Kelli's Blog

Riding Freedom by Pam Monoz Ryan was placed in the 1800′s.  Charlotte, a girl at an all boy orphanage decided to run away when her friend Hayward gets adopted.  Before she runs off she cuts her hair so she looks like a boy.  When she gets off a train she finds a stable of horses where a man named Ezeebeer takes her in and makes her his stable boy.  As she gets older she gets a childhood dream opportunity to become true.  She always pretended to be a male even as a women.

I give this book a 10 out of 10 because it really brings the adventure out.  I like this story because it was inspired by a true story.  If you love history fiction books then read this one.

The Pinballs  by  Betsy Byars is a touching story about three foster kids learning to accept themselves.  Carlie who has had three stepdads finally figures out that the foster home she is at now is actually fun.   Harvey who broke both his legs and was taken away from his father experiences a good time for the first time in a long while.   Thomas J. who was left at the porch of a set of old twins now has a new family after they broke their hips.   And now as a family, they survive being bounced around like a pinball.

I give this book a 10 out of 10 because it really moves your mood.   If you like realistic touching stories then you’ll love this one.

The Red Pyramid  is a marvelous book by Rick Riordan.  There is Carter Kane, who is fourteen and travels the world with his dad.  Then there is Sadie Kane, who is twelve and stays with her grandparents after there mom died. Every other year Carter’s dad comes to visit Sadie, but Sadie never came back to her grandparents, and Carter never returned to his travels.  They both never saw their dad again.  The disappearance  happened  they’re dad’s brother took them under his wing.  Later that night they found out that their uncle is a Egyptian magician.  Now not a magician who can pull a bunny at of his hat.  I mean the ones that say spells and can change you into a frog. Uncle Amos told them about how the dark one is trying to destroy everything.  Did I mention the dark one is a Egyptian God. After an attack at the house Sadie and Carter have a journey to find their dad, maybe raise their mom from the dead and save the world from the dark one.

I give this book an 10/10 because the author makes you feel like the story is real when it is not. This is the author who wrote the Percy Jackson series.  If you like fantasies and love adventure then you will love this book.

Things Not Seen is an outstanding book by Andrew Clements.  Bobby Phillips got out of the shower and looked in the mirror.  Nothing, there was nothing in the mirror.   All he could see was his towel, that’s it.  His body was gone.  So he put a lot of clothes on and went to the library. Coming out, he bumped into this girl.  While he was picking up her books, his scarf fell off.  He was expecting a scream but the girl said, “Thank you.”  He realized that the girl had a white cane and he knew then that she was blind.  The girl, Alice, and him became friends and they worked to get his body back.

I give this book a 10 out of 10 because it makes you want to read more even at the end.  If you like fantasies about boys and girls your age and in our time, then you’ll love this one.

Holes by Louis Sachar is another amazing book.  It starts out with Stanley Yelnats (a kid who is picked on for being overweight) got arrested for stealing shoes.  So the judge gave him the option of jail or Camp Green Lake.  His parents decided to put him in the camp because they would hate to see Stanley get picked on by older men.  On an eight hour bus ride to Camp Green Stanley was excited to get his handcuffs.  One of the his counselor showed him what tent you sleep and your clothes.  He got a bright orange jump suit and an orange t-shirt  and pair of orange sweat pants.  At 4:30 you get breakfast, then you fill your canteen.  After that you go at and dig a hole five feet deep and five feet wide. Then the rest of the day is yours. That what his counselor said.  Stanley started digging his hole but his hands started to get blistery.  When he was done he almost fainted.  Later he starts wondering what we looking for. To find out more you have to dig a little deeper than me to find the rest.

I give this book a 10 out of10 because  it has a lot of little stories that loop together in the end.  If you like realistic fiction and a good story then try this book.