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Halfway Normal

Halfway Normal

By Barbara Dee

Middle school is hard enough, but how do you adjust when they've missed two years due to an awful illness. Norah Levy will tell you. She just completed treatment for leukemia and is ready to start a "normal" life as she heads into seventh grade. However, no one can quite define her normal. She has parents who are overprotective, but for different, understandable reasons. She has friends, but the relationships feel strained. She hates getting pity or having certain treatments just because of her illness. And please, just call it cancer - don't tiptoe around the subject! She has to deal with people making fun of or mistaking her identity based on her new appearance. Plus how can she possibly explain to a new, cute student about her experience when she just wants to move on. It was easy to get lost in her struggles and sympathize with the challenges that she was facing. There are many books that focus on sick children, but I love that this one told the other half of the story. How hard it is to step back into your old life and pick up on relationships and experiences that were halted once your world was flipped upside down. I love Norah. She has a great voice and I definitely felt her many frustrations. I absolutely love her doodling and all of the mythology that was woven into the story. The author was inspired to share this story after her son faced his own cancer battle. You can tell that her writing drew from personal experiences and felt very real. I loved this book, and I give it 5 stars.

The Titan's Curse (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 3)

The Titan's Curse (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 3)

By Rick Riordan

Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon, Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena, and Thalia Grace, daughter of Zeus, are sent to find two extremely powerful half-bloods in a military school. While trying to escort them to Camp Half-Blood, a manticore appears and ruins their plans. The iconic Hunters of Artemis come to their rescue, and the older of the two half-bloods, Bianca, decides to join them. While Kronos' army starts to build, a new prophecy arises. One that stated that the moon goddess, Artemis, is in danger, both campers and Hunters must unite. I feel that this, out of all five books, was the best. It stands out on its own. It really has depth to it, and I almost cried once or twice. But Percy, Annabeth, and Thalia have to get through it, otherwise the planet will be destroyed. New characters rise and fall, and the whole book is one big roller-coaster ride. This fantasy-mystery book will keep everyone hooked, even the mysterious General.

The Sea of Monsters (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 2)

The Sea of Monsters (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 2)

By Rick Riordan

This is the second book of the Percy Jackson series. A lot of important events happened in this stories. it started off with a competition, it showed that Percy Jackson had a new competitor, and she's the daughter of war, Clarisse. She's really tough, strong and clever, and very competitive, likes to tease Percy Jackson about that all he did (In the lightning thief serie) was because of luck. And then, he found out that he has a step brother, that is half god, half cyclops. During a usual day, they heard something huge, sounds like something is bumping the wall of Thalia (the daughter of Zeus). It brought a great disaster in the camp, because without that wall, anything, monsters, beasts can go in and destroy the half bloods. So they decided to send a group of the strongest kids to go find the golden fleece, known that it can heal anything. Although the directors sent Clarisse, and another half goat, but Percy thinks that he has the responsibility to save the camp, because of the prophecy he heard. And so he went on an adventure to find the golden fleece, to save the Olympus. It's also very intense to read, the scenes reveal in your eyes vividly, a really good book to read, it's also pretty funny. I really recommend this book the kids in any age, because it's not too hard, and it's interesting, have fun reading this fantastic book!

Rebound

Rebound

By Kwame Alexander

Awesome sequel to The Crossover! This story takes place 30 years before The Crossover, in the summer of 1988. Charlie (Chuck) Bell has just suffered from the terrible loss of his father. He is upset at his mom, because she is just not the same, and no matter how much she tries she never will be. He gets in trouble for "stealing", and as punishment his mom sends him to his grandparents in Washington DC. For the WHOLE SUMMER. No skating with his best friends CJ and Skinny. And absolutely no more road trips to state capitals with his father. Chuck finds basketball as a safe spot to calm down about his father. But then Skinny comes to Washington DC on a trip with his aunt and cousins. Disaster strikes. Sirens blare. and Chuck and Skinny end up at the police station. But for what? Find out in Rebound!

The Crossover

The Crossover

By Kwame Alexander

Kwame Alexander is the author of the book The Crossover - The reader is a basketball who describe himself with metaphor and simile has the best and his father who played in the Euro league of basketball and he's a dad health problem and his mom. The setting of The Crossover takes place at school and it takes place in the gym and at home . The main characters in The Crossover Is JB and Josh Bell the twins and their father Da Man and their Mom. Reader are introduced with funking names and it about boy who known for playing basketball and his twin brother and the readers talks about their father playing in the Euro Basketball League and there mom has their parents in their it also has some feeling to it with his dad's health problem. Alexander writing style is a poetic writing with describe the characters and it get to point of a feeling and gives me a sense of the setting like when jb and josh are on the court playing basketball and how his father played in the Euro Basketball League and I have enjoy this book because it's all about basketball and how the author used lot of rhyming. For Example This is the quote from the book the crossover “At the top of the key I’m MOVING & GROOVING POPping & ROCKING flossing flipping and my dipping will leave you slipping on the floor while I swoop in to the finish with fierce finger roll straight hole swoooooooooooosh. The Crossover Book is a amazing book it made think of a place writing all poetic things to image things about jb playing basketball it made see a boy who loves to play ball with his twin brother and a life of tough times and it's good for people love sports and tough times. The Crossover won John Newbery the Honor Award and the Coretta Scott Key Award. Kwame Alexander published the book 2014 Alexander grew up in Reston Virginia.

The Fourteenth Goldfish

The Fourteenth Goldfish

By Jennifer L. Holm

This book is about a girl named Ellie. Her parents are divorced, but still are good friends. Her mother and grandfather however don't get along that well. He sometimes tells her that she could have made a better choices. However he is also a scientist, and has discovered the secret of T. melvinus (Turritopsis melvinus). It can have the power to reverse age a person. Ellie's grandfather decides to test it on himself. It worked! However, he is forced to stay with Ellie and her mom. He takes the name Melvin, and is forced to go to school with Ellie. They meet a new friend, Raj. The book includes there adventures and also a mini-heist. I enjoyed this book, and found it inspirational. I also love science. It had good messages at the end too! The story sort of teaches you at the end to look at reverse aging a different way. The good and bad of innovations. The book can also be read by younger kids too. It is a great all-ages book.

Cut

Cut

By Patricia McCormick

Callie has a huge problem, she was sent to Sea Pines, a mental health institution for this problem, this problem nearly killed her, and this problem will forever leave marks on her body. Callie suffers from a mental illness that makes her want to hurt herself. She barely talks, so much so that the other girls even gave her the nickname S.T., Silent Treatment. It almost looks as if Callie will never get better. But, she finally starts talking taking her first steps toward recovery. This daunting book will leave you rattled. The story does and will not give you the warm fuzzies, but, it does give an important message in never giving up, no matter how easy it is. Callie shows how no matter how difficult, you need to keep on fighting. This is such an important message , which is why I recommend this book. Even though Callie could easily give up, she didn't and she shows the reader there's more to life than giving up. I recommend this book to kids in the middle school/high school. I believe (if you can) you should read this book ASAP, for it gives an incredible perspective on those who have a mental illness. (Also please check with your parents before reading this book, it may contain some language or descriptions not appropriate for some age levels.)

The Stonekeeper (Amulet, Book 1)

The Stonekeeper (Amulet, Book 1)

By Kazu Kibuishi

AMULET By: KAZU KIBUISHI The story about curious girl and boy. the names are Emily and Navin and don't really say their mother's name but their dad died from a car crash. Emily is a female she is older and a stone keeper Navin is the youngest he is a male sibling. When Emily was a little girl and her mom and dad were driving to pick up Navin but they have an accident and Emily's dad died. So a few years later Emily and her brother Navin and their mom went to their old great-grandpa's old dangerous house. It was strange. Then a strange figure lures Emily and Navin’s mom through a strange basement. so they didn’t want to lose their mother they go follow her to an underground where there are demons, robots, and talking animals. Then they follow a strange man to a house where they meet their great-grandpa Silas Charnonand's robot named Miskit and they think they can save their mother. Emily is a stone keeper that is why it says on the cover of Amulet.

Wonder

Wonder

By R. J. Palacio

Wonder was a book I first read 2 years ago, and over the years, I just couldn't stop re-reading it. The kids at my school call this book "childish", "horrible," and "weird just like the kid in the book." I think just the opposite. August is a normal kid on the inside, but not on the outside. His face has a 'deformity', which is pretty much one of the best words I could think of to describe it. Wherever he goes, people get frightened of him, scream, and run away. August always wanted a normal life and a normal face. August has always been homeschooled, but now he has to face a new challenge - actually going to school, surrounded by his peers. He was shown around by three of the 'nicest kids in school,' Jack, Julian, and Charlotte. August later finds out that Julian is not very nice at all. Once he starts going to school, August becomes best friends with Jack and people quickly start getting used to his face after weeks and months go by. He also becomes friends with Summer, and they make their lunch table, a "Summer-Only Table." At Halloween, August goes to school in a Bleeding Scream costume, when everyone thought he was going in a Boba Fett costume. August overhears Jack talking to Julian about their friendship. Jack said some very uncaring remarks about August, which he didn't really mean. But August got hurt and decided to not to be friends with Jack anymore. He was so hurt that he wanted to quit school, but his sister Via, convinces him not to. His sister Via was the one who had stuck up for him through thick and thin. Jack is very confused to why August doesn't talk to him anymore (since he didn't know it was August in the Bleeding Scream costume.) He asks Summer (who August had confided in) and Summer says, "Bleeding Scream," but Jack doesn't understand. Later, when Jack and August are paired for a science project. Jack pieces together the whole thing and realized that August was the person in the Bleeding Scream costume. Then, when Jack is talking with Julian and Julian calls August a freak, Jack punches Julian, defending his friend. Julian's mom takes it out on August instead, saying that August shouldn't even be in Beecher Prep. Meanwhile, August learns that Jack stood up for him and they become friends again. There are many characters, and each character takes a turn telling the story, so there are many chapters about the characters, side-stories, kind of. In these chapters, August and Via's dog, Daisy, dies. It is very sad and whenever I read it, I keep crying because of their sadness. Via also stars in a play and makes up with her friend Miranda, who she had separated from earlier in the book. Near the end of the book, the whole fifth grade (the grade that August is in) takes a trip to a nature reserve park. While August and Jack are in the woods, some seventh graders insult August, calling him "Gollum" and "Freddy Krueger", which was similar to the insults my friends said about August. Miles, Amos, and Henry, who were formerly friends with Julian, stood up for him. This reminds me when my friends and I all stood up against a bully, who was a common enemy. In the end of the book, we learn that Julian will not be returning to Beecher Prep in the fall. Also, as the school year finishes, there is an award ceremony. In the award ceremony, the principal gives a speech on how someone in this room accomplished great things, and overcame a lot of things. The last award in the book was given to August because he overcame everything, even with so many obstacles thrown in his way. I also want to give a special mention to the quotes in the back of the book, and one (said by August) especially moved me. "Everyone should get a standing ovation at least once in their life, because we all overcometh the world." It was beautiful. To conclude, this book moved me to tears. It was heartwarming, it was beautiful, it taught a wonderful lesson, got me emotional, was hilarious at some parts and was very touching. "This book is a wonder." - Myself.

Hatchet

Hatchet

By Gary Paulsen

The book Hatchet by Gary Paulsen is a wonderful read if you like books with adventure. Brian is going to his dads,when the plane crashes in the uncivilized wilderness of canada. Brian is left with nothing but a torn windbreaker,hatchet thaThe book Hatchet by Gary Paulsen is a wonderful read if you like books with adventure. Brian is going to his dads,when the plane crashes in the uncivilized wilderness of canada. Brian is left with nothing but a torn windbreaker,hatchet that his mom gave him. Can Brian survive the harsh wilderness? Will he man up? Will he get found? I do recommend this book for people who like adventure and survival. The rest of the series is great too!

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