Biggest Reader: Stephanie

Just Jane by William Lavender
Jane Prentice comes to America from England to live in Charlestown, South Carolina just as the American Revolution gets really heated. The war is not just between England and the American colonies, but between members of her family. Jane struggles with this war, but in the end discovers who she really is and gains strength and courage to be just Jane. This was a great book especially if you enjoy historical fiction. It portrayed how a war could not only tear up a country, but families as well. Jane was caught in the middle of it and through it she learned how to be herself, make decisions for herself, developed courage, and became a strong young lady
emotionally and mentally. Just as America gained its independence so did Jane.

Charlie Bone and the Time Twister by Jenny Nimmo
Charlie Bone has started another year at Bloor’s Academy. He discovers one of his long lost relatives, Henry Yewbeam has come through time from 1916 at Bloor’s Academy and has to keep him hidden from those who want nothing good for him. With the help of his friends, he saves him and discovers that now he can speak to people in paintings. This series has been really good so far, each book definitely spurs you onto the next one so you know what happens with Charlie Bone. Each one is packed with mystery, adventure, and excitement. If you enjoyed Harry Potter then you would enjoy this series.

Dreams of the Dead by Thomas Randall
Kara Foster has just moved to Japan with her Dad from America. Her dad is a teacher at the school she now attends. The both speak very good Japanese, but Kara has trouble fitting in because she is from America, but then two girls befriend her. One of them, Sakura has just lost her sister who was mysteriously murdered. Kara and a lot of students at the school start having horrible nightmares that include Sakura’s sister, then some of the students start dying. Something supernatural is going on and it is not pretty. Kara and her friends discover what it is and do something about it, which ends the killing spree. This book definitely deals with the supernatural of the Japanese culture which is interesting to someone who doesn’t know a lot about it. I like how it shows that and some other aspects of their culture. I sympathize with Kara being the outsider, but she doesn’t let it bother her, which is great. It has mystery and horror all mixed into one, but everything is comes together well. I look forward to reading the next one in the series.

Spirited by Nancy Holder
Isabella Stevens is on her way to Fort William Henry with her father, Dr. Stevens during the French and Indian War with some soldiers for protection. They get attacked by Indians and Isabella and her father are captured. Wusamequin is the shaman and warrior for his tribe, he protects Isabella from being killed by his tribe members and from a life threatening wound. They fall in love, but he lets her go back to her father, but in the end she comes back to him and they end up happily ever after. This book is part of the Once Upon a Time series. This one is based upon Beauty and the Beast, one of my favorites. I like how the author wrote it using the Indians and the French and Indian war. You learned about the culture of the Indians and what happened when you were captured. Of course my favorite is when they end up together and it is happily ever after. It was a very good book, well written.

First Test by Tamora Pierce
Keladry of Mindelan (Kel for short) is a girl who wants to become a knight. The king now allows girls to be trained if they want to. Kel goes to be trained, but it is not easy, she is not treated like a girl, but as one the boys. Some of the other boys do not like that she is there and thinks that she needs to go home, so they mess up her room, add weights to her lance, and more just to make it miserable for her so that she will go home. Kel does not back down, she works even harder because she is determined to become a knight. In the process she makes friends with some of the other boys & animals, gets into fights, and becomes stronger physically, emotionally, and mentally. I like how she is determined to become a knight and works extra hard at it. I also like how there is some fantasy combined in it with the different creatures who live alongside the humans, some good and some bad. This is the first one in the series, Protector of the Small Quartet. I am now in the process of reading the second one, they are really good, makes you want to find out what happens with Kel and if she becomes a knight.

Twilight by Meg Cabot
Suze is a mediator, she can talk to ghosts and helps them cross over. She also has a boyfriend, but he is a ghost. Paul is another mediator who does things a little differently sometimes not the right way. Suze’s principal at her school is another mediator, but all of them keep it quiet because they don’t want anyone else to know. Suze and Paul go back in time to help Suze’s boyfriend, Jesse from being killed, but that means he would never meet Suze. She goes back to not let Paul save him so that she can still be with Jesse, but in the end she realizes that because she loves him, she will save him. Now a confession that I have to make is that this is the last book in the The Mediator series and didn’t realize that so I accidentally started with the last one instead of the first one, but I am still going to read the first one and the rest of them in order. I really enjoy Meg Cabot’s books and I like stories about ghosts so it was a good combination. I like how Suze realizes that she needs to the right thing and in the end it is happily ever after. A very good book.