Storm Runners by Roland Smith

I found this title on another blog, and I gave it a rating of three out of five. Chase and his father travel the country to help people prepare and recover from huge storms. In this book, they are in Florida to face a category five hurricane named Emily, the same name as the deceased mother. They stay at a circus ranch where they can store their trucks and belongings, but the ranch also has a ferocious lion, dangerous leopard, and a pregnant elephant. Chase and two classmates are trapped in a school bus when Hurricane Emily flips it over. They manage to escape, but they are exposed to the full force of the storm and wild alligators. It's a dangerous journey to safety as they battle heavy rains, flooding, one-hundred and fifty mile per hour winds, and the man-eating beasts.

One of my pet peeves is when authors end their stories without resolving the conflict. The plot of this book ended at the climax, so you should plan to read the sequel, The Surge, if you want to read the entire story. Also, the hurricane didn't hit until halfway into the book, so there was a great deal of anticipation before there was much action. I kept expecting the circus animals to become a big part of the plot, but the characters mostly battled the alligators, wind, and rain. I didn't understand why the author took the time to point out the dangers surrounding the circus farm and then didn't make them part of the conflict. The circus animals did not reenter the plot until there were three pages left in the book! The book had potential, but it didn't work for me.

Lexile level from lexile.com 700

The Lost Songs by Caroline Cooney

My Battle of the Books team received an autographed copy of this book for winning a tournament, and I gave it a rating of four out of five. The plot revolves around four characters, but it mainly concerns Lutie and her great-grandmother's "lost songs". Her great-grandmother had been a slave and created songs that she told Lutie needed to be kept in her heart. However, Lutie receives pressure from many people to sing and share the songs with the world. Her teacher, her preacher, her family, and her friends all feel that the songs are powerful and beautiful and need to be performed. Lutie also has issues were her mother, who has run away, but the main tension comes from a childhood friend named Train. Train's brother is in prison for blinding a young boy, and Train seems destined and determined to follow in his brother's footsteps. Train seems to have intentions to hurt someone badly, but who will it be?

This book won't appeal to everyone. The point of view changes frequently, although it's not hard to follow. Many of the song lyrics speak to god and hold meanings related to life. There is a strong spirituality to the plot. The suspense surrounding Train creates interest, because he seems to be a time bomb, ready to go off at any minute. Everything comes together during the funeral at the end, and all of the characters seem to be at peace.

Lexile level from lexile.com 670

Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

This book is the first in the series, and I gave it a rating of three out of five. Greg Heffley writes a journal, not a diary, about his life as  middle school student. He talks about his attempts to become popular as the class treasurer, comic strip writer for the school paper, and class clown, among other things. He shares his adventures with bullies and embarrassing moments with his classmates. He talks of being picked on by his older brother and his jealousy of his spoiled little brother. And finally, he describes his on and off friendship with his best friend Rowley.

This series is very popular for many students. There are humorous and realistic moments described during the plot. There didn't seem to be an ongoing conflict, so the plot lacked some direction for me. The writing was interesting, but it didn't grab me. Again, many readers enjoy the books, so they're worth giving a try. Maybe they'll grab you.

Lexile level from lexile.com 950

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

This story is about courage, kindness, friendship, and character, and I gave it a rating of four out of five. August Pullman was born with a rare, genetic disease that left his face badly deformed. As he said on the first page, "I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse." He's undergone twenty-seven surgeries since he was born and has been home-schooled by his mother. His parents think fifth grade is a good time for him to start public schools. He's teased and ignored by most of the students; they even said classmates would get the plague if they touched him. August and his few friends persevere through the educational and social difficulties of school, and August ends up a winner in the end.

This is an emotional book, and I felt very sorry for August. The author retold part of the plot from various points of view, so it was interesting to see what others were thinking. Some of their thoughts were quite surprising. I was wondering where the plot would lead, but it actually came to a climax during the fifth grade overnight trip. It was fun to see a person with August's character come out on top.

Lexile level from lexile.com 790

Curveball: The Year I Lost My Grip by Jordan Sonnenblick

This book is about a freshman boy's first year of high school, and I gave it a rating of five out of five. Peter has high hopes of being a star baseball player with his best friend, AJ. Then Peter blows out his arm in his last eighth grade game. He's afraid to admit to AJ that he'll never be able to play baseball again. To add to his problems, his grandfather starts developing signs of Alzheimer's Disease, and Peter may have a girlfriend. He's not sure how to deal with girls. Peter has talent as a photographer, which was also his grandfather's passion and career. Peter finally comes to grips with his athletic future, his grandfather's disease, and his girlfriend.

I'm not sure why I liked this book so much, but I did. The author did a great job of sharing Peter's various problems and was able to communicate his mixed feelings. I don't often see novels about teenage boys that show them with feelings and insecurities. At least, not to this extent. Some of the parts got a little descriptive about photography terms, but I read them quickly.

Lexile level from lexile.com 800

Marley, A Dog Like No Other by John Grogan

This book is an adaptation of Marley and Me, and I gave it a rating of four out of five. It's the true story of the author's life with his new puppy, Marley, a huge yellow lab. Each chapter shares a different experience with the dog. Marley likes to eat everything, knocks over anyone visiting the house, and doesn't always obey the commands of his owner. There are funny accounts of Marley's life as an "actor", traveling in a car, and many interactions with other animals.

Anyone who's lived with a new puppy will enjoy this book. He has many of the same experiences, but Marley is a 100-pound puppy. Warning, the last chapter is about the family deciding to get a replacement for Marley after he passes away.

Lexile level from lexile.com 760

Jeremy Bender vs. The Cupcake Cadets by Eric Luper

This book has a fun plot, and I gave it a rating of four out of five. Jeremy is in big trouble. He ruins the engine on his father's boat with grape soda and green paint, and it will cost $470 to clean up the mess. That's $450 more than his friend, Slater, and he have together. The solution? Enter a model boat contest with $500 going to the winner! The problem? The contest is only open to girls who are members of the Cupcake Cadets. The solution? Jeremy and Slater become Jenna and Samantha, home-schooled, fraternal twins. They must first sell one-hundred boxes of the disgusting cupcakes and earn three merit badges. How can two boys hide their female identities, especially with the overnight camping trip coming up? What will happen if/when they are discovered?

The plot is not serious and is a nice change from the popular vampire, supernatural, action novels. It's about a couple of normal, sixth-grade boys who are trying to deal with school, family, girls, and the school bully. The conflict takes a giant leap right at the beginning of the book when Slater saves Jeremy by giving the bully a megawedgie! The plot takes a new twist when the boys' plan is discovered, but it becomes a new problem, not a solution. It comes to a nice climax at the boating contest, and all of the characters live up to the Cupcake Cadets motto, kind of.

Lexile level from lexile.com 720