Reading List #10

Here is the final installment of my Winter Break Reading List. I hope you enjoyed!

10. Dragon Rider

Dragon Rider is another novel from the award winning author (Corneila Funke) of Inheart and The Theif Lord. This novel is just as quick-paced as her others, and a worthy addition to read by the fire this winter. The story tells of a young dragon who sets off to find his colony. On the way, he's being chased by a murderous dra-- Sorry! Can't tell you anymore, it's too good! Hope you read it, and see you at the Ring of Heaven. I did it again! I have to stop spoiling the book!

Reading List #9

Here is the ninth installment of my Winter Break reading list. I will be posting a series of my top ten winter break books until January 1, 2016.

9. Polly Wants to be a Writer

If you want to be a writer like the main character Polly, read this. If you do not want to be a writer, keep reading this. It is NOT an instruction guide, some moldy old textbook. It is a novel that is unlike any other, with writing tips and exercises embedded in the pages. This is an amazing piece of work that combines fiction, well-plotted characters, and detailed settings.

Reading List #8

Here is the eighth installment of my Winter Break reading list. I will be posting a series of my top ten winter break books until January 1, 2016.

8. The Thing About Jellyfish

“Twenty three people are stung by a jellyfish every five seconds.”

The Thing About Jellyfish is an amazing, inspiring book that makes you cry and think deeper than the usual surface of things. This book is great for anybody who has experienced a loss in their life, and for people who are deep thinkers. The Thing About Jellyfish will change your life to look beyond the ordinary and protect those who have little power in this great big world of ours. At reading this work of art, you'll never forget the pain, joys, and bitter reminders of mistakes that were inside these pages.

Reading List #7

Here is the seventh installment of my Winter Break reading list. I will be posting a series of my top ten winter break books until January 1, 2016.

7. The Land of Stories

Description: When the twins’ grandmother gives them a treasured fairy-tale book, they have no idea they’re about to enter a land beyond all imagining: the Land of Stories, where fairy tales are real.

But as Alex and Conner soon discover, the stories they know so well haven’t ended in this magical land—Goldilocks is now a wanted fugitive, Red Riding Hood has her own kingdom,and Queen Cinderella is about to become a mother!

The twins know they must get back home somehow. But with the legendary Evil Queen hot on their trail, will they ever find the way?

Review: The Land of Stories is a hilarious book that brings back the beloved charcters from Grimm's fairy tales and takes a whole new spin on them. The uptake is fast, the charcters are detailed, and the adventures are told so realisticly that you can hear the clang of sword as Goldilocks fights the Big Bad Wolf Pack, or the rush as Conner and Alex dive from a cliff... Read this book, and you'll never be bored again!

Reading List #6

Here is the sixth installment of the Winter Reading List. I will be posting these recommendations until January 1, 2016.

6. Ungifted

Description: When Donovan Curtis pulls a major prank at his middle school, he thinks he’s finally gone too far. But thanks to a mix-up by one of the administrators, instead of getting in trouble, Donovan is sent to the Academy of Scholastic Distinction, a special program for gifted and talented students.

Although it wasn’t exactly what Donovan had intended, the ASD couldn’t be a more perfectly unexpected hideout for someone like him. But as the students and teachers of ASD grow to realize that Donovan may not be good at math or science (or just about anything), he shows that his gifts may be exactly what the ASD students never knew they needed. 

Review: Ungifted is a heart-warming story that has the spunky tone of genius kids, average kids, and teachers alike. Telling the story of the ungifted Donovan Curtis, we can look into the views of all the characters, and find out what truly makes each one gifted. It is a great story that shows how even if our IQ tests don't support the fact, we are all gifted-- in many different forms.

Reading List #5

Here is the fifth installment of my Winter Break reading list. I will be posting a series of my top ten winter break books until January 1, 2016.

5. The Book Scavenger

Description: For twelve-year-old Emily, the best thing about moving to San Francisco is that it's the home city of her literary idol: Garrison Griswold, book publisher and creator of the online sensation Book Scavenger (a game where books are hidden in cities all over the country and clues to find them are revealed through puzzles). Upon her arrival, however, Emily learns that Griswold has been attacked and is now in a coma, and no one knows anything about the epic new game he had been poised to launch. Then Emily and her new friend James discover an odd book, which they come to believe is from Griswold himself, and might contain the only copy of his mysterious new game. 

Racing against time, Emily and James rush from clue to clue, desperate to figure out the secret at the heart of Griswold's new game―before those who attacked Griswold come after them too.

Review: the Book Scavenger is an adventure perfect for fans who miss the adventures of Willy Wonka's Chocolate factory, or can't wait for Mr. Lemon cellos Library Olympics to come out in January 2016! Featuring codes, puzzles, bets, and fights, The Book Scavenger is perfect for any rainy day by the fire. Happy coding!

Reading List #4

Here is the forth installment of my Winter Break reading list. I will be posting a series of my top ten winter break books until January 1, 2016.

4. The Crossroads by Chris Grabenstein

In the first book of Grabenstein's Haunted Mysteries series, he starts it with a murder, a new house, and a toilet that won't stop spewing out mud-- all the usual things. I would recommend this book to any kid who wants to escape the world of reality and spend time with ghosts, fires, and a trip into a story that you could only imagine in your dizziest daydreams. A perfect topper to the middle of Winter Break, The Crossroads is a thriller that will keep you staying up to read it beneath the covers.

Reading List Book #3

Here is the third  installment of my Winter Break reading list. I will be posting a series of my top ten winter break books until January 1, 2016.

3. Writing Magic by Gail Carson Levine
This is the perfect book for young writers for the holidays. Containing writing prompts and tips at the end of each chapter, this book contains the perfect breakdown of the parts of a story. It includes chapters that talk all about characters, plot development, and how to publish your work in a way that impresses publishers and gets you a higher chance of actually being published.

Reading List Book #2

Here is the second installment of my Winter Break reading list. I will be posting a series of my top ten winter break books until January 1, 2016.

2. Three Times Lucky by Shelia Turnage

Possibly one of my all-time favorite books, Three Times Lucky is the story of the charismatic and moter mouth orphan, Mo. In this book she solves murders with her best friend Dale, tries to find out more of her upstream mother, and slits policemen's tires. All in all, it's a wonderful read that wil either bring you to tears or have you falling out of your chair because you're laughting too hard.

Reading List Book #1

Even though winter break is halfway done, it's not too late to start reading a new book. Here are my top ten books to read while on break. All of these books have spirited characters that are sure to drive away the school break blues. I will be posting one book per day until January 1, 2016.

1. The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy by Jeanne Birdsall

The Penderwicks is a novel about summer vacation for a group of four very different sisters. It will sure drive away the coldness of winter as you read about these girls playing soccer, driving their neighbors insane, and almost being killed by bulls in their daisy fields. Rosalind is caring, Skye is headstrong and blunt, Jane is imaginative, and Batty is well, Batty. This book will give you the time of your life, and is so realistic you can almost feel the wind in your hair as they rush down the soccer field.