The Kids at MRSA Send Some Awesome Reviews!

The fourth graders at Metrolina Regional Scholars Academy have sent us a bunch of really good book reviews. They sent so many, in fact, that I can't post them all at once. So I'm going to put ten at a time until they're all up. They've read some very interesting books, guys, so pay attention!

Before I post them, though, let me give you my progress on my New Year's resolution. (check out this post to see what it was) The Iron Guy has gotten into Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and finds that he's enjoying it a lot more than he thought he would. He's almost gotten to the point where the book crushed him the last time but yet he finds himself actually enjoying it this time.

Here he is, manfully reading along. (Notice that he has a paperback copy now to reduce the chance of book crushing)As the Iron Guy reads, however, he is remembering all the things about HP that he liked and all the things that irritated him to distraction. But you'll hear all about it in another post. Right now, let's get to those reviews! (they are in no particular order and each reader's name is in bold print)

SuperSam
The book I’m reviewing is Starting with Alice. The author’s name is Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. It is about a little girl named Alice that has an older brother named Lester. They live with their father and their mother died. Alice and Lester are new at their school and are having trouble fitting in. Alice has always wanted a pet and that’s why for her birthday present her dad bought her a cat. She invites some new friends over for a birthday party but does someone go missing? That question remains a mystery.

I wrote a review on this book because it is my favorite book. I love this book because it is reality, adventure, and mystery all in one. I love the Alice books because there really entertaining. I love how the adventure in the book is spread out all over in the book.

Ruta
I think that the Son of Neptune is an awesome book. Percy finds the roman Camp Jupiter and meets Frank and Hazel, who seem to have many secrets, though they’re as loyal as can be. As they go on their quest to save Death, they make allies and enemies. While they’re on their quest, all 3 wonder if they’ll even have a camp to return to. As Gaea sends an army to destroy Camp Jupiter, the group learns a lot about loyalty and duty. It’s a great sequel to The Lost Hero and is another awesome book by Rick Riordan.

awesomeeg
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Pride and Prejudice is a book about a young girl named Elizabeth Bennet and a nephew of a wealthy bachelor Mr. Darcy who has a relationship and the book tells about how they learn to deal with each other and how their relationship came to be and why. I enjoyed the book so much I decided to see the movie and both the book and movie was fantastic. I hope everyone gets a chance to read Pride and Prejudice.

Togo
The View from Saturday
By:E.L. Konigsburg
Meet the souls. A group of friends that meet all together and become friends at a tea party. here are thier names: Noah,Nadia,Ethan ,and Julian. How can thier teacher, Mrs. Olinski stand having these kids as thier students? Find out in this book!
I enjoyed this book because it had mischef and humor at the same time!

ipod n
Book Review - The People Of Sparks. By Jeanne DuPrau. This book was about 2 emberites that emerge from a hole in the ground that leads to an underground city called Ember, they are welcomed, however the town, called Sparks has limited resources such as food and space. In exchange the emberites have to complete there own work. But when resources are low the limited food leads to violence its up to Lina and Doon to stop war. The people of Sparks is the 2nd book in the sierise and i really enjoyed it, even though it starts off a bit slow in the start.

elite vivek

My favorite book is Billionaires Curse .The author of the book is Richard Newsome.
The book is about 13 year old Gerald who inherits one billion dollars, 3 estates, a super yacht and a Caribbean island from his great aunt Geraldine. But a robber steals a diamond worth a million dollars kills his aunt and is now is trying to kill Gerald. Now it is up to Gerald to retrieve the diamond and find out who killed his great aunt. I liked this book because this book had a lot of action and mystery and I really like those type of books. Also the book has so much detail that you get addicted to the book.

N/A

The Mysterious Benedict Society is a book by Trenton Lee Stewert and is the best book ever because there is just 4 kids in the whole world who can stop the evil Lathrode Curtain from controlling the world. These kids are Reynie , Sticky , Kate and the stubborn Constance. With the help of Milligan, Mr. Benidict, Rhonda, and Number Two. The kids must go to a mysterious school on a mysterious island.
I loved this book because there is a lot of adventure and I recommend it for fans of Harry Potter

Chuck the girl
The little princess by Frances hogins Bernet
Sarah has a perfect life In India, her dad owns jewel mines so Sarah is rich. Her mother died when she was born and now she is going to school. The kids there are nice. The head mistress Mrs.Michen is not. Sarah loves to play with her dolls but everything will change when here father dies leaving her no money.
I loved this book I loved it so much I read it in two nights, it’s just a page turner . I love it most of all I love that there action every ware you turn it’s a book of action, magic, friendship and believing.

Rocking Ryan

Title: Percy Jackson series
Author: Rick Riordan
One of my favorite books that I read was the Percy Jackson series. Percy is a teenage boy who is a Greek demigod. He goes to a camp called Camp Half-Blood and trains there for fighting (because Percy goes on multiple quests. He meets two friends at Camp Half-Blood; Grover and Annabeth. The three friends go on quests everywhere. They are always on dangerous missions. Sometimes, they even have to fight giants. Giants can only be killed by demigods and gods together. Will the friends survive all the quests that they go on? Read the book to figure out.
I liked this series because ther is action on every page. Plus I never stopped reading Riordan’s books. Rick Riordan is my favorite author.

Ife

My favorite book is Eldest. This book is about a 15 year old boy who adventures with his dragon Saphira. Galiborix the king of Alagaesia is trying to take all the dragon eggs. In the war Eragon fights against Murtagh which he finds out that he is his brother.
I liked this book because Eragon and His Dragon Saphirsa bond together and train to defeat Galiborix and overcome many difficulties that neither one of them could overcome by themself.

Thanks, everybody! All these books sound really good. So go out there and find them, guys! These are all kid-approved and not just pushed on you by some stuffy od grownup!

How Completely Cool Is This--an Interview with Lenore Look!

Yes, indeed, guys, this is a great day for our blog because we have an interview with the one-and-only Lenore Look, author of those split-your-sides-funny Alvin Ho books. (if you haven't read them yet, rush out right away and get one!!) So let's not waste any more time; here's Lenore Look:

I’ve heard this nasty rumor that it’s uncool for boys to read. I bet you disagree. Could you tell us why?

An awful rumor, indeed! In many parts of the world, it’s uncool for girls to read, and it’s not a rumor, it’s the law. Reading is considered masculine. Reading is power. Reading means you’re educated. Reading gives you privileges. You can pass a driver’s test. You can vote. You can travel. You can tell people what to do. Most importantly, you can tell yourself what to do. You are male, and it’s your birthright to be free and powerful. But if you’re female, you’re out of luck. You’ll always be a second-class citizen because you can’t read. You have no power. You are not free.

It wasn’t so long ago that it was uncool (and illegal) for black people in our country to read, and we all know why – a reading person could never be enslaved. Worse, a reading slave had the ability to undermine the power structure altogether – by teaching another slave to read, then another, and another . . . .

So why is there a rumor that it’s uncool for boys to read? It’s all part of a top-secret plan by girls to take over the world, of course! Once you guys stop reading and can’t read (because it’s considered feminine), then we will RULE!

Reading changes everything.

You are so right—reading is power and it does change everything for the better. So keep reading, guys! (and you girls, too!)

What made you think of writing stories about a second-grade boy who’s afraid of everything? And how did you decide what to put in Alvin’s Personal Disaster Kit?

My editor asked me to write a “boy book” like my Ruby Lu books. “Just make him like Ruby, except a boy,” she said. But I didn’t want to do that. How can you make a boy like a girl? You can’t. So I decided to make him the polar opposite of Ruby. While Ruby is overly enthusiastic about everything, and it’s her enthusiasm that gets her into trouble, Alvin is enthusiastic about nothing, and it’s his fear of everything that has trouble chasing him like a fox after an egg.

BTW, Alvin isn’t a “boy book” any more than Ruby Lu is a “girl book.” If guys limit themselves to reading only about guys (which is another rumor I’ve heard), they’ll miss out on some really fantastic books, including Ruby Lu.

As for the gear in Alvin’s PDK, it’s all the stuff that Alvin thinks he needs for facing scary school without taking the wheelbarrow with him. They’re all small things that you can carry easily without having to ask the bus driver to lower the wheelbarrow wheelchair lift for you, which Alvin couldn’t do anyway without a voice.

You really know what second-grade kids are like. Have you had a lot of experience with them?

None. I never left second grade.

One of the very funniest things in these books is the “cursing” in mock-Shakespearean. Where did you ever come up with that idea?

My daughter came home with a worksheet on Shakespearean “curses” in the third grade. It even showed you how to DIY. It was fantastic! So I stole it. In some families the dog eats the homework; in mine, well . . . how could you not add that to your ideas folder? But poor Mady. I betcha she got an F.

Will people take tours of your house 300 years from now? And will you give tours (like Emily Dickinson)?

You mean Louisa May Alcott? Emily lives in Amherst, Massachusetts, which is also hard to spell, not Concord.

The last time I was in Seattle, a librarian told me that some enterprising kid in the hood where I grew up is doing a walk-by tour of the house where I lived as a child, and where my Ruby Lu books are set. For a fee, he will go down the sidewalk and point out the house to you. TGINLLT! Thank God I no longer live there! NILIAULDTEKE. Now I live in an undisclosed location due to enterprising kids everywhere.

OOPS! Got my authors wrong. Will there be any more Alvin Ho books or am I asking you a secret?

Oh yes! I hope there’ll be as many Alvins as there are Harrys! :D

Which do you prefer – cheeseburgers or pizza? What do you like on them?

PIZZA!!!! OH I LOOOVE PIZZA!!!! I can eat a whole pie (in two days). I love Pizza Bianca, Pizza Margherita, Pizza Spinacci, Pizza Funghi, and I super-duper love – gasp!—anchovies on my pizza. Mmmmm! I can tell when the crust is just right – chewy and crunchy, a little salty and olive-oily, thin, not bready and not soggy. The best pizza I’ve ever had was in Napoli, the birthplace of pizza. And I’ve eaten my way through the rest of Italy, surviving on the 1-euro slice. It’s fantastic!

You seem very cool. Could we make you an Honorary Guy?

It doesn’t involve an operation, does it? I’m allergic to major changes. Otherwise, I’d loved to be an Honorary Guy! My guy name will be Leonardo, as in da Vinci. Just call me Leonardo da Look!

Thanks, Lenny--I mean, Lenore! We really appreciate your taking the time to talk with us. For writing such terrific books, we're going to bestow upon you the greatest honor we can give and make you an Honorary Guy. Don't worry; it doesn't involve any operations. All you need to do is accept it with our thanks.

Yes, now you have the right to yell obnoxiously loudly at sporting events, crack all the stupid jokes you'd like, and eat insane amounts of food with no nutritional value. What a great life! And don't be shy about accepting the greatness of this honor; you've earned it!

In all seriousness, we'd like to thank you once again. Please keep those books coming! If you'd like to see reviews of the Alvin Ho books, click on the "Alvin Ho" tab underneath this post. And don't be afraid to check out the Ruby Lu books, guys.

A Shout Out

The Iron Guy would like to give a great big shout out to the fourth-graders at Metrolina Regional Scholars Academy. They sent in a whole lot of comments yesterday and I was very glad to get them. Normally I'd try to write a post to include all of them but there are so many comments that I couldn't possibly include them all, so I'll just direct you to look at these posts and see what those guys and girls had to say:

Iron Guys' Top 5 for 2011 (they sent in a bunch of comments for this one)

SAMMER Starts the Year Right

The Iron Guy's New Year's Resolution

Thanks, everyone! Keep reading and writing and commenting!

The Iron Guy's New Year's Resolution

This is the time of year when grownups like to make resolutions--you know, resolving that you'll do something better this year. Some people resolve to lose weight or exercise more or learn a new language. The Iron Guy has determined to finish a piece of unfinished business this year and wants to share it with all of you reader guys. This year I have decided to...to...

OH, NO, DON'T MAKE ME!! DON'T MAKE ME!!!!!!!!!

Sorry about that little outburst. I'm trying to stick to my resolution but some things are just so---horrible that even the strongest among will grow faint and whimper. But I'm the IRON GUY and will not flinch form this New Year's resolution. Therefore I will...

NOT THAT!!!! PLEASE, NOT THAT!!!!!!

Get control of yourself, man. (sounds of Iron Guy slapping himself)

There, now I feel better. OK, here's my resolution and I hope I have the courage to stick it out:

I'm going to read Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

THERE!! I've said it. Now some of you are wondering, "What's the big deal? We read Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and liked it." Well, if you remember The Great Harry Potter Controversy from last summer, you'll know that I'm not a big Harry Potter fan. I don't think HP is terrible, I just wasn't bowled over by those books like everyone else in the world. BUT--I read only the first three and felt that I wasn't being fair. (I'm surprised no one called me on that during the Controversy) So I decided to read the other four books and give the good Mr. Potter a fair shot.

BUT----this is what happened:




I started off reading HPGF like the MANLY MAN that I am.









But the plot was so sloooowwww and the book was so looonnnggg and nothing interesting happened and it started to crush my will to read. I tried to man up and keep going but---







---it eventually crushed me and I never finished.




So you see why I've had such a horror of trying to read it again. But this is a new year! And I've heard so many boys and grownups tell how great the HP books are that I've resolved to read this one and see if they're right. Are you with me, men?? Can I count on your support? You know what--I trust you guys enough to put my feet to the fire. I've put a survey box in the upper left-hand corner of the blog to give me time time frame for reading the book. (there's agood reason why I'd want to finsih before February 5. watch for it in a nother post)I'll keep it up there until next Friday and act on your votes. that will give me the inner fortitude (aren't you impressed by the big words I know?) to get through this long nignhtm...I mean, this long book.

OK, here I go!!!! Will HP vanquish the Iron Guy once again? Or will he overcome in true MANLY MAN fashion?

SAMMER Starts the Year Right!

Greetings, fellow reader guys, from the new year of 2012. Hope this one will be happy, healthy and have heaps of good stuff to read. Our good friend and regular reviewer Sammer has begun the year on a high note. Let's look at his review of the Fablehaven books:

I just finished reading The Fablehaven series by Brandon Mull. They were a fabulous series about stopping the Society of the Evening Star from opening the Demond prison Zzyzx. It's a great adventure to see what they go through to stop them. The main characters Seth and Kendra think they just going to stay at their boring Grandparents house. When they are given a book with three keys to it with instructions to find the keys. They find them and open the book and there is nothing in there except three words in the back "Drink the milk." They atomatcly thought of the milk they see all the insects of the yard dricking. They drank the milk and they looked at the insects and they were different. They were faries! They went to their Grandparents and they explained about Fablehaven the magical preserve for magical creatures and Viola the giant cow. That is how the great adventure started. The first book is about stopping Muriel the Witch and Bahumat the Demond. The second book is about stopping Olloch the Gluton from eating Seth. The third book is about stopping the shadow plague. The fourth book is about recovering the key to the Obsidian Waste from the dragon sanctuary Wyrmroost. The fifth book is about finishing stopping the Society of the Evening Star from opening Zzyzx. I recomend the series and it has lead me to reading his new series The Beyonders.

Thanks, Sammer! These books look really good and I've heard good things about them. I hope you guys go out and get them. After all, they're---

Guy Tested--GUY APROVED!!