Countdown by Deborah Wiles

Countdown is about a girl, Franny. The book is set during the time when Russia put nuclear bombs in Cuba. Franny's life was going just fine until she heard on TV that if the bombs in Cuba exploded, the explosion would be able to hit America. They start building a bomb shelter. Franny is emotionally distressed about the Cuban Missile Crisis, which makes her relationships with her friend and family more confusing.
I liked Countdown because Franny is a very smart girl. I can relate to it because sometimes when I'm in math class, my teacher skips me when I raise my hand like Franny's teacher skips her. I also liked that the author put news articles in the book because I like reading what they were saying about things that were happening at the time.
-- Andrea A.

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Mia and her family were just driving until they get in a big accident. Mia wakes up from a coma and thought it was a dream. Mia then goes back to school but can not get over the fact that her family is dead. Her friends get on her nerves so she gets in trouble a lot. Mia has a choice that will change everything. Will Mia stay alive or choose death to be with her family?


I liked this book because it is gripping, really a page turner and you will never stop reading this tragic tale.

Fracture by Megan Miranda

Delany was walking with her best friend Decker when she falls through the ice into the cold water of Falcon Lake. She should have died, but instead she wakes up in a hospital thinking she is in heaven. Brain scans shows she is damaged but none of it affects her. She meets a new friend, Troy, in the hospital.They find out they have the same capacity to sense death. They try to find more people like themselves. However, Delany just wants to live a normal life.

I liked this book because it is about life, friendship, and the struggle of Delany to live a normal life. If you like serious books Fracture is for you.

-Sam Runfold

Sent by Margaret Haddix

In the last book, Found, Jonah and Chip started looking into their past and caught themselves in a sticky situation. They discover that they are famous children from the past that were kidnapped by time travelers from the future. In this book, JB uses his Elucidator to zap them and another kid who was also kidnapped from the past named Alex back into the past and they land in the fifteenth century. When they get there they find out that Chip is a king and Alex is his brother. JB said that when they are finished they can get back in the present but they first need to save Alex and Chip from being murdered. The person who tries to kill them is their own uncle! I liked this book because it has twice as much suspense as the first book.
-- Tony

12 Finally by Wendy Mass

This story is about 12-year-old Rory who meets a small old woman named Angelina who tells her she won't get what she wants until she sees what she needs. When Rory's birthday comes and she turns 12, she shows her parents a chart about all the things she wants and she gets almost all of them. However, she has to deal with things not going as planned. I liked this book because it was a nice story about how a girl learns that she has to see what she really needs before she can get what she wants.
-- Patricia P.

Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai

This story is about a girl named Ha who tries to escape the Vietnam War. She is the youngest out of five and is the only girl. They must go to Alabama for a year to live with her uncle. She must try to learn to speak English. It was also hard for her because her father had died from serving in the war.
I liked this book because it was a combination of something funny, sad, and serious. It is one of the best books I've read.
-- Kristen Y.

With a Name Like Love by Tess Hilmo

Ollie is the oldest girl in the Love family. Her dad is a preacher. Every three days the Love family moves to the next town. In one town, Ollie meets Jimmy whose mom is in jail for killing her husband. Jimmy believes that his mom didn't commit the crime, but she admitted that she did. Ollie and her dad try to get Jimmy's mom out of prison before she is transferred to Little Rock prison.
I liked the book because it was serious. I also liked how the whole book came together like a puzzle.
-- Mesha J.

Graceling by Kristen Cashore--Samantha

Graceling is about a stubborn teen named Katsa and how she deals with the ones she loves, her missions, people she meets and most importantly...her grace. Having one eye blue and one green, her grace is to kill. Not everybody has a grace, only the special ones. Since she was 8, Katsa's uncle, King Randa, has been sending her on missions to kill or punish innocent people for his pleasure. Katsa is known throughout the seven kingdoms as his ladykiller. during one of his unjustified missions, she meets Prince Po. Together and with help, Katsa and Po find out about King Leck's terrible grace and stop at nothing to defeat him.

From beginning to end it had my full attention. This book is one of my most favorite books EVER!

Underdogs by Markus Zusak--Antony M.

Underdogs is three books in one. It's about Cameron and Ruben Wolfe. They are trying to earn money to give to their parents because the parents are running behind on their bills. I liked the middle story the best because the brothers are going to street fight each other for money and I didn't know who would win. I recommend this book to people who like serious books.

Found By Margaret Peterson Haddix--Tony A.

A thirteen year old boy named Jonah knew that he was adopted but he didn’t know it was a big deal…until him and a new friend start receiving strange letters. One said “you are one of the missing” and the second one said “beware they’re coming back to get you”. Jonah, Chip, and Jonah’s sister, Katherine, are plunged into a mystery that involves the FBI, smuggling operations, an airplane that appeared out of nowhere, and people who seem to appear and disappear whenever they want to. They discover that they’re in a battle between two forces that want different things from Jonah and Chips lives. I liked this book because there is a lot of adventure in this story. I recommend it to people who like mystery and A LOT of adventure
--Tony

11 Birthdays by Wendy Mass--Patricia

Ten-Year-year-old best friends, Amanda and Leo, got in a fight on their 10 birthday and it lasted until their 11th birthday. The next day after their 11th birthday it was their birthday AGAIN!

It was a good story on how friendship and forgiveness are more important than something someone says.
--Patricia

Plain Kate by Erin Bow

This book is about a young girl named Katerina, who is known as Plain Kate due to the way she looks. Plain Kate and her father are known for their beautiful carvings, but after her father dies she is driven to live in a drawer. Her father dies from a sickness where you don't wake up from your sleep called the witch's-fever that is going through the country. One day while Plain Kate is selling her carvings, a mysterious man approaches her and later on Plain Kate makes a horrible deal with him: her shadow for her heart's wish. But once she finds out what he will do with her shadow, she plans to stop him. Join Kate and her talking cat, Taggle, on their fun but devastating journey.
This is a very good book. I liked this book because it was heartwarming and unique. I recommend it to people who like serious books.
-- Samantha

Infinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon

This book is about a boy named Nick Gautier. Nick is an average high school kid who gets involved in something with his friends. Once he sees what they are really doing, he rescues their victims. Nick gets beat up, saved by a mysterious warrior, and put in the ER. He discovers that there are zombies, vampires, and demons. Nick quickly learns the world is a more dangerous place than he thought. I liked this book because it was brimming with adventure and action.
-- Brianna