The Ancient: Saga of the First King
by R. A. Salvatore

Category: Advanced Reader Reviews
ISBN: 9780765317896
Price: 25.95

In this story, a man named Bransen Garibond lives in a place similar to Medieval Europe and he has two personalities. One of them is the Stork, which is a crippled person who stutters and cannot walk straight, and the other is the Highwayman, a people’s hero not unlike Robin Hood. He gets tricked into joining the army in the north who is engaged in a fierce battle with an evil sorcerer named Ancient Badden. Meanwhile, in another part of the North, a young monk named Cormack is sharing a secret love bond with a barbarian named Mikeila. This bond will force him to make a choice in the near future: Should he side with his monk brethren, or Mikeila’s people in the coming battle between the two sides? This was an excellent story, and for this, I give it a 10 out of 10. I recommend this book for boys and girls over the age of 13, and I strongly advise younger readers to let their parents read the book first.

Ladybug Girl
by David Soman and Jackie Davis

Category: Andrea's Picks
ISBN: 9780803731950
Price: $16.99

It doesn’t matter if folks think you’re little when you are Ladybug Girl! Just as ladybugs themselves are not as dainty and gentle as we humans perceive, Lulu learns that she is as big, strong, and powerful as her imagination in this empowering story. Ages 5 to 8.

Samsara Dog
by Helen Manos

Category: Nicole's Picks

A dog named Dog lives many lives with many different people until his life crosses the path of a young boy. In this story, Dog must make a choice: to love another person unconditionally or to continue the cycle of death and rebirth.
Ages 6 and up.

Before You Were Mine
by Maribeth Boelts

ISBN: 0399245268
Price: $15.99

A heartwarming story in which a little boy imagines the life of his dog before his family adopted him from a shelter.

The Totally Made up Civil War Diary of Amanda MacLeish
by Claudia Mills

Category: Carol's Picks
ISBN: 9780374376963
Price: $16.00

A light, engaging story told in Amanda's voice as she deals with a Civil War assignment, her parents' separation, friendship issues and even unconscious racism. Ages 8 to 12. March 2008

The Gypsy Crown
by Kate Forsyth

Category: Advanced Reader Reviews
ISBN: 9781423104940
Price: $16.99

When a gypsy family is thrust into jail for singing and dancing at a fair, Emilia and Luka must act quickly. They scourge the countryside seeking aid from the remaining Gypsy families. They also seek four charms: a horse, a sprig of rue, a lighting bolt and an amber butterfly. If these charms are added to Emilia’s charm bracelet with the last charm…a gold crown…they will give Emilia the power and luck to free her family. Though throughout their quest they make many enemies, they also make many friends. The Gypsy Crown will warm your heart as you see Emilia and Luka embark on their quest to save their family from ruin. Jahnavi C. Age 12

Lock and Key
by Sarah Dessen

Category: Advanced Reader Reviews
ISBN: 9780670010882
Price: $18.99

Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen is an enthralling story about forgiveness and faith. 18-tear old Ruby has been living on her own after her mother disappeared in the night. Suddenly her life changes from rags to riches as her long gone sister Cora takes her to live wither and her rich husband in a rich neighborhood. Throughout the story Ruby keeps a key around her neck, the key symbolizing an opening…which is exactly what Ruby finds. An opening to the secret her mother kept from her all these years. Though this secret almost destroys her, it also gives her the courage to stand up and help a friend in need, a friend who also has a secret….Lock and Key will make you laugh and cry with Ruby and you experience and learn that we all have locks…and we all have the means to open them. Jahnavi C. age 12

Ever
by Gail Carson Levine

Category: Advanced Reader Reviews
ISBN: 9780061229626
Price: $16.99

Ever is a book that takes place in a country like Egypt. In Ever there are two main characters, Kezi and Olus. In every other chapter it is Kezi’s view of the story. The other chapters are in Olus, the god of the winds’ view. In this story, Olus wants to become mortal and escape from his home. When he rents land for his goats he starts to know and like everyone. When Kenzi’s mother becomes sick and it looks like she will die, Kezi’s father said an oath to Admat, an unknown god that the first one to congratulate him on his wife’s recovery will be sacrificed to Admat, if Admat would let his wife recover. Kezi’s aunt was the first one to. Kezi makes a new oath that in thirty days she would go to the altar and have a priest strike her with a knife and have her sacrificed. Kezi and Olus will have adventures together. Reviewed by Alexandra T. age 9. Ages 10 and up

Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2: Rodrick's Rules
by Jeff Kinney

Category: Our Customers Recommend
Price: $12.95

The second installment to the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series is just as funny and witty as the first one. It has all the humor that a junior high school produces. th main character a kid named Greg Heffley, who is your average student. He has a mom, a dad, an older brother named Roderick, a younger brother named Manny, and a best friend named Rowley. Over the summer, Roderick discovered a secret of Greg's that, if told to anyone in his school, could devastate his popularity, which isn't that high already. Greg has to find a way to keep his brother happy, or face the consequences. I think this book was a 10 out 10 because it kept me reading with its interesting and comical humor. I recommend this to middle school through high school students because I figure that they will understand and appreciate this book more through their own experience.
Reviewed by Robert S. of Holy Name of Mary

Neptune's Children
by Bonnie Dobkin

Category: Advanced Reader Reviews
ISBN: 9780802797346
Price: 16.99

When biological terrorists release a poison into the world, it leaves a trail of death and destruction as it spreads, leaving the bodies of its victims on the ground as it passes. Something was unexpected about this, though. The kids were still alive. In a theme park called the Isles of Wonder, a boy named Josh and his sister meet a person named Milo and they strive to unite the children on the island into a civilization and carry on. As time passes, people want to leave the park for the outside, and strange things start happening. The children have to find out what is going on and stop these occurrences. I thought this book was a great story that most teenagers would understand and enjoy, and I give it a 9 out of 10.

Robot Dreams
by Sarah Varon

Category: Advanced Reader Reviews
ISBN: 9781596431089
Price: $16.95

Robot Dreams is a sweet story about a dog that has no friends, so he builds a robot. He takes the Robot everywhere with him, to school and to the park. One day he takes him to the beach and goes swimming. He tries to make the Robot stay on the beach, but instead the Robot jumps in the water and get ruined. So the dog leaves him on the beach. A few weeks later, Dog returns to the beach, because he feels so sad and he wants to take his Robot back home and fix him. But unfortunately, it is winter and the beach is closed for the season. He goes home and buys a new Robot. A month later, a few bunnies come and break off the old Robot’s leg. They use it to plug a hole in their boat so it won’t sink. A few days later, a new dog comes and takes the old Robot apart and throws him in the junkyard. Some time later, a raccoon is building a radio in his apartment, but he cannot get it to tune right. So he goes to the junkyard and takes all the Robot parts except the torso. He takes them home, and uses the radio for the torso instead. And it tunes perfectly. Soon after that the Dog and his new Robot are walking by, and the sounds from the old Robot make him happy. This is the part that made me cry.

As If Being 12 ¾ Isn’t Bad Enough, My Mother is Running for President!
by Donna Gephart

Category: Advanced Reader Reviews
ISBN: 9780385734813
Price: $15.99

Would you be happy if your mom was running for President? Children of the President get to have parties at the White House and have their own bowling alley. What if it means your mom can’t attend your events? In Donna Gephart’s As If Being 12 ¾ Isn’t Bad Enough, My Mother is Running for President! , the main character is in this situation. Her name is Vanessa Rothrock. She is a twelve year old girl who likes spelling and the color purple. She considers herself very clumsy and seems very self conscious. The only thing she believes she has in common with her mom is their enormous feet. Her mom is almost never home. Vanessa thinks she is spending too much time trying to convince strangers to vote for her and not enough time taking care of her. Vanessa changes her ideas on her mother running for President during the book. At the beginning, she is very unhappy that her mom is running for President. Her mom is Governor of Florida, and Vanessa already thinks that her mom needs to give her more attention. For example, at Vanessa’s school spelling bee, her mom sent her press secretary instead of going herself. Vanessa thinks that if her mom becomes President, that will mean even less time for her. But when she sees how much everyone at the Democratic National Convention cheered when her mom’s name was announced, it made her feel proud. She thinks about how she could have ever wanted her mom to drop out of the race. She doesn’t want her mom to give up on her dream she had since she was tem. Plus, she thinks her mom would be good for the country. For example, her mom would keep mercury out of the water, and guns out of the hands of people who shouldn’t have them. By the end of the book, Vanessa wants her mom to stay in the race and to become President. Vanessa’s mom thinks she should drop out of the race because someone tries to shoot her and accidently shot Vanessa. Vanessa’s mom was scared for her daughter and was afraid that becoming President would increase the chances of something like that happening again. It did not say if she won, but she stayed in the race. I think it was a well written book. I would recommend this book to girls between the ages 9 – 12. If there was a sequel I would read it because I want to find out if the mom wins the election. By Lindsey Z. Age 10