The Count of Monte Cristo

By Alexandre Dumas
509 pages

DEATH ***
PERIL **
VIOLENCE ***
LANGUAGE **
ROMANTIC AFFAIRS **

VERY exciting. I though it was going to be boring, but I finished it in 2 days because I couldn't put it down! It was WAY better than the movie, and I really enjoyed it. A murder mystery, love story, vengeance, cunning, amazing book. It is a required high school novel

Edmond Dantes is a lowly sailor, with a father who loves him and a beautiful fiance. When everything finally seems to be falling in line for once in his life, he is framed and sent to Chateau d'If , a horrible prison, where he stays there for 14 years. He wants nothing more than revenge on his enemies and his loved ones back...can he do it?

The Hunger Games *****

By Suzanne Collins
Sci-Fi
374 pages

VIOLENCE ***
ROMANTIC AFFAIRS ***
MYTHICAL/SUPERNATURAL CREATURES ***
DEATH ***
PERIL ***

I am in love with this book! It was an action packed with survival, romance, peril, and twists at every turn...I couldn't put it down! *Note: There is a lot of death and gets a little descriptive with the wounds and gore, but it won't be too bad for those 13 +.

Katniss Everdeen lives in a time of Darkness. District 12, her hometown, has been struck by a slowly consuming famine. Once a year, the cruel Capitol forces each district to offer two teenagers between the age 12-18 to participate in The Hunger Games, a barbaric 'game show' where they trap the tributes in a large arena and they must fight to the death. Whoever survives gets ever-lasting glory and wealth. When Katniss volunteers herself in her sisters place, her life is changed forever as she tries to survive the horrid Hunger Games.

The Twits ****

By Roald Dahl
Fiction

VIOLENCE *

One of the funniest book I've ever read! Meet Mr. and Mrs. Twit; the two most hideous, cruel, disgusting couple you'll ever meet. Mr. Twit has a nasty beard (beards are the worst), and Mrs. Twit has an glass eye that she likes to pop on and out of her head (gross!). Join them as they pull pranks on each other, train their circus monkeys, and make bird pies.

A Day of Tears *****

By Julius Lester
Historical Fiction
171 pages

DEATH ***
VIOLENCE ***
PERIL ***
ROMANTIC AFFAIRS **

Such a good book! It was very deep...it really hit the problem of slavery head-on. I really liked it.
Emma is a slave. Her whole life, she has worked at the Pierce Butler plantation, taking care of the Master's daughters and working in the kitchen with mama. When the Master foolishly gambles away his fortune, he sells his slaves. Can little Sarah stop her daddy from selling her beloved Emma?

Airman *****

By Eoin Colfer
Sci-Fi

DEATH ***
VIOLENCE ***
PERIL ****
ROMANTIC AFFAIRS **
LANGUAGE **
GUNS ***

Wow...what a amazing book! This is the same author who wrote the Artemis Fowl series. It is a exciting adventure of courage and wits. I really enjoyed it! It does get a little descriptive with violence and death, and there is some mild language, but it is not too bad for readers around 14 years of age.
Connor Broekhart was born to fly. Literally. He was born in a balloon. His mother is a beautiful scientist, and his father a dashing war hero. He lives on the island of Great Saltee, just off the Ireland coast. His life is blissful. He brainstorms and builds flying machines with his adored tutor, and plays with the beautiful Princess Isabella. But his luck takes a turn for the worst when he is framed for a crime he did not do, and is sent to Little Saltee, a diamond quarry prison on a wretched island. Will Connor ever take flight?

Fairest *****

By Gail Carson Levine
Fantasy

VIOLENCE ***
DEATH **
PERIL ***
ROMANTIC AFFAIRS ***

This is a really sweet book. It's very clean, and really good!
Aza is ugly. She is big-boned, pale as chalk. Her eyes are too blue, and her lips are too red. Abandoned in a Inn room as a baby, she has never known her true parents, or where she came from. Villagers whisper that she is half-ogre. When Aza is invited to the King's wedding, she offered the opportunity to serve the new Queen, Ivy. There she meets the charming Prince. When she is falsely accused, can Aza use her looks as a advantage to save herself from treachery?

Inkheart (Book 1) *****

By Cornelia Funke
Fantasy

DEATH **
PERIL ***
VIOLENCE ***
GUNS **
LANGUAGE ** (MILD)

A very exciting, action-packed series. This is one of the best, well-writen childrens book I have ever read. There is language, but it is quite mild.
Mo has a special gift. When he reads, certain items or characters from the books come to life. Literally. They are plucked from their world, and brought directly to ours. When Mo accidently brings three unpleasent characters to his living room, his life becomes a daring chase in order to survive. With help from his daughter, Meggie, can they ever find a way to put a stop to this madness?

Inkspell (Book 2) ****

By Cornelia Funke
Fantasy

DEATH ***
VIOLENCE ***
PERIL ***
LANGUAGE **
ROMANTIC AFFAIRS ***

This one was okay, but I personally like the first and the third better, though.
Dustfinger is desperately trying to return back to Inkworld. He longs to see his loved ones again, and be able to talk to fire. When they finally find someone with the powers to return him, he sends Dustfinger, but leaves poor Farid behind. When bad guys attack Eleanor's house, they must be forced to do something they never wanted to do. Will they ever be safe?

Inkdeath (Book 3) *****

Cornelia Funke
Fantasy
663 pages

DEATH ***
VIOLENCE ***
LANGUAGE ***
PERIL ***
ROMANTIC AFFAIRS ***

I really enjoyed this series! This is the final book in the series, and my favorite. Cornelia Funke has such a beautiful way of writing and is very descriptive, and I like the details she puts in. They are not boring details, either.
Mo is being engulfed in his role as the Bluejay. He no longer feels like book-docter-Mo, and finds excitement and joy in protecting the people of Ombra from the Milksop and the Adderhead's henchmen. Meanwhile, Farid is desperately trying to find a way to reserect his dearest friend, Dustfinger, with the help of Orpheus. The book that Mo bound for the Adderhead is, indeed, keeping him alive, but is leaving him sickly. In a daring chase, can Mo rid Inkworld of the Adderhead for good?

Rebecca ****

By Daphne Du Maurier
Fiction

ROMANTIC AFFAIRS ***
ADULT SITUATIONS **
VIOLENCE ***
LANGUAGE ***
PERIL ****
DEATH ***

This is a 'required' book for high school kids. There is LANGUAGE and ADULT SITUATIONS on a high level, so this book is not reccamended for readers younger than 14/15. It IS a good book, though. It is a murder mystery, also. Another reason for it to be only for high school age kids. If you have a younger reader who would like to read a mild murder mystery, 'The Westing Game' is a good juvinile murder mystery, and it is listed below.

It all starts out a dream from the secound Mrs. Maxim De Winter. Remembering the dreaded past, she recounts the events that lead her to be this way...
When the young, ignorant new bride arrives to Manderley, her husbands estate, she finds out about the first late Mrs. Maxim De Winter, Rebecca. In a daring plot with new discoveries around every corner, will she ever really find out what happened to the beloved Rebecca?

Number the Stars ****

By Louis Lowry
Historical Fiction

DEATH **
VIOLENCE ***
PERIL ***
GUNS **

A very touching story. Books about WW2 are always sad, but this leaves you with a sense of hope.
Annemarie and her family live in Denmark, Germany in 1943. Her elder sister passed away a couple of years ago, and her family is still deep in grief. When Nazi soldiers come to 'clean out' all the Jews, Annemarie and her family must protect her Jewish friend, Ellen, from being taken. Will they make it to the safety of Sweden in time?

Holes ****

By Louis Sachar
Fiction

DEATH ***
VIOLENCE ***
PERIL **
ROMANTIC AFFAIRS **

A great story and a very humorous, clean book. I really liked it!
Stanley Yelnats the fourth has had bad luck his entire life. A curse had supposedly been cast upon his great-great-grandfather that had spread to his lineage. When Stanley is framed for stealing major league baseball cleats, he is sent to Camp Greenlake, a juvenile detention camp, where he digs holes all day and is bullied by the other campers. Except for Zero. Zero doesn't talk. He can, but he won't. When a friendship connects between the two boys, and Zero runs away, Stanley must go search for him and get away from the horrible Camp Greenlake. Will the family curse ever be lifted off Stanley and his family?

A Wrinkle in Time ***

By Madeline L'Engle
Sci-Fi

DEATH *
VIOLENCE ***
PERIL ***
SUPERNATURAL MIND CONTROL CREATURE ***

Kind of a weird book, but it is clean with no language or anything.
Meg and Charles Wallace Murry's father is missing. As a very talented scientist that worked for the government, who knows where he could be. When they get help from three witches, they find the other realm that their father in entrapped in, and they must defeat the mysterious fource called 'It'. Can they make it back home with their father and their lives?

The Books of Bayern: The Goose Girl (Book 1) *****

By Shannon Hale
Fantasy/Fiction

DEATH **
VIOLENCE ***
PERIL ****
ROMANTIC AFFAIRS **

I think this is a really good princess-ey book. Not too gushy, the Princess isn't some cowardly weakling locked up in her tower, it isn't cheesy. It is also very clean! Princess Isidora was raised by her beloved Aunt, who told her that certain people were born with special gifts. There are five; Nature-speaking, Animal-speaking, Water-speaking, Fire-speaking, and People-speaking. She told her that when the world was born, everyone knew these sacred languages, but they have slowly faded away as they were forgotten. Her Aunt herself has animal-speaking, as does Isi. When Isi's father dies, her notorious mother takes over, disthrones Isi from being heir, and sends her away to wed a Prince in another Kingdom that she has never meet. When Isi's lady-in-waiting rebels, Isi is forced to go into hiding and work as a lowly Goose Girl. Will Isi ever take her rightful place as Princess?

Esperanza Rising ****

By Pam Munoz Ryan
Fiction

DEATH **
VIOLENCE **
PERIL *
ROMANTIC AFFAIRS **

This is a very good, clean book. I really enjoyed it and have read it over and over again over the years. Esperanza has such spirit and insight on what it was like to be a Hispanic immigrant in America in the time of the Great Depression.
Esperanza has every thing she could ever want. Her family is very wealthy, her father is a kind, hard working man, and her mother is beautiful and kind as well. She has twelve porcelain dolls, one for each of her birthdays. And she is about to receive another for her 13th birthday. Tragedy strikes her family and ranch. Desperate, they decide to take the long journey to America where they can find work. Going from riches to rags is difficult for Esperanza, who has always had a hand-maiden to do everything for her. When Mama gets ill, can Esperanza take charge and earn enough money to take care of her mother?

Where the Red Fern Grows *****

By Wilson Rawls
Fiction

DEATH ***
VIOLENCE **
PERIL **

A classic. It made me cry. It is very clean with no language or immorality. A character does die, but it isn't gruesome, and it is kind of sad.
Billy wants nothing more than his own coonhounds to hunt with him, but his family can't afford them. He works for six years to earn the money, and finally gets Big Dave and Little Annie. He loves them and shows them how to hunt. When a cougar attacks, will Billy's beloved coonhounds be okay?

Sarah Bishop ***

Sarah Bishop (Houghton Mifflin Reading: The Literature Experience Series)

By Scott O'Dell
Historical Fiction

DEATH **
VIOLENCE ***
PERIL ***

I thought it was okay. I wasn't too crazy about it, but it was a good story and a clean book. Great historical fiction for the Revolutionary War time period
Forced into hiding, being framed and falsely accused of treachery, Sarah Bishope lives out in the wilderness, where she plans to stay until the Revolutionary War is over, and she can be free. With only a gun and little supplies, can Sarah survive?

Little House in the Big Woods

By Laura Ingalls Wilder
Historical Fiction

*NO CRITERIA TO RATE ON*

You gotta love Little House in the Big Woods! It's not just for girls, either! the Little House in the Prairie Series is by far the most clean, enjoyable series of all time. And it actually happened, too!
Laura Ingalls has an older sister named Mary and a baby sister named Carrie. Her Ma and Pa are loving and caring, and Pa lulls them to sleep every night with his fiddle. Join Laura and her family while they live out in the wilderness of Wisconsin in the late 1800's.

Books of Bayern: Enna Burning (Book 2) *****

By Shannon Hale
Fantasy/Fiction

DEATH ****
VIOLENCE ***
PERIL ****
ROMANTIC AFFAIRS **

Enna has such spunk and spirit. This book is definitely a warning that if you play with fire, you are sure to get burned. It does have some details on people getting consumed by fire and war, but it isn't too heavy.
Enna is devastated and has a heavy load of responsibility on her shoulders. Her mother is dead, and she has the chore of taking care of her older brother and the house. She can't leave her home, for her brother is often away, and she feels trapped. When her brother starts showing aggressive and mysterious behavior, Enna fears for his safety as she realizes he has the power of fire-speaking, a special language that was thought to have been lost long ago. When Bayern goes to war, Enna is tempted to try-out this new fire-speech, although warned by others that is among the most deadly of languages. Will Enna be consumed in the fire she has learned to love so much?

Books of Bayern: River Secrets (Book 3) *****

By Shannon Hale
Fantasy/Fiction

DEATH **
VIOLENCE ***
PERIL ***
ROMANTIC AFFAIRS **

I really like Razo, he is a very amusing character and will make you laugh. This book is action-packed and very adventurous. And CLEAN!
Razo goes to Tira with the army of Bayern to ensure peace between the two countries. There, he discovers the sea along with other lurking dangers that are threatening to damage the Bayernites while they are staying there. Can Razo use his skills to save his army and new friends?

The Books of Bayern: Forest Born (Book 4)

By Shannon Hale
Fantasy/Fiction

DEATH **
VIOLENCE ***
PERIL ***
ROMANTIC AFFAIRS **

I really liked it. It was clean and had a very good story!
Rinna is Razo's little sister. She is the youngest child of eight strapping boys (except for Razo). Feeling lonely and forgotten, she makes a habit of taking walks in the natural forest beauty that surrounds her, and discovers that she can sense emotions and thoughts coming from the trees. Puzzled and intimidated by her newly-found powers, she decides to go to the Capital of Bayern and take a position in the royal palace of her brother's good friends, King Geric and Queen Isidora. There she meets Isi, Enna, and Dasha and learns of their powers. When danger escalates and the royal family is threatened, can Ren find courage and save her friends?

Hachet ****

By Gary Paulsen
Fiction
195 pages

DEATH ***
VIOLENCE ***
PERIL ****
ADULT SITUATIONS **

Youth, have your parents read this discription before reading this book.
Okay, to distinguish 'ADULT SITUATIONS' for this book, the main character's mother unexpectedly and randomly files for a divorce from her husband, and the character later admits seeing his mother with another man right before the divorce. After she gets the divorce, she keeps seeing this other man and never marries him.

Brian is off to visit his father in Canada by a two-passenger plane, when the pilot has technical difficulties and crashes them in the middle of the wilderness, where Brian has nothing to help him survive other than the clothes on his back and a hachet that had been clipped onto his belt before the crash. Devastated and scared, Brian must learn to make shelter, build a fire, and find food all by himself for who-knows-how-long. Will Brian ever be rescued?

My Brother Sam is Dead ****

By James Lincoln Collier & Christopher Collier
Historical Fiction
211 pages

DEATH ****
VIOLENCE ****
PERIL ****
LANGUAGE ** (Mild)

I thought this was a really good historical fiction book. I don't usually bestow this honor on just any historical fiction book, because I usually don't like them. I don't like them because you can tell the characters are fake, and where the truth was stretched a little to incorporate the made-up character(s). The authors did a really good job of harmonizing everything together and making it seem real. It is a little descriptive with injuries and violence, but it won't too bad for older readers. Tim Meeker lives in Redding Ridge Connecticut in late 1700's, during the Revolutionary war. His family is Torry, which means they aren't siding with America or King George. That makes their family very vulnerable on both sides. Tim looks up to his older brother Sam, and when Sam joins the war as a solider for America, his family and town are torn apart. Will Tim and his family ever find peace in the midst of a war?

Matilda *****

By Roald Dahl
Fiction

VIOLENCE *
PERIL *

A cute book. Roald Dahl is so funny and original...you gotta love it! What happens when a child is born to idiot parents? Well...Matilda happened exactly that way. At one years old, she was reading. At four years old, her vocabulary surpasses her elders. But her parents could care less. Her father owns a car dealership, where he cheats people for a living by jacking-up the cars he sells. Her mother plays bingo all day, and her brother goes to school and goofs off. They leave her all alone all day every day to fend for herself, and she dreams of going to school. When they finally do send her to school, they send her to the worst possible school that's ruled by the horrible Principle Ms. Trunchbull herself, who finds pleasure in torturing little children. When Matilda discovers powers within herself, can she us them against her enemies?

The Westing Game *****

By Ellen Raskin
Fiction

DEATH **
VIOLENCE ***
PERIL ***
ROMANTIC AFFAIRS **

A very good, clean, juvenile murder mystery. No gore, no serial killer. A very cleverly designed book. I L-O-V-E-D it! The rich, game-obsessed Mr. Westing has died, and sixteen people have been chosen to inherit his huge estate and fortune. Sixteen people who have never meet him, and maybe have never heard of him. One of them, he claims, has murdered him. How he knew who murdered him while he was still alive is haunting, and everyone is scared yet determined to find this person out. His will is a game of wits and courage, and whichever pair of persons solves it first, will discover who murdered Mr. Westing and will receive his vast fortune.

The City of Ember (Book 1) ****

By Jeanne DuPrau
Sci-Fi

DEATH ***
VIOLENCE ***
PERIL ***
ROMANTIC AFFAIRS **

A very exciting series, and a very clean book! Adventurous and action-packed, it will certainly keep you turning the pages. Lina Mayfleet and Doon Harrow live in an underground city called Ember. The entire city has been powered by and has heavily relied on for centuries by a huge Generator, and it is failing. Any day the lights of Ember could go out forever. Doon knows exactly how to fix it, and switches jobs with Lina so he can work in the Pipeworks. When Lina discovers a strange box with a timed-lock on it, she goes to Doon for help, and they soon realize it is the salvation for the city. Danger and selfishness escalating, Doon and Lina must solve the mysterious puzzle in order to save their civilization.

The People of Sparks (Book 2) ****

By Jeanne DuPrau
Sci-Fi

DEATH **
VIOLENCE ****
PERIL ***

An exciting sequel to 'The City of Ember'! I really enjoyed it. It's clean and adventurous. The citizens of Ember had emerged from the underground city, scared and awed at the bright, wonderous world around them. When they find a little town called 'Sparks', in need of medical help and food, the people of Sparks reluctantly oblige and give them a deadline of six months to learn how to cook over and prep. a fire, build homes, and farm. When contention escalates, and people are blamed, will the two cities ever find peace with one another?

The Prophet of Yonwood (Book 3) ****

By Jeanne DuPrau
Sci-Fi

DEATH ***
VIOLENCE ****
PERIL **

Very chilling and exciting. This book really gives a little explanation to what really happened before Ember, before the World destroyed itself. Niki is off to her recently deceased great-grandfathers home with her Aunt, to help her fix it up so they can sell it. While there, in the town of Yonwood, she notices mysterious activities among the citizens. When she hears the story of their great supposed Prophet who has apparently been struck into a deep sleep by God, she gets curious and decides to help. Faced with the mission of reporting any odd activities among the people, she unravels the truth. Will the Prophet of Yonwood ever awake?

The Diamond of Darkhold (Book 4) ****

By Jeanne DuPrau
Sci-Fi

DEATH ****
PERIL ***
ROMANTIC AFFAIRS **
VIOLENCE ***

Incredible. I really liked how the series ended. It was written very detailed, which I like. Very clean, except some gruesome suggestions in some parts, but nothing really happens. The City of Sparks is dying. There are simply too many people, and not enough food. When situations get dire, Doon and Lina embark on another adventure to find neccesities for their dying city, and it requires going back to The City of Ember. What will they find down in Ember? Will they survive?

The Shadow Children Sequence: Among the Hidden (Book 1) *****

By Margaret Peterson Haddix
Sci-fi

VIOLENCE **
GUNS **
PERIL ***
DEATH ****

If you've read the book, 'The Giver' (By Louis Lowery), you'll like this series. I thought it was a really interesting point of view. Luke Garner lives in a time where the government allows only two children per family. Luke is a third child, and has been in hiding for the whole twelve years of his life. While his parents go to work, and his brothers go to school, he hides in the attic, terrified that the 'Population Police' will find him out, and arrest him just for being born. He thought he was all alone, until one day, he saw a light in a neighboring window. In a house where the family already has two boys who were at school. As Luke's life is twisted and squeezed for all the truth, will the Luke have the courage to come out of hiding and aid a friend in the end?

The Shadow Children Sequence: Among the Imposters (Book 2)

By Margaret Peterson Haddix
Sci-Fi

VIOLENCE ***
GUNS **
PERIL ***
DEATH ***

I really liked this one! It was very exciting and well written. Luke Garner has been given a new identity, the name Lee Grant. A name that once belonged to a Baron, son of one of the most powerful men in the country, who mysteriously died in a ski accident the day before. He is being shipped away to a boarding school, where everyday, he lives in fear of being discovered. When the truth is revealed, will Luke (or Lee...?) accept it and step up to the challenge, or will he retreat to the shadows like he has his entire life?

The Shadow Children Sequence: Among the Betrayed (Book 3) ****

By Margaret Peterson Haddix
Sci-Fi

VIOLENCE ***
PERIL ***
GUNS **
DEATH **
ROMANTIC AFFAIRS***

Very chilling and exciting. Very detailed and clever! Very CLEAN! Nina, a third child, has been framed and sent to prison. Heart broken and weary, Nina is faced with a choice; she can be executed, or she can coax answers out of three other prisoners and be released. Will Nina make the right decision in the end?

The Shadow Children Sequence: Among the Barons (Book 4) ****

By Margaret Peterson Haddix
Sci-Fi

VIOLENCE ***
GUNS ***
PERIL ***
DEATH ****

Unexpected, exciting, and CLEAN. I really enjoyed it!
Lee is finally getting used to Hendricks. He has friends and people who care for him, and people who are all helping the cause, the cause for third children to be free. When he gets an unexpected visit from Smitheson, the real brother of the deceased REAL Lee Grant, a lot of responcibility and worry is thrown upon his shoulders. Not knowing who to trust, Lee is slightly disturbed by this new younger brother. When he gets invited to go the Grants home, confused and doubtful, everyone is trying to recruit him! Whom should he trust?

The Shadow Children Sequence: Among the Brave (Book 5) ****

By Margaret Peterson Haddix
Sci-Fi

VIOLENCE ****
GUNS ***
PERIL ***
DEATH **

Lots of twists and turns that are unexpected. I think it was good. :)
Trey is a cowardly third child who had never looked out a window or stepped outdoors for more than a few measley minutes in his entire life - that is, until he arrived at Hendricks, a secret refuge for shadow children. When Lee and the others are taken prisoner by the Population Police and their horrible new President, Trey must team up with the unexpected and save his friends. But when his accomplice is captured, will Trey have the guts to do what it takes to save him?

The Shadow Children Sequence: Among the Enemy (Book 6) **

By Margaret Peterson Haddix
Sci-Fi

DEATH ****
PERIL ***
VIOLENCE ****
GUNS ***

I really didn't like this one. It was a little too action-ey. In one part, seventeen fresh corpes's are discovered, and to me, it was a little disturbing.
Matthias, Percy, and little Alia are boarded at a boarding school, where, for once in their life, they are warm and feed. But when the Population Police shut down the school and evacuate everyone to their HQ so they can be put to work, the three childrens lives take a sharp turn to even worse danger, and Percy and Alia are in mortal danger. Can Matthias get help for his two friends?

The Shadow Children Sequence: Among the Free (Book 7) *****

By Margaret Peterson Haddix
Sci-Fi
194 pages

DEATH ***
VIOLENCE ****
PERIL ***
GUNS ***

I thought it was nice finale for the series. It tied up a lot of loose ends I had been wondering about, and left me with a feeling of hope. :)
Luke has been working undercover in the enemies HQ as a stable boy for the past couple of months. But when he is promoted to aid a Commander, he rebels and is forced into hiding - again. When word reached his ears that the dreaded government had finally been overthrown, who will take charge? Will Luke have the courage to stand up for his rights in the end?

The Giver *****

By Louis Lowry
Sci-Fi

DEATH *****
PERIL ***
VIOLENCE ****

I thought this was a really good book. It is slightly disturbing, but pretty clean and VERY good. Jonas lives in a perfect community. He has perfect grades. Everyone is equal. There are no problems, no pain. No fear. But when Jonas is chosen to be the next 'Giver', his life changes. The Giver is the one who holds all the memories of the past, all the wonderful, painful memories of before the world destroyed itself with war. Faced with the truth, will Jonas ever be the same again?

The Two Princesses of Bamarre *****

By Gail Carson Levine
Fantasy

DEATH ***
PERIL ****
VIOLENCE ****
ROMANTIC AFFAIRS ***/****
MYTHICAL/SUPERNATURAL CREATURES ****

This is a really cute book. Again, a very girly book, so boys will probably not enjoy it. Princesses Adelina and Meryl are total opposites. Princess Meryl loves to fence and make battle plans, and longs to go on a quest herself, but she is bound by an oath she made with her sister to stay at home until her sister is wed. Princess Adelina loves to stay indoors and sew. She is terrified of the most simplest things and relies on her sister, Meryl, to protect her. But when Meryl gets a deadly disease, Adelina must face her fears and go on a quest to find a cure for her sister.

Ella Enchanted *****

By Gail Carson Levine
Fantasy

DEATH ****
PERIL ***
MYTHICAL/SUPERNATURAL CREATURES ***
ROMANTIC AFFAIRS ***
VIOLENCE ***

This is definitely a girly book, so I wouldn't recommend it for boys. :) It's a good book, though. And very clean. Ella was born with a curse, a magical curse of obedience that was placed upon her by the notorious fairy Lucinda. She HAS to obey every command given by anybody. She hates it. When tragedy hits, Ella must go to a Lady Etiquette boarding school with her horrid new step sisters. Will Ella ever find freedom?

The Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning (Book 1) ****

By Lemony Snicket
Fiction

DEATH ****
PERIL ***
VIOLENCE **

This series is really good! The way the author writes is absolutely hilarious. It is kind of dismal because their parents die and they can never find a happy place to stay, but other than that the book is really clean! Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire are children who's parents were killed in a fire, that also consumed their entire mansion. Devastated and scared, they are sent to stay with a supposed relative that they have never meet nor ever heard about; Count Olaf, who makes them do tedious chores all day long and treats them like his personal slaves. When they realize how villainous he is, can they successfully escape his clutches?

The Series of Unfortunate Events: The Reptile Room (Book 2) ****

By Lemony Snicket
Fiction

DEATH ****
PERIL ***
VIOLENCE **

Very funny, very clean. Loved it!
Violet, Klaus, and Sunny are back and off to another supposed relatives home, but this time, their relative is quite nice and they soon discover they rather like him. But their happiness, they soon find, is only temporary when Count Olaf, disguised as their guardian's new assistant, knocks on their front door. Can the children convince their beloved Uncle Monty of his new assistant's true identity?

The Series of Unfortunate Events: The Wide Window (Book 3) ****

By Lemony Snicket
Fiction

DEATH ****
PERIL ***
VIOENCE **
ROMANTIC AFFAIRS **

What can I say? I love this series! They're clean, funny, clever, and exciting. Once again, the trio of orphans are being sent to stay with a supposed distant relative. Meet Aunt Josephine, who lives in a house precariously balanced on the edge above a cliff that looms over Lake Lachromous, which is infested with man-eating leeches. Oh, yeah. She also has a deadly fear of door knobs, refrigerators, and Realtors. What a weirdo. When Count Olaf once again invades their lives, can they save their senile guardian?

Artemis Fowl (Book 1) *****

By Eoin Colfer
Sci-Fi Fantasy

MYTHICAL/SUPERNATURAL CREATURES ***
VIOLENCE ***
LANGUAGE * (made up word)
GUNS **
DEATH *
PERIL ***

I love the Artemis Fowl series! It's hilarious, witty, and exciting. *Note: To distinguish 'made-up swear word', the only word they say it 'D'arvit!', and it is a foul gnomish word. So basically, a made up word that doesn't mean anything.* Artemis Fowl is a multi billionaire, criminal mastermind genius. But one problem: he’s 12. No joke. He has a highly seasoned body guard, Butler, and a mother who is going senile. His father has also been captured by the Russian Mafia. And on top of that, he’s running low on money because his father isn't there to keep up the family business, criminalism. But when he finds out about magic creatures that live underground, will anything stop him from stealing their sacred gold?

Artemis Fowl: Artic Incident (Book 2) ****

By Eoin Colfer
Sci-fi Fantasy

MYTHICAL/SUPERNATURAL CREATURES ***
VIOLENCE ***
LANGUAGE * (made up word)
GUNS **
DEATH *
PERIL ***


Exciting and action packed! Artemis Fowl, a brilliant 13 year old boy, is back for more, and this time, he’s saving his father, Artemis Fowl senior who dissapeared 3 years previously, from the Russian Mafia. But when disaster strikes, will the fairies aid him?

Artemis Fowl: The Opal Deception (Book 3) ****

By Eoin Colfer
Sci-fi Fantasy

MYTHICAL/SUPERNATURAL CREATURES ***
VIOLENCE ***
LANGUAGE * (made up word)
GUNS **
DEATH *
PERIL ***

Really good and exciting! Not to mention CLEAN! Opal Koboi, an old enemy, has been captured in a coma for the past two years. But somehow, in some way, the entire time she has been plotting her escape and revenge on Artemis Fowl. In a raging battle of stamina, strength, and wits, will Artemis, Butler, and friends be able to stop her before it’s too late?

Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code (Book 4) *****

By Eoin Colfer
Sci-fi Fantasy

MYTHICAL/SUPERNATURAL CREATURES ***
VIOLENCE ***
LANGUAGE * (made up word)
GUNS **
DEATH *
PERIL ***

Very thrilling. I thought it ended nicely. Artemis Fowl has a new invention: A cube. But not just any cube. This cube can hack into any computer in seconds, can x-ray anything, can give you any personal information on any human being on earth. It can give you access to eavesdrop on anyone on a phone call. It can suck power from any satellite.
Artemis meets with one of the most powerful beings on earth and tries taunting him with it. When he gets outraged, Artemis’s best and only friend in the world will be put in mortal danger. Can Artemis save him? Or will he end up destroying him?

Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony (Book 5) *****

By Eoin Colfer
Sci-fi Fantasy

MYTHICAL/SUPERNATURAL CREATURES ***
VIOLENCE ***
LANGUAGE * (made up word)
GUNS **
DEATH *
PERIL ***

Really funny! I thought it was really good.
A new species of magical creature has arrived: Demons that were trapped in a space/time continuum for the past millennia. Demons that can time travel. Artemis Fowl is also dealing with another mysterious employer, a twelve year old girl who may just outwit him.

Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox (Book 6) *****

By Eoin Colfer
Sci-fi Fantasy

MYTHICAL/SUPERNATURAL CREATURES ***
VIOLENCE ***
LANGUAGE * (made up word)
GUNS **
DEATH *
PERIL ***

Filled with unexpected twists, this is my ultimate favorite of the series so far!
Artemis came back from the time hole to find that it was three years into the future. He is supposed to be 18, but still remains 15. Oh, yeah. Not to mention the two-year-old twin brothers he now has, Miles and Beckett.
When his mother becomes tragically ill, the only remedy for her sickness is a certain species of lemur, that went totally extinct four years ago, by cause of none other then Artemis himself as a 11 year old boy. Can Artemis stop himself in time?

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas ****

By John Boyne
Holocaust Historical Fiction

VIOLENCE ***
GUNS **
ACTIVITIES WITH THE HOLOCAUST ***
PERIL ***

Okay, this has to be the saddest book in the history of sad books! But it is really good and clean. Contains violence, but no immorality or language. Meet Bruno, a nine-year-old boy in Berlin, Germany, 1945. His father had just been promoted to ‘Commandment’, whatever that means. He gets to wear a fancy uniform and wear a strange patch with the symbol of twisted cross on his upper arm. His father’s new job makes them move from their lovely home in Berlin to a boring house called ‘Out-With’, where he discovers a big fence and a camp, where everyone wears stripped pajamas. Join Bruno as he tries to make sense of what’s going on around him, and why he can’t go over the fence and play with the children in the striped pajamas.
A powerful point of view from an innocent child of Germany amidst World War 2, although not very historically accurate because he and his sister would have been involved in the 'Hitler Youth Program', among other things. But still a great story!

The Supernaturalist ****

By Eoin Colfer
Sci-fi / Fantasy
267 pages
PERIL ***
VIOLENCE ***
GUNS ***
SUPERNATURAL CREATURES **

This book is really futuristic, exciting, and funny. I really enjoyed it, and I hope you will, too! Cosmo Hill lives in the future on Satellite City, a cold, metal city controlled by computers and Mayor, Ray Shine. He is an orphan that lives at Clarissa Frayne: Institute for Parentally Challenged Boys, where they are literally testing medicine, new food items, and other revolting things from the government that are slowly killing him. But when Cosmo breaks free, he joins a group of kids that call themselves ‘The Supernaturalists’, after the supernatural creatures they hunt. His eyes are opened up to a whole new world filled with adventure. But when their perspective changes, will they continue?

The Mysterious Benedict Society *****

By Trenton Lee Stewart
Fiction
484 pages

PERIL ***
MAY BE DIFFICULT FOR YOUNG READERS TO COMPREHEND ***

A very clever series, and very clean, at that! This one starts out slow, but gets really exciting at the end. When a strange ad is placed in the newspaper, dozens of children rush to answer the call. A test with impossibly mind-boggling questions single out four children; Reynie, Kate, Sticky, and Constance, who are remarkably intelligent and resourceful children. Together they embark on a secret mission that is a battle of courage and wits. Can this newly found society of friends survive?

The Mysterious Benedict Society: The Perilous Journey ****

By Trenton Lee Stewart
Fiction
440 pages
PERIL ***
MAY BE DIFFICULT FOR YOUNG READERS TO COMPREHEND ***

Really exciting and adventurous! Very clean and appropriate.
The Mysterious Benedict Society is sent on a new mission, a scavenger hunt designed to test their wits and talents. When things go horribly wrong, can Reynie, Sticky, Kate, and Constance save their namesake?

The Mysterious Benedict Society: The Prisoners Dilemma ****

By Trenton Lee Stewart
Fiction
391 pages
PERIL ***
MAY BE DIFFICULT FOR YOUNG READERS TO COMPREHEND ***

A serious brain-twister! I really enjoyed this series. In this final chapter to the Mysterious Benedict Society, Constance is desperately trying to recover her heritage. Does she have parents? Who were her parents? What happened to her? Is she an orphan?
Using the Whisperer, they may just uncover the truth. But when peculiar things start happening, and danger lurks around the corner, they have to consider who are their friends, and who are the enemies. Will even the Mysterious Benedict Society be out-smarted?

The Candy Shop War *****

By Brandon Mull
Fantasy/Fiction
404 pages
PERIL ***
VIOENCE **

I loved this book! Funny, action-packed, clean. A really good book!
Nate and his new friends get employed to work for Ms. White, owner of the Sweet tooth Ice Cream and Candy Shoppe, eager to try out her candy. But they discover that some of her candy contains magic powers. And also Mr. Stott has arrived with some magical treats of his own. But when Nate, Pigeon, Summer, and Trevor find out about a secret treasure, whom should they trust?

Fablehaven (Book 1) ****

by Brandon Mull
Fantasy/Fiction
(peril, scary mythical creatures, violence)
351 pages

VIOLENCE **
MYTHICAL/SUPERNATURAL CREATURES ***
PERIL ***

This, being the first book in the series, is a pretty slow book at first but picks up at the end. The other books in the series are way better! When Kendra and Seth visit their grandparents‘ home, they discover it’s really Fablehaven, a preserve for mythical creatures . A whole new world of adventure and magic is unfolded. But when Seth’s curiosity gets the best of him, a new threat arises. Can Kendra and Seth save the day?

Fablehaven: Rise of the Evening Star (Book 2) ****

by Brandon Mull
Fantasy/Fiction
427 pages

VIOLENCE **
MYTHICAL/SUPERNATURAL CREATURES ***
PERIL ***

WAY more exciting than the first book. Lots of twists and turns - will keep you reading late into the night! When Seth gets bitten by a demon, Kendra and Seth get whisked away to Fablehaven where they can be kept safe. When somebody unleashes the demon within the gates, Seth is being hunted. New friendships are tested as danger escalates. Can Kendra learn her new powers in time?

Fablehaven: The Shadow Plague (Book 3) ****

By Brandon Mull
Fantasy/Fiction
477 pages

VIOLENCE **
MYTHICAL/SUPERNATURAL CREATURES ***
PERIL ***

This one was okay. Not as good as the last two, but it is still pretty good, and really clean! Kendra, newly appointed member of the Knights of the Dawn, is setting out to another preserve, The Lost Mesa, in search of an artifact. Meanwhile, at Fablehaven, Seth and his grandparents are facing their own trials as this mysterious plague spreads throughout Fablehaven. Will they ever find a cure?

Fablehaven: The Dragon Sanctuary (Book 4) *****

By Brandon Mull
Fantasy/Fiction
527 pages

VIOLENCE **
MYTHICAL/SUPERNATURAL CREATURES ***
PERIL ***

My second favorite book in the series. It is really exciting and adventurous!
Okay, so Kendra, Gavin, Warren, and other members of the K.D. are sent on another mission to retrieve an artifact. But this time, they are sent to one of the most dangerous preserves in the world, Wyrmroost, a dragon sanctuary. AND they are racing with the Sphinx and the demon prince, Navarog. Faced with merciless, vicious dragons and other horrors, can they retrieve the artifact and stay alive?

Fablehaven: Keys to the Demon Prison (Book 5) *****

By Brandon Mull
Fantasy/Fiction

VIOLENCE **
MYTHICAL/SUPERNATURAL CREATURES ***
PERIL ***
WAR FARE ***
DEATH **

My favorite in the series! Again, very clean. Loved it! In this final book in the Fablehaven series, the Sphinx has the remaining artifacts in his grasp. If he gets a hold of them, he will open the demon prison and the world will end. Kendra, Seth, the Knights of the Dawn, and some new friends are frantically trying to stop him. But are they strong enough to fight him off? In a daring chase filled with action and peril at ever turn, the final chapter of the Fablehaven series is a battle of light and darkness as they race to take control of the keys to the demon prison. Action packed!