Category Archives: Humor

Jan
05
2015

Toby Wheeler Eighth-Grade Benchwarmer by Thatcher Heldring

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I read Toby Wheeler Eighth-Grade Benchwarmer by Thatcher Heldring. The main character’s name is Toby Wheeler. The story takes place mostly in Pilchuck Junior High in Seattle. Toby loves basketball but has never played on an actual team. When Toby is playing at the rec center one day, his friend JJ points out that the coach for their school’s travel team is there. JJ is determined to make the roster. Toby meets the coach and the coach gives him a flyer that is his ticket onto the team if he wants to play. Toby doesn’t care so much about the team; he just wants to keep up with his friend JJ. The plot is about how Toby learns to be a good teammate even when he’s sitting on the bench.

 

 

Toby really wants to be on the court in a big moment in a game and when he finally gets to, he realizes that he should just play hard whatever the chance you get, big or small. Toby makes friends with the coach’s daughter, Megan, and he thinks that that friendship is making things worse with his coach, effecting his playing time. It’s not. Toby is just not playing up to his coach’s expectations. Toby thinks Megan wants to be more than friends so he writes her a note that makes the situation even worse. Megan then turns away from Toby. Meanwhile, JJ has a new friend in his band named Steven. Steven’s sister Valerie and JJ have a thing for each other. On Halloween, Toby wants to go trick-or-treating and JJ goes off with his new friends instead. Losing Megan and JJ, Toby feels sad and thinks he has no friends. When he first joins the team, Toby is overconfident in his basketball skills and is surprised to see that he’s not a starter or a key sub. He’s a reserve (benchwarmer). Toby is strong because at the end he’s able to bounce back and with hard work becomes a key sub. Toby is nervous when he wants to ask Megan to the school dance and his nerves get the best of him.

 

 

I liked this book because it was about a sport I play and also because the scenes with the basketball team are hilarious and funny. There’s one part where Toby does an imitation of his coach. It’s like a cold, it’s contagious, everybody on the team starts copying it. Toby’s old rec center rival Vinny Pesto plays for the league champions of the last three years and Toby is determined to beat him for his second time ever. They have lots of trash-talking battles which are crazy. For example: “That’s a nice costume, Pesto. I didn’t know they sold dog-butt masks.” I would recommend this book to sports fans because it is packed with basketball action. I would also recommend it to people who like stories about friendship because this book has friends and frenemies. This book is similar to some of Matt Christopher’s books which are about sports and friendship. I would give this book a rating of 4 stars on a 5-star scale. I can’t give it a full five stars because at some points there is too much happening and it gets a little complicated.

 

                                                              ****

Reviewed by Drew Kaufman

Dec
12
2014

My Life as a Stuntboy by Janet Tashjian

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imgresMy Life as a Stuntboy is by Janet Tashjian. The series is My Life series. The main character’s name is Derek Fallon, who gets to be a skateboard stunt-boy in a movie about a kid that runs away from danger.  The book takes place in California.

An important thing in my book is Derek got a part in a movie but his friend didn’t. So his friend got mad. Derek also has a hard time reading. But he does not know that one time when he had a tutor come to his house he was filmed by his best friend Matt. Matt put the film on youtube because he was mad at Derek. Another important thing in the book was before Derek got the part in the movie he got a monkey! He was really brave when his monkey got stolen by a kid in school. The kid in school put him in the top of his garage on the fifth shelf and Derek got him! Derek is not that smart. He left his monkey in his room with his toys, and his monkey ate them. Derek is normal. Like most kids he is excited to be in a movie because he does not get to be in a movie every day.

I did like this book because of the monkey. Especially when Derek’s family found out they could keep his monkey. I also like when the author drew pictures of new vocabulary words that some people might not know. I would recommend this book to people that like easy ways to figure out hard words. This book reminds me of Diary of a Wimpy Kid because it’s the same author. I give this book five stars.

 

Dec
12
2014

Famous For Thirty Seconds by P.G. KAIN

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P.G KAIN

The series I am reading is called Commercial Breaks and the name of the book is called Famous For Thirty Seconds by P.G. Kain. The main character’s name in the book is Britney Rush. The book is mainly about a girl who moves to Hong Kong for a year and when she gets back she does not have such great luck getting in for bookings go-sees and auditions will she realize  that there is more to life than being Famous For Thirty Seconds.The main setting of the book is casting places her house.

Something that I found the most interesting is that Britney has a twin and she expects that her and her sister are supposed to be exactly the same. Because just because you look like someone does not mean you are exactly the same. Another thing that surprised me was that the book talks a lot about the city and Washington Square Park and NYU because the author works at NYU  and my mom works at NYU so thats how I got this book.

 Finally that the person who wrote the book used to be an actor himself. That’s why he knows so much about acting. If I had to use three adjectives to describe Brittany the first one would be competitive I think that because any time her ‘’friend’’ Phoebe gets a booking she says that Phoebe did that purpose just to make her feel bad. The second adjective would be insecure I say that because she is always thinking about what other people think about her not what she thinks about herself. Third would be very friendly I say that because anytime time she sees people who she has seen before she says hi even though they keep walking.

I enjoyed this book so much because I can relate to this book soooo much because I go to auditions like Britney and when I go to them I  see people and one day later  I see those kids on TV. Also because she is always trying to get an audition and if she doesn’t then she gets very mad she almost quit acting. I recommend this book because  even if you do not go  on  auditions she still has a regular life just like us.She can also relate to people because sometimes people like of love things and they do not focus on anything only that and she does not realize she is in reality. I don’t think this book is related to any movies or TV shows or other books because i have ever heard of any and also because this is just such a great book so it will be hard to top. If I had to give a rating about the book out  of a possible 1 meaning I did not like that much. 2 I didn’t like it. 3 it was pretty good. 4 I really liked it.  and 5 I loved it. I want to read it again. I choose a five I really like this book.

 

Dec
12
2014

Alvin Ho by Lenore Look

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alvin_hoThis book that I read is called Alvin Ho and it is by Lenore Look. The main characters are Alvin Ho and his little sister Anabella. The book is about Alvin Ho, a little  boy that is afraid of everything like tunnels, wasabi, airplanes, girls, the dark and a lot of other things. The setting takes place in his  school and his house and a little in the piano teacher’s house.

The book is also about Alvin Ho going to school on the first day. He is a little bit nervous about school but his mom and dad made him feel ready. He is nervous because he doesn’t have any friends. He gets to meet a lot of good and mean people in the book he also makes a lot of good friends. He also has a cousin that knows a little bit of something of everything. He doesn’t talk at school but he talks at home. He is 7 and he is going into 3rd grade. He lives in Concord Massachusetts. He also likes superheroes. He is nice because in the book he was really nice to people by being friendly to people. He also wants to be a gentleman like his dad. He is afraid and he also gets shocked by many things. The last thing is that he doesn’t  want to go to school because it makes him nervous.

I liked this book because  I can relate it to my one life. There are many things that I am afraid of like the dark, pigeons and roller coasters. I  also liked this book because there was no part that was boring in this book. I Also like this book because he would say funny things like jokes. I would recommend  this book to people who like fun and exciting books. I would also recommend this book if you are afraid of things to.I would give this book 4 stars because it was a good book and interesting but I would not read it again. I can’t compare  it to any shows or movies.

 

                                                     ****

Dec
12
2014

The One And Only Ivan by Katherine Applgate

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Book Cover - The One and Only Ivan

                The book I read was The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate. The main character’s name is Ivan, he is a gorilla that is personified and he’s a really smart when it comes to logic and noticing all the little details in his life like the fingerprints of children on the glass of his terrain.He’s also good at seeing things a different way like how the sun reminds him of a ripe nectarine and how some humans are like chimps. The book is about Ivan doing the same things in his cage  or  terrain  then his life takes a big turn and it’s time for him to to step up and protect someone he said he would protect and be the mighty Silverback he’s supposed to be with the help of his friends and artistic vision. He lives in a mall called the Big Top Mall where he has many nicknames and a few neighbors none of which are gorillas. For 9855 days he was alone.

  Some things I liked in this book was the author’s use of language and how she was always making similes and really thinking about  how a gorilla might feel about his life and the things around him. Another thing I liked was how people in the story gave him many different names with different  meanings like The One And Only Ivan or Ivan, Mighty Silverback . The two last things  I really liked about this book were, one – I love the big feelings Ivan has in this book and the strong opinions he has and two – Ivan is a really great friend with a big heart that he’s always sharing with the animals and people around him. Three adjectives I would use to describe Ivan are; interesting, because he always has very strong opinions that I find interesting like the idea people talk to much and I really wanted to read on to see what he thought about the matter. I would also consider Ivan a little bit gross because of the stuff he likes to eat like banana peels and yogurt raisins . The last word I would use to describe Ivan is Patient, because he doesn’t always freak out when people our being mean to him by spitting, throwing rocks, and some other mean stuff but he always keeps his cool.

 I really enjoyed this book because it was full of big feelings like how he felt about being in a cage. It was cool to see how other people thought about what was going on inside a gorillas head. I think it would have been cool if I could hear it from someone else’s point of view maybe Ivans mom or dad or someone else he was close to . My teacher Jen recommended it to me so if you like it talk to her about more books. I have never read a book like this it was phenomenal  and a delight to read. I loved it I want to read it again so i give it 5 stars!

Leah

 

Dec
12
2014

The End by Lemony Snicket

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This book is part of a series called The Series of Unfortunate Events. The main characters are Violet, Klaus, and Sunny. This book is mainly about the siblings life on an island they washed up upon. The setting is a “safe and protected” island where eventually everything washes up on. The island has no fresh water and lots of wild sheep.

 

One part of the book that was really interesting was when the siblings found the secret location of Ishmael. This was interesting because it was amazing to find that Ishmael has secrets. Another thing that was important was when Kit had her baby! This was important because her baby added another chapter to the Baudelaires lives.  If I had to choose one of Violet, Klaus, and Sunny to write three adjectives about, I would choose Violet. Three adjectives to describe her would be inventive, creative, and persistent. Violet is inventive because there was the example when she once when invented the sling for Kit’s baby. Creative because she stretched her mind to build a raft out of books! Persistent because when she kept trying to help the islanders when they got sick even when they refused.

 

I enjoyed this book because it is a mystery book; like when you are trying to figure out if Count Olaf the villain if he is actually good or bad. I also enjoyed it because the author leaves you with so many questions roaming around in your head that you can figure out yourself like the question, “Are the parents still alive?” And so many more questions that you are itching to find out. I would recommend this book. I would because it is an interesting and descriptive book. And I think many readers like adventure and descriptive books. And I personally think it is easier to understand when books are descriptive. I think this book is like a series called An Accidental Adventure by C Alexander London because they are descriptive and they both have big adventures that take up many books. Also they are both written by awesome authors! I love this book so much…. I would give this book FIVE STARS!!!

Dec
12
2014

Doctor Proctor’s Fart Powder by Jo Nesbo

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doctor proctor's fart powderMy book is Doctor Proctor’s Fart Powder book 1 by Jo Nesbo. The three main characters are Nilly, Doctor Proctor, and Lisa. The book is about Lisa living in her neighborhood with no friends because her best friend Anna just moved very far away. A boy named Nilly moves into Anna’s old house and Nilly and Lisa become friends. Then they meet Doctor Proctor, who shows them all of the crazy inventions he made. Then he shows them Doctor Proctor’s Fart Powder and Nilly and Lisa want to try it so he lets them do some tests and then they sell it. The settings in the book are Cannon Avenue, The School, The Dungeon Of The Dead, The Sewer, and The Professors Cellar.

One part of the book that I thought  was interesting was when Nilly gives Truls and Trym some Fartronaut powder and they go flying up to the top of the big oak tree. An important part of the book is when Truls and Trym steal the fart powder. Another part of the book that I thought was interesting was when Nilly and Doctor Proctor get arrested. An interesting part of the book is when Nilly goes into the sewer and he gets eaten. I think Doctor Proctor is very smart because he made fart powder. I think Lisa is really afraid of Truls and Trym because when she walks to school she tries very hard to avoid them. I think Nilly is very short because in the book it said Nilly could almost reach the top of the 3 ½ foot fence.

I really enjoyed this book because it is about farts and it has very interesting characters.I would recommend this book to others because it is funny and it has an interesting plot. I think this book kind of relates to Spongebob because it is very random and silly. I give this book 4 stars because it wasn’t the best book I have ever read, but it was a very good book.

 

Dec
11
2014

The Son Of Neptune by Rick Riordan

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The main characters are Percy, Frank, and Hazel. The story is about when the the main characters go to Alaska to find the prison of Thanos the God of Death to rescue him from the giants. In my book there are a lot of different settings,for example – Camp Jupiter is in San Francisco which is where the story begins.

The three main characters are all demigods. A demigod is a son or daughter of a god.  They go on a quest because Frank’s dad, the War god, asked them to go on a quest. On their quest they go to Portland, Oregon to find a blind man who  can tell them where Thanos’s prison is. The person who told them to see the blind man in Portland was Iris the Rainbow goddess. Iris owned a shop called R.O.F.L. Co-op which was an employee-run cooperative that promoted a healthy lifestyle. Percy has amnesia. Frank and Hazel have a curse. Hazel’s curse is that she could find gold and riches under the earth. This is a bad thing because the gold made Alcyoneus reform. Alcyoneus is a giant. Frank’s curse is that his life depends on a driftwood stick. If it burns, he will die.

I think this book is interesting because there is a lot of action in it. There are different sections to the story and they all come together like a puzzle. I like the main characters because they fight evil basilisks (fire breathing snakes). I would recommend this book to anyone who likes action because my book has a lot of action in it.

I would give this book five stars.  *****

Dec
11
2014

Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

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The title of the book I am reading is The Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney. The main character in the book is Greg Heffly. There are other important characters in the book such as Greg’s older brother, Rodrick, his younger brother, Manny, his mother and father, and his best friend, Rowley. The main problem in the book is that Greg wants to be the most popular kid in his school, but he is actually one of the most unpopular kids in his school. The settings in the book include Greg’s house, his school and his best friend Rowley’s house.

The plot is that Greg is trying to be popular, but every time he gets close to being popular something goes wrong. An important event in this book is when he chooses his best friend, Rowley, over being popular. Another important event in this story is when Greg is forced to make a big decision when he has to decide whether to help his best friend who is having a hard time or lose the popularity he gains. Greg decided his best friend was more important than popularity. Greg also has a lot of problems with his family. For example, his little brother is always breaking his stuff.

I liked this book because it was about Gregory’s friendship with Rowley and because it was about things that could actually happen; also he’s about my age.  I would recommend this book because it is an easy read and a good story. I would give this book four stars because it is a great book but they aren’t very descriptive about the characters.

 

Dec
11
2014

The Lost Hero by Rick Roirdan

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My book is The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan. The main characters are Piper, Leo and Jason. They all have one godly parent and a mortal parent. Also Piper can tell anyone what to do with charm speak, Leo can summon fire and Jason can summon lighting. Piper is the daughter of  Aphrodite (Goddess of Love), Jason is the son of Zeus (God of the Sky and king of the Gods) and Leo is the son of Hephaestus (God of Fire and Blacksmiths).

The main problem is the main characters are trying to stop Gaea from destroying the Gods. Gaea is mother Earth (Goddess of Earth). The story takes place in many locations but the main area is New York.

Trying to stop Gaea by killing all her different monsters is the main theme of the story. They have many different ways to kill them like using lightning to kill Giants. Piper, Leo and Jason have ADHD to make their fighting more enhanced. What I mean by enhanced is they have more energy to fight. They are part of an important prophecy. A prophecy is something good or bad that will happen in the future.

I loved this book. I recommend this book to people who read the Percy Jackson books or anyone who likes adventure and Greek mythology. I rate this book five stars because it is an awesome story and it takes your mind on a roller-coaster of dreams.

 

 

 

By Antonio Ruiz