An Elephant in the Garden by Michael Morpurgo

When World War II starts Elizabeth's life crashes faster than a blink of an eye. Her dad needs to fight the war and may lose his life. Mutti, her mom just talks about a young elephant from the zoo, and doesn't seem to care what is happening around her. Everything changes when her mom brings home the young elephant named Marlene as a birthday surprise to Elizabeth. Marlene is the only thing that keeps Elizabeth going in the most stuffiest moments. When the American's start bombing their home town the have no choice, but to escape. They ran off with no food and a big giant elephant. Along the way the face many obstacles, like having to walk kilometers in the middle of the winter. Will they be able to escape and go somewhere safe, or will they be captured?

I rate it five out of five stars. It kept be going all they way to the end without putting it down. The author did a great job expressing the characters feelings. This book story was very touching. I recommend this book to people who read and liked War Horse, and people who love to read about animals and really touching stories.

--Review by Litsi

Shelter by Harlan Coben

 After Mickey’s father died his life shatter. His mom is in rehabilitation center trying to get over his dad’s death. One sunny morning Mickey decides to walk around Bat Lady’s house. A legend goes that she takes kids and buries them in her backyard. What Mickey wasn’t expecting was Bat Lady to say something that would change his life forever. Ashley, Mickey’s girlfriend one day goes missing. Mickey try’s everything in his hands to find her. Along the way his makes friends that could help him or die helping him. Mickey tries to find Ashley and find clues about his father’s death. Will Mickey succeed? Or will he fail and die along the way? This book was a great book to read. It was full of mysterious clues and events. It is very descriptive and gives lots of details. It make you want to be there in the book to help. I recommend this book to people who love suspenceful and mysterious book. You will enjoy this book to the last page. 
  
--Review by Litsi

Witchlander by Lena Coakley

One day Ryder is full of dream. The next day his life crashes. His father dies, his mother is sick and now he has to take care of his sisters and Hicca farm. When his mother shakes the bones and predicts that monsters are going to roam and kill everyone in the village the coven decides to not believe her. Mabis, Ryder’s mom now is addicted to eat Maiden’s Woe plants that are consuming her inside and killing her. When one day the monsters that she predicted arrive Ryder makes a promise to him-self, to find who is making the monsters and kill him. He also promises to always believe his mother from now on. Will Ryder save his village and his mom? What will he find in the murky land of the Baen? I liked this book. It was full of adventure and entertainment. It had many descriptive words and ideas. It had many things that made me read on. I recommend this book to people who love adventurous books and like mystical creature books.

      
--Review by Litsi in 6th grade

Blink and Caution by Tim Wynne-Jones

Blink is a sixteen year old living in the streets and has been struggling to get all that he needs. Since his mothet told him to run away and save his life from his stepdad. What he doesn't expect is a turn in his life. When Blink enters a hotel to get some left over breakfast from the people living there he finds himself seeing someone being kidnapp, or that was what they wanted him see.  Blink finds the key card of the kidnap person; and makes a very bad preagative. He goes in that room and find it all distroyed, and he immediate know that is the room where that person was staying. When he discovers and keeps a brand new looking Black Berry and a huge amount of money, his live changes to worst. Now he is involved in a crime; and of course there's Caution. Caution is a girl that had murdered her cousin on accident. She had from there been hated by all her family, or that was what she thought. While living in the street she finds herself involved with a drug dealer boyfriend. When she discovers that he has been cheating on her she decides to take all his money and run away. When their fates change and they come across each other they have no idea that they, together can make their life better. Will Blink get himself out of his problem and come across Caution? Will Caution be able to get rid of her unwanted boyfriend?

I think this book was a good book because it kept be reading until the end. I give it four stars out of five. This book had a good way to express the characters feelings and actions. It had good descriptive words. I recommend this book to people who like to read second person and would like to follow a great adventure with the characters.  

Review by Litsi in 6th grade

       

 

Love, Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

This book is personally one of my favorite books because… It continues from the first “Stargirl” also by Spinelli one of my favorite authors. When Stargirl Caraway moves from her home town to Pennsylvania she is a little bit frightened. She is now starting to get homeschooled by her mother because back in her hometown she was getting bullied and a lot of people where making fun of her for being different. When getting homeschooled her mother sends her on fieldtrips, on the field trips Stargirl has to write a poem about the scenery her mom sends her to on that day. On those fieldtrips Stargirl meets some new friends like Dootsie, Betty Lou, and Alvina (not really a good friend.) Dootsie is Stargirl’s neighbor; sometimes Stargirl babysits Dootsie while her parents are at work. Betty Lou is also one of Stargirl’s neighbors, every morning Stargirl and Dootsie go over to Betty Lou’s house, they all talk for a little bit then Stargirl asks Betty Lou if there is anything her and Dootsie can do for Betty Lou, like clean or get her mail. Betty Lou is afraid of going outside, so that’s why usually Stargirl gets her groceries or her mail. After they spend the morning with Betty Lou, Stargirl usually brings Dootsie to somewhere fun for the day so one day Dootsie asks if they can go to the Dog Wood Festival so then Stargirl decides to take Dootsie. Once they get there they get something to eat, and while they are standing in line they notice the girl from the donut shop (Alvina) beating up a kid, for who knows what reason. Some adults have to come and break them up so the kid doesn’t get hurt too badly. The little girl, Dootsie starts to cry because she has never seen anything like it. Then Stargirl talks to Dootsie’s mom to tell her what happened and to make sure she is ok with what she had just experienced. TO FIND OUT MORE READ THE BOOK, Love, Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli.

Review by Callie, 6th Grade

Fated by Alyson Noel

Fated is an amazing book by Alyson Noel. It’s about a 16 year old girl named Daire who has come to live with her grandmother. She is told that she is the last soul seeker alive and she has to stop a boy her age named Cade before he takes over. Daire has been dreaming about a mystery boy and when he turns out to be Cade’s twin, Dace, they both have to work together to defeat Cade. This book consists of love, action, and loyalty to family. Fated is a great book! It is the 1st book of the soul seekers series. I love how the characters are always so helpful. I also love how suspenseful it can be at some moments in the book. I would recommend this book to 6th through 7th graders but you have to love reading to enjoy this book. It’s one of my favorite books!

Review by Justina, 6th Grade