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.
I am the Masked Avenger, and I protect the citizens in the homes along my street. I have knowledge about the power stored within different stones, and I use them to enhance my own personal characteristics. Recently, while on patrol in the middle of the night, I've been concerned about the woman living in the house at the end of the street. I heard yelling and screaming, and her husband stormed out of the house. I know she's sad, and it's up to me to change that. I know amber has the power to bring happiness, so I gave her an amulet I found in my mother's room. However, I didn't know the amulet belonged to my mother's grandmother, and now my mom is devastated. The Masked Avenger can't ask the woman to return the jewelry, so I must use my powers to think of another solution.
The endearing part of the book was the way the author described Liam, the Masked Avenger. In the beginning, it was unclear if he actually had superpowers or only a vivid imagination. The boy had a creative mind. As I read the book, I tried to figure out if middle grade readers would enjoy it. Liam was a cute, young boy and will appeal to elementary-age readers. His alter-ego was only concerned with the happiness and well-being of his neighbors. On the other hand, the book had some serious thoughts about love and marriage, and I'm not sure young readers will be interested. Liam's father divorced his mother, and Liam feared his father had fallen out of love with him. Liam was able to get the woman at the end of the street to reflect on her own marriage. I also questioned a situation where a young boy was able to wander his neighborhood at night and would give away a valuable amulet from his mother. It would be different in a fantasy novel, but I had some problems with it in a realistic fiction. Overall, the book will be fine for the right audience; I'm just not sure it's right for followers of my blog.
