The convicts on Alcatraz Island are the kind other prisons don't want. In 1935, Moose Flanagan moves with his sister Natalie and his parents to the Island. Alcatraz is a 12-acre rock covered with cement, topped with bird turd, and surrounded by water. Moose and his sister are not the only kids who live here. There are 23 others on the island because their dads work as guards, cooks, doctors, or electricians for the prison. In addition to their families, there are a ton of murderers, hit men, con men, embezzlers, connivers, burglars, and kidnappers. There may even be an innocent man or two, but that's highly unlikely. 'You get to Alcatraz by being the worst of the worst. Unless you're me. I came here because my mother said I had to.'

Similar books: Bandits Moon by Sid Fleischman; Before We Were Free by Julia Alvarez

Reviewed by: sc

Date read: 4/13/2009

ISBN-10: 0399238611

ISBN-13: 9780399238611

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An excellent story of survival and adventure.

Reviewed by: St. Charles Reader

Date read: 11/24/2009

ISBN-10: 0374301840

ISBN-13: 9780374301842

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Commenter: Hali, grade 9

A girl named Alanna switches places with her twin brother so that she can become a knight.

Reviewed by: St. Charles Reader

Date read: 2/13/2010

ISBN-10: 0689853238

ISBN-13: 9780689853234

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With a name like Meggy Swann everything in life should be lovely. Unfortunately, that is very far from the truth when your legs are crippled, your mother finds you a bother, and everyone in London shuns the unfortunate. However, it is Meggy's high spirit and determination that carry her through the difficult daily tasks. Sent to her father, Meggy arrives with not much more than her goose. With his alchemy experiments failing, money is scarce and her father's needs are quite demanding. Soon she finds herself caught up in her father's dark schemes and she is determined that things do not go as planned.

Similar books: Catherine Called Birdy by Karen Cushman; The Midwife's Apprentice by Karen Cushman

Reviewed by: adf

Date read: 8/2/2010

ISBN-10: 0547231849

ISBN-13: 9780547231846

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In just one hour, 15-year-old Josh Newman's life had changed completely. The bookstore where he had (at last) found summer employment was blown up by a magical duel between a strange little man in a suit and the bookstore owner, Nick Flamel, a man Josh had previously thought of as a little, well, bookish. Now, Josh and his twin sister were being dragged along on a quest to find Hekate, the goddess of three faces. Flamel realized that Josh and Sophie were the twins whose power would save all or destroy all. Hekate would be the one to awaken their powers so that they could join in the race between Flamel and the Dark Elders, who wanted the Codex, a book Flamel had guarded for 600 years. The strange man in the suit, John Dee, succeeded in grasping most of the book, but two pages were still in Flamel's possession. Ownership of the Codex would allow the Dark Elders to once more rule the earth.

Similar authors: Rick Riordan, Lloyd Alexander, J. K. Rowling

Similar books: Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

Awards nominated: Rebecca Caudill Award 2011

Reviewed by: vverscaj

Date read: 5/5/2010

ISBN-10: 0385736002

ISBN-13: 9780385736008

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Commenter: Ellie, grade 6