Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief ignites the world of Greek mythology with a thrilling adventure that catapults readers into a realm of gods, monsters, and legendary quests. Author, Rick Riordan, masterfully weaves modern-day characters with ancient lore, crafting a captivating narrative. Percy's relatable voice and humorous tone make this debut a page-turner. The story begins with Percy Jackson, a young boy who discovers he's the son of Poseidon, Greek god of the sea.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief is the beginning to an epic series filled with action, humor, and everything in between. It all starts with Percy Jackson himself, a troubled young teen with his mom as his only other living family member and a seemingly ordinary life. However, that all changes one day when he is suddenly whisked into the wild and confusing world of the Greek gods--and finds out that his very own father is one of them.
During World War II, Gene Forrester is sent to a boarding school known for its academics and war preparation. There, Gene meets Finny and quickly becomes friends. Finny is the popular, athletic, and charming kid everyone dreams about being, and he helps to bring Gene out of his shell. It’s during a test of bravery that Finny gets hurt and might never recover. What’s worse, is that Gene might be behind this accident.
The Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo is a fantasy novel, the second in the Six of Crows Duology and part of the greater Grishaverse series. Following the first book where the group of teenagers broke into the Ice Court to free the chemist who created jurda parem, this book follows the group again as they attempt to get the money they were promised after being double-crossed by the lord who sent them on the mission. At the same time, there are conflicts between the different countries as well.
Rick Riordan’s fantasy book, Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief is the first book in the Percy Jackson series. In the book, Percy realizes he is a demigod, son of a god and mortal parent, which puts him at risk. On his way to a safe haven camp called Camp Half-Blood, his mom is taken. After befriending a few people, Percy embarks on a journey to the underworld to get his mom back. On the way he faces monsters and many other enemies, as he learns to use his powers.
John Knowles’s A Separate Peace, taking place in the 1940s, goes through the life and struggles of Gene Forrester. Gene is a quiet boy that attends The Devon School, where he meets his future friend Finny. At first, they develop a strong friendship, but it begins to turn sour as envy gets in the way. The friendship takes a dark turn as the tree jumping ritual, developed by the friends, ends in Gene pushing Finny off the tree. The rest of the book is spent on Gene trying to find himself as Finny recovers.
Big Nate Blasts Off is another delightful addition to the Big Nate series, filled with humor, relatable moments, and Nate’s unforgettable antics. In this book, Nate Wright faces new challenges as he deals with school bullies, friends, and his never-ending quest to be the center of attention. With a hilarious storyline centered on Nate's dreams of achieving greatness, the book keeps readers hooked from beginning to end.
Big Nate Flips Out by Lincoln Peirce, the fifth book in the Big Nate series, brings a fresh twist to Nate’s usual antics when his messy habits become a big problem. After losing his best friend, Francis, over his chronic disorganization, Nate decides to make a drastic change. With the help of hypnotism, Nate becomes obsessively neat and organized—but as you’d expect, things quickly spiral out of control in hilarious ways.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Meltdown by Jeff Kinney is the thirteenth book in the series, and it plunges Greg Heffley into the icy chaos of a neighborhood snow war that takes on epic proportions. As winter descends and a massive snowstorm hits, Greg finds himself caught in the middle of a conflict between the kids on his street. The battle lines are drawn, with the Upper Surrey Street kids on one side and the Lower Surrey Street kids on the other.
While this novel is enjoyable, Anne of Windy Poplars is the weakest of the Anne series. Written partly in an epistolary style, the book allows the reader to see the world of Windy Poplars and Summerside High School from Anne’s perspective, as she writes love letters to her fiancée Gilbert, a medical school student in Nova Scotia. Parts of the book retain a traditional narrative style, but many of the characters and anecdotes echo too closely those previously described in earlier books of the series.
