Wonder: A Breath-Taking Book by R.J. Palacio

10-year-old August Pullman has a lot on his mind. Up until this year, he has been home-schooled. Starting a new school is hard for anyone, but August has a deformed face. He struggles to make friends and to ignore the kids who don't understand that behind his odd face, he's just like any other fifth grader. August isn't the only kid who's having a rough year.  His sister Via feels like he gets all the attention and his friend Jack has no popularity now that he hangs out with August.

 
WONDER is an amazing book that left me blown away. It is in first person, which really enriched the characters for me. The point of view changes every once in a while, giving an honest account of how different people feel about August. This is a perfect book for girls and boys in fourth grade to seventh grade.

Project Mulberry by Linda Sue Park

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


PROJECT MULBERRY is a wonderful book. Julia and her friend Patrick have a project to do for the farming club that they are in. They want to raise an animal for the category Animal Husbandry, but they're not sure what animal. Julia's mom suggests silkworms. Patrick loves the idea, but Julia has problems with it. She thinks it is too Korean. Julia is Korean, and sometimes she gets teased for it. Julia won't admit that she doesn't like the idea, so she goes along with it, secretly doing everything she can to stop it.



PROJECT MULBERRY has very realistic characters. The kids in it act and talk like kids, and they have real-kid problems. This book also has funny sections in between chapters where Julia "talks" to the author, Linda Sue Park. If you're looking for an interesting, realistic fiction novel, you have to read PROJECT MULBERRY.



View all my reviews

Bigger Than a Breadbox

What if you could just wish for something, then pull it out of a box? Rebecca's parents are separating and it's hard on her. Her mother gave her no choice but to move to her grandmother's house. There, Rebecca finds a magic breadbox that objects appear in when you wish for them. Rebecca wishes for a lot of things, iPods to candy, and it's fun. But what Rebecca really wants-to be home-is bigger than a breadbox.

Laurell Snyder's BIGGER THAN A BREADBOX was a great read. It had a unique plot and a cool genre: magical realism. The realism part could happen in any kid's life (and does), divorcing parents, moving, and changing schools. The magic keeps the book super interesting right up to the exciting ending. AWESOME BOOK!

(Note: I read this as an Advance Reader Copy. It comes out in September.)

Hidden

      When Wren Abbott was eight years old, Darra’s father stole her mother’s car.  Wren was still in it.  Darra figured out that Wren was hiding in her family’s garage.  Darra hatches a plan to help Wren out, but Wren has already escaped.  Six years later, these girls meet at camp.  This is uncomfortable for both of them.

      HIDDEN intrigued me.  Written in verse, it switches between Wren’s point of view and Darra’s. (Be sure to read the notes at the end.)  Hidden is an interesting book that will have you turning page after page until the story is over.

      

Out of My Mind

I love, love, LOVED Sharon Draper’s OUT OF MY MIND.  Melody has cerebral palsy.  She’s stuck in a wheel chair and can’t talk.  She’s the smartest kid in her school.  No one knows this, since she has never said a word.  Melody ends up in the special education classroom in her school reviewing the alphabet every day.  Someday Melody will find a way to communicate with the world.

OUT OF MY MIND really displays the frustration a disabled child must have.  It is full of beautiful descriptions and fully developed characters.  This book is amazing, but parts of it are very sad.  I didn’t want to stop reading it.  I hope other people will enjoy OUT OF MY MIND as much as I did.

Dogs Don't tell jokes

Here is a review of Dogs Don't Tell Jokes by Louis Sachar, one of my favorite authors.

         I like a lot of kinds of books but I usually don’t love light, funny books like I loved DOGS DON’T TELL JOKES by Louis Sachar.  The main character, 12-year-old Gary Boone is funny.  At least he thinks so.  He decides that if he tells jokes in the talent show, people will realize that he does have a talent.  But things aren’t easy.  Gary has his share of frustration, teasing, and school trouble.  Maybe he should quit...

            This book was hilarious, like most writing by Louis Sachar. It teaches to follow your dreams no matter what.  I would recommend it to fans of Andrew Clements.  It’s a well written book with realistic problems that kids will gobble up.