Category Archives: Dan & Tara

Feb
28
2017

When You Reach Me, by Rebecca Stead

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When You Reach Me is a good mystery novel that I read. The book is by Rebecca Stead. It’s all about how Miranda receives letters from some mystery person. Miranda learns who to avoid in her neighborhood by sixth grade like one crazy guy on the corner. This book takes place where she lives, in school and around her neighborhood. I would recommend this book for people who like mysteries!

Miranda is curious, adventurous and brave.  Miranda is curious because she likes to know what’s going on around her and she has so many questions in her head that she wants to answer, like when someone keeps writing her letters and she doesn’t know who it is. I like that about her. Miranda is calm because when she reads the letters, she doesn’t tell anyone and doesn’t go crazy about it because she was told not to. Miranda is brave because when boys gang up on her or her friends, she stands up for them. I like that about her because she’s being an ally.

One of the most interesting parts of the book is when Miranda figures out who she gets the letters from. It was also interesting when Miranda’s best friend Sal got punched in the stomach because one of the boys just decided that he wanted to see what would happen if he did that. I think it wasn’t cool how Sal got mad at Miranda for no reason.  It was interesting because he said he really just needed a break from their friendship which is why he didn’t talk to her for a while. He knew that his only friend was a girl and he wanted more boy friends to hang out with.

I enjoyed the book When You Reach Me. I enjoyed it because I liked how I had to figure out what was going to happen next, and who was writing the letters to Miranda. I would recommend this book to people who like mysteries and figuring things out like a puzzle. I find Miranda a unique character because she starts something she doesn’t give up. I really like that about her that’s why I read this book in the first place. I also heard that the book was really good from a lot of my friends. On a scale from one to five I would give this book three stars which would mean it was pretty good. But it is not my favorite book. I think people should read this book!

Feb
16
2017

The Blood of Olympus, by Rick Riordan

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I read a book called The Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan. This book is part of a series called The Heroes Of Olympus. The book/series takes place in 2016 and a bunch of places I can’t even list, but it mostly takes place in Italy, Greece, America and Tartarus. The main character’s names in the book/series are: Hazel, Leo, Percy, Annebeth, Frank, Jason and Piper. In the book, seven demigods take a journey to Athens, Greece to fight/send back to Tartarus/kill giants (the sons and daughters of Gaea, the earth goddess who was the first goddess to live that is evil) to stop them from waking Gaea. The giants needed two demigods blood spilled on the Parthenon (which is where Poseidon, the Greek god of water and hurricanes and Athena, the Greek god of wisdom and weaving, did something to declare who Athens would be named after and Athena won) to waken Gaea. Before the demigods get to Athens, Greece, they make a few stops they might need. But they don’t just get together and try to save the world, there’s a whole story to it.

One of the most interesting characters is Annebeth. She’s smart. I mean, she’s a daughter of Athena, the goddess of wisdom. Of course she’s smart. She’s strategic. When you’re smart, you’re also strategic. She once broke her leg and she didn’t have a boot or anything like that. She had to make a boot made out of a piece of wood and bubble wrap and she had to use sticks for crutches. She’s brave. She fell into Tartarus (a pit where Greek and Roman monsters come back to life. Tartarus was also the first god to live) and didn’t even have a heart attack.

The demigods didn’t just have to stop Gaea from waking. They had to do much much more than that. They had to bring a statue to Camp Halfblood (a sleep away camp where Greek demigods stay to be protected from monsters) and set it on Halfblood Hill to stop a war between Greek demigods and Roman demigods. One of the most interesting parts of the book is that the seven demigods had to get a cure that can heal you from death. You can not come back to the human world death. You stay dead. Another interesting part of the book was that Leo could make killer robots try to kill themselves. It’s called idiot mode. Another interesting thing that happened in the book was that the giants didn’t spill Annebeth and Percy’s blood on the Parthenon right away. That’s interesting because the giants want to be the rulers of the world. The only way they can do that is with Gaea.

This book is probably one of my favorite books out of the many books I’ve read. You will literally fall in love with this book (which I did). If you like the Percy Jackson series, you will love this book. There are relationships, like relationships in the Percy Jackson series (which I mean girlfriend- boyfriend relationships). It has similar writing, and it’s a mix between Greek mythology and Roman. It has everything. It’s action packed and fantasy (just like Percy Jackson). One of my favorite parts of the book was when Leo tricked nymphs into thinking Leo was more handsome than Narcissus (who is crazily handsome). In case you don’t know, a nymph is a nature spirit. I liked that part because tricking nymphs into thinking you’re hotter than the hottest person in the world is pretty darn hilarious! Imagine looking at the poor guy’s face. It was probably red with envy. I rate this book five stars. That’s why I want you to read this book.

Feb
16
2017

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, by J.K. Rowling

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I read Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling, it is the sixth book out of seven books in the Harry Potter series. It takes place in Harry’s 6th year, he is 16. It is mostly about Harry Potter’s time at Hogwarts and what is going on outside of Hogwarts in the wizarding world. The main characters are Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley. Harry is talked about the most. Some other characters mention a lot in the book are Ginny Weasley, Albus Dumbledore, and Draco Malfoy. Harry is facing a huge problem, Lord Voldemort. He is trying to kill Harry and has been since Harry was baby. Harry is also trying to find out why Malfoy keeps wandering off. Harry is trying to find out what he is up to because he thinks Malfoy is a Death Eater and is up to no good. Lots of exciting and sad things happen in Harry’s 6th year.

Harry is brave, curious, kind and resilient. Harry is resilient because he has fought against Malfoy before and won. Harry is curious because he wants to find out what Malfoy is up to. Harry is brave because he went to destroy a horcrux with Dumbledore and doing that is super dangerous. Harry is kind because when he used the potion book that had all the tips he shared it with Ron.

One interesting part of the book is when Dumbledore lets Harry come with him to destroy one of Voldemort’s horcruxes. That is interesting because it is very dangerous and difficult to destroy a horcrux. Another interesting part of the book is how he reacted to Ginny going out with Dean. Harry got very mad inside when he first found out because he secretly likes Ginny and wants to go out with her. That is interesting because he is usually a very kind person and doesn’t feel that toward a friend.

I enjoyed reading Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince because it’s funny, especially when Mrs. Weasley gets mad at Ron all the time. I also like it because it’s a little scary especially when Harry and Dumbledore go to get a horcrux and the Inferi attack them. I would definitely recommend it because it is very exciting and funny. Also if you like magic and fantasy it’s full of it! There is a movie for this book and I think it got Harry’s personality correct. It also gets most of the details mostly the big ones, but it does leave out a few major details. Another movie that is like Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince is Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. It is like Harry Potter because it has lots of magic and Newt Scamander wrote a book they use at Hogwarts. I would rate this book a 4 and a half – I loved it a lot. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince is definitely a great book.   

 

Feb
16
2017

Switch, by Ingrid Law

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Switch is a companion to the Newbery Honor Winner SAVVY. The book is about a girl named Gypsy and her magical family. The morning of Gypsy’s 13th birthday Gypsy wakes up with blurry vision and keeps seeing visions of the future and past. Before Gypsy figures out her powers her parents announce that her Grandma Pat is going to move in with them. A little later into the book there was a blizzard. Gypsy has to save her family from a vision she had and learn how to control her powers before it’s too late.

Gypsy Beaumont is caring, different, and child like. She is caring in a interesting way because she tries to stop them from doing the stuff in her visions but it just makes them worse. She is different because she has magical powers and because and everyone is different in their own way. She is childlike because she loves glitter and kiddish stuff and because she acts like a little kid.

One of the most interesting parts in the book is when Gypsy wakes up to blurry vision and seeing flashes of the future and past because that is not something that’s going to happen everyday. Another interesting part in the book is when Gypsy’s grandma Pat moves in with them because once she moves in a blizzard comes and they can’t leave the house.

I did enjoy this book. I like this book because it’s a magical book and I like magic. I would recommend this book if you like Winter and magical books about their family. I would also recommend this book because Gypsy is a great character and I really enjoy reading about her and her family. This book is unique because I have not heard of a movie or a book where there’s a girl who has to save their family from a vision she has while there’s a blizzard going on. I rate this book three and a half stars because I didn’t love this book but I didn’t hate it.

Feb
16
2017

Holes by, Louis Sachar

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This book is about a boy named Stanley Yelnats. He was accused of  stealing shoes. He went to court and the judge said to Stanley, “You can go to jail or Camp Green Lake,” and Stanley chose Camp Green Lake which is in Texas. Camp Green Lake is a place where bad children stay to learn how to be civilized people. While Stanley is at the camp, he has a lot of work and punishment. At camp they had to dig one hole a day. I really liked this book. This book is a long read and you get a lot out of it.

Stanley is a sensitive and kind person. He helps others and treats them nicely. He is nice and helpful because he helped someone read and write at Camp Green Lake. He is not like one of those bad kids. He is the only kid at camp who writes to his mother. I think he is the only one who writes to his mom because he is sensitive.

I found it the most interesting when Stanley and his friend Zero find something special. I think it is interesting because they are so shocked and happy. Also when Stanley and Zero get in trouble it is interesting because it is action packed because they go on an adventure.

The book keeps you wanting to read. I think it was my favorite book I ever read. There is no book like it and it is amazing. The book is fun and exciting. The book tells you the “hole” story of how Stanley got there. There is also a movie! My rating of the the book is  5 stars. Read it!

 

 

 

 

Feb
16
2017

Artemis Fowl, by Eoin Colfer

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The title of the book is called Artemis Fowl. The author’s name is Eoin Colfer. This book is from a series called Artemis Fowl which takes place in the present in Ho Chi Minh City.  Artemis Fowl is a kid who is a thief. He is only 12 years old. He is trying to get all the money that his family lost. In this book Artemis is trying to find a book that would get him lots of money. The book can unlock fairy secrets and expose all of the fairies’ money. He had to blackmail a witch to get the book. The fairies tried to stop Artemis from getting their money especially Holly Short a Lep-recon officer

Artemis Fowl is sly, cold, determined, and smart. He is sly because he stole a lot of money by tricking fairies and got away with it. He is cold because he captured a fairy and didn’t regret it. Artemis Fowl is determined  because  he  wants to restore his family’s fortune and become the most powerful family in the world.  He is smart because when the fairies attempted to kill him he made it out alive.

One of the most interesting  parts  in the book is when Artemis’s mom didn’t recognize him. I thought this was important because I could almost feel Artemis’s sadness and anger because his mom didn’t  know who he was. One thing I was excited about was when Artemis’s mom got better. But this is bittersweet. It’s bitter because Artemis won’t have anymore Adventures because his mom will be paying attention (he still will). It’s sweet because his mom is healthy and strong and  is going to give Artemis a better childhood.

I loved Artemis Fowl  because the book is action packed, and I love books with action. This book also has trolls and goblins and other creatures, and the way the creatures interact with each other is more interesting to me than people interacting. I would recommend this book to people who like fast paced fantasy fiction. This book is also good for people who like chapter books with easy to read font. It reminded me of many of Rick Riordan’s books like Percy Jackson and the  Kane Chronicles because each book has different creatures and many adventures. It also reminded me of James Bond because he and Fowl like to be sneaky and have lots of gadgets. I would give this book 4 stars out of 5. I would recommend this book to kids aged 7 and up.     

Feb
16
2017

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson (retold by Chris Tail)

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Treasure Island is by Robert Louis Stevenson and retold by Chris Tail. Treasure Island takes place around the 1880s. The setting is at sea and on two islands, Bone Island and Treasure Island. The main character is named Jim Hawkins. The story is Jim trying to get to Treasure Island, and how the crew and one captain named Long John Silver are kind of bad. It also is about living the life of a pirate.

In Treasure Island Jim is a brave, determined, and smart 9 year old boy. He was brave because he dared to journey across the sea from his home town. Jim was a determined boy because he was intrigued by Treasure Island and wanted to avenge a captain. He was a very smart because he used a map to find Treasure Island and its coordinates.

Meeting Long John Silver was an important part because it made getting to Treasure Island really difficult. Long John Silver was the only thing stopping them from finding Treasure Island because he was greedy. Bone Island was an important event because that is when they were able to find the exact location of where Treasure Island was (at first they only knew where the area was) and they got rid of Long John Silver by leaving him on a Island. These events were interesting because when you first meet Long John Silver all you hear is he’s mean but later Jim experiences it and knows how mean he actually is. He is the description of mean.

Treasure Island was a very good book because on Bone Island Jim wandered into the forest and found and listened to important information, it was very interesting and super intense which I liked. Treasure Island was also a good book because Jim gets tortured and he also got some experience with fighting. I recommend Treasure Island because when you read it gives you the tiniest details which makes everything better. This book reminds me of the starting of Spongebob Squarepants when the pirate is there. It reminded me of the starting of Spongebob Squarepants because at the beginning there is a pirate and throughout Treasure Island there were pirates. I’ll give it a 5 star rating.

Feb
16
2017

The Lost Hero By Rick Riordan.

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I am reading a book called The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan. It is in the Heroes of Olympus series. It is about a boy named Jason, his friend Leo, and Jason’s girlfriend Piper. They are half- bloods. Half god, half human. They go to a camp called Camp Half-Blood. They go on adventures and fight monsters to try and find Percy Jackson. The three go to many places to look for Percy but do not find him. Yet. Greek monsters come to the modern age and it’s up to Jason, Piper, and Leo to stop it.

Jason is brave, confident, and smart. Jason is brave because he accepted the challenge of going on the quest. He is confident because even though he was badly hurt by a venti, or storm spirit, he still fought it. He is smart because he knew he was in danger when the venti came and he knew how to stop it.

Two parts of the book that I found interesting were when Jason, Piper, Leo, Annabeth, and Butch are on a chariot driven by pegasi and one of the wheels catches on fire. I liked this part because it made me stay on my heels and wonder what was going to happen. Another interesting part was when Jason went to the Big House and talked to a goddess. This was interesting because I wasn’t sure what was going to happen to him and it made me want to read more.

I really enjoyed the book. I enjoyed it because it has lots of adventure and action. I also enjoyed it because of the fun surprises. I would really recommend this book because of all the reasons above, the suspense, and the characters. Also, the humor is great. This book reminds me of The Kane Chronicles. It reminds me of it because there are Gods and mythical creatures coming to America. Also in both series all the main characters go on a quest and fight monsters. I would give this book a four star rating. It’s really good.

Feb
16
2017

If I Were You, by Leslie Margolis

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The book I am reading is called If I Were You by Leslie Margolis. This book is set in Malibu in 2016. The book is about two girls, Katie and Melody who wish to redo their summer as each other. Katie wants to be stunning and rich like Melody while Melody wants to have two adorable little brothers like Katie. When their wish comes true they realize the grass may not be quite so green on the other side. In this book, each chapter is from Katie’s or Melody’s point of view.

Melody is friendly, positive and she is sensitive to her friends. She is friendly because whenever she is with Katie’s two younger brothers she always wants to hang out with them even though they can sometimes be demanding and annoying. Often, the brothers wake Katie up at 6:00 am to play superheros. On top of that, the brothers usually fight over who is which superhero. She is positive because whenever something isn’t going well she tries to think on the bright side. Melody is sensitive to her friends because she tries not to do things that hurt her friends feelings and when she does she feels bad.

The book talks a lot about friendship and what to do and what not to do. One of the most important parts of the book is when Katie and Melody get in a fight because Melody kept a big secret from Katie. This moment is important because it explains how friends should not keep secrets from each other because it can impact the friendship in a bad way. Another important moment from the book is when Katie and Melody make the wish to redo their summer as each other. This moment is important because it is the moment that drives the rest of the story.

Personally, I enjoyed this book. I liked how each chapter was from either Katie’s or Melody’s point of view. It made the book more interesting because you got to see through each character’s eyes and experience how Katie or Melody felt. I also enjoyed Katie and Melody’s personalities.They are so different from each other it makes the book more unique. I would recommend this book to people who like realistic fiction and people who liked the movie Jessica Darling’s IT List. This book reminds me of the movie Jessica Darling’s IT List. This movie reminds me of If I Were You because the characters are very alike. For example, Jessica is just like Katie. They both have long brown hair, are stubborn, and have a tomboy sense of style. Secondly, Melody is just like Bridget. They both have curly blonde hair, are popular at school, and have a girly-girl sense of style. I would give this book four stars.

 

Feb
16
2017

The Twits By, Roald Dahl

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This book is called The Twits by Roald Dahl.  It is about a couple who is very mean, silly and ugly.  The main characters are Mrs. Twit and Mr. Twit. They like to do pranks on each other and are very nasty to animals and humans. They can do some very funny things to each other, but they are still married. I think that is how they show their love. This story takes place at Mr. and Mrs. Twit’s home. The book was written in 1980, but it still relevant today.

Mr. Twit is very hairy, dirty, and cruel.  He is hairy because when he has negative thoughts, his hair grows.  Since he has so much hair, Mr. Twit always seems to get food stuck in both his big beard and his gross, crooked teeth. He is dirty because Mr.Twit never uses a napkin and would rather wipe his mouth with his sleeve or his pants.  Mr. Twit is the most cruel character I have ever read about. He creates a plan to cut down the legs of Mrs. Twit’s chair to make her think that she is shrinking.  He also forces monkeys to stand on their heads for days!

One of the most interesting parts of the book is when all of the animals that Mr. Twit tries to hurt glue the house upside down to get back at the Twits. They do this because the Twits are not being nice to them and they want to trick the mean Twits. Another interesting part is when the kids get stuck in the tree with glue and they have to take off their pants to get out.  Mr. Twit thinks that if he puts glue on the tree then birds will get stuck and he can catch them for dinner. The last interesting part is when Mr. Twit puts a frog in Mrs. Twit’s bed. This causes Mrs. Twit to screech at the top of her lungs. Mr. Twit and Mrs. Twit are always trying to outdo each other’s pranks.

This book was a very enjoyable book because I love all the funny stories, and if you like funny pranks then this book is for you.  My favorite part was when the boys were stuck in the tree and they had to take their pants off to get out of the tree. This book was really fun with so many silly parts.  It will make you laugh and you will not want to put it down. You might also want some ideas for pranks and this book will give you a lot of them. The Twits does not remind me of anything because there is nothing like it. I would rate this book five stars because it is one of the best books I have ever read.