Defiance: Valerie Hobbs

Defiance is a book about this kid, and he has a hard time with life because of one thing: Cancer. In school, he gets bullied, picked on, weir looks, and he also gets made fun of because he has a bald head.
Mean while, he is riding his bike, and he found this mysterious old woman and her cow, and he wonders if they are okay. She says that she is fine but she needs help with her house and chores. Each night, he has to read the old woman poetry and help her with house work.
He thinks she is fine, but one day, the old woman's daughters come, and they want her to leave the house she lives in. Together they fight to stay in.. but the next day, he finally sees the stuff the old woman's kids were thinking. He doesn't know weather to keep working or to quit.

The Sasquatch Escape by: Suzanne Selfors

Description of the Reading or "Quote" text.
The book is about a kid who goes to the most "boring place on Earth." On his way to his grandpa's house in the small town of Buttonville, he see's a real, fire breathing, dragon. His grandpa doesn't believe that Ben is telling the truth. All Ben wants to do is convince his grandpa that there is a real dragon in the town of Buttonville. With a little help by a friend, he is determined to catch the dragon and show his grandpa proof of it.
Thinking and Strategy Record. 
When I read, I was thinking about the dragon. I was wondering what they will do with the dragon if they catch it. Maybe they will give it to someone? Maybe they will keep it? Maybe they will put it in a museum or a zoo? What will Ben do with the dragon? Are there anymore dragons in Buttonville? I guess I will have to keep on reading and find out.
So what?
This is important because if they do the wrong thing, the dragon could die without the best care.

Middle School: The Worst Years of my Life.

By James Patterson and Chris Tebbetts


Description of the Reading or "Quote" text:  This book was about a kid named Rafe, who has a brother named Leonardo, who was named after the artist "Leonardo Da Vinc". Leonardo, also known as Leo, died from an illness when  he was little, but somehow Rafe still hears him in his mind. Leo tells Rafe about this crazy plan to break every rule in his school handbook. Together, the call 

it Operation R.A.F.E., witch stands for Rules Aren't  For Everyone.
Thinking and Strategy Record:  When I read I thought about all the things Rafe was doing. From pulling a fire alarm, to spray painting the school walls, to punching the biggest, baddest bully in school. Rafe got expelled twice in this book, so I was continually thinking about what his mom felt about him getting in trouble.
So what?:  My thinking tells me that she is disappointed in Rafe because she cried a lot throughout this book.

Soldier Boys (30 book mission)

Title: Soldier Boys
Author: Dean Hughes                             

I am reading to understand.

Quote or description from the reading: My favorite part of this book is when Spencer gets killed by the Germans. I still cant believe that they both went to war.

Thinking and Strategy Record: I used to think that both Dieter and Spencer wouldn't survive the war, but now I know that only Spencer died.

So what?: I learned that going into war isn't as easy as you may think. You have to do MUCH more than shoot your gun all day. The overall message if this book is life may be hard, but sometimes, you just have to go through tough times.

Yellow Star (YELLOW SHEET)

This is a story abut a 4 year old kid. He and his family are in danger because of the Natzi invasion happening in the year of 1939 (the time of the story).
 "On May 1st, 1940, the ghetto was sealed off by a brbed-wire fence. The Jews were isolated from the rest of Poland, and cut off from the outside world."

In 1939, the Germans invaded the town of Lodz and forced them to live in a small part of the city called the ghetto. Only 12 children survived and the book this is about one of the kids who survived.

Getting Air By: Dan Gutman

Jimmy and his 6 other friend's are going to California on an air plane to see a skating show.  Wile they are traveling, 4 terrorists hijack their plane! Jimmy doesn't know what to do other than kill the hijackers and have his friend, Henry, steer the plane to safety! Their plane crashes. Jimmy goes through the windshield.

They wake up later and see that there are only six survivors! They are stranded somewhere in Canada and   and they don't know when safety is coming. They are forced to eat berries, snakes, and even bunny's! About a week later they are saved by a Canadian hunter who has been looking fir them for a week. They go home and get famous! The ending is happy because Jimmy becomes famous and owns a skateboard company! All the others go on live t.v like Good Morning America, The Late Show, and CNN!

The Missing Peice

The Missing Piece by:  Shel Silverstein 

Quote or Description from the Reading                 
I think it was weird when "it" tried on                               
a piece and it broke!   

Thinking and Strategy record:      

I used to think that this book would be about 
the life of a piece, but now I know that it
is just about a missing hole in the piece!

So what?

Book message:  You can always find what you loose, even
if it is far, far away!                                                                           

Crispin: The Cross of Lead

Crispin: The Cross of Lead  By: AVI

Crispin gets an offer to not be a servant by a guy names "Bear". Crispin has to make a harsh decision, to either be a servant, like he is now, or have his master be his teacher. Crispin knows what it it like to be a servant, and he doesn't want to risk him getting yelled at like he was when he first became a servant. This decision is  hard because he kind-of likes being a servant, but he also doesn't want to feel free and out of "Bear"'s harm.

What would I do if I was Crispin? I would just stay a servant because in Crispins life, he already knows a lot about being a servant, and "Bear" has finally started to be nice to him! I think that Crispin is OK where he is at right now.

Midnight for Charlie Bone

Midnight for Charlie Bone By: Jenny Nimmo

Description of the reading or "Quote" text.                                   Thinking and strategy record:

Charlie goes out of the house to get his friend,benjamin,              I wonder what Benjamin will think
a birthday present. Some lady from the library gives Charlie         about the bag when he sees it! He
a VERY heavy bag. He doesn't tell Benjamin about it...                may feel mad, shocked, or scared
until his birthday!                                                                            that the present is to big and heavy!


                                                            So what? 
                                          This is important because Benjamin might deny
                                  the gift charlie gave him because it's too big and heavy!
                                  Charlie could feel sad aabout it, so I hope Benjamin is OK
                                  with it!
                                 

Midnight for Charlie Bone Book 1

Midnight for Charlie Bone By: Jenny Nimmo

Thinking and strategy record:

Charlie gets a present from his friend, Benjamin.
It is in a mysterious case. Charlie puts the case
in Benjamins badroom and it seems as if it is alive!
Benjamin

Midnight for Charie Bone.

Description of the Reading or "Quote" text:                              Thinking and strategy record:

Charlie (main character) goes to his uncles                             I was just thinking about why
birthday and finds out something that gets him                would Charlie be so scared about the 
shocked! The "Yewbeam aunts" are coming!                  "Yewbeam aunts", and what could
And Charlie absolutely HATES the "Yewbeam                 they do to Charlie?
aunts" and he has a bad feeling about what might 
happen with the "Yewbeam aunts" at his house! 

                                                                    So what? 
                                                  So that means there has got to be a reason why
                                       Charlie is so scared! Maybe they are dark, and mysterious!
                                       that's just a prediction...