Blogpost: Top Five Books for 2011

These are the top five books that I have read this year. All of these books are fantasy and will only interest you if you like either realistic fiction or fantasy.

1. Eragon
2. Eldest
3. Pillage
4. The Son of Neptune
5. The Throne of Fire

Upcoming Book: Diary of a Wimpy Kid Cabin Fever
Author: Jeff Kinney
Publisher: Amulet books
Release Date: November 15
As you all know, that Diary of a Wimpy Kid Cabin Fever is coming out. The other books in the series are: Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Diary of a Wimpy Kid Rodrick Rules, Diary of a Wimpy Kid The Last Straw, Diary of a Wimpy Kid Dog Days, Diary of a Wimpy Kid Do-It Yourself, Diary of a Wimpy Kid The Ugly Truth.

I think in Cabin Fever, that there is going to be a blizzard, and the kids are going to be trapped at school. Also, I think that Greg will try to escape school, because he doesn’t like it. Having school twenty four seven, is going to be really tough for Greg. I can predict that there is going to be a blizzard, because of the cover. On the cover there is snow.
I know that this book is going to be good, because the previous books have been good and it is a very famous book. The last book that Jeff Kinney wrote was very good. It was about how Greg reacts to the changes in life that is heading his way. Also I liked the Ugly Truth because it was very detailed and it had fantastic illustrations. I am sure that Cabin Fever will be better than any graphic novel written.

The author of Diary of a Wimpy Kid is Jeff Kinney. Jeff Kinney has his own website about Diary of a Wimpy Kid where you can see interviews, upcoming books, games, and much more. You can even hear the new Joshie song!! The thing about Jeff Kinney is that he has written a Do-It Yourself book, with different kinds of activities. There are two copies. The new improved copy has new color comics.

Jeff Kinney was born in Maryland and went to the University of Maryland. He knew he wanted to be a cartoonist. Before, he had a comic strip called “Idgoof.” In 2006 Jeff Kinney got a multi-book deal with Harry N. Abrams. He then published his first book in April 2007. Jeff Kinney currently has a full-time job at a Boston -based Internet publishing company. He created Poptropica. Now, Jeff Kinney lives with his wife and two sons in Massachusetts.
If you want to go to Jeff Kinney’s website, Click Here!

http://www.wimpykid.com/

Blogpost: The Son of Neptune

Upcoming Book: Heroes of Olympus The Son of Neptune
Author: Rick Riordan
Publishers: Disney HyperionAs you all know, The Son of Neptune came out on October 4. The Son of Neptune in a series of five, called The Heroes of Olympus series, and it is the second book in the series. The other book in the series is The Lost Hero. I am excited about The Son of Neptune book because I’m sure it has more humor, Greek mythology, and a lot of excitement, and I’m sure it will be better than the first book.

I think the Son of Neptune is going to be about Percy, and how he finds Jason, Piper, and Leo, so they can go find his memory Also, I think they will try to find people in the prophecy. While they try to find Percy’s memory, they will bump into the goddess of Gaea or the Gorgon’s Patron.

I liked The Lost Hero, because it introduced new characters, which were Leo, Piper, and Jason. I liked Leo because he likes to build stuff. I also like to build stuff. I like Piper and Jason because they are both very brave. I also like the story of The Lost Hero, because it had excitement, and of course Greek Mythology. The conclusion was suspenseful, and it left you wondering what will happen next. I liked this book very much, and I think The Son of Neptune will be the same.

The author of The Son of Neptune is Rick Riordan. Rick Riordan is also the well known author of the Percy Jackson series. The books in the series are Percy Jackson and The Olympians: The Lightning Thief, Percy Jackson and The Olympians: The Sea of Monsters, Percy Jackson and The Olympians: The Titan’s Curse, Percy Jackson and The Olympians: The Battle of the Labyrinth, Percy Jackson and The Olympians: The Last Olympian. The thing about The Heroes of Olympus series and the Percy Jackson series, is that they are connected, because in the Son of Neptune and The Lost Hero Percy is also included. He plays a main role. In the Percy Jackson series Percy Jackson also plays a main role, even though they are two different series. Rick Riordan has also been writing another series during The Heroes of Olympus series, called The Kane Chronicles series. The books in the Kane Chronicles series are The Red Pyramid and The Throne of Fire.

If you can’t wait for the Son of Neptune, go to
http://rickriordan.com/my-books/percy-jackson/heroes-of-olympus/thesonofneptune.aspx,

and you can read the first chapter of The Son of Neptune!

Book Review: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Title: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Author: J.K. Rowling
Publisher: Scholastic
Genre: Fantasy, Fiction
Pages: 734
Rating:9.5/10

This is the fourth book of the Harry Potter series. There are seven books in the series: This book has also been converted into a movie.

In this book, there is an event that has not taken place for hundreds of years. It is called the Tri-Wizard Tournament. It is where three wizard schools come together. From each school there is a Tri-wizard champion chosen. The champions are selected by the Goblet of Fire through magic. The three Tri-wizard champions compete in three dangerous challenges. When Harry goes to Hogwarts, the Ministry has said that only kids seventeen and up can be chosen as the champions. When all three champions are chosen, the Goblet of Fire chooses Harry as the next champion, even though he is under seventeen. That means somebody else has put Harry’s name in. The rules are set. Can Harry survive the dangerous tasks that will be given ?

My favorite character in this book is Dumbledore, who is Hogwarts best head master. I like him in this book because, he has attempted to help Harry, even though sometimes he fails. Also I like Dumbledore because, he is very brave. For example, he has the courage to stand up to members of the Ministry. My last reason why I like Dumbledore is that he is loving, caring, kind, and has many other good character traits.

I thought that this book was superb. As I read the book, I could tell that J.K. Rowling really thought about the book. I gave it a 9.5/10 because J.K. Rowling wrote a lot of details that made me understand the book better. Secondly, I liked the book because, J.K. Rowling used good word choice. I had to use my context clues to find out what the word was. Context clues is where you try to understand the word by reading before and after the word. I thought in this book there were not many funny parts. I think J.K. Rowling should have added more humor. That is why I reduced the rating to a 9.5. All in all I really liked this book very much and I can’t wait to read the next one.

I would recommend this book to people who love twists. Also I would recommend this book to people who love dragons and other unknown creatures.

The Gray Wolf Throne by Cinda Williams Chima

The Gray Wolf Throne

In the Seven Realms Series, there are two books out, and two more on the way, one of them is coming out on August 30. The Gray Wolf Throne by Cinda Williams Chima. The first two books in this series are The Demon King, and The Exiled Queen.

The Demon King and Exiled Queen, the previous two books in this series, are filled with action, adventure, romance. They are also fantasy and fiction.

For those people that haven’t read the Demon King and Exiled Queen, here is an intro to give you an idea what has happened in the past.

The Demon King
First Book:
Han:
This book is about how Han’s secrets of his life are unveiled, from being a former thief to becoming a wizard, and finding out who his ancestors are and what important role they played in the making or breaking of the world. It all begins when Han takes an amulet from Micah Bayar, son of Gavin Bayar the High Wizard in court. Now that Han has the wizard gift, he and Dancer (who also has the gift) must go to Mystwerk House - a place where wizards are trained to control their powers - which is in Oden’s Ford. Oden’s Ford consists of two houses: Mystwerk House and Wien House.

Raisa:
On the other hand, Princess Raisa ana’Marianna is getting closer to her name day, which is the day she is eligible to marry. And this news is not hidden, and now Raisa is practically trapped by suitors here and there wanting to marry her. But when Gavin Bayar, the High Wizard is influences Queen Marianna’s thoughts, Raisa must escape to a safe place. She decides to go to Wien’s House - a place where people are trained to become soldiers - which is also in Oden’s Ford. But she cannot go there alone, so she must go with Amon Byrne, her childhood friend and his triple of cadets.

The Exiled Queen
Second Book
Han:
In this book Hanson Alister and Hayden Fire Dancer go to Mystwerk House in Oden’s Ford to learn how to control their magical gift. As they encounter danger on their way, they manage to get there in one piece. When Han travels to a different world, Aeiidon, in one of his classes, he meets a stranger: Crow. Not knowing who Crow was (in Aeiidon, you can change your appearance to whatever you want) Han is about to leave, but is stopped when Crow promises to teach him harder magic. Han agrees to the deal, but has to talk like a blueblood, someone who lives near the castle and is not a member of a clan. Han goes through the year, wary of Micah Bayar, and learning some tricks to his wizard powers.

Raisa:
Escaping from the queendom of Fells is a little tricky, with guards stationed at the exits. But once Raisa who is using the fake name of Rebecca Morley gets to Oden’s Ford, she gets a vigorous schedule that practically promises her no spare time. And right now she is having some mixed feelings between Amon Byrne, her childhood friend, and Hanson Alister. As Raisa deals through these feelings she is left confused. And to top it off, Micah Bayar a wizard that goes to Mystwerk House across the river is in Oden’s Ford as well. Another person to avoid. He would instantly recognize Raisa for who she was.

Besides the Seven Realms Series, there is another series Cinda Williams Chima has written. The Heir Series. The books are:

The Warrior Heir
The Wizard Heir
The Dragon Heir

2 more books in this series are coming out. It’s not written in stone, but the there is a chance that the titles may be: The Enchanter Heir and The Sorcerer Heir.

I recommend the Seven Realms Series and the Heir Series to anyone that loves adventure and romance rolled into one.

Book Review: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Title: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Author: J.K. Rowling
Publisher: Scholastic
Genre: Fantasy, Fiction
Pages: 435
Rating: 9/10

“They died in a car crash, you nasty little liar, and left you to be a burden on their decent, hardworking relatives!” screamed Aunt Marge, swelling with fury. “You are an insolent, ungrateful little-”
But Aunt Marge suddenly stopped speaking.
… She seemed to be swelling with inexpressible anger- but the swelling didn’t stop.

Aunt Marge is Uncle Vernon’s sister. She is very arrogant, just like aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon. In the excerpt above, Aunt Marge is insulting Harry and his parents, while she doesn’t realize she is swelling up like a balloon, because of magic.

This is the third book of the Harry Potter series, and this book has also been converted into a movie. In Harry’s thrilling year of Hogwarts, a prisoner named Sirius Black has escaped from Azkaban, a wizard jail. Sirius Black has worked for the Dark Lord, and he is after Harry Potter ; the boy who survived Voldemort’s killing curse. Sirius is hunting Harry down. Harry is not safe, even when he is in school with his friends.

Remus Lupin is Harry’s third Defense against the Dark arts teacher, in Hogwarts. I think Remus Lupin is an interesting character for many reasons. My first reason is because he is a werewolf and he is in the Gryffindor house. He also helped Harry produce the Patronus charm and he (Lupin) was a good student in Hogwarts School Witch Craft and Wizardry, he is brave because he is not afraid to duel Death Eaters or go against Dementors and if he sees a problem he is not afraid to say it.

I thought this book was excellent. I liked it because I thought the humor was very good and that it pulled the story together. I thought Ron was the funniest in this book. There were other funny things in this book like when Aunt Marge blew up like a balloon and started floating up in the air. My favorite part in this book is Quiditch. I like the twist J.K. Rowling adds for Quidditch. I think J.K. Rowling added good details. I could really visualize the whole book in my head. It was like my very own movie of the Prisoner of Azkaban. I also like that in the beginning of each chapter there is a picture that tells a little bit of what is going to happen in the book. I think that is a very different technique, since the book has no illustrations except for the front cover and the back of the book. I don’t see this technique in any other book.

I think this book is better than the Sorcerer’s Stone and it is almost as good as the Chamber of Secrets. I think this book is worth reading over and over again, so people should definitely buy it. I can’t wait to read Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire! I would recommend to people who have read the previous books or to people who like fantasy.

Book Review: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Title: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Author: J. K. Rowling
Genre: adventure, action
Pages: 309
Publisher: Scholastic
Rating: 9.5/10

‘ “Well, Harry, you take the place of that bishop, and Hermione, you go next to him instead of that castle.”
“What are you?”
“I’m going to be a knight,” said Ron. ‘

This excerpt is when Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger are trying to get the powerful sorcerer’s stone. Harry Potter is an average boy, or that’s what he thinks until he gets letters from some one he doesn’t know. When Harry discovers that he is a wizard, a famous and thumping good one at that, he joins Hogwarts a school for witch craft and wizardry. There he makes friends with Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger. On the other hand, Draco Malfoy and his cronies, Crabbe and Goyle, become instant enemies. As Harry discovers his talents at quidditch, starts arguments with Malfoy, and fights a troll or two and dislikes a professor, he discovers that he is no ordinary boy.

Harry lives with his Uncle Vernon, and Aunt Petunia, not the kindest muggles around. Muggles are non magic folk. Harry’s uncle and aunt are cold hearted, and have a spoilt son named Dudley. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia thought of wizards as dirty, bad, disrespectful, and many more disgusting things.

As Harry starts fitting in Hogwarts, he notices strange things are going on at Hogwarts. Students aren’t allowed to go to a certain corridor, and when he accidentally goes in there, he sees that there is a three headed dog guarding a trapdoor. What is it guarding, and how will Harry find out?

My favorite character in this book is Harry Potter. He is famous because he is the only person in the world to survive a killing curse. Harry is also a very daring and courageous person. Although he knew that he wasn’t supposed to go back to the room where the three-headed dog was, Harry still went so that he could stop Voldemort. He is also a very kind person. Even though his friends may not be the most popular, he would never be mean to them or let them down. Another one of Harry’s qualities is that he is a bit of a rule breaker. Harry tries to do the right things, he frequently breaks the rules so that he can help. Doing that makes rivalries begin.

One reason I like the book Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is because Ms. J. K. Rowling makes the book so appealing. As in you feel like you have a connection to some parts of this book. When Harry does something, or something happens to him, you feel like that is exactly what you would have done or have felt like.

Will Harry find the sorcerer’s stone in time, or will Voldemort find it before him? And who is helping Voldemort? Read the book Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone to find out. I recommend this book to anybody that has read any of the other books by J. K. Rowling or to anybody that likes adventures.

Book Review: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Title: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Author: J.K. Rowling
Publisher: Scholastic
Genre: Fantasy, Fiction
Pages: 341
Rating: 9/10

“…Harry Potter must not go back to Hogwarts.”
There was a silence broken only by the chink of knives and forks from downstairs and the distant rumble of Uncle Vernon’s voice.
“W-what?” Harry stammered…’
‘“There is a plot, Harry Potter. A plot to make most terrible things happen at Hogwarts School of Witch Craft and Wizardry this year,” whispered Dobby, suddenly trembling all over.


The day of Uncle Vernon’s big dinner party comes and Harry Potter has to spend the night in his bedroom, and he gets an unexpected visit. This is an excerpt from when Dobby, the house elf, comes to tell Harry about the terrible things that will happen at Hogwarts School Witch Craft and Wizardry.

Harry Potter is in a series of seven books: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. There is also a movie on Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part two, has just come out in theatres.

Ever since Harry Potter had come back to the Dursleys, he wanted to go straight back to Hogwarts. When Harry starts to pack for Hogwarts, he gets a strange visit from a house elf. The house elf says that if Harry returns to Hogwarts terrible things will happen. In Harry’s second thrilling year of Hogwarts, things are changing. Teachers say that time is repeating itself and that something is turning Hogwarts students to Stone. The Chamber of Secrets has opened. The Chamber of Secrets was made thousands of years ago by Salazar Slytherin, who was one of the four founders of Hogwarts. Inside the chamber there is a lot of dark magic and monsters. The Chamber lies in Hogwarts and nobody has found it yet, for years. Who could have opened the Chamber? When somebody is taken inside the Chamber, Harry goes inside and tries to find the person. Will Harry be able to stop the thing that is turning people to stone ?

I thought this book was awesome. First of all this book contained a very good story. I don’t think anybody could think of a story containing a wizard, who goes to a wizard school, and goes in the chamber of secrets, to find his darkest fear. Secondly, I like the fact that at the beginning of each chapter there is a picture that helps the reader understand the chapter more. Thirdly, I like the description that J. K. Rowling puts in the book. The description is so good that every word I read in this book makes a movie in my head. Fourthly, in the book there is a part where Harry is in the Chamber with the Phoenix, Fox. On the front cover you see the illustration that matches the description. I hope J.K. Rowling writes a new book!

I would recommend this book to people who have read the first Harry Potter book and people who love magic.

Percy Jackson's Birthday

August 18th is a special day for anyone that loves Rick Riordan’s books. Particularly the Percy Jackson series. August 18th is …….. Percy Jackson’s birthday! To any Percy Jackson fans who don’t remember where this is stated, it is in the last book (The Last Olympian) in the last couple of pages. Or you can just go on Google and type in Percy Jackson’s birthday. And up it will pop. Besides the last book I think it states that Percy’s birthday is celebrated close to the beginning of the school year, once Sally Jackson’s (Percy’s mom) meets Paul Blowfis. It is probably in the fourth book (The Battle of the Labyrinth).
Rick Riordan has written many books and many series. Here are a list of some of the books he has written:

Percy Jackson and the Olympians:
The Lightning Thief - Came out: June 28, 2005
The Sea of Monsters - Came out: May 3, 2006
The Titan’s Curse - Came out: May 1, 2007
The Battle of the Labyrinth - Came out: May 6, 2008
The Last Olympian - Came out: May 5, 2009

The Heroes of Olympus:
The Lost Hero - Came out: April 14, 2010
The Son of Neptune - Coming out October 4th, 2011
Expecting a 3rd book - Unsure of when it is coming out
Expecting a 4th book - Unsure of when it is coming out
Expecting a 5th book - Unsure of when it is coming out

The Kane Chronicles:
The Red Pyramid - Came out: May 31, 2010
The Throne of Fire - Came out: May 3, 2011
The House of Life - Coming out Spring 2012

If you want to know more, go to www.rickriordan.com. It shows the three series that Rick Riordan has written, and more details about the books.

Book Review: Charlie Bone and the Invisible Boy

Title: Charlie Bone and the Invisible Boy
Author: Jenny Nimmo
Publishers: Orchard Books (Scholastic)
Genre: Fantasy, Fiction
Pages: 408
Rating: 6/10


Charlie Bone’s life takes a turn for the worse. Why? That is because Charlie’s uncle leaves on a secret mission and disappears. Before Charlie’s uncle leaves, he leaves a note why he left. When Charlie goes to Bloor’s Academy, he discovers an invisible boy in the attics. The invisible boy is named Ollie Spark’s and only has a toe that is visible. After Charlie finds out that Ollie has a relative, Charlie has to get Ollie out of the attic and to Ollie’s relative. Will Ollie Sparks be reunited with his only relative? Will Charlie find out where his uncle went?

The Brown’s bathroom over looked Filbert Street, and while Benjamin was brushing his teeth he saw a tall man in a long black coat walk down the steps of number nine. Benjamin stopped brushing and stared. What on earth was going on in Charlie’s house?
The tall man was Paton Yewbeam, Charlie’s great uncle. He was wearing dark glasses and he carried a white stick. Benjamin assumed the dark glasses had something to do with Paton’s unfortunate talent for exploding lights. Paton never appeared in daylight, if he could help it, but this was an extraordinary time to go out, even for him. He walked up to a midnight blue car, opened the trunk, and carefully placed the wand (for that’s what it is) right at the back. Before Benjamin had even rinsed his toothbrush, Charlie’s uncle had driven off. He went in the opposite direction from his sisters, Benjamin noted. This wasn’t surprising, since Paton and his sisters were sworn enemies.

Paton Yewbeam is a man who is unique, he has a strange talent of exploding lights when he looks at a light bulb. He is often going places without telling any one. In the excerpt above Paton is probably going to some mysterious place that nobody knows about.

This book is in a series of eight. The author has written other books in the series: Midnight for Charlie Bone, Charlie Bone and the Time Twister, Charlie Bone and the Castle of Mirrors, Charlie Bone and the Hidden King, Charlie Bone and the Beast, Charlie Bone and the Shadow, and Charlie Bone and the Red knight. Jenny Nimmo is thinking about a series called the Red King Trilogy.

I thought this book was superb compared to the books before. The rating I would give is 8/10, because I liked the characters and how they had different things about them that stood out from characters in other books - like Ollie Sparks, he is completely invisible except for his toe. I also liked the story, a boy named Charlie sees an invisible boy, and tries to make him escape! Who could think of that!? Jenny Nimmo did not add a lot of humor. In my opinion the humor pulls the story together, and this book could’ve used some more . I also thought that Jenny Nimmo should have added more details. On some parts I got very confused. But, all in all this book was good.

I would recommend this book to people who love to explore new places, because in this book Charlie and his friends go searching for a lot of things.

Book Review: The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate

Title: The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate
Author: Jacqueline Kelly
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company
Pages: 338
Genre: Historical and realistic fiction
Rating: 9/10

“My name is Calpurnia Virginia Tate, but back then everybody called me Callie Vee. That summer, I was eleven years old and the only girl out of seven children. Can you imagine a worse situation?”

Calpurnia Virginia Tate, is a young girl who lived in Texas in the year 1899. Back then, life was difficult. Even a cent was worth a lot. But a girl’s life was the hardest. They had to stay at home, to sew, cook, and knit. They weren’t allowed to be scientists. It just wasn’t fair. Instead of being able to learn about life and organisms, she was stuck at home learning how to be a wife.

In this book there is no main problem; instead there are small stories which consist of small problems. The cotton season goes by. Usually the women and girls had to sew, cook, and watch over the babies in the cotton season, but Callie didn’t find sewing and cooking interesting. So in the end, Callie took care of the small babies. Later the Fentress Fair passes, in which Callie’s (terrible) tattering (sewing) skills are shown off. Callie is not very good at tattering, another thing wives should be able to do. Travis, Callie’s little brother becomes quite attached to the turkeys that they are going to eat for Thanksgiving. The century passes and a miracle happens where Callie lives, Texas.

My favorite character in this book is Callie. Callie is a curious girl. She wants to study the world. And study the world she does. She studies alone, but that was before she had the nerve to ask Granddaddy. Now the two as a pair are “mad scientists”. But when Callie’s mother takes a look at how her daughter is progressing in the studies of housewifery, Callie’s time with Granddaddy is limited. And she must learn the secrets to being a good wife, which Callie definitely does not excel at.

Another one of my favorite characters is Granddaddy. He is a kind old man, misunderstood to be a strict and mean person by his grandchildren. As Callie opens up to him, her siblings start to get the feeling that Granddaddy isn’t the mean, cross person they thought he was.

I found this book very funny and interesting. Funny, because it is hilarious how the smallest events in Callie’s life, can cause quite a bit of confusion. Also, to me, Ms. Kelly’s writing seems like it is from the heart. It seems like she actually had 6 brothers, and this really did happen to her.

Join Callie, her 6 brothers, (Harry, Sam Houston, Lamar, Travis, Sul Ross, and Jim Bowie) in the book ‘The Evolution Of Calpurnia Tate’. I recommend this book to anyone that likes a bit of history, science and fiction mixed into one.

Book Review: Charlie Bone and the Time Twister

Title: Charlie Bone and the Time Twister
Author: Jenny Nimmo
Publishers: Orchard books (Scholastic)
Genre: Fantasy, Fiction
Pages: 402
Rating: 8/10


This book is a series of eight books. Jenny Nimmo has written other books like Midnight for Charlie Bone, Charlie bone and the Invisible boy, Charlie Bone and the Castle of mirrors, Charlie Bone and the Hidden King, Charlie Bone and the Beast, Charlie Bone and the Shadow, and Charlie Bone and the Red Knight. Jenny Nimmo is thinking of writing a trilogy, called the Red King Trilogy.

In this book Charlie Bone is having a crazy day. Charlie’s cousin from the past, Henry, has accidentally gone into the future or Charlie’s present time, by using the time twister. The time twister is a big marble that can make you go in the future only. Since you cannot go into the past using the time twister, Henry is stuck in the future. Now Charlie Bone is going to have to have to think of a way to get Henry back to his time. Henry’s life is very unlucky, because now Henry’s cousin Zeke has found him and will not hold back to kill him. He has sent guards to kill Henry. How can Charlie and his friends hide Henry? At the same time how can Charlie figure out a way to get Henry to the past? The big question is, will Charlie send Henry back into his time?

Here is an interesting excerpt from the book, describing the time when Henry and Charlie meet :

"Are you…?" he began. "I mean have you…well, the thing is, I've seen you in a photo. Are you Henry Yewbeam?"

"That's me," said Henry, beaming. "I think I've seen you, too. Somewhere. Who are you?"
"I'm your…erm…sort of cousin, Charlie Bone."

"No! This is very good news. A cousin, well, well." Henry marched over and shook Charlie's hand. "Very good to meet you, Charlie Bone."

"The news isn't that good," said Charlie. "What was the date when you…just now?"

"January 12, 1916," said Henry. "I always know the date."

"I'm afraid it isn't that now."…

"You're almost ninety years ahead of where you were," said Charlie…

Charlie saw a large glass marble rolling across the hall. "Wow!" he exclaimed, but before he could pick it up, Henry shouted, Careful, Charlie. Don't look at it."

"Why?"

"It's what brought me here."

In the excerpt above, Henry touched and looked at the time twister, so he went in the future. The time twister is a marble which can bring you only to the future. So Henry is stuck in the future, with Charlie Bone and his friends.

I thought Jenny Nimmo put a lot of thinking into this book. I also liked that she put a lot of detail and explained everything nicely. I loved the fact that Jenny Nimmo included two great new characters, Henry and Jamie. I thought the characters were great because Henry was brave and Jamie was a nice brother, who cared a lot about Henry. I liked the story because it had scary moments, funny moments, exciting moments. etc. Compared to other books I would say it was better then the first book because now Charlie is using his powers more often so it is a lot more exciting.

I would recommend this to kids who like fantasy, thick books, adventure, a little action, and super powers.

Book Wars

In my school, we have a book club. Each year in book club, there is an activity called Book Wars that we do. Book Wars is when we get quizzed over The Lone Star Books of the year. There are 20 Lone Star Books in all. Some of the books we had to read that year were:

Titles: Author:

- The Season By: Sarah MacLean
- The Roar By: Emma Clayton
- The Demon King By: Cinda Williams Chima
- When You Reach Me By: Rebecca Stead
- Graceling By: Kristin Cashore

You can work together with other people or you can work alone. Most people work in groups so it is easier or because it is more fun. For those that haven’t heard of Book Wars, it is a written test. Here are some of the rules:

- For every question you put the authors name on, you get three extra points
- You must stop writing once time is up

Last year my friend and I entered the competition as a team. We went against 5 other groups, some older, and some younger. In the test there were many questions. You had to remember many details. My partner and I studied for the whole year, reading and rereading the books over and over again. In the end, once the results were in my friend and I won. The book we won was Everfound, the last book to the Skin-Jacker trilogy by the author Neal Shusterman. It was one of the 150 books that were signed by Neal Shusterman himself. Once I read the series I wanted to read the rest of the books he has written.



This includes:

- Unwind
- Bruiser
- Downsiders
- The Eyes of King Midas
- The Shadow Club

And many more!

After the prizes were given, there was a raffle and books were given out. All in all, my first time in Book Wars turned out pretty well.

Book Review: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Title: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Author: J.K. Rowling
Publisher: Scholastic
Genre: Fantasy, Fiction
Pages: 312
Rating: 9.9/10

Get the mail,Dudley,” said Uncle Vernon from behind his paper.
“Make Harry get it.”
“Get the mail, Harry.”
“Make Dudley get it.”
“Poke him with your smelting stick, Dudley.”

Harry dodged the smelting stick and went to get the mail. Three things lay on the doormat: a postcard from Uncle Vernon’s sister Marge, who was vacationing on the Isle of Wight, a brown envelope that looked like a bill, and -- a letter for Harry. Harry picked it up and stared at it, his heart twanging like a giant elastic band. No one, ever, in his whole life, had written to him. Who would? He had no friends, no other relatives -- he didn’t belong to the library, so he never even got rude notes asking for books back. Yet here it was, a letter, addressed so plainly that there could be no mistake.

Mr. H. Potter
The Cupboard under the Stairs
4 Privet Drive
Little Whinging
Surrey

Harry Potter is living with his weird aunt, uncle, and their son, Dudley. Harry, is constantly being pushed around by his aunt and uncle. In the excerpt above, Harry has gone to get the mail, and he finds a letter for himself. The letter is from some one unknown. He is very surprised because he never gets letters from anybody!

This book is in a series of seven books, known as the Harry Potter series. The other books in the series are : Harry Potter and the Chamber of secrets, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Half- Blood Price, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. This series has also been turned into movies. Just recently the seventh part two, Harry Potter movie has come out. J.K. Rowling has not written other books besides Harry Potter.

Harry Potter has a horrible life, his parents were killed, and he has to live with his mean aunt, and uncle, and their son, Dudley. He is constantly being threatened by his aunt and uncle, about mysterious things he has not been able to explain. Finally, when Harry turns 11 he figures out the truth about him-self. He is a wizard, a very famous wizard, because he is the only wizard who survived the killing curse, which is a curse that kills anything, and the only wizard who almost killed Voldemort, a dark wizard. Also he figures out that Voldemort who killed his parents is gaining more power than before. Once Harry figures out he is a wizard, he goes to Hogwarts School of Witch Craft and Wizardry, where he learns about the Sorcerer’s Stone. The Sorcerer’s Stone can bring someone back to power or life. Will Harry be able to stop Voldemort from getting the sorcerer’s stone?

I thought this book was excellent for many reasons. First of all, in the beginning of each chapter, J.K. Rowling put a picture that told us a little of what was going to happen. I thought it was very unique. Secondly, I thought the character, Harry Potter, was a good character with a lot of courage and bravery. Thirdly, I thought that the story was fantastic. I wonder how J.K. Rowling thought of a story that is so unique. Fourthly I liked the conclusion, the conclusion was very touching and it had a little suspense. It was touching because I hated to see Harry, Ron, and Hermione go back home to their parents or guardian, after all that they had been through. There was also suspense because when Harry, Ron, and Hermione left each other, you start to wonder what amazing adventure will they have next year. Fifthly, I thought the description of certain parts in this book were superb. Again, I thought this book was fantastic, and I can’t wait to read the next one!!!

I would recommend this book to people who love fantasy and adventure.

Review:Choke

Title: Choke
Author: Obert Skye
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Genre: Fantasy Fiction
Pages: 327
Rating: 8/10



I looked back at the stone. It sank slowly into the soil a couple of inches, and the plant beside it was still. I gazed directly at the small plant and did what knew I had to do.
   “Grow,” I commanded it.
   Almost instantly the plant began to shiver. Its leaves shook, and a small black shoot shot out of the middle like a serpents tongue. It twisted up then arched itself back down into the dirt. Two seconds later it popped up next to the stone and quickly wrapped itself around it.

This is an excerpt from when Beck planted a stone, which was soon going to turn into a humongous dragon.

This book is in a series of two books, and the books in the series are Pillage and Choke. The author Obert Skye has written plenty other books like, the well known series of Leven Thumps: Leven Thumps and the Gateway to Foo. Leven Thumps and the Whispered secret, Leven Thumps and the Eyes of the Want, Leven Thumps and the Wrath of Ezra, and Leven Thumps and the Ruins of Alder. Obert Skye has also started a new series called Geth and the Return of the Lithens.

Beck Pillage is a trouble magnet. Since he last killed the dragons, Beck has lived with his dad in the mansion. When a mysterious named Whitey appears, he tells Beck that there is one more dragon left. It is the Queen dragon. He says, that Beck has to kill the dragon when it is young, otherwise the town of Kingsplot will get destroyed. With the help of his friends, Beck plants the dragon but doesn’t kill it because he thinks it is adorable. Will the town of Kingsplot fall into the hands of the Queen dragon and will Beck kill the Queen dragon?

I thought this book was very good. First of all, the description of the queen dragon matches the covers drawing. It was the same thing in Pillage. Secondly, at the end of each chapter Obert Skye includes a picture of a dragon that explains more about the book. My favorite part of this book was when they killed the queen dragon, named Lizzy. Obert Skye put so much detail in the book that it was like a movie going in my head. I gave it an eight out of ten because in some parts I got very confused, since Obert Skye did not describe some parts well. One of the parts I got confused was when Beck was talking to his dad and accusing him of being Whitey and for tricking Beck to plant the stone. I wondered how Beck knew that, and why Beck’s Father would want to trick Beck into planting the stone, because he was the one who wanted to put an end to dragons. Otherwise I loved this book, and I hope Obert Skye writes a new one.

I would recommend this book to people who love fantasy and people who like dragons.

Book Review : Pillage

Title: Pillage
Author: Obert Skye
Publishers: Shadow Mountain
Genre: Fantasy, Fiction
Pages: 312
Rating: 9/10

The small creatures in the nest squeaked and stretched. They were all different colors and slightly different sizes. Most had wide-set blue eyes with protruding noses and big mouths. Some were uglier than others; a couple of them were even cute. I couldn’t believe my eyes.

This is an excerpt from when Beck, Kate, and Milo are at the conservatory, and Beck sees dragons, which are from the big stones he planted, and he is amazed.

Pillage is the first book in this series, and Choke is the second book. Obert Skye is a well known author of the Leven Thumps series: Leven Thumps and the Gateway to Foo, Leven Thumps and the Whispered Secret, Leven Thumps and the Eyes of the Want, Leven Thumps and the Wrath of Ezra, Leven Thumps and the Ruins of Alder. Obert Skye has already started a new series called “Geth and the return of the Lithens.”

In this book, Beck Phillip’s life takes a turn for the worst. His “Mom” has died from sickness. Since his mother died, Beck has had to live with his crazy uncle whom he had not known about. During his stay with his uncle, Beck finds mysterious things happening in his uncle’s mansion, like lights flickering on and off. Beck finds himself with baby dragons, which he “planted.” Beck also finds out that dragons have killed everybody in his family. Will the Dragons destroy the town of Kingsplot? Most of all, will Beck manage to stay alive by using his special talent and stopping the dragons?

I think Pillage should get a 9/10 because of many reasons. First of all, the story is very interesting. Secondly, the humor or sarcasm in this book was awesome! Thirdly, at the end of each chapter Obert Skye added bits of history about Beck‘s family, which I thought was good because in the book you have to know some history. In the climax the history plays a big part. And, I love the fact that Obert Skye described a dragon holding a mailbox in the book, and the front cover of Pillage matches the description. In most books I don’t see that. It is very unique. I loved this book and I can’t wait to read the next one.

I would recommend this book to people who love Fantasy and adventure, especially dragon lovers. Also I would recommend this book to kids at least in third grade through eighth grade.

Book Review: The Demon King

Title: The Demon King
Author: Cinda Williams Chima
Genre: Adventure, Fiction
Pages: 506
Publisher: Disney Book Group
Rating: 9.5/10

 Have you ever been famous? And not in a good way? Reformed thief Hans Alister was poor and would do anything for money. He used to pick pockets, but that was before. He was a new man now. Or boy, to be exact. But being honest isn’t easy, especially when you want to sell something to get a lot of money. The only thing Han had to sell were the silver cuffs that were magical, and wouldn’t come off. And those would definitely have sold for a lot of money.

Everything changes though when he and his friend Dancer run into a couple of wizards, and Han ends up taking an amulet from one of them, Micah Bayar. Now with the amulet which once belonged to the Demon King, Han must strive to reveal the secrets that surround his life, and start a new life that he never imagined would be his.

While Han deals with his dilemmas, Princess Raisa ana’Marianna has to go through the horrors of finding a suitable husband. But being fifteen, adventurous, and wanting to be like the legendary queen, Hanalea, is a trying combination for what Raisa’s mother expects her to be. Also when her friend Amon Byrne comes back from Oden’s Ford, she finds that now, she and Amon seem to be more than just friends, which makes Micah Bayar--son of the high wizard, Gavin Bayar-- quite annoyed.

My favorite character in the book, The Demon King, is Han. His full name is Hanson Alister. Han is my favorite character because for one, Han’s a character with a sense humor. Also he is an adventurous person. Most of the time he does dangerous things, which is one of the things that make this book very interesting.

Another one of my favorite character is Raisa. Marrying is definitely not on her agenda, but as she finds herself closer to her Name Day, and suffocated by suitors, she finds a way to sneak out and have adventures. I like Raisa, because she is a strong-willed, determined person who will stop at nothing to get what she knows is the right thing.

I like the author Cinda Williams Chima, because her stories captivated me, not letting me drop the book. The book has surprises, twists and turns, which many books miss by a long shot, making it quite an entertaining book.

I like the book, ‘The Demon King’ because it is a book in which anything that seems impossible can be possible, when just one small discovery can lead to a chain of discoveries that can either make or break the world, a book in which one small object can cause much havoc, and in which a couple of words magical or not can lead to laws being broken, plans of death being made, and reveal the truth of the past.

Join Han and Raisa as Han explores, and Raisa dances, into one incredible adventure that twists and tangles their lives together, forever.

Video : Rick Riordan book information

This is a video about Rick Riordan, which I thought was very cool. I thought this video was cool because Rick Riordan talked about the Percy Jackson series. Also Rick Riordan mentions how he got the idea of Greek Mythology and the Percy Jackson series, and talks about future books he is going to write.

Review: The Lost Hero

Title: The Lost Hero
Author: Rick Riordan
Publisher: Disney Hyperion books
Genre: Fantasy, Fiction
Pages: 557
Rating: 9/10



He woke up in the backseat of a school bus, not sure where he was, holding hands with a girl he didn’t know. That wasn’t necessarily the rotten part. The girl was cute, but he couldn’t figure out who she was or what he was doing there. He sat up and rubbed his eyes, trying to think.

This is an excerpt of when Jason is on a school bus and doesn’t remember what happened or who he is. At that time he is trying to remember what he is doing on the bus, with the help of a strange girl he doesn’t know.

The Lost Hero is the first book of a two book series. The second book, called the “Son of Neptune” will be published on October 4^th. Rick Riordan has written other books such as the Percy Jackson series, which is very well known. The Lightning Thief, The Sea of Monsters, The Titan’s Curse, The Battle of the Labyrinth, and The Last Olympian are the other books in the series. Riordan also has another mythology series called the Kane Chronicles. In the Kane Chronicle series there are currently two books : The “Red Pyramid” and The “Throne of Fire.”

The main characters in “The Lost Hero” are Jason, Piper, and Leo, who are all demigods. In the beginning of the story Jason has lost his memory, and he ends up in wilderness school, which is a school for people who did something very bad in their life. Also in the school are Piper and Leo who are Jason’s friends, whom he doesn’t remember. Piper has a secret, and the secret is that her dad has been kidnapped. When a mysterious attack happens, Jason and his friends end up in Camp Half-Blood and go on a quest. Will they be able to get Jason’s memory back? Will they be able to find Piper’s dad?

This book is fantastic, because the characters are very interesting. Jason, Piper, and Leo are good characters because they have their very own personality, and they are very heroic and brave. My second reason for considering this book so fantastic is because of the good story. The Lost Hero had detail, suspense, and a lot of twists and turns. Another reason for liking it was that it had a good conclusion. The Lost Hero ended with suspense, which left me wondering. This book was definitely better than any other book that Rick Riordan has written. This book is also one of the best books I have read. I liked the fact that Rick Riordan connected The Lost Hero to Percy Jackson. It is very cool that you get to read about Percy Jackson and his friends again. I also loved the fact that Rick Riordan included Roman gods in this book instead of all Greek gods.

I would recommend this book to all the people who are Fantasy fans and Greek Mythology fans. I would also recommend this book to 3-7 graders.

Review: The Red Pyramid

Title: The Red Pyramid
Author: Rick Riordan
Publishers: Disney Hyperion
Genre: Fiction, Fantasy
Pages: 517
Rating: 8/10


The building shook again. At the opposite side of the room, part of the wall exploded in a brilliant flash of light. Two people stepped through the gap-- the man and the girl we’d seen at the Needle, their robes swirling around them. Both of them held staffs.

This is an excerpt from where Carter is at a museum with his father and sister Sadie. Their dad, a famous Egyptian specialist, is trying to get his wife back from the dead. But then he does something wrong.

This book is in a series of two; this is the first. The second book is the Throne of Fire, which was published on May 3^rd. The author Rick Riordan has written other books in different series. He has written The Percy Jackson series, The Lightning Thief, The Sea of Monsters, The Titan’s Curse, The Battle of the Labyrinth, and The Last Olympian, which are very successful. Rick Riordan has another series connected to Percy Jackson called The Lost Hero.

 The main characters in this book are Carter and Sadie. When Carter and Sadie’s dad tries to make things right by bringing back their mom to life, he makes a big mistake. He unleashes a very bad god named Set. He also imprisons himself in a tomb, with Set guarding him. Then Carter and Sadie discover that they are magicians. Magicians in this book are people who are trying to stop gods, especially bad gods, from being unleashed. Will they be able to save their dad, and destroy the Chaos god, Set?

My opinion of the book is that it was good, but not as good as some other books Riordan has written. I liked that on some pages the author had hieroglyphics explaining what hieroglyphics looked liked and meant. Also it was interesting that in this book Rick Riordan included artifacts that actually exist, like the Rosetta Stone, The Red Pyramid, and The House of Life. I bet that he had to do a lot of research. I loved the fact that Rick Riordan narrated the book from different view-points, like one chapter was narrated by Sadie, the next by Carter. He should use that strategy more often in his other books. I am definitely going to use that strategy when I get older and write books.

I thought this book was very cool. I would recommend this book to anybody who is fascinated by Egyptian History. I would also recommend this book to people who love Fantasy mixed in with a little facts.

Book Review: Princess Academy

Title: Princess Academy
Author: Shannon Hale
Genre: fiction,romance
Pages: 314
Publisher: Bloomsbury U.S.A. Children’s Books
Rating: 9/10

‘ “Sir,” said the older soldier courteously, “we are here to escort the girls safely to the academy. These are the kings orders. We mean no harm, but I do have instructions to take any resisters directly to the capital.” ’

This excerpt is said by one of the soldiers who takes Miri to the academy. Miri is a girl who lives on Mount Eskel in the kingdom, Danland, with the rest of her village. A day before the soldiers come, the chief delegate of Danland announces that a girl who lives in the village on Mount Eskel, will be the future king’s bride. When they get to the academy, the girls of Mount Eskel will spend a year of princess training in hopes of becoming the princess. The girls are taken to be taught how to be a princess. But as danger appears, Miri, named after the tiny mountain flower, will stand up and defend herself and her classmates.

My favorite character is Miri. She is fourteen years old, and is quite small for her age. Her father will not let Miri work in the quarry, (where they mine linder, a plentiful, beautiful rock that is found on Mount Eskel) since her mother died from an injury she had gotten mining before Miri was born. As Miri works in the academy, she strives to become the best, the academy princess. And as she works, she puzzles over many things, quarry speech being one of them, and her family the other. She wants to marry the prince so her family will not have to worry about money or food, but her feelings of love toward her childhood friend, Peder, conflict and leave Miri unsure of what she should do.

One reason I like the book, ‘Princess Academy’ is because, one message it shouts out is: it doesn’t matter about your size, or your looks. What matters is your strength, and Miri proves just that, as she saves her classmates from danger.

Another reason I like this book, is that Ms. Hale, writes so that you feel you are Miri. No matter what type of personality you have, you can always relate to Miri, and can picture yourself with Miri. You can feel the tension, the happiness and the fright, one after the other.

Read the book, ‘Princess Academy’, and join Miri as she courageously does one brave act after the other, learns how to act like a princess, and adjusts to her new life, that has been changed by love and knowledge. I recommend this book to anybody who has read any books from Shannon Hale, or who likes a little bit of romance, and a lot of adventure.

Review : Diary of a Wimpy kid - Do It Yourself

Title: Diary of a Wimpy Kid Do-It Yourself
Author: Jeff Kinney
Publishers: Amulet Books
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Pages: 213
Rating: 9/10



This book is in a series of seven books. The series includes Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Rodrick Rules, The Last Straw, Dog Days, The Ugly Truth, and The Movie Diary. You all have probably seen the first Diary of a Wimpy Kid Do-It Yourself, but have you seen the new and improved one? This new and improved book includes 16 new comics and 60 new fun pages.

Jeff Kinney writes this book as a question and answer book. For instance, it asks you about what you have done in your life that was bad. Also what was the best prank that you pulled off. And there are many more questions like these. When I read these questions I really laughed out loud. It was so funny! Also in the Do-It Yourself book different people write about different things. Like Rodrick, he writes about what he usually does. This book also includes different types of puzzles. Most of the puzzles are in a page called Rodrick’s things to do. This tells you what Rodrick usually likes to do. For example there are word scrambles and mazes. You can also make comics. You can finish comics that Greg and Rowley have started. There is more! In the middle of the book Jeff Kinney includes 32 colored comics which are written either by Greg’s friends or enemies. There are also multiple black and white comics. Jeff Kinney guides you in an adventure of humor. Now this is fun!

When I showed this to the people at my school, they loved the fact that there was a part where you could write your own Diary or journal. My friends pounced on me, because they wanted to read the book. It is fun to write a journal or a diary because you feel like it is really being published. Also that it feels like that you have accomplished something very good in your life.

Even though this book is very different from the other Diary of a Wimpy kid books, it is still very good. As I said this book asks you many questions, and once you have answered them, the answers are used to write your own story at the end of the book. This book asks you questions in a way that is funny, which makes it good. Also what I found out is that the book plans out your story by asking and answering questions. Once you have done that, you can write your story very easily.

I would recommend this book for people who love to write and read comics. This book is filled with comics and writing activities. Also I would recommend this book for comic readers because there are many comics in this book like Joshie or The Fart Police.

A new Diary of a Wimpy Kid is coming out soon, and it is going to get published in November 2011. I do not know what it is called yet. I bet it includes new pages of comics and laughter.

Book Of The Month: The Magician's Elephant

Title: The Magician’s Elephant
Author: Kate Dicamillo
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Pages: 201
Genre: Fiction

The new book of the month is ‘The Magician’s Elephant’. Here is the summary:

When a fortuneteller’s tent appears in the market square of the city of Baltese, orphan Peter Augustus Duchene knows the questions that he needs to ask. Does his sister still live? And if so, how can he find her? The fortuneteller’s mysterious answer (An elephant! An elephant will lead him there!) sets off a chain of events so remarkable, so impossible, that Peter can hardly dare to believe it. But it is -- all of it -- true.

To choose the book, I went to a site that recommended good books. There were quite a few common books, but the first book caught my eye. It showed an elephant looking down. The author is Kate Dicamillo, the author of ‘The Tale of Desperaux’. Reading the summary, I knew what book I would choose. Hope you enjoy ’The Magician’s Elephant.’

Books, books and more books

I love to read books. I like to read different Genres. Also different book series. Here's a list of some good book series that I will be reading/have already read. I will be posting reviews as I read these series.

1. Gregor series

2. Leven Thumps series

3. Artemis Fowl series

4. Charlie Bone series

5. Rangers Apprentice series

   6. The Lost Hero series 

   7. Hunger games series

   8. 13 Reality series

   9.Septimus Heap series

  10. Narnia series

11.39 Clues series

12. Eragon series

13.Children of the Lamp series

14. Alex Rider series

15. Peter and the Star Catchers series

16. The Inkheart series

17. The Benedict Society series

18. The Savvy series

19.The Atherton series

20.The Pillage series

21.Wrinkle in Time series

22. How to Train your Dragon series

23.The Far World series

 24. The Free Fall series

25. The Invention of Hugo Cabaret book

26.The Maze Runner series

27. The Roar series

28. The Tapestry series

29. The Red Pyramid series

30. The Magicians Elephant book

31. The Fire Within series

32.  The Island series