Revolution!

Author: Brendan Powell Smith

Reviewed by Griffin H.

Revolution! is about the American Revolutionary War and the French Revolution. This book features pictures depicting the revolutions all built with Lego bricks. A masterfully written book, and very detailed in terms of events. From destruction of British tea to rioting over bread, this book has it all.

Including many characters in history like Thomas Edison, Thomas Jefferson, Napoleon, King Luis XVI, Paul Revere, and many more. It feels like a history lesson in a book, but more interesting than listening to a person droning on in front of a whiteboard. The book itself is very fast-paced, but did  really focus on getting to know the many, many characters in the book. The pictures that depicted the two wars were surprisingly graphic for examples built of Legos, with creative use of different pieces throughout the sets.

Many events in this book include a lot of violence, such as gore, dismemberment, and decapitation. The French believed at the time that the monarchy was keeping the citizens in poverty to stay in power. This angered the people, who started riots to civil wars to coup d’états to executions of almost the entire congress.

Following many lives of people in the revolutionary war, from George Washington to printers to soldiers to civilian eyewitnesses, he introduces all sorts of perspectives on the revolt.

I recommend this book for 5^th grade and up due to violent themes reoccurring throughout the book, and mild bad language.

The Mysterious Benedict Society

The Mysterious Benedict Society

Book 1

By: Trenton Lee Stewart

Reviewed by: Madeline S.

The book The Mysterious Benedict Society was written by author Trenton Lee Stuart. I think Stuarts’ style brings you close to the story because he tells it through an omniscient narrator that can see into Reynie’s thoughts. Occasionally the narrator describes the thoughts of the other three supporting characters. I personally think that anybody ages 9+ who likes a book that keeps you on your toes and likes mystery should look forward to reading this book. The plot will keep you guessing and waiting for more.

This book opens with a boy walking to his second test of the day. His name is Reynard Muldoon nicknamed Reynie. He is an orphan and is very bright. He even gets his very own tutor named Miss Perumal. At first Miss Perumal does advanced work with him, but Reynie speeds through it and the tutor starts reading the newspaper with him. One day an ad shows up in the newspaper that reads, “Are you a gifted child looking for special opportunities?” Miss Perumal thinks that Reynie should go and try to pass. Reynie says, “ I suppose I might be interested, if you think I would qualify.” So on Saturday he gets driven to the place where he is to take the tests. He takes five tests and passes all of them. In the end he becomes friends with three of the kids who take the tests along side him. They form a group called The Mysterious Benedict Society led by a man called Mr. Benedict. The world is in danger and they will find out why by being Mr. Benedict’s spies. They will have to go to a special school for the ‘Enlightened’ called the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened. Mr. Benedict explains to them a lot about the school and what they are to do, but they must act as new kids. They meet the head of the school and he looks just like Mr. Benedict. Is it Mr. Benedict? Has Mr. Benedict just been tricking them? Will they save they world from disaster?

I really enjoyed the suspense that is present throughout the book. There are some twists and turns in the plot that keep you guessing about what will come next. Stuart makes this story believable by using an all-knowing narrator.  This also allows the reader to see what other characters in the book are thinking and feeling, adding more depth to the story. The adventure continues with two sequels, The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey and The Mysterious Benedict Society the Prisoner’s Dilemma. 

Deep and Dark and Dangerous

Deep and Dark and Dangerous

Reviewed by M.P.

The book Deep and Dark and Dangerous by Mary Downing Hahn is very very good. It is a little bit scary but not much, it is meant to be scarier than it really is. Even so it is a great book.

The book is about a 13-year-old girl named Ali who, while rummaging in the attic, finds an old photo taken at the house where her mother grew up, by a deep and dark and dangerous lake. In the picture there are three girls. One is her mother, one her aunt Dulcie, but who is the third girl? She has been torn out of the picture. Ali is determined to find out more. She goes to the lake house for the summer with Dulcie and Ali’s 5-year old cousin Emma. At the lake, Ali hears talk of a terrible tragedy that occurred many years past, but what is it? No one will tell her, and her mother and Dulcie claim they remember nothing from childhood. Then Ali meets Sissy. Sissy is mean, spiteful, and hates Ali. Soon Emma begins having dreams about bones in the lake. None of Dulcie’s paintings work out. It seems Ali’s summer could not get any worse. Or could it?

Ali unravels lots of mysteries and finally learns the spine-chilling truth. If you are interested in what that truth is read the book. You will be surprised. I recommend this book for 3^rd or 4^th grade up, unless you don’t like scary stories. I give this book 4 ¾ stars. I definitely recommend it for anyone looking for a good story.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Reviewed by: Sawyer H.

Out in the middle of nowhere there is a mansion, five miles from the nearest town and two miles from the nearest post office. There lives a professor and a grumpy old lady. Nobody knows about all the rooms in the mansion. Four children had just moved in the mansion from London.  Their names are Peter, Susan, Edmond and Lucy, the eldest being Peter and the youngest Lucy.

The next day Peter, Susan, Edmond and Lucy were exploring the mansion. They came across a room that was bare except for a wardrobe. The others left the room but Lucy stayed in the room. She entered the wardrobe but did not shut the door behind her because one knows that trapping oneself in a wardrobe is a stupid thing to do.

Lucy kept going back into the wardrobe expecting to feel the back panel of the wardrobe but it never came. She no longer could see anything except coats the she felt something spiky and cold then all of a sudden she was in a snowy clearing with a lamp post in the middle. She heard footsteps and then a figure. The figure caught sight of her and jumped. Lucy helped the man with his parcels but it wasn't a man it was a faun.

The faun asked Lucy to come have tea and toast and cake at his house. So Lucy and the faun walked ,walked and walked to the faun’s house. Eventually they arrived at the faun’s house and the faun introduced himself as Mr. Tumnus. Mr. Tumnus's house was a cozy cave with pictures and rugs and a table. They sat and ate and talked...

I thought that this was the closest thing to the Harry Potter series. Best book for people who need some fantasy every once and a while. Good for 3rd grade and up, and has some words that every 3rd grader should know. Over all great book that really paints a picture in your head.

Zac and the Dream Stealers

Zac and the

Dream Stealers

By Ross MacKenzie

Review created for you by Logan W.

Zac and the Dream Stealers is 100% fantasy; the book is filled with goblins, werewolves, and mystical clouds.  Zac is at home with his Granny. He is trying to sleep but he can’t; dreams have crept over the whole world. One night, Zac wakes up to see Granny doing mysterious things, so he follows her, where she guides him into a land called Nocturne.  

At Nocturne, Granny explains to Zac how the Dream Stealers are haunting the world with nightmares. The Knights of Nod are trying to stop them, but the Dream Stealers have kidnapped their leader, Tinn.  Zac and Granny are trying to help the Knights of Nod get Tinn back so they can destroy the Dream Stealers and save the world.

I recommend this book for grades 3-6, because at times the story can be confusing.  There are a lot of different characters who all have the same goal of rescuing Tinn, and at first I could not tell who is who.  Fortunately, the plot is not too fast-paced so it ended up making sense in the end.  Overall I enjoyed the book.

Green

Green

By: Laura Peyton Roberts

Reviewed by: Madeline S.

The book Green is written by author Laura Peyton Roberts. I think Roberts’ style brings you close to the story because she tells the story from 13-year-old Lilybet’s point of view. I personally think that any girl that is between the ages of 7 and 16 who likes fantasy should look forward to reading this book. The plot will keep you guessing and wanting to keep reading until you are finished.  

This book opens in the summer with a girl in a gymnastics class where she doesn’t feel like she fits in. Her name is Lilybet Green. She thinks her life is horrible but today is her birthday! When she gets home she finds a package at her front door. She wants to open it now but her mom is not there and she will have her party tonight where she can open it. Can she resist? KA-BLAM!  “Happy birthday?” She finds herself on her back on the ground; everybody in the neighborhood is there looking at her as if she has come from a different planet. Slowly she stands up and then runs into the house crying. She plans to change and get ready for her party but finds three little men on her bed. They introduce themselves as Balthazar, Maxwell, and Caspar Green. They tie her up and bring her to a magical place. Where is she? She has many questions and she learns she is supposed to become their Keeper. But what is that? Becoming a Keeper requires doing three tests that show that you can be responsible for a lot of gold! But the tests just keep getting harder. Will she be able to become Keeper or will she be sent home?

I really enjoyed the excitement that is present throughout the book. There are some twists and turns in the plot that keep you guessing what will come next. Roberts makes this fantasy story believable by writing it from Lilybet’s point of view. Because Lilybet doesn’t know what is going on, you get to solve the mystery of Keeper along with her. The book ends well but leaves you wondering if there will be a sequel.  

The Bridge to Neverland

The Bridge to Neverland

Reviewed by Logan W.

This book is an okay book, with some down sides to it. The Bridge to Never Land provides some humor but not that much. It is good for readers who like fantasy. To me, the book was not that interesting.

Sarah and Aidan Cooper find a mysterious document that doesn’t make sense.  Soon they figure out that it is referring to the Starcatchers book series, which is a fictional series about Peter Pan written by these same authors. The document they found is giving them clues on where to go to find the bridge to Neverland.

The children do not know that Ombra, an evil creature, is coming after them.  Ombra is crazy for their newest possession, starstuff, and will do anything to get it. The only way to secure the starstuff is to hide it in Neverland.  Once they figure that out, the kids run away to complete their mission: to go to Neverland. But this task will not be easy with Ombra’s shadow hunters and ravens pursuing them.

What I didn’t like about the story is how the children where abusive to each other, calling each other names. I also felt like it was too much like a detective book and not a fantasy. The book is definitely for grades 4th-6th.