Unwanteds Quest - Dragon Captives

Students, children, and life-long readers,

If you are a student in my classroom, you have heard of one of our favorite fantasy series, The Unwanteds.  Dragon Captives continues with a side series that focuses on Alex's sisters, Fifer and Thisbe.  I encourage you to read the Unwanteds series first to better understand the setting and minor characters throughout the series.  There is an even a villain that makes a return.  You will also be able to see the magical ability of our main characters.

Fifer and Thisbe ar e being prevented from entering Magical training due to their lack of maturity and unspeakable power that they have trouble controlling as you will see in the first chapter.  Alex has them on a short leash.  But when the dragons come in need of help and hold Alex to his promise of magically increasing the size of their wings so they can fly, the twins jump on this opportunity for an adventure and to prove to Alex that they are ready to use their abilities.  The twins are off to an island that has yet to be discovered, and trouble quickly follows them.

There are many favorite characters returning, and new ones that are introduced.  If you enjoyed Unwanteds, you should definitely give this one a try.  And if you are worried that Colby spoiled the ending, don't worry - there is more than meets the eye to the thrilling conclusion of this novel.

AUTHOR: Lisa McMannis

GENRE: Fantasy

Grade Level: 5-8

Going Wild

Students, children, and life-long readers,

Lisa McMann is back with another fantasy series to follow her very popular Unwanted series.

Our main character Charlie is making the big move with her family from Chicago to Arizona.  As usual, she is upset and nervous about this big change that is taking place.  Her family is dynamic and setting is changing drastically.  Right before they leave she receives a package with a mysterious bracelet.  Thinking it is from her grandma she thinks nothing of it and puts it on.  Little does she know, that this bracelet carries the powers of five different animals that give her superhuman abilities.
Charlies is faced with many struggles including making new friends, learning the meaning of the bracelet, and finding help on why she has it in the first place, and who sent it.

Can she learn the truth behind the bracelet? Can she learn to master these new abilities without hurting those around her, and before her enemies find her location and work to take back what they feel is there's?

AUTHOR - Lisa McMann

GENRE - Fantasy

GRADE LEVEL - 5-8

Charmed

Kids, students, and life-long readers,

The Fairy Tale Reform School Series is back with the second book.  If you have not read the first book, here is a book talk about the first book - Flunked.

Our heroine, Gilly has returned to FTRS even though she had the opportunity to return to her family.  It doesn't take long for Alva, our antagonist to return with a bang to free her minions and seek revenge against Gilly.  Now Gilly and her friends need to find the mole that is working for Alva, and fast, as Alva attacks the school, the city, and tries to recruit students from FTRS to join the cause.

Gilly struggles throughout the book with her new role as a hero of FTRS, and her past of doing everything on her one.  The fame and notoriety go to her head as she considers joining Princess Rose's Royal-Lady-in-Waiting to learn to be a noble and princess.  But does that mean turning her back on her friends that stood by her and assisted her to defeat Alva the first time? This book leaves Gilly with many challenges and decisions that will change the fate of FTRS, and an overlying question that flows throughout the entire book is "Who can Gilly trust?".

AUTHOR: Jen Calonita

GENRE: Fantasy

GRADE: 5-7

The Cloak Society

Kids, students, and life-long readers,

Amazingly, with the rise of superhero movies, you don't see too many books that take on the idea of superheroes taking on the supervillains.  The Cloak Society is set in a world where the forces of good, Rangers of Justice, is taking on the forces of evil, The Cloak Society.  Our main character Alex has telekinetic powers and is part of the upcoming Beta group for The Cloak Society.  The story begins with their first mission to break into a bank and steal a needed diamond for their super weapon.  As they ran into the Junior Rangers (young heroes), Alex does something unexpected.  He saves his enemy, a junior ranger from certain death.

From here the questions for Alex pile up.  Does he have what it takes to become a villain and defeat the Junior Rangers?  Can he harness his true power of telekinesis and become a powerful supervillain?  Can he trust his mother and father - leaders of the Cloak Society - as they continue to push and test him through his training?

I really enjoyed reading this from the villain perspective of a superhero setting.  I always wanted to keep reading to see if there was more information on what Alex is going to do and if he will leave the forces of evil to join the forces of good.

AUTHOR: Jeramey Kraatz

GENRE: Fantasy

GRADE LEVEL - 5-8

The Unlikely Adventures of Mabel Jones

Kids, students, and life-long readers,

Mabel Jones has done THE DEED.  This one deed opens the door for the pirate crew of the Feroshus Maggot (Yes, that is how it is spelled) to capture her and force her to serve as one of the crew.  And what is THE DEED?  You will have to read to find out.

But this is no ordinary crew.  The captain is a ferocious wolf bent on the quest to capture all five parts of the hidden "X" to find the forbidden treasure spoken of by his lost father.  The rest of the crew is made of talking animals from a silent orangutang to a thieving lemur to a crocodile that enjoys nothing more than amputating appendages.  Mabel Jones is in for quite an adventure as she is forced to walk the greasy pole in the fir moments of meeting the crew.

The hunt is on and crew must find the four most despicable pirates to take back the pieces and find the treasure.  This story is filled with adventure and humor.  The narrator telling the story has quite the voice jumping in and out of character.  There is also a connection to Geronimo Stilton as the author is very creative with the fonts and placement of the words and sentences.

If you are looking for a light read that you can enjoy some adventure and a good laugh, this is the book for you.

AUTHOR: Will Mabbitt

GENRE:  Adventure/Humor

GRADE LEVEL:  5th-8th

The Lost Hero - Student

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