Ungifted by Gordon Korman

Do you like realistic fiction? Do you like humor? Do you like robots, slushies, or having fun? Then you should read "Ungifted" by Gordon Korman.  What makes "Ungifted" so great? Well, Donovan Curtis has always been labeled as a "troublemaker" or a "problem". Nobody would ever use the word "Gifted" to describe him. That's why it's such a shock when (after a major fiasco involving a 400-pound metal globe, a gym floor, and an angry school principal) Donovan Curtis receives an admission letter to the Academy of Scholastic Distinction. When he's there, he joins the school's competitive robotics team. The rest of the kids (with their genius IQ's) don't know what to think of Donovan at first. But while he helps them discover YouTube and normal junior high life, they come to realize that maybe, just maybe, Donovan is gifted in his own way after all.

I loved this book for a slew of reasons (the least of which being the fact that I have done a Robotics Competition myself). The first is that, like all books by Gordon Korman, it has a healthy dose of humor with an amazing and relatable plot line. Next, it has little to no swearing, and nothing that might raise any eyebrows. If anything, I would give it a PG rating for some mild action. Lastly, the book has an ending that will leave you satisfied and happy (with possibly a few tears on the side!) I would recommend this book to people who like Realistic Fiction, Humor, and books with amazing characters. This being said, I probably wouldn't recommend it to anybody who's going for a more romance-heavy story or something with a lot of graphic violence (like I said, it's PG).

There are many great themes in the book. The first I want to reference is "You can't avoid your problems." Throughout the book, Donovan is constantly avoiding his school district superintendent, because he doesn't want to get caught for doing the "Great Globe Disaster". Eventually, he has to confront the superintendent and admit to the accident. The next theme is "Sometimes help comes from the most unusual places." In "Ungifted", Donovan turns out to provide powerful help that couldn't come from anywhere else (even though compared to his classmates, he's deaf, dumb, and blind). The last one is "Don't be Afraid of Change". When Donovan goes to the ASD, many of the students don't know what to think of him. Some of them are mean, and constantly attempt to get him kicked out. Others, like Chloe, accept him with open arms for who he is. His sister learns that, as uncomfortable as some things might be, everything will eventually work out and leave you changed for the better.

"What made the robot go berserk like that? Hey, I had that answer. It was the same wild impulse that could make a guy whack a statue in the butt, setting off a chain of events that reshaped the world - or at least my little corner of it. It was the part of me that ancestry.com couldn't explain. I was working to control it, but sooner or later it would show up again and get me into twice as much trouble.
You don't have to be gifted to know that." This quote perfectly describes the book in and of itself. It talks about how the littlest things can change our lives, which is one of the predominant themes in the book. It shows Donovan's change of heart, and connects the beginning of the book to the end.

In conclusion, Gordon Korman's Ungifted surprised me with its heart and humor as well as amazing themes.

Mother Daughter Book Club

By Heather Vogel Frederick

Four girls. One jock, one beauty queen, one farm girl, and one reader. Hard to imagine them all coming together, right? But  Emma knew something was going on when their mothers start talking in yoga...

Each girl has their own story. Cassidy wants hockey and her father, but her mother decides it is best to move to a place without a girls hockey team. How dare she!  Megan wants her parents to stop leading her life and trying to get her into science. Megan nearly scrapes by how it is. She wishes that she could just run her own life. Emma will read just about anything in sight, but she hopes that one day, her friend will want to pay attention to her again.  Jess wants her mother back and everyone to stop calling her "Goat Girl." You don't think that they would become friends. Very unlikely, but not impossible. When their mothers start talking (all except Jess' of course), they all end up in a mother daughter book club reading "Little Women." They all pretend to dislike it, but eventually, it starts leading their life. From starting middle school to secret crushes revealed to their first dance, (not to mention the dreaded Mrs. Chadwick), the girls learn how much they really are alike.

"Nobody quite got what they wanted, but the end results not bad. Not bad at all." I really like this quote because it really sums up the book, even if the quote is closer to the middle of the book. It is like the author is giving us a hint. I really like how Frederick writes hints in her books to see if you will catch them. It is interesting how she places them in the least expectant place. 

I recommend this for all girls of any age. Anyone from my 5 year old cousin to my aunt has read it. Read it aloud, read it silent, or even listen to it. It is a funny read and very enjoyable. I easily give this book 5 stars and will read it again and again. I will read the rest of the series and will recommend it to anyone who asks. It is a really good book.

  

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

     "Even in the future, the story begins with Once Upon a Time..." In Marissa Meyer's first book of Sci-Fi series, the Lunar Chronicles, there is a page-turning story of love and adventure in the first book, Cinder.

     Miss Linh Cinder of New Beijing is a talented mechanic with an unknown past, and some interesting qualities. She is a cyborg. This story is based on the classic fairy tale of Cinderella. Cinder is hated by her step-mother, Adri, and is completely blamed for the unexpected illness of her step-sister. One day at the market, her life becomes unintentionally entwined with the handsome Prince Kai, claiming that he needs an android repaired for simple reasons of his own. Cinder suspects it's more serious then he is letting on, but obliges to his needs. Not soon after, she finds herself stuck in the middle of an intergalactic struggle of war and peace, and having to choose between loyalty and betrayal. As Cinder begins to uncover the mysteries of her past, she realizes that she must take action to save the fate of her world.

    The characters of this story are one of the many factors that make this book all worthwhile.
Cinder: She is the main character to this story. Cinder is sarcastic, a good mechanic, and is constantly trying to hide her cyborg parts. "I'm sure I'll feel much more grateful when I find a guy who thinks complex wiring in a girl is a turn-on.” -Cinder
Prince Kaito: The prince is the royal heart-throb of New Beijing. He tries to find the humor in everything, though is weighed down by responsibility. "Lines drawn into his face suggested he had spent many years thinking very hard over very difficult problems.” -Cinder
Dr. Erland: The Dr. is a lunar fugitive who works in the palace, frantically trying to find a cure to the deathly plague of Letumosis. "Imagine there was a cure, but finding it would cost you everything. It would completely ruin your life. What would you do?” -Dr. Erland
Linh Peony: She is Cinder's step-sister and friend. She has an ever-growing obsession of the Prince Kai, but catches the plague of letumosis early in the book.
Linh Pearl: She is the second sister of Cinder, and is much less friendly. She is constantly degrading Cinder, and also has an obsession for the Prince. "I'm going to tell him all about your ugly metal extremities and how much of an embarrassment you are -- and what a disgusting creature they turned you into. I'm going to make sure he also realizes how much more desirable I am."  -Pearl, talking to Cinder.
Linh Adri: She is the 'evil' step-mother of the story. She blames Cinder for all of her life hardships, and is constantly pointing out to Cinder of her cyborg qualities. "Do your kind even know what love is? Can you feel anything at all, or is it just... programmed?” -Adri, talking to Cinder.
Iko: Cinder's android and one of her only friends. She has a hilarious personality, and just like the rest of New Beijing, has an enormous obsession over Prince Kai. "Prince Kai! Check my fan, I think I'm overheating." -Iko
Queen Levana: The cruel ruler and Queen of Luna, a moon colony. She is not above using terrorism and violence to obtain power, and she uses a powerful glamour to make people oblige to her every need. She is most likely based off the evil queen in Snow White. “That you prefer to rule through fear rather than justice? So sorry, Your Majesty, I’m afraid I already knew that about you.”-Kai, talking to Levana.
Emperor Rikan: The Father of Prince Kai, and the Emperor of New Bejing, who dies of letumosis. "The emperors eyes crinkled at their corners. He was not an old man, but the illness had aged him quickly. His complexion was yellow and pallid, and black and red splotches stippled his neck." -Kai, describing the appearance of his father.

     This book is definitely at the top of my favorites list. I recommend this to anyone who likes a good adventure with some drama, humor, and little bit of romance. If that doesn't sound like you, I suggest you read it anyway, because it will surprise you. You will especially like this book if you enjoyed Matched, Crossed, or Reached by Ally Condie. I couldn't put this book down, and it kept me on the edge of my seat until the very last page.

By: Olivia Purles

The Book Thief

          Zusak's The Book Thief stunned me with its adjectives that make the story come to life. "People observe the colors of a day only at its beginnings and ends, but to me it's quite clear that a day merges through a multitude of shades and intonations, with each passing moment. A single hour can consist of thousands of different colors. Waxy yellows, cloud-spat blues. Murky darknesses. In my line of work, I make it a point to notice them."
          Narrated by death himself, this story tells of a young girl named Liesel and her adventures on Himmel Street in Nazi Germany. Along with her neighbor and best friend Rudy, they have many adventures together. But as the situation in Germany deteriorates Leisel's life changes yet again.
        Zusak writes with a voice that is erie and full of descriptive words. The way the story is written makes the setting come to life. I love all the adjectives he uses and it adds a lot to the book. The narrators voice is erie, but what else can you expect when the book is narrated by death himself. The voice in The Book Thief is definitely different that other books I have read.
       In conclusion, I really liked reading this book. I liked the plot and the descriptive words the author used. He uses words that make the story come to life "Bad dreams still live in my sleep." The way he constructs sentences and paragraphs is almost like poetry. "I'm always finding humans at their best and worst. I see their ugly and their beauty and wonder how the same thing can be both." If you like history, fiction or just an all-around good story you will love The Book Thief.

the giver

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1RdZF1lrpRwMciD64FU-aBnykK7FcvZeh2KSFHybJAwE/edit?usp=sharing