Truancy by Isamu Fukui
This book is about an alternate world where school is life and rebels called Truancy are trying to take power. A kid named Tack goes to school and his sister is killed. Truancy vows to avenge his sisters death. Tack joins Truancy to look for his sister’s killer. I recommend this books to anyone feeling that they were powerless to the system. A band to listen to while reading is Rage Against the Machine or System of a Down.
Reviwer: Sahne Journeay, Garde 8

The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke
Prosper and Bo are two young brothers and homeless runaways on the beautiful streets of Venice. They are hiding from their evil Aunt Esther, who hopefully doesn’t know where they are. As the oldest, Prosper sees that it is his job to keep Bo safe. But one night, Bo begins coughing so badly that he decides to go to the police and ask them to phone his aunt. Suddenly they meet Hornet, a girl who has been on the streets for most of her life, though she convinces them otherwise. Hornet takes the brothers to the Star Palace, an abandoned movie theater, where she and the other two live, and she takes care of them. But they owe all of this to the Thief Lord, a mysterious figure who expertly steals to pay for their food and the shoes on their feet. One day, the Thief Lord is offered the job of stealing a simple wooden wing in someone’s house. Easy, right? Wrong! The house is not well-guarded. The Thief Lord is not who he says he is, and they are all curious to know why someone would pay so much for a simple wooden wing. This book is captivating and P.G. rated, if you’re worried about maturity-level. The plot and characters are captivating and it is an easy read.
Reviewer: Virginia Salvador, Grade 7

Just Listen by Sarah Dessen
A girl named Annabel watches a commercial on TV. She was watching the commercial she was the star in. Annabel, a normal model, lives a life of a nobody, with no friends, until she meets Owen, a normal anger-management/ control boy who happens to have his own radio station. When they become friends, her life takes a huge turn to a whole new life. Where will her new life take her after she does a fashion show? This book could be interesting to all who wish to be a model, or are n the middle of a friend problem, or had a friend who isn’t your friend now. It teaches you life lessons in friendship and other life problems, too.
Reviewer: Julie Morrison, Grade 6

Malice by Chris Wooding
Two kids, Seth and Kady, find out about a comic book called “Malice” and the weird ritual that follows that make the evil madman known as “Tall Jake” take them to the nightmare realm. I recommend this book to people who like the “Cirque du Freak” or “Demonata” series.
Reviewer: Shane Journeay, Grade 8