The Chicken Soup Series

               I’m not much of a nonfiction reader but the Chicken Soup Series is one of my favorites. It’s about kids who get diagnosed with diseases or disabilities. It talks about their journey of accepting the fact that they have a problem and how they struggle to fix it. Some of the books are more subtle than others. In one of the books it talks about fundraisers for people who have leukemia and similar stories. In another it has a story about a twelve year old child raising three young children on the streets on his own and at the same time dealing with an illegal addiction. In the end, they usually have a happy ending but sometimes not. It’s really interesting to read about their daily lives. I would recommend this to any advanced reader because in some of the books they go into details about their experiences a lot more and it can be highly disturbing and overwhelming, so much that you might find yourself tearing up.




-sunnysideup

Skellig by: David Almond

            When Michael thought matters couldn’t get any worse or more complicated, his life took another interesting turn.
           Michael decides to explore, and visits an old shack placed in the front lawn of his new eerie home. After his father specifically told him not to step foot in the close to collapsing shack, that’s exactly what Michael does. With cobwebs tangling into his hair and dust collecting in his throat, Michael creeps deeper into the small old building. When he’s about to turn back he finds a man leaning against the wall. Startled, Michael runs out realizing what he saw on the man’s back was a pair of wings as dusty as the shack. Michael’s life has forever been changed, because the man in the shack wasn’t a man at all, but a fantasy-like creature living in his front lawn. This is the start of Michael's new life.

             With his parents distracted and preoccupied with his close-to-dying baby sister, Michael develops an interesting relationship with this creature and his quirky new friend Mina. What makes this book interesting? Its plot is very fun to read and the writer always leaves you wanting more which pushes you to read further.

I would encourage everyone to read this because its definitely like nothing you’ve ever read about before.


-sunnysideup

The Tale Despereaux By: Kate DiCamillo

            Have you ever been punished for loving someone? Well Despereaux a poor little mouse has. He's been sentenced to the dungeon by his own father to be eaten by rats. He has been escorted down the concrete stairs by his brother where he's suppose to spend his last days. When he gets there he discovers that there may not be only rats and mice among him.
            The adventure that Despereaux is about to face will be one that he will always remember...That is, if he lives.
            This book involves three stories of hopeless beings:
             a mouse,
             a rat,
             and a human.
             Kate DiCamillo cleverly writes this book, in a way that is touching, fun to read and intriguing. She writes as if shes reading the story to you.
             I'd recommend this book to any reader interested in a dramatic and touching story.

-sunnysideup

Touch Blue

                     This book is about a helpless orphan who is relocated to Maine to live with a family which will help Tess and everyone who goes to the school that her family runs. Because of their lack of students they are forced to get more people to go to their school or it will be shut down. The orphan, Aaron, doesn't know that's the reason why he was taken away from his previous home. His struggle to fit into his new environment is what makes this story so heart-filled and realistic.
                      When Tess finds out that the only way Aaron will ever be happy is when he sees his mother, Tess tries to fulfill Aaron's wish. Tess's plan doesn't go as smoothly as she wishes. All Aaron wants to do is move back with his mom.
                      Although this book is sad, This would be a good story for anyone to read. It's well-written and well thought out.

                                                                                                                 -sunnysideup

               Twilight is a dramatic story of love and... Vampires? I would highly recommend this book. It's a little predictable but I found myself looking forward to reading how the author put parts into words. I couldn't put the book down and I think you'll do the same. It's a highly addictive book.
               Twilight is about a normal (well somewhat) teenage girl, Bella, who moves to Forks, Washington to live with her dad. Her high school is normal except for the fact that a group of pupils are vampires! Bella finds herself falling unmistakably in love with one of the vampire teenagers. The feeling is mutual. Bella doesn't know what she gets herself into. After all how normal can a relationship be if your dating a bloodsucker?

                                                                                                                      sunnysideup