The Grim Grotto by Lemony Snicket

Hook:

"But the mycologist was not looking at the siblings,She was looking past them, and her eyes were wide with fear behind the triangular glasses..."Mycelium" she said finally, in a faint whisper, and the Baudelaires turned to see that she had spoken the truth. Sprouting out of the sand, quickly and silenly, were the stalks and caps of the Medusoid Mycelium, the poisonous fungus Fiona had described back on the Queequeg...At first just a handful was visible-each one a dark gray color, with black splotches on the caps as if they were spattered with ink-and then more and more, like a silent, deadly crowd that had gathered on the beach and was staring blindly at the terrified children..." (page 137)

“Sunny coughed again, and then began to wheeze…This book should have information on the antidote…Chapter Forty, The Gorgonian Grotto… Sunny’s wheezing continued to wax…Just one small dose of root of horse…We need to find an antidote this very minute…The elder Baudelaires shuddered, not wanting to think about what would happen to Sunny if horseradish were not found on the shelves…Sunny wheezed once more, a frantic whistle that reminded her siblings of a train’s lonely noise as it disappears into a tunnel…" (page 243 to 248)

Recommendation:

Have you ever read a book that was so interesting and captivating that you simply can't bear to put it down, and you kept reading and reading until you finished it, and you are hungry for more? Well, 'The Grim Grotto' is one of those books. It tells the story of the three Baudelaire orphans, and how they endured the what evil plans the mean, nasty Count Olaf and his villainous girlfriend cooked up. This depressing story of care, friendship, and betrayal will take you into the unpleasant world of the Baudelaire orphans' life. You may want to read the first ten books before you start on this, or you would miss the horrifying first ten adventures of the Baudelaire orphans with Count Olaf.

Blog by: Shi Yun H.

Book by: Lemony Snicket

Genre: Mystery/ Suspense

Super Chicken Nugget Boy And The Furious Fry

Hook:
"Lester! Roy called out.
'What about him?' Roy asked.

'Where is he?' asked Fern

'I dont know,said Roy.'  He looked around at all the kids running away from the school.
'I dont see him.'
'Thats because he's still in school!' said Fern.
'He must be trapped in the basement!'
'Oh well, said Roy, it was nice knowing him.'
'I have to go back for him!' said Fern
'I think i'm losing my hearing.' said Roy.
'It sounded like you just said you have to go back and get Lester!" (Page 99)

Recommendation:
Have you ever been bullyed before or felt like you're not popular? Well if you said yes to either of those then you might want to meet Fernando Goldberg. This book is about a new kid named (Fern) that moved to a different elementry school and is having a hard time fitting in.Two bullies named Dirk and Donald are the schools bullys that bully Fern everyday.One day the bullies chased Lester and Fern to the back of a resturant and Fern fell into ratioactive cooking oil and he turned into Super Chicken Nugget Boy so now when ketchup touches his flesh and blood he turns into Super Chicken Nugget Boy. Now, when it seems like a normal day, he will have to fight a gigantic furious fry and he will face a epic battle were ends never meet.Will Fern save Lester? Find out in your library.

Blog By:Craig Skiba
Book By:Josh Lewis
Genere: Humor; Graphic Novel
                          

War With Grandpa

Hook

"I felt Grandpa’s bony hand on my arm. “War is no game, Petey” he said. “Only kids and fools and generals think that.”

“You’re my enemy” I said in a loud voice, “and I want what’s mine.”

I shook his arm off my arm. “You marched in here like an army and kicked me out of my –.”

WACK!

Grandpa’s right hand came whipping out of nowhere and slapped me hard across the cheek."

(page 32)


"There was a knock on the door, “Come on in Grampa” I called out. The door opened and Grampa was there. He had one hand covering his mouth, but his eyes looks awfully angry. He came into the room sideways, his face turned toward the window and away from me. “Ma feef air miffing” he said.

I stared at him “What?”

“My feef” he said, “You ot ma feef, ont u?”

I got out of bed. As I did that Grandpa turned his back on me. “Ont ook at me!” he said.

It sounded like he was talking Pig Latin or some type of weird language.

“I don’t understand you,” I said.

“Ma feef!” shouted Grampa. “Iff me ack ma feef, oo ittle mobber.”

Suddenly the dawn came up in my brain. That’s the way Grandpa spoke without his teeth. Amazing. And weird. “You’re asking me to give you your teeth back right?” I said.

Grampa nodded his head, his hands still covering his mouth.

“Well, “I said “You have to do something first.” (page 110)


Recommendation:


Have you ever had to give up something you love? Peter, an 11-year-old boy, has to give up his room because his elderly grandfather is moving in. So Peter decides to declare war on his grandfather to get his room back. In a way that includes stolen dentures, hanging underwear and dirty words, who will be the winner?
You may know the author Robert Kimmel Smith, who also wrote Chocolate Fever and Jelly Belly. This book is realistic fiction and would be good for anyone who likes reading books with a mixture of humor and seriousness.


Blog by: Cara L.
Book by: Robert Kimmel Smith
Genre: Realistic Fiction/Humor

Diary or a Wimpy Kid Dog Days

Hook:
"For me, summer vacation is basically a three-month guilt trip. Just because the weather’s nice, everyone expects you to be outside all day “frolicking” or what-ever. And if you don’t spend every second outdoors, people think there’s something wrong with you. But the truth is, I’ve always been more of an indoor person. The way I like to spend my summer vacation is in front of the TV, playing video games with the curtains closed and the lights turn off." (Page 1)



Recommmendation:
Have you ever taken money from a friend or family member?This book is about a kid named Greg and his friend Rowley on summer vacation. Rowley’s family belongs to the country club. Greg and Rowley use Rowley’s dad’s tab or an account. They have to pay back all the money for the smoothies they charged to the account. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys humor. You should read this book to find out if Greg and Rowley pay back the money. Even if you don’t like humor, you should really try this book.If you just want a great book this is one you'll like. If you read any of the other books in the Diary of a Wimpy kid series this one is the best. So head to your library and check it out before someone else does. I hope you like it as much as I did.


Blog by: Rebecca D.
Book by: Jeff Kinney
Genre: Humor

Aquamarine

"Hook"

            "Both girls knew that things changed, sometimes for the worse.  Claire had lost her parents and Hailey's mother and father had been divorced, and now her mother worked long hours and hadn't any time to have fun.  But the Capri had always stayed the same, a place to hold on to even in the darkest days of winter when snow piled up by their doors."[p. 8]

Recommendation

     Have you ever thought mermaids are real?  In this book they are. Aquamarine is a book about two girls who find a mermaid at a beach club.  They overcome a lot a misunderstandings together.  Aquamarine's obstical is that when ever she touches water or the sun sets she becomes a beautiful blue mermaid.  There are mean girls, nice girls, cute boys,and funny parts just in this book.  With just a peek in Mrs.Ryan's library, you can find all this and more in the book Aquamarine.

Blog: Emily D.
Author: Alice Hoffman
Genre: Fantasy

DragonBreath: Curse of the Were-Wiener

                  

Hook

"Wendell jerked his hand away from the hot dog and shoved a finger into his mouth.  "Owwwmmmff!" he said around the mouthful of finger.

"Are you okay?"

"I think it bit me!"  Danny considered this.  On the one hand, hot dogs didn't usally bite.  On the other hand, Wendell was not what their teacher Mr. Snaug called "a fantasy-prone personality." (Mr. Snaug did call Danny this on a regular basis, generally in notes sent home to Danny's parents.) 
Besides, it wouldn't be the first time the school lunch had fought back.  There had been that incident last spring.

"You remember the potato salad?"
"The one that bit Big Eddy?"  Wendell nodded." (pg.16)

Recommendation
Have you ever had a bad experince with your cafateria food?  So has Danny DragonBreath's best friend, Wendell.  He got bit by a hot dog.  Not that I'm asking you if you got bit by a hot dog...  Anyway, DragonBreath Curse of the Were-Wiener, is about two best friends, Danny and Wendell, trying to cure Wendell from what Danny calls it a "were-wiener" bite.  Acording to Reginald, in order to cure Wendell, they have to defeat the Alpha Wurst.  Also, the Alpha Wurst always appears where the were-wieners are being made.  Will Wendell ever get cured?  Or will he stay a were-wiener forever?  Find out in this book!

PLEASE NOTE:  THIS IS THE THIRD BOOK IN THE SERIES: DRAGONBREATH.  I RECOMMEND YOU READ THE FIRST TWO BOOKS IN ORDER TO FULLY UNDERSTAND WHAT IS GOING ON IN DANNY'S LIFE.


Blog By: Logan B.
Book By: Ursula Vernon
Genere: Humor; Graphic Novel

Crash

Hook

"My real name is John.  John Coogan.  But everybody calls me Crash, even my parents...Actually, I lied a minute ago.  Not everybody calls me Crash.  There's one person who doesn't.  It's just one of a million things that have bugged me for years about this kid.  I can still remember the first time I saw him.  The summer before first grade, seven years ago.  It was a sunny summer day.  I was in the front yard digging a hole with my little red shovel.  I heard something like whistling.  I looked up.  It was whistling.  It was coming from a funky- looking dorky little runt walking up the sidewalk.  Only he wasn't just walking regular.  He was walking like he owned the place, both hands in his pockets, sort of swaying lah-dee-dah with each step. Strollllll-ing... And he wore a button, a big one.  It covered about half of his chest.  Which wasn't hard since his chest is so scrawny.  So here he comes strolling, whistling, gawking, buttoning, dorking up the sidewalk, onto my sidewalk, my property, and all of a sudden I knew what I had to do, like there was a big announcement coming down from the sky: Don't let him pass."(1,2)

Recommendation
   Do you have a friendship thats not really a friendship?  Crash does.  His name is Penn. They have known each other for years.  But the truth is Penn is just weird.  Every day Crash teases Penn about his clothes being from second time around and the different buttons he wears on his shirt.Throughtout the book you will notice that the teasing and the bullying is starting to happen less and less. 
  
   I highly recommend this book to people with a sense of humor.  You also have to be able to take some sadness too.
   I don't recommend this book to people who get sad very easily, or people who do not care for humor.
   WARNING: AS FUNNY IT MAY BE IN THE BEGINNG,  IT GETS SADDER AS YOU GO ALONG!!!!!

Blog by: Ella Hammes
Book by: Jerry Spinelli
Genre: Realistic fiction

The Sisters Grimm #1 The Fairy Tale Detectives

Hook

“It had been raining the day her parents disappeared. That was over a year and a half ago, but it still made her heart ache. She remembered rushing home that afternoon with a report card safely tucked inside her rain coat. Excited about her A's in Math and English and her B in Science, (and a little disappointed by her C in Gym), she had proudly taped it to the refrigerator for all to see. It had seemed odd that her parents weren't home from work, but Sabrina didn't worry until Daphne's kindergarten teacher called to find out why no one had picked up the little girl. That night, the girls slept in their parents bed, waiting for them to come home as thunder and lightning crashed in the sky around their apartment. When the social worker came three days later to take them away, it was still raining and Sabrina's report card was still hanging on the refrigerator, awaiting its praise...The police started an investigation. They searched the family's apartment for clues. They interviewed neighbors and co-workers. They dusted for fingerprints, but found nothing. Henry and Veronica Grimm had simply vanished into thin air. Months later, the police found their abandoned car. The only clue was a blood red handprint on the dashboard.”

(Pages 1-2)

Recomendation

Do you know the Brothers Grimm and the famous fairy tales and folk tales they collected? Well say hello to Wilhelm Grimm’s great-great-great-great granddaughters, Sabrina and Daphne Grimm and a cast of characters including Puck, Granny Relda, Mr. Canis, Snow White, Beauty, the Beast, Pied Piper, and many more. I think this book is fun to read and the relastionship with the characters is very close.  Throughout the books, there are little crimes that their family has to solve. The big one throughout the series is what happened to their parents and why didn't the sister's dad tell them about fairytales? Last of all who kidnapped them? 

Do you like adventures about things that you could not possibly think of? Have you ever wondered if fairytales are real? This book is about two sisters that solve mysteries, not just any mysteries but fairytale mysteries. I like this series because it’s a mixture of every genre, including fairytale, humor, romance, adventure, and you can’t forget mystery. Once you start reading you may never put it down!

I recomend this book  to all who love fairytales with a little kick to it.

 Enjoy! 

Blog: Cara L.

Book: Michael Buckley

Genre: Fantasy

The Meanest Doll in the World

Hook:

"Annabelle doll sat in the soap dish high above the bathtub in the Palmers’ house. Since Nora Palmer was just below her taking her bath, Annabelle had to hold still, still, still. She could not be caught moving. But she was desperate to see the cause of all the splashing and shouting she heard. 'Shark! Shark attack! Cried Nora. 'Look out; dollies get out of the way. There was a tremendous splash and the sound of sloshing as water hit the tile floor of the bathroom.' Everyone out of the ocean! Commanded Nora.'Come on back

to the beach." (p.1)

Recommendation:

Have you ever wondered if your dolls were alive?  The Meanest Doll in the World is about two dolls named Annabelle and Tiffany that are alive. Tiffany is Nora Palmer’s doll and Annabelle is Katie Palmer’s doll. One day the dolls were exploring the house when they heard footsteps. They needed to hide so Annabelle and Tiffany jumped into Katie’s backpack and were brought to school. When they realized they were at school they explored the school. When it was time to go they got into the wrong backpack. When Tiffany and Annabelle got out of the backpack they were in the wrong house. There the dolls meet Meany Mimi truly the meanest doll in the world. Will they get back home or will Meany Mimi destroy them first?

The second book The Meanest Doll in the World, is the second in the Doll People series. We recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a fantasy story. Even if you don’t like dolls, I recommend you try this book.

Blog by: Rebecca D.
Book by: Ann M. Martin 
Genre: Fantasty

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

The Hook

" 'This must be a simply enormous wardrobe!' thought Lucy, going still further in and pushing the soft folds of the coats aside to make room for her …

Next moment she found that what was rubbing on her face and hands was no longer soft fur but something hard and rough and even prickly. 'Why, it is just like branches of trees!' exclaimed Lucy. And then she saw that there was a light ahead of her; not a few inches away where the back of the wardrobe ought to have been, but a long way off. Something cold and soft was falling on her. A moment later she found that she was standing in the middle of a wood at night-time with snow under her feet and snowflakes falling through the air."

Recommendation

Imagine sitting in a comfortable living room with your brothers and sisters, listening to a story of magic, children, fantasy creatures, kings and queens, evil witches, adventure, battle, death, and rebirth. You snuggle next to the fireplace to keep warm. The storyteller is professor C.S. Lewis of the famous Oxford University. He takes you into a fantasy world of eternal winter where four siblings Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy have an adventure of a lifetime. The world is called Narnia. Will the children defeat the cruel White Witch with the help of King Aslan the Lion? Will Edmund lose his life to the Witch? What terrible sacrifice will Aslan make to save Edmund? All these questions, and more, will be answered in this exciting book!

I recommend this book to all who love fairytales, especially children. It’s quite nice that C.S. Lewis speaks to you in a kind and friendly way throughout the story. Now snuggle up under your blanket next to the fire as the professor reads on. Just like the children who spent years in Narnia, and came back only minutes older, you will lose track of time as you hear the professor’s words.

Blog by Caraline Le Coz

Author: C.S. Lewis

Genre: Science Fiction/Fantasy