Wednesday Wondering: What Books Shouldn't Be Made Into Movies?

Imagine this: you've read the book a million times, you've been waiting for years for them to make it a movie, they finally do, and it's.........awful. They completely ruined it all, didn't get anything right, so now it's time to wonder.

Are there any books shouldn't (or shouldn't have been) made into movies?

So, we went around and asked some students.

Well, some people said yes just because they know the movies would ruin the books, but they couldn't name any books.

A couple of people said they shouldn't have made Twilight into a movie because they didn't do a very good job of it.

Another popular reply was that books shouldn't be made into movies because the movies can't capture the feel of the book, the finality of finishing a book, the thoughts and feelings and emotions of the characters.

One person said that they shouldn't make the book Lincoln's Last Days a movie because they couldn't get a good actor to play Lincoln without it seeming fake and cheesy; it would just be wrong.

Another book is The Way of The Kings because the book is too long to be a good movie -- they couldn't get everything in.

Someone else wrote that movies turn books into big commercial franchises and mess up the integrity of the books.

A book that I personally think shouldn't be a movie (although, I've heard they will make one) is an amazing book called The Art of Racing In The Rain. The story is told from the point of view of a dog, and I don't think that they can capture his essence and personality, or tell the story without leaving out important parts, or parts that really help to explain things.

We asked Mrs. Hoole, too.  She said that she doesn't want to see any more books where dogs die made into movies. "Enough with the depressing dog deaths!"

Sometimes, once in a while, they actually do a good job of the book, but overall, books just aren't meant to be movies.

What do you think?  What books do YOU think shouldn't be made into movies, and why???

-ArwenPond

Wednesday Wonderings

We at In the Middle (Of a Good Book) are a curious lot.  As in, we have a lot of questions.  And we thought, hey, we are an inquisitive bunch of people, and we also have access to entire classrooms full of middle school students who might have answers.  So each Wednesday, we are going to try to pose some questions about books and reading to our fellow middle school students and choose the most awesome answers to post for you.

BUT WAIT! THERE'S MORE!

You, too, may have questions about books and the reading habits of middle school students...and we would be more than happy to survey our guinea pigs test subjects classmates with your questions.  Leave any questions you have in the comments, or you can email them to us at inthemiddlereading (at) gmail (dot) com!

NEXT WEEK: Our first post will explore what makes a compelling villain!

Readers' Favorite: Picture Books

A post by Abby

In language arts, we were doing a unit in children’s books, and sometimes all we did was read children’s books and it was really fun! But that made me think, what are the readers' favorite children’s books? I mean, almost everyone read children’s books when they were little, right? So why not find out their favorites? So I asked about everyone I knew what their favorite was, and this is what I got:

1) Green Eggs and Ham , by Dr. Seuss
2) The Very Hungry Caterpillar, by Eric Carle
3) Good Night Moon, by Margaret Wise Brown
4) Where the Wild Things Are, by Maurice Sendak
5) The Lorax, by Dr. Seuss
6) Oh the Places You’ll Go, by Dr. Seuss
7) Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, by Judi Barrett
8) One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish, by Dr. Seuss
9) Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, by Bill Martin Jr., and Archambault
10) Whinnie the Pooh, by A. A. Milne

So, that’s the top ten, but feel free to comment and tell me what your favorite is.

TOP MOVIES THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN BOOKS FIRST

Post by Up North Girl

I know, I know. Long title. The point is, I was watching a movie, and the thought struck me; Hey, this would have made a really good book. I don’t mean the novelizations that are written after the movie is out; those never do it justice. I mean, the real thing. Good books that were written before the movie was a movie. So here is a list of the movies I think would have made good books. Each one will contain a short synopsis of the plot from netflix.com, and why I thought it would make a good movie.


5. Wicked Little Things

When a grieving widow moves her two daughters to a rustic house in the Pennsylvania mountains, she hopes the solitude will help them work through feelings of abandonment. But they hardly have time to reflect, as they discover unexpected neighbors. As it turns out, the ghosts of children who were killed in a tragic accident more than 90 years before are still "playing" in the mine shaft nearby, and would love to have the neighborhood kids join them.

This movie was, well, just plain creepy. But I like those kinds of movies. I prefer them as books, though, because then there aren’t things jumping out and scaring the crap out of you. I made the unfortunate mistake of watching this at midnight… yeah. I think it would have been a very good book. If you like scary movies, definitely check this one out.


4. Despicable Me
Villainous Gru (Steve Carell) lives up to his reputation as a despicable, deplorable and downright unlikable guy when he hatches a plan to steal the moon from the sky. But he has a tough time staying on task after three orphans land in his care.
OK, this one is just for funzies. I loved this movie. Yes, I am in eighth grade, and yes, I did love this little kid movie. I am not ashamed to say it. I think it would have made a pretty amazing book, too. Since most of the movies on this list are horrors, I decided to lighten it up by throwing this one in.




3. Sherlock Holmes (2010)

London sleuth Sherlock Holmes, joined by Dr. Watson, face off against the villainous Blackwood.
Yeah, I know what you’re going to say. “But Sherlock Holmes is already a book!” I know. I’ve read them. But this movie was a really phenomenal story line, and I think it would have been a really great book. I always loved when Sir Arthur Conan Doyle threw possible paranormal phenomena into his Sherlock Holmes stories, and this one was especially good.




2. Frozen

Three friends hit the slopes for a weekend of skiing and snowboarding. But when they convince the chairlift operator to let them take one last run before closing, Parker, Joe, and Dan find themselves stranded in midair, alone and freezing. It'll be days before anyone returns to the slopes, and their chances of survival are looking slimmer by the minute.

Wow. That is really all I have to say about this movie. It gave me shivers (No pun intended) and I was on the edge of my seat for the whole movie. I won’t be surprised if you haven’t heard of it; it’s an Indie film. I love books that keep you biting your nails throughout the whole thing, and I think this movie would do just that, had it been a book. Out of all the movies on this list, this is one of the ones I would most want to see as a book.


1. Season of the Witch

In 14th-century Europe, a courageous knight leads a group of weary warriors across impossibly treacherous terrain in order to transport a suspected witch believed to be responsible for spreading the devastating Black Plague.
This. Movie. Was. Amazing. I loved this movie! Can I say anymore? The whole movie I was thinking THIS NEEDS TO BE A BOOK! It was so suspenseful and perfectly balanced action with plot. Some movies have too much action and no plot, but that is not the case with this. It had an amazing plot, and amazing action. It’s definitely not for the squeamish, though.

So there you have it. My top five movies that should have been books first. I recommend you check out these movies if you haven’t, especially Frozen. But Frozen, Wicked Little Things, and Season of the Witch are definitely not for the faint of heart. Until next time, happy reading!

Why do teens like dark fiction? 8th graders respond.

The New York Times recently ran a "Room for Debate" discussion in which a number of writers gave their opinions about why teens are reading books with dark themes and post-apocalyptic settings.  I introduced this question to my 8th grade class and had them discuss whether they enjoy these kinds of books, and if so, why?  Then I gave them a chance to read the articles and the comments and take some time to think.  The next day, we spent some time writing and discussing the trend and the types of books they would publish if they were in charge.  Here's a sampling of their thoughts.

“[The articles and the comments] kind of made me laugh since most of those people were probably adults arguing about what people like me feel….  If I were asked to write about why teens love dark fiction, I’d say it’s because I think we love the reaction and emotion it causes us to read about…[creepy/violent things] we highly doubt we’ll ever see…and never thought how we would react to it.”  --YamiHeart

“I agree with both the idea of escapism and the idea that we read them because it is happening in our world…there are bad things in our world, but it’s not like a book—there’s no hero.”  --Kathryn

“We aren’t always all dark and scary.  I know that my favorite books, and almost all of my friends’ favorites, are books about real life.  It helps us learn, when we see how other teens (even if fictional) deal with real life problems.” --WhatcyoNameIs

“We want to hear and think new things…we want more adventure than what our normal lives have to offer.”  --Zari

“My argument would be that the hype and the popularity of these types of books makes teen read them.  I would publish happy comedies—I like biographies and autobiographies, and also happy books.” --Jafra

“Teens like to escape into a world where there are troubles more vastly dangerous and deadly than dating and bad hair days.” –DJ

“I think teens are attracted to the parallel of the characters; they’re so different, and yet so much alike.  It’s interesting to compare ourselves to them.”  --Kyra

“I thought there were some good thoughts [in those articles], especially about how people read these dystopian books that are filled with drama, adventure, etc…to escape our everyday world.”  --Caitlin

“I would publish scary, exciting, full-of-action types of books.  I would try getting YAs to read my books by making them interesting, action-packed, full of explosions on the covers.” –Abbey

“Our daily lives are boring so these books are like a chance to get away and think, “What if life was actually exciting like this?” It’s fun to put yourself in the main character’s shoes.” –Brynn

“Teens like to think that they could possibly be in a dark situation and be strong enough to get out of it.” –Sophia

“These articles all sort of captured why I read books like these.  We watch too much violent TV.  I would publish funny books with a good storyline.”  --Matt

“Teenagers are bored of their normal lives, so they read books about ‘dark’ places and people….  Usually the characters are very different from me, but I love to imagine myself in their situation.  I would publish books that are mysterious, gripping, and dramatic.”  --swimfreak110396

“I would publish fantasy, mostly medieval.”  --Jarrid

“Because our teenage lives are just so drab and boring and just plain old blech, we want to escape.” –Jess

“People want to imagine what if I was in this?  What would it be like? Teens don’t like reading about things and people that are like them in books because they are trying to get away from that.  But some people who are having hard, difficult, dark times might read them to know they aren’t alone…” –Eva

“Maybe people who do go through a tough life everyday like to read these books because it’s not real.  They can escape into the life that’s not real, and if they are okay at the end, it might give them hope.”  --Emma

“We like to read about the unimaginable, the creative, creepy things excite us more than our old same routines.” –Alexis

“Well, it’s not that all teens are dark and vivid, it’s just that when you do have a lot of things going on, or if your life is just plain boring, you use these dystopian or dark books as a getaway.  You just kinda blend into everything in the book.”  --Amanda

“My opinion is that teens enjoy darker themes because it may be something they can relate to.  If they read a book they can relate to, it may make them feel like people do understand or they’re not so alone.” –Augezt Fire

“It’s a way for us to read about something that’s never going to happen.  Just to think about what it would be like if that actually were to happen.”  --Caleb

“I would focus on war books—sci-fi war books.”  --Logan

“Teens would like to read about things that aren’t real…. I would publish the dark fiction because that seems the most fun to both read and write.” –Skylar

“Teens do like scary stories with darkness and death.  They don’t have to live in this fake world.”  --Jason Huntington

ETA: if you're ages 10-18, you should go fill out this survey about what you like in your favorite kind of Middle Grade or Young Adult books!  http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/BV3365M

Guest Review of Kira Kira by Cynthia Kadohata

Kira Kira by Cynthia Kadohata

kira-kira (kee' ra kee' ra): glittering; shining

Glittering. That's how Katie Takeshima's sister, Lynn, makes everything seem. The sky is kira-kira because its color is deep but see-through at the same time. The sea is kira-kira for the same reason. And so are people's eyes. When Katie and her family move from a Japanese community in Iowa to the Deep South of Georgia, it's Lynn who explains to her why people stop them on the street to stare. And it's Lynn who, with her special way of viewing the world, teaches Katie to look beyond tomorrow. But when Lynn becomes desperately ill, and the whole family begins to fall apart, it is up to Katie to find a way to remind them all that there is always something glittering -- kira-kira -- in the future.  (Summary from Amazon.com)

This quarter (of the school year) I read a book called Kira, Kira by Cynthia Kadohata about a girl named Katie and her relationship with her sister Lynn. In this book, I made some connections, things I like, and more.

One thing I can connect to is how the author described changes, not only in the character, but in her surroundings, like where she lives, who she talks to, and her family.

Some things I liked were how Katie made progress and how much the character improved her knowledge and her actions.

I would recommend this book to people who can handle an emotional book and who love surprise. I think this book earned its reward, and I think that Cynthia Kadohata knew what she was doing.

Not rated

--Stelena27 (Book Report)

Favorite places to read!

Hey! Twistar here, and I'm going to talk about your favorite place to read.

So I went around and talked to a bunch of teachers and students and got a bunch of different answers. One person that I talked to was Mr.Achartz.  He said that he likes reading in his hammock or something like that. Mrs.Heins said that she liked reading by the lake. Finally Ms.Hoole said she liked reading in her bathtub. :)

I also talked to a bunch of students, and for a lot of them, their favorite places were in their rooms away from drama and their siblings. One person who I talked to said that they liked reading in their car. They also said that it was one of the only chances that they had to read because their life was just that busy. I think that those people either need a little more time to themselves or they need help finding a good books.

There are lots of books that are out there--go to your local library and just let your mind wander! You never know what you will find!

I also had some people say that they hate reading! One person said that any time they look at a book they get sick, (that sounds fake but trust me, it's been said!) That really makes no sense to me! How can a book make you wanna throw up? But anyways, those people must not have found a good book for them.

My word of advice is to again let your mind go, and stop thinking about books making you throw up!

Now...I'm off to my favorite place to read...how about you?  Where do you go when you want to get lost in the middle of a good book?

Interview with Sara Gruen, author of Ape House and Water for Elephants

Less than a week ago, I had the immense honor of being able to interview author Sara Gruen, whose works include Riding Lessons, Water for Elephants, and her newest book which within a few weeks jumped to number six on the New York Times best seller list, Ape House.

Q: How was your book tour?
A: It was grueling, lots of time in airports….

Q: What was your first book called, and was it ever published?

A: My first book was not published, and hopefully never will be. My husband threatened if I get hit by a bus he will publish it… Well, now I’m looking both ways crossing the street! It is NOT publishable.

Q: What was your first book about?

A: Well, lots. I guess it was a kitchen sink book. It is mostly about a very stupid kleptomaniac that worked high finance, a patsy; she had dreams of being best seller. She plagiarized work but got caught in an Enron type thing…It’s fun, but I don’t want people to think of that as me or my work.

Q: What inspired you to write your first book?

A: I always wanted to write, that’s why I wrote tech. I got a degree in English literature and took creative writing but when I graduated, I needed a job. That’s how I fell into software.

Q: How did you feel when your book became so famous?

A: Well, with Water For Elephants, it’s funny, because it was really a slow burn, I didn’t know. I had no publisher for it when I wrote it, I just hoped someone would pick it up. Then it was, but at last minute. There was a very small print run, and the first edition copies were shorter than the real one. If you have first edition, keep it!  Like I said, it was a slow burn… I don’t know if there was a minute when I said OK. It was more a collection over two years, then I slowly realized it would be OK.

Q: Tell us a little bit about your newest book, Ape House.

A: It’s about well, lots, but family of bonobo apes, one of the four “great apes”. They are very egalitarian, very amorous. This book has a hard look at the culture of celebrity, twitter--instant communication, how it makes us feel like we know someone we’ve never met, at a distance, hiding behind a monitor as people make train wrecks of their life…

Q: Are any characters in any of your books based off of people in real life?

A: No...well, yes and no…some of the researchers on the great apes are in the book; I didn’t disguise names much, only as much to ensure that people know who they are. But characters, I don’t do that…very little is private in my life now, and I want to defend that the best I can. I use little details, like I used to eat Ramen noodles separately like some characters do. That’s not my character, but little things in life I used in the book.

Q: Which of the characters in the books do you think is most like you, and how?

A: Uhhm…I really haven’t written any like me, and I don’t plan to.

Q: Are you planning on writing more books in the future?

A: Yeah, this is my life now. I’m planning on starting a next book in three months, but I can’t write on airplanes at all, I can’t be that super human…the idea…Uhm, OK… [laughs] I do have an idea floating around my head for another book.

Q: How did you come up with the ideas for Water For Elephants and Ape House?

A: I opened paper one day and saw a vintage circus photo. It was taken by a home-made camera. It was huge! The camera weighed like 25 pounds, and it produced negatives up to 12 inches by 24 inches, and the camera caught an enormous amount of details. It seemed like anything could happen, and could because pictures proved it! I picked up a novel I abandoned a while ago, and it just turned into Water For Elephants.

For Ape House, I got an email to a Great Ape website. I was fascinated; I’d never heard of bonobos, and I soon knew I wanted to write a book about them. But also knew I had to meet them, because wanted to do it authentically.

Q: Now, you spent two years researching and communicating with the bonobo apes, correct?

A: Three years, actually. The last time I saw them was September 8, and this is my third year with them…I will always go and visit them as long as I am invited; they are true friends.

Q What was it like to meet the apes?

A: Oh, it was incredible! I knew the science, and I did a crash course. Others do up to twenty years of classes before they can meet the apes, so I had to crash course. It was so amazing to have a real tea party in forest with the apes, who asked everything from who had eggs for breakfast to requesting us to bring back the Easter bunny!

Thank you, Sarah Gruen, for agreeing to speak with us!

By: Up North Girl

The Sweet, Terrible, Glorious Year I Truly, Completely Lost It by Lisa Shanahan

Stev's Review on The Sweet Terrible Glorious Year I Truly Completely Lost It, by Lisa Shanahan

In my family, when anyone rides the wave of their emotions, we say they're chucking a birkett. When the emotion drives out all common sense, we say they're chucking a big one. The telltale signs are: flaming cheeks, shortness of breath, bulging eyes, and a prolonged illogical outburst.Gemma Stone is convinced that it's always unseemly to chuck a birkett and that it's actually insane to chuck one in front of a complete stranger. But that was before she fell for a boy who barely knows she exists, before she auditioned for the school play, before she met the family of freaks her sister Debbie is marrying into, before the unpredictable Raven De Head took an interest in her, and before she realized that at the right time and for the right reason, a birkett could be a beautiful thing. Summary from Amazon.com


Every time my friend goes to the library, she gets at least one random book. I was over at her house one day and saw this at the top of the pile. I read the cover, and immediately decided I needed to read it. Now, after about three months, I finally did. I was not disappointeed! The Sweet Terrible Glorious Year I Truly Completely Lost It (or as i like to call it: STGYITCLI) is a magnificient story interspersed with snippets of Shakespeare. I was a little confused at first because I did not realize that it takes place in Australia! But that just shows how dumb I am.

Lisa Shanahan had a stroke of genious when she wrote this. I like how everyone thinks of Raven as a really bad kid, but Gemma is the only person who knows him as a smart, kind person. he only has the 'bad kid' reputation because his dad and older brother have gotten into a lot of trouble. After everything , I think STGYITCLI is a marvelous book! I do wish it hadn't ended at such a good spot...

Caterpillar's Favorite Books

These are Caterpillar's favorite books. Caterpillar adores these books. These are her top ten books:

1. The Hobbit, by J. R. R. Tolkien

Caterpillar loves this book because it has dragons, dwarves, gaint spiders, elves, hobbits, orcs, wargs, and awesome characters!

2. The Two Towers, by J. R. R. Tolkien

This book is the ultimate epic! It has the one Ring, that holds the spirit of Sauron, the dark lord, who is bent upon controlling Middle Earth... And Frodo, the hobbit, must destroy it.

3. The House of the Scorpion, by Nancy Farmer

The book is science-fiction about a future world. It is about the clone of a drug-lord, who struggles to deciede whether or not he's human.

4. Mockingjay, by Suzanne Collins

This book is totally extreme! It is the conclusion to the Hunger Games Trilogy. Mockingjay is incredibly thrilling and suspenseful.

5. Farenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury

This book is set in a futuristic world where books are burned.... it is about the Fireman, Guy Montag, who is suposed to burn books, until he reads one himself.

6. The Silmirilian, by J. R. R. Tolkien

The Silmirilian is the history of Middle Earrth. It is one of the prequels to the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. Caterpillar likes it because it tells of the elves, who are her favorite characters, and their adventures.

7. Three Bags Full, by Leonie Swann

Three Bags Full is the story of the murder of a shepherd, and his flock of sheep must solve it. The flock of sheep has many interesting characters, including the black ram Othello, who has a mysterious past, and Miss Maple, a sheep genuis.

8. Milkweed, by Jerry Spinelli

Milkweed is the story of a boy who is a thief of food, who finds a hole in the wall of the concentration camp, where he is being unfairly held...

9. And Then There Were None, by Agatha Christie

And Then There Were None is a thriller about ten possible murderers stranded on an island, and one by one they are found dead...

Caterpillar says that this is a very creepy book.  Caterpillar liked the way it was based on a nursery rhyme and kept getting gorier.

10. Brisinger, by Christopher Paolini

Brisinger is the story of a person named Eragon and his dragon named Saphira and thier struggle to destroy the tyrannical emporer Galbatorix. Caterpillar's favorite characters are the were-cats.

These books are mostly science fiction, fantasy, and murder mysteries! Caterpillar says if these books did not exist Caterpillar would be very sad and unhappy. If you are curious, Caterpillar has always talked in third person ever since Caterpillar was a larvea.

INGO by Helen Dunmore

Ingo by Helen Dunmore

Saphire is a normal girl who loves the ocean. The only problem she has is that her father left her. Saphire and her brother are very distraught, but they believe that he is still alive. One day, her brother goes missing. He is gone for hours, and Saphire decides to go find him.

Ingo is a really good book full of mystery and longing. 

Saphire is a brave girl who's not afraid to take a plunge. When Saphire described Ingo, it made me wish I was away in Ingo. I'm not going to say anything else because I don't want to give it away.

I wish I was away in Ingo.....

--Review by Ninja  :)

saving zoe

(the following is a summary from the author's website)
It's been one year since the brutal murder of her sister, Zoë, and fifteen year old Echo is still reeling from the aftermath. Her parents are numb, her friends are moving on, and the awkward start to her freshman year proves she'll never live up to her sister's memory.

Until Zoë's former boyfriend Marc shows up with her diary.

At first Echo's not interested, doubting there's anything in there she doesn't already know. But when curiosity prevails, she starts reading, becoming so immersed in her sister's secret world, their lives begin to blur, forcing Echo to uncover the truth behind Zoë's life, so that she can start to rebuild her own.______________________________________________________

Evelynne's Review...

Saving Zoe, by Alyson Noel, is a wonderful book about the struggles Echo is dealing with, like the stress of her sister's death and having to deal with the staring and whispering at her from school.

This book is packed with so many emotions like being scared, excitement, depression, anxiousness, and hope. Saving Zoe made me sad and made me laugh. I could really feel Echo's grief for her sister.

I also loved the passages from Zoe's dairy--I just couldn't stop reading.

Overall, I'd recommend anyone who reads books to read this wonderful book. I think if you are under the age of 13 you should consider asking you parents if you could read this book.
-Evelynne

4/5 chocolate bars ... death/vampire appropriateness

Artemis Fowl, The Atlantis Complex

Artemis Fowl: The Atlantis Complex  a review by Wolfboy409.


stuiquisduilgvukjkcfzxdjkgghzgxgdjkgugngnhsdkjjgjkjhgjkjakgfbjnjb
njndfjjhjghrihgirivfjghfhfj!

There's more gibberish!

The new AF really drew my interest. In this exciting sequel to Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox, Artemis isn't feeling himself. His new invention, the Ice Cube, is supposedly going to save the world. But when Artemis calls a meeting with a few of The People, things go terribly wrong. Holly suspects that Artemis has Atlantis Complex, a mental disease that causes paranoia, obsessive compulsive behavior, and in extreme cases amazing love--exerted to a certain LEP officer. Will Artemis escape the confines of his mind--and the grips of a giant squid--in time to save the world above and below? Read Artemis Fowl:The Atlantis Complex to find out!

I rate it 4 and a half chocolate bars
-wolfboy409

Red pyramid

I read The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan. It is a very good book, and I would recommend it to anyone who likes action, adventure, and a pinch of sibling humor. The two siblings,Carter and Sadie, are very different. Sadie was raised in England and has an English accent. She also has a cat named Muffin and lives with her and Carter's grandparents.

Carter, on the other hand, has traveled the world with their Dad, an Egyptian mythology professor, and has never actually gone to school.  He has been home schooled from his dad, who only taught him the things he thought were important. Carter and Sadie both lived normal lives until one night every thing changed...........

-Watergirl444

I rate this book 4 and a half chocolate bars

WOLFBOY409'S FAVE LIST.

Hi, peeps. It's me, WOLFBOY409. I like to eat nachos and play video games.

In a book I look for: action, adventure, comedy and intriguing characters.

Here is my top 5 list of favorite book series:

1. My fave series. SEPTIMUS HEAP!! In this series Angie Sage really created an amazing world of magyk,adventure and comedy.


2: Second fave. ARTEMIS FOWL!! I just totally love the fairy tech and the intellect of the book Author Eoin Colfer does a great job with tying comedy and drama together.


3: Third. PERCY JACKSON!! Rick Riordan ties teen comedy with greek mythology for an amazing series.


4: Fourth. HARRY POTTER!! As you should all know the magic is exquisite. The characters are so relatable. And it has an awesome movie. J.K. Rowling is a great author.


5: Fifth. STAR WARS!! Of course the Leia/Han moments are dramatic, but it's really an interesting series. George Lucas created an awesome concept, and I love the books that have made use of these characters and conflicts.

So there you have it...Wolfboy409's top series books for middle school students!

Vermonia

Have you ever read manga? If you haven’t, you should--it is a style of writing from Japan. It is like a graphic novel, but you read it backwards. It might seem strange, but you can really get into it.

Recently I started reading Vermonia, a book about four kids who travel to Vermonia, a different universe. The kids are Naomi, Mel, Doug, and Jim. The four kids receive a gift, a creature from Vermonia who has unknown magical powers.


The plot is pretty generic, but it's a good story. I would not recommend it for kids age 9 or younger because it is extremely difficult to read (look up "how to read manga" on the right hand side of the Vermonia website; it is very important or else you will not understand it). The drawing in these comics is superb, and I think that the costumes are creative. This is a good book for a rainy day; I give it 3 out of 5 chocolate bars.



rating:3 out of 5 chocolate bars
appropriateness: faerie princess
difficulties:vampire

Favorite Books?

Hey! Stev is posting with a question about books! I was just wondering what books are the current fave! My personal faves are Percy Jackson and The Olympians (all of them, by Rick Riordan) and Ranger's Apprentice (again, all of them)

Ranger's Apprentice (by John Flanagan) is about a fifteen-year-old boy named Will who lives in the castle ward with the other orphans of Redmont Fief. On Choosing Day, none of the Craftmasters want to choose him...except one. The mysterious Ranger Halt gives a note about Will to Baron Arald. Any more info would be spoilery!! You'll have to read it to find out more! HAHAHA!

Comment, please, readers who read, and tell me all about your favorite book(s). ;)