Category: Book Review

My book reviews

Belly Up

Title: Belly Up

Author: Stuart Gibbs

320 Pages

Genre: Mystery, Realistic fiction

Date read: 2017 (Fourth Grade)

Synopsis: When someone kills FunJungle Zoo’s mascot, the hippo, everyone is horrified. Teddy decides to investigate. Teddy’s parents both work at the zoo, so Teddy has access to the zoo. Teddy discovers that the death of the mascot might not be the accident that it seems to be.

4 stars

Review: I really liked this book when I was in fourth grade because it was very interesting and I couldn’t put it down. I really liked the mystery because it was very well thought out. I enjoyed trying to solve the mystery with Teddy. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes animals, comedy, or mysteries

Among the Hidden

Title: Among the Hidden

Author: Margaret Peterson Haddix

153 Pages

Genre: Science fiction, dystopian

Date read: August 2019 (Seventh Grade)

Synopsis: Luke is a third child. That basically means that he’s illegal. In the word that Luke lives in, parents are allowed two children. He has to hide every minute of his life, can’t go outside, and doesn’t know anyone outside his family. There has always been a forest outside Luke’s house. That changes when it is chopped down to make room for houses for Barons. One day he sees a shadow in a house. He was sure that everyone in the family had left for work. What he decides to do about it will forever impact his life…

4 stars

Review: What really made this book was the intensity. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest during certain parts of the book. It felt horrible to put myself in Luke’s shoes because he’s forced to hide his whole life. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes intense books, dystopian books, or wants to try something new!

Counting by 7’s

Title: Counting By 7’s

Author: Holly Goldberg Sloan

384 Pages

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Date read: June 2019 (Sixth Grade)

Synopsis: Willow is not your average kid. She loves to do botanical experiments in her garden at home, and her best friends are al plants. Willow is having a normal day when she hears the news. Both of her parents are dead. She’s lost two sets of parents, and her world is turned upside down. What comes next will surprise you!

5 stars

Review: I thought this book was so well told and thought out. I couldn’t put this one down! I had first heard of it a couple years ago. I tried it and I couldn’t quite get into it. Then I needed something to read, picked it up, and loved it! I could relate to the characters, and it made it really enjoyable. I would recommend this book to anyone who is feeling lonely, or has a few minutes!

Ungifted

Title: Ungifted

Author: Gordon Korman

280 Pages

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Date read: July 2019 (Sixth Grade)

Synopsis: Donovan is in huge trouble. He made a huge mistake when he knocked the head off of an Atlas statue at his school which rolled around damaging the gym. Shortly after he is invited into the gifted program. Donovan doesn’t understand why he’s there, but he knows he shouldn’t be there, he should be in detention or expelled, and it’s the perfect place to hide. Donovan’s experience at the Academy is truly unique!

4 stars

Review: I enjoyed this book a lot. I found the nerdy humor very interesting. I also really liked the friendship problems that Donovan had. It was very intriguing to watch how he changed as a person during his stay at the Academy; and how he changed everyone else! I would recommend this to anyone still in school or anyone who likes humor.

The Indian in the Cupboard

Title: The Indian in the Cupboard

Author: Lynne Reid Banks

240 Pages

Genre: Fantasy

Date read: August 2019 (Seventh Grade)

Synopsis: Omri is thrilled when he gets a plastic, toy Indian for his birthday. He finds out the when he puts it in his cupboard, another of his birthday presents, it turns to life. Now tasked with keeping his Indian alive and a secret, Omri’s life is complicated. His adventures with his Indian will surprise you!!

2 stars

Review: I thought this book was ok. I mainly read it because my mom has been bugging me to read it since it’s a classic. I think it was worth reading, but didn’t live up to the praise she gave it. I would recommend this book to a lower elementary schooler because I think someone who is younger would enjoy the plot more than I did.

I am Malala: How One Girl Stood Up For Education and Changed the World (Young Reader’s Edition)

Title: I am Malala: How One Girl Stood Up for Education and Changed the World

Author: Malala Yousafzai

256 Pages

Genre: Biography, Autobiography

Date read: July 2019 (Sixth Grade)

Synopsis: This is the rather famous story of Malala Yousafzai. She lived in Pakistan, and started blogging about the Taliban invading her home, Swat Valley. She kept going to school despite the Talibans’ bans on girls going to school. She was shot in the head one day when a man boarded her bus. This is her story of how she stood up for her education and changed the world.

5 stars

Review: I really liked this book. I was hesitant to try it at first since I knew her story rather well. However I got to hear all of Malala’s thoughts of what was happening, and it was rather detailed. I find this very intriguing, and I couldn’t put it down. I would recommend this book to anyone who needs a good biography, or wants to read about one of the most inspiring people in the world.