Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson

Over the past few years there have been many prequels to popular series. Puss in boots, Prometheus, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and Star Trek. This book however is the prequel to one of the greatest Disney movies of all time. Peter Pan. This book titled Peter and the Star catchers, starts out with five orphan boys being dropped off by a carriage to a port. They board a ship that will take them across the sea. Peter is the leader of these boys. While aboard Peter meets a girl named Molly, and discovers a magical trunk that gives the power of flight. While trying to break in and look at the trunk again Molly stops Peter and tells him about her father and how they are part of a secret organization that protects the stuff in the trunk, also known as Starstuff. This book also switches points of view with Peter, Black Stache, a.k.a. Captain Hook, and Molly's Father. While trying to purse the treasure Black Stache hijacks another ship that unfortunately for him had a fake trunk aboard. He soon figures it out and goes after the ship that Peter and Molly are on. When Black Stache gets there Peter has been thrown overboard but survives. After taking the ships crew captive Black Stache leaves the ship and the rest of its passengers to die. The ship capsizes and falls apart.

Molly uses the star stuff and escapes, both Peter and Molly safely get to an island, as do all of the other boys and Black Stache. The boys encounter natives, and face their laws. After escaping they locate the trunk and start back to the beach. They encounter survivors, and Black Stache. In a final battle Peter faces Black Stache and cuts off his hand which is then eaten by the crocodile. The natives host them for a dinner and Peter decides to stay on the island.

I really this book although it did start out a little slow. At first it was boring but that was before the rising action started. I recommend it to those who like Peter Pan as well as fiction. This book reminded me of  a few others because of its theme. It greatly incorporated it. But because of the slow start and a few other things, it could have been better. A-

The Underneath (aka, the most amazing book ever!)

First of all, I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO ANYONE WHO IS READING THIS REVIEW! IT'S SO FLIPPING AMAZING I CAN'T EVEN DESCRIBE!

Okay, well if you read reviews on Amazon or whatever for this book then lots of people hate it, but last of people love it too.

So, let's begin with the plot. For this story there are many plots going on at once.

First there is the one of a pregnant calico cat who was loved, then abandoned on the side of the road. The nameless cat hears the baying of a hound, "Won't somebody throw this old dog a bone?" and understands that the dog is looking for a friend. She finds him underneath an old beaten house. There she has  two kittens, Puck and Sabine, and the four become as close as family. Ranger's owner whom the animals call Gar Face because of his resemblance to the hideous gar fishes, has abused and neglected Ranger tied to a chain. The kittens must not be seen by Gar Face, so they have to "stay in the underneath." Kittens are curious by nature and  Pick finds the opportunity to explore the sunny world. Of course, disobeying the rule comes with awful consequences. Puck and his mother are taken to the river and Gar Face tries to drown them. The calico cat makes Puck promise that he has to go back to Sabine and Ranger, and break Ranger's chain.

Here's a gar fish. Ugly little thing, isn't he?

There's another animal in the bayou. Her story takes place 1,000 years before the other's. Grandmother Moccasin is a giant snake, and a shape shifter. She was once a human, in love with a man who abandoned her. She turned back into a snake, and once a creature comes back to their original form, the change is permanent. Grandmother's daughter meets another shape shifter, Hawk Man, and she leaves Grandmother as a human to run of with Hawk Man, and they fall in love and have a daughter. Grandmother is angry and after a few years she convinces Night Song, her daughter, to turn back into a snake and be with her. Night Song doesn't know that it will be permanent, and she slips into her scaly skin.

Gar Face discovers a giant alligator, over 100 feet long, and he wants to skin it so he can brag to the guys at the bar. Poor old Ranger is used as alligator bait. Grandmother Moccasin is also hungry, and she sees some little kittens to eat. She is jealous of their intense love for their family, as everyone she's loved has only caused her pain. But these animals love is so strong and beautiful. Grandmother can't decide what to do!

Bear with me as I try to put my feelings into words.

The whole book is written so beautifully it literally took my breath away. LITERALLY! I started the book, got 10 chapters in, and started again because it's just beautiful! I had to read it slowly and savor every sentence. No book has ever done that to me. EVER! The writing is so deliciously descriptive, and also poetic in a way. The writing is what made this book. If the plot doesn't sound interesting, the writing is just fun/crazy/amazing to read.Besides, I can't describe everything in the way the author did. Simply. Breathtaking. How does an author create this stuff?

The plot is fascinating! Everything feels so real, even Grandmother's magic seemed like it was possible. Each one of the character's is so well developed. Grandmother Moccasin's story was one that intrigued me, but the one that I found most interesting was Gar Face. Some chapters described his childhood and I seriously felt sick, yet...amazed.

I'm guessing it's obvious that I loved this book. I have my favorite books, but I don't even know how to classify this, you know? It's one of the most amazing things I've ever read. The kind of thing where you put it down and just... Cry. Animal books will do that to me. I'm a softy for those. If you like books like Shiloh, or one of my favorites, Because of Win-Dixie, or any book like that, I highly suggest that. If you don't like those books, I suggest it also, because it is like nothing you will ever read. A+

(Re done feb.) Pillage, By: Obert Skye, Review by: Andrew Williams

Pillage, A Fiction Y.A. Book by: Obert Skye is about fifteen-year-old Beck Phillips is sent to live with his weird uncle he had never met when his mother dies, where he learns that his family has a curse that allows him to make plants grow on command and dragon eggs hatch. Shortly after he arrives there, he begins to noticed weird things happening. Plants move, ivy defends him and salad hurts people for him. That and the strange warnings to not go behind the house, Beck discovers his cool ability to command plants and wakes up eight dragons, without knowing it. When Beck arrives at his uncle’s mansion, an air of mystery greets him. While the house has seven floors and hundreds of rooms, Beck along with his uncles and a minimal house staff are the only occupants. As time goes on Beck learns dark secrets about his lost family. Secrets that include buried basements, forbidden gardens, an ancient book of weird family history, and most surprising of all dragons! On his long train ride, he meets Kate, who isn’t very friendly. She is his age, and is headed to Kingsplot too.

Beck wakes up from a 12 hour rest, and notices that they are the only ones left on the train. Beck thinks it’s strange, but Kate isn’t too worried about it. When he arrives, Beck meets Thomas, who drives him to his new house. Seven floors, with stables, and a huge garden. Right away, Beck is told to stay away from certain places for his own safety. Beck meets Milo who asks many questions about the house, mostly about the basement. But, there is no basement. And I thought this was like the rising action, the book started off slow but I felt after this happened this story was going somewhere. At school there are some boys who picked on Beck and Milo. Milo is new to Callowbrow, too. However, Beck can do some weird tricks with plants that makes his life easier. But, what happens with the secret is really exciting and page turning, I just kept on reading and couldn’t stop.

I really enjoyed this book. Full of exciting twists and surprises! I liked the history of Beck’s family a long the way too. A strange, but interesting history full of plants, stones, and pillaging!!

                

Wolves, Boys, and Other Things that Might Kill Me - Kristen Chandler

Wolves were once extinct in the United States. Ranchers killed them off because they would eat their livestock. In 1995, 41 wolves were taken from Canada and brought down to Yellowstone. 

KJ lives in a small town near Yellowstone. Wolves didn't really cross her mind, except for when she's guiding tourists around the park. But then a wolf biologist and her son, Virgil move in. The crazyness starts when KJ is asked to write a section in the school newspaper about wolves, with Virgil as the photographer. Everyone reads the newspaper, from ranchers to wolf enthusiasts, which of course sparks some arguments among the folks of this small town. Okay, HUGE arguments. To the point of burning buildings and shooting at things. While KJ is caught in the middle of this, she finds herself falling for Virgil. That doesn't get a good reaction from her dad. To make matters even worse, there is a petition being signed to get rid of wolves in Yellowstone. KJ and Virgil do everything a couple of teenagers can to save wolves, before Virgil moves at the end of the school year. 

This is one of those books where every once in a while it gets so intense you have to catch your breath, but it's not fighting monsters type intense, it's real. The author doesn't try to personify wolves or make them into something they are not, which makes it feel so real. Plus, this is an actual political issue as far as I know. It's admirable how KJ tries to protect these creatures. She's just like any awkward teenage girl, and proves that we can do more than we think, for better or for worse. 

So, has reintroduction of wolves helped Yellowstone? Tourists come to Yellowstone to see wolves all the time, helping the park raise millions of dollars a year. Other animals survive with the help of wolves, like bears that eat remains of wolf kill. Elk were once overpopulated until wolves came back. But hunters are angry, because now they can't kill as many elk. Ranchers will never get along with these predators, which took an estimate of 4,000 cattle in Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana in 2010. (these could be just dumb rancher stories though...) Last fall, wolves were taken off the endangered species list in Wyoming, which allows them to be hunted legally within Yellowstone Park borders. Tragically last December, the alpha female of a popular pack was shot by a hunter. Wolf enthusiasts were devastated, and thus, the debate on wolves continues.

To sum up, this book was AMAZING! I loved it! I learned a lot about wolves from reading it, and it led me to research wolves in Yellowstone a little bit, because it is such an interesting topic. The author did their research too, the information she put in this book is correct. The main character is super likable, and the plot is great. A

Candle Wax

In a world where four kingdoms occupy the mysterious land of Lackanay, and a great evil waits for the right moment to emerge again, there must be corruption. C. Bailey Sims delivers this world of supernatural magic in this book shown to the left. The story starts with a sixteen year old girl named Catherine leaving her room and walking down a dark corridor in the middle of the night. She gets outside through a secret passageway in the kitchen. After that she heads to the vault, she gets the guards to open it and grabs some money and the Ancient Onyxes given to her by her grandmother. She leaves the vault, dresses as a boy to be able to leave her kingdom unnoticed, and rides a horse towards the bay of Portsland, where she will take a ship away from the mainland to start a new life. Along the way she is attacked by a 732 year old Farrier cat, a living legend. He eats her horse and she must go on a journey to help this Farrier cat, named Spelopokos, or Pokos. This is all because of the Onyxes. In the ancient land of Devona, a great evil awaits to awaken that can only be stopped by Farrier cats. Without a mate Pokos will die, and leave this great evil to take over all four kingdoms of Lackanay. They travel to a town to get Catherine new supplies where she is befriended by a kind lady who takes her in. Eventually, Catherine's father tries to locate her. She runs away from the village with the daughter of the kind woman who gave Catherine assistance, but they are then captured by the men of a power-loving ruler of one of the four kingdoms. With the help of Pokos they escape and are found by the king of Candle wax. The reason she ran away from home, she was to marry him. They group together and travel to Candle wax. Pokos and Catherine plan to run away to the land outside of Lackanay, called Cinna to find another Farrier cat as he is the only one left in Lackanay.
         They are stopped by the king of Candle wax named Cyril. Cyril and his advisor join them in their quest to find another Farrier cat. While in Cinna, they kill four Farrier cats in self-defense, encounter Cinnans and travel to their mountain fortress, join in a competition to earn their freedom, and chase after the corrupt rulers of Cinna. Pokos is shot by an arrow in the neck and almost dies. With the help of survivors of a shipwreck, they must take Pokos to his brthplace to heal, and Catherine must take the Farrier cats found in Cinna to Lackanay. When Pokos left Lackanay, the great evil awoke and started to march across the land. The other kingdoms soon start to hold back. Eventually Catherine makes it back to Lackanay, and they meet the traitor... The rest you will just have to read, because the rest of the story is too complicated and long to explain in this review. This book was really good and I recommend it to all who enjoy fantasy and made-up creatures. It was an excellent page turner. A+

FYI: If you were wondering, there will be a sequel.

This Book Was SO Good, It Almost Killed Me

Wolves, Boys, and Other Things That Might Kill Me, by Kristen Chandler, is about KJ Carson, the only daughter of a widowed fishing guide and a junior in the tiny Montana town of West End, near Yellowstone. When Virgil moves in so his mom can study the local wolf packs, KJ is enchanted at first glance. Soon she and Virgil start spending a lot of time wolf-watching together, and KJ finds herself falling in love with the wolves (...and *SPOILER ALERT* one especially attractive boy whose name may or may not start with the letter "V"). The residents of West End, many of whom are ranchers whose animals occasionally supply the wolves' dinner, don't exactly feel the same way, though, and it's up to KJ to stand up for her wild friends or say good-bye to them. 

I know, I know. It sounds SO cheesy, but it's a wonderful book, and I really came to care about KJ as the story progressed. I think that was one of the things that really made Chandler's story memorable- the characterization was fantastic. The dialogue in particular, in addition to KJ's witty narration, helped me to understand and relate to the characters, and this really added to the story. I thought it was fascinating to see how ranchers and fishing guides in Montana are not really very different than anyone else; West End has brats and lunatics and grumpy teenagers just like any other town, and we all have feelings. 

The one political issue that this story brought up, though it's fiction, was whether wolves should be left in Yellowstone or taken away. The book was published only three years ago, but this was a huge controversial issue around 1997. And while her story is purely narrative, Chandler clearly sided with the wolves. I have to say that I completely agree. I totally can understand why people might have felt differently when this was an issue, but as I learned about the wolves and how similar in nature they are to humans, I couldn't help but agree with KJ. 

I should warn any boys that the narrator is a grumpy, love-sick and hormonal teenage girl, and the general public that there are a few swear words in here, though they are in places where they work and there aren't too many. Altogether, I thought this was a splendiferous book (I like big words- so sue me). KJ's wit, sarcasm and personality make it fun and readable. I look forward to Chandler's next novel, especially if it is anything like this one. A.

The Sea of Monsters by: Rick Riordan

This wonderful fiction book is about a kid whose name is Percy Jackson. Percy, after completing the task of finding the stolen Lightning Bolt, is now faced with a new problem. Camp Half-Blood (a camp for sons and daughters of a mortal and a god) is not safe anymore. Zeus' daughter Thalia is a tree that protects the camp and now has been poisened so the borders are not protected anymore. The only cure is to retrieve the magic Golden Fleece. Percy with the help of his friend Annabeth and his step brother Tyson had to find the magic Golden Fleece before it was to late. Thalia would die and the camp would be in great danger. Also Percy's best friend is in trouble. He has been taken by a cyclops and Percy needs to save him. He keeps having dreams of Grover being held captive because Grover is sending them to him so he can also be found. In one of the dreams Grover tells Percy that he thinks that he might of found the Golden Fleece.

They travel to where he thinks Grover is and on the way their they have a lot of challenges. Right off the bat they get captured by one of their former camp-mates Luke (Luke was good and then he turned evil and wants the Titans to rule again). They managed to sneak away on a life boat one night and proceded to go on with their hard task. Bad thing after bad thing just kept happening. Next they met up with Clarisse (daughter of Ares and is a camp mate of thiers) and she had an ironclad from the Civil War. They were traveling in the right direction when they got attacked by Scylla (a sea monster that had 6 heads and always attacked sailors and boats). The crew ends up scattered except for Percy and Annabeth. They assume Tyson is dead because they thing he blew up with the boat. They don't know if the nearby islands are even safe so they can swim to them. They need to find Tyson and Grover. Hope is almost lost they need the Fleece to save Camp-Half Blood. They are running out of time and are in a time of desperate need. What will they do?

This book is a great book. I just love Rick Riordan he is such a good author and this series is great so far. I really encourage the people who read this series to study up on their Greek mythology or else you might not be able to understand it too well. I love the way how he puts Greek mythology into characters who live in modern times. He really understands how to make a good page turning book. I really liked this book and so far this series. A

Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins

Do you ever wish that you could escape from your life? Escape into a whole other world? Well, this book has a whole other world alright. This book is a total adventure book. It shows how going into a new world might be like. Adventures are all around us. However, this adventure is unique in so many ways. But what if you were in a whole new world, and you couldn't escape?

Gregor is a typical eleven-year-old. Except for the fact that his dad disappeared when he was young. Most of the people around said that he must have ran away with some woman. Gregor and his mom have both sworn that his father wouldn't have done that to them. Since his dad left, Gregor has had to babysit his little sister Boots quite often. He didn't really mind until he learned that he couldn't go to summer camp. His mom really wanted him to be able to go. But she had to work a lot since his dad left. So here he was babysitting his little sister and crazy grandmother. Don't get upset though, his life is about to change!

While he was doing laundry, Gregor's two-year-old sister Boots disappeared! He heard his sister's giggle from behind a open vent behind the washer. He crawled through the vent only to start falling down a dark tunnel. Boots was not far below him. It seemed as if he and his sister had been falling for hours. It seemed as if this tunnel never stopped! But sooner or later you have to run into something, right?

Finally, they hit the ground. Surprisingly, it didn't hurt at all! They began looking around the tunnel, but the only thing there was them, and a group of gigantic cockroaches. I know what you might be thinking, gigantic cockroaches? But, it's true. I told you this book was unique. Anyways, the cockroaches turn out to be nice. They lead them to a stadium. In that stadium, the bleachers are filled with what look like humans. Except they have incredibly pale skin, and silver hair. They meet an ignorant queen named Luxa, and a nice old man named Vikus.

This place kind of seems like a dream come true. But, it's not Gregor soon learns that he can't go. Also, he learns that there have been other regular humans just like them. However, they have all died. Vikus tells them that their world is a very dangerous place for overlanders. Overlander is what the odd humans call normal humans. Why is the new world so dangerous? What happened to his father? Did his father come here?

This book, like I said is very adventurous. For the most part, it keeps me hooked the entire time. There were moments where I thought it could be more interesting. Overall, I really liked it. It is by the same author as the Hunger Games. So, you know it is worth reading. I would defiantly suggest this book to anyone. No matter who you are, you will love it. Even though there are parts that could be more interesting, it doesn't mean that this book isn't wonderful. I really enjoyed reading it. At first, I was a little skeptical if I would like it or not. But this book surprised me on how much I ended up liking it.

Midnight For Charlie Bone

When my friend insisted me to read this book, I wasn't too thrilled. I didn't pick it up for at least three days after getting it. But the I read the first page... And I was hooked.

Charlie Bone is a young boy, with a interesting life. His father is supposed dead, he lives with his extended family, and he really only has one friend. He lives in a house with a big chestnut tree in the front, along with his two grandmothers, his mom, and his grandmother's brother. His friend is Benjamin Brown, a boy whose parents are almost never home.

The story starts when Charlie gets a picture to make a birthday card for Benjamin. But the pictures are mixed up. He instead gets a picture of a man holding a baby. And when the man in the picture start talking, everything goes wild.

Jenny Nimmo, the author, is one of the best writers I've ever discovered. Usually I would settle for some fantasy-fairytale with monsters and ghouls trying to get some ancient, magical item. Yet, this book captures my mind. I was always trying to predict what would happen, but everything is almost opposite of what I think. It's truly an amazing story.

The Red Pyramid By Rick Riordan

First things first, Rick Riordan is the author of the Percy Jackson series BUT this book has nothing to do with that series at all. Instead of ancient greek mythology this is egyptian mythology. Also if you aren't really familiar with egyptian mythology you might want to study up on it or you might get bored or confused with this book. It explains most things but you would be able to understan it sooo much better if you knew your egyptian mythology. It is also kind of cool how the author wrote it. Two people tell the story about themselves and switch off but start from where the other person ended.

Ok so the two main characters in this book are Carter and Sadie Kane (brother and sister). Carter is 14 and lives and travels the world with his dad. His dad is a brilliant egyptologist and his job requires him to travel the world. Their mom died when he was only eight years old and he and so they were separated. Carter went to live with his dad while Sadie, who is 12 unfortunately had to live with their grandparents in London. Sadie and Carter are only allowed to, see each other twice a year. Once in the Summer and once in the Winter. So as the winter day arrives their father takes them both to a museum in London and doesn't let them know why they are going there (usually they do some super cool thing because they only have one day together). Anyway so they arrive at the museum and their dad is acting like somebody is following them. So they get in the museum and their dad goes and takes the Rosetta Stone (a stone that is supposed to be like the stone of languages). Carter and Sadie are very surprised and don't know why their dad just took the Rosetta Stone from the display case. Just imagine if your dad did that. So anyway all of the sudden he starts to summon some egyptian gods which is very forbidden within the people who know egyptian mythology is "true". Then all of a sudden one god appears and puts their dad in a coffin (he isn't dead by the way) and pulls him underneath the ground with himself.

Carter and Sadie don't know what just happened because they tried to stop him but were knocked out. As they wake up they find themselves in the museum office and are eventually taken to Sadie's house. They really think their dad is dead and that is the closest family member they had. They will do anything and I really mean anything to get him back...

I really thought this book was pretty good. It is kind of cool to imagine Egyptian mythology is real. It also would be very weird to have it be real. Also this is one of those books that really follow the Heroes Journey. I noticed that it was the heroes journey right after I read the second page. I still think it was an ok book. It was pretty slow and confusing in the first five to ten chapters. I don't think this is a "must read" but I do think it is a "should" read. Also I wish they changed they beggining because I wish Rick Riordan wouldn't have let the Dad "disappear" in the beggining because the kids didn't know what was going on and they didn't know who their dad really was. It could've been a lot better of a book. B+

Sundancer

Sundancer a book by Shelley Peterson about a horse and a girl. It is one of the most interesting books I have ever read. I love it because it is almost as if you are there watching everything happen. There are sad times, happy times and times where you just want to get mad at a character in the book. I also love this book because it goes into so much detail and it is almost like you are there watching everything happen.

Sundancer starts off with a girl named Bee living with her aunt in a small and not very attractive house. When Bee was a little girl she decided to stop talking, her mother thought there was something wrong with her so she sent her away to live with her aunt. Although she decides not to talk Bee has an amazing gift, she can talk to animals. Nobody knows that she can talk to animals and they don't know why she stopped talking to them. I think she stopped talking to her everyone around her because her mother treated her poorly. In their backyard they have a stable and in those stables are horses. Bees aunt is a great trainer for horses and has a little group that do shows with her and Bee, the group contains children around Bees age.

One day Bee finds out that there will be another horse coming to stay with them until her aunt trains the horse. When the horse arrives Bee names it Sundancer because of the horses color and the way he prances. The stable that Sundancer came form wasn't exactly what you call a good home for horses, they would beat the horses when they were training for  competitions. It takes a while for Bees aunt to train Sundancer, especially with all of their own family drama and drama that is going on with Sundancers former stable. The stable wants him back but Bee has found out that they treat the horses over there poorly. With all the information that she got from Sundancer, Bee tries everything in her power to stop what they are doing to the horses and to keep Sundancer.

In the end Sundancer ends up staying with Bees aunt and Bee ends up living with her Mom and Sister. The book has a happy ending and if you read this you will sure want to read it over and over again as I have done. If you decide to read the book I hope you enjoy reading it.