Rajee's Reading Corner

        Hey everyone. Summer is on the verge of ending and I was thinking of all the good books I have read in the past year. I tried all sorts of genres and levels of difficulty. Here are some of my favorites:

The Wednesday Wars: by Gary D Schmidt               
             This book is a historical fiction book based in the year 1967 during the Vietnam War. It's a story about how the main character Holling Hoodhood survives through 7th grade. He learns the values of Shakespeare during his Wednesday alone time with his teacher while his classmates are at church. I really liked this book and thought it had a good story line. Even the authors message was valid and was strongly used throughout the story.

Dark Life: by Kat Falls              
            The book Dark Life tells a story about how humans came to live underwater instead of the crowded surface and how it affected their community. Ty, the main character in these series (the second book is Rip Tide, but I don't find that book as good) lives with his family underwater, but problems arise and it's up to him and his new friend Gemma to figure them out. This book has a good sense of adventure with a little bit of mystery. I really liked how the author had the setting in a unique place, underwater.

11 Birthdays: by Wendy Mass               
            11 Birthdays tell a story of Amanda and Leo. Ever since they were born, they have celebrated their birthday together until their 10th. During their birthday that year, Leo said some mean things to Amanda and ever since they haven't spoken to each other. Then, on their 11th birthday, things started to become weird and their birthdays seemed to repeat over and over again. And, Leo and Amanda were the only ones who noticed. This book had many cliffhangers and I couldn't stop reading it. Also, if you liked this book, the "sequel" to this is the book Finally and then 13 Gifts. Those two books are also really great and will add new characters throughout the stories

Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life: by Wendy Mass
           
           This book has many great lessons like to never give up and to be motivated. When Jeremy's 13 birthday comes around the corner, a package comes to him, but without the keys it cannot be opened. Jeremy and his best friend Lizzy try to figure out how to get those keys back. The box seems to lead the two of them to a huge adventure. And, the box is a gift from his dead father to open on his 13th birthday. This book is full of adventure and still moving and you will from not want to stop reading. Another book just like this one is called Eight Keys by Suzanne LaFleur.

As Small As an Elephant: by Jennifer Richard Jacobson             
           This book is about a kid named Jack who loves elephants. He has an unpredictable mom who leaves him at a camping trip they went on. Jack is alone in a different state and has nowhere to go to. He then decides to go find his mom and is helped by some people he comes across. Jack then realises he can’t find his mother and changes his mission to go find an elephant named Lydia. This story expresses the idea of determination and love. I really enjoyed reading this book.

Some other good reads:

Getting Air by Dan Gutman
Pendragon by D. J. Machale
Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
A Mango-Shaped Space by Wendy Mass
Heroes of Olympus by Rick Riordan

There are also many other good books, but unfortunatley I forgot most of them...
Have a great time reading!

-Rajee