Marley- A Dog Like No Other by John Grogan

Marley-A Dog like No Other a biography by John Grogan tells the true story of Marley, his yellow Labrador retriever. John writes the book as himself and explains his crazy experiences with Marley, a dog who is difficult to live with because of his non-disciplined ways. Leaving John and Jenny questioning whether or not to keep Marley in their lives. The book takes place in southern Florida, where it is always sunny. John and his wife Jenny adopt Marley as a puppy. A few years later, John and Jenny have 3 kids. Marley has some habits that are different from most dogs. But besides his weird antics, Marley is a lovable, friendly dog. He teaches this family the true meaning of love and being “A man’s best friend.” I thought this story was very touching because even when Marley was being a pain, they still loved him anyway. Also, I thought it was touching because I can relate to this story because I also had a dog with similar traits and behaviors. I also thought this book was humorous. With the weird and crazy things Marley gets into, it made me laugh out loud! I think dog-lovers will love this book!
Submitted by Hannah

Julie's Wolf Pack by Jean Craighead George

Review by Sarah C.

In the story Julie's Wolf Pack there are many problems. Kapu the alpha male of the avalique pack from the arctic tundra has to lead his pack through the harsh wilderness. Also surviving will not be easy because of disease and famine. Other rivals are waiting to challenge Kapu as their leader. There are more threats to the wolves throughout the tundra like humans and other predators and Kapu must help his pack survive all these hardships.The disease that's threatening the wolves is rabies. Julie and her friends Dr.Hardy and Dr.Flossie are finding avilique wolves so that they can study the wolves and cure them of rabies and from getting the disease. Also the mountain wolf pack is crossing the borders of the avalique pack and is threatening them. There also are problems with the pack because of having pups and Raw Bones is trying to become the alpha male of the pack by fighting Kapu and is not obeying any of Kapus comands. Julie ends up saving the wolves and Kapus daughter Sweet Fur Amy ends up being the new alphe female and has pups of her own.

Into the Wild by Erin Hunter

Into the Wild

Rusty is a kittypet, a pet cat to us. But Rusty doesn’t like his life. He spends a lot of timelooking at the forest that borders his Twolegs’(humans) nest(house). At last he goes into the forest, where he is attacked by a young cat. Rusty fights him off, and then the cat, who introduces himself as Graypaw, a apprentice of ThunderClan. They talk for a few moments, and then Graypaw’s mentor, Lionheart, and Thunderclan’s leader, Bluestar. After talking to him for a few minutes, Bluestar invites Rusty to join ThunderClan. She gives him until sunhigh the nextday to answer. He comes. Rusty follows Lionheart and Whitestorm to the Clan’s camp. Bluestar makes the announcement to the Clan, and Longtail, a warrior, says that Rusty will neverbe a warrior, his collar and Twoleg stench would alert the other Clans and prey. Rusty springs into the crowd and battles Longtail, tearing his ear. In the battle, Rusty’s collar is ripped off. Bluestar gives him the name of Firepaw, an apprentice of ThunderClan and Firepaw’s friend. Firepaw starts by sharing mentors with Graypaw and Ravenpaw, another apprentice. But after hecaptures Yellowfang, a ShadowClan cat who claims she travels alone now, Bluestar becomes hismentor. He trains well, and when ThunderClan’s medicine cat Spottedleaf is killed andThunderClan kits go missing, Firepaw and Graypaw help Yellowfang to find them, and recruit aThunderClan patrol to invade the ShadowClan camp, drive out Brokenstar, their murderous leader, and get back their kits. Yellowfang gets help from within ShadowClan, and afterwards,Bluestar makes Firepaw and Graypaw warriors. But they had to pretend that they foundRavenpaw slain by a ShadowClan patrol, because he knew that Tigerclaw, the current deputy, killed the former deputy Redtail to get there, and now Tigerclaw knows that Ravenpaw found outhis secret and wants to kill him. Fireheart and Graystripe, newly named as warriors, sit silentvigil that night, and Fireheart says to himself as the book ends, that if he was destined to oppose Tigerclaw, as he and Graystrips try to reveal the truth, than so be it.
Submitted by Andrew

Hush by Donna Jo Napoli

Hush by: Donna Jo Napoli
Reviewed by Kelly

Hush by Donna Jo Napoli is a story of an Irish princess who was taken to a ship of slaves by two men. She and her little sister are on a slave ship fighting to survive, but after awhile her little sister, Bridgid gets the chance to swim away Melkorka doesn’t. So she will be there for awhile.

After Melkorka (Mel) gets to know all the other slaves she doesn’t talk. The caption of the ship thinks she is special, so she is left alone. When the slaves where traded after more being captured Mel starts getting serious with the silence. That was when the caption had to sell her to a rich man who is going to travel she never even makes a sound, she sticks to her none talking life to protect the people she cares about.

This is a great tale because she is running from her home village and from marriage. Will she ever see her little sister, brother, mom, and dad again? Read this thrilling tale that you will not be able to put down. Then you will find out Melkorka’s (Mel’s) story. I hope all who reads this story enjoys it like I did; it is one of the best from Donna Jo Napoli. I hope that you enjoy it if you chose to read this thrilling story.

The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan

The book The Last Olympian is the last book out of five action packed, romance filled Greek mythology books. The series is called Percy Jackson and the Olympians. The last book is all about how Percy Jackson finds out he is the son of Poseidon, one of the big three Greek gods and realizes that there was a big prophecy that the net demigod (half god, half mortal) of the big three to turn sixteen will have to make a big decision, to chose whether Olympus fall and the titans take over or let Olympus rise once again through a war with the Titans. In four years he has to make the decision.

During this book Percy has to decide between to girls. Annabeth who has been his friend since he discovered he was a half-blood and that have gone on a lot of dangerous adventures with and has kissed once or a girl that is totally mortal girl named Rachel that can see through the mist that kept humans from seeing the monsters and led him away from a group of skeleton army that were ordered to kill Percy and led him through the labyrinth. Which will he chose read the book and fin out.

Are you thinking your not going to read this story because you don’t know anything about Greek mythology well think again. When I started reading this series I didn’t know anything about Greek mythology but know it’s the only thing I talk about. Well maybe your not going to read it because its to girly or maybe to violent but don’t worry this book is great for both girls and boys. Read this book and the rest of the series to know what I m talking about.
Submitted by Liz

The Soldiers of Halla by D.J. MacHale

I was thrilled by the ending of this book series, The Soldiers of Halla. I thought the entire way with no doubt that D.J MacHale was going to let Saint Dane take dictatorship of Halla, but not with Bobby Pendragon in the business. I thought that this was the first time that I completely enjoyed a whole series and was really into it the whole time. I loved the way D.J MacHale mixed every single ingredient for a perfect book and whipped it all into the final brick of the house in ‘The Soldiers of Halla’. The Soldiers of Halla is about the final battle of the war between the Travelers and Bobby Pendragon. While Saint Dane creates a small Utopia in a small section of the Bronx, Bobby and his fellow companion Travelers gain the exiles that were sent and cast off everywhere throughout Halla. Saint Dane builds an army of dados (Bobby’s best friend, Mark, ‘s invention that Saint Dane tricked him into making).
The final showdown comes down to the exiles, the Travelers, Bobby’s two best friends and the gars of Black Water, a territory in Halla. Every other territory was overtaken by Ravinia. Bobby and the Travelers will fight to the end even, if it means death for them. D.j MacHale nails the final point in this series for a mind-blowing finish of the Bobby Pendragon series. If you are interested in the entire series, just go visit your local library and check out the latest Bobby Pendragon book or just read the various books in this excellent 10 book series.
Submitted by Paul

Raven Rise by D.J. MacHale

I found a lot of favor in this book, partly because this is one of my favorite book series, partly because it was very adventurous and moving. I was literally holding onto my seat as I was reading this book. D.J MacHale mixes fun with suspense and adds the final nail in the coffin in the 9th book of the series. Raven Rise is the ninth book of the Bobby Pendragon series. Bobby Pendragon is living a normal life as a 14 year old teen. He was on his way to a semi-final basketball game, when he sees Courtney Chetwynde at his doorstep. He and she talk a little and do some stuff when Bobby’s uncle comes into the house and asks Bobby to come with him to help some people. He makes the decision that would soon change his life forever.
That was 3 years ago. Now he is fighting to save the world. Not the world as we know it, Earth, but the whole universe. Halla. He is fighting a great demon named Saint Dane and his ‘gang’ called Ravinia for universal balance and dictatorship.
This book in particular was really spine -chilling because it seemed throughout the whole book that Saint Dane was going to win the battle. But Bobby remembers what his uncle said a long time ago. I was eating up every part of the book and fed on every word of the book. It has some mature content, but it was a very good book overall, and I strongly recommend it to any student that is out looking for a mystery and some suspense.
To find out all about the book series and Bobby’s epic battle against Saint Dane, check out Raven Rise, by D.J MacHale. Or check out any of the 8 earlier books in the series.
Submitted by Paul