The Invention of Hugo Cabret

The Invention of Hugo Cabret is a 526 page book by Brian Selznick. This book is a wonderful book told both in writing and pictures. This book is about a boy, Hugo, whos father died and is staying with his alcoholic uncle who tends the stations clocks. When he disappears Hugo takes it upon himself to maintain the clocks and try to fix a robot that his fathter had been working on before he died. Stealing to survive Hugo makes a fantasic main character in this story. I would highly recomend this award winning book.

The Upstairs Room

The Upstairs Room is a 179 page book by Johanna Reiss that tells about a girl and her family during the Holocaust. This is based on a true story and it is about a girl named Annie and her family who are Jews that live in Holland. They soon have to go into hiding because Hitler and the Nazis wanted to send Jews to Concentration Camps where they would be tortured, beat, or killed. Annie and her sister hide together for over two years. They were long years but Annie's family luckily made it through and never got caught.
The theme of this story, The Upstairs room, is courage. It took great courage to go into hiding and stay quiet and not get caught because if Annie got caught she could have been killed. Everytime the German soldiers searched the house Annie had to be silent and calm. What she did took a lot of courage. Knowing that ahe might have got killed when she did someting took a lot of courage. Annie is very brave and so is the rest of her family in this story.

The Wizard of Oz

The Wizard of Oz, a 198 paged book, is a fantasy novel written by L. Frank Baum. Dorothy, her dog, a scarecrow, a tin-man, and a cowarcly lion are following the yellow brick road to Oz, the great magician. It started when Dorothy's house got picked up by a cyclone and was dropped in the land of munchkins. Eager to make her way back, Dorothy followed the yellow brick road and picked up three friends along the way. They all have problems they need Oz to fix, but it's a dangerous journey. Dorothy is brave in The Wizard of Oz.
Dorothy is brave in The Wizard of Oz because it's a very dangerous journey to the wizard of Oz yet she still is eager to go. Dorothy wants to get back home to Kansas. Dorothy is brave enough to walk through the cruel lands of the evil and wicked withches and ferocious animals. In The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy is extremely brave which makes a great story.

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Princess Academy

Princess Academy is a 314 page book that is written by Shannon Hale and it tells about a girl named Miri who goes to a castle to compete in a competition to become the prince's bride. This book is wondrfully written and full of excitement. I strongly reccomend this book because it's not your typical fairy tale that you would predict!

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Boy of the Painted Cave

Boy of the Painted Cave, by Justin Denzel, has158 pages that tell of a boy named Tao from the early man stage of life. He is very artistic and loves to draw yet it is forbidden. Drawing when you aren't a cave painter is considered taboo and it angers the spirits. Only cave painters are allowed to draw. Tao starts a secret life in his new cave because there he can draw and take care of his loving but forbidden wolf dog, Ram. Tao ends up accomplishing the conflict in the end with the help of a special friend.

Tao loves to draw, but it angers the spirits when others draw and it is considered taboo. This is the main conflict in the book. Tao wishes to become a cave painter like his old friend, Graybeard. Graybeard is the current chosen one and he gives Tao secret lessons in a hidden cave. One day Graybeard gives Tao important instructions to go into the secret cave and paint for a good hunt. Then Graybeard would take Volt and the hunters to see Tao draw so they would beleive he can draw well and prove he can be a chosen one because Graybeard is growing old. Volt and the hunters find Tao painting in the secret cave and are furious. Graybeard was not with them because he did not make it and passed away that night. Tao is sent to face Saxon, the sacred bull because Graybeard wasnt there to defend him. Tao ends up becoming a cave painter after he defeats Saxon and proves he did no wrong.

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The Tale of Despereaux

The Tale of Despereaux, a 272 page "fantasy novel" is written by Kate DiCamillo tells about a mouse who falls in love with a princess and has to risk his life to save her. This book is filled with excitement and love. It is a wonderful tale of a very courageous mouse.

Fairest

Gail Carson Levine is the author of a well written, 326 page book called Fairest. Aza, Prince Ijori, and Queen Ivi, as the main antagonist, fill this book with courage, love, singing, and sorrow. Ayortha is a town that favors two things:beauty and singing. Aza is a great singer, but is very ugly which makes the main conflict. In the end, she realizes it doesn't matter what you look like, but who you are on the inside.

Aza gets teased and made fun of because she isn't very pretty. Aza's parents own an inn and most people who stay there are very rude to her. For example, Ollo told her she was ugly and Mistress Ingi too. Most of the people won't even take the food she serves just because of her looks. Aza often cries and gets hurt because of the rude and ignorant people who stay at the inn. Aza realizes it doesn't matter what people think in the end when she gets married and has a family of her own. She is then content with who she is.