A Cry From Egypt by Hope Auer

So in the beginning Jajah is a slave for the Egyptians, she is trying multiple ways to escape and not get caught. She joins forces with her family and friends to fight back! Want to know more? Read the book!

Reviewed by  Vlado ~ 6th Grade

Prisoner B-3087 by Alan Gratz

Prisoner B-3087 by Alan Gratz is about a boy named Yanek Gruener. Yanek is a 10 year old Jewish boy who lives with his family in the 1930s in Poland. He lives in Krakow in an apartment flat during World War 2. It's a common topic, but no one believes the War will affect them seriously. 

One day Nazis invade Krakow, and change everyday life. It's not too bad, but still bad. Jews become isolated with a wall separated from the Poles. About 2 years later, Yanek's parents disappear and had probably gotten killed/executed by the Nazis. The Nazis later take Yanek to a concentration camp near Krakow, Plazow. At Plazow there is a ruthless Nazi called Amon Goeth, who randomly kills Jews for sport. 

Read this story to see how Yanek survives through 10 concentration camps in 6 years.

Reviewed by Sarah ~ 6th Grade

Lexile 760

Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline

In the novel Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline, we meet the main characters Molly and Vivian. They are both orphans at the time, but many years apart. Molly is in high school and Vivian is 91 years old. Vivian tells her story as an orphan, while Molly helps clean her attic. You learn the hard times they both go through, and how similar it is being an orphan in 1920's to now. When you finish reading this book you feel that it is complete. Like you have no questions. Like everything ended the way it should have. 

I recommend this book to everyone, but there are some parts of the book that are a little intense so some people might not like it.

Reviewed by Alyssa - 7th Grade

Lexile 890

The Watsons Go to Birmingham 1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis

The Watsons Go to Birmingham is a great story about a boy named Kenny and his family that went on a trip to Birmingham, Alabama to visit their grandmother. Things don't go exactly as planned. Their grandma tells the kids to stay away from the whirl pool that is by her house because it had drowned a child. Byron, Kenny's brother, tells them that the Wool Pooh (whirl pool... get it?) is Winnie-the-Pooh's evil twin brother that pulls kids into the water. Kenny went to go see the whirl pool anyway and almost gets drowned. But, that isn't the worst part of the trip. You will have to read The Watsons Go to Birmingham to find out what had happened next.

Reviewed by Tara ~ 8th Grade

Lexile 1000

Forge by Laurie Halse Anderson

Forge is the sequel to "Chains". The author gives you the other main characters point of view. Again she does not disappoint the reader. I learned so much about a soldier's and a slave's life during this time period.

Reviewed by Mrs. Larson

Lexile 820

Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson

I cannot believe it took me so long to read this fascinating novel. I did not want to put it down. If you have not read it, treat yourself and read it. The novel will not disappoint.

Reviewed by Mrs. Larson

Lexile 780

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (book 1) by Ransom Riggs

Jacob Portman believed he had a normal life until a great tragedy happens. He then has to go to Wales to discover his grandfather's hidden past. Little does he know that the stories he was told as a kid were real the whole time. A mysterious orphanage that serves as the home for many peculiar children. Children who can levitate or control fire with their hands. 

Once he arrives at the island he learns that the orphanage is destroyed due to the bomb attacks during the holocaust. Then during one of his search missions into the house he finds proof that the kids that used to live in the house might still be alive. Thrust into a world full of wonder, he must decide whether he stays with the peculiar children or return to his "normal" life back home. 

This book is well written and full of mystery. It constantly kept me on my seat asking what would happen next. The book is full of creepy, but amazing vintage pictures. The one thing that I felt disappointed about was the lack of scary moments. The book took more of a whimsical and fun turn then I had expected. I still think this book is good due to the fact that the author wove a story out of a bunch of random pictures. I found this to be really creative and new. I recommend this book to anyone whose interested in fantasy and mystery books.

Reviewed by Daniel ~ 8th Grade

Lexile 890

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

The boy in the striped pajamas is about how a boy and his family move to a different town because his father was one of the soldiers for the Nazis. One day the boy named bruno was on a walk and he found a fence with a boy behind it. They talked to each other everyday but then a conflict happens and bruno wants to help him. Will bruno help the boy in striped pajamas.

Reviewed by Emily ~ 6th Grade

Lexile 1080

I Survived the Destruction of Pompeii, 79 A. D. by Lauren Tarshis

The genre of this book is adventure and historical fiction. This book I Survived the Destruction of Pompeii, 79 A. D. is about a boy who has difficulty in escaping Mt. Vesuvius. His name is Marcus. Marcus used to be the slave of Linus Selius, a scientist, and his father, Tata, helped the man out with his studies. When the scientist died, Tata was sold, and Marcus' life at Festus' house in Pompeii became very difficult. Pompeii is seeing a lot of natural disturbances, and when there is great trembling in the marketplace it knocks an old lady down, Marcus helps her up. She warns him that disastrous times are coming and advises that he should "Follow the Hand of Mercury.” When Marcus sees gladiators coming into town and recognizes his father, he is determined to rescue his father from certain death. The disturbances, as well as the appearance of a horse the two are able to ride, make this escape possible, but Tata feels forced to go back to the town and let everyone know that the disaster is coming and that everyone should get away. The guards don't take the slaves seriously and their freedom is again in peril. Can the two survive not only the volcano but also the evil Festus? I would recommend this book to people who enjoy adventure and historical fiction.

Reviewed by Adriana ~ 6th Grade

Lexile 700

I Survived The Japanese Tsunami, 2011 by Lauren Tarshis

I Survived The Japanese Tsunami, 2011 by Lauren Tarshis is about the Japanese Tsunami that happened in 2011. Ben is the main character of this book and his unique quality is being brave during the book Ben brought out on how he was brave. I learned that tsunami’s are very dangerous and are very dangerous in a country that is used to a lot of tsunami’s. This book changed the way I see Japan, when I think about Japan I think of business. Also my dad’s company that he works at has an office in Japan so I think Japan is awesome and I never thought that such an important country can be destroyed now I know that country’s like Japan can get destroyed. The genre of this book is Historical Fiction. I enjoyed this book because it was about Japan and how a wave can destroy so much things. I recommend this book to people that like Japan, History, water, or disasters that happened on the world.

Reviewed by Kosta ~ 6th Grade

Lexile 650

Daniel's Story by Carol Matas

The book I read was full of ups and downs. This book is about how Daniel's family suffered through the holocaust (Nazis), what they eat, sleep, feel while they are in the camp. Daniel said that the pillows and blankets were full of lice and the rooms were very little for 5 people. This took place in the 1930. My reaction to the book was sad, happy and disgusted. I would give this book 9.5 out of 10 stars. I recommend this book to people that like to learn about what the Nazi's did to people in the camp. WARNING: it is disgusting.

Reviewed by Raul ~ 6th Grade

Lexile 720

The Legend of Bass Reeves: Being the True Account of the Most Valiant Marshal in the West by Gary Paulsen

The book titled The Legend Of Bass Reeves is about this young boy down south as a slave in the western frontier where we start the story as him as a little boy about 6 years old and he learns how to be polite to his master.  Then we time travel (not literally or in the book) to when he is about 10 years old.  He learns how to ride a horse but he has to sneak out or his master will beat him. 

[SPOILER ALERT] 

Then when Bass is 13 his master teaches him how to hunt.  Then when he is about 17 when he runs away.  Then he has a rifle, pistol and a horse with him and he hides in the west and becomes a marshal.  A great marshal.  Hunting bad guys and putting them in jail.  

Reviewed by Zach ~ 7th Grade

Lexile 950

MAUS: A Survivor's Tale by Art Spiegelman

Maus: A Survivors Tale by Art Spiegelman Tells the story of the narrator Artie and his father Vladek a holocaust survivor tells his son Artie how he survived and how bad it was back when the holocaust was happening. I would recommend this to someone who wants to read about the holocaust.

Reviewed by Antonio ~ 8th Grade

I Survived Hurricane Katrina, 2005 by Lauren Tarshis

In the book I Survived Hurricane Katrina, 2005 by Lauren Tarshis a boy named Barry, and Barry's family tries to evacuate before Hurricane Katrina hits their home in New Orleans. But when Barry's little sister gets really sick, they're forced to stay home and wait for the storm to end. It was too late. Overnight the levees break, and now the world is full of destruction the water came into the Tuckers’ home. [SPOILER ALERT] The Tuckers went up into the attic and they stayed there until the dad remembered that there’s an ax that Gramps had put if there is a bad storm. So the dad went to the corner and made a hole with the ax up to the roof. The whole family went up to the roof. They almost had lost Cleo (his sister) because of the wind. Then, they lost Barry because of the wind. He got swept away by the flood waters, and away from his family. Do you think he can survive the storm — alone? The Genre of this book is Historical Fiction. I recommend this book to people who like adventure books and action. I enjoyed the book because it was very entertaining and kept me on the edge of my seat, and I couldn’t put the book down.

Reviewed by Adriana ~ 6th Grade

Lexile 590

I SURVIVED The Shark Attack of 1916 by Lauren Tarshis

In the story there was a boy named Chet and he moved into a new house because his mom and dad got a new job in California. Chet made some friends there and so they were really nice to each other they meet everyday in his uncle's work and it was like a tradition to them. But then one day there was a thing in the newspaper that said that there had been a shark attack but no one believed it except for Chet. so one day his friends decided to play a prank on him. He got scared because that day...

Reviewed by Emily ~ 6th Grade

Lexile 610

Fighting Phantoms by M. Zachary Sherman

In the emergency ops Anne Donovan is a army surgeon who saves soldiers lives. Throughout the story she changes her position from a surgeon to a post ops medicine giver. When she was a post op worker she realizes a man she did surgery on and the man loved her. But after that she went on many different missions. But the one i’m going to tell you about is is burger hill behind enemy lines. So after she got off her shift on the top surgeons was about to leave for burger hill and she wanted to go but the other person said no but she didn't give so the other person had to say yes. At burger hill they had to perform major surgery like limb losing and severe injuries. [Spoiler Alert] At burger hill she saw the guy who loved her die.

Reviewed by James ~ 6th Grade

Lexile 790

I Survived the Japanese Tsunami, 2011 by Lauren Tarshis

In the book I Survived the Japanese Tsunami, 2011 there was a boy named Ben, and Ben and his family went to go to his Dads home town because before his dad died they were gonna take a trip to Japan. When they got there Ben and his brother Harry and his cat Nia were home alone and a terrible earthquake came. The next day a huge storm came and it was a Tsunami. [Spoiler ALERT] Bens family ran into a car and tried to drive away from the Tsunami, but then the next thing you know Bens family is gone and he is all alone. Will Ben ever find his family again? The genre of the story is Non-Fiction. I recommend this book to anyone who likes action, basically people in grades 4-8th. Lots of people would enjoy this story.

Reviewed by Emily ~ 6th Grade

Lexile 650

I SURVIVED The Attacks of September 11, 2001 by Lauren Tarshis

I read the book I Survived The Attacks of September 11, 2001, the genre is historical fiction. The main character is Lucas who loves to play football. In the story Lucas has to quit football because he has had 3 concussions in the past 2 years, so he went to his uncle who is a fire fighter to convince his parents to let him play football, but then a plane hits one of the towers, so his uncle had left him without an answer. To find out if Lucas keeps playing football, read the book to find out.

Reviewed by Wiktor ~ 6th Grade

Lexile 630

I Survived: The Great Chicago Fire, 1871 by Lauren Tarshis

I Survived: The Great Chicago Fire, 1871 is about the Great Chicago Fire that happened in 1871. Oscar is the main character of this book and his unique quality is being brave during the book Oscar brought out on how he was brave. I learned that fires are dangerous even when you have the best fire department in the world. This book changed the way I see Chicago, when I go to Chicago it is awesome and I never thought that such an important city can be destroyed now I know that huge cities like Chicago can get destroyed. The genre of this book is Historical Fiction. I enjoyed this book because it was about Chicago and how Chicago was in the old days. I recommend this book to people that like Chicago, History, or disasters that happened on the world.

Reviewed by Constantine ~ 6th Grade

Lexile 730

I Survived: The Great Chicago Fire, 1871 by Lauren Tarsis

This story takes place in Downtown Chicago,were young Oscar moves to Chicago, right when the GREAT FIRE happened. his dad has died in a snow blizzard and all he has left of his father is a badge of when he was a police man, fighting crime. until something happens to it, he needs to find his father's badge in one of the biggest fires in U.S history, will he find it or will he fall from the fire read the book to find out.  this type of book is for people that like the history of great fires, or Chicago history, or people that just want to read a book fast, if you are one of those people you should read this book.

Reviewed by Daniel ~ 6th Grade

Lexile 730