Password to Lakespur Lane by Carolyn Keene

Title: Password to Larkspur Lane

Author: Carolyn Keene

Stars: 5

Description: Nancy Drew solves two mysteries when she learns the origins of an eerie wheel of fire.

The last two Nancy Drew books have been somehow different then the other Nancy Drew books I have read, but I really like them! I think that The Sign of The Twisted Candles is still better then this one, but I absolutely recommend this to everybody!

Natalie

May Bird Among the Stars by Jodi Anderson

Title: May Bird Among the Stars

Author: Jodi Anderson

Stars: 5

Description: A fearful and fantastic realm located among the stars, the Ever After is full of manner of things that go bump in the night. And if May is to find her way out again, she must reach the mysterious Lady of North Farm, who lives in a cold, forbidding land that even the spooks find spooky. With her courageous (yet melancholy) Kitty and a ragtag group of spectral friends she's picked up along the way, May is determined to escape the Afterlife. But first she must face her very worst fears, and there's no telling who will make it though...or who will be left behind.

This book I think is a lot better then the first May Bird. This book has more adventure and comedy and a lot of other things that I and the other people that read this book will love! I think that if you loved the first book, try the second one!

Natalie

Roll of Thunder, Here my Cry by Mildred Taylor

Title: Roll of Thunder, Here my Cry

Author: Mildred Taylor

Stars: 4 1/2

Description: This is an extraordinarily moving novel-one you will not easily forget. Set in Mississippi at the height of the Depression, it is the story of one family's struggle top maintain their integrity, pride, and independence. It is a story of physical survival, but more important, it is a story of the survival of the human spirit.

This book is quite moving. It talks about what African American people really went through. But I am sure this book will make you cry. I don't like how the book ended, but I really do recommend it to everyone I know.

I think that this book was kind of slow at the beginning, but at the end it really touches your heart.

Who is your favorite character and why? Oh, wow, that is hard. I think it would have to be their Papa. Why? Because of his courage to save his family.

What is your favorite part and why? It would have to be the end part, when you really how mean our country was to African American people. Why? I know it is kind of weird that I would pick that part but it is the most moving.

Are you like the main character why or why aren't you? I don't think that I am because Cassie is very brave and has a lot of courage. And I might be able to do that just depend on what situation.

Natalie

What's New Scooby Doo? Season 1

Title: What's New Scooby-Doo? Season 1

Rated: Not Rated

Stars: 5

Description: Mystery, suspense, and crazy chases abound as Fred, Velma, Daphne, Shaggy, and Scooby-Doo renew their commitment to solving mysteries in this 2002 sequel to the original 1969 Scooby Doo television series. Marking a return to the mystery gang's initial five members after several seasons that included additional characters like Scooby-Dum and Scrappy, the What's New, Scooby-Doo series plays much like the original series despite being animated by Warner Brothers Television Animation rather than Hanna-Barbera. Fred, Velma, Daphne, Shaggy, and Scooby-Doo show some signs of maturation and growth since their inception, but the mystery gang is essentially still the same quirky, tight-knit group that stumbles inadvertently into one mystery after another and plunges in to investigate and unmask the villain(s) behind each strange happening. What's new in this 2002 series is the gang's utilization of high-tech gadgets like global positioning devices and laptop computers (though they still drive the same old mystery van) and their foes' crafty use of technological innovations like wireless remote controls and virtual reality gear. Add in updated popular music and guest stars like baseball great Mike Piazza and teen pop singer Lindsay Pagano and What's New, Scooby-Doo becomes attractive to a whole new generation of fans. The thirteen episodes in season one span the globe from icy snowboarding slopes to the jungles of Costa Rica, glitzy hotels of Las Vegas, and a game preserve in Africa. Bonus features include bloopers and a bonus 2005 episode "A Scooby-Doo Valentine" that stars NSYNC's J.C. Chasez.

I know I am 12 years old, but nobody is too old for the awesome Scooby Doo! My mom doesn't like the new Scooby Doo better then the old ones and she hates the theme song, but my brothers and I love this!

Natalie

ICarly Season 1 Volume 2

Title: ICarly

Nickelodeon

Rated: Not Rated

Stars: 5

Description: You asked for more, so you're getting more-more Season 1 of ICarly! Join Carly, Sam, and Freddie as they deal with all the craziness of school, growing up, and crankin' out the best web show out there! iCarly.com!

Here is ICarly again, the sequel to Season 1! These DVDS are just as fun as the first disc! With Carly, Sam, and Freddie, and their web show, see how much fun this show is! Carly's brother is really funny, Freddie is quirky, and Sam is a tomboy, and Carly is just plain fun!

Natalie

The Vile Village by Lemony Snicket

Title: The Vile Village

Author: Lemony Snicket

Stars: 5

Description: I can think of no single reason why anyone would want to open this book containing such unpleasant matters as migrating crows, an angry mob, a newspaper headline, the arrest of innocent people, the Deluxe Cell, and some very strange hats!

I like this book for a couple of reasons, 1) it ends differently then all the other books, 2) instead of one person raising the orphans, they have a whole village! I think that people will like this book just like the rest of them in the series!

Natalie

On a Whim by Robin Gunn

Title: On a Whim

Author: Robin Gunn

Stars: 4 1/2

Description: Ever since high school, Katie Weldon has wondered what it would be like to be Rick Doyle's girlfriend. As a college senior she's age to find out! In the swirl of Katie's upgraded dating life, she receives an unexplained bouquet, an unexpected call from her mother, an unprecedented girls' night out with Christy, and an unhappy moment when her beloved car takes its last wheeze. Rick's new roommate, Eli, complicates things by inviting Katie to see a meteor shower. Under a canopy of stars Katie grasps a new view of the universe-out there as well as up close. As if she had nothing else to do, on a whim, she single-handily starts a fund-raising campaign for clean water for Africa. With Rick caught up in plans for the feature, how will Katie navigate her way through the remainder of her college career with no money, no transportation, and no idea what God is up to?

This book is as good as the first one. This book has the same characters, the same romance, and the same beliefs. Katie is the same good, fun ole' person, Rick is still the mushy, fun loving guy, Christy is still married, and mostly all the characters are the same!

I think that so far, I still like the Christy Miller series better, them this series. But who knows what the author has in store!

Natalie

Messenger by Lois Lowry

Title: Messenger

Author: Lois Lowry

Stars: 3 1/2

Description: Six years earlier, Matty had come to Village as a scrappy and devious little boy. Back then, he like to call himself "the Fiercest of the Fierce," but since that time, Matty had grown almost into a man under the care of Seer, a blind man whose special sight had earned him the name. Now Matty hopes that he will soon be give his true name, and he hopes it will be Messenger. But strange changes are taking place in Village. Once a Utopian community that prided itself on its welcome to newcomers, Village will soon be closed to all outsiders. As one of the only people able to safely travel through the dangerous Forest, Matty must deliver the message of Village's closing and try to convince Seer's daughter, Kira, to return with him before it's too late. But Forest has grown hostile to Matty too, and he might risk everything to fight his way through it, armed only with an emerging power he cannot yet explain or understand.

I have read The Giver and Gathering Blue and now this one, Messenger. The last book in the series. Now, everything does make sense in the last book, why the author cut Jonas and Gabe completely out of the first book, and I like it that Kira and Matt come back.

But this book, I think didn't end very well. I mean it kind of did, but not the way I would have liked to end. I still think that if the author had written a little bit more in The Giver, that book would gave made a great book by itself.

Natalie

Into The Wild by Erin Hunter

Title: Into The Wild

Author: Erin Hunter

Stars: 4 1/2

Description: For generations, four Clans of wild cats have shared the Forest according to the laws laid down by their warrior ancestors. But the ThunderClan cats are in grave danger, and the sinister ShadowClan grows stronger every day. Noble warriors are dying-and come deaths are more mysterious then others. In the midst of this turmoil appears an ordinary house cat named Rusty...who may turn out to be the bravest warrior of them all.

My best friend and my brother's friend have been reading these books and they really love them! So I decided to give them a try! They are pretty good, not as good as some of the other books out there, but I think that people will like them.

I found it hard to understand parts of the book because of all the names you have to remember. The names of the cats are strange, and you mix cats up. But other then that, I think I will start reading the rest of the series!

It is hard to tell, because there are like 5 series of Warriors, all different names. So if you don't know what series is first, just email me at nankitz@gmail.com and I can email you order!

Natalie

The Haunting of Castle Malloy

Title: The Haunting of Castle Malloy

Rated: E for Everyone (mild violence)

Stars: 5

Description: Touted as the most romantic event to grace the ruined halls of Ireland's Castle Malloy, the Simmons-Mallory wedding was supposed to be a fairytale beginning, but now the groom is missing! Did a banshee crash the wedding or is this a case of cold feet? Can you, as Nancy Drew, unravel the knot of scattered clues and scary superstitions? You'll to catch more than a bridal bouquet to make this is a happily ever after!

This is the newest Nancy Drew game and hasn't been out very long. This game I think it really, really fun because until the end of the game, you think someone is really a ghost and not a real person... I think that once people play this game, this will be their new favorite!

Natalie

The Phantom Of Venice

Title: The Phantom of Venice

Rated: E for Everyone (mild violence)

Stars: 5

Description: The stake have never been higher as Nancy Drew joins an international undercover investigation to track down a phantom thief in Venice. The Italian police have few leads and you might be the only one who can stop the thefts of historic artifacts. Can you spy on suspects and collect clues before the crime syndicates catches up to you?

This Nancy Drew game is one of the new games and is really fun! This is different from the other Nancy Drew games because it is newer and your job is to spy on people. Well, you are an undercover detective that is!

Natalie

The Sign of The Twisted Candles by Carolyn Keene

Title: The Sign of The Twisted Candles

Author: Carolyn Keene

Stars: 5

Description: When Nancy learns that a wealthy old man is being held prisoner in his own mansion she uncovers a family feud and hidden treasure.

So far in this series, this book is my favorite and most intriguing. I think there is a lot more violence in this book then there is in the other books. The violence is because there is a feud in this book between families' and they are fighting for inheritance.

Natalie

The Ersatz Elevator by Lemony Snicket

Title: The Ersatz Elevator

Author: Lemony Snicket

Stars: 5

Description: Within the chapters of this story, Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire encounter a darkened staircase, a red herring, some friends in a dire situation, three mysterious initials, a liar with an evil scheme, a secret passageway, and parsley soda.

I love this series and this book is as good as all the other books. The 13-book-series is a great, crazy, and funny series for 7 and up. Maybe younger. But these books, are great and I have recommend them to my friends (some of then have already read them) my brother, and my

mom.

Natalie

Holes by Louis Sachar

Title: Holes

Author: Louis Sachar

Stars: 5 (seriously, this is a really good book!)

Description: Stanley Yelant's family has a history of bad luck, so he isn't to surprised when a miscarriage of justice sends him to a boys' juvenile detention center, Camp Green Lake. There is no lake-it has been dry for over a hundred years-and it's hardly a camp: as punishment, the boys must each dig a hole a day, five feet deep, five feet across, in the hard earth of the dried-up lake bed. The warden claims that this pointless labor builds character, but that's a lie. Stanley must try to dig up the truth.

I love this book. That is mostly all I have to say. This book totally keeps you on edge until the last page. The author is really talented and I really think this is a great book. I recommend it to all my friends and family. This book has rattlesnakes, yellow-spotted lizards, and holes. I think this is my new favorite!

This is one Oh my Go*, but that was really the only bad word I saw in the book. The boys at the camp are mean and rude, Stanley is mentioned to be fat and overweight. And then in a story the sheriff is drunk. But beyond this stuff, this book is great!

Natalie

Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry

Title: Gathering Blue

Author: Lois Lowry

Stars: 3

Description: Kira, an orphan with a twisted leg, lives in a world where the weak are cast aside. She fears for her future until she is spared by the all-powerful Council of Guardians. Kira is a gifted weaver and is given a task that no other community member can carry out. While her talent keeps her alive and brings certain privileges, Kira soon realizes that she is surrounded by mysteries and secrets. No one must know of her plans to uncover the truth about her world-and to find out what exists beyond it.

I read The Giver (the first book is this series) a while ago and absolutely loved it. This book...not so much. This book is about a completely new world and not about the same characters. The book ended badly also and it also didn't have as much suspense as The Giver did.

But I am going to read the last book because my mom said everything is dealt out in the last book. The only this that bothered me was that in like two sentences they said they bowed to a worship object. Something real minor, but the violence (which there was very little of) didn't bother me at all.

But to tell you the truth, I think that if the author had kind of finished it up in the first book, The Giver would have made a really good book with now sequel. But some of you might like this book, and some of you might not. But this is my opinion.

Natalie

May Bird and the Ever After by Jodi Lynn Anderson

Title: May Bird and The Ever After

Author: Jodi Lynn Anderson

Stars: 4 1/2

Description: Most people aren't very comfortable in the woods, but the woods of Briery Swamp fit May Bird like a fuzzy mitten. There she is safe from school and the taunts and teases of kids who don't understand her. Hidden in the trees, May is a warrior princess, and her cat, Somber Kitty, is her brave guardian. Then May falls into the lake, When she crawls out, May finds herself in a world that most certainly does not feel like a fuzzy mitten. In fact, it is a place few living people have ever seen. Here towns glow blue beneath zipping stars and people-people?- walk through walls. Here the Book of the Dead holds the answers to everything in the universe. And here, if May is discovered, the horrifying evil Bo Cleevil with turn her into nothing. May Bird must get out. Fast.

When May Bird falls into Briery Swamp and is pulled under, by who knows what, and then when she comes back up, is in another world. A world of danger and May doesn't understand what is happening to her.

With the help of Pumpkin, a house ghost, and other friends she meets along the way, May will search for The Book of The Dead and hopefully, she will get out of The Ever After.

There is some violence, one of the bad guys sucks people into nothingness, nothing really gruesome though.

4 1/2 stars!

Natalie

Asking For Reviews of Books

If you want to read a book and you aren't sure if it is ok to read, ask me to read it for you and I will read part of it or all of it, depending if there is anything bad in the book, and then I will write a review with your name on it! Just ask!

Natalie