Island Book Two: Survival

“Hook”
“ On the beach of the small coral island with no name sat all that was left of the schooner Phoenix. It was a tiny wooden raft, six feet long and not quite four feet wide, and had once been the roof over the proud ship’s galley. Now it was scorched by fire, battered by weather, and encrusted with sand and sea salt. Barely visible through the battle scars were three letters: N-I-X. The rest of the Phoenix’s name, along with the ship herself, lay at the bottom of the deepest part of the Pacific Ocean.(Prologue)

"They had survived forty-foot waves,an explosion at sea,and a week adrift on a tiny raft.But now Luke Haggerty, Charla Swan,and Ian Sikorsky faced their greatest challenge yet: a coconut...

Charla, the city kid, turned it over in her hands.'Where's the opener on this thing?'
'What do you expect a pull tab?" Luke shot back..."(page 3)

“Ian was the first to look up. ‘A Plane!’… ‘They must have seen our fire!’ cried Charla, excitement vibrating her thin frame. Ian frowned. ‘You know the chances that we were spotted within a day because of a small bonfire are a million to one. I don’t understand how it could have happened.’ Luke slapped him on the back. ‘ It happened because we got lucky for a change!' he said, choking back tears of emotion. 'We've got to find Will! Now we can get him to a doctor.' They ran along the shore, waving their arms and cheering. The plane roared right over their heads and started across the island, its pontoons barely clearing the tops of the trees. 'Hey, where are they going?' cried Charla."(page 37 and 38)

"Suddenly, the big dog stiffened. Then it began to bark, a loud raspy baritone that cut through the jungle like a hot knife through butter. 'It smells us!' rasped Lyssa, terrified. 'Let's go,' whispered Luke. Charla jumped up. 'You don't have to ask me twice!' Luke grabbed her by the shorts and pulled her down again. 'slowly,' he insisted. 'And stay low till we're well into the woods."(page 97)

Recommendation
Have you ever been stranded on a island with no food, no water, and a slim chance of survival? Murderers/smugglers roam the land with a secret no one can bare to find out.
Survival Checklist
1. Starvation- avoid
2. Build Shelter
3. Find Food
4. Cleanse
5. Get off the island
6. Find Will
7. Live to tell the truth
8. Get away from unexpected guests
9. SURVIVE
10. SAVE OUR MAC AND CHEESE
Will the castaways survive on their own or will they have to sacrafice each other?



Blog By: Maddie P., Julia C., Eliza B. and Maddy S.
Book By: Gordon Korman
Genre: Adventure

Amelia Rules

The "Hook"
"Pull on your tights ! Give them heck!'-Reggie 'You. Are. A complete idiot! Pull on your tights give them heck? That's not a plan, DOOFUS!'-Britney 'It is too!' 'Is not!' 'Oh yeah? Well batman used it in...' 'Batman? Batman? Fine. You're a doofus! Batman's a doofus! What ever, But let me tell you this... I am sick of this CLUB. I am sick os SUPERHEROES! I am sick of your DOOFUS ways! And I. Am. OUTTA HERE!' 'Good! Go! And take your LEGION of substitute Brittney's WITH YOU! (pages 92-93)



Recommendation
Looking for adventure? Crazy fighting? Well look no further! Amelia has experiences far more than you can imagine. First a divorce, then a move, and then she joins a crazy superhero group. Nothing is worse than having to be friends with a bunch of wakkos' who wear they're underwear over their pants. Will Ameila get to fight "real" crime? Or, will she have to continue to play a dumb game? Read this book to find out!

I also recommend any other books of Amelia Rules. For Example: Amelia Rules The Whole Worlds Crazy.

Blog By: Sheridan M.
Book By: Jimmy Gownley
Genre: Graphic Novel/ Realistic Fiction

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Mrs. Plantz & Mrs. Ryan

Saving Zasha

Hook:
"He turned and whistled softly. Out of the darkness of the forest came the most beautiful German Shepard I had ever seen. Its coat was golden and lustrous, with black hair on its back and black markings on his face. 'Someone tried to steal my dog. Zasha, come.' The dog trotted forward and came to a rest at his side. It was the first time I'd seen a dog in years, and never one this exquisite; I was awestruck."(pages 11-12)

"Move your hand Mikhail.' I was confused but did as she asked me. She bent down and ran her hand gently across Zasha's stomach several times. 'what's wrong? What is it?' 'Nothing's wrong. Zasha is going to have puppies."(page.110)

"Open up!' someone shouted as he pounded. 'Open up! This is official government business.' The front door shivered with each blow from his fist. 'Who are they Mikhail?' My mother asked, fear in her eyes. 'Thieves.' 'They say it is official business.' 'They're liars,' Nikolia said angrily. 'They've been here before.'(page.179)

Recommendation:
Have you ever wanted to keep something but it was to complicated to keep it. Well, Mikhail has this problem. He finds a wounded man in the woods and the man has a German Shepard. Sadly the owner doesn't make it, leaving Zasha in their care. World War II just ended and all the dogs in Russia died in the war. When Mikhail sees Zasha, he knows this means trouble. Zasha is a German dog and people thought if it was a German dog it was like the Germans- the enemy. Mikhail must keep Zasha a secret for her own good while dealing with his own family. Will this young boy be able to keep Zasha a secret? Or will Zasha die? Read this heart warming book and find out!

Book by:Randi Barrow
Blog by:Madison H.
Genre: Historical Fiction

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

The “Hook”
“Now, you don’t have to worry, Bruno’ said Mother, sitting down in the chair where the beautiful blonde woman who had come to dinner with the Fury had sat and waved at him when Father closed the doors. ‘In fact if anything it’s going to be a great adventure.’
’What is?’ he asked. ‘Am I going to be sent away?’
’No not just you,’ she said, looking as if she might smile for a moment but thinking better of it. ‘We all are. You’re Father and I, Gretel and you. All four of us’
Bruno thought about this and frowned. He wasn’t particularly bothered if Gretel was being sent away because she was a Hopeless Case and caused nothing but trouble for him. But it seemed a little unfair that they all had to go with her. (page 3)
‘No.’ said Bruno. He wanted to add the words, ‘I’ll miss you too, Shmuel,’….’So tomorrow will be the last time we see each other until then,’ he continued. ‘We’ll have to say our goodbyes then. I’ll try to bring you an extra special treat.’…’I wish we’d got to play together,’ said Bruno after a long pause. ‘Just once. Just to remember.’
‘So do I,’ said Shmuel.
We’ve been talking to each other for more than a year and we never go to play once. And do you know what else?’ he added. ‘All this time I’ve been watching where you live from out of my bedroom window and I’ve never even seen for myself what it’s like.’…………
Shmuel thought for a few moments and then reached down and put his hand under the fence……
‘Well’, said Shmuel. ‘Why don’t you then?”(pg.197)


Recommendation
Have you ever kept a secret so deadly it could cost your life? Or have to move and start a new life? Well, if you have you can relate to Bruno. He is the youngest under his sister Gretel, (“the hopeless case”). He has to make a friend, someone, and anyone. He HATES it at Out-with, and wants nothing more than to go back to Berlin. But, everything changes when he meets, Shmel. They talk for a long time, and a decision has to be made…. Will they get to play together, or at least touch hands?
WARNING: THIS BOOK IS FOR ADVANCED READERS AND ASK FOR PARENT PERMISSION!
Blog by: Sheridan M and Maddy S
Book by: John Boyne
Genre: Historical Fiction

Ghost Dog Secrets

Hook:
"When I went toward Ra, the Collie's ghost stood and moved away, but Ra stayed where he was... I gently slid my hands down his sides. When my fingers touched his haunch he whimpered. my hand jerked away. 'I'm sorry' I whispered, 'I didn't mean to hurt you.' but someone else had hurt him."(page 55)

"She contacted the person who had filed the complaint and learned that the dog had died the day before. She remembered the incident clearly because the women who called was so upset. She said it was a beautiful Collie, and she blamed herself for not interfering sooner."(page 105)

"We had two messages. While I bit into a piece of cold pizza, I pushed the play button to listen to the messages. The first was mom's dentist's office, reminding her that she had an appointment next week. The second was Mean Man. 'You have my watchdog,' he said, 'and I want him back.' That was all. No phone number, no name, just, 'You have my watchdog and I want him back."(page 115)

Recommendation:
Did you ever do something you thought was right at the time but it turned out to be wrong? Well, Rusty and his friend Andrew find a thin German Shepard chained to a tree with no food or water. They try getting animal control involved. No such luck. Finally they decide to take matters into their own hands, Which lands them in deep waters. A ghost Collie keeps trying to lead Rusty back to Mean Man Myers house. Are there more secrets to be revealed? Find out in ghost Dog Secrets!

WARNING: This book is for people who like mystery and are huge animal lovers like ME!!!!!!!!!!

Book by:Peg Kehret
Blog by:Madison H.
Genre: Realistic Fiction

Bound for Oregon

"hook"

"I would keep on writing to grandma. I would tell her all about our first Christmas and how Elijah could roll over now and might be getting his first tooth. I would tell her about the books that Father had borrowed from Mr.McCorkle and the latest plans for building a schoolhouse...Then all at once I had a wonderful idea. I would take my nine-patch squares that Grandma had started me on and I would sew them into a quilt for Elijah."(Pgs 163 and 164)

Recommendation

Have you ever been mad because you were moving away from family and friends? Well, Mary Ellen in Bound for Oregon definitely has. Bound for Oregon is a book about Mary Ellen and the rest of the Todd family as they take their journey to Oregon. Along the way, the Todd family encounters many obstacles like wild storms, sicknesses, deaths, rivers, and losing friends. Life is hard in a wooden wagon. To find out how Mary Ellen makes out, read Bound for Oregon. It is TRULY awesome.

WARNING:DO NOT READ THIS BOOK IF YOU DON'T LIKE DEATHS OR ILLNESSES!!!!!!

Blog by Jack B.
Book by: Jean VanLeeuwen
Genre: Historical fiction

The Cats Of Roxville Station

Hook:
"A lady in a fur coat threw a fighting,hissing cat off a bridge, got back into her car,and sped into the night. Rachet the cat splashed into the river. She felt the wetness, and hating it,reached out to claw this enemy... The bruise on her ribs where the lady had kicked her yesterday had been soothed by the cold water and was no longer throbbing."(pg.3)

"She trusts you' said the Bent Lady. 'Gee, I would like to have her,' Mike said softly. Rachet felt loving hands stroke her fur. for a moment she knew what it meant to be a house cat-a strange combination of usefulnessand comfort that did not include ownership. For cats cannot be owned like dogs. Then she remembered that people kicked and people like this boy were rough."(pg.37)

"I called the exterminator' she said. 'There are cats in my basement.' She arose stiffly but with authority and asked Mike if the front walk was cleared. she didn't wait for an answer but said, 'The exterminator will be here soon. ' He can't get to the front door with all that snow.' 'Rachet.' mike breathed.(pg.110)

Recommendation:
Have you ever liked and disliked something at the same time? Well Rachet has. Unloved,uncared for and unwanted. Rachet spent her kitten hood being harrassed by humans and that lands her in Roxville Station. From high ranking cat Queenella to low ranking cat Elizabeth, she is second in ranking. A boy named Mike comes along and wants to have her. Still,Rachet can't trust humans... After what they've done. Can Mike turn out to be different and prove to Rachet that he wont hurt her? Or will she always be a stray cat of Roxville Station?

Book by: Jean Craighead George
Blog by: Madison H.
Genre: Realistic Fiction

The Homework Machine

By Dan Gutman
Hook:
"Police Chief Rebecca Fish, Grand Canyon, Arizona
Seen a lot of strange stuff go down in ten years working here. Probably has something to do with being so close to the canyon. Having a mile-deep hole in your backyard brings out the wierdness in folks." (p.1)

Snickwad's Ten Commandments of Homework
1. We live in a democracy, where we have freedom, right? We're entitled to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. So how can I pursue happiness if have to spend every night doing homework? Homework is cruel, totalitarian punishment created by grown-ups to take aways the freedoms of poor, defenseless children.
2. Nobody ever saved a life, won a war, stopped a crime, or cured a disease while they were doing homework. Think of all the good things we could be accomplishing if we didn't have to spend so much time doing homework...
4. Thomas Edison went to school for four months. He never did any homework, and look how he turned out...
8. I keep hearing that American kids are way too fat, and that's because we don't get enough exercise. For every minute kids are doing homework, we are getting fatter. Kids should be outside running around and getting exercise, not inside doing worksheets..." (p. 19-20)

"Then Snik let out this really loud burp and we all laughed. After we finished saying what a disgusting pig Snik was, Brenton suggested we nickname the homework machine Belch." (p.58)

"So school ends and we figure that's that. We got away with it. When we went into the principal's office for that meeting, we all played dumb. Homework machine? What homework machine? We pretended we didn't know what he was talking about. There was no evidence. Nobody could prove anything." (p.133)

Recommendation:
Have you ever found yourself making an unlikely friend? Or maybe you have been guilty of trying to take the easy way out of doing your work by copying off of a friend? If you can answer yes to either of these questions, you will probably find yourself making these and many other connections to the characters in The Homework Machine by Dan Gutman. In this story, four very different 5th graders become friends when Brenton, the class genius, invents a homework machine to complete his work each night. Of course, you can't expect that such a wonderful thing could last; after all, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is! This story is written as a collection of testimonies and confessions for the Grand Canyon Police Department. Can cheating on your homework get you thrown in jail? Guess you will have to read The Homework Machine to find out!

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Recommendation by Mrs. Plantz

Because of Anya

Hook
“The doctor had a very soothing voice. It flowed like honey, slow and sweet. But Mom seemed immune to his charm.' ‘How can we make sure this doesn’t happen to Anya?’ Mom was asking, horrified. ‘You can’t, the doctor said." (Page 27)

"How did Stef do it? How did she get other people to do what she wanted them to?
Keely had a plan now, but it depended on convincing her friends to do something they probably wouldn’t like. In her head everything made sense, but the plan started going shaky the minute she opened her mouth and started explaining to someone else. To mom." (Page 96)


Recommendation
Have you ever known someone who was going through a really hard time? Well, if you haven't experienced this talk to Keely, trust me she has. Keely and Anya have been in the same class ever since they were in kindergarten and now they're in fourth grade. Even though Keely isn’t exactly friends with Anya, she knows she must do something when Anya is diagnosed with a life altering disease called alopecia areata. But what should Keely do when she is bossed around by her over controlling friend Stef? Will she find a way to help Anya AND make Stef realize what a true friend is? Find out in Because of Anya!!!

Blog By: Maddy S.
Book By: Margaret Peterson Haddix
Genre: Serious Realistic Fiction