Sachar, Louis.  Holes.  

Sam, junior 

Holes is a good book.  The book tells about a boy named Stanley that gets sent to camp green lake for being falsely accused of stealing shoes.  At the camp they make the kids dig holes, for a wrong reason.  The book describes the story of Stanley and many stories of the kids at the camp.  Holes has many side stories.  The book supports the idea of working together and standing up to what's wrong.  Sam recommends this book for 4th through 9th graders.

Savage, Deborah.  Under A Different Sky. 

ÙÙÙÙÙ Danielle, ninth grade 

Ben has big dreams of being an Olympic rider. He has an amazing connection with his beautiful horse Galaxy. He has taught Galaxy all the things needed for dressage riding, all the specific motions and signals, everything just by watching tapes of Grand Prix riders. One day Ben meets Laura, an emotionally challenged girl from a wealthy family. Her parents send her to expensive boarding schools and she has been kicked out of each one. Laura and Ben connect over the time they spend together, but when Laura is sent to a mental institution it starts to test their feelings for each other. This is a great book and it’s my second time reading it. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes romance novels.

Salinger, J.D. The Catcher in the Rye.  New York: Little, Brown.  Scott, Michael.  1994.

ÙÙÙÙÙ Jason P., senior

A teenager named Holden tells his experience while getting kicked out of a private school.  The author spins Holden’s adolescent troubles and his beliefs into a fine book.  Holden goes back to New York once he’s booted and spends his money on hotels rather than enlighten is parents about his expulsion.  He enjoys his time being free and alone until he’s out of loot and in quite a predicament.  It’s a fine book that anyone in their teens should read.

Salzman, Mark.  Laughing Sutra. 

ÙÙÙÙÙ Jesse, 9th Grade

The Laughing Sutra is about an orphan boy in China, who learns about a scroll that is far away.  However, he determined to find It, so he goes all the way from China to San Francisco in search for a Buddhist scroll called The Laughing Sutra, With help along the way by Colonel Sun, who would kill anything or anyone who gets in his way on his search.  I thought the book was good.  The book was somewhat slow at the beginning, and a little hard to understand, but after that, it was good and I could follow it.  I would recommend this book.

Schmidt, Gary D.  A Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy.  

Schmidt, Gary D.  A Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy.  

ÙÙÙÙÙ Hailey A., 8^th grade

This was an alright book, and I didn’t enjoy it as most of the books that I have read. It is funny, exciting, and romantic.  In this book, a girl, Ellie, and her friend build a fort under the Waton’s porch. As their friendship grows, the more exciting the book becomes.

Schultheis, Rob.  Waging Peace.  Gotham Books.    

ÙÙÙÙÙ Fuller C., ninth grade

      Guns, bombs, terrorism, and a special operations team that struggles to complete their tasks given to them by their commanding officer.  Their job is to rebuild Iraq and eliminate terrorism.  Rob Schultheis is a journalist who tags along with many special ops groups before finally being assigned to the 425th Civil Affair Battalion.  Follow along in this action-packed true story as Rob and his boys travel through Iraq dealing with car bombs and suicides and much more.  I suggest this book to all ages and anyone looking for a good true story.  

Schwartz, Christina.  Drowning Ruth.  

ÙÙÙÙÙ Danielle, 11th grade 

     Drowning Ruth is a book that really makes you think about what you’re reading. When the book first starts out, it bounces back and forth from present time to past time. If, you don’t take the time to stop and think about it, then it will make no sense to you. 

       Ruth seems to live a very traumatic life. Her father leaves her family when she is just a baby to go and fight in the war, and she’s left with her mother and her aunt. When Ruth is only a couple of years old, her mother drowns. This leaves her with her Aunt Amanda. 

        When all Ruth has left is her Aunt Amanda, things run a little bumpy at first. Her aunt had been gone for some time nursing soldiers and had just recently returned the year before. After a while, Ruth gets used to Amanda, thing run smooth and they are a happy little two person family. But then her father comes home from the war due to injury. 

         When they bring Carl (Ruth’s father) home, times aren’t very happy. Ruth doesn’t remember her father very well, so she tends to shy away from him, which doesn’t make him too happy. While Ruth goes on ignoring her father and following in Amanda’s every footstep, Amanda is very happy with the little girl’s attitude toward it all. All of a sudden everything hits Amanda all at once. Things come crashing down and she doesn’t know what to do with herself. This is a big part of the story that really takes a toll on Ruth. 

          Over all, I really liked this book. It showed how if you keep your little secrets to yourself and play everyone else as the fool, in the end everyone finds out and you become the fool. It really portrays how you need to tell the people who are close to you the truth and not hind things from them, especially when it’s about their family.

Allison, ninth grade.

Schwartz tells the story of a young nurse who goes back to her childhood home to live with her sister, Mathilda, and her sisters young girl, Ruth.  When Mathilda leaves one cold winter night and is found months later drowned in the lake, Amanda is forced to take care of Ruth.  Then when Mathilda's husband, Carl, comes home from the war because of a leg injury Amanda must take care of him and try to make Ruth like him. 

Schine, Cathleen.  The Love Letter.  Back Bay Books.    

ÙÙÙÙÙ Miranda M., senior 

     This novel goes over the boundaries of ordinary or expected relationships.  The main character, Helen is a middle aged woman who owns a bookstore in a small New England town.  When she comes across a love letter, not titled or signed, she assumes it’s from her one employee, Johnny who is still in college.  They strike a physical relationship with little or no emotion behind it, which gives the reader the sense that love is superfluous.  It’s only later on that Johnny and Helen discover who the love letter was meant for, and even more shockingly, who it was from.

Scott, Walter.  Ivanhoe. 

Sebold, Alice.  The Lovely Bones.

««««« Maggie C, 11^th grade 

Susie salmon is your typical pre-teen. She loves photography, her family and her life. Until one day, she found her self in a dangerous situation. Her friendly neighbor (or so she though) turns out to be murderer and violently takes her life. This book is from Susie’s perspective, “the in-between”. she can view earth from a distance and sometimes shows herself to her family. Susie has to watch as her family reveals what really happened to her. This novel was extremely compelling and at sometimes filled with action. This book is a perfect read for any type of girl and will not disappoint.

Sewell, Anna.  Black Beauty.  

Shakespeare, William.    Hamlet.  New York: Viking Penguin.

Shakespeare, William. A Midsummer Night's Dream.  New York: Viking Penguin.

Shakespeare, William.  Much Ado About Nothing.  New York: Viking Penguin. 

Shakespeare, William.  Romeo and Juliet.  New York: Viking Penguin.

Shreve, Anita.  The Pilot’s Wife. 

Sarah

     Kathryn Lyons life is drastically changed when she gets the knock on the door that is a pilot's wife's nightmare. The airliner that Jack, Kathryn's husband, was flying blew up over Ireland. After everything that Kathryn goes through with the media, she learns that she didn't even know who her husband really was. Jack had a secret life that few people knew about. Kathryn goes on a search to find out about Jacks secret life and finds out a lot of information about her husband. This book is recommended by Sarah for woman that like a emotional mystery.

Katie, ninth grade

     “Recommended" by Katie to people with an Oprahesque mindset who believe that all men are evil.

Shreve, Susan. Under The Watson’s Porch. 

ÙÙÙÙÙ Mackenzie, 8th grade

I would recommend the book Under the Watson’s Porch to anyone that likes funny and romantic books. It was a good book, but it was not a great book. All of Ellie’s friends are gone for the summer to camp, so she is left alone for the summer, until a boy moves in next-door that has a plan to make a lollipop garden under the Watson’s Porch. Tommy is a foster child that has been in a bunch of trouble through out his life, and Ellie has no way of stopping it.

ÙÙÙÙÙ  Hailey A., 8th grade

This was an alright book, and I didn’t enjoy it as most of the books that I have read. It is funny, exciting, and romantic.  In this book, a girl, Ellie, and her friend build a fort under the Waton’s porch. As their friendship grows, the more exciting the book becomes.

ÙÙÙÙÙ Marie

Ellie is having a boring summer. Her only friend is going to camp and she’s home with her mom, dad, and little brother. When a new neighbor comes, Ellie meets Tommy. Tommy and Ellie don’t stop hanging out. They end up starting a camp for other kids in the neighborhood, but when Ellie finds out that Tommy steals she doesn’t know if she can be his friend any more. 

Shusterman, Neil.  Shadow Club. 

Jamie A.  

The Shadow Club is about a group of seven second-best kids who form a club.  They are always trying to beat the "unbeatable" kids that always win.  They form this club and begin to pull pranks.  They are harmless at first, but they become dangerous when they find out someone is trying to frame them.  This story shows that some people will do whatever it takes to win, but in the end they turn out to be no better than the people they were trying to beat.
I recommend this book to anyone who wants to be the best at something.
If you read this book and want to read another one similar to it, Jamie recommends you to read "The Shadow Club Rising" which is the sequel to this book.

Shulman, Polly.  Enthusiasm. 

ÙÙÙÙÙ  Onaca, 9th grade 

Enthusiasm was a highly predictable book. Everything that happened in it could be seen coming from a mile away and was completely unsurprising, from the main character’s best friend falling in love with the wrong guy to everything turning out like a fairytale in the end. That being said, the book was still enjoyable. The humor in it was actually funny, and the characters were likable enough. It’s a quick, easy read, and as long as you’re not expecting some deep twisting storyline with unexpected turns, it’s a good read as well.

Sleator, William.  House of Stairs.

ÙÙÙÙÙ Morgan, 8th Grade 

 Five teenage boys and girls are all orphans and were sent to a house of stairs. There were no walls or ceiling or anything, just a house of stairs. They found each other one by one; they had many conflicts between one another, and it was harder for them to get along with each other, than it was finding food and water. They had to survive together with not enough food and little water, and the water they do get comes from a toilet they found on a narrow bridge. This book went a little slow for me.  

ÙÙÙÙÙ Marie, 8th grade 

     Lola, Peter, Oliver, Blossom, and Abigail are all stuck in a secured area with only stairs. What they don’t know is that they are being studied. While there in this area they figured out how to get food and water, but when the food stopped coming they had to figure out another way. What they had to do now was beat each other up, verbally and physically. Finally two of them stop doing what the others are doing and go away, starving themselves almost to death. These 5 kids aren’t sure if they will ever get out.

ÙÙÙÙÙ Jane F., eighth grade

What would you do if you were trapped in a house filled completely with stairs? In the book House of Stairs group of teenagers are put in that exact situation, for a reason they have to figure out.  They have nothing but a machine that feeds them rarely, and each other.  This book is filled with the struggles of the teens, and how different people act under pressure.  The author keeps you wanting more in this chilling mystery.  I thought the book was a very fun read; it puts you right in there with the characters, and is not difficult.  If you want to be scared, this book is not scary, just disturbing.  Will they ever get out, or more importantly, live? 

ÙÙÙÙÙ Mr. Greenlee 

Sloane, Eric.  Diary of an Early American Boy.  

ÙÙÙÙÙ Jeff, eighth grade 

Here lies the detailed farmer’s life of Noah Blake.  He is an early American boy, who help’s his father construct a farm.  There are many pictures to explain the tools, and techniques of those who ran farms back in 1805.  It’s a very interesting book, but it was a little confusing with the descriptions.  That’s why it merits a category seven.

ÙÙÙÙÙ Mr. Greenlee 

Smiley A Thousand Acres.  

Smith, Anna.   A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.  

Snyder, Zilpha Keatley.  The Witches of Worm.

Solzhenitsen, Ivan.  A Day in the Life.  

Sorenson.  Miracles on Maple Hill.  

Soto, Gary.  A Summer Life.  In our library under biography

Sparks, Nicholas. A Bend in the Road. 

 ÙÙÙÙÙ Marie, 9^th grade

     Miles Ryan a deputy sheriff of  New Bern lives single with his son Jonah.  His wife was hit in a hit-and-run accident and he grieves over her death almost ever night until he meets Sarah Andrews.  Sarah a new teacher at Jonah’s school moved to New Bern because of a terrible divorce.  Eventually Miles and Sarah start talking then dating, but then one night Miles gets some more clues on who killed his wife.  He goes a little crazy believing everyone who has had said anything about it.  All of his excusing was wrong and shocking, but in the end, will he find the right person and turn them in after two years or will this person make the greatest impact on his life?

Sparks, Nichols.  A Walk To Remember.  New York: Henry Holt.    

ÙÙÙÙÙ Shay, ninth grade 

A Walk To Remember is a book that will make you laugh and cry.  This book is amazing. A Walk To Remember is about Jamie Sullivan going to school with a kid named Landon Carter and they fall in love.  Jamie tells Landon that she has three things that she wants to do in life.  There is one thing that Jamie is keeping from Landon that will break his heart.  He does not understand why things happen the way they do.

Speare, Elizabeth George.  Sign of the Beaver.  Scholastic.       

ÙÙÙÙÙ Tyler M, 10th Grade

This book was the best book I have ever read in my life.  It had such great details of what happened.  The Sign Of The Beaver was so great, it was about a boy named Matt who was living with his father in a cabin in Maine, but his mother and his sister lived in New York.  Matt’s dad leaves Matt by himself to get his wife and daughter and bring them to Maine.  While he is gone, Matt is trying to find food when he comes to the beehive his father showed him and reaches in and gets stung.  While running he falls in the river and broke his foot. Indians find him and take care of him by teaching him how to make weapons and things that Indians do for survival.  Matt has to make a decision in the winter go with the Indians to hunting ground, or stay and wait for his father who is already late.

ÙÙÙÙÙ Robert Chmb., 10th grade 

When Matt’s father leaves to help his mom travel to there cabin in Maine, it is up to Matt to be the man of the cabin. Matt finds its not as easy as he thought and he needed help. He then meets Attean, boy who is a member of the Beaver tribe. Matt teaches Attean how to read and Attean teaches Matt some survival skills to help him survive by himself. This book is a classic because it teaches survival skills and some history about Native Americans. Another positive factor about this book is the many exciting adventures Matt and Attean come across. All though this story is exciting, it can also be sad because it tells how Englishmen ruined the Indians way of life took there land unfairly. I recommend this book to everyone. 

ÙÙÙÙÙ  Fuller, 10th grade

        Young Matt, only 13 years old, was abandoned in his parent’s home out in the wilderness, after being told they would return.  Less then a week after they left, a snow storm sets in and he is stranded alone fighting for his life against mother nature.  Follow along as Matt struggles to find food and waits the arrival of his parents.  Will he survive or will he starve to death in his attempts?  Few months after being alone Matt runs into a little help supposedly sent by a god.  Attean is a young native living on the land nearby, and together they fight the wilderness and help each other to success.    

Speare, Elisabeth.  The Witch of Blackbird Pond.

Spinelli, Jerry.  Maniac Magee.  New York  

ÙÙÙÙÙ Fuller        

Jeffery Magee was an ordinary kid, living an ordinary life until his parents onboard a train heading out of town for the week and disaster hit.  His parents encountered a horrible train accident and are killed on impact, leaving Jeffery to fend for himself as an orphan.  That’s when he becomes known as “Maniac Magee.”  Read along to see how Young Jeffery runs away from his terrible distant family and lives on his own, on the street.  I gave this book three out of five stars because I found this plot way over used and somewhat boring.  On the other hand if your looking for a quick very easy read, give it a try. 

ÙÙÙÙÙ Tyler M, 10th grade 

     Jerry Spinelli did a great job writing this book , it starts off with Maniac getting in trouble with other kids then becoming there friends at the end of the book.  The book was mainly about Maniac who does things, other people would not think of doing, such as, being a white boy going to the west end which was blacks and living with a black family.  No one ever thought of that because west was blacks and east was whites and no one ever tempted to wonder off there way to the other end. And so there was this boy who was now the one everyone was talking about and he is now famous for doing his heroic things in the east and the west end so now no matter where he goes he is welcome for doing the things that he has done.

Spinelli, Jerry.  Stargirl. New York  

ÙÙÙÙÙ Arial, ninth grade 

Mysterious, romantic, dramatic-all words to describe this wonderful book. It is about a girl who seems to be more in touch with herself and her world then the people around her can understand. The book is narby a boy named Leo, who falls under the spell Stargirl seems to put on people. The book is basted in a high school were cliques and peers have huge effects on other peoples life. Its focus is on just trying to be yourself which it portrays very well.  I enjoyed reading this book and highly recommended it.

Previous Review - author? 

Stargirl came to Mica High school completely different then everyone else.  She dressed differently, acted differently, and talked differently. At first, the high school liked her individualism.  Stargirl inspired many people to change and become more of individuals.  After a few months though, the students started to find Stargirl more weird than just different.  Soon the whole high school was giving her the cold shoulder.  They would talk behind her back they wouldn't look at her and wouldn't talk to anyone who was friends with her.  Leo fell in love with Stargirl the first time he saw her.  Leo loves her friendliness and begins to date her just as everyone else is turning their backs on her.  Before long, they have also turned their backs on him, and he can't take it.  Stargirl is an inspiration to everyone and no one seems to notice.  I recommend this story too teenage and middle school girls.

Spinelli, Jerry.  Wringer. 

Ù Kristi, tenth grade 

This novel was mostly about Pigeon Day. Pigeon Day is when they let 5,000 pigeons go and people get to shoot them with their shot guns. If there are any live pigeons that have been shot and a just walking on the ground a boy that is about 10 years old takes those pigeons and twists their neck till they die. Palmer, the main character, is expected to become a wringer but he doesn't want to become one. I recommend this story for ages 10 to 14.

Spyri. Heidi.

Staples. Shabanu: Daughter of the Wind.

Steinbeck. Cannery Row. 

Steinbeck, John. East of Eden.

Steinbeck, John. Grapes of Wrath. 

Characters 

Steinbeck, John.  Of Mice and Men.

 ÙÙÙÙÙ Shelbie, 9th grade 

These two men, Lennie and George, are trying to fit in and just cant seem to do it. Lennie has learning disabilities, but is a very good laborer. George always tells Lennie he is holding him back from having a normal life, but I think that George really couldn’t live without Lennie. They have been chased out of the town they where working in and are now trying to get new jobs at a farm were no one knows them. They have the jobs and they are nice ones, but will Lennie’s disabilities get in the way again? Will he act out and make them have to move to leave another good job? 

 ÙÙÙÙÙ Mr. Greenlee 

I actually read this because I had to and I was prepared to dislike it.  I was pleasantly surprised!  It was an easy and good read.  

Steinbeck, John. The Pearl.

Steinbeck, John. Red Pony.

Stevenson, Robert Louis.  Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

ÙÙÙÙÙ Tymon, 12th grade 

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a timeless classic set in the late 1800s.  This is a must read book for every high school senior.  The book does start a bit slow, but once you get a couple chapters in it starts to get intense.  Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde may be a short book, but don’t be fooled by the length.  The vocabulary level is very high and it is written in an older style than most people are used to. 

ÙÙÙÙÙ Mr. Greenlee

Stevenson, Robert Louis.  Kidnapped.

   map of adventures        map of the clans      The Tartans

ÙÙÙÙÙ Mr. Greenlee

Be warned that the dialogue in the beginning of this novel is a little difficult to adjust to , and that chapter 12 was a little difficult to get through, being mostly dialogue exposition of Scottish politics, but this novel was a non-stop action-adventure!

Stevenson, Robert Louis.  Treasure Island.  

ÙÙÙÙÙ Jeff, ninth grade 

This is a classic and an exciting read.  I have read this book about three times and was taken right into it each time.  This author has done other classic stories, but in my opinion, none as good as this.  It is packed with suspense, action, and adventure.  Who doesn’t like a book with those three aspects, and a mission to find buried treasure?  If you don’t, then don’t bother reading the rest of the review, because all I have to say are compliments.  I really like that it is about olden days, and yet it is still a freaking riot to read.  I give this book 5 Jolly Rogers out of 5.

ÙÙÙÙÙ Mr. Greenlee

     His mother carefully counts out the coins while drunken murderers in filthy rags creep through the night toward his house.  A foolish squire and a doctor who will make a terrible error guide him away.  

     This tale still works, and works well!  The little archaic language offers no barrier to this well-paced, wonderful adventure.  It rates five stars easily.  

Stoker, Bram.  Dracula. 

Stowe, Harriet Beecher.  Uncle Tom’s Cabin. 

Strasser.  The Wave. 

Stuart, Anne. Black Ice.  

ÙÙÙÙÙ Marie, 8th grade 

Chloe is living in Paris when she gets the opportunity for a good job. The job would be a translator for a business get-together. What Chloe doesn’t know is that the business people she’s going to meet are illegal arm dealers. One of the clients is ordered to kill her, but Bastien (another man she meets) starts helping her getting her away from the bad guys. Many of her friends are killed because of her. All while this is happening, Chloe is slowing falling in love with Bastien who really doesn’t care about anyone until he meets her.  

Stross, Charles.  The Family Trade.  

ÙÙÙÙÙ Arial, ninth grade 

   “Clip clop, clip clop, bang, bang!” these were noises Miriam Beckstein were not used to hearing every day. Miriam was an orphan for as long as she could remember. She was found in a park a few feet away from her dead mother. She was adopted and grew up to be a business journalist. After having an awful day and being fired from her job, her adopted mother gave her a box with news clippings, her adoption papers and a locket owned by her mother. This new information brings a shocking surprise about Miriam’s past. The Family Trade is a good book filled with action and suspense. This is not a book you want to pick up if you have a hard time paying attention. This book is full of plot twists that will leave you wondering what the author was thinking. 

ÙÙÙÙÙ Mr. Greenlee

Here is a fantasy beyond the usual wizard and a sword-swinging barbarian.  A woman finds out she can travel between worlds, but there's people who will kill to keep the other world a secret.  Not just a medieval fantasy, but a tale of mobsters and high finance; smart, well-written.  It contains some language, especially toward the end.   

Sutherland, T. Tui.  This Must Be Love.

ÙÙÙÙÙ Danielle

     This book was written in a way that few books are. It’s written in letters and poems. There are only a few parts that are laid out like a book is usually is. In a way it seems to make it more interesting. 

      Helena is seeking for love in every corner. But the problems start when she meets Dimitri and thinks that they are destined to be together. Helena is a very determined person who will do whatever she can to get what she wants. But in the end she finds out that what she was looking for is right in front of her and easy to get. 

Hermia comes off as the very preppy happy everybody loves me type. Hermia is the girl in high school who has dated most of the boys and that everyone gets along with. But even though Hermia has gone through so many boys, there is only one that comes to mind when you really get down to it. Alex. Alex has been Hermia’s friend ever since he came to Athenwood High School. Hermia’s love for him has grown ever since. 

     These girls are destined for love either way they look.  But the thing is, they aren’t really looking in the right places most times. But in the end things start to get crazy and reality catches up to them with a big slap in the face. 

Swarthout Bless the Beasts & Children. 

ÙÙÙÙÙ Mr. Greenlee

When one of the kids in the cabin went missing during the night, Cotton knew where he was going.  Cotton was the leader, but it took the smallest of them to begin the rescue mission. 

Swift, Jonathan.  Gulliver’s Travels. 

Swofford, Anthony.  Jarhead.   New York.    

ÙÙÙÙÙ Fuller C., ninth grade 

Jarhead is a true story about a young marine who joined the armed forces straight out of high school and was sent immediately to boot camp.  This book tells many stories of what recruits must go through to prepare for war; Jarhead explains many of the excruciating challenges they must overcome.  Due to budget cuts, Anthony Swofford was cut from basic training a few months ahead of schedule and was sent to  Kuwait to fight in the Gulf War.  During his time he spends overseas, he overcomes living in the desert for many months and being shot at by his own soldiers.  There are many other various twists, turns and exciting events in this tremendous piece of artwork.  I recommend this book to anyone who wants to read it and doesn’t mind a little rough language.