When Oswald Cobblepot, otherwise known as the Penguin, purchases the television station, the newspaper, and the radio station in town, he uses his new power to frame Batman as a criminal. Suddenly, Batman is being blamed for a rash of jewelry store thefts. Can Batman conquer the Penguin and clear his name? Fans of super hero comics will love this chapter book series.

Reviewed by: emc

Date read: 9/29/2010

ISBN-10: 1434213641

ISBN-13: 9781434213648

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A stolen teacup... An extra set of footprints...Three water-filled canoes... Four very strange words... These are just a few of the mysteries that Encyclopedia Brown and his partner, Sally Kimball, must solve. Readers are challenged to solve the cases right along with them.

Reviewed by: sc

Date read: 3/27/2009

ISBN-10: 0688090125

ISBN-13: 9780688090128

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Commenter: Alan, grade 1

Fifth-grader 'Encyclopedia' Leroy Brown solves ten mysteries, and challenges the reader to do the same. The solutions are at the back of the book. Look for other titles in the Encyclopedia Brown series.

Reviewed by: sc

Date read: 4/29/2009

ISBN-10: 0553157248

ISBN-13: 9780553157246

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Commenter: Alan, grade 2

Two teenage boys, Sam an Israeli Jew, and Yusuf, a Palestinian Muslim from the West Bank, find themselves as uneasy roommates in a Jerusalem hospital. They each hold the strong antagonistic feelings for the other's race and religion that society dictates. As they learn more about each other, they discover that many of the things they believed were in fact misconceptions. They embark on a dangerous escapade into the Old City of Jerusalem at night. Both would be viewed as collaborators and are at great risk if they are found together without the right papers. Despite their serious injuries, they persevere through a series of perilous adventures. Their relationship with each other develops from belligerence into grudging tolerance and acceptance and finally to strong admiration and friendship as they rely on each other to survive and find their way back to the hospital. This is a great book that broaches the issues of the Middle East and of tolerance and friendship in a fast paced action packed story that will surely engage JH readers.

Reviewed by: jcooper

Date read: 1/26/2013

ISBN-10: 1554514312

ISBN-13: 9781554514311

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Generations ago, violence was banned on New Earth. Society is governed and conflicts are resolved in the arena of a fantasy computer game, Epic. Everyone plays. If you win, you have the chance to go to university, get more supplies for your community, and fulfill your dreams; if you lose, your life both in and out of the game is worth nothing. When Erik, seeking revenge for the unjust treatment of his parents, dares to subvert the rules of Epic, he and his friends find themselves up against the ultimate masters of the game: the Committee. If Erik and his friends win, they may have the key to destroying Epic's tyranny over New Earth. But if they lose . . .

Reviewed by: caroll

Date read: 8/4/2009

ISBN-10: 0670061794

ISBN-13: 9780670061792

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