beetle and a mouse. Will the shepherd solve the riddle, or will he be killed?

Tales From a Not-So-Smart Miss Know-It-All by Rachel Renee Russell

Student Reviewer: Nirian

Nikki, Maxwell and her two best friends, Chloe and Zoey were just having a New Year's Eve Slumber Party when they had T.P.d the house of Mackenzie Hollister, aka the meanest girl ever known. The worst thing is they got caught and Mackenzie tried to black mail them to get rid of Nikki, to pluck away her bug extermination scholarship at Westchester Middle. When I look all around me I see Nikki's drama everywhere, whether it's love money, clothes, family, and friends. My opinion on this amazing series is to try it no matter how dorky and silly it looks. I believe this because that's the point! I would probably recommend the Dork Diaries Series to any Middle School to High School girl that is always looking for a good laugh or a nice long yell/Shriek!

Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper

Student Reviewer: Jennifer

Melody was born with cerebral palsy. She's learned to deal with it all her life, Even though she drools, she can do anything by herself, and her body gives her surprise party's by amking her throw a tantrum. But, she can't go on to any other grades because she's disabled. Just because she's disabled doesn't mean she doesn't have her own mind. But, the only reason I found this amazing book is because I was being rushed and just grabbed a random book off of the shelf. The only reason I read it was because I was so bored in class and just read a random page. Then I loved it so much. I recommend this book to anyone who likes to read books that have twists and turns, ups and downs and round abouts. But, if I were a girl with cerebral palsy I honestly wouldn't know what to do. I would probably just live life like Melody is. My opinion of this book is five stars because it is a great and inspiring story of a girl with a disability. So what could go wrong?

Cold Moon by Alexandra Sokoloff

Genre: Adult, Thriller

Source: I purchased

This is the third book in this series. In this book Cara has been caught. However, the killings don’t stop. Someone is killing pimps and this time it can’t be Cara. Once again the tension has been ratcheted up. My feelings about Cara being caught.  I kept thinking that if she hadn’t risked her life to prevent Roarke’s death she would probably have not been caught. I looked at Cara and the events in her life that shaped her into the person she was. I knew that the killings she committed was wrong. However, and I keep finding myself saying that, I understood why she killed the people she did and a part of me really wanted to justify her killing. The strong theme of human trafficking is spot on to what is still happening in the world today. Alexandra Sokoloff has taken a subject that so many shy away from and put it out front. She has not solved the problem, but you can’t help but read this book and think about it and the effect it has on so many around the world. For a little while we get to look at it and think that these people have gotten what they deserved. Maybe that is wrong thinking. But, like I told my students recently when discussing a controversial issue, sometimes there is no black or white answer. The author has made the reader feel and think things they probably never would have thought before. I love books that make me have such mixed emotions. This is a series I would definitely read several more times. My husband says it is because I have a morbid side. I say it is because I know excellent writing and this is it in its finest form.  You must read the entire series. I highly recommend it. Then do what I’m going to do and check out her other books.

Blood Moon by Alexandra Sokoloff

Genre: Adult, Thriller

Source: I purchased

This is the second book in the Huntress Series. In this series we know that Agent Roarke is searching for two killers. One of them is the character we met in the first book, Cara. She is the only survivor of a killer who brutally killed every member of her family except her. They are also responsible for killing two other families. Both Agent Roarke and Cara are searching for this killer who has disappeared, or have they? As Roarke tries to catch Cara he makes a terrible discovery.  The person responsible for killing her family and setting her on her own personal path, also known as ‘the reaper’ has been at it again. Roarke has no clue how to find  this killer of whole families. But it seems like Cara does and she keeps trying to help without getting caught. The “Dexter”. It was one of my favorite shows. However, this book formed such mental images in my mind it was like watching a movie as I read. It topped “Dexter” hands down. I would actually love to see this made into a movie or even a series. I find it amazing that the more Roarke tries to locate Cara the more clues she leaves him, helping him out. But I kept wondering if he was getting too close to Cara to the point of not being able to be objective.  Definitely a must read, then move on to the third book.