SPY FORCE MISSION: NIGHT MARE by Deborah Abela

Max and Linden attempts to win a spy agency award hidden in a medieval fortress. Are Max and Linden going to get the award?! So they go and try to win the award. At the end they have found the spy award and so relieved they did.

Max and Linden struggle to get in the medieval fortress without the guards knowing they were there. 

Security fields set off Max's green Gadget goes off and warns Max and Linden.

Linden and Max were apart of a official spy force team, then Linden tells Max about the spy award and Max agreed to do it.

Max is like me because he takes chances just like when he did the spy award challenge and went in the medieval  fortress

Rating :  ****

TOYS GO OUT by Emily Jenkins

Lumphy wanted to know what he was and Tuk Tuk  tells him. But when he goes on a picnic he gets covered in peanut butter and he does not want to go in the washer.

Lumphy was in conflict after he went on the picnic.

Lumphy does not want to go in the washer so he hides in the closet. He has to go in the washer because he has peanut butter all over him.

Lumphy does not like the washing machine but then he does like the washing machine.

Lumphy relates to me because he is curious about a lot of things and I am too.

RATING: ***

CAPTURE THE FLAG BY Kate Messner

A secret society steals the flag that inspired the well known song the star spangled banner. Three

 kids Anna,Jose and, Henry go to find it.All of their parents are part of a art protecting society called the silver jaguar society and all of them are related to famous artists and engineers.Will they find the flag in time?

Anna,Jose and,Henry struggle with who might be the biggest art thief EVER.

The biggest conflict they go through is with snake arm a man with giant muscles and a snake tattoo.When they get chased the are about to get caught when they find a giant bottle of shampoo and squirt him in the face!

Henry definitely changed from being a mad kid who hogged an outlet to a crime fighting kid.

Their struggles did not remind me of any of my ordeals in real life

I rate this book ****

 Logan

STORM MOUNTAIN by Tom Birdseye

Suddenly there was a crooked line between Cat's feet. Avalanche!! The world went dark. She was digging, clawing to get to hold of the snow on the surface but just seemed to sink deeper. Her cousin Ty is trying to help but not his best. like a fool she walked straight into the dragon's trap. Finally Cat climbs out but the two still need to put their mountaineering knowledge together to climb down the mountain.

Cat's struggle is with nature, she is caught in a avalanche and is trying to survive.

Cat was in trouble in the avalanche with her cousin Ty. Ty is trying to help but it is no use. The wind is strong and her phone is dead.

At the beginning of the book Cat was mad that Ty showed up at her door and brought her to storm mountain. At the middle Cat was very scared because she was in an avalanche on a very big mountain. Cat was digging and clawing to get to the surface. By the end Cat was happy she got out of storm mountain.

I could relate to this book because Cat was in trouble in the avalanche and I was lost in Disney World. My mom and dad were looking for me and Ty was looking for Cat.

****
Dylan

MOBY DICK By Herman Melville

The plot of the story was first in a town and hotel.Then the two main characters Queequeg and Ishmael found a job on a boat called the Pequod. The boat was a whaling boat in Nantucket.

Ishmael is struggling with Moby Dick. And himself because he has to get used to whaling everyday.

Ishmael struggled with getting used to whaling everyday. Ishmael had to go through so much everyday. Ishmael had to row a row boat so hard it almost broke his back and he pulled a few muscles. His row boat usually broke because when the whale jumped up and a huge wave flipped the boat over and Ishmael and his sailing crew flung off the boat. His sailor mates and Ishmael got sea water in their mouths and the wind knocked out of them. It took Ishmael a wile to get used to whaling.

Ishmael first was a man with no money out wondering the streets. Then he found a hotel he could stay at for free with a room mate. That's when he and Queequeg went to find a whaling boat. Then they found a whaling boat named the Pequod. He changed by going from a sad poor man to a man who is on a journey to find a HUGE whale called Moby Dick!

My friend relates to Ishmael by wanting to get a dog for years and years and she finally got a dog. Just like Ishmael wanting to get a job on a whaling boat.

Rating ***

Ashlyn




        

JAGUAR by Roland Smith

       Jacob Lansa comes with his dad, whom everyone calls Doc, Flanna Brenna, Jay Silver, and Buzz on a jaguar expedition in the Amazon rain forest. Sounds fun, right? It's not. There are many challenges out in the wilderness and deadly diseases floating around the thick canopy. Jake is losing hope. To top it off, Doc may have caught malaria. Will they arrive home safe?

Jake is in conflict with Fred Stoats. They disagree on the jaguar, what to do with it, and they just plain don't like each other.

He changes his feelings about the jaguar expedition from thinking it's silly and obnoxious to coming home feeling good.

I can relate to Jake because we both like outdoors and adventure.

I rate this book ***.

Mary

LEXI'S TALE by Johanna Hurwitz

This book was about Lexi, and how her friend, Pee Wee, meets a human who is very cranky but nice at the same time. But when Lexi makes a wrong turn, every thing turns the wrong way. Lexi gets in a lot of trouble , by Pee Wee. He yells at Lexi for hurting him in public,She tries to apologize to Pee Wee, he doe forgive her, but is still angry at Lexi for hurting  him.

Lexi, and PeeWee because she was in a lot of conflict with the HUMAN!

Lexi was struggleing with PeeWee, for yelling at her ,and started a fight with PeeWee. After, Lexi , and PeeWee were becoming nice and never yelling agian . They learnd a lesson NEVER to yell agien.

Lexi changed from nice to mean and rude. Here is a exsample - ONE ACORN WILL NOT FILL YOUR BELLY !PeeWee was crying .

No . Lexi  doesn't act like me.

RATING: *****
I would recommend this book to both boys and girls ages 10 -29

Maria S

LEXI'S TALE by Johanna Hurwitz

    The main idea is about a squirrel named Lexington (Lexi for short). He has a friend named PeeWee that finds a human named Stefan Klopot. He was homeless and couldn't speak English. Lexi and PeeWee had decided to help this stranger by riding in a police car and hunting for food.
    Lexi struggled helping Stefan Klopot.
    Lexi struggled helping Stefan Klopot because squirrels came by asking Lexi what he was doing. Caring for Stefan also meant looking for extra food. Lexi also needed time to practice for the great big squirrel circus.
    Lexi changed by instead of being a squirrel that doesn't help humans into a rare squirrel because he helped Stefan.
    This book related to me in kindergarten that my friend could barely speak English so a 2nd grader helped her with class work that could speak her language
    Rating ***
   
Noy

ADVENTURES OF TOM SAYWER By Mark Twain

Go on the many adventures with Tom Sawyer and his gang through a small town along the Mississippi River that has kids with a big personality for being brave. They go from running away to be a pirate to solving a murder. One night, Tom and one of his best friends Huckleberry Finn decide to go to the graveyard at half past nine. When they got there, they saw 3 people. Muff Potter, Dr. Robinson and fearsome Injun Joe-a murderer. They  plan to dig up a grave. Find out what happens next and discover they many more adventures that lie in the pages of The adventures of Tom Sawyer!

Tom Sawyer is in conflict with himself.
The struggle for Tom was he was a mischievous person and that gets him into trouble.

Tom Sawyer changes by realizing adventure doesn't have to be running away to a pirate island but it can be solving a mystery and helping the community.

Tom Sawyer reminds me of Jack and Annie from The Magic Tree House because they have a lot of adventures involving saving someone or something.

I rate this book *****

Riley

AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS By Jules Verne

Phileas Fogg makes a bet with his friends at the reform club that he can travel around the world in 80 days. He grabs his servant and heads off but runs into many problems along the way, for example Mr. Fix is trying to arrest Phileas Fogg because he thinks Fogg robbed a bank! Fix follows Fogg around everywhere trying to confirm his arrest.Things don't work out well for fix so can Fogg do it with all his other difficulties and win his money he bet back?

Phileas Fogg was in conflict with another person, Mr.Fix.

Phileas Fogg was in conflict with Fix because while Phileas was trying to get around the world, Fix was
trying to arrest him because he thought he robbed a bank, which he didn't.

Phileas Fogg changed because he was very fancy and had a lot of money but in the middle he ran out of money and was poor and didn't wear fancy clothes, once he got home and had won his bet and all his money he was wealthy again.

Phileas Fogg reminded me of myself because I have tried to accomplish something before, and I have done it before just like when Phileas accomplished his goal of getting around the world in 80 days.

I would give this book a **** rating.

Sophie

SWINDLE by Gordon Korman

Griffin finds a Babe Ruth card and takes it to the dealers. The dealer tells him its worth $100 he sells it because his family needed the money but he sees the man on the news is claiming he found the card and is selling it for one million dollars.

Griffin and his friends sneak into the house to take the card back...will they make it?

Griffin was swindled by the dealer for $999,900 and wants to get it back

He breaks into the dealers house and gets it back

This book reminded me of my brother selling me magic cards

****

Nathan

ROXIE AND THE HOOLIGANS by Phyllis Renolds Naylor

Roxie was a little girl who always got picked on by the Hooligans. One day, Roxie's uncle dangerfoot went to the Warbler's house,(Roxie's house) to tell Roxie some of of his adventures. As Roxie went to school one morning, the hooligans were right behind her. They chased her all around the school yard intill she fell into a flat bed truck with the Hooligans. The truck had been driving to the ocean and Roxie and the Hooligans got dumped into the ocean.They washed up on a deserted island and two men are talking and they have robed a bank. Will Roxie and the Hooligans survive?

Roxie had to survive on a deserted island with the Hooligans.

Roxie's main struggle in life is getting bullied by the Hooligans. Roxie had gotten bullied by the Hooligans hundreds of times. They call her elephant ears and many other hurtful comments.

Roxie started getting braver and braver as she kept spending time on the island. She was even brave enough to steal water from the robbers den. Isn't that brave?

I can connect this to my uncle because he had to struggle through cancer and Roxie had to struggle through the Hooligans.

*****

Andrew

FISH By Gregory Mone

            Fish lived in a farm near a lake. He has many brothers and sisters and lived by growing potato and vegetables. Fish who got his nickname when his brother pushed him in the deep parts of the water. He didn't know  how to swim until he fell in to the water. He could swim like a fish and his mother said "I'm going to raise a man, not a fish and got his nickname. When Shamrock dies Fish has to go to work, and Fish gets stuck in a pirate adventure.
                                                                                                                                                              The conflict was scab who was violent unlike Fish who was peaceful.

The conflict was when  mutiny struck the Scurvy Mistress and Fish is trying to stop them from killing them and the crew.

Fish changed during the book when they thought he never belonged anywhere but then he found out that everyone belonged somewhere. Sometimes it is just never found.

I know how uncomfortable it is when brothers fight

RATING: ****

Incheol                                

CAT AND MOUSE IN A HAUNTED HOUSE by Geronimo Stilton

The plot of the story:
              The plot of the story is Geronimo went into a haunted house to while going to his grandma's house and thought that he was seeing things because when he saw something it would vanish but by the end he saw that things he saw were part of tricks to scare people away.
 Main character in conflict another character or them self:
   Geronimo was in conflict with a cat.
  The conflict for the character:
The conflict for character was he was seeing things and  he got scared  because there was a mummy, a witch and a vampire.
     How the main character changed :
In the beginning of the story Geronimo was doubting him self because he went into a castle and there was a ghost then when he realized it was a joke he didn't doubt him self.
  how did you relate to the characters struggle;
It reminded me of my friend because they are also afraid of mummies as well.
Rating:****

by Waleed

THE AUSTERE ACADEMY by Lemony Snicket

The Baudelaire orphans go to a boarding school called Prufrock Prep, and since they don't have parents to sign a permission slip, they have to stay in an ugly, old, orphans shack intead of a nice dormitory. They meet other orphans at the school who help them struggle through the unfair rules of the academy.Then the Baudelaire's worst enemy comes for "work", and things get a whole lot worse . . .

Violet, Kluas, and Sunny Baudelaire vs. Count Olaf, Vice principal Nero, and Carmelita Spats

They were treated unfairly by the other kids, their teachers made them and the rest of the class do nothing but mearsure and copy down worthless stories every day (plus, there were no weekends), and Count Olaf in disguise made them run laps all night every night.

The Baudelaire orphans worked hard at the beginning, but Count Olaf's tiring laps made them almost fall asleep in class near the middle and end.

I'm not always treated fairly by some people.

* * * *

Rachel

MISSISIPPI RIVER BLUES by Tony Abbott

This book is about 2 boys and a girl teaming up to clean up trash from the Mississippi River.Their names are Tom, Frankie, and Huck. They go there every day but there is more and more trash. So they design a trash pickerupper.Will it work? I think it will.

The main charecter was Tom. His problem was before he met Frankie and Huck he was by himself going to the river every day he couldn't do it all by himself.

Toms struggle was he coudnt keep up with it there was just more and more trash every day.

The character changed by letting Frankie and Huck join when Tom met them he really wasn't sure to let them join it seemed like Tom didn't like them. At the end they all became friends.

Rating:****

THE SNOWSTORM by Jorn Riel

After the invasion of Viking raiders at Stockanees, Solvi, Leiv, Narua, and Apuluk are driven out and Solvi's master Thorstein was never seen again. They are now in Greenland and the friends want to find out where he could be and are restless for an adventure. So they set off. As they start to journey north, a terrible storm hits and the friends are forced to find shelter. When the storm ends, the four friends continue on, and are invited to stay a night with a small group of Inuits. When Leiv mentions the Northmen's ship, the Inuits say that they had seen the ship and it had traveled north, but was unfriendly and was hostile. Leiv gets curious and the four of them continue to head north. Solvi and Narua stayed behind while Leiv and Apuluk went hunting for food. Days pass but Leiv and Apuluk do not return. Will the girls ever find Leiv and Apuluk? And will Leiv and Apuluk survive on the ship?

The main characters were in a conflict with society, because when Leiv and Apuluk ventured out for food, they came across a ship. But they didn't get far, pirates ambushed them before they could arm themselves and were taken in as prisoners.

The main characters changed during the book because
Leiv , Apuluk, Solvi and Narua helped each other when times were tough. For example, when Leiv and Apuluk  were trapped aboard the ship, Solvi and Narua went looking for them. They spotted them with other prisoners being chained across the ice. They sneaked aboard the ship and helped them get free and set the ship on fire. Because when at the beginning of the journey, they didn't all have to help each other  together that much.

This relates to me of a time when I got lost and my mom couldn't find me. Luckily, a lady and her daughter helped me feel better while we waited for my mom to show up. Finally, she saw me and was relieved that the lady and her daughter let me stay with them. This relates to Leiv and Apuluk missing on the ship and the girls not knowing where they were, but the girls found them.

rating:****

Catherine

TUMTUM AND NUTMEG by Emily Bearn and Nick Price

The book was mostly about Tumtum and Nutmeg are two mice who live in  Nutmouse hall in rose cottage.When Aunt Ivy arrives who hates mice, then a whole disaster starts.  When the general comes to help defend Aunt Ivy from spraying her hair color that will kill mice, they try to scare Aunt Ivy But will they

The main characters in conflict were Tumtum, Nutmeg, The General, Lucy, and Arthur VS Aunt Ivy.

The conflict was that it was hard for Tumtum and Nutmeg to not get found by humans. Also Aunt Ivy was going to kill them. They had to fight her off in the end.

The main characters changed through out the story. In the beginning Tumtum and Nutmeg were trying to hide every thing including there identity. For example when they go to help Arthur and Lucy they have to leave a note that claims they are fairies. At they end they don't mind about getting seen. But, they still need to be careful.

My connection to these characters struggle is sometimes when i'm angry I try to fuss with my brothers. Then for the next hour or so I try to avoid them and not talk to them.

I give this **** rating

Max

THE LIFE OF ELLA FITZGERALD

Ella was born in Newport news Virginia in 1917

Ella was a child of her mother Tempie

Ella lived in Yonkers New york and Beverly hills

Ella studied music with the chick Webb orchestra

Ella overcame being sent to reform  school and had a difficult early life

Ella worked as a jazz singer

Ella was challenged by being on her own

Ella's personality could be described as inspiring person

Ella was always accomplishing things that she wanted to do

Never gave up

Ella was best known for her personality and how she sang

Ella was talented in singing  

The Wonderful Ella - Andrew

Ella was born in Virginia, Newport News April 25, 1917

Ella was the child of William, Temple,  and the first daughter of Jazz

Ella lived in Yonkers New York City

Ella studied dance and bebop

Ella overcame discrimination strongly

Ella worked as a successful jazz singer

Ella was challenged by her competition, and won the Grammy awards

Ella was always singing on the streets of  New York City

Ella never doubted her self

Ella was best known for her Jazz music (bebop)

was hard working and a great Jazz singer