Mt. Zaagham International School

“The Trenton Register News showed a photo taken by a tourist as I got of the Greyhound bus. I had a wild look in my eyes. My sword was a metallic blur in my hands. It might’ve been a baseball bat or a lacrosse stick. The picture’s caption said:

Twelve year old Percy Jackson, wanted for questioning in the Long Island disappearance of his mother two weeks ago, is shown here fleeing from the bus where he accosted several elderly female passengers. The bus exploded on an east New Jersey roadside shortly after Jackson fled the scene. Based on eyewitness accounts, police believe he may be traveling with two teenage accomplices. His stepfather, Gabe Ugliano, has offered a cash reward for information leading to his capture.” – page 197 of The Lightning Thief.

The Lightning Thief is one of the best books I have read so far. The author details the book so well I can picture it in my mind vividly. I love the part in the beginning when the class goes to a museum. When the tour is finished, Percy gets called back inside by Mrs. Dodds, his teacher. When he gets inside she transforms into a monster. His Spanish teacher Mr. Brunner gives him a pen that changes into a bronze sword. He then fights Mrs. Dodds until the last blow.

Another great part of the book is when Percy, Annabeth, and Grover are at an abandoned waterpark. In the waterpark they have to find Ares’s shield. In the meantime, when they are approaching an empty pool, they see many big statues of Cupid surrounding a place called the “LOVE Tunnel.” In the bottom of the pool there is a boat that has pink flowers painted all over it. This was the LOVE Tunnel ride. When they climb down to the bottom the pool they find a trip wire. When they find that the trip wire had been broken there was a loud noise of cranks struggling to turn. The Cupid statues were coming alive. The kids thought that the Cupids were going to kill them with their arrows. Instead, the Cupids were killing each other. The arrows made a huge net over the pool so that the kids couldn’t get out.

Does Percy die?

Or live?

4/5 stars so far.

Cole

The chances of surviving in the endless savannas and dense forest of ancient Europe is not very high. It is even slimmer for a small child, lost and alone.

When Ayla’s entire family is killed in an earthquake, she is forced to venture into the wild unknown of 30,000 BC Europe. After days of struggling to survive she finally finds help. However it doesn’t come from familiar humans. It comes from a group of neanderthals, the ones who call themselves the Clan of the Cave Bear. To them, tall, blonde haired Ayla seems almost alien.

To Ayla the people of the clan are a spark of hope. If she is to have any chance of being accepted by them let alone surviving the winter, she must learn their way of life, their language and their customs. But things don’t go as smoothly as Ayla hopes. Broud, a brutal and proud youth, destined to become the clan’s leader, feels threatened by Ayla’s differences. He develops a deep and bitter hatred for the newcomer and is determined to strike her down.

The Clan of the Cave Bear is a story love, hatred, discrimination and most of all adaption. Ayla who naturally grows much slower than the people of the clan is thrust into experiences far beyond her years and must learn how to deal with them. As much as she tries to fit in, she knows she is different and can’t help thinking about what her life might have been like if her family was alive. 

Wander through dense pine forest, look out over endless alpine savannas, and though Jean M. Auel’s writing, imagine what the world may have been like during the dawn of the human race. A place where mammoths, saber toothed tigers, large harry rhinoceroses and giant cave dwelling bears live alongside our ancestors.

I personally found the Clan of the Cave Bear, to be one of the most interesting books I’ve ever read. Not only does it have an exiting plot, it explores how different neanderthals and humans really were as well as the shocking possibility that they may have traded goods, lived together, even mated. And if so, what would there offspring have been like, and how would this have effected their cultures? Whatever the answers, Clan of the Cave Bear will really get you thinking.

Rating: *****/*****

 Two thumbs up,

 Justice Simonetti

“After you’ve had it, there isn’t even life without drugs…” said Alice a fifteen year old who becomes an addict.

It started when Alice was served a soft drink laced with LSD in a dangerous party game.  Alice was in her first year of high school, it wasn’t the best for her because she didn’t have many friends. She likes to read alone in her room most of the time.

 The first Friday after school she went to a shop to buy a diary. Then on every single day she wrote about her day and her feelings. In the second week of school she started going out with a guy from her town. It didn’t last because she was moving to a new town with her family because his dad got a better job. She didn’t want to go, because she loved her house especially her room. 

At her new school she had more friends, and parties. Alice started to change a lot. She didn’t care much about school or her family. The only thing that she cared about now was having fun with her friends. One of those Saturdays, Alice was invited to a friend’s house for a party. At the party they were serving soft drinks but she didn’t know that people had laced LSD into the soft drinks.

Within months she was hooked, trapped in a downward spiral that took her from her comfortable home and loving family to the mean streets of an unforgiving city. It was a journey that would rob her of her innocence, her youth, and ultimately her life.

Go Ask Alice has sold more than 5 million copies over the world. This book taught me how important life is and that you not always have to do what your friends tell you.

I rated this book: ****1/2

Andres

“All the time. I’m always opening doors.  It could be…,”  Zee stopped and looked around again.

“There. You didn’t hear anything?”

“No,” said Charlotte. Zee leaned in. “Come on,” he whispered. “Let’s go home.” 

And then, Charlotte did hear something. Something sibilant and sneaky, something creepy and close. Her stomach dropped into her intestine. And she felt something, too, something shadowy and sinister…. Her skin began to prickle…. “Zee!” she exclaimed.

“Run!”

But it was too late. There, right in front of them, were two man-like men, with gray-white skin and dead-looking yellow eyes set on a face like a skeleton’s. Charlotte screamed, and the men smiled and bowed-and if you asked Charlotte, that was the creepiest part of all.” – The Shadow Thieves

This book is about these two kids named Charlotte Mielswetski and Zachary Miller, called “Zee.” It all begins when Zee starts seeing his friends in England become sick . The weird thing is that the victims have no shadows. Then Zee’s parents decide that he should move to America and live with his cousin Charlotte. When he arrives there all of Charlotte’s friends start getting sick too.

They then find out that Mr. Metos, Charlotte’s Greek mythology teacher is actually a son of Prometheus, the titan who brought man fire. After they discover Mr. Metos’s secret, they embark on a quest to the Underworld to try and find a cure to the disease.

Could Charlotte and Zee be helping all their friends, or could they be part of a plan to overthrow Hades, king of the Underworld.

One of the only interesting parts in this book was when one of the main characters prepares to invade the Underworld with his secret army. This book is similar to the Lighting Thief, but the authors are different. Rick Riordan writes the Lightning Thief series.  Anne Ursu wrote this book.

I wouldn’t really recommend Shadow Theives to people because it is so slow, and there is hardly any action in it. If The Lighting Thief was 10/10 than this book would be about 5/10.

 I rate this book *****/**********

By Dima Seymour

Bilbo Baggins was just a small, chubby hobbit who wanted no more than to sit, cozy in his hobbit hole, reading, eating, and sleeping. But one day, his life changed when Gandalf, the wizard, and several dwarves came for a visit. Bilbo had been chosen to be their burglar and steal back the dwarves’ treasure from the famous dragon, Smaug.

“I think that this book was written for younger audiences and that it’s not really as hard to read as other books by Tolkien,” said Jonathan Smith a 13 year old, who’s an avid reader.

I agree. You just have to get past the boring parts in the beginning, and then you’ll be in for a great story.  This book isn’t really hard to read at all. I think any 6^th grader could finish it with ease.

“His head was swimming, and he was far from certain even of the direction they had been going in when he had his fall. He guessed as well as he could, and crawled along for a good way, till suddenly his hand met what felt like a tiny ring of cold metal lying on the floor of the tunnel. It was a turning point in his career, but he did not know it.”

Bilbo had just found the ring by accident in a tunnel under the misty mountains, and discovered it turned him invisible when he wore it. Without that ability, he would have never escaped the goblins, or Gollum, the small ugly creature that lived there. I haven’t finished the book, but I know that the ring will be a very huge deal in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy.

The Hobbit’s adventure is very unique. Instead of the hero always slashing ugly creatures with his sword, like many fantasy novels, Gandalf usually outsmarts or tricks them, letting Bilbo and the dwarves pass by safely. In one part, there are three trolls and Gandalf is talking behind a tree in a deep troll voice, arguing until the sun comes up which turns the trolls into stone. Trolls can’t be out in the daylight. That’s one of my favorite parts so far.

I really like how creative Tolkien is. Instead of saying “Hmmmmm…what should I have my main characters do to the trolls? Ahhhh, I’ll have them slaughter the bad guys, again.” No, instead Tolkien has something different happen every time. His characters use their wits.

Comparing this book to Eragon, I think they both have their ups and downs. I haven’t read all the Lord of the Rings books but so far, I think the idea of a magic ring is awesome! Christopher Paolini should have thought of something like that.

Swords in this book aren’t really a big deal like in Eragon, which is kind of disappointing. I really liked how the riders had special swords forged out of space metal with magical properties, the color of their dragon. However, you must understand that this is just a short prequel that, according to Jonathan, doesn’t have as much action as The Lord of the Rings.

This book is definitely worth reading. If you’ve tried and given up, read it again! It’s great! Also don’t judge this book by its cover because it’s really ugly.

**** and a half stars

by Austin Schroeder

This book is about a family who has a savvy which is a power that they get when they turn 13. At 13 they have to drop out of school to be homeschooled because they have to learn to control their power.

Mibs’s father is the only one who does not have a savvy. Some people get savvy’s and some don’t.

The family lives in between Nebraska and Kansas so they call it Nebransas. It was Fish’s birthday. His whole family was there. After Fish blew his candles his dad got injured by the storm Fish caused. Fish’s power is to control weather so he can make hurricanes and tornadoes. Mibs mom and her older brother Rocket went to help his dad. The other three kids were stuck with a family who went to church with them.

On Mibs’s birthday, she hears and sees something and faints. She wakes up and she runs away with Fish, Bobbi, Will Junior and Samson in a bus that belonged to a guy who sold pink bibles. If you want to find out what happens read the book.

I rate this book ****/*****stars

By Taylor Monteith

This book may have a babyish name, but the story isn’t. It all starts out when 11 year old Sandy’s dad gets drunk and throws his little brother down the stairs, killing Terry. Sandy has another brother, nine year old Jack. Jack’s real name is John but he likes the name Jack because it goes with jungle, Jungle Jack. He likes it better because he loves jungles. After this incident their lives will change forever.

Sandy knew that his Terry wasn’t killed accidentally.

“Terry didn’t accidentally fall by himself down the living room stairs like we all said he did. Our family never worked right because of Dad’s drinking. Whatever it was that made him drink, we never knew. All we knew was that when he drank, he got angry, and when he got angry, he took it out on us.”

One day after school Jack and Sandy get picked up by their dad. He tells them to get in the car and not to ask any questions. They drove from Pennsylvania all the way to Florida without stopping. There they got out and spent the night at a motel.

Soon after, the boys stole there dad’s wallet and bought supplies to survive out in a protected swamp called Crocodile Swamp.

Most of this book is about the boys’ adventure in Crocodile Swamp. I can’t give away the ending; it’s really sad and suspenseful, but a cool way to finish the story.

“What happened to her?” Jack asked. “Is she dead?”

“I think so. I hit her hard. I didn’t mean to hit her so hard….But I couldn’t stand it anymore: her sitting there and moaning and talking to herself. I punched her head against the radiator.”

“You just left her there?” Jack asked.

“I thought she was dead. I thought I killed her . . . . I didn’t know what to do…I…”

“Don’t talk…” I told him. “You’re using yourself up.” He rolled his head back to look at the sky. I watched the sky’s reflection in his eye. Jack held his hand. None of us spoke for a long while.

“Did you boys see all the white birds?” He asked, looking up at the fading light. “I wonder what kind they were.”

“Ibises” Jack said, but he was already dead. I gently closed his eye with my fingers….

I rate this book 4½ / 5 stars!

Finn

“In Muggle (non-magical) fairy tales, magic tends to lie at the root of the hero or heroine’s troubles – the wicked witch has poisoned the apple, or put the princess into a hundred years’ sleep, or turned the prince into a hideous beast. In The Tales of Beedle the Bard, on the other hand, we’ve meet heroes and heroines who can perform magic themselves, and yet find it just as hard to resolve their problems as we do.”  – J.K. Rowling

This book would also spoil the Harry Potter series if you have not finished it.  I recommend reading the series before The Tales of Beedle the Bard.  So, if you haven’t finished the series don’t even continue reading this review.

The Tales of Beedle the Bard ties into the 7^th book of the Harry Potter series – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. It’s actually mentioned in the 7^th book. The book is left to Hermione in Dumbledore’s will. It helps Harry, Ron, and Hermione on their quest to find the source of Voldemort’s power. Inside the book are also notes from Dumbledore that explain a few things from each story.

The Tales of Beedle the Bard is a short read, since it’s a bunch of fairy tales, but it’s still really good. There are also illustrations done by J.K. Rowling herself, which makes it easier to picture, but it still would’ve been perfectly fine without them, since the book’s very descriptive itself.

There are five richly diverse fairy tales, each with its own magical character – The Wizard and the Hopping Pot, The Fountain of Fair Fortune, The Warlock’s Hairy Heart, Babbity Rabbity and Her Cackling Stump, and The Tale of the Three Brothers.

Here is an explanation of the first two stories:

The Wizard and the Hopping Pot is about a gentle old man who would help people in need by mixing his magical pot and out would pop an antidote, or item that would help the sick person. The man dies and his son receives the pot, but he does not use it to help anyone because he is prejudiced against muggles . When the son looks  into the pot he finds a parcel that has an old slipper, with no pair. What’s it for?

The Fountain of Fair Fortune is about three witches and a muggle knight who seek the fountain to bathe in. Apparently if they do, they will have luck for the rest of their lives, but only one can bathe in the fountain.

The book might not be as good as the actual Harry Potter series, but it’s still worth reading. I really enjoyed the stories. They might be fairy tales, but there is one that would give little kids nightmares. What’s the story about? Well, read it to find out!

I rate this book: ****

By Galih

“The tears rushed up, and my words came out in high-pitched sounds I didn’t recognize. T. Ray said she left me, that she left both of us and ran away. Kneeling on the floor, unable to stop shuddering, I heard it plainly. It said, you are unlovable, Lily Owens. Unlovable. Who could love you? Who in this world could ever love you?” – Lily Owens the main character in The Secret Life of Bees

Set in South Carolina, 1964, The Secret Life of Bees, tells the story of Lily Owens, a girl whose life has been shaped around the blurred memory of the day her mother was killed. One hot summer day, in Sylvan, South Carolina, Lily’s house-keeper, Rosaleen, insults three of the biggest racists in town. Lily sets out to bust Rosaleen and herself free. Rosaleen from jail, and herself from an unloving father, with no heart.

With not much of a plan at all, Lily sets out to find the last links to her mother. She and Rosaleen stumble upon a trio of black beekeepers in the town of Tiburon, South Carolina. August, May and June, the calendar sisters, take her under their wing, and introduce her to their mesmerizing world of bees and honey, and Lily’s life goes spinning off in a whole new orbit. Lily believes that they could hold the secrets to her mothers past.

Luanne Rice, a book critic who summarized this book perfectly said:  “The Secret Life of Bees proves that a family can be found where you least expect it-maybe not under your own roof, but in that magical place where you find love. The Secret Life of Bees is a gift, filled with hope.”

The Secret life of Bees is one of my favorite novels and sometimes it brought tears to my eyes. A better part of the story is based on religion, which for me, distracted from the story, but still I loved The Secret Life of Bees.  

I rate this book 6/5 *

Sahana .M. Simonetti

“I have done the impossible. I made a sword when I swore I would not. What is more, I have made it in less than a day and with hands that were not my own. Yet the sword is not crude or shoddy, No! It is the finest sword I have ever forged! Behold! Eragon gasped.” – Rhunon, the elven smith

Book three of the inheritance cycle, Brisingr is definitely the greatest of them all! With the mystery of Eragon’s true dad, the trouble Eragon has finding a new sword, and of course Roran Stronghammer wielding his great weapon once again.

The fight against the Empire gets even harder when new enemies are brought into the light. Dragons, Galbatorix, a shade, Eragon has to deal with them all. Will he survive? Or will he be kneeling at the king’s feet begging for mercy.

Also, something happens to Zar’roc, Eragon’s red sword handed down from Brom. He must find a new one. He goes through many fine blades but none are fit for Eragon’s strength, and end up getting broken. What he really needs is a rider’s sword.

“Where did you find that?” demanded Rhunon as Eragon staggered into the atrium of her house and dropped the lump of brightsteel ore by her feet.

Rhunon, is the worlds best blacksmith in the history of Alagasia. She smithed all of the riders swords out of a super rare metal carried to earth by meteorites called brightsteel. When Eragon gets his hands on some of this, Rhunon creates a sword, together with Eragon. The blade is the same blue as Saphira’s scales.

“Sword, I name thee Brisingr!”

And with the sound like rushing wind, the blade burst into fire, an envelope of sapphire-blue flames writhing about the razor sharp steel.

Eragon couldn’t stay in Ellesmera much longer; they departed the day after the forging. Saphira flew south-west towards the city of Feinster to aid the Varden. Eragon could already hear the sounds of swords slicing through metal. Saphira went into a steep dive towards the city, bloodthirsty, and ready for action.

I think this is one of my favourite books. It has so much more action and mysterious parts compared to the other books in the series! Its mind boggling! I feel bad for all you people who haven’t read Eragon yet. You’re going to have to do a lot of reading to get to this. But it’s worth it! Give it a try!

By: Austin Schroeder

****1/2 stars