Here Lies Linc by Delia Ray J Ray

Linc is new to school and used to go to a little school in a retired professor's basement that had about 4 kids in it.  He doesn't know anybody.  His mom's job is studying gravestones.  He finds out that he has to do a project on a gravestone and his mom is giving his class a tour of the graveyard next to their house.  Linc is so embarrassed and decides to act like he doesn't know her.  When they get to the graveyard the kid standing next to him starts drawing pictures of his mom.  He got mad and went running home. The class is assigned to pick a gravestone to do research on and they couldn't pick the Black Angel that has a lot of stories behind it of why it just turned black all of a sudden.  But his teacher said that he would let Linc do the Black Angel.  As he is doing research on it he finds out about his family and other hidden things.

By Karley, fifth-grade reader

AR Level: 5.2

AR Points: 11

Genie Wishes by Elisabeth Dahl J Dah

Genie Wishes is a story that tells of Genie Haddock Knuckle, a 5th grade girl, and her life in between childhood and her teenage life.  Her class has an election for a class blogger; Genie is picked to blog about what the class is doing throughout the year.  Her best friend Sarah starts to hang out with another girl, named Blair, who is all about makeup, shaving legs, bras, and deodorant.  Since Blair came around Genie is pressured to fit in with the “popular” crowd.  Will Genie lose Sarah to Blair forever or will Blair lose Sarah to Genie forever?  Read this tragic story to find out the ending.

I would recommend this book for 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th grade girls. Even though it talks about girls who are in 5th grade, it would still teach 4th, 6th, and 7th grade girls a lesson, too.  This book taught me a very good lesson to be whoever I want to be not based on what other people think but what I personally think.  It also taught me to not be like Blair and to not be in a rush to grow up and to stay the way I am and when the time finally comes I will be prepared.  My Wish: is that everyone that reads this book gets something out of it like I did. 

By Laurel, fourth-grade reader

AR Level: 4.7

AR Points: 6

Wonder by R.J. Palacio J Pol

Wonder                               

Wonder is about a 10-year-old boy who has an unusual face and because of that he’s never been to a real school. (He’s home schooled.)  Until now.  His mom and dad agreed that he should go to middle school in a typical district.  There he faces cool kids, friends and unfriendly kids.

WARNING if you love dogs you may cry at one spot in this book.  But I love dogs too but I got just a little sad. But it should not affect your decision to read this book. I’d give this book a 5 star rating hands down.

By Ava, fifth-grader 

AR Level: 4.8
AR Points: 11

The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann J McM

Imagine a world where everything is gray and bleak... the entire world as you know it is surrounded by walls and above you is a barbed wire fence.  Now with how amazing that sounds imagine that you are a 13 year old kid who was caught drawing in the dirt with a stick or humming a song or telling a story to your friends.  What do you think would happen to you?  Why you are classified as Unwanteds and then sent to the Death Farmer to be eliminated of course!

Once the gate is closed behind you and you are inside the Death Farm and you are NOT eliminated... what crazy thoughts are going through your mind?  Being told that you can do whatever you want sounds like a scheme to get you to do something bad again right? WRONG!

Mr. Today is the "Death Farmer" also known as the mage of a magical land called Artime.  He has teachers (human and creatures) to teach the children how to be creative!  How to sing, dance, act, draw, paint and create.  Each child is assigned to a specific teacher that specializes in what that child is most creative in and help them thrive in creating.

Now imagine after learning that singing and drawing are good things that you can also learn how to do magic!  Now you are told that since the land you live in is a secret, you need to be trained and prepared to fight in case the secret land you live in is ever discovered.  This story was an amazing beginning to a series I'm excited to continue reading!

AR Level: 5.7
AR Points: 11