The Year of the Dog: a novel

by Grace Lin
FIC LIN

The Year of the Dog is about a young girl who is Taiwanese-American. She can only speak English. Her name is Grace (Pacy) Lin. She just moved to America and is starting school. She has an older sister named Lizzy (Taiwanese name) or Beatrice (American name). It's the year of the dog and Pacy needs to find her talent before the end of the year. At school there will be a book project contest. The students will write a book authored and illustrated by themselves. Pacy is having trouble. Her teacher says she has writer's block. When Pacy comes home, her mom somehow convinces her to help her plant a special kind of Chinese vegetable that look very ugly but tastes very good. After helping her mom, Pacy has a great idea for her book.

Reviewed by S. S. (5th gr.)

Rules

by Cynthia Lord
FIC LOR

Catherine's younger brother David has utism which makes life hard on her family. David doesn't understand a lot of stuff about the world so Catherine makes rules for him like "no toys in the fish tank." Because her best friend is out of town, it's lika a dream come true when Kristi moves in next door. She also meets a boy at David's occupational therapy named Jason who can't speak or walk. Unfortunately Catherine feels she can't tell Kristi about David or Jason.

I really like this book because it's funny and has a good lesson.

Reviewed by R. M. (6th gr.)

Rules was a Newbery Honor book in 2007 and the winner of the Schneider Family Book Award. --Leslie

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: a novel in cartoons

by Jeff Kinney
FIC KIN

I liked this book because it was funny and artistic. There were pictures in this book that helped me think of what happened. The Diary of a Wimpy Kid is so realistic that I'm sure I can match people up with the characters in the book!

I think that Greg shouldn't have done the things he did, such as chasing kindergarteners with a worm and sneaking to try and hear his brother's CD. I don't think I would have done anything like him!

Reviewed by H. Y. (6th gr.)

Paint the Wind

by Pam Munoz Ryan
FIC RYA

Maya's parents have died and she lives with her strict grandmother. She knows nothing about her mom except that she loved horses. When grandmother dies, Maya moves in with her mom's relatives. At first she's very obnoxious but becomes kind as she learns to ride horses. One day when an earthquake strikes Maya falls and hurts her leg miles from home. Her own hope is Artemisia, a wild mare her mom tamed. Will they make it back alive?

I thought this book was really well written and full of adventure.

Reviewed by R. M. (6th gr.)

Regarding the Fountain

by Kate Klise; illustrated by Sarah Klise
****
FIC KLI

Dry Creek Middle School's drinking fountain has sprung a leak and must be replaced. Principal Walter Russ sends a letter to the owner of Flowing Waters Fountains asking for an estimate on a new one. Little does he know that he's contacted a true individual, an artistic designer named Florence Waters, who will not settle for anything less than the most imaginative, creative, and pleasurable water fountain ever. Should it dispense shakes and ice cream? Should goldifsh live inside? Florence even contacts the 5th graders for their ideas. As the correspondence continues, clues appear that reveal a dastardly plot and secrets buried beneath the fountain. Are things in the town of Dry Creek as dry as they seem?

Regarding the Fountain and the other 4 books in the Regarding the ... series are funny and unusual. The story is told in a series of illustrated letters, phone messages, notes, newspaper clippings, postcards and drawings. You'll chuckle at the puns and the quirky sayings.

Submitted by Leslie Kanno

The Schwa Effect

by Neal Shusterman

****

FIC SHU, Teen section

Calvin Schwa seems to be invisible. People forget about him the minute he's no longer standing next to them. His friend Antsy calls it the Schwa Effect and hatches a moneymaking scheme based on Calvin's "talent." That is until they get caught by the neighborhood's legendary mean guy, Mr. Crawley, who forces them to walk his 14 dogs as punishment. Later Antsy and and Lexie, Crawley's blind granddaughter, try to figure out what happened to Calvin's missing mother. Will Calvin's greatest fear come true? Will he disappear completely like his mother?

I love Shusterman's books. They're exciting, fast-paced, unique. Other books that we have by him that I enjoyed are Everlost and Downsiders. The Schwa Effect is one of the California Young Reader Medal nominated titles for middle school students.

Little Secrets #1: Playing with Fire

by Emily Blake
*****

This book is about a girl who has a "famous" mother. When her mother gets taken away to jail, she doesn't know what to do. Thank godness she has her best friend, cousin and boyfriend to help straighten out this mess. They'll help her...right? The best part of this book is when in the very end she finds out that the house is on fire.
H.B. (6th gr.) 2007