AND THE WINNERS ARE...

The YELL "Dear Young Reader" Favorite Book Contest was open to students in grades 4, 5, and 6. Each winning student will receive two tickets to Six Flags. Winners are:

Alex Schneider, 4th grade, Alma Schrader School

Dear Young Reader:

I read a lot of books this summer, but I like this one the best. It has excitement, and a lot of good other stuff like suspense and chills.

If you like a book with adventure and mystery then Shadow of the Fox by Ellen Steiber is a great choice!

This story is a mystical fable about an outcast samurai who is being hunted by Lord Oyama.

Mariko is a pretty, kind, but mysterious girl who saves Shiro's life. She takes him to her village and they get married. But Shiro soon finds that everyone in the village is afraid of his beautiful wife. Why are they so afraid? What is slowly draining his life away? Is Mariko really a thief? Could she be a fox turned into a woman? If you want to find out what happens, read this book! It will keep ya busy!

Laura Bricknell, 5th grade, North Elementary, Jackson

Dear Young Reader:

The best book that you'll ever read is The Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell. One reason why I think you should read the book is that it made me feel like I was in the book with the character. The second reason is the character in the book described things in an interesting way. I also think other kids should read it because you don't know what will happen next.

Rebecca Cook, 5th, Delta R-V

Dear Young Reader:

I think you would enjoy the book Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I admire their hard-working effort to get by with the little they had. The men and women had to do their equal share. The children had to do whatever their parents needed. I cannot believe how hard they worked!

They worked from dawn till dusk. They did not have any conveniences or appliances like we do now.

When I read this book and see what a hard life they led, I feel we should appreciate what we have now. This is why I feel every child should read "The Little House on the Prairie" book.

Jimmy McCormack, 5th, North Elementary

Dear Young Reader:

I think you should read The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks. You will like it because it is both interesting and exciting.

You will like the book because the Indian has to get a key from a pet rat that escaped and is under the floor. He could be eaten!

Omri told Patrick his secret. They found that having live toys isn't always fun. It was a big responsibility. Since the toys were still small, they met a lot of dangers.

To find out about more adventures and meet new characters you should read The Indian in the Cupboard.

Christopher Landers, 5th, Alma Schrader

Dear Young Reader:

I am writing to you to try to get you to read Goosebumps books. I have just got done reading A Shocker on Shock Street by R.L. Stine. It's R.L.'s newest addition to the Goosebumps thrilling series. The reason I like Goosebumps books is that each book has its own scary story to tell.

I keep going back for more Goosebumps books because of the excitement and suspense. A Shocker on Shock Street for instance tells the chilling tale of Erin and her friend Marty. Erin's father is a theme park ride inventor who invents A Shocker On Shock Street, the theme park. This theme park lets you go behind the scenes and meet the characters.

Erin's father lets them go on the ride first so they can tell him what he should change and what he should leave the same. For example, in the Cave of the Living Creeps, huge white worms dropped from the ceiling and a big spider web stuck to their bodies with spiders crawling all over it. The worst thing that happened was when the tram stops and two giant praying mantis jumped out from behind two rocks and started to chase them. But Erin and Marty stomped on their huge feet.

You can always tell a Goosebumps book by its puffed out cover. You can feel the goosebumps in every title of the book. In every Goosebumps book you can imagine the pictures in your head. I think it would be nice for you to read A Shocker on Shock Street and all of the other books in this series.

Erin Hyden, 5th, North Elementary

Dear Young Reader:

I recommend Summer of the Monkeys by Wilson Rawls, because it tells a funny story. Although it has no pictures to look at, I think you will still like it because the book is so descriptive. If you want to read this book, I am sure it will be found in a library near you. And another thing, it has a happy ending.