Pam Muñoz Ryan's Paint the Wind: A Review by Clara Z.!

Maya is an orphan and lives with her grandma. Maya's grandma always has to have things her way: all of the lawn chairs and fences must be white. The only thing Maya has to remind her of her mother is an old shoe box with some toy horses and a photo of her mother on a horse. Then suddenly her grandma falls ill and Maya must go live with her aunt and grandpa. I really like this book because it shows how Maya gets away from her "properness". I think someone should read this book because it can really bring you into the story. It's kind of like you are in the book and seeing what happens.

Kara Dalkey's Little Sister: A Review by Alexa!

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

Little Sister, a novel by Kara Dalkey, is an intriguing story that takes place in Japan and tells the story of a noble girl named Mitsuko. In the story, her sister, Amaiko marries a relative of the emperor, a man named Yugiri. Everything seems to be going well for their family until Yugiri is killed while trying to defend Amaiko and her sisters (including Mitsuko) from warrior monks. Amaiko's soul seems to be looking for Yugiri's after this; Mitsuko, as the caring little sister she is, tries to find and return the two souls, before Amaiko, soul and body, is gone. I enjoyed how challenging yet how descriptively entertaining this story was. I also enjoyed how the author used simple sentences that used luscious language to tell the story, making me feel as if I was there. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys adventurous, touching accounts of how far siblings will go fro each other in a difficult situation.

Natalie Babbitt Tuck Everlasting: A Review by Krystal!

Winnie Foster is a curious, bored ten year old who decides she wants to run away. One day she decides to take a walk in the woods and passes along a mysterious spring and a boy drinking from it. She decides to take a drink but the boy refuses to allow her. Soon she finds herself being taken away on a horse by crazy strangers who claim they are 100 years old, but look about 40. Who are these people and why are they so protective over the spring? I like this book because it contains mystery and excitement.