Maya's Reading List

For this year, 2010, my goal was to read 50 books. I started January 1, 2010 and I’ve already surpassed my goal. I read 66 books since the beginning of the year. Below is my list. I’ve added a bit about the plot and my feelings about the book.

Thick Chapter books

1. The Alchemist, #1, the Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, Michael Scott. A good story, but the kid I got it from told me what happened so I didn’t really like it.

2.The Tale of Despereux, Kate Dicamello. I love the way she writes. A young mouse with big ears rescues a princess.

3. Ender’s Game, Orson Scott Card. Takes place in the future. A boy is chosen to work in space for fighting aliens, fascinating, though there is a lot of swear words.

4. The Chronicles of Narnia, #4, Prince Caspian, C. S. Lewis. A fun read. (I read the previous three in other years and recommend them.)

5. The Chicken doesn’t Skate, Gordon Korman. A fast read. The funniest book I’ve ever read.

Thin books

1. The Invisible Dog, Dick King Smith. More of a younger kid’s book.

2. The Hundred Mile an hour Dog, Jeremy Strong. Silly and weird.

3. Kite fighters, Linda Sue Park. I thought it would be boring, but it’s actually good.

4. The Cat in the Hat, Dr. Seuss. Little kid’s book. Yes, I’ve read this many times, but I did read it again this year. A classic, and must read for everyone.

5. Chocolate Fever. One of those stories with a moral at the end, funny though.

6. Meet George Washington. Not so great. I read it to add to the list. Too simple.

7. The Power of UN-, Nancy Etchemendy. Very similar to back to the future.

8. Pippi Longstocking, Astrid Lindgren. Funny.

9. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl. A classic. Good and better than the movies.

10. Judy Moody, #1, was in a mood, not a good mood, a bad mood. ok book, espcially if you're just beginning to read chapter books.

Two book series

The Borrowers

1. The Borrowers, #1, The Borrowers, by Mary Norton. A bit boring, takes place underneath the floorboards of a house in England. Tiny people live there.

2. The Borrowers, #2, the borrowers afield, Mary Norton. I didn’t really like it, the main character wasn’t allowed to do anything slightly dangerous, and she didn’t seem to care.

Three book series

The City of Ember (there are at least two more books, but I don’t have them and that’s ok.)

1. The Ember series, #1, the City of Ember, Jeanne Duprauo. I didn’t really like it, about an underground city with 0 knowledge of technology. On the back it says, a science fiction for kids who don’t like science fiction. I like science fiction, so I wouldn’t recommend it.

Silverwing Trilogy(there are two more.)

1.Silverwing Trilogy, #2, Sunwing, Kenneth Oppel. Pretty good, a story about a bat who battles with a larger, cannibal bat.

Starcatcher series

1. Starcatcher Series, #1, Peter and the Starcatchers, Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson. About Peter Pan, the story behind how he met Captain Hook, why he can fly, etc. a great page turner. I highly recommend this series, so does my 70 year old friend, Evi!

2. Starcatcher Series, #2, Peter and the Shadow Thieves, Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson. A blob of shadow who can steal people’s souls, Peter must fight it.

3. Starcatcher Series, #3, Peter and the Secret of Rundoon, Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson. In the first one, Peter is bound on a ship to Rundoon, but the ship sinks. Now Peter Pan finds himself in Rundoon, capital of the Others.

Everest

1. Everest, #1, the contest, Gordon Korman. A thirteen year old and his older brother are given the chance to compete against other kids to see who has the skill to climb Mount Everest.

2. Everest, #2, the climb, Gordon Korman. First, the chosen teens must climb another mountain to see if they’re ready.

3. Everest, #3, the summit, Gordon Korman. Finally, they are ready to climb Everest. But everything goes wrong.

Dive

1. Dive, #1, Discovery, Gordon Korman. Four kids go on a dive tour but discover something strange about some of the people working there.

2. Dive, #2, the deep, Gordon Korman. Good.

3. Dive, #3, the danger, Gordon Korman. Great.

Horrid Henry

1. Horrid Henry and the Mummy’s curse, Francesca Simon. Horrid Henry is the naughtiest kid in the world.

2. Horrid Henry and the Bogey Babysitter, Francesca Simon. The crazy kid is back again.

3. Horrid Henry’s Revenge, Francesca Simon. Poor Peter.

The Serpent's Egg

1. The Serpents Egg, #1, The Serpents Egg, J. Fitzgerald Mcurdy. The first part is strange, but don’t let it trick you, the rest is amazing.

2. The Serpents Egg, #2, The Burning Crown, J. FitzGerald MCurdy. Extremely similar to J. R. R. Tolkien’s Lord of the rings, the best in this series.

3. The Serpents Egg, #3, The Twisted Blade, J. FitzGerald Mcurdy. Finally, the dead come into the story. Most of the things Miranda does I would have done differently. But a great book.

Four book series

The Once and Future King

1. The Once and Future King, #3. The ill made knight, T. H. White. I read the first two parts in 2009. Long and intense, but a classic.

2. The Once and Future King, #4, the candle in the wind, T. H. White. Interesting.
Fudge

1. Fudge, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, Judy Blume. I’ve read one Blume book before, and hated it. But this series is so funny.

2. Fudge, #2, Superfudge, Judy Blume. Another good book. Judy Blume seems to only like writing family stories.

3. Fudge, #3, Fudge –a – mania, Judy Blume. Silly.

4. Fudge, #4, Double Fudge, Judy Blume. Double silly.

Six Book or more series

Rangers Apprentice

1. Ranger’s Apprentice, #1, the Ruins of Gorlan, John Flanagan. An orphan boy is picked by a ranger to be his apprentice. The boy, Will, is trained in unseen movement, bow shooting, and knife throwing. Much of the unseen movement facts is true and I’ve used it. Amazing!

2. Ranger’s Apprentice, #2, The Burning Bridge, John Flanagan. Great!

3. Ranger’s Apprentice, #3, The Icebound Land, John Flanagan. Good as the first one.

4. Ranger’s Apprentice, #4, The Battle for Skandia, John Flanagan. Will gets captured by the Skandians. But then another tribe attacks, and Will helps battle them off.

5. Ranger’s Apprentice, #5, The Sorcerer of the North, John Flanagan.

6. Ranger’s Apprentice, #6, The Siege of Macindaw, John Flanagan.

7. Rangers Apprentice, #7, Eraks Ransom, John Flannagan.

8. Rangers Apprentice, #8, The Kings of Clonmel, John Flannagan.

The Last Apprentice (there are five others that I know of.)

1. Last Apprentice Series: #1, Revenge of the Witch, by Joseph Delany. All the book reviews claim it’s really scary, I didn’t think so. It takes place in old England, and the main character is apprenticed to the Spook, who gets rid of witches and Bogarts and ghosts. Really good.

The Baily School Kids

1. The Baily School Kids, Sea Serpents don’t Juggle Water Balloons. An extremely thin book, probably a book for learning to read.

On the Run

1. On the Run, #1, Chasing the Falconers, Gordon Korman. Crime story, two kids try to find evidence that their parents didn’t comit the crime they are being charged for.

2. On the Run, #2, The Fugitive Factor, Gordon Korman. Super.

3. On the Run, #3, Now you see them now you don’t, Gordon Korman. Amazing.

4. On the Run, #4, The Stowaway Solution, Gordon Korman. Excellent.

5. On the Run, #5, Public Enemies, Gordon Korman. Best ever.

6. On the Run, #6, Hunting the Hunter, Gordon Korman. The most exciting, but I don’t like the end part.

Goosebumps(there are tons more than just these.)

1. Goosebumps, Piano Lessons can be Murder, R. L. Stine. A kid moves into a new house with a haunted grand piano.

2. Goosebumps, You Can’t Scare Me, R. L. Stine. The other goosebumps is way better.

Alex Rider (there are more than just four, I just haven’t read them all.)

1. Alex Rider series, #1, Stormbreaker, Anthony Horowitz. A fourteen year old boy finds his dead uncle was a spy, and MI6 soon recruits him on his first mission. Don’t miss it.

2. Alex Rider series, #2, Point Blanc, Anthony Horowitz. MI6 forces Alex to go to France and check out a new academy that is acting strangely. Worth reading.

3. Alex Rider, #3, skeleton key, Anthony Horowitz. The Alex Riders seem to have a patern. Alex goes on a mission but then gets captured by the evil people, then saves the day. One of the best.

4. Alex Rider, #4, eagle strike, Anthony Horowitz. When Alex Rider goes off on his own, it should change everything. Instead, Smithers gives him a bike device and the plot stays the same. Exciting anyhow.

Comic Books

1. Calvin and Hobbes, The days are just packed, Bill Waterson. funny comic book. Calvin is Kai’s best friend. I think Kai thinks he really exists.

2. Snoopy, It was a Dark and Stormy Night, Charles M. Schultz. Funny comic book. What a silly dog! My friend’s Patrick and Thomas loved this one.

3. Snoopy, It’s a Dogs Life, Charles M. Schulz. Comic book.

That’s my list! I'm hoping to hear from all of you, especially whether you have any books to recommend for me.