Justine Larbalestier and Holly Black's compilation of stories Zombies vs. Unicorns: A Review by Khalil!

*This book is NOT available at the Longfellow Middle School Library, but it is available for check out at the Berkeley Public Library*

This book is a collection of stories ranging from medieval to the distant future. It was written by a number of writers such as Holly Black, author of the bestselling Spiderwick series. My favorite stories are "Purity Test" by Naomi Novik and "Bougainvillea" by Carrie Ryan. I like this book because it is anthology of zombie stories and unicorn stories. This is a good book to read if you like horror, humor and fantasy.

Darren Shan's Birth of a Killer: A Review by Khalil!

*This book is NOT available at the Longfellow Middle School Library, but it is available for check out at the Berkeley Public Library*

Larten, a boy raised in a very impoverished family with an abusive mother is forced into working at a silk factory with a horrible boss. He is then chased out of town after killing his boss who has murdered his cousin. When sleeping in a crypt, he meets a vampire who then takes him on mind bogglingly exciting adventures. I like this book because it is the prequel to one of my favorite series, the bestselling Cirque Du Freak saga. You should read this book because it is an immensely well written book, full of suspense and horror.

Christopher Paolini's Eldest: A Review by Arlo!

Note: This is the second book in the Inheritance Trilogy.
After the battle of Farthen Dûr, Eragon goes to the elves to complete his training. But Eragon also owes his service to the Varden and the dwarves. Also, Roran and the people in Carvahall are being attacked by the empires' soldiers who decide to escape. I like this book because it has a very fast tempo and it is a very good sequel to Eragon. Only read this book if you have read Eragon. Read this book if you like medieval battles, magic and good versus evil.

Nick Hornby's Slam: A Review by Sebastian!

*Rated PG 13 for swearing* (Sebastian's rating)

In the book Slam by Nick Hornby, teenager Sam meets Alicia and falls in love with her. Then, unfortunately they start having sex, protected at first, but after Alicia gets pregnant because of "that once" Sam must decide whether to help care for their child or run away from it all. I liked this book because it talks loosely about a topic that generally makes people tense up. If you're looking for a deep, serious novel that's playful at the same time, Slam is right for you.

Christopher Paolini's Eragon: A Review by Arlo!

Eragon is a poor farmer living within an evil empire. His whole live changes when he finds a blue stone while he is hunting for the winter. I like this book because it is about dragons and medieval times. I also like it because it has magic in it. You should read this book if you like fantasy, action and magic.