The Pirate Captain

PIRATE TALES: THE PIRATE CAPTAIN

                          BY Terry Deary

Another superb book by Terry Deary that's about a captain called Fly who stole a ship and got the people in it for slaves, but little did he know that the people he stole were expert sailors.

When the slaves got into the boat they immediately started thinking of a plan to escape. They found a plan so they started by doing everything they were told to do to gain the captain's trust.

This book is full of superb moments. My favourite part is in the middle of the story, but you have to read it for your self to find out.

I thoroughly recommend this book to people that like pirates. They will have a difficult time putting me book down.

by Lefteris

Lack of Arable land

I love to discuss the future of the world that my ALLSTARS will inherit with them. We talked about fossil fuels and alternative energies, in particular bio-fuels. I raised the point that if arable land was used to grow fuel, then food would have to compete with a tank of gas and food would lose. I invited the kids to find some solutions. 

Here are some very smart idea from Stav... 

Hortiatis Hike

Last autumn the ALLSTARS, their Dads (Thanks guys!) and I went for a hike up Hortiatis. We had maps and compasses, built dens and generally had an unbelievable time.

After, the kids wrote scripts, recorded and edited this video as a team, together.

I am so proud of them all.... enjoy

Shocker on Shock Street

Shocker on shock street is another spooky goosebumps book by R.L Stine. This book is about when horror characters come to life.

The main characters are two friends that went on a rollercoaster which their dad had created. The rollercoaster was based on a horror movie called Shocker On Shock street. The kids rode the rollercoaster by them selves because it would be more fun. So when they started it wasn't very scary.

I liked that the book had very exciting moments but what I didn't like was that they were not real. My favorite part was at the middle when the werewolves started crawling up the rollercoaster and then... you have to read it and see.

I thoroughly recommend this scary book readers will have a difficult time putting this horror book down.

By Lefteris

Horrible Science: Disgusting digestion

Horrible science disgusting digestion is an spectacular book by Nick Arnold and Tony De Saulles. It is a non-fiction genres and concerns all dreadful details your teacher won’t tell you like why astronauts can’t eat beans before a flight. 

Facts about digestion is what the book is all about but also contains the squishy bits of it. Every chapter includes a part of the digestive system like the guts or the mouth and more facts all about enzymes and deadly digestive diseases. 

There are a few chapters with some foul facts that you though were true and the discoveries that scientists made about the food you eat or your metabolism. 
What truly amazed me about this book is that it is informative yet entertaining due to including humorous 

Illustrations as well as awful examples. If you love science and learning trivia, after reading a few pages you learn a tremendous amount of knowledge all about the process of digestion that you never knew were true. 

I highly recommend this book. All readers will enjoy and will have a hard time putting it down. They will enjoy the gruesome representation of the facts and will laugh at the hilarious pictures of it. 

Andreas

Video Essay: Genetic Science

We have been discussing genetic science and how science has more and more influence on our lives. It seems that there is nothing they can't do but is this to the ultimate benefit of mankind, Stav discusses.

The Werepuppy

The Werepuppy another superb book by Jacqueline Wilson that's about a lonely kid called Mickey who bought a weird puppy to cure his phobia of dogs.

Mickey is a sensitive kid. One night his parents went out so he and his sisters watch a horror movie about werewolves. So from then the problem started, he had cynophobia. His dad was very disappointed by him because he wanted his son to be a real man. His sisters who were mean to him called him Mickey Mouse. A kid at school called Darren bullied him. Then one day he met a badly behaved werepuppy.

This book is full of superb moments, Wolfie is naughty and amusing. My favorite part is near the end but you have to read it yourself.

I thoroughly recommend this book, the readers will have a difficult time putting this wonderful book down without having any nightmares.

by Lefteris

Allstars Celebration Quiz

We have been learning about those weird and wonderful traditions and celebrations.

Try our quiz

Epic Inca Quiz

We have been studying the Incas recently and Lefteris has decided to quiz you all on the subject.

Making a Compass

Sailors have been using a compass for thousands of years when they navigate. Compasses always point to the magnetic North owing to the magnetic field of the Earth. It isn't difficult to make a compass! 

      To make a compass, we need a needle, a piece of brown paper, and some water. First, we magnetize the needle ( by rubbing it on cotton ). Second, we float it in the water with brown paper.

      The first problem, was that the paper sunk all the time, but then, we took a thicker piece of paper and it floated better. The second problem, was that we couldn't recognize which of the two ends were pointing North, but then, we solved the problem by looking at the sun.

      We had some problems, but we enjoyed making a compass! So, the next time I'm in a mountain, I'll know how to use it!!!!!!!

By Lydia

C.S. Lewis

This is the man responsible for all those fantastic Narnia adventures.

Check out Nick's review of one of them HERE

R L Stine

R L Stine is the kid's King of Creeps. He always wanted to be a writer and began with jokes and funny stories. In 1986 Stine got scary when he wrote his first horror novel Blind Date. In 1989 he started his Fear street series that became the best selling young adult books in history. Then, in 1992 came Goosebumps and now Stine is read in 32 different languages all over the world. They have been made into TV shows and Hollywood movies.

Visit his site below, he even has a questions and answer section for just about any question you might have for him. You could even write your own interview.

Check out an Allstar review of Night of the living Dummy II

MINECRAFT QUIZ

Stav challenges you to the ultimate Minecraft quiz

Rotten School

“Rotten school” is by R.L. Stine who writes the “Goosebumps” series but this is a hilarious book. It is set in a school where everybody does anything they want. Seriously!

The protagonist of the book is a guy named Bernie Bridges that lives in the school, he is a boarder. Bernie learns that a guy has a watch that has many functions and it attracts all the girls and he wants it. Is Bernie going to get this watch?

What made me laugh most, was about a competition they had for who could eat the most and a kid was sick and he threw up all the food.

I thoroughly recommend  “Rotten school” because it is a disgusting comedy, although I advise you not to read it after eating.

By Tasos

My Great Adventure

It never rains in Greece, except when it does! Maria's camping break fell victim to one of these exceptions.

Horrid Henry Tricks the Tooth Fairy

Horrid Henry tricks the tooth fairy by Francesca Simon is a comic adventure book about a boy who does all sorts of bad and nasty things. It is one of the popular series of Horrid Henry books that has been delighting children for decades.

Henry tries to trick the tooth fairy, as he wants money but he doesn’t succeed, he threatens his brother for money who has already lost a tooth, He also gets angry as his friends have lost their teeth. He then goes to a wedding and causes more trouble, he eats chocolate and his teeth begin to hurt.

This book is horribly hilarious as Henry causes a lot of problems My favourite part was when his teacher fainted because he couldn’t stand horrid Henry.

I highly recommend everyone to read this book as they will go through the world of horrible things. Also readers will have a difficult time putting this ludicrous slapstick story down.

Allstars sports Quiz

Tasos challenges you to his Allstar Sports Quiz.

Jacqueline Wilson

Jacqueline Wilson is probably most famous for her Tracy Beaker books that were turned into children's TV series for the BBC. But, she has written so much more and even some fantastic books for boys. She began by writing crime novels for grown-ups and didn't take her A'level in English until she was 40!
She now has a library of over 15,000 books and shares her skills with would-be writers teaching creative writing at University of Roehampton.
Read Jacqueline's diary HERE.

See what the Allstars thought of "Glubbslyme" and "Starring Tracy Beaker"

Roald Dahl

This year the world is celebrating Roald Dahl's 100th birthday (13th September). Celebrating? Yes, because without him we would not have Willy Wonka, BFG, Matilda, The Twits, The Fantastic Mr. Fox or so many more of our favourite characters.

But did you know that Roald Dahl's story is as interesting as any of his books?

He was a pilot in the war and he wrote the script for "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" and one of the James Bond movies as well as lots of books for grown-ups.
Find out more at his site HERE

Jeremy Strong

This week's featured writer is Jeremy Strong. He has become a firm favourite with Allstars and my own kids (I've read some myself, but ssshhh!). He used to be a primary school teacher but now he writes fantastic books for young readers. Read about him here and go to his site to download some of his stories. You'll laugh your socks off!
Check out his books HERE