Kids Books - Reference

Weird But True Halloween: 300 Spooky Facts to Scare You Silly

Weird But True Halloween: 300 Spooky Facts to Scare You Silly

By Beer, Julie, Harris, Michelle

Get ready for the spookiest Nat Geo Halloween book yet! All decked out with more than 250 scary facts, this book is just the thing to put you in the Halloween spirit. Filled with fun pictures and chilling info, this book is guaranteed to give you a real scare! Did you know that there is a café in Japan that is all about black cats? Did you know that Harry Potter got his thunderbolt scar on Halloween? Did you know that there is candy corn for Christmas? Those are just a few of the hundreds of fun facts all about Halloween. This book is great if you like Halloween, fact-finding, and learning new things. Happy reading!

The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, Book 1)

The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, Book 1)

By Suzanne Collins

"May the odds be ever in your favor!" After a bloody war, twelve districts rose from the ashes of what was formerly known as North America, lead by a glorious Capitol. As revenge for the districts' betrayal in the war, the Capitol requires one young man and woman from each district to participate in an annual televised fight to the death, commonly known as the 'Hunger Games.' And when Primrose Everdeen, an innocent twelve-year-old from District 12 gets selected to participate in the Hunger Games, her sister, Katniss, is shell-shocked - and in a life-changing decision, volunteers to take her place. Her fellow tribute from her district is announced as one Peeta Mellark, who helped Katniss and her family in their time of need.. and there will only be one survivor. In order to survive, they are presented to the frivolous citizens of the Capitol as "star-crossed lovers", and must play the part to stay alive.. together. Prepare for an action-filled adventure of betrayals, poisonous berries, unexpected allies, bloody deaths, wildfires, heartbreak, and maybe even true love..? I highly recommend this book - please give it a try! This book fit right in the "dystopia" label, honestly - even though I completely fell for this book my first time reading it, I grew a little more critical the next few times around.. I felt like the "star-crossed lovers" cliché didn't exactly "fit" Katniss and Peeta - I felt like Katniss would be better off with her sister, Prim, even in the absolutely terrible conditions of District 12 - that would have been a "happy ending" for her. Instead, Katniss is stuck in a confusing love triangle between basically useless Peeta and her long-time friend, Gale, and I feel like even though the bloody Hunger Games is supposed to be the "main" storyline of the series, the whole overwhelming romance thing just pushes everything else aside. Aside from the cheesy "romance" side of this series, I absolutely loved some parts of the book - the sacrifice Katniss made for Prim felt so.. so heartbreaking, but I was absolutely devastated when a specific friend of Katniss died in her arms.. The emotional aspect of such an event was so well captured in this book, how heartbreaking it would be to lose your family or friends.. I could not stop sobbing. This outshone the "romance" storyline for me, and now, I am happy to say that I believe that Suzanne Collins wrote an absolutely breathtaking novel.. thank you.

Wonder

Wonder

By R. J. Palacio

Wonder was a book I first read 2 years ago, and over the years, I just couldn't stop re-reading it. The kids at my school call this book "childish", "horrible," and "weird just like the kid in the book." I think just the opposite. August is a normal kid on the inside, but not on the outside. His face has a 'deformity', which is pretty much one of the best words I could think of to describe it. Wherever he goes, people get frightened of him, scream, and run away. August always wanted a normal life and a normal face. August has always been homeschooled, but now he has to face a new challenge - actually going to school, surrounded by his peers. He was shown around by three of the 'nicest kids in school,' Jack, Julian, and Charlotte. August later finds out that Julian is not very nice at all. Once he starts going to school, August becomes best friends with Jack and people quickly start getting used to his face after weeks and months go by. He also becomes friends with Summer, and they make their lunch table, a "Summer-Only Table." At Halloween, August goes to school in a Bleeding Scream costume, when everyone thought he was going in a Boba Fett costume. August overhears Jack talking to Julian about their friendship. Jack said some very uncaring remarks about August, which he didn't really mean. But August got hurt and decided to not to be friends with Jack anymore. He was so hurt that he wanted to quit school, but his sister Via, convinces him not to. His sister Via was the one who had stuck up for him through thick and thin. Jack is very confused to why August doesn't talk to him anymore (since he didn't know it was August in the Bleeding Scream costume.) He asks Summer (who August had confided in) and Summer says, "Bleeding Scream," but Jack doesn't understand. Later, when Jack and August are paired for a science project. Jack pieces together the whole thing and realized that August was the person in the Bleeding Scream costume. Then, when Jack is talking with Julian and Julian calls August a freak, Jack punches Julian, defending his friend. Julian's mom takes it out on August instead, saying that August shouldn't even be in Beecher Prep. Meanwhile, August learns that Jack stood up for him and they become friends again. There are many characters, and each character takes a turn telling the story, so there are many chapters about the characters, side-stories, kind of. In these chapters, August and Via's dog, Daisy, dies. It is very sad and whenever I read it, I keep crying because of their sadness. Via also stars in a play and makes up with her friend Miranda, who she had separated from earlier in the book. Near the end of the book, the whole fifth grade (the grade that August is in) takes a trip to a nature reserve park. While August and Jack are in the woods, some seventh graders insult August, calling him "Gollum" and "Freddy Krueger", which was similar to the insults my friends said about August. Miles, Amos, and Henry, who were formerly friends with Julian, stood up for him. This reminds me when my friends and I all stood up against a bully, who was a common enemy. In the end of the book, we learn that Julian will not be returning to Beecher Prep in the fall. Also, as the school year finishes, there is an award ceremony. In the award ceremony, the principal gives a speech on how someone in this room accomplished great things, and overcame a lot of things. The last award in the book was given to August because he overcame everything, even with so many obstacles thrown in his way. I also want to give a special mention to the quotes in the back of the book, and one (said by August) especially moved me. "Everyone should get a standing ovation at least once in their life, because we all overcometh the world." It was beautiful. To conclude, this book moved me to tears. It was heartwarming, it was beautiful, it taught a wonderful lesson, got me emotional, was hilarious at some parts and was very touching. "This book is a wonder." - Myself.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

By J.K. Rowling

How do you think it would feel to be the only one to stop a being of pure evil? In the book Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling.The protagonist is Harry Potter a teenage wizard boy who lives with his aunt and uncle. They treat him like he doesn’t even exist and his room is a cupboard under the stairs. The reason he lives with these horrible people is because his parents died at the hand of the antagonist Voldemort the greatest evil in the wizarding world. I find the book very interesting and descriptive. The author did a very well job making this book and this series in general. There are parts that made me quite sad as important things went on. Such as how someone very dear to Harry died right in front of him or how he has to struggle through having a very mean and evil teacher controlling Hogwarts. There are a lot of twists and times where you don’t know what to expect. J.K. Rowling created pure perfection in a paper back cover that will most likely live on and entertain many generations to come and withstand the test of time. Harry Potter and the order of the Phoenix was a very thick book with eight hundred seventy pages and definitely not the last nor biggest book in the series. So far this book is my favorite and I recommend it to anyone looking for a great and long read. I believe J.K. Rowling did a amazing job in describing areas, characters and magical creatures in the book and the whole series. I also believe that this is straight from the heart and mind of the author and will inspire many whether it be adult or child to pursue their dreams and to never give up on what they believe in. The characters are all filled with such description from the way they speak to their dreams that they wish to come true. When you first introduced to characters you get a description of what their wearing, what they look like and how they seem to appear in stater. The ending was both wrapped up well and made me want to read more from the other books. I know I will feel sad when I finish the last two books, but I will feel happy to have read these books. I suggest this book to someone between the ages of 7 to adult because this book has odd words some people may not be able to pronounce.

Weird But True World 2024

Weird But True World 2024

By National Geographic Kids

Very good book with tons of information! Totally recommended!

Holes

Holes

By Louis Sachar

If I had to choose one word to describe this book, it would be: AWESOME! Hit rewind-- flashback time! The great-great-great grandfather of present day Stanley is chasing after a girl. Not just any girl, but the most beautiful girl in town. But someone else also wants to marry her- an old 60-year-old farmer! The only way to get her hand in marriage is to bring her father the largest, fattest pig. Not having something to bring, young Stanley goes to Madame Zeroni, who gives him directions to climb the mountain, and have a pig drink water from the river, while singing a special song. On the last day, he should bring Madame Zeroni up the mountain and have her drink while he sings the song. If he doesn't fulfill this, his whole family will be cursed. Stanley never carried Madame Zeroni up the mountain. Is the curse real? OK, fast-forward to now: Present-day Stanley Yelnats is an average boy, until one day fate hits him in the head. No, literally, it hit him in the head!😂 A pair of valuable sneakers fall out of the sky as Stanley is walking home from a hard day at school and the police believes Stanley stole them! He has a choice for punishment once he arrives in court: he can either go to jail, or go to Camp Greenlake. Easy decision, right? Camp Greenlake, of course! But Stanley soon figures out that this camp doesn't even have a lake! It's been long dried up. Every day at this camp Stanley must dig a 5 by 5 hole in the hard, crusty, desert ground. Not much better than jail! One boy nicknamed Zero asks Stanley to help him learn to read and write in exchange for help shoveling his hole. After Zero runs away, Stanley runs after him-- but they have no water. Can they survive, and will the curse finally be broken? And what are the holes kids have been forced to dig really for? This book was so good! The plotline flowed together, and I was hanging on the edge of my seat to read more! The story itself is brilliant, I would have never thought of it myself! 5/5❤

Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret

Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret

By Judy Blume

This book represents the awkwardness of growing up. Margaret is experiences this difficulties that all of us girls can relate to. Judy Blume's heartwarming and interesting touch kept me from putting this book down. And the religious aspect, absolutely outstanding! Margaret's parents are Atheist, or don't believe in God. Margaret secretly prays to the God she felt is there in her heart, rather than what she learned from her parents. This book teaches us that growing up is difficult and that we aren't alone.

National Geographic Kids Almanac 2024 (US edition)

National Geographic Kids Almanac 2024 (US edition)

By National Geographic Kids

I had the opportunity to win this book through a DOGOBooks giveaway, and it has been captivating me ever since! It is packed with fascinating facts, thrilling news, and fun games that make it a perfect choice for any Nat Geo Kids fan. The pages are bursting with color and stunning photos of animals that are simply wonderful! I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves learning and having fun. After reading this book, 2024 will be very much anticipated! Happy reading!

National Geographic Kids Everything Insects: All the Facts, Photos, and Fun to Make You Buzz

National Geographic Kids Everything Insects: All the Facts, Photos, and Fun to Make You Buzz

By Carrie Gleason

This is a nice book coz it's for kids and you can also learn about insects and where they live or stuff like that. Recommended book. 5 stars <3

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