Kadohata, Cynthia.  Kira-Kira.  New York: Henry Holt.    

ÙÙÙÙÙ Hailey A., 8th grade 

Kira-Kira is one of my favorite books that I have read in a while. This book really speaks to me because it says that the world is beautiful place and we get what we get. You shouldn’t regret anything you do because everything someone does is a learning experience. When a person falls, they learn how to get back up. When something bad happens to a person, they have to move on. There are many life lessons that are inside of the pages just waiting to be read, and when you read this, you are going to learn all off these examples. The main person in this book even quotes at the end that “The world is a wonderful place.”

ÙÙÙ Halee,  8th grade

The book Kira Kira is an excellent book, it tells about two sisters and the hard times they encounter while moving to a new house.  This story tells about the problems that can happen in everyday family life.  Kira Kira is a book that I would recommend to anyone because it is easy to read and tells a great story.  

ÙÙÙÙÙ Paul W., 8th grade 

Kira-Kira is about a Japanese family who moves to America. It is told by Katie who has a sister named Lynn and a brother named Sam. The book is realistic fiction and similar to a biography too. People who are into a story that takes over a long period of time would like this book.

ÙÙÙÙÙ Hailey A, 8th  grade 

Kira-Kira is one of my favorite books that I have read in a while. This book really speaks to me because it says that the world is beautiful place and we get what we get. You shouldn’t regret anything you do because everything someone does is a learning experience. When a person falls, they learn how to get back up. When something bad happens to a person, they have to move on. There are many life lessons that are inside of the pages just waiting to be read, and when you read this, you are going to learn all off these examples. The main person in this book even quotes at the end that “The world is a wonderful place.”

ÙÙÙ Morgan Lee, ninth grade 

This is a story of a young Japanese girl who grows up with her family in a small town. Her family had to move from their home town to living in Georgia with her Uncle. She has an older sister and a new born brother. Her older sister is her best friend and she had so many plans with her when they got older. They were going to live together and go see the ocean. When they moved, her sister found another best friend and she changed in some ways that her sister doesn’t understand or like. But when her sister gets very sick, things change. She has to take of her sister and her little brother because the parents are always working to pay her medical bills. Everything changes when she gets sick and it gets worse as the story goes on.

     This book was really good. I liked it. It was a simply book about a young girl’s life. It was very straight forward. What I liked most about this book was that it seemed real and easy to believe, the ends was also one of the best parts.

ÙÙÙÙÙ Shayleen, ninth grade

I really like this book. I think it was very well written because most of the time you don’t know what are going to happen next.  This book is different from all the rest of the books that I have read, but I really enjoyed Kira-Kira.

There is a Japanese family of four that was living in a small apartment. There are two girls and their parents. They ran a Japanese food store. They end up losing the store and calling the mother’s brother that lives in Georgia. He works at a chicken butcher plant. He told them that they needed help in the plant if they wanted to come down and work. 

They ended up going to Georgia and working. A few years later the mother ended up having a little boy named Sam. Then one day the older girl Lynne did not feel very well. Her parents brought her to the doctor she was very sick. 

Kira-Kira is a Japanese word that means “glittering”. The family kept telling Lynne that because they thought that there would bring miracles and Lynne would get healthier.

Kafka, Franz.  The Metamorphoses.  as adapted by Peter Kuper.  

Click on the book to see an animation.

ÙÙÙÙÙ Robert Chambers 11th Grade

If there was one book to represent all the sick twisted and demented things that our wrong with our world, The Metamorphosis would be the book. This is a very twisted and strange story about a man named Gregor who wakes up for work one morning and finds out that he turned into a cockroach over night. This story has very deep and hiding meanings and is a very dark but flashy tale. What makes the story so good is the uniqueness and oddness that can only be read in Franz Kafka’s story’s. I recommend this book to people who like dark story’s

ÙÙÙÙÙ Tymon, 9th grade 

There isn’t really a word to describe this book, but if I had to I would say it is really different.  It is all about a man who isn’t appreciated for all the things that he does.  His parents don’t appreciate everything that he does for them even though he bought them their house.  His boss doesn’t appreciate him even though he does so much for him.  It starts out with the main character in bed and he is worrying so much about his life that he doesn’t realize that there is a bigger problem that could worsen his life.  This book is suitable for anyone over 7^th grade.  In my opinion it is was just a book to read to see how weird it was. 

Kamara, Mariatu.  The Bite of the Mango.  

««««« Maggie C, 11th grade 

Mariatu lives in a small village in Sierra Leone located in Africa. Her village is simple and peaceful until they are forced to leave because of war. “rebels” invade and completely turn Mariatu’s life upside down. She has to be on the move constantly avoiding the dangerous rebels. Mariatu goes through numerous traumatizing experiences. It is just one thing after another and her chances of making it out safely are narrowing. Her adventure through the war is a fascinating true story. 

Kantor, McKinlay.   Andersonville.  

Kay, Patricia. Which End Is Up?  

ÙÙÙÙÙ Shay, 10th grade 

There are two sisters and they don’t always agree on things. Grace is living in New York going to collage and Perry is in California not working. Perry shows up on Grace’s door step pregnant. Grace is in shock. Perry asks to stay with Grace until she has the baby. 

About a week after the Emily was born Grace went into work and finds a baby seat with Emily fast asleep in it on her desk. There was a note next to her. 

Now Perry has to make a choice. Does she want to give her niece up for adoption? Is she capable of raising a baby? Or should she track her careless sister down and take the chance that she might abandon Emily again?   

Kaysen, Susanna.  Girl, Interrupted.  Find it in biography. 

ÙÙÙÙÙ Arial, ninth grade

 This book is filled with drama and suspense. Girl, Interrupted is about an eighteen-year-old girl, Susan, living in a mental institution.  This is a true story written about her life. Other characters in the book play a big role in her sanity. The book isn’t written in chronological order and sometimes gets confusing because it jumps around. Each chapter is about something new, either looking into the past, the future, something happening now, or a hospital report. I loved this book. I could really put myself in the main character’s position. This book made me feel like I was the one who was crazy. It is a wonderful book that gives an insight on life.  

ÙÙÙÙÙ Danielle, ninth grade

This is book is told by Susanna Kaysen about when she was 18. For two years, Susanna was locked up in a mental hospital diagnosed with border line personality. This hospital has housed some great people (Ray Charles for instance). During this time, Susanna makes friends with some of the girls that are there. Some of the girls that are there have very severe problems. One of them tried burning herself to death, but others don’t have such bad problems. Susanna is later released. In this book readers really need to pay close attention to what goes on, due to her skipping around. It makes me think that she purposely tried writing the book this way just to make herself sound crazy. This is a great book and I have recommended it to many of my friends. 

Kehret, Peg.  Escaping the Giant Wave.  Scholastic INC.    

ÙÙÙÙÙ Fuller C., ninth grade

Thirteen-year old Kyle Davidson was planning on spending his family vacation in  Oregon on the  Pacific Coast when everything took a turn for the worst.  When the arrived at their hotel, they planned out their whole vacation ahead of time. When suddenly an earthquake struck the coastline followed by their hotel catching on fire so they were forced to evacuate the premises.  Then after they evacuated the building they were forced to move to higher grounds due to tsunamis.  As everyone can tell things turned progressively worse as time went on.  I’d give this book a two out of five stars because it seemed really slow and fake.  Everything seemed almost unnatural such as the procedures that they had to follow and the events that took place.  I don’t recommend this book to anyone who has anything else to read. 

Keith Rifles for Watie.

Kelly Trumpeter of Krakow.

Kelton Wolf and Buffalo.

Ben 

This book took place at the time that the Indians were all being brought to reservations. It could have only taken place at this time because of all the different details. It's a longer read but is very good and keeps you wanting to read. I would recommend this book to any male over the age of thirteen.      Recommended By Ben. 

Kennedy, John F.  Profiles in Courage.  Find it in 9bio Kennedy

ÙÙÙÙÙ Mr. Greenlee

We could all use a refresher in what a statesman is: these biographies of politicians will remind us, as President Kennedy tells us that did what they thought was right, even when it was very unpopular.  

Kesey, Ken.  One Flew Over the Cukoo's Nest. 

ÙÙÙÙÙ Jeff, 10th Grade

This is the first book that I have ever really thoroughly enjoyed.  It is filled with likable characters.  The one telling the story is not the main character though, the story is more about R. P. MacMurphy, a laid back character, who’s laziness in real prison has gotten him transferred over to a mental institute, where head nurse Ratched is on his case time and time again.  MacMurphy is not crazy, and just wants to have a good time.  He befriends several of the patients, and is soon the center of attention.  He did not learn his lesson when he caused trouble in the streets, he brought it with him to the mental institute, and now he has to deal with one who is worse than the law, nurse Ratched.

Keyes, Daniel.  Flowers for Algernon.  New York: Harcourt Brace.

King, Stephen.  Bag of Bones.  New York: Pocket Books.       

ÙÙÙÙÙ Miranda M., senior

Bag of Bones starts off in a surprisingly natural environment.  Stephen King’s character Michael Noonan plays a highly imaginative role as a successful novelist.  His life is torn apart when his wife dies of an aneurysm while leaving the town drugstore with a recently purchased pregnancy test.  For over three years he is withdrawn from his friends and family until he starts having horrific nightmares about his wife and their old summer home in Maine, called Sara Laughs.  As a sort of recovery, he decides to go there and face his fears.  Even at the very beginning unexplainable things start to happen that Mike is almost drove out by strange messages on his fridge, and dimmed sounds of screaming and crying.  As the story continues he starts to learn that the innocent one street town he used to adore has more than one skeleton in their closet.  The plot is complicated, but enthralling; a novel made for a true King fan. 

King, Stephen.  Cujo.

Recommended by Katie, ninth grade

Cujo, written by Stephen King in 1981, is one of his faster and more involving novels. It takes place in a small city by the name of castle Rock. This city is home to the Trentons, the Cambers, and Cujo. The Camber family owns Cujo, a 200 pound Saint Bernard who loves to chase rabbits. But one rabbit leads him down a hole where there is a deadly sickness that Cujo takes home. About the same time, Vic and Donna Trenton's son, Tad starts seeing things in his closet. Vic and Donna reassure him that there are no monsters in his closet but soon they aren't sure themselves. I would recommend this book to older people; people who can handle a large amount of swear words on one page and gory events that are told in vivid detail. This book is an awesome read, and should be read by everyone.

King, Stephen.  The Dark Half.  New York: Random House.    

ÙÙÙÙÙ Miranda M., senior 

It seems that King is repeating himself.  While the plot is dramatically different than anything I’ve read, it’s like I’ve already met the characters in one of his other novels. Altogether the novel starts out in normal King style, where something so unexplainable happens it is only mentioned of again at the end.  Best selling writer Thad Beaumont is being haunted by his alternate identity, George Stark.  A name he used to write under while doing a series of crime novels.  The main character of these books is Alexis Machine, a man only comparable to the characters of Kill Bill.  After reading even half way through it, the ‘surprise’ ending pretty much unravels itself.  I enjoyed it, but it isn’t on of King’s best.

King, Stephen.  Firestarter.  Viking Press.    

ÙÙÙÙÙ Collin, 8th grade 

A good book that keeps you in suspense all the time wondering what was going to happen next, but it moved around a lot between different settings making it a little hard to keep track of.

ÙÙÙÙÙ Miranda M., senior 

A King classic!  This novel is a perfect mixture of government conspiracy and paranormal activity.  Like most catastrophic things, it began small and went unnoticed until it was too late.  Just by two college kids volunteering to try a new drug, nothing would ever be the same.  The combination of their side effects were fully shown after they had a child.  Their daughter, Charlie, showed signs of pyrokenisis, a psychic ability thought to be none existent.  Her abilities were so strong, in fact, that the government group who did the drug test wanted to have her for study.  The Shop monitored the family’s activities and abilities unnoticed until they killed Charlie’s mother for more information.  Ever since that day, Charlie and her father had been running from the law, however, when they finally do catch up, do they know the consequences of their actions.

ÙÙÙÙÙ Mr. Greenlee

Clearly one of the better Stephen King novels.  

King, Stephen.  The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon.  New York: Random House.    

ÙÙÙÙÙ Miranda M., senior

Very disappointing for a King novel, unlike so many other works of Stephen King, this wasn’t a suspenseful horror.  If anything, it was a survival guide for being lost in the woods titled, What Not to Do.  Trisha, a young girl on a mandatory hiking trip gets separated from her mother and brother, less than a hour into the expedition.  Not until nightfall does it dawn on her that she’s lost in a huge forest with almost nothing to survive on, instinct or otherwise.  As she treks through bogs and dense trees, a foreboding sense of being watched consumes her.  By the third or fourth day it’s obvious when a dark circle is made all around her while asleep.  When her food runs out and starvation comes, Trish hallucinates that her favorite baseball player, Tom Gordon, is with her for company or protection she doesn’t know which.  At the end all of her fears and notions comes together when she faces what really has been lurking around the corner.

ÙÙÙÙÙ Emily, junior 

The Girl Who Loved Tome Gordon is a book that is very similar to Hatchet. From the day she got lost Trisha McFarland tries to survive in the wilderness with nobody to talk to.  That is where Tom Gordon comes in.  He is Trisha's favorite baseball player.  Trisha makes believe that he is there with her in the woods.  She encounters many different obstacles while she is there like when she meets a bear and many other wild life like snakes and different bugs.  The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon was written by Stephen King and people from the ages of 12 and up.  This book is Recommended for people who liked Hatchet.

King, Stephen.  Pet Cemetery.

King, Stephen.  The Shining.

King, Stephen.  The Stand. 

ÙÙÙÙÙ Mr. Greenlee  

While the story was good enough to keep me going all the way through to the end of the book, I felt as through there was a dialog between the author and myself that went something like this:

Stephen King: I’m going to write a novel about a secret government laboratory and the catastrophe that science and government could inflict on humankind. 

Reader: OK. 

Stephen King: No, forget that.  I’m going to write a novel about an evil demonic force and a psychic grandma. 

Reader: OK

Stephen King: No, forget that.  I’m going to write about building a utopian city and a pyromaniac. 

Reader: OK

Stephen King: Now, without the vaguest plan, my main characters will travel to Las Vegas to confront evil and be killed pointlessly as they arrive just in time for the evil to blow itself up, leaving the utopian city without leadership.

Reader: Wow!  A masterpiece!  I wonder if he plans this out meticulously ahead of time or if he just makes it up as he goes along.

Stephen King: Ch-ching!

Kipling. Captains Courageous.

Kipling. Jungle Book. 

The Disney film has probably ruined this book forever.  This story just isn’t the singing happy dancing bear, the book is quite a bit darker and more mature than that - but since Disney, no one will look at it. 

Klause Annette Curtis.  Blood and Chocolate.  

ÙÙÙÙÙ Miranda, junior

"Blood and Chocolate” is a very extraordinary story about werewolves.  Each chapter gives you a new perspective about the mystical creatures.  The main character, Vivian who is a werewolf and thinks it is a beautiful gift and thinks humans are inferior. Which gives a whole new prospective on the whole idea of werewolves. Miranda would recommend this book to any middle school or high school girl. Since it also deals with romance as well as adventure.

Klavin, Andrew.  The Last Thing I Remember.  

ÙÙÙÙÙ Jeremy, 8th grade

The Last Thing I Remember was an ok book it had a good plot and lots of action. There so much for the me to figure out that the book diden’t tell me. I did not like the book much, and would not recommend it.  

ÙÙÙÙÙ Collin, 9^th grade 

A very action packed book with no reel slow parts through the entire read. very strange at the beginning leading the reader to want to find out what happens in the end. Good read and the beginning of a very good series.

ÙÙÙÙÙ Mr. G. 

Action all the way through!

Knowles, John.  A Separate Peace

ÙÙÙ Mr. Greenlee

I was frankly bored by this book.  The setting and characters are fine, and I wondered if this novel was in part an inspiration for the film Dead Poets Society.  But it takes far too long for any conflict to develop, chapter three, and then it is weak.  It is the end of chapter four before this conflict gives rise to action.    

Koester, Arthur.   Darkness at Noon. 

Konigsburg, E.L.  Silent to the Bone. 

Recommended by Blisse. 

One day Vivian Shawcurt was babysitting for Nicole, Branwell's half sister.  The next thing that happened Nicole wasn't breathing and nobody knows who hurt her.  They rush her to the hospital but don't know if she's going to survive.  Everyone thinks Branwell hurt Nicole since he was always jealous of all the attention she got, so they send him to the Clarion County Juvenile Behavioral Center.  His friend knows Bran's innocent, but the problem is Branwell wont talk to anyone.  Recommended by Blisse for ages 13 and up.

Koontz, Dean.  The Taking.  Bantam Books. 

ÙÙÙÙÙ Miranda M., senior 

It’s a perfect mixture of horror and mystery.  The Taking involves an unidentified invasion of Earth.  Something has taken over the normally peaceful weather and replaced it with chaos.  Communications have been cut everywhere, the electricity is out, and there are innumerable disappearances.  After reading only a small segment, turning off the lights may seem a difficult task.   

Kostova, Elizabeth.  The Historian.  

characters 

ÙÙÙÙÙ Mr. G.  

It’s what a vampire story ought to be.  

Krakauer, Jon.  Into Thin Air.  Find it at 796.52

Brad. 

At an altitude of 29,028 feet, small mistakes can easily multiply into large disasters.  For the 1996 Adventure Consultants expedition led by Rob Hall, disaster struck on a devastating scale.  Mentally altered from extreme altitude illness, not even the experienced climbers stood a chance against nature's wrath.  While descending the summit writer Jon Krakauer and other climbers did not notice the changing winds and commencing storms.  The unexpected disaster makes this epic real life thriller full of surprises and deep personal insights of the deadliest climbing season in Everest history.  This book is recommended by Brad for people with intermediate reading abilities. If you like this book you may want to try Eiger Dreams, another novel by author Jon Krakauer

Kurson, Robert.  Shadow Divers.