Jared's mom loves to help people, all people, so when a refugee family from Africa loses their apartment she invites the family to come live in their house. Now Jared will have to share his room with a complete stranger. A complete stranger who may have never ridden in car, used an inside toilet, used a telephone of any kind. Jared's little sister, Mopsy, is thrilled with the idea; she thinks the refugees will be her new best friends. Even Kirk Crick, the expert from the Refugee Aid Society, warns them all of the problems the refugees may have when they come. No one is prepared for how many problems the Amabo family actually has when they arrive in New York, and no knows who these four very strange people really are. This thriller really kept me on the edge of my seat!

This is the most ridiculous story told in verse (poetry that is) I have ever read! That being said I just loved the story of Katrina Katrell who was so creative her mean nanny plotted to have her brain removed. If that sounds scary, well it isn't really, it's just silly and funny. After Katrina escaped from the evil Dr. LeFang, she met Morty the zorgle and the embark on a fantastic adventure to save the lost zorgamazoos. Their adventure takes them in to outerspace and beyond if you can believe it. To find this book on the shelf: FIC WES

The Everafter by Amy Huntley

This realistic ghost story follows Madison Stanton as she figures out how she died. This book reminded me a little bit of Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold, in that a dead girl is telling the story of her life. (If you like Everafter, then I would highly recomend Lovely Bones and vice versa.) At any rate, Madison tells the story of her life through these objects she finds in a place she calls "is". Each object, like a pine cone, a sweatshirt, and a bracelet brings Madison back to the specific time in her life when she lost the item. Some of the items take her back to times she spends with her best friend Sandra, and some of them take her back to times she spent with her boyfriend Gabe. The ghost story part of this book comes in when Madison discovers that she can talk to other dead people, and that she can change things in her life like a ghost. In the end, I couldn't put this book down until I found out how and when Madison actually died. If you like a good ghost story or a teen romance then you will like The Everafter by Amy Huntley. To find this book on the shelf look for: FIC HUN

Where the Red Fern Grows

Where the Red Fern Grows
by: Wilson Rawls

The story Where The Red Fern Grows was about two dogs named Little Ann and Old Dan and a boy named Billy. Billy loved to coon hunt; he was so good at it he went to the championship coon hunt. He came first in the beauty pageant competition. They also came first in the coon hunt. When Billy got home that’s when everything went bad. After like 2 weeks they been home Billy and the dogs went hunting again. They went into the mountains. The dogs was in a battle with a mountain lion and Billy killed the lion when the lion had made a big cut in Old Dan. When they were walking home the dog’s intestines fell out and when they got home he died. So that made him sad; also it made Little Ann devastated so she died from loneliness.

I liked the book Where The Red Fern Grows. It was mysterious at times because you didn’t know what was going to happen next. It was also sad at times. So it’s a good book for you if you like stories of friendship and if you like animals.

--Tashawn S.

Among the Hidden

Among the Hidden
by: Margaret Peterson Haddix

Luke is a shadow child. Shadow children are forbidden by the Population police. So Luke has never had a friend and has not seen farther than he can see out his window. You see Luke has to hide from people everyday so that the people don’t discover him and have him killed. Then one day Luke sees a girl in the house a crossed from his where two kids already live. So Luke wants to go meet this girl. Now he has to be willing to take a risk to go meet her.

I really liked this book because it kept me wanting to read more and people who know me know that I don’t like to read. From a one to ten I would rate it a ten. It has lots of action and adventure. This book also keeps you hanging off your seat.

-Holly K.

Middle School is Worse Than Meatloaf

Middle School is Worse Than Meatloaf
by: Jennifer L. Holm

This fiction story is about a twelve year old girl named Genevieve Davis, known as Ginny, who is in the seventh grade. This book is about how Ginny has a wish for ten items on her big to-do list for seventh grade year. Some things on her list are get a dad, win something, and try to be friends with Mary Catherine Kelly, who was friends with her before an incident that occurred. Ginny has been waiting to accomplish the “Getting a dad” first every since her dad left. Ginny has been planning dates for her mom. The next big thing on her list is to get this yellow sweater she has wanted all summer and the next BIG thing on her to-do list, is to get the roles of Sugar Plum Fairy in the Nutcracker. If you want to know more about her to-do list, CHECK OUT this book.
I think people at the ages of nine and up would enjoy this book because it also includes images but has a lot of words with the image. Also because it is about those ages, well just about. The book is about fashion, gossip, and middle school. People these ages would enjoy it. This book includes first person point of view. The narrator is Ginny and her best friend, Becky. Ginny calls her BeckySoo. So if you like books with images, gossip, friendship, and fashion. Check out this book. I know you would enjoy it.

--Deliyah N.

SKELETON CREEK
by Patrick Carman

The book is about a boy and a girl who together try to solve mysteries about Skeleton Creek like finding out why it is called that. It might sound like fun and games, but they have to go through some problems even just to make a plan. Imagine how it would be like to sneak out the hou……… I've said too much. Read Skeleton Creek by Patrick Carman and find out the rest of the story for yourself.

I like Skeleton Creek because it is like a mysterious book and a horror book at the same time. I am trying to convince you whether you are a boy or a girl to try and read this book.

--Oscar P.