Sword Quest

HOOK
“The archeopteryx raised his sword with his claws cleaved down mightily. Wind-voice ducked with a nimble spin to the left. As torch lights turned into streaks in his vision, he felt a warm, certain glow in his heart. Something solid materialized in his claws. He gripped it instinctively and brought it up in under claw as he snapped out of his spin, the torch lights all jumped higher …. He closed his eyes. Then all of a sudden a great burst of energy swelled his heart. He let it run down his leg, to his foot, to the rod he was holding. Maldeor’s sword crashed down on it…. The ivory sheath of the true hero’s sword shattered into a thousand pieces….There had never been two hero’s swords. There was only one. Maldeor felt a great pile of sand slipping through his claws as his sword crumbled and dissolved into dust. The ceiling above them shivered and cracked, letting in the early sunlight. Chunks of stone rained down!”
(pg .237-239)

RECOMMENDATION
Have you ever dreamed of birds who are able to fight with swords in a mythical land? If you have, then you will love this book. Wind-voice has to fight off the evil villan, Maldeor until the hero comes. Then Wind-voice finds out that he's actualy the hero. Read this book to experience his miraculous journey with loss of friends and the discovery of gems. Will he get to the hero sword in time?

Blog by: Chris N.
Author: Nancy Yi Fan (12 years old)
Genre: Fiction/Suspense

A Week in the Woods

“The Hook”
“Walking across the parking lot, Bill Maxwell knew what he was going to do. First, he was going to apologize. He was going to tell Mark he was proud of him. He was going to tell Mark that loyalty is just about the finest quality a person can have. He was going to tell Mark how badly he misjudged him about a lot of things probably. And he was going to ask the boy to forgive him. Mr. Maxwell rounded the back of his truck a big smile on his face and he took three quick strides and grabbed the handle of the passenger side door. But then froze. He didn’t open the door and stopped smiling Mark wasn’t in the truck.” (Page 135)

Recommendation:
Have you ever been stuck in the woods with only one way out? Well Mr. Maxwell and Mark Chemsley have. Mark has moved all over the place because of his parents’ job. He’s tired of it. He misses his old school and acts like he doesn’t want to be in Mr. Maxwell’s class. Mr. Maxwell is sick of him not listening in his class. But when he gets in trouble for something he didn’t do, it forces him to run away. Now he’s stuck in the woods and there’s only one way out. Will Mark survive? You’ll have to read to this book to find out.
Blog By: Joey P.
Book By: Andrew Clements
Genre: Realistic Fiction

Series of Unfortunate Events: The Erstaz Elevator

"The Hook”
“At the end of the dark hallway, the Baudelaire children found an assortment, so that the expression ‘cul-de-sac’ here means at the end of the dark hallway the Baudelaire children found an assortment of mysterious circumstances. If the Baudelaire’s had been able to choose a French expression that would be waiting for them at the of the hallway, they might have chosen one that meant by the time the three children rounded the last dark corner of the corridor, the police had captured Gunther and Quagmire’s triplets, or at least the Baudelaire’s were delighted to see that the hallway led straight to the Veblen Hall, where the In Auction was taking place” (page 204)

Recommendation
If you have just picked up this book, it is too late to put it down. In the Series of Unfortunate Events “The Erstaz Elevator” Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire encounter a darkened staircase, a red herring, some friends in a scary situation, three mysterious initials, a liar with an evil scheme, a secret passageway, and parsley soda. If you have read the previous books of the Baudelaire children and you’re seeking to find out their next adventure open up this book right now, but be careful don’t fall into your own world of Unfortunate Events!!!!!
Book By: Lemony Snicket
Blog By: Maddison P. and Eliza B.
Genre: Mystery/Suspense

Series Of Unfortunate Events The Bad Beginning

Hook
“Mr. Poe took off his top hat, which had made his head look large and square in the fog, and stood for a moment, coughing loudly into a white handkerchief. Violet and Klaus moved forward to shake his hand and say how do you do…..’Yes, it is a nice day,’ Mr. Poe said absently, staring out at the empty beach. ‘I’m afraid I have some very bad news for you children’…..The children didn’t say anything….. “Have perished in a terrible fire.”(Pages 6, 7, and 8)

“Hello hello hello,’ Count Olaf said in a wheezy whisper. He was very tall and very thin, dressed in a gray suit that had many dark stains on it. His face was unshaven, and rather than two eyebrows, like most human beings have, he just had one long one. His eyes were very, very shiny, which made him look both hungry and angry. (Page 22)

“Count Olaf was standing in the doorway, watching Violet and Klaus as they searched the room. His eyes were shining brighter than ever had, and he was still smiling like he’d just uttered a joke…. ‘Yes’, Count Olaf continued, ‘it certainly is strange to find a child missing. And one so small, and helpless.’ (Pages 102 & 103)

Recommendation
I’m sorry to say this book you are about to read is extremely unpleasant! The three Baudelaire’s misfortune will never reach its end.You will experience deaths, to in loco parentis, and finding a way out of the evil eye. The three Baudelaire’s experience misfortune throughout the entire book. You will be on the edge of your seat waiting to find out if the orphans survive their deadly journey!

Blog by: Julia & Maddy S.
Book by: Lemony Snicket
Genre: Mystery / Suspense

Kingdom Hearts 2 vol.2

Hook
“You were never suppose to exist” (Page 6)
“That just proved you were trying to remember” (Page 23)
“Are you gonna turn against the organization?!” (Page 43)

Recommendation
Like Kingdom Hearts? What about action? The video game, Kingdom Hearts, is now available, in manga form! Adapted by Shiro Amano, Sora awakens from his memories, facing even more danger than before! While looking for King Mickey and Riku, Sora fights a new enemy, Organization XIII. Will he find them? Or will he fall into the world of darkness just like Riku?

Book By: Shiro Amano
Blog By: Jocelyn C.
Genre:Fantasy / Graphic Novel

Larry the King of Rock and Roll

Hook:
“I must have been out of my mind tired last night! This bridge really stinks big time! I could feel my face getting hot the way it does when I’m angry. Now when I look back I probably should have counted to ten or whatever people do to stop themselves from blurting out there hurt feelings but I didn’t. Instead I rushed into that room looked at Tom and screamed, ‘On your best day you couldn’t write something that good! I wrote it!’ Oops! I knew as soon as I saw both Tom’s and Cathy’s faces that they were completely weirded out to know I was the one who finished the song, even worse, they were stunned that I was mouthing off like the hothead I am. Larry You talked! I guess they were so astonished because what I haven’t mentioned before is I’m their dog.” (page 6)
“It’s an invitation to for me and Larry to perform in two weeks at a state dinner for the president and the first Lady… ‘You can’t go to the white house because of a scheduling conflict? ‘What else could be happening on March 3rd! It’s Cathy’s birthday and her party.”(page. 97)
“ Ha the truth is all dogs can talk and have plenty of opinions and ideas but are so much smarter than men and women that they refuse to talk so they can continue to be pampered by stupid humans like you!”(Page 147)

Recommendation:
Have you ever had a dog who can sing let alone talk! Well Larry can! But when it comes to a war between dogs and humans and coming back to the family he loves will he stop thinking about himself? Find out yourself in Larry the king of Rock and Roll!

Book by: Iris Rainer Dart and Joyce Brotman
Blog By: Madison H.
Genre: Fantasy

The Big Adventures of Majoko

“The Hook”
(Hint Majoko is a witch)
“Ma-Ma-Ma-Ma-joko!? ‘Yep! Did I scare you? I look pretty good don’t I? I was watching this vampire movie on TV and thought I’d transform into one. I can change you into one to if you want? ‘No, uh … I’m ok.’ ‘Hey let’s go to the vampire mansion in the world of magic.’ ‘The what? ‘ I want to meet a handsome vampire. ‘No way! I’m not going!!! ‘Don’t worry as long as we pretend to be vampires none of them will try to suck your blood”. (page 9)

Recommendation
Do you want a new fun book to read? Well if you do this book is right for you. BUT only if you can handle it! In the first book Nana stepped on her diary and fell in! In this book you can visit the good grade apple tree orchard. The grade that is on the apple you eat, that is the grade you will get on you next test. Choose wisely!
Blog by: Eliza B.
Author: Tomomi Mizuna
Genre: fantasy / Graphic Novel

The Green Glass Sea

“The Hook”
“Dewey Kerrigan sits on the concrete steps of Mrs.Kovack’s house in St.Louis waiting for her father. He is in Chicago-war work- and she has not seen him since the fourth of July. It’s almost thanksgiving now. She looks toward the corner every few seconds.”(Page 1)

Recommendation
Have you ever wanted to be involved in secret war activities? Well, Dewey and Suze didn’t. They had normal lives before the war. When their families were called by the government, their lives changed forever. In New Mexico, a place called “the hill” is where they are. It’s so secret, they can’t even tell names! Suddenly, Dewey’s father has to go to Washington. Now, “Screwy” Dewey has to live with Suze. They even have to share a bedroom! To find out if things get better, read the book.
By: Jack B.
Author: Ellen Klages
Genre: Historical Fiction

Deep and Dark and Dangerous

The “Hook”
“My paintings, Dulcie wailed. ‘ Someone broke into the studio and wrecked everything. All my work, my paintings, my brushes’. Emma clung to her mother ‘Mommy, Mommy’! She sobbed ‘Don’t cry! I can’t believe it’ I whispered. ‘Who would do something like that’? ‘Come and look’ Dulcie ran back down the stairs to the studio. Emma and I hurried after her. The rain pelted us, and we held tightly to the railing, afraid of slipping on the wet steps. From the studio’s doorway, Dulcie gestured to the wreckage. It looked as if someone thrown buckets full of sand and lake water on the floor. Paint tubes were scattered tops off, colors oozing out. Brushes stiff with dried paint littered the work table. Splattered with ugly shades of reds, and yellows. In black paint and large clumsy letters, someone had scraled;
I’M WATCHING YOU TELL THE TRUTH!
Emma clutched her mother’s hand and pointed at the painting. ‘Bones’ she whispered.(Page 80)

Recommendation
A lie that changed her life. Ali finds a picture with her mom, Aunt Dulcie but who is the third? Ali takes a trip to her Aunt’s cottage for the summer where a tragedy strikes. Ali and her young cousin Emma meet Sissy. Sissy is another girl who lives near her cottage. Sissy also has a secret. Could it have something to do with the old photograph? Ali is dying to find out! Though if she’s not careful, that’s exactly what might happen to her… die, that is!!!!!!!!!!
Genre: Mystery/ Suspense
Blog By: Maddie P. and Julia C.
Author: Mary Downing Hahn

Waiting for Anya

Hook
“Gone,’ said Widow Horcada. ‘He saw the soldiers down another road. He went last night with Leah. He wouldn’t wait. He thought they’d come searching the houses. I told him not to go, but he wouldn’t listen. He wouldn’t wait.’ She looked up towards the mountains. ‘Something’s wrong, I know it is. He should be back by now. He should be back by now he should be back. (pg.53)


Recommendation
History, adventure, and passion are the three elements in this book. Waiting for Anya is a powerful story about a young boy going on an exciting adventure through the mountains of Lescun, France escaping the evil Germans lurking every corner. On his way he meets new people, explores new places, and finds out how deadly the world really is around him. Read this book and find out how Jo’s story ends in the book Waiting for Anya.

Book by: Michael Morpurgo
Blog By: Maddy S.