Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool

Moon Over Manifest is a book about a girl named Abilene. Her father has left her in the care of the citizens of the town of Manifest because he is working another job. To express how she feels, you can say she feels, abandoned. That is until she and her two new friends Lettie and Ruthanne uncover some secret letters and notes from the town's past. With the help of Miss Sadie (a hungarian fortune-teller who only talks about the past) they find a story that leads to the town's deep past. About a boy named Jinx and a boy named Ned. The story about Shady (Abilene's "landlord") and the hungarian woman. A story about the town and its citizens A story about World War I and the Late Mr. Larkin. Most of all , a story about the friendship of Jinx and Ned. With these stories, Abilene will find out more about her father than she ever knew, whether she likes it or not. In this Newbery honor book, one girl can save a town, in the future, and in the past. As the sign says, Manifest, a town with a rich past and a bright future.

To learn more about Clare Vanderpool and the town of Manifest check out her website

Ayo G.

E.S. Rhodes

Little Women By: Louisa May Alcott

Little Women is a story about four sisters. Their names are Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy March. Meg (the oldest) acts very motherly and ladylike. Jo (who's real name is Josephine) is very boyish and fun. Beth (who's real name is Elizabeth) is quiet, friendly, and loving. Amy (the youngest) loves to draw and is not afraid to "state the facts." In the first part of the story, the girls' father is at war. Their mother raises them. At a party, the girls meet Theodore Laurence, otherwise known as Laurie. He becomes a great family friend. The second part of the story, is about all of the girls growing up. It also shows them getting married. This book is a great novel for young people to read. If you think that you are like one of the characters, you should definetly read this book.


Find out more about Louisa May Alcott, an independent woman author.

By: Hannah F.
E.S. Rhodes
Grade Six

Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Curtis

Bud is an 11-year-old boy in Flint, Michigan. His Momma died 5 years ago and he lives in an orphanage that he calls “The Home.” He gets sent to the Amoses’ house as a foster home. They are made up of an abusive son, a mom, a dad and now Bud. The son bullies him and beats him up until he has had enough and breaks out to go “on the lam.” He tries to reach the train to go west, but the police stopped that. Then he travels all the way to Grand Rapids, Michigan to try and find “his place.” He meets Herman E. Calloway and his band there. Will this be his place to stay? Read the book to find out.

I loved this book so much I read it twice. I liked it because it was interesting and had a lot of challenges in it. My favorite part was when Bud found Herman E. Calloway. If I were Bud, I would not like going to the Amoses’ due to the bad situations.

I think students in 6th or 7th grade would like this book and students that are 10-13 years old. A person that likes history and drama stories would like this book. Enjoy! -- D.C., Stadium

The Dolphins of Laurentum by Caroline Lawrence

Teen years in the roman Empire? Sound exciting? Perhaps. Depending on whether you were free or slave, your life had exciting potential or horrific possibilities. Flavia, Jonathan, Nubia, and Lupus are four teens , all of whom share a spirit of adventure, bonds of friendship, aptitudes for sleuthing, and talents in the music of 79 CE.

The four adventurers take refuge at the Laurentum villa of Pliny the Younger. The villa is on the Mediterranean Sea and they discover that there is a sunken ship , laden with treasure, not too far from shore. While the friends are in agreement that they should plan to dive for the treasure, they have very different ideas about what they might do with their prospective fortune. Plans change dramatically when they learn that someone else is also diving for the treasure. That someone is a person from the dark days when Lupus was enslaved.

There are 20 books in the series. The web site reports that in England the television program based on the series begins in January 2009.

http://www.romanmysteries.com