Be Prepared by Vera Brosgol

Be Prepared is a graphic novel about the author's experience at a Russian sleepaway camp. At first, Vera is super excited to go, and she can't wait to make a bunch of new friends and do all the classic camp activities like making s'mores and singing fun songs by the campfire, but the camp turns out nothing like she expected. Her tent mates are rude to her, she struggles to make any friends, and there is absolutely NO candy allowed. Vera's stuck at camp for two weeks--how will she survive?

--8th grade

Be Prepared by Vera Brosgol

This book was an okay book. It's about a girl who doesn't have many friends. She goes to a camp and some crazy things happen!

--6th grade

Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh

Describe a part of the book that made you feel something strongly (i.e. something that made you cry, laugh, get really angry, etc.).

the part of this book where she is talking about the cake she wanted to eat when she was 4 was really funny because she ended up getting sent outside by her mom and climbing through a window to eat the cake. it is extra funny because the book is part comics so you see the cake and everything too

- Lila, 7th grade, Amigos School

Lumberjanes: A series by Noelle Stevenson, Grace Ellis, Shannon Watters, Kat Leyh, and Faith Erin Hicks

In Lumberjanes: A series by Noelle Stevenson, Grace Ellis, Shannon Watters, Kat Leyh, and Faith Erin Hicks, (Wow! That's a lot of authors/illustrators!) One of my favorite parts was in one of the books when Mal and Molly were picnicking, and so Jo, April, and Ripley are left to try to earn some of the simplest badges, which proves to be difficult for the monster - chasers of the Roanoke cabin. None of the girls got any badges, except Ripley, who earns many, including cake decorating and ballroom dancing, both with Bubbles the Raccoon. I really suggest this series.

- Lyra, 6th grade, Cambridge Street Upper School

Princeless Vol. 1 and 2 by Jeremy Whitley

Princess is one of favorite comic book series EVER!!!!!!!!! Princess Adrienne is not your typical princess. Before you ask, no, she did not want to be locked up in a tower, but she was elbow-deep in that steak before she realized that it had sleeping potion in it, and the next thing she knew, there she was in that tower, supposed to be waiting for a prince to rescue her. Adrienne has other plans. When she finds a hidden sword under her bed, she teams up with Sparky, the dragon guarding her tower, Bedelia, a blacksmith, and they embark on a quest to save Adrienne's sisters. If you like Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls, you will love this series.

- Lyra, 6th grade, Cambridge Street Upper School

March: Book One by John Lewis

Describe a part of the book that made you feel something strongly (i.e. something that made you cry, laugh, get really angry, etc.).

I always felt angry during the parts in the book where the black people would be mistreated by others for their skin color. It was extremely upsetting to even read about such events, and the fact that they actually happened is unbelievable. No one should ever be judged for who they are!

- 8th grade

Awkward by Svetlana Chmakova

I love the book Awkward because it is a Graphic Novel and it is MY GO TO BOOK like when I have to get something in my room I stop at my shelf to read it. I take it on road trips and, even though we don't have the sequel " Brave" It just adds on to my love of the books. My favorite quote was when the main character said 'I feel like I have lived a thousand lifetimes, and aged a thousand years... wait that math doesn't add up' !

--6th grade

Saints by Gene Luen Yang

Describe a part of the book that made you feel something strongly (i.e. something that made you cry, laugh, get really angry, etc.)

I was kind of angry in the beginning when nobody really liked Four-Girl and didn't accept her for who she was. Four-Girl didn't do anything wrong, and she didn't deserve the unfair treatment she received from her family.

- 8th grade

Pashmina by Nidhi Chanani

I liked this book because it talked about her culture, and how she was so deamanding and always wanted a direct answer. The book had differnet scene's going on at a time.

- Tabitha, 6th grade, Putnam Ave Upper School

Star Wars The Original Marvel Years by Archie Goodwin

This is essentially just Star Wars except it's a big giant book of comics.
As the rebels hopelessly fight against the empire, Luke and Han join out of nowhere and change the tide of the war.
Luke becomes a Jedi Night, and Han becomes Leia's boyfriend.

- Bruce, 8th grade, Cambridge Street Upper School

Big Nate: From The Top by Lincoln Pierce

In this book, Nate must go through a few adventures.
Introducing comics to friends and family is one thing, but trying to convince his teacher that she should share her junior mints is another.
In this crazy, wacky collection of cafeteria "food," broken golf clubs, and fat neighbors, Nate must fend for himself as a stupid idiot.

- Bruce, 8th grade, Cambridge Street Upper School

Teen Titans New 52 by Scott Lodbell

In this series of books, Red Robin or the fourth Robin, must put together a band of teenage meta humans to keep others like them safe from top secret agencies like NOWHERE. Along the way, Red Robin must fight his teammates, keep deadly secrets, try the dangerous Joker, and stop villains that haunt their every step.
It's a trap! would be better suited for Red Robin.

- Bruce, 8th grade, Cambridge Street Upper School

Phasma Vol. 1 by Kelly Thompson

In this new addition to the star wars universe, the story is told of how Captain Phasma escapes the Starkiller.
Phasma now must disprove that she shut down the shields for the Starkiller. To do so, she takes a pilot with her, tracking down someone who has enough information to prove that Phasma is treasonous.
As she has before in another book called Phasma, she kills the person. She kills her pilot, the droid, the records - and then returns.

But how this unfolds is a different story.

- Bruce, 8th grade, Cambridge Street Upper School

Saints by Gene Luen Yang

After reading this book, you feel like you want to be on the christians’ side, but when you read Boxers, you feel like you want to be on the Chinese people who have not yet became christians’ side. I like how Gene Luen Yang can write the book, and make us feel differently about different people/ groups of people.

--8th grade

Boxers by Gene Luen Yang

This book is about the time when Christianity started to spread in China. The main characters of this book, and it’s sequel, Saints have met each other. But one is on the Chinese side. And in Saints, the main character is on the christians’ side. In Boxers, it tells the story in the perspective of a Chinese guy who believes in Chinese deities.

--8th grade

A Girl Over Paris by Gwenda Bond

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

After reading A Girl Over Paris, a comic book about a girl crossing over Paris on a tightrope strung from the Eiffel tower, I had one lingering question for the author/illustrator. I know that, since you haven't read the book, you will have no clue what the heck I'm talking about, but since it is a comic book, it is short, and I don't want to spoil the whole book for possible readers of it in the future. Anyway... my question is: Why is the ghost a clown, is there a sequel where that makes sense? because that part of the story really confused me. Aside from that, I thought that this book was great and that you should definitely read it.

-Lyra, 6th Grade, CSUS

The Alamo All-Stars (Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales) by Nathan Hale

Read a book that takes place in a country other than the United States.

Describe a part of the book that made you feel something strongly (i.e. something that made you cry, laugh, get really angry, etc.).

In The Alamo All-Stars (Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales), the author Nathan Hale sneaks in all sorts of funny jokes. One part that was a favorite of mine was when The Hangman and the mini Mexican Firing Squad decided to have an executioner's sleepover and Fandango! Another thing that made me laugh out loud was that every time the firing squad fired their guns, usually because they were happy or really excited, a dead sea-gull-like-bird would fall on the frustrated Provost's head. This book was a little bit complicated, but it is also hilarious. I recommend this book and all the others in this series, but I do think that things might make a tad more sense if you read the first book: One Dead Spy.

Lyra, 6th grade, Cambridge Street Upper School

Big, Bad, Ironclad! (Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales) by Nathan Hale

Read a nonfiction book or historical fiction book.

Describe a part of the book that made you feel something strongly (i.e. something that made you cry, laugh, get really angry, etc.).

I have recently discovered the Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales series, and even though these books aren't exactly challenging, they are REALLY good. In this particular book, A part that made me laugh was when the British ironclad starts to run aground trying to shoot at the American ironclad, and one of the generals yells to his fellow soldiers, "Oh no! we've run aground! Our wooden bottom is showing! We can't fight with a bare bottom! This book is pretty hilarious, maybe even the funniest one in the series, though the others all have their moments. I very much suggest this book. It is VERY VERY VERY funny.

Lyra, 6th grade, Cambridge Street Upper School

Raid of No Return (Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales) by Nathan Hale

Read a book that takes place in a country other than the United States.

Describe a part of the book that made you feel something strongly (i.e. something that made you cry, laugh, get really angry, etc.).

Raid of No Return by Nathan Hale, is a book about the first American mission in the war against Japan to bomb Tokyo. Not exactly the kind of book you'd think that you'd end up laughing while reading, but if you think that, you are wrong. Nathan Hale does a great job making a very depressing story into a great graphic novel full of jokes, good art, and hilarious interruptions from The Hangman and The Provost. (You have to read the book to find out who those people are) One specific thing that made me laugh was one of the pilots, who really likes sandwiches. On page 69, when the army pilots have to launch their planes unexpectedly, and he comes outside with a humongous pile of sandwiches, throwing them to all his fellow army pilots. This book was really good, and I think that you should read it too.

P.S. to anyone who is writing really short reviews, dig deep! Stretch your ideas as far as you can! Don't let yourself stop at one sentence! why not write a few more? Go middle schoolers!

Lyra, 6th grade, Cambridge Street Upper School

Making Friends by Kristen Gudsnuk

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

If I could ask the author of this book one question, it would be "The drawings that were in Dany's magical notebook before she found it, were those things drawn and then they came to life like Dany's drawings? Like, the still life of the lamp, was that actually creating the lamp?!" I know this is a very short book review, but I have a lot more to write and I have to go to bed soon. Bye!!

Lyra, 6th grade, Cambridge Street Upper School