Brandon

Title: The Rotten Romans Author: Teary Deary Illustrations: Martin Brown
 * Amazing and Gruesome Read**

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Character: This book is not a novel, but more of a funny version of a history book. It talks about the Romans and their "Rotten" history. I like how it talks about the sinister characters of the roman emperors and the ways they make rome a terrible, gruesome place.=====

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Story: Like I said, it's more like a history book, so I'll talk about that. This book teaches young children about the Rotten Romans with comics, jokes, and true stories. I enjoyed it very much because of the occasional comic of a roman warrior saying something stupid (like the cover).=====

**Adventurous and Fantastic Read**
For Literature Circles, I got the opportunity to read this great book!
 * Title:** Peter and the Starcatchers
 * Authors:** Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson
 * Character:** The protaganist in this book is a boy named peter who is an orphan. He goes on a ship to become a servant of the evil King Zarboff, who rules the evil country of Rundoon. When Peter finds out about a trunk hidden on his ship full to the brim with a special thing called starstuff, he's determined to help a girl named Molly, whos with him on a ship, to get the trunk to her father so he can get rid of it. This is because, even though it's wonderful stuff, it can turn you into a really bad person.
 * Story:** Moving on after what I have said, there is a group called the others. They track down starstuff and use it for their own purposes. Luckily, Molly's Dad works for the Starcatchers, who get rid of the precious item. They all get to go on adventures and do many interesting things, from Getting attacked by a 30 foot croc, to fighting pirates and islanders! I love it.
 * Rating:** I rate this book 9 of 10 stars, because I love the action and suspence, but the beggining wasn't that interesting. The book overall, is great. I love how the author puts it all together, and makes it all fit.
 * Recomendation:** I recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasy reads, and adventure stories, because that's all the book is about!

Before the end of the Holidays, I read a great book called //Catching Fire// which is written by //Suzanne Collins.//
 * Deadly and Suspenseful Read**
 * Character:** The protagonist in this book is a girl named Katniss, who lives in a dystopia of the future USA called Panem. She recently won a TV reality show called the Hunger Games with a boy named Peeta where tributes are reaped from every district, one of each gender, so they can come together in an arena to fight to the death until one victor remains. She threatened the capitol by almost making no victor in the end since that would be really bad for the capitol, if they dont let both of them win.


 * Summary:** After her victory with Peeta, she goes on her victory tour and begins to see a rebellion against the capitol (uprising) beginning to form. The capitol then reaps up tributes from each district to fight in the Hunger Games, meaning one boy and girl from each district who had won the Hunger Games once, were put together to fight to the death.


 * Rating:** I give this book five out of five stars because it was so adventurous and the next part so unsuspected that it just hooked me in immediately

The Hunger Games: By Suzanne Collins
 * Interesting and Bloody Read**
 * Summary:** This book is about a girl named Katniss Everdeen, who is picked to go to an arena to fight to the death until a lone victor remains. A boy named Peeta is also picked as well, and throughout the book, a love story begins to take place. One of the star-crossed lovers must kill the other by law, if someone else doesn't get them first.
 * Recommendation****:** I recommend this book to anyone who likes a good action story and is old enough to see the movie.
 * Rating:** 5 of 5 STARS

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Summary: This book is about a young secret agent Jack Stalwart who is sent to Italy on a mission. The manager of the italian team thinks that someone is trying to hurt his star driver, Morgan Parks, because he found a falty brake pipe in the car. He is sent into the Italian Car garage disguised as a reporter for the magazine "Fast Cars".=====

Rating: This is because it is very exciting at parts and how he describes what he's learned in training. I think all kids 12 and under would enjoy this book as much as I did. If not, well, that's their problem. Connection: I can connect to movies I have watched in the past about secret agents who go on epic mission worldwide.

Good review. Sounds like an interesting book, and I don't know this book! Mrs. Blum

This is me see? i have orange hair like ron so not my face but the hair! And that's my twin. KIDDING!!!



Title: Flush

Author: Carl Hiaasen

Genre: Realistic Fiction



This book is based on the seaside bay of the Keys in Florida, the Coral Queen, the Underwood residence, and the Jail.

This book is about a kid named Noah Underwood who's dad has sunk a boat that he thinks is dumping human waste into the bay. This is illegal and also very gross. Noah is plans to nail Dusty in the act. But can he get on the ship to to start Operation Flush? Read the bok to find out!

I give this book 10 out of 10 stars!

Warning: This book does contain some vulgar so please if you read this book, make sure a Parent says it is ok unless you are a Adult.

__Title: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban__

__Genre: Fantasy__

__Author: J.K.Rowling__

The main setting of this book is the Hogwarts School of Wizardry, which is housed in an enormous castle in the far north of England. Hogwarts Castle is surrounded by the Black Lake and the Forbidden Forest. A few other parts of the book are set in different places separate from Hogwarts. These include, the house near London where Harry Potter lives with his mean relatives; the Leaky Cauldron, a magic inn in London; the famous Hogwarts Express train; and the Shreeking Shack, a famous haunted house near the village of Hogsmeade close to Hogwarts. I have three favourite characters in this book. Two go to Hogwarts and one is a teacher there. The first character is Harry Potter, the central character in this book, who is funny, smart, and a very good wizard. Next is Ron Weasley, who is not so good at magic, gets really uptight with Professor Snape, ( who is one of the teachers) and kind of looks like ME!!! Last but not least, ther is Rubius Hagrid, who is a funny, smart, and brave teacher. He teaches Care for Magical Creatures. I like these characters because they all have things in common with me. I am smart like Harry Potter, I look like Ron Weasley, and I am Brave like Hagrid.

I give it 9 out of 10 stars!


 * Books I've Read: THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF THE UNEXPLAINED**

// ** B ** // **y Judy Allen**
 * Summary:This book is all about strange things. From Ghosts on the road to Orbs of Light seen at sea. From the Blood Sucking Chupacabra to the well known Loch Ness Monster! Anything that is Unexplainable is right here in this book.**

**Connections:**  **Text-to-self: This book I can easily connect to the time I thought I saw a ghost while telling ghost stories with my friends.** **Text-to-world: I can connect this to the strange mysterious things that happen in our world today.** **Questions I still have: Why did they put a mask on Napoleons face when he died? When was the first sighting of a UFO?**
 * Important or new vocabulary: Norse, Zodiac, and Kirlian**

**How I saw this character: There are not really any characters in any encyclopedia.** **I GIVE IT 10 OUT OF 10 STARS!!!**

Cool! I might actually read this book when I am done with the 39 Clues. I have not read an encyclopedia of any kind before. I don't think I would read it like I would read a book but I would just look through it and read the parts that stood out to me as interesting. What made you choose an encyclopedia to read? Just curious! ~Orion You look like Ron?? Well NOW I have an idea of what you look like! Here's a hint: The books get better as you make your way up the line. Yes, I have read them all, and i'm sure you will like them a lot. I give the all the books together 9 1/4 out of 10! ~ORION Hi Brandon, sorry I have not gotten to your blog in a while. It sounds like a cool book to read if who ever it may be is old enough.