Miri is a fourteen year girl who lives on Mount Eskel - a place where her ancestors have quarried stone for generations. But her father forbids her from stepping foot into the quarry and she feels as though she doesn’t belong there at all. But her luck changes when the traders arrive for the last time before winter, bringing with them an official from the capital of Dunland. The priests have declared Mount Eskel the place from where the prince’s bride is to be chosen. The Princess Academy, usually just a formality, is built and the girls in the village learn to read, write, how to walk, talk, etc. Many of the girls don’t want to become princesses because their families need them, and yet competition strikes up. Who will be the next princess and will Miri be able to save her and her classmates when trouble strikes? I think this is a charming book that draws you in and shows the growth of a character discovering herself and is a surprisingly good read. I recommend this book to any reader interested in a tale about empowering and finding yourself.

Around fifty years ago, the Problem occurred in London. Ghosts and other paranormals have appeared in England with the horrifying ability to torture and kill you. And yet the only people able to sense them and act are children and teens. Say goodbye to being a child and hello to growing up fast. A number of Psychic Agencies have appeared over the last few decades, dedicated to ridding people of the Problem. Lucy, a strong, willful and talented agent comes to London in search of a better job and a better future. But she is denied and instead finds herself accepting a job in the tiniest, most ramshackle agency there is. When their cases go horribly wrong and they run incredibly low on money, they are faced with one chance to redeem themselves: spend a night in the most haunted house in England and come out alive after ridding it of ghosts. And perhaps, for more publicity and the sake of doing good - figure out the reason behind a hidden dead body and the secret of the mansion. This is absolutely one of the best books I’ve read. Although it seems like a horror story, it is written in a way that is scary, suspenseful, witty, but light enough not to give you nightmares. One of the reasons I like it so much is because it is a good all-around story, it has the themes of family, friendship and camaraderie. It’s also got the touch of medieval English culture. I would recommend this book to everybody - it’s that great.

Around fifty years ago, the Problem occurred in London. Ghosts and other paranormals have appeared in England with the horrifying ability to torture and kill you. And yet the only people able to sense them and act are children and teens. Say goodbye to being a child and hello to growing up fast. A number of Psychic Agencies have appeared over the last few decades, dedicated to ridding people of the Problem. Lucy, a strong, willful and talented agent comes to London in search of a better job and a better future. But she is denied and instead finds herself accepting a job in the tiniest, most ramshackle agency there is. When their cases go horribly wrong and they run incredibly low on money, they are faced with one chance to redeem themselves: spend a night in the most haunted house in England and come out alive after ridding it of ghosts. And perhaps, for more publicity and the sake of doing good - figure out the reason behind a hidden dead body and the secret of the mansion. This is absolutely one of the best books I’ve read. Although it seems like a horror story, it is written in a way that is scary, suspenseful, witty, but light enough not to give you nightmares. One of the reasons I like it so much is because it is a good all-around story, it has the themes of family, friendship and camaraderie. It’s also got the touch of medieval English culture. I would recommend this book to everybody - it’s that great.

Around fifty years ago, the Problem occurred in London. Ghosts and other paranormals have appeared in England with the horrifying ability to torture and kill you. And yet the only people able to sense them and act are children and teens. Say goodbye to being a child and hello to growing up fast. A number of Psychic Agencies have appeared over the last few decades, dedicated to ridding people of the Problem. Lucy, a strong, willful and talented agent comes to London in search of a better job and a better future. But she is denied and instead finds herself accepting a job in the tiniest, most ramshackle agency there is. When their cases go horribly wrong and they run incredibly low on money, they are faced with one chance to redeem themselves: spend a night in the most haunted house in England and come out alive after ridding it of ghosts. And perhaps, for more publicity and the sake of doing good - figure out the reason behind a hidden dead body and the secret of the mansion. This is absolutely one of the best books I’ve read. Although it seems like a horror story, it is written in a way that is scary, suspenseful, witty, but light enough not to give you nightmares. One of the reasons I like it so much is because it is a good all-around story, it has the themes of family, friendship and camaraderie. It’s also got the touch of medieval English culture. I would recommend this book to everybody - it’s that great.

Piper McCloud has been able to fly since she was a baby. It was simply part of her nature. However, her parents tell her not to because it is unnatural. When she disobeys them in a desperate attempt to make friends, she is discriminated against and attracts the attention of a secret government facility. She agrees to leave with them to be trained with other exceptional children, but she soon realizes that they are trying to take away their powers, not train them. With the help of the other children, she tries to and fails. I do not think this book is for children. I read it a year or two ago and it gave me nightmares. There are mentions of abuse, enough torture to cripple someone and curse words. It has suspense that pulls you in but ultimately some of the topics mentioned need a more mature outlook. I would recommend this book to someone in high school, no younger.

After a house fire killed his mother and destroyed all of their possessions, Nick, his younger brother Danny and their dad move from Tampa, Florida, to Colorado Springs, Colorado into their great aunt’s house. After choosing the attic as his bedroom and finding a bunch of odd gadgets and machines, Nick decides to hold a garage sale to help clear out the space. Although hit by a sudden rainstorm, his garage sale is strangely successful. People seem compelled to buy the objects and there is the strange arrival of four creepy men in a black SUV. It isn’t until later that Nick realizes that the gadgets he found might be more important and more interesting than he thought - and that a shady group of scientists called the Accelerati know something about them. Now it’s up to Nick to figure out who they are, what they want, and what power really lies in his, well, attic. This book is entertaining, suspenseful and a really fun read. I would recommend it to anybody who likes mystery/action/sci-fi novels.

Big Nate is a four-and-a-half foot tall sixth grader with a record for the most school detentions. He works his way through the school year, causing trouble, getting in trouble, forgetting about school, dealing with daily problems and his fear as cats and spending too much time drawing comics and using his wit to find his way out of troublesome situations. This book doesn’t have a clear plotline - it is more a collection of Pierce’s comic strips. However, it is really funny and realistic. I would recommend this book to someone who wants a laugh and not necessarily a clear storyline.

Mo LoBeau is a normal sixth-grader living in Tupello Landing, North Carolina - population 148. Her community is pretty tight-knit and safe - until the murder. She had planned to spend the summer hanging out with her best friend Dale, working in her adoptive mother and adoptive fathers’ cafe and finding her biological “Upstream Mother”. But now it’s up to her and Dale to clear his name, rescue her adoptive mother, stay safe and help recover her adoptive father’s memory in hopes of solving the mystery and figuring out where she belongs. This book is witty, charming, surprisingly real and a great read. It is full of suspense, danger, mystery and addresses real life problems. I would recommend this to anybody looking for a good book.

Captain underpants is the comic-book creation of George and Harold, two fourth-grade troublemaking pranksters. After the two get caught by their child-hating principal Mr. Krupp sabotaging/pranking the school football game, they get in big trouble. Forced to cater to Mr. Krupp’s every whim, the boys seek revenge. They order a hypnosis ring which they use to mess with Mr. Krupp’s mind and accidentally turn him into a real-life Captain Underpants. Now it’s up to them to keep anybody else from finding out and save their town from the occasional supervillain, alien, or general bad-guy. This book is a hilarious read packed with adventure, mishaps, pranks, trouble and occasional superhero-saves-the-day moments.

Evan is going to be in fourth grade. Unfortunately, his younger sister Jessie is also going to be in fourth grade next year because of her above-average intelligence. Tension runs high and the siblings decide to compete to see who can make the most money through a Lemonade Stand. Through bribery, treachery, sabotage, stealing each others’ friends, being hurtful to one another and arguing, the siblings ultimately grow closer together. They learn to accept their differences, deal with other kids and learn the meaning of true friendship and family. I think this is a charming book and makes a really good read, especially if you want to learn a few business skills in the process.