Beowulf is a classic heroic epic written one thousand years ago; I read the version that Seamus Heaney translated into modern English. This translation was excellent, managing to balance the original style and rhythm with a clear and understandable tone. Beowulf is a traditional hero. As a result, some of the plot points are fairly predictable. Nevertheless, I would recommend this epic poem to anyone who enjoys Tolkien or other fantasy series. Reading Beowulf, it is easy to see where more contemporary authors got their inspiration.
Reader Grade: 9

Flush, written by Carl Hiaasen was about a boy, named Noah. Noah has a father who is in jail for sinking a boat called the Coral Queen. His father has been put in jail before, and never regrets what he has done because he believes that he is responsible for his actions, and it is worth it for what he has done. Noah is used to his father doing crazy stuff like this, because when Noah's father sees something that upsets him, he will do whatever he can to stop it, especially with people hurting and damaging wildlife. The reason he got recently put in jail is because he claimed that he saw the boat putting all of their sewage into the ocean water. Even though his dad does lots of crazy and unpredictable things, Noah thinks his dad would never lie to him about what he saw. He starts to investigate and tries to prove that the Coral Queen did in fact put sewage into the ocean. This book did surprise me in some ways, and the book got more and more interesting as it went on.

Reviewer grade:

This is the last book in “The Selection” series. However it is just as good as the previous books. “The Crown” is part of a series and so reading the books in order will keep you from being very confused. There really isn't a cliffhanger in the book because it is the last in the series.
But the book is still unpredictable and grabs your attention. If you like romance stories read “The Crown”. It is beautifully written and is one of the best books I have read this year.
Reviewer Grade: 8

What I liked about The Secret of the fortune Wookie is that it is humorous and related to Star Wars! For those who like humor and Star Wars, you would love reading it. It is about a kid named Dwight and his friends.
Dwight makes an origami Yoda and it uses the "force". But Dwight gets suspended and his friends don't know what to do without him. Would he want to come back to school after his suspension is over? Is he still interested in origami Yoda anymore? Find out in The Secret of the Fortune Wookie!

Reviewer Grade 7

Louisa is on the run. Leaving the private boarding school she attended, and with no family to speak of, she plans to masquerade as a fortune teller in order to obtain enough money to leave Britain for America. After one fortune telling session goes awry, she finds herself at the mercy of an old crone who offers her a position as a scullery maid at a nearby mansion, Coldthistle. Louisa is excited to have employment, but after seeing strange, solid apparitions in the night, she learns that Coldthistle Manor is a house that attracts the most horrid of visitors, and that their punishment (death) is meted out by the employees of the house. She has to decide whether or not to stay and try protect new visitor and possible romantic interest Lee, or to resuscitate plan A and flee to the Americas.

I enjoyed this entertaining, gothic style horror story. Louisa, our protagonist, is fairly interesting, especially as you learn more about her upbringing and experiences with abuse at her boarding school. She doesn't lack a backbone, which is something I appreciate in a protagonist, especially in a Victorian setting. However, for this reader, Coldthistle and Mr. Morningside are the interesting parts, and as this book is the first in the series, we only scratched the surface of discovering more about them. The mythology of the peoples living in the house is revealed by short vignettes at the beginnings of some chapters, and those creature's appearances were illustrated by someone quite talented. The occasional chapter was also preceded by artwork - pictures have meaning in the book, and some chapters featured a creepy looking wall featuring random, old school looking pictures of things that were usually relevant to the next few chapters.

Some readers have complained that the pacing of the book is a bit slow at the start, but I did not find this to be the case as I was pretty instantly swept up in the mystery of Coldthistle. I will say that I didn't find the book to be especially scary, even after a few extremely gruesome murders, but it was definitely a bit creepy. The lack of scariness, for me anyway, was because despite the pictures and fabulous illustrations, I never really bought into the creepy, gothic atmosphere. The lack of chills notwithstanding, I enjoyed the characters, setting and new-to-me mythology enough to ultimately enjoy the book. I think that teens that read horror novels will find a lot to like here, and I'll be booktalking this one (in high schools, it really is quite gory) in the fall. 3 stars.

The fourth book in “The Selection” series starts a new “Selection”
with the new generation of royalty (don't worry the characters from the previous books are still in the story). Since “The Heir” is part of a series (all of the books) should be read in chronological order for better understanding of the stories. This is another amazing book in an overall amazing series. For any romance book lovers please read “The Heir” (I seriously beg you). Not at all predictable and with a cliffhanger or two this book will steal all your attention. Definitely on my top ten list of best books I have read this year!
Reviewer Grade: 8

The third book of “The Selection” will keep you on your toes. This book may be the third book in a five book series however, it is the last book about Prince Maxon’s “Selection”. The entire book (until the end, of
course) you will be asking what happens next. If you enjoy romance books READ THIS BOOK!!! Since this book is apart of a series if you read the books in order it will make a lot more sense. This is a completely unpredictable book, you will never know what will happen on the next page. It was definitely one of the best books I have read EVER!
Reviewer Grade: 8

"The Elite" is the second book in "The Selection" series. Since it is part of a five book series it will make a lot more sense if you read the books in order. If you like to read romance books please read "The Elite".
This book is amazing and will have your attention from start to finish. The story and some of the characters are relatable to the reader. The book is unpredictable and there is a cliffhanger or two waitiing at the end. It is one of the best books I have read all year! If you need a good book to read, "The Elite" is waiting for you.
Reviewer Grade: 8

"The Selection" is a beautifully written novel. For anyone who likes romance books "The Selection" is a great book to read. This book is completely unpredictable and contains a cliffhanger. "The Selection" is the first book in a five book series and the books will make much more sense if you read them in order. The main character and some parts of the story is relatable to the reader. This is one of the best books I have read this year.
If you have not yet read "The Selection" please do!
Reviewer Grade: 8th

If you're looking for an intriguing and funny book, Stick Dog Chases a Pizza is for you! It's humorous and will keep you reading for a long time.

I found it very funny and difficult to stop reading. It's about a group of five dogs who realize that pizza is the best food they've ever tasted. So they go on a mission to get more, but either they could get caught and face some consequences, or they could get a tasty treat! Pick up this book, start reading, and you wont regret it!