Fifth grader Peter's reviews and recommendations:

My Life with the Chimpanzees

Jane Goodall

Jane Goodall studied chimps and thought chimps were very smart. She didn’t think that chimps were any different from humans and that they should be treated a lot better. This book made me want to learn more about endangered plants and animals in the world and how to save them.

I would recommend this book to someone who was interested in saving our eco-system.  This book is an example of what one person can do.

Boy

Roald Dahl

Boy is about the most important incidents in Roald Dahl’s life until age 18. When his father died his mother could not deal with all the children. He was sent to boarding school. I learned about life in English boarding schools.  Dahl liked to play practical jokes on older students and teachers. After I finished Boy, I wanted to find out about the rest of his life.  So, I read Going Solo that tells about when he went to war in World War II.

I would probably tell a good friend to read this book. The book was one of my  top ten favorite books by far.

Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator

Roald Dahl

When Charlie inherits the Chocolate Factory he, Grandpa Joe and Mr. Wonka  get into the  Great Glass Elevator to pick up  his parents and his other grandparents. I like the author and all these other books and I like the adventures that Charlie goes through.  I like the way Mr. Wonka invents stuff.

I would Definitely  include this book in my top ten favorites. This book is very enjoyable and is so cheerful that I would recommend it to anyone.

Sixth grader Toni's reviews and recommendations:

Scarlett

Cathy Cassidy

Scarlett, after being expelled once again from yet another school, is sent to live with her father in Ireland, and meets some very interesting friends to help overcome her anger and hate towards her family.

I enjoyed this book very much, its plot is mainly about a family struggling to help their daughter. It ends with a happy note, which is hard to find in some books.

Memories of Summer

Ruth White              

Lyric was always jealous of her older sister Summer for having the best looks in all of their town. When the girls move to Michigan, Lyric and her father have started to realize they need to seek help for Summer who seems to have been acting odd lately. Summer decides to leave school and all her friends. Summer can suddenly talk to "imaginary people," see things that aren't there and hear notes that aren't being played. Summer is no longer gorgeous, she no longer has friends, and only Lyric knows what is next to come.

I think ALL of Ruth White's books are amazing, but for me I thought this was by far the best and probably the most sad. I would highly recommend "Memories of Summer" it made my TOP 10!

The Sammy Keyes Series
Wendelin Van Draanen

I really recommend this series, they are filled with action and adventure and I could never put them down. Sammy and Marrisa are two girls who run into all sorts of trouble ranging from hotel thieves to animal killers and snake gangsters. In "Sammy Keyes and the Sisters of Mercy" there is a character runaway named Holly. Ms. Van Drannen also made a sequal to explain Holly's mysterious past, "Runaway."

Stones in Water
Donna Jo Napoli

Samuel and Roberto are imprisoned in a Nazi work camp in Italy (WWII). The two save each others' lives many times and bind the strongest friendship two boys could ever have.

This book is a very sad story, the author really makes you feel like you are at the work camp with the boys suffering the way they suffered and watching boys they know die of starvation. I highly recommend this book to grades six and up.