My name is Foster, and I knew Dax was no good. He's lazy, drinks too much, and scares me whenever he comes to see my mom. I don't blame Joe for wanting to bite him, but I'm afraid Dax will kill him someday. Then, Gary showed up. He was walking all the way to Texas, but he's been staying in our barn for a couple of weeks. He said he fought in Afghanistan, and Joe and I trust him. Dax doesn't. Gary's been helping to clean things up around here, since my mom wants to sell the farm and move away. I look forward to waking up every day to help him. Mom says he's keeping secrets about his past, and she's afraid I'm getting too close. I can't help it; I feel safe when he's around. Looking back now, I should have known that danger and pain were inevitable.
This book evoked some heavy emotions. Foster was still coping with the death of his father, as more about the incident was revealed later in the story. Dax introduced a level of danger to Foster, his mom, and his dog. While Gary brought a calming effect to Foster, his presence worsened the situation with Dax. These emotional journeys were the backbone of the plot. Foster lacked motivation to behave like a normal kid, and this left him isolated and alone. His one friend was his dog. With Gary's help, he slowly transformed and learned to deal with his issues. I'll admit there was sadness, so be prepared to be affected. I won't say everyone lived happily ever after, but they got on with their stories. Overall, I can recommend this book to readers looking for an emotional drama.
My name is Kiana, and I'm in a special class for delinquents. I can't tell my dad or stepmom about it now, since I got the wrong schedule and never told them I'm not officially enrolled in school. Our "teacher", Mr. Kermit, hasn't taught us anything yet and spends his time doing crossword puzzles. The other six kids don't mind ignoring his worksheets, but I can't believe he doesn't even try to teach us. However, a new teacher is in the room next door, and she seems to know Mr. Kermit from way back. I think he may have dated her mom! He doesn't usually care about us, but I was impressed at how he fought to get Barnstorm back on the football team and how he was ticked that our room wasn't included in Spirit Week. Something happened to him a long time ago, and maybe there's more to Mr. Kermit than I thought.
A misfit teacher "leads" a misfit band of students to perform a great deed. The antics of the eighth-grade students are funny, although I wouldn't describe the book as hilarious. One student has anger issues, another is obsessed with sci-fi, and one girl is feared by everyone in school. In contrast, Kiana would be a great student if she attended a regular classroom. It creates an unusual blend. Each chapter is told through the eyes of a different person, mostly the students, and it works for this book. Each character has a unique background that affects the way they react to Mr. Kermit and school, and Mr. Kermit has his own issues. The central conflict is with the superintendent, as Mr. Kermit feels he was treated unfairly for a student's dishonesty. And he was. Mr. Kermit has mentally given up on teaching, although there are signs that deep down he still has feelings for his students. He's unmotivated to do anything constructive, but the new teacher next door becomes a catalyst for change, as does a former student. Overall, it was a wonderful book, and I recommend you give it a shot.
My name is Flint, but most kids at school call me Squint because of my bad eyes. You see, I have a disease that makes my corneas really thin. I need to wear thick glasses, but nothing looks clear to me. Anyhow, I've been creating a superhero comic book even though I probably won't win the "Find a Comic Star" contest. I call the main character Squint, and he's leading a team to rescue the Empress. I usually work alone on the comic during lunch, but today a girl named McKell sat at my table. It turns out she has a brother with a very rare disease that makes his body age faster than it should. He has a YouTube show called "Danny's Challenge" where viewers are dared to do tasks that he can't do himself. Little did I know how much his show and McKell would change my life.
Wow, this book became much more than I expected and not like most of the books I read. Flint's eye disease was a very central problem, but it seemed to be a metaphor to his life. He had trouble physically seeing things, but he discovered his opinions of others may have been distorted too. He was forced to reflect on how he treated people and tried to understand things through their eyes. In addition, his comic became a therapy to deal with his own life. He added Diamond to its plot and had her support the main character, just as McKell was doing for Flint in real life. However, it turned out McKell had some serious emotional issues of her own. They combined with Flint's medical and comic book problems to create a compelling novel. "Danny's Challenge" became the catalyst for change, as his messages were always positive and urged viewers to action. The book presented an emotional rollercoaster, as there was drama, suspense, laughter, and tears. It will cause readers to think about how they treat others and consider the power of being positive. Overall, this was an outstanding book, and I highly recommend you give it a shot.
My name is Billy, and I haven't seen my dad since I was three. He lives in Montana, and I've been told he does secret missions for the government. I flew to his home and met his new wife and daughter, and we're all upset that he's never contacted me. He had his drone watch me, but that was hardly a reunion between son and father. I finally returned home to Florida, and the next thing I knew, a drone was buzzing around my house. I decided to do something drastic, and it worked. I finally learned the truth about my father, but it's led to an unexpected adventure. I now find myself in the Florida wilderness with a shotgun and a hunting rifle on opposite sides of the law.
I've read other books by this author, Hoot and Chomp, and this one fit the same mold. You can expect to learn about endangered species along with other information about our country and nature. Billy was an expert on snakes, and his mother was obsessed with bald eagles. The beginning of many chapters started slowly due to flashbacks and facts about wildlife, but it was okay. Billy's half-sister and stepmother were members of the Crow Indians, and I learned a bit about their culture. The father's job was vague until the mid-point of the book, so it became a mystery for readers to solve. Solving the mystery wasn't a real problem though, since the father eventually revealed the secret to his son. The dynamic between his two families was very unexpected. Billy's character was quite virtuous and brave. He had a reputation at school and used it for his own protection and to help a nerdy classmate. His parents raised him to respect nature, and he became an advocate for other creatures. He once trashed a motorcycle after the rider intentionally ran over a snake. Some of his decisions seemed ill-advised for a thirteen-year-old boy. Overall, I really liked this book, and nature lovers will enjoy it too.
My name is Ethan, and I have a chance to meet my hero Magnus the Magnificent! All I need to do is travel to Atlantic City and win my age category at the Magic Fest. I think my act is good, but is it good enough? I like practicing at home with my little brother Jake. He's confined to a wheelchair and can't speak, and his health can get seriously bad due to changes in his body temperature. Anyhow, things were going great until Ned arrived at school. We don't get along even though our mothers went to college together, but then he crossed the line. He called my brother a retard, and I lost it. There's no way I'm going to apologize for what I did, so Magic Fest is off. I mean, I shouldn't need to say I'm sorry for protecting my brother, right? I thought magic was the most important thing in my life until the day I received some horrifying news. I don't know what to do.
This book was a wonderful blend of love, humor, and sadness, and you can expect a roller coaster of emotions. It was fun to read about the tricks in Ethan's magic show, as they included talent and comedy. He displayed compassion for young and handicapped children, as most of his performances were for those audiences. Ethan tried to be an average middle school student and understood the importance of family. His character demonstrated admirable qualities for any protagonist. Ned and his family introduced a different type of problem for Ethan. Ned was dealing with his own issues and took them out on Ethan. Each character's anger kept him from trying to understand the other. Jake's character created a bumpy plot due to the ups and downs of his health. Even though he never said a word and couldn't move on his own, his character evoked strong feelings. Overall, the book presented a warm story of a family dealing with challenging problems. I liked it and recommend you give it a shot.
My name is Bart, and I've moved with my dad to a city near Los Angles. I'd be happy at my new school if everyone ignored me, but the bullies have other plans. I don't have any friends, unless you count CyberGirl03 living in my apartment complex. I spend most of my time secretly coding an augmented reality app called Hecklr. I shared it with CyberGirl03, but I don't know how the kids at school got a hold of it. I was shocked and proud when the app went viral, and now everyone around town is hunting the Lerkian aliens. We even have tourists from out of town converging on our city! It's kind of cool to see people looking into their Smartphones, searching for the little creatures. All of this attention is keeping me busy with creating updates and debugging the program, but I'm afraid I'll be discovered. What will happen if people realize I'm the boring loser behind this fantastic app?
You'll really like this book if you've enjoyed the humor found in other James Patterson books. It's told from a first person point of view, so you'll be inside Bart's brain. As described above, he wants to remain inconspicuous like many middle grade students, but his app draws interest from across the nation. Many people would relish the opportunity to be special and famous, but Bart's kind of shy. The bully problem is a very important factor in his life, but they're the only students who ever notice him. Much of his attention goes toward avoiding them or dealing with their conflicts. Even though I found the book fun to read, I must admit I wasn't sure where the plot was headed. The conflict didn't create major tension, and the events revolved around Hecklr. So where did the plot end up? It settled on a fun and funny story of a young boy trying to anonymously make his mark in an uncomfortable world. Overall, it was a quick-read of an entertaining adventure, and I recommend you check it out.
My name is Janey, and my life changed forever the day Captain Superlative appeared in the school's hallway. I always tried to go unnoticed, but Captain Superlative ran around in her leotards, mask, and cape helping classmates by opening doors, picking up books, and creating study guides for tests. She said small deeds are just as important as big ones, and I listened. Her most dangerous deed was to protect Paige from Dagmar, the top student, best cheerleader, soccer star, and the seventh grade's biggest bully. Captain Superlative challenged Dagmar with truth and kindness, and none of us knew how to react. Then one day, I stood up to Dagmar too. What was I thinking?! My dad was proud of me, and Captain Superlative asked me to become her sidekick. Seriously?! I was shocked and terrified when I agreed to her request, and I just knew I'd become the bully's next target.
This book isn't like my usual adventurous tales of speculative fiction, but it tells a special story. The prologue begins the mystique, as the characters talk about Captain Superlative in the past tense. She's gone, and everyone is devastated. Then, the plot begins with Captain Superlative's first day of school and students calling her a weird freak. It creates an interesting contrast to start readers wondering. Janey's still dealing with her mother's death from three years ago, and she doesn't want to draw attention to herself. That's a common feeling among middle grade students, so they don't open themselves to teasing. Captain Superlative shows up in the plot spreading help and kindness to others and forces Janey to question why that's strange. What's wrong with being good and nice? Janey's character transforms in many positive ways, although she refuses to wear a superhero uniform or change her name. As the plot progresses, readers will learn there's more to Dagmar's anger than meets the eye, and it becomes clear that something is physically wrong with Captain Superlative. Janey seems to be the last one to know. Captain Superlative is a warm, heart-felt book that I can strongly recommend for your reading pleasure. With that being said, be prepared for an emotional ending.
