The Secret of the Fortune Wookie

     After getting suspended, Dwight is going to a new school where everyone thinks he is "special."  His mom has put Origami Yoda in a glass frame on his wall so Dwight can't use him anymore.  The kids at McQuarrie Middle School are desperate to get Origami Yoda back, but realize they also miss Dwight.  Fortune Wookie offers good advice, but Tommy, Kellen, and Harvey are determined to show Dwight how amazing he really is.
     I loved this book!  I especially loved that Fortune Wookie was only able to growl like a wookie, so Han Foldo would appear on Sara's hand to translate Han Solo's quotes from the movie.  Fortune Wookie gave awesome advice from the Star Wars movies that also fit well with the kids' situations, even though it didn't seem like it at first glance.
     I also loved the moral of the story that everyone is "special," but we lose our specialness when we try to be what everyone else wants us to be.  The kids who used to bully Dwight and think he was too weird, now see that he brought excitement and fun to their school.  Dwight tries to fit in with the new kids at his new school because it is "easier," but Tommy shows him how important it is to be yourself, even when it's harder.
     This book is an easy read with lots of illustrations, easy words, and humor.  It is great for reluctant readers, especially kids who like Star Wars.  Although you can read the book without having read the other books in the series first, some parts will be difficult to understand.  You will also miss much of the humor if you do not have background knowledge on Star Wars.

Darth Paper Strikes Back

     In the sequel to The Strange Case of Origami Yoda, Harvey creates Darth Paper to duel Origami Yoda.  The dark side of the force is too strong for Origami Yoda and Dwight gets kicked out of school.  The kids are lost without Yoda's wisdom and begin a case file to convince the school board that Dwight and Origami Yoda have helped them.  Harvey tricks Tommy into giving him the file so he can make a strong case for keeping Dwight out of school.  Things look hopeless know that Darth Paper has arrived.  Is there any chance Darth Paper has a good side under his helmet?
     I loved this book.  The Star Wars puns were original and funny.  The pictures the kids drew in the case file are cute, especially the Star Wars' characters.  The characters are realistic and act like middle schoolers desperate to figure out their lives and willing to believe any advice - even from Origami puppets.  There is a good moral to the story, but it isn't heavy handed.  It's a quick read with lots of pictures, so it is a good choice for reluctant readers.  It is also a good choice for boys.  

Juice

     Juice by Eric Walters is a short book about a new football coach who encourages his players to take steroids.
     The topic is relevant and the page count is great for reluctant readers, especially boys.  However, the 3rd person narrator keeps the story at arm's length, so it is hard to relate to Moose - the boy faced with the dilemma to take steroids.
     The other problem is the narrator tells us a lot of things that happen, but we don't see them happen, so it is hard to forget you are reading a book or connect with the characters.
     I recommend the book for reluctant teens, especially boys who play football or are interested in the topic of using steroids in sports.  

Wonkenstein: The Creature from my Closet

     Rob is a typical twelve-year-old kid with an annoying older sister and a tag-along little brother.  He doesn't do well in school, has a messy room, and  a huge crush on his neighbor Janae.
     Rob's dad brings home a closet door from Goodwill for Rob's closet.  It even has a weird handle that has a strange man's face on it.  Rob throws everything into his closet - including his chemistry set, playdough, and books he never reads, and shuts the door.
     One day a weird creature emerges from the closet.  He is a mix of Willy Wonka and Frankenstein's monster.  Rob decides to call him Wonkenstein.  Wonkenstein gets Rob into lots of trouble, some serious misunderstandings, and lots of adventures - including reading the two books that mean so much to Wonkenstein.
     This book is written in the style of Diary of a Wimpy Kid.  Every page has lots of cartoon drawings, so it is great for reluctant readers.  The main characters are boys, which makes it a great choice for ten-year-old boys who don't like to read.  It was silly, but the perfect kind of humor for kids who are learning to read chapter books.  I recommend it for reluctant readers or kids who are learning to read longer books, but still need the support of lots of pictures to understand the plot.   

The Last Olympian

     The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan is a fitting ending to a wonderful series.  I am sad to see the series come to an end.  It has been a pleasure to spend the last two years with Percy, Annabeth, Grover, and Tyson.
     In this book, all of the pieces from the earlier books come together in an epic battle between the Titans and the Olympians.  Although strength and prowess play a role in the battles, the true heroes are successful because they are able to persevere, see the good in one another, and join together to fight for their cause.
     I was intrigued by Prometheus.  He was an interesting character and I am still not sure if he was trying to help or hurt Percy.  I loved the way Prometheus gave Pandora's Box to Percy to test Percy's view of humanity and hope.  I would love to read more about Prometheus in other books.
     Although the characters are growing up, they still kept the internal qualities that I loved about them.  I enjoyed the ending of the book because each character was given an ending that he/she deserved.  No one was overlooked or pushed to the side in a quick ending.
     I loved the way all of the human characters were given redemption, even though they had turned to the dark side.  It was an uplifting view that all of us make mistakes, but all of us can redeem ourselves and make a difference in the end.
     Rick Riordan is an amazing writer.  I love his characters, his creativity in creating a world unlike anywhere else I have ever been, his humor, and his uplifting view of the heroic qualities in all of us.  I am a better person for having read his books.

The Battle of the Labyrinth

     The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan is my favorite book in the series.  This book is a very creative look at the myth of Icarus and Daedalus.       This myth is one of my favorites, and I was thrilled to be able to strap on the bronze wings and soar through Colorado.
     In this book, Luke has found a way to enter the labyrinth, but he hasn't been able to master it yet.  In fact, one of the people he sends into the maze loses his mind.  Percy, Annabeth, Grover, and Tyson must find a way to get to Daedalus first.  
     My favorite monster in this book was the Sphinx.  Like her mythical version, you must answer her questions to move on and avoid being eaten.  However, the modern Sphinx has been impacted by No Child Left Behind.  She now asks trivial questions to assess your knowledge and makes you bubble in your answers on a standardized test sheet.  As a teacher, I loved her analysis of modern education.
     I also loved meeting Pan and finding the reason behind his disappearance for the past two thousand years.  He left us with an important message about the environment without hitting us over the head with a moral.
     Calypso was another character I loved meeting.  Her island was beautiful and I loved the way she took care of Percy.  I knew his departure was inevitable, but I wished she could have found a way to go with him.
     I even liked Dionysus in this book, which has never happened before.  After losing a son, he seemed almost "human" at the end of the book and I was finally able to relate to him.
     There were only two parts I didn't like about the book.  The first was the love triangle introduced with the addition of Rachel Elizabeth Dare.  I liked the character, but I didn't like the way Annabeth and Rachel kept fighting for Percy's attention.  I also HATE the Pegasi.  The Pegasus is one of my favorite mythical creatures, and I hate the way the Pegasi in the book sound like they are stereotypes of minority groups.
     This book is an awesome book and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves fantasy books, Greek mythology, or Percy Jackson.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

     I want to live in Hogwarts.  I want to see the ghosts and fight trolls and have a snowy owl.  Okay, I love Harry Potter.  Not the movies, but the real Harry from the books.  Especially the young Harry and friends before they turn into moody teenagers.
    This book is one of my all-time favorites.  You know it's a good book when you reread it for probably the tenth time and you still laugh out loud and share lines with the nearest person, even when he is a stranger.
     I love the lessons in the book and can't see why parents object to the book.  What better lessons to learn than loyalty, standing up for what is right - especially against our friends, love, sacrifice, and friendship.
     Dumbledore is an amazing character.  The movies do not do him justice.  His speech before the feast, leading the school song, a flowered hat, and his deep insight and compassion for Harry make him a literary character worth remembering.
     I recommend this book to EVERYONE!!!!