Alien Escape by Elisabetta Dami

This book is about The Space Mice in SPACE so the book technically takes place more than 1000 miles from the place I was born. Anyway, this book is about the space mice's space ship, the Mouse Star 1 was about to explode. To prevent this from happening, the space mice has to find a very rare element to replace the engine's batteries. Suddenly a group of mysterious aliens claimed that they can help. They were relieved but were the aliens as nice as they seem.
- Abdul, Grade 7, Vassal Lane Upper School

The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien

Okay, once again, I am not sure this is taken more than 1,000 miles away from where I live, but, this is fantasy, so I will just assume the t it's taken from more than 1,000 miles away.

I don't like Gollum, aka, Smeagol, he is so hideous and a liar, and most of all, he is half mad, half not, but my point is he's mad, and he killed his friend just for the Ruling Ring, and he calls the Ring his "precious" and if you actually see the movie, it's even creepier, and yeah. Anyway, what I'm trying to say is never ever befriend Gollum. :P

I figured, now, I possibly, really like Aragorn ;)
- Amy, Grade 6, Vassal Lane Upper School

The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien

If you could be or had to become one character in the book, who would you choose to be and why?

I know Sam depends on Frodo, his master, but, it turns out, Sam can be brave when he knows a lot depends on him. He was never too brave, nether less he is never not-to-un-brave. That's why I like Sam. He is also really funny, like, he cheers people up when it's grumpy and stuff, and (don't judge me for thinking Sam was not brave at first, but I now like him!)
- Amy, Grade 6, Vassal Lane Upper School

Max by James Patterson

What books would you recommend to the main character of the book and why?

Okay, first, I'm not sure if this was taken place like more than 1,000 miles away, 'cause, this is like total fiction, but anyway, I know, that Max is the main character, but, I want to suggest Nudge, a book, instead of Max, I know she'll never accept it, but anyway, I suggest Nudge, Trouble Maker by Andrew Clements or No Talking by the same author, then may be she'll feel better about being chased by "Crazy Threats". I hope.
- Amy, Grade 6, Vassal Lane Upper School

Brian's Return (Brian's Saga Book 4) by Gary Paulsen

If you could rewrite one part of the story, what would you change?

If I had to change one part of the story, I would change the part where Brian ignores Susan. I would change that part of the story because I think Susan could be a good friend to him. In the book, Brian ignored Susan when she tried to make a connection with him. Brian felt that she was giving him too much attention. He wanted to be left alone. I think if Brian told Susan to give him a little more space, she could have been a good friend to him. She could be a way for Brian to reconnect with the modern world.
- James, Grade 6, Vassal Lane Upper School

Nala by Ellen Miles

Which minor character in this book would you like to know more about? If there were a whole book about them, what would it be called?

I would like to know more about Lizzie. If Lizzie had a book about her it would be called "A Dogs Best Friend" because Lizzie is great with dogs and all dogs love her.
- Anonymous

The Island of Beyond by Elizabeth Atkinson

Kids these days don't dare to explore the world anymore because of all the technology. Martin is 10 year old boy who has never had an adventure. He never experienced the REAL world. The world were you learn how to survive by yourself . His father decides to send Martin on the Island of Beyond where he used to spend his summers. Martin doen't want to go at all, when everything changes, and the truth has been discovered.
- Luna, Grade 6, Vassal Lane Upper School

Boston: A Topographical History

Despite having the appearance of a dry and boring and stuffy book, this informative chronology is actually very interesting. I have to say, the name "A topographical history put me off a bit, for obvious reasons. It sounds like one of those books you find in the corner of the library that no one reads, or on your great uncle's shelf.
It is about the form of Boston, and how it has evolved from a group of houses and churches on the Shawmut peninsula to the irritating and lovable metropolis we know today. The book follows the formation and history of Boston, from it's beginnings as a coastal colony, through the infill of the Back and South Bays, right up to the urban renewal beginning of the fifties. The book was published 1959, which makes for an interesting perspective on what we now see as history. This is also a drawback, because it does not include the rapid change that occurred between the 1960s and now.
Overall, the book is a wonderful portrayal of architecture and development in Boston, and anyone interested in these subjects should consider reading it.
- Chris, Grade 8, CSCL

Who Were The Wright Brothers by James Buckley Jr.

Wilbur and Orville Wright were the children of Milton and Susan Wright. They were smart brothers that they even manufactured their own brand of bicycles. They were also the men who built and and flew the first successful airplane. Wilbur played football for a school team, and some friends called him the fastest runner in town. He also had good grades in class while his brother Orville, had a great curiosity and didn't want to do things like everyone else. The brothers were bright men that their inventions are still remembered today.
- Abdul, Grade 7, Vassal Lane Upper School

The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin

First, I want to thank Lily for suggesting this book, I love it, anyway, I don't think Franny was Suzanne (Suzy) (Zu) 'best friend after she kinda betrayed Suzy for going to Aubrey's group, but I'm sure, Suzy still thought Franny the Strawberry girl, as her best friend ever. At Franny's funeral, she hated Franny being dead, she hated Aubrey and Molly were crying, she hated she couldn't say anything to Franny, and like I make my point, Suzy, still thinks Franny as her BFF, a big life change, but a life change that contains even bigger life change and life problems.


-Amy, Grade 6, Vassal Lane Upper School

The Nest by Kenneth Oppel/illustrated by Jon Klassen

I don't normally read chapter books with pictures (weekly challenge: new formats!), but this weekend I read The Nest and it was...TERRIFYING.


If you have not read it, the basic plot is that the narrator's baby brother is very sick, and these strange wasps start talking to him in his dreams about how they're going to fix the baby, and then an enormous wasp nest appears at the boy's house and it keeps growing bigger and bigger and things keep getting stranger and stranger and then--I don't want to ruin the ending, but the book felt creepy and unsettling in ways I didn't expect, and it was very spooky and otherworldly, and also very good. Jon Klassen's illustrations made it even more ominous.


I would definitely recommend this book, particularly if you're participating in the Massachusetts Children's Book Awards!




-Librarian Kelsey

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: New Animated Adventures by Heather Breckel and Shawn Lee

This book is based on Nickelodeon's hit TV series, TMNT. The turtles battle tons of villains (and love one of them.) including Spider Bytez, a malfuctioning robot, the Kraang, Snakeweed, Karai, and the thirst for pizza.
There is too much pizza. If eaten, you may either burst with happiness, get a major stomachache, or die. Please do not eat as much pizza as the turtles eat. Remember, they are mutant just like the Rat King and that Mutant Monkey.

-Bruce, Grade 7, Cambridge Street Upper School

Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan

If you could ask the author/illustrator of this book one question, what would it be?


I want to ask the author why she dicided to make the beginning so tragic, because Esperanza could have had a better life if her dad hadn't died and then she could have had a better life, with her dad, without Tio Luis ruining their lives and and having better food, money, and of course, family. Since all that were taken away, and her mother got real sick, and I wanted the ending to be tragic also, that would have been so cool, and yeah.


-Amy, Grade 6, Vassal Lane Upper School

Treaties, Trenches, Mud, and Blood by Nathan Hale

Serbia is angry with Austria - Hungary. The Austria - Hungarian Empire has taken a part of Serbia, and now Austria - Hungary will PAY.
War starts when a high official is shot. Soon a full scale war is on everyone's hands, and now new weapons are being invented. New tanks, new guns, flamethrowers, iron helmets, and too many trenches. Soon the war will be filled with just mud, as now World War I is being taught to kids. The people are now cute little animals.


-Bruce, Grade 7, Cambridge Street Upper School

Who was Alexander Graham Bell by Bonnie Bader

Alexander Graham Bell was a Scottish-born scientist, inventor, engineer, and innovator. Alexander was best known as the inventor of the telephone, worked at a school for the deaf while attempting to invent a machine that would transmit sound by electricity. After reading this book, I just found out that he was also a boy who gave himself a middle name, 'Graham' just before he was about to turn eleven. Alexander is one of the greatest inventors of all time because of his great inventions such as the telephone, metal detector, photo phone, tetrahedral kite, HD-4* and some other inventions.

*Hydrodome number 4 was an early research hydrofoil watercraft developed by the scientist Alexander Graham Bell.


-Abdul, Grade 7, Vassal Lane Upper School

Who was Muhammad Ali by James Buckley Jr.

At the age of 22, Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. won the heavyweight championship. On the same year, he joined the Nation of Islam and changed his name to Muhammad Ali. Ali was nicknamed 'the greatest '. And as people say, he floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee. Until now he is still known as the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time.


-Abdul, Grade 7, Vassal Lane Upper School

Who was Abraham Lincoln by Janet B. Pascal

Abraham Lincoln was an American politician and lawyer who served as the 16th President of the United States from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. Abraham Lincoln only had one year of schooling, but that didn't stop him from being one of the greatest president of The United States. Abraham Lincoln was also a practical joker and he was always nice to his friends. Because paper was expensive and hard to get, he wrote up messages on a piece of wood. When the wood got so black he couldn't see what he was writing, he would shave it off. Then he would start over again.

Abdul, Grade 7, Vassal Lane Upper School

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

I think Cedric's death could have been less rougher, maybe? I mean, Cedric, he died at a graveyard, killed by the (traitorous) Wormtail (Peter Pettigrew) and after, there's bunch of Death Eaters, and some torturing, and stuff, and Priori Incantatem stuff. (and it's much scarier if you see the movie first.) But anyway, Cedric's death was worse than any other people who died earlier or later in the book, 'cause all the stuff I wrote back up there.

-Amy, 6th grade, Vassal Lane Upper School

Hidden: A Child's Story of the Holocaust by Loïc Dauvillier, Marc Lizano (Illustrations), Greg Salsedo (Ink), Alexis Siegel (Translator)

Really well written. Nice to read books about important things. I read it in a short period of time but I got as much in as I would from a longer book.


-Avery Cambridge Friends School 7th

Stella by Starlight by Sharon M. Draper

If you could ask the author/illustrator of this book one question, what would it be?


I would like to ask the author why she wrote about this topic. Not much people writes about fictional slavery history-ish stuff. I want to ask her why she named the main hometown of Stella Bumblebee. Also, it's really good book, so I suggest it.


Amy, 6th grade, Vassal Lane Upper School