Title:          Fake Mustache

Author:      Tom Angleberger

Target:       3rd grade-5th grade

Series:        No

Posted By Will
 
What this book is about:
What happens when Casper Bengue buys a fake mustache?  Not just any fake mustache but the Heidelberg Handlebar Number Seven, at a cost of $139.99.  Now Casper uses his new disguise to rob banks and then uses the money to buy the Heidelberg Novelty Company. Casper takes on the new nickname Fako Mustacho.  When Casper decides to run for president of the U.S.A., it’s up to Lenny Flem Jr. to save the United States Presidential Election.  Don’t forget about Jodie O’Rodeo, the only other person that didn’t fall for Casper’s genius plot.  Can she and Lenny save the U.S.A?

Why I like it:

 I liked this book because of how funny and absurd it was.  Since when was a 7th grader supposed to be a mad genius criminal mastermind?  Also, why did everybody but two kids fall for a totally obvious plot?  Who knew that all this could happen because of a short man about town suit and a fake mustache! 

You will like this book if you enjoyed:
Science Fair

Title:          A Confusion of Princes

Author:      Garth Nix

Target:       6th grade-8th grade

Series:        No

Posted by Ford

What this book is about:
It’s great to be a prince in the Empire. You get what you want, when you want it. You are faster, smarter, and stronger than normal humans. You also get a shot at being chosen as one of the 1000 candidates to become emperor. Unfortunately, as young prince Khemri learns, most princes will go to extreme lengths to narrow down the selection. To avoid the wrath of his fellow princes, he must travel to the edge of the empire, where he meets a young woman, called Raine. This encounter changes Khamri’s views on the Empire and the life he has always lived. But the Empire has different plans for him. The story follows Khemri’s adventures as he attempts to stray away from the path that has been laid out for him and his realizations of what really happens in the world around him.

Why I like it:
The author does a great job explaining the futuristic world. Not too much is given away, but enough so that you understand the setting. It is very fun to attempt to figure out what an unfamiliar word means, when the characters use it all the time and without regard. The book also maintains a fairly consistent flow of action, from the heat of a battle to the exhilaration of blasting through space in a starship. There are not many dull points and it moves freely between settings. Each time Khemri has a new experience, you feel the just as surprised or confused as he does. These features all make for one great book (pun intended.)

You will like this book if you enjoyed:
Ender’s Game

Title:         Evil Genius

Author:     Catherine Jinks

Target:      6th grade - 8th grade

Series:       There is a sequel

Posted by Ford

What this book is about: 

Cadel Piggot, an adopted boy, is great with computers. So great, he has gotten in trouble with the police numerous times for hacking into high security networks, such as the power grid and bill paying service. Because of these scandals, he is told to visit Dr. Roth, a psychiatrist. Rather than quelling Cadel’s interest in technology, Dr. Roth helps him to embrace his true potential, telling Cadel that he could become an evil genius, like his true father, Phinias Darkkon, an infamous criminal genius. 
In fact, before he was imprisoned for life, Darkkon set up a school, titled the Axis Institute, specifically to teach Cadel what he will need to know to follow in the footsteps of his father. The story chronicles Cadel’s adventures to find the answers to his questions about what evil really is. 

Why I like it: 

The book does a good job clearly describing Cadel’s struggles about how far he should go to accomplish the tasks his father and Dr. Roth place upon him. The author puts the reader in Cadel’s position and you are just as surprised as Cadel when a new detail is revealed. 
The author also does well in describing the personalities of many characters, such as the teachers at the Axis Institute. There is a hyper computer geek, a mysterious master of disguise, a stern and somewhat rude con man, and many more. The diversity of the characters will enthrall the reader as they search to find each one’s role in the shadowy events of the story. 


You will like this book if you enjoyed:
H.I.V.E.
Artemis Fowl