The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan

In the second book in the series Percy Jackson discovers he has a half brother only this brother is nothing yours.  Tyson is a cyclops, but only a baby one.  Upon Percy’s return to camp he discovers that Thalia’s tree has been poisoned and Grover has been taken prisoner.  It is decided that a quest to cure the tree must be launched but this time Percy is not the one chosen.  Ignoring the order to stay at the camp, Percy, Anabeth, and Tyson take off for the Sea of Monsters (which you get to by going to Florida and taking a left).  Once there they must retrieve the one item that can save the camp and Grover.  This will be the most dangerous quest yet.

The sequel lives up to its fast paced predecessor with even more twists and turns.  The action will hook most readers between 4th and 8th grade.  highly recommended.

Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz

Alex Rider has a tumultuous life at best.  An orphan at an early age Alex was taken in by his uncle, Ian Rider.  Unknown to Alex, Ian Rider was a spy for the British intelligence agency MI6.  Ian had trained Alex in martial arts, taught hims 3 different languages, and prepared him to become a spy without Alex knowing.  Tragedy strikes again when Alex is informed that his uncle has died in a traffic accident.  Having an uneasy feeling, Alex decides to investigate and discovers that Ian was killed in his car but not in a collision, the car was riddled with bullets.  After narrowly escaping a crushing incident at the auto wreckers lot, Alex is invited to his uncle’s job at the bank (or so Alex thought).  The bank was not a bank at all but a cover for MI6 and Alex was their newest recruit.

In order to infiltrate billionaire, Harod Sayles, secret operation Alex must go undercover as a British school boy (not that much of a stretch).  Sayle, a computer entrepreneur, is gifting a free ‘Stormbreaker’ computer to every school in England.  MI6 has discovered that Sayle has recently acquired a biological weapon and Alex is just the boy to find out why.

The first book in the Alex Rider series explodes with action.  The story is fast-paced and laced with enough cool gadgets to keep any middle school teen intrigued.  This book is highly recommended for teens that are fans of action/adventure and fast-paced series.

Little Big Planet by Media Molecule

Little Big Planet is quite possibly the most fun you can have with Playstation controller.  Meet Sackboy, yes that cute little character on the front of the box, he/she/it is your representative in the world of Little Big Planet.  Here’s the premise: Little Big Planet is a world created by the little bits of dreams that float up and out of our atmosphere and manifest in a completely, dare I say, psychedelic world.   In the world of the LBP there are several creator curators that host the different continents you’ll find on LBP.  Each of the creator curators has a task or mission for you to accomplish.  Along the way you pick various items (housed in little bubbles that make a very satisfying pop as you collect them) used for costumes, stickers, and materials to create your own world.

Aww, how cute.

The game presents exciting puzzle challenges and features cooperative play within the levels.  In each level new elements are introduced and combined with previous features that allows for fresh gameplay and a challenging learning curve.  The levels become increasingly complex to the point of having to play them multiple times to collect all the items.  To me this game is combines the best elements of Mario and Sonic while offering a customizable world, gameplay, and best of all character.

oh, so fierce.

It is impossible to review LBP without discussing the beauty in the game.  Each world is made from various materials, some interactive, some animated and all are organic.  Every inch of the game looks as if it was cut from cloth or constructed from a crafting material.  One wonderful aspect is that you can coordinate your wardrobe to the level you happen to playing, as well as decorating your own pod (which is your options selection screen).  The level builder function to LBP is phenomenal, allowing you to build and test your level as you go.  You can then upload your level for other players to try.

It is hard to imagine this game being any better!  If you haven’t tried LBP, check it out ASAP and if you happen to already be a convert…here’s some pretty wallpaper for your computer.

Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan

With Morgarath, Lord of the Mountains of Rain and Night, on the brink of attacking the kingdom, fifteen-year-old Will is chosen as the Ranger’s new apprentice and must learn all the skills necessary to take part in the fierce battle ahead with their unique form of magic in the hopes of saving the villagers from pending annihilation.

This wildly popular book pulls readers into a gripping story and doesn’t let go.  This is the first book in the Ranger’s Apprentice series.