The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick. Reviewed by Hayden

This story is about a boy and a girl and they make friends. Hugo's father died. He made an invention and he didn't finish it before he died so then Hugo found it and tried to finish it. It was a mechanical man. He finished it and tried to make it work. He needed a key to make it work. The girl had a necklace and it had the key on it. There's also a movie. I recommend the book and the movie. I think the movie is better but my sister thinks the book is better. What do you think?

Wonder Struck by Brian Selznick reviewed by Anna

This story was super good but long.It is by the same guy who wrote Hugo. This story was about a girl and boy. The boy's story is written in words,and the girl's story is told in pictures.In the end the stories come together in a interesting way.I really recommend this book to boys and girls of all ages.

Cranky Paws by Darrel & Sally Odgers. Review by Hayden

Cranky Paws is a great book. Cranky Paws is a mysterious cat at the vet. There is a dog named Trump. It talks to animals at the vet. The owner of cranky paws is Murphy. There is a series of books. I only read the first one. I hope you enjoy it.

The Accidental Cheerleader by Lily ( Age 11)

I read this book this summer.  This is a good book for middle school students because they can relate to the story.  The characters are great.

Warriors Book 2 Fire and Ice ( Age 9)

Personally I like book 2 better than Book 1 ( Into the Wild)  because 2 cats you know well in the first book die and in #2 no cats you know well die. Book 2 was more intense and the battles were more intense as well. It is written well and its funny because the main character's nephew keeps doing dangerous things to try to help even though he is a baby.

Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder (8)

This book is about a pioneer family who travel from Wisconsin to Kansas.

They go through hard trials along the way.  Pa, the father, has to build the

 house.They love their little house on the prairie.This book has over 

three hundred pages of fun,trials,and life on the prairie. This book

is really interesting to me! -Natalie

The Salamander Spell
      The Salamander Spell was a thrilling book. I read it in about 1 and 1/2 hours only pausing to eat dinner. It is the sequel to The Frog Princess. Although protagonist of The Salamander Spell lives one generation before the protagonist in The Frog Princess, The Salamander Spell's story is built off of The Frog Princess. Even though the title is The Salamander Spell, I don't think that it fits it the best. The Salamander Spell as a title doesn't tell you the time period of the story. I really like that aspect of the series.

The Twits by Roald Dahl. Reviewed by Anna

I read the twits this summer.It is good for second and third graders.It is about a old man and woman who do crazy stuff and play weird tricks on each other. They also have monkeys who they boss around,the monkeys are my favorite character.

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart (post by the Laundry Queen's daughter, Pen, age 13)

The Mysterious Benedict Society is a book ideal for children anywhere in the age range of 8 years and above. It begins with a precocious orphan by the name of Reynard Muldoon (Reynie for short) glimpsing an ad while perusing the newspaper. The ad seems to be directed to children, and provides a special opportunity for gifted children and adolescents. Reynie decides he fits under this category, and is very curious to figure out what this is about. Miss Perumal, his guardian, takes him to the location specified in the ad, and Reynie finds that the special opportunity happens to be a test. This test is comprised of questions that are very curious indeed. The end of the test comes, and only Reynie advances to the next round. He takes two more tests, the first, a very rigorous and challenging test, comprised of  very little known facts, and the second, an obstacle course. He passes each, and is admitted into a society made up of children, dubbed the Mysterious Benedict Society. He, along with three other children, travel to a house so filled with books it could almost be called a library. In this house, with the aid of Mr. Benedict and his three accomplices, they are informed of the dangerous situation at hand, which they must help to amend. They travel as spies to a special academy, where their most dangerous enemy, along with his devious device, resides as head. At this academy, the children are obligated to save the world, at any cost, using each of their unique skills to their benefit. If they don't prevail, the world will be taken over in a matter of days.
To read more, you can find The Mysterious Benedict Society at any local library or bookstore. It also has two more novels in the series, which are equally fascinating. Good luck and happy reading!
--
Pen

WIN $10 FOR WRITING A REVIEW BY JULY 31, 2012!

Our first contest to get this party started!  Whoever contributes a review by July 31 will be entered into a drawing for a $10 bill! Two winners will be picked out randomly.   So jump on and write about reading!  We are excited to hear about what you have on your bookshelf.

WARRIORS 1 by Annie ( Age 9)

This book is about a pet cat named Rusty who becomes part of a clan of warriors called the Thunder Clan. I like this book because it is exiting, interesting, and suspenseful.

Usbourne Famous Lives Series

 

In this series you can read about historical figures like Martin Luther King and Winston Churchill as well.  Annie loves these.  Spencer has not read them and isn't showing much interest but we will see. 

My friend Sharon is a rep for Usbourne. 

"Sharon@SFUsborneBooks.com" ,  

CHOCOLATE

We loved this book and many in the series. Educational and fun.

The Adventures of Tintin by Spencer ( Age 8)

The Adventures of Tintin is a five star book, it is very funny,exiting and adventurous. They are awesome comics! I recommend, Tintin in America , Flight 714 to Sydney, The Red Sea Sharks,and The Black Island.

The Fake Mustache ( Ages 8 and 9)

 
ANNIE:   This book is about a kid named Lenny who's friend Casper buys a fake mustache that looks super real and a suit for disguise and starts robbing banks and brainwashing people and trying to seize power. Lenny and a movie star named Jodie try to stop him.....
            I read it in two sittings because it was so exciting.  It was hard to put the book down. It has some humor and is told by two of the characters.I would rate this book 5 Stars. 

SPENCER " This book was funny.  It is a good book because it was exciting and it made me laugh".

A HERO'S GUIDE TO SAVING THEIR KINGDOM by Spencer and Annie

 We read this book when Spencer was 8 and Annie was 9. 

Spencer: I think it is very funny when a witch says to two  Knights " I 'm  going to crush your bones into bread !" a dumb giant named Reese keeps saying.  "Doesn't that sound disgusting, wouldn't you at least need flour?"
And the witch said "Shut up Reese, Shut up Reese".                                                                                                                                                           

Annie: It is a super funny fairy tale mix up. Almost everything about it is funny. Some of my favorite parts are First, when Ella (Cinderella) is trapped in a tower and Gustav (The prince from Rapunzel) says " Cinderella, Cinderella let down your hair" and Ella replies "But its only up to my shoulders." Second, the baby talent competition.

HOW TO DRAW TRUCKS AND TRAINS by Spencer

 I think this books is really good because it teaches you how to draw things really easy.  It shows you how to draw a trailer and other things you might not know how to draw.  It doesn't just show you how to draw one thing, it shows you how to draw everything you can add onto the truck or train which I like about it.



http://www.amazon.com/Emberleys-Drawing-Book-Trucks-Trains/dp/0316789674/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1342295088&sr=1-1&keywords=how+to+draw+trains+and+trucks+ed+emberly

A SMART GIRLS GUIDE: A SERIES

From AMERICAN GIRL DOLLS comes a series that I have been impressed with.  A variety of topics from money to parties to divorce to middle school.   We have been reading several this week. We talked a lot about this book over dinner.  Good conversation starter and good for role playing so your daughter ( and son) have the social vocabulary and practice when difficult, awkward, or unfamiliar situations arise.

  A friend talks about you behind your back. What do you say to her? You want to watch a TV show that's on past your bedtime. How do you ask your parents? You break your friend's favorite CD. How do you apologize? In American Girl's latest Smart Girl's Guide, you'll learn the exact words to say in these situations, plus more than 200 others!. Tell a friend that you're sorry for her loss. Ask a teacher for more help. Stand up to a bully. Let someone how much they mean to you. Inside this book, you'll find the tools, tips, techniques, (and actual words!) to help you untangle your tongue and speak out with confidence and grace.

WONDER

 My 9 year old and I both read it and we both loved it.  A very worthwhile read.  A functional family dealing with a difficult situation.  Several narrators explain the situation from their point of view. Interesting as a mother to get in the head of a few 5th graders as I will soon have one!   Annie said "SUPER GOOD".

FROM AMAZON below..... 

I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse.
August Pullman was born with a facial deformity that, up until now, has prevented him from going to a mainstream school. Starting 5th grade at Beecher Prep, he wants nothing more than to be treated as an ordinary kid—but his new classmates can’t get past Auggie’s extraordinary face. WONDER, now a New York Times bestseller, begins from Auggie’s point of view, but soon switches to include his classmates, his sister, her boyfriend, and others. These perspectives converge in a portrait of one community’s struggle with empathy, compassion, and acceptance.

In a world where bullying among young people is an epidemic, this is a refreshing new narrative full of heart and hope. R.J. Palacio has called her debut novel “a meditation on kindness” —indeed, every reader will come away with a greater appreciation for the simple courage of friendship. Auggie is a hero to root for, a diamond in the rough who proves that you can’t blend in when you were born to stand out.