Finnikin of the Rock, by Melina Marchetta

The novel Finnikin of the Rock opens into the mystical land of Lumatere in the spring.

Plot Spoilers! Please highlight to read!

On the eve of the Harvest Moon Festival, where Lumaterans dance and give thanks for life, Finnikin of the Rock has a dream that he was to sacrifice a pound of flesh in order to save the beloved land. Finnikin and his three friends make an oath to protect the royal family at all costs, but the royal family is murdered one night by the family's cousin. As a result "the five days of the uspeakable" occurs and a curse is placed on the land binding all those within to the castle and keeping former Lumaterans out.
This fantasy novel provides suspense with the courageous tale of Finnikin and his fight to break the curse. This book is for young teens and pre-teens who enjoy reading fantasy novels that contain a lot of action and suspense. Finnikin is a courageous and loyal hero and a character that you would want to see in more novels.

Ellen, 10th grade

The Baby-Sitters Club: The Summer Before. By Ann M. Martin

Like many of Ann M. Martin's other novels, her latest installment of The Baby-Sitters Club delves into the lives of four 12 and 13 year old girls. The trials and tribulations of the average teenage girl are accurately described and allow the reader to truly connect to the characters. The Summer Before focuses on the summer before the start of the baby-sitters club. The lives of these four girls are changing and they struggle to adjust to their ever cnaging worlds. The novel is engaging and fun to read, perfect for a girl of any age. The characters are easy to relat to and all four are completely different. I would recommend this book to both fans of the baby-sitters club, as well as to people who have never read them before.
Ellen M., 10th grade