Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone by J. K. Rowling

Reviewed by: Bronwen, age 8

I love this book because it inspires me to read more. My favorite characters are Hermione and Harry because they are smart and brave. I like Dumbledore because he is funny and wise and intelligent. I hope you love this book.

Genre: fiction

Setting: present-day England

Introduction:

Harry Potter is a eleven year old  boy who lives  with his horrible aunt  and uncle, but one day, his life changes ...

Themes: family, bravery, smart is good, magic

Recommended Age: 8 and up

Full Disclosure: none

Rating: 5 stars

Other Books:  Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Harry Pottery and the Deathly Hallows

Princess Labelmaker to the Rescue by Tom Angleberger

Reviewed by: Kimball, age 15

This book was the conclusion of the FunTime story arc in the Origami Yoda series. The ending is brilliant

and the message is stronger than before. This book will change your perception of characters from the previous books. This book also directly links its analogous "FunTime" program (a parody of Common Core) with Common Core itself by stating that FunTime meets the Common Core standards. I think this book does a very good job of forcefully expressing the author's views in a non-partisan way.

Genre: fiction

Setting: McQuarrie Middle School

Introduction:

Someone has stolen Tommy's latest case file and given it to Rabbski in an attempt to prove the Origami Rebel Alliance are the good guys. The mysterious person's notes to the principal are pasted throughout the book-- but if Rabbski doesn't listen to them, the students are in huge trouble.
The students have won a major victory against the FunTime Menace-- but it doesn't feel major anymore. Nothing's really changed, because they're still watching FunTime and haven't gotten their electives back. Rebels are losing resolve and support for the Origami Rebellion is dropping. And to make matters worse, Origami Yoda's advice starts taking a turn for the dubious. He wants them to show the case file to their evil principal! But they can't follow or ignore the usually wise puppet's advice, because someone steals it anyway, and the one question in Tommy's mind is-- who?

Themes: don't judge people until you really know them, standardized curriculum is not a good thing, stand by your friends

Recommended Age: 12 and up

Full Disclosure:

There is a controversial chapter in the book in which the word "gay" is used. Two bullies pick on Murky for wearing a pink shirt. They prank him so that he doesn't end up getting into the school picture. Tater Tot, who knows these bullies, tells Sara about it, and the students Photoshop Murky into the school picture and give the bullies pink shirts. The reason the author included this chapter was because of an incident from his own childhood in which a friend was bullied in the same way, and the story didn't have the happy ending as shown in the book. The chapter's message is that people should be tolerant of others, not whether homosexuality is right or wrong.

Rating: 4 stars

Other Books:  The Strange Case of Origami Yoda, Darth Paper Strikes Back, The Secret of the Fortune Wookiee, The Surprise Attack of Jabba the Puppett, Emperor Pickletine Rides the Bus

The Secret of the Fortune Wookiee by Tom Angleberger

Reviewed by: Kimball, age 15

This is the third book in the Origami Yoda series. This book foreshadows the evil Common Core-type program that will be implemented in the next book as a primary antagonist. 

Genre: fiction

Setting: McQuarrie Middle School

Introduction:

Dwight Tharp has changed schools, and that means his friends won't have the guidance of Dwight's paper Yoda to help them get through the school year. And it is a time when they need Jedi wisdom the most. Mysterious things are happening. Teachers are packing up their classrooms more than seems necessary for Christmas vacation. Something about "FUN-damentals" is somehow involved, but none of the kids know what it's about. But the students aren't just worried about that-- they're worried about the mistakes they'll make without Origami Yoda and how bored they are without Dwight's weirdness.
But in a way, they still have Dwight with them. Dwight's neighbor Sara brings a new puppet to school one day, folded by Dwight: A paper Chewbacca. The Fortune Wookiee gives great advice just like Yoda-- but Harvey smells a rat. And from what they hear of Dwight, he's becoming less like Dwight every day. He's almost... normal. Can the kids at McQuarrie save their friend from becoming boring, and find out why everything's changing-- and how the Fortune Wookiee is as wise as Yoda?

Themes: stay weird because being weird is better than being normal, education should not be limited to the fundamentals

Recommended Age: 9 and up

Rating: 4 stars

Other books: The Strange Case of Origami Yoda, Darth Paper Strikes Back, The Surprise Attack of Jabba the Puppett, Princess Labelmaker to the Rescue, Emperor Pickletine Rides the Bus

Newton's Gift by David Berlinski

Reviewed by: Kimball, age 15

Newton's Gift was an educational, inspiring read. Sir Isaac Newton was extremely gifted, and he is an
example of one who finds his true calling. (It definitely wasn't to be a farmer.) This book attempts to not only biograph him, but also explain some of the theorems he discovered in simple language and diagrams. It is a good read for history and math buffs.

Genre: biography, non-fiction

Setting: life of Isaac Newton

Introduction:

Sir Isaac Newton is the father of modern physics and one of the greatest scientists of the eighteenth century. But you wouldn't expect him to be good at much else besides thinking and reading. As an adolescent, nobody recognized Newton's great mind for what it was. Newton often kept to himself; he'd go out to tend sheep and they would wander off while he would be obliviously reading. When his tutors finally convinced his mother to send him to college, Newton was the best student at Cambridge and took his education seriously while others only saw college as a place to live while they spent their college money on other diversions. Newton dabbled in alchemy and Cartesian algebra and a myriad of other subjects, and with that knowledge he would make great discoveries.

Themes: education is important, work smarter not harder

Recommended Age: 13 and up

Rating: 4 stars

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeliene L'engle

Reviewed by: Henry, age 13

A great book that has science and fantasy. I haven't read it in a long time, so I can't remember some, but I remember it was good. With cool time travel ideas, strange worlds, and interesting characters. This was my mom's favorite book as a kid, and she loved a lot of books. Read it.

Genre: Fantasy/ Science Fiction

Setting: Other worlds

Introduction:

A girl's father has not returned. He has not returned from a secret mission. They do not know if he's dead, because the government hasn't told them. He may still be alive. Meanwhile, she is living with her mother and brother. When three strange old ladies come into their lives and offer to help find their father, the girl and her brother follow them on an adventure they never would have dreamed of.

Themes: Family, kids, courage, 

Recommended Age:  9 and up

Full Disclosure: nothing I can think of

Rating: 5 stars

Other Books: A Wind in the Door, A Swiftly Tilting Planet, Many Waters, and An Acceptable Time

Darth Paper Strikes Back by Tom Angleberger

Reviewed by: Kimball, age 15

These books get better as they go on, and even though it's targeted at a young audience the message is a powerful one. This book is the one where the series begins to examine our education system and the corruption in school boards. This book will make you want to be more involved in your school's affairs. Kids should have a say in their own education.

Genre: fiction

Setting: McQuarrie Middle School

Introduction:

It's the dawn of a new era as seventh grade begins. But not the one anyone was expecting. Origami Yoda should be able to help people get through the school year and everything will be awesome. But then a new puppet appears-- wielded by Origami Yoda's nemesis, Harvey Cunningham. When Origami Yoda says something that gets Dwight signed up for long-term suspension and reassignment to a correctional/remedial facility, Darth Paper makes sure that everything Tommy says to defend Dwight and prove his innocence is torn down by Harvey's cynical, coldly logical dark side rebuttals. If Tommy can't convince the school board that Origami Yoda didn't mean what he said the way they take it to, then Darth Paper will rule the school.

Themes: take a stand, beware the dark side, everything happens for a reason

Recommended Age: 8 and up

Full Disclosure:

I would not advise dating before sixteen, but this book portrays it favorably.

Rating: 4 stars

Other Books:  The Strange Case of Origami Yoda, The Secret of the Fortune Wookiee, The Surprise Attack of Jabba the Puppett, Princess Labelmaker to the Rescue, Emperor Pickletine Rides the Bus

Shadow of the Giant by Orson Scott Card

Reviewed by: Kimball, age 15

This book is the last book in the Shadow series (unless you count the sequel, Shadows in Flight.) I thought it was a good conclusion to the series and it was interesting to see how the story played out after the main antagonist had been killed in the previous book. I enjoyed rereading it.

Genre: Sci-Fi

Setting: Future Earth

Introduction:

The major powers of the world are torn by war. China, India and the Muslim empire are busy making alliances and attacks, headed by each country's respective Battle School graduate: Han Tzu in China, Virlomi in India and Alai as the Caliph. The only person who stands between these three nations, trying to create world peace, is the Hegemon Peter Wiggin. As Peter struggles to create a world to rule in which there is peace and freedom, Bean and Petra search for their lost embryo children, implanted in different mothers. And what with the world being torn by war and Peter Wiggin wanting them to help him fix it, it is no easy task. And Bean and Petra don't know how many of the babies have the same condition as Bean, which is killing him even as they search in a race against Bean's ever-growing body.

Themes: The world should be based on American principles not America, power corrupts, a true religion is one that allows freedom of choice

Recommended Age: 14 and up

Full Disclosure:There is one scene with nudity in this book. There is also violence and crude language.

Rating: 4 stars

Other Books: Ender's Shadow, Shadow of the Hegemon, Shadow Puppets, Shadows in Flight, Ender in Exile

"Shouldn't You Be in School?" by Lemony Snicket

Reviewed by: Henry, age 13

 The third book in the series, this one contains false accusations, mysterious organizations, faraway sisters, suspense, strangely familiar music and fires. Lemony Snicket has not even left Stain'd by the Sea and yet another strange thing has come up. There have been fires in the town and a teacher is convinced that school children are in danger. All along the way people keep being wrong. Wrong about masks,  wrong about melons, wrong about creatures, wrong about books, and wrong about Volunteer Fire Departments. With a few shocking secrets revealed. Amazing. I can't wait for the next.

Genre: Fiction

Setting: Stain'd by the Sea

Introduction:

Hangfire is still at large, working up some evil plot, no doubt. Lemony Snicket is called to investigate arson, a word which here means someone set fire to something and everybody gets scared. Unfortunately, his associate is literally the worst. She solves the case all wrong. Can Lemony Snicket and his friends solve it before Hangfire wins?

Themes: Family, cleverness, friends, trust

Recommended Age: 10 and up

Full Disclosure: Nothing

Rating: 5 stars

Other Books: "When Did You See Her Last",  "Who Could that be at This Hour?", "Why is this Night Different from All Other Nights?"

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger

Reviewed by: Kimball, age 15

I read this book a while ago and it got me interested in origami. The Origami Yoda series is a great series and towards the end of the series it has some very poignant things to say about our education system.

Genre: Fiction

Setting: McQuarrie Middle School

Introduction:

Dwight is a loser. It's not an insult, it's just a fact. He's weird and has no friends and doesn't seem to know or care either way. But Dwight's really good at origami; it's a talent the other students don't notice until he folds an origami Yoda puppet. Being the embarrassing loser kid he is, he insists that people talk to it. But the strange thing that suddenly makes Dwight one of the most popular kids in the school is that Origami Yoda, like the real Yoda, can predict the future.

Dwight's friend Tommy has an important decision to make and he's trusted Origami Yoda with it. But he needs to know for sure if Origami Yoda can really use the Force if he's going to go through with it. And with his other friend Harvey making a good case against Origami Yoda's legitimacy, it's not easy to decide whether to trust Dwight's green paper puppet.

Themes: know who your friends are, have faith in the things you believe in, stay weird because being weird is better than being normal

Recommended Age: 8 and up

Full Disclosure: I would not encourage dating before 16, and this book does.

Rating: 4 stars

Other Books:  Darth Paper Strikes Back, The Secret of the Fortune Wookie, The Surprise Attack of Jabba the Puppet, Princess Labelmaker to the Rescue, Emperor Pickletine Rides the Bus.

"When Did You See Her Last?" by Lemony Snicket

Reviewed by: Henry, age 13

Lemony Snicket has done it again with his witty jokes, strange mysteries, and even more odd characters, like two underage taxi drivers, two police officers who can't help bickering about everything, and a lady who is good with a knife. I loved it.

Genre: Fiction

Setting: A small not-seaside-anymore town called Stain'd-by-the-Sea

Introduction:

Another mystery has come up in Stain'd-by-the-Sea. A young scientist has gone missing. Lemony Snicket and his impossible chaperone, Theodora, are on the case. But Something else is brewing. Could this be connected to the Hangfire case?

Themes: Family, friends, cleverness solves the problem

Recommended Age: 10 and up, younger if read aloud.

Full Disclosure: Nothing I can think of

Rating: 5 stars

Other Books:  "Who Could that be at This Hour?", "Shouldn't you be in School?", "Why is this Night Different from All Other Nights?"

The Great Brain series by John D. Fitzerald

Reviewed by Ian, age 10

I thought it was an entertaining book full of crazy deals that only Tom could pull off.

Genre: Memoir/autobiography

Setting: rural Southern Utah, early 1900s

Introduction: J.D.'s brother, Tom, can swindle a man of anything. when a new teacher beats Tom for no reason, everyone knows he will regret it... Stories here from John D. Fitzgerald's childhood with a large family. Tom charges all the kids in town to come see their new flushing toilet and finds other ways to live up to his nickname, The Great Brain.

Themes: Kid power, family, smart is good, country life

Recommended Age: 9-13

Full Disclosure: Nothing objectionable

Rating: 5 stars

Other Books: More Adventures of the Great Brain, Me and My Little Brain, The Great Brain at the Academy, The Great Brain Reforms, The Return of the Great Brain, The Great Brain Does It Again, The Great Brain is Back.          

Shadow Puppets by Orson Scott Card

Reviewed by: Kimball, age 15

This is the third book in the Shadow saga by Orson Scott Card. It was a bit mushy at times but like a book with geniuses in it, it has puzzles for the reader to scratch their heads over as they watch the protagonists figure them out. My favorite one is the double email where the second half is entirely composed of scriptures. Orson Scott Card is a very clever author.

Genre: Sci-fi

Setting: Present-day Earth, Space

Introduction:

Peter Wiggin is now Hegemon of Earth-- and now he's rescued Achilles, the most dangerous, psychotic ex-street urchin from a Chinese prison camp. Peter thinks he can use him to his own purposes and keep him from killing anyone, but Bean knows better. Achilles is a monster who kills anyone who sees him helpless; to have him rescued from a prison (earning his "gratitude") is to have a death sentence. As Achilles corrupts the Hegemony from under Peter's stubborn, arrogant nose, Bean and Petra resign from the Hegemony and go into hiding from Achilles. Bean has a rare condition called Anton's Key-- he is the most brilliant person on Earth, but now he is also one of the tallest, when he used to be the smallest. His brilliance costs him years of his life; he'll just keep growing and growing until he dies around twenty. He doesn't want to have children and leave Anton's Key in their DNA-- but Petra has other plans and knows that everyone must leave a legacy in their children. And Achilles knows that if any of Bean's children have Anton's Key, they will be the most powerful humans on Earth, and he can't let an opportunity like that get away from him.

Themes: Family is the meaning of life, know thine enemy, 

Recommended Age: 14 and up

Full Disclosure:

There is swearing in this book. There are also sex references, but no actual sex (Bean is trying to have kids by testing the embryos in a lab and implanting the ones without Anton's key in his wife to be born, so that he doesn't pass on his curse.)

Rating: 4 stars

Other Books:  Ender's Shadow, Shadow of the Hegemon, Shadow of the Giant, Ender in Exile, Shadows in Flight

Ender's Shadow by Orson Scott Card

Reviewed by: Kimball, age 15

If you've read Ender's Game, you'll love this. It's a parallel novel-- it's from the perspective of a

different character, and it shows his story. But it's not just telling the same story a different way. It's Bean's own story. You can even read it before you read Ender's Game, and nothing will confuse you. (I recommend reading Ender's Game first though.)

Genre: Science-Fiction

Setting: The Future

Introduction:

Rotterdam is filled with homeless kids. Starving, thieving, whoring children and teenagers struggle to survive in a city that is a living hell. Bean is an exceptionally small boy and exceptionally skinny-- he will almost certainly starve to death. He looks half his age. But he's more than twice as smart as he should be. Bean joins a group of kids who band together in their quest for food and help them find the biggest, meanest but most pliable boy who will help them get food and keep people from stealing it. Bean catches the attention of a nun called Sister Carlotta, who takes him in and educates him. Sister Carlotta is working for the IF-- and she thinks Bean might be Battle-School material.

Themes: size matters not, brain over brawn, believe in yourself

Recommended Age: 13 and up

Full Disclosure:

There are sex references and swear words in this book as well as nude scenes (prepubescent boys crawling through ventilation shafts and such, not sexual in nature.)

Rating: 4 stars

Other Books:  Shadow of the Hegemon, Shadows in Flight, Shadow Puppets, Shadow of the Giant

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

Reviewed by: Henry, age 13

A cool sci-fi war with crazy battle strategy and interesting philosophy. A good read. I couldn't put it down and wanted to know what happened next.

Genre: Science-fiction

Setting: Future

Introduction:

In the first invasion by the "buggers" the human race was almost wiped out. By the second war the humans had prepared. But technology isn't enough. The government begins to recruit people as young as six. Ender is recruited to train as a soldier. But it turns out he is better than they expected.

Themes: Bravery, brain over brawn, determination, "Wars not make one great"-Yoda, friendship

Recommended Age: 13 and up

Full Disclosure: Frequent swearing by some characters. (S***, B***h, Ba*****)

Rating: 4.5 stars

Other Books:  This book branches off to two series: 
Ender in Exile, Speaker for the Dead, Xenocide,  and Children of the Mind make up one.
Ender's Shadow, Shadow of the Hegemon, Shadow Puppets, Shadow of the Giant, A War of Gifts, and Ender in Exile make up the second.

The Colossus Rises by Peter Lerangis

Reviewed by: Henry, age 13

The first in the Seven Wonders series, this book is for those who liked the Percy Jackson series. I only gave it 3 stars because I liked the story, but the writing itself felt juvenile.

Genre: Fiction

Setting: A mysterious island, present

Introduction:

A boy is having the worst morning ever when he gets hit by a truck. He wakes up in a hospital, where a man drugs him. He wakes up again in a crazy institute, where he learns that he has a genetic disease that will kill him without treatment. He also learns that he and the other three patients have to find magic things that will give them superpowers.

Themes: good vs evil, kid power, smart is good, ancient world

Recommended Age: 10-15

Full Disclosure: not very well written, but nothing objectionable

Rating: 3 stars

Other Books:  Lost in Babylon, Tomb of Shadows, The Curse of the King

The Westing Game

Reviewed by: Ian, age 10

I loved it! It was hard trying to find out who was the murderer. I couldn't stop reading it until I found out.

Genre: Fiction

Time Period: No particular time

Introduction: Uncle Sam Westing is dead. One of the heirs is the murderer. So says his will. He has set up a game to reveal who the murderer is.

Themes: Money corrupts people, family, smart is good, overcoming hard things can make your life better, teamwork

Recommended Age:10 and up ( I read it when I was younger and didn't enjoy it as much as I do now.)

Full Disclosure:Nothing to see here

Rating:4  stars

"Who Could That Be at This Hour?" by Lemony Snicket

Reviewed by: Henry, age 13

For all those who enjoyed Lemony Snicket's humor in A Series of Unfortunate Events, this book is amazing. Almost thirteen year old Lemony Snicket is called on a mission to return an strange object. But who is the real owner? This is a crazy mystery with lots of humor and characters that only Lemony Snicket could invent (A word which here means: make up random things and decide they are amazing), including a condescending chaperone, a librarian who is bad at eavesdropping, a reporter for a newspaper that went out of business, and a bratty boy with a slingshot that he uses to shoot birds (and people sometimes). A great read.

Genre: Fiction

Time Period: present/recent past

Introduction:

Lemony Snicket, a boy with an interesting education, is trying to solve a mystery with his hypocritical and not too smart chaperone who always seems to avoid telling her first name. He is hired to return a small statue of something that looks like the most terrifying (a word which here means: spiky and deadly and freaky) seahorse which you can see at the top right corner of the cover page. It is a very strange town which mainly runs a ink business that's running out of ink and is next to a strange forest of seaweed which somehow manages to stay erect and thriving without water. And there is something suspicious going on.

Themes: cleverness solves the problem, promise keeping, family

Recommended Age: 10 and up, younger as read-aloud

Full Disclosure: Nothing comes to mind.

Rating: 5 stars

Other Books:  "When Did You See Her Last?", "Shouldn't You Be in School?", "Why is This Night Different From All Other Nights?" are the other books in the series.

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

Reviewed by: Michal, the mom (does age matter?)

We listened to this as an audio book and the whole family was sucked in. We loved the brilliant kids and their courage in the face of great danger and personal risk. I liked that they determined to work together in spite of being different from each other-- and even in spite of finding one member of the team to be difficult to work with. Their unity made all the difference in the outcome of the book. Some good lessons there. I also appreciated that these "brilliant" kids were all smart in different ways. This would be beneficial if you have a child who doesn't see their own strengths as brilliance.

Genre: Fiction

Time Period: present/near future

Introduction:

Reynie, an orphan, responds to a mysterious newspaper ad seeking gifted children. After successfully passing a series of strange tests, he and three other children are given the opportunity to save the world from certain destruction, but it's a long shot. 

Themes: orphans, misfits, smart is good, your differences make you special, good vs. evil, courage, unity, teamwork

Recommended Age: 10 and up, younger as read-aloud

Full Disclosure: There were bullies in the book, but they certainly weren't glorified in any way. The kids cheat and break a few rules in order to complete their mission, but not without wrestling with it first and determining that the rules were there to protect the evil they are fighting.

Rating: 4 stars