The Odyssey by Smitty

“Charge!” screamed the commander of the Greek army. “Thank Zeus for Odysseus,” he said. All of the Greeks praised Odysseus that day. For the rest of the Greek culture everybody knew the name Odysseus, because of his invention of the Trojan horse. Odysseus was a hero because he was courageous, very smart, and he never gave up.

            Odysseus was very courageous. Odysseus had the mettle to stand firm against the Cyclops. Then he had the audacity to stab Polyphemus in the eye, and then he tricked him by saying his name was nobody. He had the boldness to stand against the fury of Poseidon, god of the sea. He even had the drive to challenge over one hundred suitors, who were trying to hook up with his girl.

            Odysseus had the gift of a super brain bestowed upon him by Athena. One of his better-known achievements was the Trojan horse. He figured out how to escape the monstrous Cyclops! Odysseus found a way to kill every single suitor in his house on top of that there was over one hundred suitors in that house. He also came up with way to enter and then exit the under world all in one piece.

            Last but not least Odysseus would never give up. He did not give up when the Cyclops was eating his men. Odysseus never gave up when Poseidon kept attacking his ship, the second most powerful god in all of the Greek culture. Odysseus would not give up when Teiresias said it would be a tough road ahead of him. Most importantly he did not give up when he was trapped on an island with the ever so lovely Calypso.

            Odysseus had the bravado to stand up to Poseidon. He was very smart to come up with the Trojan horse. Odysseus never gave up, even when the odds were stacked against him he never gave in. These are the reasons Odysseus is a hero.

Behind Enemy Lines True Stories Of Amazing Courage By Bill Doyle

There are ten incredible, eye opening stories in this book. My two favorites out of these ten stories would be “America’s First Spy,” and “Flight Of The Wing Walker.” “America’s First Spy” took place during the Revolutionary War in 1776. “Flight Of The Wing Walker” took place during World War II in 1941. “America’s First Spy” is about a patriotic teacher who searches for secrets to help out Washington and his army. “Flight Of The Wing Walker” is about a young pilot thinks up and does one of the most surprising flight ever.

One of the main reasons I like “America’s First Spy” is because, as the name says, it is the first American spy I find that awesome. Another reason is because of the Nathan Hale (the spy) that he hires to ferry him. On their way over they passed too close to a large British warship; the captain just took off and did many maneuvers, like it was nothing. When he is discovered he is lured to a British higher-ups dinner. When they catch him and are preparing to hang him, they say courteously any last words and Nathan being the patriot replies “I only regret I have but one life to lose for my country.”

One of the main reasons I like “Flight Of The Wing Walker” is because he escapes a German camp that is right next to his airstrip. Also he does the very first midair refueling on one of the smallest planes ever (in the time period of WWII), the Hornet Moth. He travelled, by very small plane with his friend, Kjeld, from Denmark, all the way to Great Britain past an enemy gun emplacement. He also out-maneuvered a German fighter.

Behind Enemy Lines By Bill Doyle

There are ten individual, incredible, and eye opening stories in this book. My two favorites out of these ten stories would be Dukes Dog’s, and Demon Platoon. I like Duke’s Dogs because three dogs save 50 U.S. soldiers from a suicide bomber. I also like Demon Platoon because it shows a bunch of kids who are the worst in the entire camp and turning into one of the best I.E.D. removal teams ever.

         There are three dogs that saved the fifty American soldiers lives. The first one to join the soldiers is Sasha she was picked up from a group of soldiers out on patrol. The second dog that joined the army dogs was Target she was part of a group of wild dogs that ravaged through the base. She had been shot and had rocks thrown at her, hence the name Target. The third and final dog to join the group is Rufus and nobody really knows how he came around; one day he was just, there.

         The second story I like a lot is “Demon Platoon.” It is about a sergeant named Tim Faust, who when he was asked which platoon he wanted, he said the worst. His said reason was “because then I can take them only one way, and that’s up” (Doyle 10). I like this because he takes on all these delinquents. On top of that, in just two months they become the best in the best in the camp. I think that takes a lot of work and determination.

The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell by Chris Colfer

Alex and Conner, twins, have had a recent death in their family. It’s hit them pretty hard, and, as they’ve come to realize, life moves on. When they receive a mysterious gift from their grandmother, Alex and Conner begin a journey through the perils of fairytale land, and come to question the good, the evil, and even their own existence. Join them in this journey as you turn each page in a mesmerized gaze.

            What can I say about The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell? It’s a fantastic fairytale, with compelling characters, morals galore, and a bit of danger around every corner. This book takes little to no time to read with its easy wording and if you have a determined mind. (This book also reminds me a bit of how the very first Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, was written.) I was first compelled to read this book sorely based on the fact that Chris Colfer wrote it. (Don’t look at me like that! He’s a Golden Globe winner!) Chris Colfer rose to the occasion—his book is a jewel! It even has a sequel: The Land of Stories: The Enchantress Returns. Enjoy your reading! (May I suggest reading with a young one? It is a fairytale, after all.)

~Hollindra

Willow by Julia Hoban

Willow Randall spent the first sixteen years of her life as a normal teenager. Then one rainy night, as she’s driving her intoxicated parents home, she gets in a crash. Both of her parents are killed in the crash and Willow must leave her current life to go live with her older brother, David, as a result.

Willow feels like a burden to her older brother, his wife, and their young child and with the guilt of her parent’s death pressing on her she turns to cutting to deal with it. Willow feels more alone than ever in her new life and school. Then she meets Guy, someone who she can open up a little to and share her feelings.

The book Willow opens up a more somber and darker side of life that isn’t all that beautiful. It will remind the reader how easily pain can slip into our lives and could potentially ruin us. Willow is a rather average sized book that contains 329 pages.

~Deviyana

Raven's Gate by Anthony Horowitz

Raven’s Gate has very few parts of comedy but for what it lacks in comedy it makes up for in horror. I like it because it reels you in by the first page. You will not stop reading it, trust me. It all starts by a boy who is lost trying to survive he gets into trouble and learns the he has powers like no one he seen has. Later he will learn that the world is in danger of total annihilation but he cannot save it alone, so he has to search to find the others with powers

 to stop earth’s destruction.

The Son Of Neptune Author: Rick Riordan

The book The Son Of Neptune is about Percy Jackson’s experience with the Roman’s Camp Jupiter. It starts with Percy running away from two gorgons who when he kills them just re-make themselves. Percy is invincible due to the Achilles Curse he picked up before Hera abducted him and sent him on a course towards Camp Jupiter. While on the way he picks up the goddess in disguise and takes her to safety within Camp Jupiter’s border’s.

            When Percy is at the entrance to the camp he has the gorgons flying after him, but with a little help from Frank Zhang and Hazel Levesque he makes it into the camp safely. When he gets across the river (Little Tiber) Frank is on his way across when the gorgons get him by the arms and start taking him away. Then Percy uses his powers and saves him by using the water to crush both gorgons.

            Percy gets a probatio tablet sort of marking him as a grunt. After he gets that he gets picked to go to Alaska, the land beyond the gods, on a quest. In an effort to try saving Camp Jupiter, from an unbeatable monster army led by the giant Bolybotes. The reason they’re unbeatable is because the god of death Thantos is chained and can’t keep the dead monster’s soul in the underworld. That in turn makes them immortal per say.