11-22
Lord of the Flies
By William Golding
I liked the symbols in this book. I learned about the darkness of man's heart. I now notice how kids follow others around in my school just as they do in the book. I loved how Piggy, Ralph, Simon, and Jack all represent types of people, and I was fascinated by the conch. -- Alexis, 6th grade
The Phantom Tollbooth
By Norton Juster
I enjoyed this book because it was entertaining. I loved all the characters, but the Mathemagician and Tock were my favorites. This is a very imaginative and creative story. I like books that show that anything is possible. It is a heartwarming book that kids of almost any age should read. -- Esther, 6th grade
To Kill A Mockingbird
By Harper Lee
I want to grow up to be like Atticus Finch. This was a story with humor and mystery, and yet it was also very sad. It was different from any other novel I had ever read. I tried to read it slowly because I never wanted it to end. Atticus taught me about honesty, trust, and protecting innocent people. -- Damian, 6th grade
The Magician's Nephew
By C.S. Lewis
I liked The Magician's Nephew because of the adventures both children go through. I like Polly because she is very brave. I thought the Witch was a great villain because she is so mean to everyone. -- Edgar, 5th grade
The Giver
By Lois Lowry
This is a strange and interesting book about a world very different from mine. I like books that take me to places I have never been. This is a place where people are assigned jobs and have no memory of anything that has happened before. The book is about staying strong and being yourself. I think it's a good lesson for kids
The Messenger
By Lois Lowry
I liked this book because of Matt, the main character. He is special because he wants to help people. In the end he does just that. He helps heal puppies even though their owner does not give him the credit. Matt is special in my heart because he helps for all the right reasons. -- Joyce, 5th grade
Island of the Blue Dolphins
By Scott O'Dell
Island of the Blue Dolphins is about a tribe that leaves for another place. A girl named Karana stays behind after her little brother is lost. She has to survive using her brains and her courage. I am a girl and I liked reading an adventure about a girl like me. -- Lucia, 5th grade
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
By J.K. Rowling
This book was very exciting. Hermione is my favorite character because she is so clever. I thought this was the best book of the Harry Potter series. I would recommend it to kids who are not Harry Potter fans. I think they would like this one because it has such a thrilling story. -- Rodrigo, 5th grade
Esperanza Rising
By Pam Munoz Ryan
Esperanza Rising is a book about Esperanza, a rich young girl who is selfish. Her perfect life undergoes an abrupt series of misfortunes. This changes everything. Mama and she have no choice but to take off to California and the migrant farm workers' camp. Esperanza has to learn how to overcome the bad times life can bring. -- Shy student, 5th grade
The Catcher in the Rye
By J. D. Salinger
Holden Caulfield is my favorite character of all time! I even like to talk like him, if you wanna know the truth. I really understood how he feels about things. I may not want to be like him, but I like him a lot. He makes me laugh so hard even though I feel terrible about his sad situation. "Sleep tight, ya morons!" makes me laugh every time I think of it. This is a book that should be read by everyone. -- William, 6th grade
Of Mice and Men
By John Steinbeck
I enjoyed Of Mice and Men because of its realism. I also love history, and the story taught me some things about the Depression. The characters were all interesting, and Steinbeck always makes us see how every person is special. He always uses ordinary people in his stories. Lenny has helped me see people differently than I used to before. The book has some funny scenes, but most of it is incredibly sad. It is my favorite book of all time. -- Timothi, 6th grade
The Red Pony
By John Steinbeck
I like reading John Steinbeck because he is easy to understand. I became interested in the story right away and I couldn't put the book down, even though it was very sad. I cared about Jody and what happened to him. -- Peter, 5th grade
The Hobbit
By J.R.R. Tolkien
This book is my favorite of the year. I love Bilbo Baggins. He is so kind and funny and brave. I like all the riddles he has to answer in the dark in his contest with Gollum. The Dwarves are my favorite characters. I love the people in the book because none of them are perfect. They all have interesting problems and the battle with the dragon was exciting. -- Adreanna, 5th grade
Charlotte's Web
By E.B. White
Charlotte's Web is one of my favorite books of all time. It's about a lucky pig named Wilbur who is raised by a farmer's daughter. Fern (the daughter) does not want the little pig to be killed by her father. An amazing friendship develops between Wilbur and Charlotte, the world's coolest spider. Charlotte will teach Wilbur all about life. The book is very sweet. I read it over and over again.
-- Shy student, 6th grade