39 Clues Book 1 Maze of Bones by by Rick Riordan****

Today, I’m reviewing a book called 39 Clues. The setting of the story takes place in modern day in various places. The main characters of the book are Dan and Amy Cahill. These two kids want to take part in finding clues that unlock a secret to their family instead of taking 1 million dollars from their aunt Grace’s will. Along the way, most of the family members try to stop the kids from winning the challenge. At the end of the book, Amy and Dan find out that Ben Franklin is a Cahill and has hidden the first clue in the Poor Richard’s Almanac. At the end, the kids get the clue and start looking for the other clues. There are 10 books in the series following Dan and Amy on this adventure.
by Derek C.

Lemonade Mouth by Mark Peter*****

Lemonade Mouth by Mark Peter Hughes *****
338 pages
Realistic Fiction
Lemonade Mouth by Mark Peter Hughes is about five freshmen by the names of Wen, Stella, Olivia, Charlie, and Mo. By fate, they all end up in detention the same day in a drab classroom at the basement of the school. A couple of them have never been to detention before, while for others, it’s the usual routine. While there, they learn that they all have something in common that they never knew about before--that they all have a passion for music. After becoming friends and wondering if they should form a band, things start getting in the way and arguments arise. Luckily, the students agreed to stay together, and came up with a clever and catchy name, Lemonade Mouth, after the famous Mel’s Organic Lemonade. Many of the older kids, especially those from a competing band, Mudslide Crush, make fun of them and say they don’t know what they are doing. After Lemonade Mouth’s first concert though, a lot of students changed their mind, claiming the music was moving and they became true fans. Wen, Stella, Olivia, Charlie, and Mo had been outcasts, but not anymore. They became pretty famous around their area, and finally, their big break came. They auditioned for a local radio’s contest, called Catch a RI-Zing Star, but the day before the show, they all seem to be out of it and have bad luck. What will happen when they get on stage and they aren’t ready?
Rating: *****
Alana F.
Period 3

Eragon by Christopher Paolini ****

Fantasy
497pages
Eragon by Christopher Paolini starts off with young farm boy Eragon hunting deer in the forest when he stumbles upon a strange sapphire stone. He does not know what the stone is or where it is from. One night Eragon is awakened by a strange noise, which he realizes is coming from the stone. It appears to be breaking and out pops a little dragon. In Alagaesia, where Eragon lives, dragons have long been a legend to humans. As the dragon grows, she learns to communicate with Eragon mentally, and he learns that he is her rider. He tries to keep this a secret, but soon the ruthless leader of Alagaesia, Galbatorix, learns of the dragon. He has tried to keep dragons a secret since the fall of the dragon riders hundreds of years ago and sends men to capture Eragon and the dragon, Saphira. They escape but in the incident Garrow, Eragon’s uncle and guardian, is killed and the Ra’zac, the evil creatures sent to capture Eragon, have fled. Now, Eragon is thrown into a quest for vengeance and understanding. His only helpers are Saphira and an old storyteller Brom who just might know a bit too much about Galbatorix and the "legends" of Alagaesia.
Rating
****
Rebecca B.
Period 7

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova ***

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova is a story of a girl whose name does not get revealed because she is the one telling the story. The story starts with her one night wandering through her father’s library only to come across an ancient book and faded letters addressed to “My Dear and Unfortunate Successor.” She’s tortured by not knowing the secrets of her father’s past. As she digs deeper into the letters’ meaning, she is led to an evil hidden deep in the corners of history. The letters in fact lead to a century-long search of the truth of Vlad the Impaler, the most feared ruler of not just his time. For years historians have risked their sanity and even their lives to find his secrets. Now, she has to decide to either find them or follow in her father’s footsteps into a world that destroyed him when he was a young man. Will the stories she discoveries in Ivy League Libraries come close to the secret that no one in history has found?

by Paige B.

Spud- The Madness Continues by John van de Ruit 337 pgs ****

John (Spud) Milton lives in South Africa it is 1991, and he is about to start his second year at an all boys boarding school. But this year will not be easy. He must juggle rugby, cricket, a trip to London, his diary, schoolwork, his crazy classmates, girlfriend issues, and a wacko grandma. This will not be easy, but it will be funny. Spud- the Madness Continues is a great sequel to Spud and is a great read for boys.

I highly recommend this series.

Jonah
Period 2

So long and Thanks for All the Fish by Douglas Adams 204 pgs ***

Arthur Dent is finally back on earth, and he is hopelessly in love with Fenchurch who is considered to be a complete nutcase by her brother. Together, they embark on a journey to find Wonko the Sane and try to find out where all the dolphins went. In the end they go to Preliumtarn where they meet Marvin, the super depressed robot, and see God’s final words to man.

Jonah M. Period 2

Mostly Harmless by Douglas Adams

Mostly Harmless by Douglas Adams, the fifth book in the increasingly inaccurately named Hitchhikers Trilogy 227 pgs ****

Arthur Dent wants to be completely normal. Too bad he can fly, and he has traveled in space. After surviving a spaceship crash on an unknown planet, he becomes the village sandwichmaker, one of the best jobs available, using the meat of the perfectly normal beast to make some of the best sandwiches around. On the other side of the galaxy, Ford Prefect is in a bit of a mess. After breaking into his own company’s offices, he then discovers something is not right, The Company is under new management! I guess he never got to say goodbye to the sea monster in its tank. After proceeding to knock his CEO out, he then steals a large amount of money from the corporation. After falling over 50 stories and being shot at by Vulgans, he finally wonders, what should I do next?

This is a wonderful conclusion to one of the best science fiction series of all time.
Jonah M. p.2