6th Grade Book Ratings and Recommendations–October by Serena Tian and Abby Cao

Are you searching for the right book to read? PFMS 6th grade students and others give their suggestions.

“The more you read, the more you learn.”

Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger

Recommended by: Abby Cao, 6th grade

Rating: 10/10

Summary: Sophie Foster has a secret—she can hear the thoughts of everyone around her. It’s something she’s never told anyone. But Sophie’s whole world changes when she meets Fitz, a mysterious boy who has the same ability as her. From there on, Fitz brings her to where she truly belongs—a world that Sophie never imagined existed. 

Comments: “This series is NEARLY as good as Warriors, which for me, is saying a LOT.  It has so much suspense, plot twists, secret missions, betrayals, and even more!” –Abby Cao.

Greenglass House by Kate Milford

Recommended by: Maya Ilieva, 6th grade

Rating: 9/10

Summary:  It’s winter. The Smugglers’ Inn, or the Greenglass House, is always empty at this time of year, and Milo, adopted son of the innkeepers, wants to spend the holidays relaxing. But on the first day of the chilly vacation, seemingly out of nowhere, the guest bell rings. It rings again. And again. All of his plans have been ruined by the strange secretive guests they shelter. They each tell a tale that is strangely connected to the house. As things go missing and tempers rise, Milo and the cook’s daughter Meddy have to find out what’s happening and get to the bottom of this mystery.

Comments: “It’s captivating and will keep you at the edge of your seat.” –Eleanor Elias

Glitch by Laura Martin (March Book Madness 2023-2024)

Recommended by: Serena Tian, 6th grade

Rating: 10/10

Summary: Regan Fitz and Elliot Mason have been rivals since forever. They are both Glitchers-in-training. A Glitcher’s mission? To capture a Butterfly. One day, they receive a mysterious letter from their supposed future selves warning them that if they do not work together, their futures will be gruesome. Forced together as a team in a top-secret mountain academy at campus, they must decipher their future selves’ letter, and, in order to save the world, they must break every rule that they have ever been taught.

Comments: “It’s personally my favorite book. You have to expect the unexpected on each turn of a page.” –Serena Tian

Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Recommended by: Mackabrie Winter

Rating: 9/10

Summary: Katniss Everdeen lives in a world of chaos. Every year, each of the 12 districts must send one boy and one girl to compete in the annual Hunger Games. On the 74th year of the games, Katniss’s sister, Primrose Everdeen, is chosen to compete. Katniss refuses to let this happen and volunteers in her place. It just so happens that Peeta Mellark, the baker’s boy, is chosen as well. As the two fight for survival in every twist and turn, they are finally forced to a decision: to kill the other or to kill themselves. 

Comments: “I think it’s a very interesting story for fans of young adult science-fiction.” –Mackabrie Winter.

The Blackthorn Key by Kevin Sands

Recommended by: Nakula Balachandran

Rating: 9.5/10

Summary:  “Until he got a cryptic warning, Christopher Rowe was happy, learning how to solve complex codes and puzzles and creating powerful medicines, potions, and weapons as an apprentice to Master Benedict Blackthorn—with maybe an explosion or two along the way. But then a mysterious cult begins to prey on London’s apothecaries, and the trail of murders grows closer and closer to Blackthorn’s shop. With time running out, Christopher must use every skill he’s learned to discover the key to a terrible secret with the power to tear the world apart.” –Blackthorn Key

Comments: “9.5 because it is a good book for people who like mysteries and for people who like to anticipate what will happen, but it’s a bit long and has some of the same stuff in every book.” –Nakula Balachandran.

When Good Veggies Go Bad Part Two by Aidan Murphy

It had been 3 years since it happened. A large part of our gang had been killed. My best friends; dead. Broccoli, Artichoke, Green Bean, just to name a few. I thought I had gotten my revenge, but I didn’t really. The fruit gang had gained their power back and were now stronger than ever. I only had Carrot, Celery, and Cucumber, a new recruit. We hadn’t done much together to stop the fruits, only because we knew we would be killed. Our gang never felt fear from other gangs, but now every time we walk outside and see a fruit, we rush back indoors to avoid confrontation.

We vegetables had to do something. We had to take down the fruits, once and for all. So we hatched a plan. We would go out and recruit as many vegetables as we could so we would become even stronger than the fruit gang. It was genius.

At midnight, we went out into the dangerous streets of Foodopolis and looked for tough vegetables to help us. I found 7, and my buddies combined found 16. Twenty-three new members would be more than enough. So we took them back to the house in the hills and told them about our plan to take down the opposing gang. They were all on board, except for one. Bell Pepper didn’t like our plan. In fact, he wanted to stop us. Turns out, he was a fruit gang spy! So we all beat him up and kicked him back out into the streets.

The next day, we got our gang regrouped and they all came back to the house in the hills. We had our plans ready and decided today was the day. So we all stormed out of the house and drove four vans over to the fruit house. I kicked down the door and tackled their bodyguard head first into the ground. The other members rushed in to attack the fruits. The security guard was tough, though. He flipped me over and started punching my face. Luckily, Cucumber saved my life by hitting the guard over the head with a lead pipe. But this wasn’t over yet.

I could hear punches and screams from across the house. I ran into the kitchen where Celery was about to be stabbed. I jumped at the Apple and knocked the knife out of his hand. Celery picked it up and finished him off. We both ran into the bedroom where we found Carrot, limp on the floor. I couldn’t tell if he was dead. But then, a Banana jumped at us from the closet with a bat! I moved out of his swing at the perfect time, but Celery wasn’t as lucky. He got the bat slammed right into the top of his skull. He scrunched up and fell onto the floor, hitting his head on the chair in the corner. I was filled with rage.

The Banana threw the bat down onto the ground and we both agreed to fist fight. I lunged at him and got the first punch. I tried giving him a second to the gut, but he blocked it with his hand. Furious, I took my right hand and slammed it into his throat, causing him to stumble back and start coughing. He kept coughing and laid himself into the chair. I decided this was a waste of time and pulled the knife out of my pocket. I ended him right there. But there were still bigger things to deal with. For starters, I needed to check on Carrot and Celery, so I ran over to my orange friend. But after putting my fingers on his neck and checking for his pulse, he was dead. I couldn’t believe it. I ran over to Celery and checked for his pulse. He was alive, but barely clinging on to life. I slung him over my shoulder. By the time I made it to the living room I was exhausted. I laid him down near a pile of dead fruits and tried to get him to come back to life.

He died.

I gave up.

I lost everyone I had from the start and it was all my fault. This was it. I grabbed Cucumber and got out of there. We drove back to the house and grabbed mind bombs. Lots of them. While we took them to the fruit house, I thought about everything that had happened. All the members dead, all the trauma, all the time wasted because of stupid gang conflict. But I had to finish the fight. When we got back to their house, we planted the bomb in the middle of the floor and ran outside. One press of the button on the remote and the fruit gang would end. I pushed the button. The last of the group stumbled out of the house, muttering gibberish while struggling to walk. Cucumber and I hopped in the van and drove back home. We finally got to celebrate like we always wanted to.

The war was over.   

Skibbidy Grimace Backstory by Sean Fulmer

The alarm goes off. 

Beep! Beep! 

“Attention all Ohio citizens! Please check your toilets for  Skibbidys!” 

Everyone in Ohio checked their toilets. 

Gasp!  “Oh no! There's a Grimace Shake in my toilet! 

Everyone knew what that meant…

Skiibiddies!!! They are coming!!

Skibbidiies just love the purple goodness of a Grimace Shake. They are attracted to it like flies…they were coming for it no matter what. 

And then all the Skibbidys came out! 

Skibbidies are demonic human heads without bodies. They live in toilets and only come out when someone pours a Grimace Shake in the toilet bowl. 

They destroyed Ohio and Baltimore by singing a song. 

Skibidi dop dop yes yes…they sang their iconic song.

After that, everyone's cameras had a Grimace Shake and they morphed into camera men… the Skibbidy Toilets’ arch enemy!

 Oh no! Ohio is gone because of the boss Grimace named Grimace Prime Lemonade Sigma Male Alpha Biggest Bird Skibbidy Toilets.

To be continued in Ohio…

Dino Comic by Izzy Doliana, Ally Swauger, and Natalie Huggins

Dino Soup

Shiny Gems Poem by Aidan Murphy

Shiny Gems Poem

The gems are so shiny

Bling bling they go

However they are so tiny

And they belong to the popo

As I run away with the loot

I stop and think to myself

When will the cops pursuit

And how will it look on my shelf

I go faster, faster

Until I give out

I am no longer the master

And I will be arrested no doubt

We Shall Return by Tara Gopalan

A land lush and free

It’s here we reside

A land blessed with trees

And plants of all kinds

The song of a bird

A flute in the wind

One day we will come

And live there again

We all hide away

From those people who

Claim that land as theirs

Theirs only to use

One day we will go

To that land, lush and free

It again will be known 

For the great Cherokee

When they are all gone

When the land they will spurn

Has come back again

With the songs of the birds

Though our native songs

Must then be re-learned

I promise you, child,

That we shall return.

This poem was inspired by the Cherokee tribe, a tribe of Native Americans who got driven out of their land along with 100,000 other native americans during the colonization of America. It describes an older member of the Cherokee tribe narrating the story of their forced migration to a younger child. I hope you enjoyed reading it!

When Good Veggies Go Bad by Aidan Murphy

I (Asparagus) went to the gas station with my friend Broccoli. 

When we got there, we bought some Snickers Bars. 

As we walked outside, we were jumped by the fruit gang! They threatened to steal our snickers bars if we didn’t give them our money. 

After we emptied out our pockets, they beat us up and then left. 

“Oh no, the fruit gang wants to take us down!” said broccoli. 

“We will be fine, as long as we have our gang with us too.” I responded. 

We walked downtown. After we got some Raising Cane’s Chicken, we saw the Fruit Gang. I called up my homie (Carrot) who contacted our gang. In only a few minutes, I heard the blaring music coming from the van. Artichoke, Cauliflower, Green Bean, and Corn hopped out. 

After a lot of punches thrown, kicks dished out, and vegetable/fruit juice flying into the air, the Fruit Gang went down. All of us hopped in the van and drove back to the house in the hills to celebrate. 

However, on the way there we got t-boned by the fruit van! The van tumbled down the hill until we reached the bottom. I could barely stand up, having to push myself off of the van. I walked only a few steps until I landed in some wet stuff on the ground. I looked down only to find that only I and broccoli survived. And the wet stuff? 

It was the other vegetables juice. I screamed in horror. 

I picked up the unconscious broccoli and ran up to the house.

I lay him on the bed, and performed CPR on him, but it was no use. 

He died in my arms as I tried to save him. 

I was thinking of giving up, until I remembered Wayne Gretzky’s famous quote: You miss 99% of the shots you don’t take. 

I realized this is my shot to get revenge. 

I left the house and went to the Fruit’s base. I entered the building and planted the crazy shut down device in the floorboards. I walked out and as I did, I pressed the shutdown button. All of the fruit equipment and weapons were of no use anymore. I knew I hadn’t reversed my problem, but I did what I should’ve done a long time ago. 

I had won, but at what cost?

One Day in Crimeville by Elliot Cardinale, Gabriel Brannick, Sam Hummell, Sean Fulmer

DAY ONE

Boom! sheesh rawrrrrrr is the sound of the car. It has a giant slime cannon on top.  Then the big money car goes by,  and the slime truck follows and steals all their gems:  rubies, emeralds, and diamonds. They got millions of crime bills, and Zac spent it on armor from diamonds and then he made a big car again!

Then Ray Chaos Johnson gets off the chaos train and fights with Izac for all the gems. Soon after Elliot Manchester's boat goes to play soccer on the giant spike field, but there are gems on the floor, so Izac comes after them. 

Boom Boom are his laser guns. Boom Boom! even louder than before. Elliot runs away, screaming “ahhhhh,”  but he is too late. He is now a choice gem. 

Then they go to the giant Mr Chess’ cabin, and Ray Chaos Johnson fights against Mr Chess,  who loses all his treasures and gets eliminated.  Game over. But that was in another universe. Mr Chess fell on Isaac's rubies, and it hurt him bad. The sting of rubies stabbed Mr. Chess. 

Zac fights while Elliot gets attacked by Messi. Messi goes sui until the laser booms off and turns into a mecha. Messi boom are the sounds from Messi’s sui cannon, but Elliot is determined. 

Ray chose to come out on the bad boy choices, and he feels evil. He kills Messi and steals the world cup from Kevin Durant and salt bae. 

“Run!”, said Elliot to Messi, while he was bleeding on the floor. 

Elliot screams, “No Messi! Why?”  

Elliot steals the world cup full of dead Isaac and dead Mr Chess rubies. But we all forgot about Master Bone. He ran the operation and made everyone fight so he could be the ruler. Keven Darant is in my help, now I am so stuck. A random guy asked me if I had scoliosis then I asked what scoliosis was.

To be continued . . .

Wings of Fire OC by Josephine Chmely and Brenna Bucher

"Cute Napper" by Carolyn Frank

Cute Napper

By Carolyn Frank 

Fluffy and happy,

Joyful and fun,

Tends to be nappy,

My number one,

Have you guessed yet?

This clue will hit the homerun,

Super duper cute,

Life has just begun,

Energy is key, 

When Puppies are having fun.

Image Source: Unsplash

Competition Day by Liv Koscianski

You´re there on that cold rainy day

Not in your bed, 

But 

On the mats on that basketball floor

You´re getting ready to do your best

to fight, to win 

To do the overall best

So on that cold rainy day your not in your Pjs

Your in your uniform 

A skirt and top

Ready to win

Your watching the other teams fall and get injured 

Then it's your turn, you're up next

And they´re calling us out

Were getting set up

Waiting for our music to play

Then it blares

¨Lions… Ding… Ding¨

And we started 

Up in the air in a lib

Then before you know it

 we´re a minute in

Y E L L Everybody Yell Maroon and Gray

The cheer is over and were moving on to the next song 

Ok Ladies Now Let's Get In Formation 

Were up in the air

people are tumbling every which way

And Flying

the craziest ways

Then It's over and we hit

Then were walking off 

And showing spirit 

Hoping that we scored high

Now we wait

Were all so nervous 

Holding hands and praying the we won first place

The votes are in and there announcing all the categories 

¨State College Junior High… First Place!¨ 

And were up jumping and screaming 

And the day is over 

And we´ll do it all again next week

"Still " by Stella Short

We walk down the path to the calm, quiet woods,

“Chirp, chirp, swoosh,”  and there I stood.

The birds soared above and were flying free,

Here I stand under this budding spring tree.

We look around, shake some bird seed,

In hopes that it will attract a Chickadee.

They’re tiny birds with little white cheeks, 

Fuzzy black heads and small little beaks.

 As we “shake, shake, shake”  the bag of seed,

We follow my grandfather as he leads.

We watch the tree branch as the birds do land,

We pour out some seeds as we hold out our hands.

We wait and wait, not making a sound,

Many minutes go by just looking around. 

My arm’s getting tired from holding it out,

As the birds fly away, it’s making me doubt.

One tiny bird comes close, after waiting so long,

It lands on my finger and sings a sweet song.

I wanted to jump with joy, but it scares them away,

I had so much fun and I just wanted to stay.

The Man & The Dragon by: Kota Smith

The Man & The Dragon 

By: Kota Smith

He rises up in fear

For the dragon is here 

Its skin of crystal clear

He gave a startling sneer

He fled as fast as his steed could go

For there was the sun.

The dragon shys away from light

For the dragon didn't want to fight. 

The man saw his fright 

Leaping into the light,

A thorn stuck in his scales 

Hurts just like a nail.

He walks up to the dragon mighty slow

He grasps the thorn as the dragon lets out a blow.

The dragon, very thankful
As they both part ways

But one day soon 

Shall they meet again.

GARGOYLE by Felix Sawers

Jumps and leaps, leaps, and prances

the gargoyle hits the ground

Splash!!!

gargoyle leaps on water 

water splashes

splash splash splash 

Swimming so quietly 

there is no sound 

Jump and leap, 

leap, 

and prances 

the gargoyle hits the ground

Bad Boy Train by Sean Fulmer

In the beginning Master, Bad Boy hops on the Bad Boy Train with a briefcase full of Bad Boy (Btw bad boy is a bomb type of liquid where if you put water on it you and everyone dies) and gold. Soon Master Bone steals the package and takes it to the driver of the train who has wanted it for a while. The reason Master Bad Boy was on the train was to get the bad boy and gold to the president would hide it in a vault, because if the wrong person got in the world could end. Then Mr. Bone gives it to the conductor.

 And then the conductor gets it and everyone gets eliminated/unlived/game ended/backstabbed.

The end.

Comic: "Dino Soup" by Ally Swauger and Izzy Doliana

"The Cats Are Here Now " by Vincent Scipione

The cats are now here

So everyone must fear

As they scream at your feet

they meow through the streets

Finding cat food to eats

While running around the planet

A large mass of fluff

Searching for stuff

To feed the growing army

Go out of your house

Dangling a mouse

And grab a cat for yourself

It sits in your chair

And sits on your hair

A loyal companion forever

Midnight Rose Garden by Samantha Lozinski

I hold the old, rusted key in my hand. I slowly turn it, and cautiously push the pale blue gate open, a small creak coming from it. I look around in admiration and see all the roses blooming around me. It’s dark, but yet I can still see a difference in the colors of the beautiful flowers. I look at my watch, to see it's 11:59. I look around in excitement, the wind making a cool whistling sound while blowing past me. And then… it’s Midnight… The rose garden suddenly becomes lit up, with fairy lights everywhere. Colored lights around the flower boxes. There is a strand of fake flower lights on the ground, creating a beautiful illuminating path. This is the moment I had been waiting for, seeing the Midnight Rose Garden.

Chaos Train: Recap of My Own Novel Chaos Train By Felix Sawers

BANG BANG BANG CRACKLE CRACKLE 

Those are the sounds from the Chaos Train. Ray Chaos Johnson enters the Chaos Train as the driver.   

Bodthehan enters the train to deliver a package to where the train stops at Chaos Land. On his journey he fights villains, such as Electro Boy and Bye Bye Man. When he makes it to Chaos Land, Bodthehan delivers the package (a briefcase full of chaos) to the master. He warns the master not to open it.

The master still does.

They fight each other and then Bodhthehan has to use his magicals powers to stop the chaos from spreading.

The end. 

"The other side of life" by Samantha Lozinski

The petite girl over there.  She looks like she has a perfect life, the perfect friends, and the perfect body. Inside she is struggling with an eating disorder, starving herself until she sometimes feels like she can’t even lift up her own hand.

The girl over there, with her makeup looking flawless, and looking like she has never had one skin problem in her life. Her friends call her ugly for her acne, so she spends an hour every time she has to be face to face with others, perfecting makeup to hide her skin.

The one over there, with the smile, smeared across his face, laughing with his friends. He has depression and is struggling, even though no one knows it, not his parents, or his friend since kindergarten.

The one over there, him jokingly teasing his friend. His father was abusing his mother last night, and he had to break them up, before finally calling 911.

“You never know what people are going through and sometimes the people with the biggest smiles are struggling the most, so be kind.” -Anonymous