NCCL School Readers discussion
What is the best book that you have read so far this year and why?
Defiantly Hunger Games (The first book) because it was full of action and the plot was good. it was all around a good book, but what made me sad was the rest of the book got worse and worse.
I only liked the first book. Katniss got whiny and the plots were boring in the last two.
It definitely has to be Please Don't Laugh At Me. I recently just finished Please Don't Laugh At Me and I pretty sure it just changed my life.
Mod
Rebecca wrote: "I only liked the first book. Katniss got whiny and the plots were boring in the last two."
It got kind of repetitive, and MockingJay was kind of depressing and pointless.
It got kind of repetitive, and MockingJay was kind of depressing and pointless.
I couldn't keep up with it at all! People were dying too quickly and I couldn't keep track of it fast enough. Get over it, Katniss!
catching fire got boaring half way through
I thought it was more boaring in the beginning.
I felt it was too much like The Hunger Games. I like sequels to be something fresh and exciting, not the 'same old same old.'
oops. well, i guess saying they're annoyingly repetitive isn't very spoiling.
Mod
I was just going to post the same thing! Be careful that you don't reveal any details that might interfere with someone else's future reading experience!
Whoops. Thanks, Kate and Ethan. No need to fear. I deleted my comment.
This has nothing to do with the convorsation that you guys are having, but but the best book that i have read so far was the Wild Girls. It was a great descriptive frendship book, with alot of heart.
Yeah I really liked The Wild Girls too! I'm also reading A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray right now, and it's REALLY good. Also any of the books by Alyson Noel or Shannon Hale
i hear that book was good. though my all time favorite was Lemmony Snicket.
I recently read " Lock and Key" by Sarah Dessen, and it was great, i loved it.
My favorite book I've read so far would have to be Savvy by Ingrid Law. It's about a twelve year old girl about to turn thirteen growing up in an unusual family. When a child reaches the age of thirteen he or she is given a savvy, which basically is a power that you posses and learn to control. But when Mississippi's (Mibs) father gets hurt in a terrible crash she must face her savvy alone with her brother,and a few friends she meets along the way.
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I found myself growing slightly weary (and exhausted) by the breakneck pace and multiple, multiple characters and story lines going on in The Warlock and did not enjoy it as much as the previous books in the series. However, I did love the twist at the end which made me eager to read the next (and last) book in the series.
Keep me posted on your recent reads and recommendations!
Kate
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I enjoyed Savvy very much too! I loved the wise and age appropriate choice that the character made regarding her decision about pursuing a relationship. You know what I mean. ;)
Have you read the sequel Scumble yet? I still have it on my "Books to Read" list and am looking forward to picking it up soon!
I got a couple new books this week that would be excellent choices for Group 3! I also now have 3 copies of Every Soul a Star by Wendy Mass in case a group of friends wants to read it together. It is one of my favorite contemporary fiction books for middle school!
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I love, love The Wild Girls! It is another one of my all-time favorites along with Every Soul a Star! (Which you should read if you haven't yet!) I have Wendy Mass' new book 13! Sophie is reading it right now.
I recently finished Thirteen Gifts, Wendy mass's new book, and its sort of the 2nd sequel to 11 Birthdays and Finally 12, and it was really good. I really like how it mentions the characters in the previous books! it was so much fun to read. Usually i finish her books in a second because they're so fun to read, but this one took me a five or six days because i was really paying attention to it, and it was so good that I was reading slowly making sure I read every single word! Anyway it was really good.
I'm reading Cross My Heart and Hope To Spy now, the sequel to I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You. I LOVE this series! I read Ally Carter's other book, Heist Society, too, but I didn't like it as much as I like this series.
I recently finished North Of Beautiful by Justina chen Headley, and I think it's a really great book for 6th or 7th graders.
I'd also reccommend Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin, because it's so interesting, and if you're looking for a book that involves places you go when you're dead (something I've been reading a lot of lately) you should also read Radiance by Alyson Noel. It's really short but IT IS SO GOOD once you really get into it. It has two sequels--Shimmer and Dreamland. Alyson Noel also wrote The Immortals series which I haven't read yet because they are more young adult I think, and she also wrote something called Saving Zoe or something like that and a couple other books for like 8th graders or high schoolers, I think.
I LOVED LOVED LOVE LOVED Every Soul A Star and The Wild Girls--proabably two of my favorite books. Wendy Mass is so awesome. And my favorite book I've ever read is probably A Mango-Shaped Space. IT WAS SOOOOOOOOO SOOOOOOO Amazing!!
I'm reading Cross My Heart and Hope To Spy now, the sequel to I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You. I LOVE this series! I read Ally Carter's other book, Heist Society, too, but I didn't like it as much as I like this series.
I recently finished North Of Beautiful by Justina chen Headley, and I think it's a really great book for 6th or 7th graders.
I'd also reccommend Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin, because it's so interesting, and if you're looking for a book that involves places you go when you're dead (something I've been reading a lot of lately) you should also read Radiance by Alyson Noel. It's really short but IT IS SO GOOD once you really get into it. It has two sequels--Shimmer and Dreamland. Alyson Noel also wrote The Immortals series which I haven't read yet because they are more young adult I think, and she also wrote something called Saving Zoe or something like that and a couple other books for like 8th graders or high schoolers, I think.
I LOVED LOVED LOVE LOVED Every Soul A Star and The Wild Girls--proabably two of my favorite books. Wendy Mass is so awesome. And my favorite book I've ever read is probably A Mango-Shaped Space. IT WAS SOOOOOOOOO SOOOOOOO Amazing!!
Mod
I think that you would probably enjoy reading Evolution, Me and Other Freaks of Nature. It raises interesting issues and has an excellent conflict--the main characters parents are evangelical Christians and she is learning about evolution in school and starting to question her beliefs. (There is also the boy problem, which is handled in a way that doesn't feel old and stale.) The dilemma of trying to figure out how to coexist in a family where you have little control and diverging beliefs, while also following your heart and head, is a tricky one and it is dealt with beautifully in this book.
Unfortunately, I only have one copy and a line of kids waiting to read it. I'll try to pick up another copy if I come across it or when I put in another Amazon order.
I'm so happy to be reading again after a brief hiatus otherwise known as grad school. This year, so far, my favorite has been The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. Junot Diaz uses the popular vernacular superbly and in a way that isn't distracting, but actually contributes a lot to the story. It's a modern epic following the De Leon family line and intertwines with a brief history of the Dominican Republic in the 20th century. I'm super interested in the blending of cultures, which this book earnestly depicts.
I'm currently reading Scumble and absolutely LOVE it. It is set to take place nine years later then the first and this time Mib's cousin is trying to control his savvy.
Mod
I'm looking forward to reading Scumble. I loved Savvy and thought that the choices the characters made were wonderfully wise and age-appropriate. Wow, nine years later is a big time leap; I'm intrigued!
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Now that you are back in the reading world, let me know if you have any recommendations. I will definitely put ...Oscar Wao on my books-to-read list. My new favorite book to recommend for 7th graders with strong stomachs through adults, is The Poisoner's Handbook: Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New Yorkby Deborah Blum. It has it all: history, chemistry, humor, fascinating people, early forensics and excellent writing.
I LOVED a mango shaped space!!!!! Wendy Mass is the best author. I also LOVED sphinx's princess!
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Anna has it, but I can lend it to you after she's done!
hey its anna!!! I totally loved Wild girls! but Wendy Mass is probably my favorite author!!!!!!!!!! She's amazing! I especially liked Mango shaped space and every soul a star! i recommended them both to my sister and she loved both of them!
I recently read " A Great and Terrible Beauty" best book i've ever read, EVER! also some of my other favorites are : elsewhere, north of beautiful, sisterhood of the traveling pants, wild girl, lock and key. gosh there are so many good books!
@guenn I just finished elsewhere! I really liked it!!!
I loved the adoration of jenna fox! I don't know if it is ok for gr. 3 though. If you liked the uglies series you will probably like this one too (personally I thought it was better)
Oh and the seqel is good too just in a different way
I don't think I have a favorite book, but I like Wendy Mass a lot. I'm also looking forward to reading the wild girls.
I'm also waiting to read the wild girls, want to read it together?
NCCL School Readers
Books mentioned in this topic
The Adoration of Jenna Fox (other topics)The Wild Girls (other topics)
The Poisoner's Handbook: Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York (other topics)
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (other topics)
I love that through a riveting story, I was able to learn about the time period of the 1940's, both pre and post war, the discipline of running, the technical aspects of being a pilot and bombardier, WWII history, survival skills, resiliency and the art of forgiveness.