Oh, I am suffering with the loss of daylight savings time. I really don’t like getting home in the dark, I have lots of outside chores when I get home and it is sad to do all of them in the dark. The good side to it being dark is that I now feel like I have time at night to read and I bet you feel the same way. I am ready to go to bed earlier and curl up with a good book. Just so you older readers don’t feel left out I have hand picked 16 books that got 5 star reviews, that you may want to try this winter. I hope you let me know what you think of them if you read them. I want to thank all of the Summer Reading participants that reviewed these wonderful books.
Elizabeth Levy Karate Class Mystery 5 Star Re
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Reviewed by Vivian Age 9
What I like about this book is that they do mysteries and learn karate. If I met the characters I would ask them questions about karate. I think that my friends should read it because they would have a good time reading it. The weirdest thing in the book that this girl looked like she stole the belt from a boy and now they need to look for it. That is why I like this book.
Cynthia Lord Rules 5 Star Revi
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Reviewed by Andy Age 10
In the book Rules you read about a girl just wishing her brother was normal. Instead he embarrasses her all the time. One of the funniest parts is when her brother puts Barbie dolls in the sink. She doesn’t get her wish but learns that her friends will have to understand.
Cornelia Funke The Thief Lord Shining 5 S
tar Review
Reviewed by Elise Age 10
I like The Thief Lord because it has some mystery in it, some shocking parts and some surprising parts. It’s about a detective, two runaway children, three orphans and a rich boy. It takes place in Venice, Italy. I think it’s the perfect setting for this story. It’s a very wellspun tale.
Astrid Lindgren Pippi Longstocking 5 Star 
Review
Reviewed by Elaiza Age 8
The funniest part was when Pippi went to the circus and wrestled with the strongest man in the world. Pippi won and got one hundred dollars. My friends should read this because it has many funny adventures that my friends should read. Yes, I would love to meet the character Pippi because I would like to be in one of Pippi’s adventures.
Kate DiCamillo The Tale of Despereaux 5 Star Re
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Reviewed by Abby Age 8
Despereaux is born staring into the light. His family says he has a problem, he is the smallest mouse. His older brother and sisters try to teach him how to be a mouse, but can’t. Then he speaks to a human and goes to the dungeon and saves the princess. You learn love is a very strong emotion. Some people do silly things to save the one they love. I think people that like animals should read Despereaux. It is a very interesting adventure about love and forgiveness.
E. L. Konigsburg From the Mixed-U
p Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler 5 Star Review
Reviewed by Grace Age 8
I think this book is really great. The book is not really funny, but it is sad that Claudia and Jamie decide to run away from home. It is scary when they take a taxi to Farmington, Connecticut. They pay all their money on the taxi ride. The hide in the Metropolitan Museum of Arts in New York City. This book is fiction, but there really is a Metropolitan Museum of Arts. It is in New York City.
Marjorie Sharmat The Pizza Monster 5 Star R
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Reviewed by Audrianna Age 8
The funniest part in The Pizza Monster is when her friend says the world is coming to an end. My friend should read this book because it is funny. I would like to meet Olivia Sharp. I liked this book because it was funny.
Henry Winkler The Curtain Went Up and My Pants Fel
l Down
Reviewed by Lauren Age 8 5 Star Review
The funniest part of the book is when his pants fell down by the curtains at the play that he wanted to try out as the King of Siam. I would like to meet the main character, Hank. If you like funny stories you should read this book. I would like to read another Hank Zipzer book.
Franklin W. Dixon The Secret of the Lost Tunnel 
5 Star Review
Reviewed by Seth Age 9
This is a really good book about finding gold. I would like to meet the characters Frank and Joe because they are famous detectives. One of the main characters gets shot, which is a scary part of the book. This book is a really good mystery.
Beverly Lewis The Chicken Pox Panic 5 Star Revie
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Reviewed by Emily Age 9
The Chicken Pox Panic is about a boy named Shawn who had a birthday soon. Two days before his birthday he got chicken pox. He was going to have a party but that got cancelled. But all his friends came anyway and he had a happy chicken pox birthday.
Nancy Krulik Out to Lunch 5 Star Re
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Reviewed by Addison Age 9
The funniest part is when Katie is the lunch lad and she accidently throws a glob of jello at the principal! It’s a really entertaining book. My friends would love it. I want to meet Katie. She sounds cool!
Patricia Reilly Giff A Glass Slipper for Rosie 5 St
ar Review
Reviewed by Elisa Age 9
A Glass Slipper for Rosie is the fifth book in the Rosie collection. In the book, Rosie’s grandpa wanted to leave for a month. Rosie thought that it’s a bad idea because her grandpa would be away for his birthday and he was also going to be away during her ballet, Cinderella. Cinderella was Rosie’s grandpa’s favorite ballet. She learned that if she worked it out with her dance teacher she could have everything the right way. Everybody was happy at the end.
Mary Downing Hahn The Old Willis Place 5 Sta
r Review
Reviewed by Lauren Age 9
The Old Willis Place by Mary Downing Hahn is an exciting ghost story. In it you will meet Diana and her little brother, Georgie. They have a strict set of rules that say they can’t let anyone see them or leave the area of the Old Willis Place. But when the new caretaker moves in, he brings his daughter, Lisa. In hopes of finding a new friend, Diana is tempted to break the rules. To find out more, read The Old Willis Place.
Chris Platt Moon Shadow 5 Star Re
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Reviewed by Amanda Age 9
Moon Shadow was a good book. It was about a baby horse that’s mother died right after it was born. A girl who had loved the mother horse fell in love with her and adopted her. They became best friends. I think it is a good book for horse lovers like me.
John Hamilton Elves and Fairies 5 Star R
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Reviewed by Emma Age 9
This book tells me a lot about Elves and Fairies and what they can be called. Some people say that fairies are souls of dead people. In Japan people say that Kappa are evil fairies that live in rivers and eat people alive. Some people call fairies little people. If you step into a fairy ring and you are dancing with fairies, it would seem like a few hours but it would be a few years.
Jodi Anderson May Bird and the Ever-After 5 Star 
Review
Reviewed by Josie Age 9
This is a thrilling book that you would want to read over and over again about a girl named May-Bird who is in the middle of a drought and finds a lake in the middle of the woods. She puts her foot into the water and feels something grab her ankle but she pulls away and swims to shore. The next day she went to the run-down post office and looks throught the bricks and finds a letter for her saying “come to the lake, we need you”. So she went to the lake and got pulled in and came out in the dead land. And she needs help from ghosts to go back home.
