Cat(short for Catrina) is not happy that she and her family are moving to the coast of Northern California. But there's little she can do about it. The reason they are moving is because Cat's little sister, Maya, is sick. But of course their new town, Bahia de la Luna is more than "ordinary". A neighbor boy, Carlos, tells the sisters that there are ghosts in the town. Cat wants nothing to do with the ghosts, but Cat is dying to meet one. As Dia de la Muerta approaches, Cat must come to face with her fears. Maya has Cystic Fibrosis. I like how Raina emphasized the sickness, but even more so how Maya doesn't let her illness get her down. I also think it shows how much Cat loves her little sister, as she is always looking out for her. There is such a strong bond between the sisters. I recommend this book for Raina Telgemeier fans, and elementary kids who enjoy graphic novel. I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Warren the 13th is a 12 year old (old-fashioned) bellhop/valet/waiter/groundskeeper/errand boy. His family has owned the Warren Hotel for generations-even though he's an orphan. Unfortunately for Warren, ever since his guardian/uncle married an evil woman-his new Aunt Anaconda. Aunt Anaconda completely took over the hotel, and is constantly searching for the treasure she believes to be hidden on the hotel grounds-the All-Seeing Eye. Even with all his misfortunes, Warren is dedicated to his hotel, ever curious, loyal and optimistic. Warren wants to preserve his family's legacy, and he HAS to find the treasure first, before it's too late. And as it turns out, Anaconda isn't alone in her search. When others join her, chaos reigns. This is a great read for middle grade. One thing I enjoyed was the very unique and different illustrations. I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Warren the 13th is a 12 year old (old-fashioned) bellhop/valet/waiter/groundskeeper/errand boy. His family has owned the Warren Hotel for generations-even though he's an orphan. Unfortunately for Warren, ever since his guardian/uncle married an evil woman-his new Aunt Anaconda. Aunt Anaconda completely took over the hotel, and is constantly searching for the treasure she believes to be hidden on the hotel grounds-the All-Seeing Eye. Even with all his misfortunes, Warren is dedicated to his hotel, ever curious, loyal and optimistic. Warren wants to preserve his family's legacy, and he HAS to find the treasure first, before it's too late. And as it turns out, Anaconda isn't alone in her search. When others join her, chaos reigns. This is a great read for middle grade. One thing I enjoyed was the very unique and different illustrations. I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Where the Red Fern Grows is the story of young Billy Coleman who lives Ozark Mountains of Oklahoma. All Billy wants is a puppy-but not any dog. He wants two coonhounds, which are unfortunately out of the question for his less than wealthy family. But Billy is determined and goes to work at odd jobs-for two years. Billy's first adventure with the pups starts at the very beginning. Billy has to walk to pick up the puppies from the depot, and walks for miles throughout the hills there and back. Billy is captured by his dogs, naming them Old Dan and Little Ann. Billy trains, lives, and suffers with his pups, hitting setback after setback. But Billy's dream lives, and persistence pays out. In the process Billy and his dogs form an amazingly strong bond. I like that in this book that there are so many obstacles for Billy, not only in training his dogs, but also for his family overall. Yet, he and his family are always able to pull through. It is a very inspiring story. I recommend this book to elementary and middle school aged kids, although even older will enjoy it. I think fans of classics and realistic fiction will most enjoy this book. Prepare for a heart-wrencher! I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Ever since he was orphaned when his father died in a terrible fire, Hugo Cabret has been living at the train station, taking care and fixing the clocks. Originally, his uncle trained and looked after him(as well as a drunk can), but for a long time now Hugo has been alone. He survives off the various shops in the station, taking only what he needs-plus various tools and toy parts in order to fix the automaton. The automaton was the last project Hugo worked on with his Father, and it is his dream-his goal to rebuild it, hoping to find a secret message. The Invention of Hugo Cabret is an amazing and inspiring story. Hugo never gives up in what he believes in, and works hard to preserve his father's memory. The story is told in chapters, but a large part of the book is pictures that span two pages. The illustrations are beautiful, and so detailed. I recommend this book to people of all ages. I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars.

The Lightning Thief's main character is Percy Jackson. Percy Jackson isn't your perse, normal kid. He has ADHD, Dyslexia, and is constantly in trouble with bullies or fighting at one of the many boarding schools he has attended. But life is consistent enough. Until one day his math teacher turns into a flying monster and tries to kill him. After that, things get interesting. He finds out his best friend Grover is actually a Satyr(half goat), his favorite teacher is a Centaur. And the most important thing: Percy is a half-blood. His mother human, but his father(who he has never seen) is a Greek god. Percy soon finds out that his father isn't just a 'regular' god, he is one of the Big Three-Poseidon. Being a half-blood that monsters are constantly attacking him-monsters he previously thought were myths. But Percy will have to face the facts at Camp Half-Blood, where he is forced to take cover. Camp Half-Blood is definitely than any other camp. Besides the fact that Capture the Flag includes deadly weapons, there are nymphs and dryads at every corner, and even a battle arena. But of course things don't quiet down for Percy once he arrives at Camp. His mother is taken hostage by Hades, who isn't the only god angry at him. Percy has been framed for the ultimate crime-stealing Zeus's master lightning bolt. In just a few days Percy must journey on his first quest with Grover and Annabeth(a stubborn and skilled daughter of Athena) in order to clear his and his father's name-before war breaks out. I recommend this book to mythology and adventure lovers. I think this is a great introduction to Greek mythology in a fun way. I think this book is primarily geared toward junior high aged kids, but I also think high schoolers will enjoy it. I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars.

The Lightning Thief's main character is Percy Jackson. Percy Jackson isn't your perse, normal kid. He has ADHD, Dyslexia, and is constantly in trouble with bullies or fighting at one of the many boarding schools he has attended. But life is consistent enough. Until one day his math teacher turns into a flying monster and tries to kill him. After that, things get interesting. He finds out his best friend Grover is actually a Satyr(half goat), his favorite teacher is a Centaur. And the most important thing: Percy is a half-blood. His mother human, but his father(who he has never seen) is a Greek god. Percy soon finds out that his father isn't just a 'regular' god, he is one of the Big Three-Poseidon. Being a half-blood that monsters are constantly attacking him-monsters he previously thought were myths. But Percy will have to face the facts at Camp Half-Blood, where he is forced to take cover. Camp Half-Blood is definitely than any other camp. Besides the fact that Capture the Flag includes deadly weapons, there are nymphs and dryads at every corner, and even a battle arena. But of course things don't quiet down for Percy once he arrives at Camp. His mother is taken hostage by Hades, who isn't the only god angry at him. Percy has been framed for the ultimate crime-stealing Zeus's master lightning bolt. In just a few days Percy must journey on his first quest with Grover and Annabeth(a stubborn and skilled daughter of Athena) in order to clear his and his father's name-before war breaks out. I recommend this book to mythology and adventure lovers. I think this is a great introduction to Greek mythology in a fun way. I think this book is primarily geared toward junior high aged kids, but I also think high schoolers will enjoy it. I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars.

This story actually takes place in three parts, in three different times. The main story is about Stanley Yelnats IV, a 14-year-old boy. Stanley comes from a relatively poor family; although his family works hard-they blame it on Stanley's "no-good-dirty-rotten pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather". Of course Stanley has his own share of misfortune. Most recently, he is convicted of stealing shoes belonging to "Sweet Feet" Livingston. His sentence-Camp Green Lake, a juvenile disciplinary facility. Stanley has high hopes, but when he arrives at camp, he is less than thrilled. Turns out there isn't a lake at all, and the campers are forced to dig a 5 by 5 hole to build character-although Stanley suspects they are really on a treasure hunt. As Stanley navigates the social struggles of camp, there is also danger and adventure-and Stanley will soon find out that Camp Green Lake has connections to his past. The second part of the story takes place during the 19th century, when Stanley's said grandfather lives-Elya Yelnats. Elya falls in love with a beautiful girl named Myra Menke, and goes to his old friend Madame Zeroni for help. The third part of the book is the story of Kissin Kate Barlow, a famous outlaw who once lived at Camp Green Lake. The book is not distinctly separated into three parts, but alternates between all the stories. I really liked this book, there were so many twists and turns, and when you analyze-foreshadowing. I loved all all three parts of the story weave together. I recommend this book to adventure and realistic fiction fans. I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.

I think there may be several other things we can do. For one, we can recycle as much as possible. We can have gardens at home. That will save us from buying some food that has to be transported from far away. That way there will be fewer shipping trucks on the road and it can reduce pollution. We can compost food scraps. Go organic! It helps reduce the use of pesticides, which often can be harmful to the environment. What do you think?