Because of Mr. Terupt, by Rob Buyea

Seven fifth graders find themselves in a classroom with a first year rookie teacher named Mr. Terupt. Jessica is having a hard time fitting in, Alexia is a bully, Peter is a class prankster, and Jeffrey hates school. Luke is a brain, and Danielle just cannot stand up for herself, and Anna has a troubling home situation. They all have trouble getting along with each other, and Mr. Terupt has his hands full trying to deal with it all. Each of the seven students narrate a part of the book, and give the reader their own unique perspective on their new teacher, who slowly but surely begins to make progress getting them to work as a team. Just as things begin to get more cohesive in the classroom, an event occurs that will change everything...for each student, but especially for Mr. Terupt. This book, by first time novelist Rob Buyea, is being made into a movie! Reviewed by Mrs. Bailey at Okte

Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer

Theodore Boone thinks he has life figured all out, because for Theo life is good.  He may only be 13, but he is popular and respected in school by his peers and teachers, and has already established a name for himself in the legal world.  The son of two well-known lawyers, Theo has friends in many places and has big plans for his own future.   But when Theo becomes involved in the biggest murder trial in his town of Strattenburg, things start to change for him and he realized that his bright future may even be in jeopardy.  Will Theo help to solve the case before the case destroys his life?  Read the first book in the Theodore Boone Trilogy by John Grisham to find out. 

Reviewed by Mrs. Ziter at Karigon

Bedtime Is Canceled

The note read ‘Bedtime is canceled.’  Maggie thought of it.  Her brother wrote it, but they never thought anyone would actually BELIEVE it.  When word spread that bedtime was in fact cancelled, everyone celebrated and enjoyed their free night, not realizing the consequences that could happen from a night without sleep.  See what happens when moms, dads, and teachers miss a night a sleep in this fun and clever book Bedtime is Canceled by CeCe Meng!

Reviewed by Mrs. Ziter at Karigon

Rocky Road, by Rose Kent

This book takes place in Schenectady, New York, just a 20 minute drive from Clifton Park! 

 

What would it be like to know that you had to take care of the family when your mom went into one of her dark crashes and does not get out of bed for days?  What if only you and your brother know about the crashes and you somehow had to get the new ice cream shop up and running in order to make sure the money was not going to run out?   Tess faces these challenges in a realistic and gripping novel written by a local author!

Reviewed by Mrs. Bailey from Okte


Pish Posh by Ellen Potter

 

                                                           

                                                                                    Reviewed by Mrs. Ziter from Karigon

Clara may only be 11 years old, but she lives a very glamorous life.  She runs the show at her parent’s chic and exclusive New York City restaurant, Pish Posh.  Sitting in her usual seat, dressed in her black sunglasses and sophisticated black dress, Clara decides who is and who is not allowed to dine at the restaurant.  Her home life is not any less normal.  Clara’s parents have built unique rooms into their home to help Clara become a ‘kid’.  She has an indoor tree house, an indoor city street, and even an indoor roller coaster!  It seems that Clara is happy with the way that she lives her life, until she meets 11 year old Annabelle and helps the young burglar escape from the police.  This exciting friendship helps open Clara’s eyes to a new way of life and helps her see that the world doesn't revolve around her opinions of what is and isn’t cool. 

Spy School by Stewart Gibbs

                                                                    Reviewed by Mrs. Ziter from Karigon

Who:  Ben Ripley

What:  Operation Creeping Badger

Where:  CIA Academy of Espionage --aka-- Spy School

When:  Year 1 of Spy School

Why:  To become an undercover spy of course!

Scene:  Ben walks into his living room after school, only to find a man in a dark suit waiting for him.  The unidentified man whisks him away to the CIA Academy of Espionage.  The thing is as soon as he gets there, he is ambushed by enemy operatives in an emergence drill.  But after a few days, he quickly realized that the drills may be in fact real and Ben’s life is in danger.  He has to figure out what is real and what is only a test.  Will Ben survive Spy School? 

Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life by James Patterson and Chris Tebbetts

Reviewed by Mrs. Bruno at Arongen

There are two sides to Rafe Khatchadorian: on one side he is a talented artist, has illustrated and written a book of his own, is generally funny and on the other side he is a total cut-up getting into heaps of trouble. Sixth grade can be really hard. Especially when the school bully "Miller the Killer" is making your life difficult. Plus, Rafe is making trouble of his own by breaking the school rules. But is he really doing it, or is his "friend" Leo causing all the stir? His mom is mad at him, his teacher and principal are furious and he is spending a lot of time in detention. Will Rafe change his wayward ways? Read this hilarious book and find out.

How I Nicky Flynn Finally Get a Life and a Dog by Art Corriveau

Reviewed by Mrs. Bruno at Arongen

After the divorce of his parents, Nicky Flynn and his mom move into a one bedroom apartment. He has started a new school in a different city. One day his mom surprises him with a retired guide dog named Reggie. Reggie has these strange behaviors that Nicky can't quite figure out and mom is threatening to return him. As he walks Reggie aroudn the neighborhood, he starts to piece together part of his dog's past. But Nicky is determined to find Reggie's old owner. Learning about Reggie's roots helps Nicky confront his own past disappointments and understand the importance of building new relationships in his live that center on responsibility, trust and honesty.

The Loser List by H. N. Knowitt

Reviewed by Mrs. Bruno at Arongen

Danny Shine did not give his favorite pen to Chantel Davis, the bossy girl in school, when she demanded him to. Chantel threatens to add his name to the Loser List in the girl's bathroom. Not believing in such a list, Danny calls her bluff. Now everyone is looking at him funny and calling him names. He gets sent to detention, loses his best friend, and is pressured by some bullies. Could life get any worse? How will Danny remove his name from the Loser List?

The Dunderheads by Paul Fleischman

Reviewed by Mrs. Bruno from Arongen

Miss Breakbone is the meanest teacher. She is particularly cruel to her class of misfits called the Dunderheads. She has a drawer locked with things she took from students. Junkyard loves to collect things and found a cat statue for his mother. Miss Breakbone seized the statue with a promise that Junkyard would never get it back again. Everyone looks up to Einstein. They need his help to solve this problem. The kids form a team and sneak into Miss Breakbone's house to get the statue. Will they get caught? Is there more trouble to be found? Read The Dunderheads to find out more...

Project Mulberry by Linda Sue Parks

Reviewed by Mrs. Russell at Shatekon


How do you pick a science project for the WGGL (Work-Grow-Give-Life!) Club that is a sure winner? Julia Song & Patrick just join this club and don't have a lot of time to decide on a project. They want to win a blue ribbon at the state fair. At the last minute, Julia's mom suggests raising silk worms like she did in her native country, Korea. Patrick loves the idea but Julia is unsure because she wants to do something that is more American. Eventually she does goes along with the silk worm idea to please her best friend Patrick. There are many challenges and surprises along the way as they watch the tiny egg evolve into the worm that spins silk. It is an fascinating mix of science, friendship, math and learning to make difficult decisions. An interesting feature of the book are in-between pages where the Julia talks to the author about the story as it develops.

Grow; a Novel in Verse by Juanita Havill

Reviewed by Mrs. Russell from Shatekon

Written like a poem yet easy to read, this is the story of special neighbors, twelve year-old Kate and Berneetha Sibley. Although everything about them is different, from their ages to their sizes, their friendship leads to a common goal. Their enthusiasm inspires others to create a community garden in their neighborhood. As their garden grows, unexpected complications arise that could destroy all their beautiful efforts. All is not lost when the neighborhood friends pull together to save the garden with amazing results.

Mudshark by Gary Paulsen

Reviewed by Mrs. Russell from Shatekon

At school Lyle Williams is known as "Mudshark". He's as quick at solving mysteries as the real mudsharks. (They grab their prey so fast that cameras can't record them!) Everyone comes to Mudshark with problems to solve until the day the Psychic Parrot arrives in the library. Suddenly this bird is out-smarting the Mudshark! The big question is who will find the erasers missing at school, boy or bird?

Eleven by Patricia Reilly Giff

Reviewed by Mrs. Russell at Shatekon Fifth-grader Sam is prowling through the attic the night before his birthday trying to find where his grandfather Mack hid his present. Tomorrow, April 11 is his eleventh birthday. Instead of a present, he uncovers a newspaper clipping with a picture of him as a 3 year old with the name caption "Sam Bell" instead of his current name. This unbelievable and confusing discovery along with nightmares about drowning start Sam on a search for the truth about himself and his real family. Unfortunately, because of his reading disability, Sam can barely read the article or other clues. He finds a reading helper in his class partner the new girl, Caroline. As the two of them build their wooden castle school project they piece together the clues to Sam's past. His 11th birthday is the beginning to the surprising mysteries of the number 11 in Sam's life.

Ivy + Bean (Book One) by Annie Barrows

Reviewed by Mrs. Bruno at Arongen

Despite her mother's wish that she befriends Ivy, Bean has no intention of following through. But when Bean plays a trick on her sister, Nancy, Ivy helps to scheme against her. The two girls become partners in a plan. Ivy, who is practicing to become a witch, has devised magic spells. When the magic backfires, other mischief ensues. Will the girls get in trouble? Or do they realize they have a lot in common after all? For other books in the series, go to the author page at http://www.anniebarrows.com/.

Lexi by

Reviewed by Mrs. Bruno at Arongen

Do you remember when you were first born? It is highly unlikely. How about the second time you were born? Well, that is what happens to Lexi. One day she wakes up in a forest all by herself and she doesn’t know who she is or how she got there. She lost her memory. After wandering aimlessly, she approaches a city. A kind stranger named Joe saves her life from a speeding car. He takes her to a safe house. With the help of some adults and friends she makes, they help her discover the person she was before the accident. Several surprises are in store for Lexi in her rebirth.

Melonhead by Katy Kelly

Reviewed by Mrs. Bruno at Arongen

Ten-year-old Adam Melon is known by his classmates as Melonhead. He is an active boy who gets himself into various predicaments from his impulsive behavior. Some of his quirky ideas, like getting his foot caught in a tree, bringing a snake home that gets loose and climbing on rooftops, gets him into heaps of trouble. However, there is a reason for his actions. At school there is a contest for students who can design an invention using recycled parts. Will Melonhead and his best friend Sam win the contest and make it to first place? Can these budding inventors stay out of trouble long enough to develop their invention? Will their invention come from some lessons they learn along the way?

Zach's Lie by Roland Smith

Reviewed by Mrs. Bruno at Arongen

Due to his father’s deception, the Osborne family is in jeopardy. Jack Osborne and his family are placed in the witness protection program. In order for them to be protected, their names and identity have been changed. They are now the Grangers. Jack is now Zach. They have been relocated to Utah under their new aliases. Starting a new school can be difficult, but Zach is adjusting and now feeling settled. But can feeling too comfortable come at a price? When Zach’s mother makes the mistake of mailing a postcard to a friend from their previous life, the postcard is intercepted by the enemy revealing their location. Will they be able to save themselves?

The Adirondack Kids (Book One) by Justin and Gary Van Riper

Reviewed by Mrs. Bruno at Arongen

Ten-year-old Justin Roberts is a true "naturalist." He enjoys camping, nature and animals. After an eight month period, he is excited about returning to the camp his great-grandfather built. He is reunited with his best friends, Jackie and Nick. They play a game called Pioneer Village. Each one of them have a role and responsibility to the group. Together they discover a buried treasure. The summer is going very well for them until some disrespectful jet skiiers violate the rights of the protected Common Loon at Moss Lake. With the help of Jackie and Nick, who share in his cause, Justin takes action to find the culprits and protect the natural habitat of the birds. For information about other books in the series go to http://www.adirondackkids.com/

From Here To There by Margery Cuyler

Reviewed by Mrs. Bruno at Arongen

Maria Mendoza takes us on a journey of her world and the world beyond. We are first introduced to her family, the house she lives in and her town and county. Then she shows the reader where she lives on the map of Texas, where Texas is located in the United States, and the continent of North America. As she travels outside the universe, and the solar system is explored, her voyage ends with knowing her place in this world and that home is on planet Earth.