All Rise For The Honorable Perry T. Cook by Leslie Connor

Would you recommend this book? If so, who would you recommend it to, and why? If not, why not?

Yes, I would recommend this book. This book is an amazing book. It's about a boy named Perry who goes on a mission to figure out the real story of why his mom is in jail. This was an awesome adventure that Perry goes on and you should read it to find out what happens.

- 6th grade

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

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

In When You Reach Me, there is a really big realization at the end of the book. I will try not to spoil it, but really; read the book! This probably won't make much sense if you haven't read this book, (I mean, why haven't you already;P ) If I could ask the author, Rebecca Stead, any question, I have two. The first one would be: Why did the "Laughing Man" lie under a mailbox? was that whole thing just for the last note? And my second question would be: Is there a sequel? Please tell me there is a sequel. When You Reach Me is the kind of book that I just don't ever want to put down. (Not literally, that would be REALLY awkward) And that is why I think that you should read When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead.

- Lyra, 6th grade, Cambridge Street Upper School

Geronimo Stilton: Hug a Tree, Geronimo by Elisabetta Dami

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 at this lady named Madam No who wanted to buy this giant public tree in a public park that has been around for years, just because she wanted to build a mall at the spot to sell her products. When people are rich and have power, they could be sooooo crazy. We can see that a lot in our world today.

- 8th grade

Geronimo Stilton: Cyber-Thief Showdown by Elisabetta Dami

Geronimo’s money in his bank account mysteriously went missing and was said to be stolen by some anonymous smart “hacker” named Nick Nobody. Geronimo along with a couple of his friends and family, tracked this Nick Nobody through some virtual reality video game. They found this “hacker” and he turns out to be...

- 8th grade

Geronimo Stilton: The Chocolate Chase by Elisabetta Dami

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

If I could ask the author/illustrator of this book one question, I would ask how she manages her time writing and drawing her hundreds of books so quickly.

- 8th grade

Murder On The Orient Express By Agatha Christie

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

This. Was. So. Good. This was a puzzling puzzle, a murder mystery that seems more impossible the more you read. Who killed Ratchett? Was it one person or more? Why is everyone hiding something? What are their secrets? Why do the clues point to so many different people? The kimono? The uniform? All of the evidence points to someone new, but the detective, Hercule Poirot, knows to dig deeper than just the Orient Express case.

Emilia, 7th grade, Vassal Lane Upper School

First Class Murder By Robin Stevens

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

This was also a good book of the "Murder Is Bad Manners" series, but it reminded me to much of Agatha Christie's "Murder on the Orient Express". Otherwise, it was a good mystery, this one full of spies, murderers, and red herrings.

Emilia, 7th grade, Vassal Lane Upper School

Poison Is Not Polite By Robin Stevens

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

This was a book that I liked even more than the first book, Murder Is Bad Manners. Daisy and Hazel, the Detective Society, are spending the holidays at Daisy's home for her birthday, but to soon the vacation takes a deadly turn when one of the guests is poisoned. The Detective Society learns from their mistakes, and does not rule anyone out without proper evidence. But even then, it seems like everyone has a motive, a secret, or some evidence to convict them of the crime. It doesn't help that the victim was hated by almost every person at the house, and Daisy and Hazel have to run against time as the police may arrive and convict all the wrong people.

Emilia, 7th grade, Vassal Lane Upper School

Murder Is Bad Manners By Robin Stevens

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

In a 1930's England Boarding school, Hazel Wong finds the body of her teacher in the gym. She's dead. Later when she comes with her friend Daisy Wells, the body of Miss Bell is gone. Apparently, Miss Bell had quit, but Hazel and Daisy know what really happened. So Daisy and Hazel (a.k.a. the Detective Society), have to solve the murder while also proving that a murder did indeed happen. 

Emilia, 7th grade, Vassal Lane Upper School

Un Secreto En La Ventana By Norma Huidobro

This is a great mystery that I have loved for years! Manuel is a boy who lives in Argentina with Leti and Lucas, Leti being his older sister. He works at a pizza place in the neighborhood on weekend afternoons, and one day delivers to the old man who lives above the pizza restaurant. He shows Manu his stamps, and a very special stamp that he says is extremely rare and valuable. Later, Don Mauricio (the old man) winds up dead, and Manu just nows that it was about the stamp. But when he tries to tell someone, they won't believe that the stamp could be of any value and that Don Mauricio was murdered. So Manu has to solve it himself, without getting caught by Leti or the murderer. 

I would recommend this book to pretty much anyone and everyone- if they can read spanish.

-Emilia, 7th grade, VLUS

Magical Mission by Elisabetta Dami

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

If I could or had to become one of the characters in this book, I would choose to be Geronimo Stilton, the main character of this book. I would like to be him because he is very smart and kind. He went to England on a mission to solve a case about the lion at The Trafalgar Square shouting insults. He succeeded on his mission. Even though, he easily panics when the situation is becoming a little bit harder for him, I would still choose to be him.
- Abdul, Grade 7, Vassal Lane Upper School

Save The White Whale by Elisabetta Dami

In this Book, Geronimo, Benjamin, Bugsy Wugsy and Petunia went to The Bay of Whales. The trip that was expected to be fun, turns out to be a real nightmare for Geronimo. He came out in magazines because wearing seaweed swim trunks that really embarrassed him. Even with the disaster at the Bay of Whales, they managed to save the extremely rare white whale.

- Abdul, Grade 7, Vassal Lane Upper School

Mighty Mount Kilimanjaro by Elisabetta Dami

Geronimo's super-sporty friend, Bruce Hyena convinced him to go on another one of his extreme adventures. This time, Bruce brought Geronimo to climb the famous Mount Kilimanjaro. Geronimo just couldn't say no to a friend so he just let Bruce bring him to the adventure. Geronimo was in no shape to climb a mountain. How will he ever make it to the top.
- Abdul, Grade 7, Vassal Lane Upper School

Paper Towns by John Green

This book is about a boy named Quin. He has been in love with the girl next door for a while. So when Margo dissapears into the night Quin follows and on his way picks up clues leading him to find Margo.

- 7th grade

Ruby Redfort: Look Into my Eyes By Lauren Child

Ruby Redfort is a code breaking, problem solving, 13 year old girl. She is also a spy working for the Spectrum, the only kid there.
Ruby and her butler, Hitch, along with many ups and downs must decode, protect, and solve to save valuable items, a lost friend, and Rubys chance of staying at the Spectrum.

Also, there might be a LOT OF DANGER!!

- Emilia, 6th grade, Vassal Lane Upper School

Encyclopedia Brown Cracks The Case by Donald J. Sobol

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

I know, I know... Encyclopedia Brown is for younger kids... Well, it was the only book that I had, so I picked it up and quickly got absorbed into the life of a 5th-grade kid who solves crimes.
My favorite of the crimes was the chocolate chip cookie one; the judge if biased and replace cinnamon with paprika and sugar with salt on Joe's chocolate chip cookies so that her baker cousin can win.
If I could ask the author/ illustrator one question, it would be: how hard is it to come up with solutions to the cases? Is it fun to think up?

-Julia, 7th Grade, Cambridge Friends School

The Legue of Unexeptinal Children by: Gitty Daneshvari

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

Why did you decide to base this story on average normal children who are so boring even their teachers forget them? Why not base it on extraordinary children?

-6th grade

Encyclopedia Brown Cracks the Case by Donald J. Sobol

If someone liked this book, what other books should they read?


Leroy Brown (or Encyclopedia) is Idaville's 10 year old detective. In this collection of mysteries, Encyclopedia and his sidekick Sally encounter an astronaut duck, a missing brooch, stolen Confederate stamps, a lemonade stand mystery, and more. If someone liked this book, they should read other mysteries like Nancy Drew or Sherlock Holmes.


-Julia, 6th Grade, Cambridge Friends School

Cases of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

If someone liked this book, what other books should they read?


Dr. Watson, the assistant of the great detective, Sherlock Holmes, is the narrator of these delightful mysteries. These old classics are told in a way that makes you want to read them over and over. From stories like the Red-Headed league, to the Speckled Band, Sherlock cracks them all. It is thrilling to discover the answers to these mysteries. If you liked this book, you could read other old mysteries like the Hardy Boys, and Nancy Drew.


-Julia, 6th Grade, Cambridge Friends School

The Mysterious Benedict Society and The Perilous Journey by Trenton Lee Stewart

In The Perilous Journey, an international scavenger hunt made by Mr. Benedict himself takes the kids on an adventure where Reynie meets the Old Hag, Constance makes some more irritating poems, Kate gets a pet bird called Her Majesty, and Sticky finally shows his tough side.
The four kids have gone on the hunt to find the last whereabouts of Mr. Benedict, who was been captured by his brother, Mr. Curtain.
Mr. Curtain is also extremely overconfident, in my opinion.


-Bruce, 6th Grade, Cambridge Street Upper School