Alcatraz Versus the Shattered Lens

By: Brandon Sanderson


Alcatraz Smedry feels that he has finally gotten used to his special talent of "breaking things", and wants to use his skills to help fight off the librarians as they continue their assault on the Mokian people.  However, Alcatraz, along with the unique talents of his other Smedry relatives and the fighting skills of Bastille might not be enough.  It is up to Alcatraz to get to Mokia and help his grandfather convince the Knights of Crystallia to join the fight.


Mrs. Senechal says:
The character of Alcatraz has learned a lot since the beginning of this series.  He now has better control over his "talent" of breaking things, and he can use various Oculator lenses to his advantage.  Alcatraz has also become a better leader - which is put to the test when he becomes king!  In this book, I especially enjoyed the numbered chapters and the author's suggestions of how to read the book out loud.  Even though this is listed as the "fourth and final" book in the series, the end of the book does not seem to be the end of Alcatraz's story.

Alcatraz Versus the Knights of Crystallia

By: Brandon Sanderson

This is the third book in the series, and Alcatraz finally gets to visit his home of Nalhalla in the Free Kingdoms.  But instead of being able to enjoy his royalty and fame, Alcatraz and his friends find that the Evil Librarians  are trying to take over more of their land and people.  And that is not the only problem - Alcatraz's newly-freed father seems to ignore him, and the knight who is supposed to protect him, Bastille, is on trial!

Mrs. Senechal says:
I continue to love this series!  Not only is it adventurous, but Sanderson continues to include the great humor that made the first two books so fun.  I especially enjoyed that the story was set in the "Free Kingdoms", and we get to meet more members of both Alcatraz and Bastille's family.  I'm glad I already own the fourth book in the series - that's what I'll start reading tomorrow!

School! Adventures at the Harvey N. Trouble Elementary School

By: Kate McMullan

Ron Faster and the other students at his school have quite a few unusual experiences.  Their bus driver, Mr. Ivan Stuckinaditch, always gets the school bus stuck in a ditch on the way to school.  The school's music teacer Mrs. Doremi Fasollatido loses her orange cat (who also acts as her wig).  And, throughout the story, the janitors, Iquit and Quitoo, must deal with the messes left behind by Chuckie Upkins and Oppsie Spiller.

Mrs. Senechal says:

I loved the creative character names throughout this book!  However, the story was a little predictable and repetitive.  I think fans of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series would enjoy this book because it's funny and has comic-like illustrations throughout.  Even though this book isn't a favorite for me, it did make me smile.

The Red Pyramid

By: Rick Riordan


Since their mother passed away, Carter has traveled the world with his archaeologist father, while his only sister Sadie lived with their grandparents in London.  In one of their rare visits together, their father takes Sadie and Carter to the British Museum.  The two quickly realize their parents had many magic secrets!  Their father attempts to summon an ancient Egyptian god, but things don't go smoothly.  Suddenly, Sadie and Carter must learn to use their own magical powers to stay alive, save the world, and try to save their father.


Mrs. Senechal says:
If you liked Riordan's Percy Jackson series, you will love this book, too!  The story is filled with non-stop action and suspense.  It is really fun to read about modern kids dealing with historic locations and mythological creatures.  Riordan's description help you picture the adventures, and the characters are very realistic.  Of course, this is only the first book in the series, so you'll have to keep reading to find out what happens!