Evergreen Junior High Library

Trailer Tuesday: Enclave (Aguirre)

2011-08-30T01:44:00.000-07:00

This was one of the books on my Summer Reading list. Have you read it? If not, here's a reminder of why you should read it:

Trailer Tuesday: The Book I Can't Believe I Haven't Read Yet...

2011-08-30T00:30:00.000-07:00

I am such a fan of Ally Carter, and I truly LOVED "Heist Society." Could someone explain to me why the entire summer has gone by and I still haven't read "Uncommon Criminals"?

This must be because it is the one book published this summer that has not landed on my doorstep. My piles and piles and piles of books are so high, I guess I never made it the bookstore to get a copy. So, this is my reminder to run out and read this immediately!

Review: Are You Going to Kiss Me Now? (Tanen)

2011-08-24T23:34:00.000-07:00

Title: Are You Going To Kiss Me Now?
Author: Tanen
Genre: Fiction, Reality TV, Celebrities
Pages: 354
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Okay, this falls in the category of perfect "fluff" read for summer vacation. And since vacation is winding down, and there really wasn't much "summer" to it, I thought I would post some reviews of "fun and fluff" beach reads.

Francesca won an essay contest and it landed her in hell, assigned as a reporter to a celebrity charity mission. When their plane crashes, Fran is stranded on an island with the crazy celebrities, including a teen heartthrob, diva party-girl, and aging actor hoping for a comeback. The celebrities battle their demons while Fran narrates the disaster in her uniquely witty way.

Fran has her own demons to work through and repercussions to face at home if they are ever rescued. “Lost” references abound and may date the book, and text-savvy teens may be surprised at the length and correct spelling in Fran’s many texts to her BFF. Reality TV-obsessed teens (high school and up) will thoroughly enjoy this book. And when you are done with this light-reading title and looking for something else, you MUST read the humorous "Beauty Queens" by Libba Bray.

Review: Here Lies Linc (Ray)

2011-08-24T01:33:00.000-07:00

Title: Here Lies Linc
Author: Ray
Genre: Fiction, Junior High, Friendship, Death, Family, Mystery
Pages: 320
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Lincoln Crenshaw is about to start junior high after being home-schooled. As if that wasn’t hard enough, his first field trip of 7^th grade is led by his mother at a place she is an expert about—the local cemetery. Linc just wants to fit in and is sure that his unusual mother (who he calls Lottie) will cause him all kinds of embarrassment.

When the teacher assigns a project to adopt-a-grave and research the person buried there, Linc decides to prove himself to his fellow classmates and takes on the cursed “Black Angel” tombstone. Throughout the project, Linc is helped by old and new friends alike. He also discovers a mystery surrounding the grave chosen by a classmate that will change his life.

Grounded in a project readers will relate to, the mystery is realistic and moves the story forward. Though many of the pieces fall into place quite conveniently, the adventure is still enjoyable. Boys and girls alike will root for Linc in this lively tale, perfect for students in 4th-7th grades. I don't usually post reviews of books for this age group, but this was just such a fun read that I can't help but recommend it!

Trailer Tuesday: Beauty Queens (Bray)

2011-08-23T00:17:00.000-07:00

The perfect summer reading book! Many of you will remember that this book was one of the top suggestions on my Summer Reading list. Here, the author talks about the book...hilarious!

Trailer Tuesday: Inheritance Teaser Trailer

2011-08-23T00:00:00.000-07:00

I know that many of Evergreen's students are anxiously awaiting the release of Christopher Paolini's "Inheritance" (coming in November). For those of you that are, here is a short trailer to keep you excited about the book!

Review: The Yo-Yo Prophet (Krossing)

2011-08-20T23:17:00.000-07:00

Title: The Yo-Yo Prophet
Author: Krossing
Genre: Fiction, Realistic, School, Illness, Family, Talent
Pages: 248
Rating: 3 out of 5

Calvin lives with his grandma above their dry cleaning shop. It has just been him and “Gran” since his mom died and his dad left town. Now Gran is sick and she must sell the business, which means that they have to find a new place to live. Calvin is sure he can help with the finances and decides to put his yo-yoing skills to good work by performing on the street for money.

Rozelle, a girl from school, forces her way into being his manager and sets up gigs for Calvin and his yo-yo act, keeping half his earnings. Calvin is a likeable character who is struggling to keep it together under the stress of all that is going on. The relationship between Calvin and his grandma is realistically portrayed and the ending, including the resolution with his dad, feels authentic. Readers will root for Calvin to stand up to Rozelle and triumph in the end.

The yo-yoing scenes are well-written and keep the action moving. I read this book while watching America's Got Talent with the teenage yo-yo act, so I really felt like I could imagine just how good Calvin was. I think this book will have readers looking up "how to" videos on YouTube. This is a fun book and a quick read and I think a perfect fit for middle school.

Review: As I Wake (Scott)

2011-08-19T23:34:00.000-07:00

Title: As I Wake
Author: Scott
Genre: Fiction, Supernatural, Mother-Daughter, Identity, Memory, Dystopian
Pages: 224
Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars

Seventeen year old Ava wakes up in a panic in a house she doesn’t recognize. When her hysteria lands her in the hospital diagnosed with amnesia, Ava senses that the doctors are wrong. This woman claiming to be her mother cannot really be her mother. Ava begins to have hazy flashbacks of living in a place much different, a place under total government control.

Strangely, this reality is populated with people she sees in her current everyday life. When a mysterious boy named Morgan appears claiming to know who she really is, her memories start becoming clearer. Soon Ava must decide which life she truly belongs in, and where, and with whom, she wants to spend her future.

I received this book to review and was very excited because I am a big fan of the author's "Living Dead Girl." It also has such a striking cover that teens will be drawn to immediately. (I know this to be true because both of my neighbor girls grabbed this book immediately to add to their stack...good thing I had two copies!)

Scott, fascinated with the concept of the modal reality, uses this novel to explore what that might look like. Readers will appreciate the fast pace and surprises at every turn. Part thriller, part dystopian, part romance, this book offers something for everyone and a main character that teens will respond to.

Review: Flip (Bedford)

2011-08-18T23:33:00.000-07:00

Title: Flip
Author: Bedford
Genre: Fiction, Science Fiction, Supernatural, Identity
Pages: 272
Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars

One night, 14-year-old Alex goes to bed. He wakes up the next morning to find himself in the wrong bedroom, in an unfamiliar house, in a different part of the country, and six months have disappeared. The family at the breakfast table are total strangers. And when he looks in the mirror, another boy's face stares back at him. A boy named Flip. Unless Alex finds out what's happened and how to get back to his own life, he may be trapped forever inside a body that belongs to someone else.

I think that this book is a completely original concept that will appeal to teens of both genders. Who hasn't secretly wished that they belonged to another family? Alex suddenly ends up part of a new family and he must figure out what has happened and how to get back to his real family. It is so intriguing to follow Alex/Flip on this journey, and you will constantly be wondering how this book will end. (No, I'm not going to tell you!)

This is a perfect book for those looking for a page-turner this summer. It is a mix of drama, thriller, tension, and sci-fi that will leave you wanting to talk about it with someone as soon as you are finished. Have you read it yet? What did you think? I can't wait until I get the chance to find out what my students think about this one.

Review: Anna and the French Kiss (Perkins)

2011-08-17T21:45:00.000-07:00

Title: Anna and the French Kiss
Author: Perkins
Genre: Fiction, Travel, High School, Boarding Schools, Paris, Romance
Pages: 372
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

When Anna's romance-novelist father sends her to an elite American boarding school in Paris for her senior year of high school, she very reluctantly goes. Anna is giving up her senior year "at home," with friends that she loves, and a crush who is just about to become more. But Anna manages to fall in with a new group of friends, including a boy (with a terrific accent) who becomes her best friend, in spite of the fact that they both want something more from the relationship. Will Anna ever get that perfect kiss she has been waiting for?

First, I must say that I absolutely refused to read this because I thought that it was going to be one of those sappy teen girl romance books. I mean really, look at that cover! But when it was nominated for BFYA and I was forced to read it, I must admit that I am so glad that I was able to get past my initial judgment. As one of my committee members so eloquently put it, this book is so much smarter than the cover.

I absolutely loved this book, and decided to finally post the review after mentioning "Lola and the Boy Next Door" in yesterday's post. (You will discover that Lola is one of the secondary characters in "Anna...").

The setting is one of the stars of this book. The vivid descriptions of Paris and Parisian culture will resonate with anyone that has been to Paris, or, like me, has always longed to visit the "City of Lights." It makes me wish for a do-over in life so that I could attend an international boarding school...or maybe just learn French.

Anna is such a well-written character. Her voice is perfect, and her inner dialog is witty and humorous. I loved her quirky classic movie/movie theater fetish, and how she learns French initially so that she can navigate to her favorite movie theaters.

The secondary characters will resonate with readers and teens will identify with the diverse cast. In the end, this is so much more than your typical "loooove" story. It is really about finding yourself and a place to call home. Oh yeah, and there is a romance! Sarah Dessen fans will thoroughly enjoy this read.

Now that I have "Lola..." back, I am looking forward to reading it before school starts.

The Most Popular Books in My Neighborhood This Summer...

2011-08-16T23:32:00.000-07:00

Several of the teens in my neighborhood have been taking advantage of the fact that BOXES of books are arriving on my doorstep almost daily. While they have been borrowing many (and are currently on vacation so I haven't had an update in several days), here are the books that they are recommending to each other (and their parents). Can I tell you how much I'm loving that they are recommending, trading, and holding favorite books hostage among themselves? So fun!

Possession by Elana Johnson: I met this author at a Simon & Schuster event this summer and I loved talking with her (probably because we have so much in common). I was lucky enough to get and autographed copy of this debut title, as well as a second copy in the mail from the publisher (which is the one that is currently making the rounds). One girl borrowed it at the beginning of July and I haven't seen it since. She finished it quickly but "cannot return it because I have other people who want to read it." By the way, one of those people is her mother because the girl raved about it so much!

The Future of Us by Carolyn Mackler and Jay Asher: This is the book that is being "held hostage" and passed around the neighborhood quite a bit. There is always some sort of negotiation going on to be the next one to read my advance copy of this book. ("I'll give you such-and-such book, if you give me this one next). Luckily I did get a chance to read it before it was hijacked from my pile and I can attest to just how amazing it is!
(This image of the cover is the only one that I could find on Goodreads and it is either really bad or just poor quality. The copy I have is a galley and has no cover art, so I'm not sure what the final cover is supposed to look like).

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins: One of the girls in my neighborhood grabbed this book along with a GIANT stack of other titles. This is the book that she read first, which is interesting in it's own right because I would not have pegged her for picking a book with such a "girly" cover. But she LOVED it. In fact, she couldn't stop talking about it. Then I realized that she hadn't even read "Anna and the French Kiss." Of course, I remedied that immediately and broke into the school library to loan her the copy of Ms. Perkins' first book. And now that I have "Lola..." back, I can finally read it!

Not surprisingly, the boys in the neighborhood are not the best at reporting in on a regular basis. I promise more updates will follow! What books have you been enjoying this summer?

Trailer Tuesday: My Favorite Picture Book Has A Baby!

2011-08-16T01:00:00.000-07:00

Digressing just a bit from YA books...

I am a HUGE fan of Lane Smith's picture book, "It's A Book!" And now there is a board book version...love it!

Enjoy this cute book trailer:

Review: Sean Griswold's Head (Leavitt)

2011-08-15T21:44:00.000-07:00

Title: Sean Griswold's Head
Author: Leavitt
Genre: Fiction, High School, Friendship, Humor, Illness, Family
Pages: 288
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

After discovering that her father has multiple sclerosis, and the entire family was keeping it a secret from her, Payton decides to stop speaking to all of them. This winds up leading to mandatory counseling sessions at school, where a well-meaning school counselor gives her a "focus journal" and wants her to write about a "focus object." Not taking the assignment seriously, Payton focuses on the closest thing she can think of, the back of Sean Griswold's head. But her new focus leads to real interest in Sean and soon Payton must really come to terms with everything that is going on in her life.

First of all, I must say that I initially picked this book up because I thought that it was going to be the perfect "boy" book for my summer reading list. The cover art led me astray! But once I got over my initial disappointment at not discovering the quintessential middle school boy read, I fell in love with this book.

Payton is a likeable narrator, a typical teen girl who is conflicted between her anger/grief and her usual common sense good nature. She alternates between sarcastic, witty comments, and reflective narration. There are parts where I can actually picture the huffy teen eyeroll that she must be giving the guidance counselor.

This book is a hidden gem, that might take word-of-mouth, or some good booktalking, to sell to the right audience. The writing is a smooth balance between comedy and serious dealings with family crisis. There are credible teen characters and an authentic teen voice. The romance between Payton and Sean works so well in this book.

This is the perfect book for middle or high school students looking for something refreshing and realistic without being "angsty." It is a fun read with humor and heart that is sure to be popular with many readers.

Review: Fall for Anything (Summers)

2011-08-12T21:47:00.000-07:00

Title: Fall for Anything
Author: Summers
Genre: Fiction, Realistic, Grief, Family, Suicide
Pages: 230
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

When Eddie Reeves’s father commits suicide her life is consumed by the nagging question of why? Why when he was a legendary photographer and a brilliant teacher? Why when he seemed to find inspiration in everything he saw? And, most important, why when he had a daughter who loved him more than anyone else in the world? When she meets Culler Evans, a former student of her father’s and a photographer himself, an instant and dangerous attraction begins. Culler seems to know more about her father than she does and could possibly hold the key to the mystery surrounding his death.

Eddie is dealing with her father's suicide and is so desperate to find out "WHY?!" She is drawn to his photographs and the warehouse where he killed himself. Her anger and emotions are believable. When she finds Culler, she finds someone who understands her quest for answers and it makes sense that she would abandon her friends to spend time with the mysterious Culler.

Eddie is a flawed and not very likeable character sometimes. But she is also so consumed by an atmosphere of grief that you can forgive her. There is suspense and mystery as we as readers know something is not quite right with Culler, but we cannot pinpoint what that is any more than Eddie can. When you reach the part in the story where the mystery surrounding Culler is revealed, I promise you that it will be heart-wrenching.

Eddie's experience is a raw, emotional struggle to move on with her life. This is an honest and sometimes painful examination of grief, family dynamics, and Eddie's intense journey toward healing.

Review: Hurricane Dancers (Engle)

2011-08-10T21:43:00.000-07:00

Title: Hurricane Dancers
Author: Engle
Genre: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Pirates
Pages: 160
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Quebrado has been traded from pirate ship to ship in the Caribbean Sea for as long as he can remember. But when a hurricane sinks the ship and most of its crew, it is Quebrado who escapes to safety. He learns how to live on land again, among people who treat him well. And it is he who must decide the fate of his former captors.

Five individuals tell the spare pieces of one overall story in this beautiful example of a free verse novel. It takes place during a time period not often written about and also helps readers understand the historical context. The language is figurative, captivating, and rhythmic and provides unforgettable imagery. Even the arrangement of the poems on each page adds to the rhythm.

The characters start with distinctive voices but each moves toward a feeling of uncertainty, showing the similarities in all of their situations: identity issues, dislocation, slavery.

I hope that teens will find this book. I know that it would work well in a classroom, but I would love for it to find readership on it's own. It is such a unique construct and a verse novel that really is poetic. One of my favorite poems is when the pirate ship itself talks about it's memories of being a tree on land. It "remembers
her true self,
her tree self,
rooted
and growing,
alive,
on shore."

I am looking forward to fall and getting teen feedback on this book. Have you read it? What did you think?

Review: Moonglass (Kirby)

2011-08-09T21:43:00.000-07:00

Title: Moonglass
Author: Kirby
Genre: Fiction, Beach, Moving, Father/Daughter, Relationships, Love, Death
Pages: 232
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Anna's life is upended when her father accepts a job transfer the summer before her junior year. It's bad enough that she has to leave her friends and her life behind, but her dad is moving them to the beach where her parents first met and fell in love. But Anna's mother drowned when Anna was a young girl, and she wonders if this is really the best place for her and her dad to be.

I was lucky enough to meet this debut author at a Simon & Schuster event in June (I promise there will be a post on this event SOON. There were so many terrific debut authors in attendance...so many good books coming). At the time, I had not read the book. However, it was a slim hardback that packed well, took place on the beach, and since I was heading to North Carolina to spend some time on the beach, it seemed like the perfect book to pack along.

I enjoyed this book and I definitely think that my junior high readers will also. The setting is well-written, giving a terrific sense of place to the novel. (I imagine that this is due to the fact that the author lives in the location that she wrote about...I envy her life by the way. More on that in a subsequent post). This is a novel begging to be read during the summer! I wish that I had read it in time to add to my summer reading list.

Anna is conflicted over wanting to know more about her mother but leary of the memories that are starting to return. She loves her dad, but doesn't appreciate his meddling in her love life (what teen girl does). Anna finds new friends in surprising places and a hunky lifeguard boyfriend (of course...it's a book that takes place on the beach). I think that many teen girls will appreciate this story and the full-circle ending.

Trailer Tuesday: Relic Master (Fisher)

2011-08-09T00:02:00.000-07:00

Don't forget about this new series from the author of "Incarceron." The publisher is releasing one book each month this summer (May, June, July, and August). By the time school starts, you should be caught up on the series! If you haven't had the opportunity to read them all, they will be available for check out on the first day of school.

Hunger Games Movie Countdown

2011-08-08T18:13:00.000-07:00

Are you a fan of The Hunger Games series? Are you excited for the upcoming movie? Make sure to get the Hunger Games Movie Countdown widget. You can find it by clicking on the movie's website.

Make sure to fan the movie's Facebook page for updates about the movie as well as pictures from filming.

And make sure to mark your 2013 calendars for the movie release of Catching Fire. Lionsgate announced today that it would arrive in theaters November, 22, 2013. Wonder when that countdown widget will arrive?

Review: Warp Speed (Yee)

2011-08-05T21:41:00.000-07:00

Title: Warp Speed
Author: Yee
Genre: Fiction, Humor, Middle School, Friendship, Popularity, Bullying
Pages: 320
(it is the FASTEST 320 pages you will ever read--even reluctant readers will rejoice)
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars!

Marley is completely prepared for the new school year: same old boring classes, same old boring life. The only thing he has to look forward to is the upcoming Star Trek convention. But when he inadvertently draws the attention of Digger Ronster, the biggest bully in school, his life has officially moved from boring to far too dramatic.

As you can tell by my rating, I obviously loved this book. I am always looking for that perfect middle school "boy" book, filled with humor and substance. This book made me laugh out loud...and at the time I was reading it, I was also proctoring our annual state assessments, so it led to interesting looks from students in the room.

There are so many things about this book that I enjoyed:
First and foremost, Marley is a humorous and likeable narrator. His funny narrative keeps the plot moving and will grab readers from the first page. His asides and Star Trek log at the chapter ends are a riot (thus leading to the awkward stares from students). There are so many students in my school that I see in Marley and his friends.
The supporting cast of characters add to the story, and I love all the kids in the AV Club. Additionally, Marley's father and mother are interesting characters and the family dynamic adds a fresh perspective.

This is an accurate portrayal of how many middle schoolers feel...like an outsider. And a realistic look at bullying from the victim's perspective. The story is fast-paced, and the humor will keep readers attention to the authentic resolution. A realistic story that will appeal to a variety of middle school readers, it is so much more than "just another book about bullying."

And if you are already a fan of Ms. Yee, you will discover many of the characters from her other novels make "guest appearances" in this book...a welcome treat if you have already read her other books!

Review: Stay (Caletti)

2011-08-04T21:41:00.000-07:00

Title: Stay
Author: Caletti
Genre: Fiction, Relationships, Father/Daughter, Stalking
Pages: 313
Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars

In a remote corner of Washington State where she and her father have gone to escape her obsessive boyfriend, Clara meets two brothers who captain a sailboat, a lighthouse keeper with a secret, and an old friend of her father who knows his secrets.

This is the perfect summer read, especially if you live in Washington State, because you really get the feel of summer in the Northwest. The description of the locations and landmarks is accurate. It is also a terrific book if you are a fan of Sarah Dessen and looking for something new to read.

This book had good dimension, underlying suspense, and a strong father figure (what a refreshing character in YA fiction). Clara is terrific narrator, and her footnotes to the reader add an interesting element to the book. It is exactly like Clara is the author, not Ms. Caletti. Ultimately, this is a book about a young woman figuring out how to forgive, love, and live again.

Review: Daughter of Xanadu (Yang)

2011-08-03T21:41:00.000-07:00

Title: Daughter of Xanadu
Author: Yang
Genre: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Ancient China, Mongolia
Pages: 352
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Princess Emmajin, grandaughter of the Great Khubalai Khan, wants nothing more than to be a warrior in her grandfather's army. But the Khan wants her to act as a court liason to three travelers from the West...Marco Polo, his father, and his uncle.

Emmajin is a strong, female character, wanting to go against tradition. Her first-person narrative provides an excellent account of the action and adventure of the Mongol army, but also what is was like in China at the time Marco Polo arrived.

The setting and sense of time, place, and culture in the story are fully realized. There is action, drama, history, and a little romance. But at its core, it is a universal story about a teenager who must decide whether to follow her family's expectations, or go against tradition and dare to follow her dreams.

An excellent example of historical fiction, as well as a novel that appeals to girls and boys equally. Because we had the author visit in the spring (a visit I highly recommend by the way...see my earlier post about it), many of my students have read this book and it is popular with both genders.

Trailer Tuesday: Daughter of Xanadu (Yang)

2011-08-02T23:54:00.000-07:00

I saw this trailer when the author visited our school this spring. I thought I would post it here to coincide with my review of the book:

Review: Miles From Ordinary (Williams)

2011-08-02T13:48:00.000-07:00

Title: Miles From Ordinary
Author: Williams
Genre: Fiction, Realistic, Mental Illness, Family, Mother/Daughter
Pages: 197
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Just like every other 13-year-old, Lacey just wants to be a normal teenage girl, for one normal summer. But her mother's struggles with mental illness might just put this wish out of reach.

Lacey is the strength of this novel. Her desires for normalcy, her wish to protect her mother and stay under the social services radar, her drive to fix everything, are all such normal teenage reactions to her situation.

The story is at turns suspenseful, sad, and painful. But through it all, Lacey is also hopeful. She grows as a character, from thinking that she can do it all to realizing that she needs help. Her emotions are raw and real. She is desperate to have her aunt's help, but she is also angry at her aunt for leaving her alone.

The reality of living in a family affected by mental illness is authentically portrayed. This is an emotional journey which is strong on atmosphere and vivid imagery. Overall, a moving novel by a skilled author.

Review: What Happened to Goodbye (Dessen)

2011-08-01T18:39:00.000-07:00

Title: What Happened to Goodbye
Author: Dessen
Genre: Fiction, Realistic Fiction, High School, Divorce, Relationships, Restaurants, Identity
Pages: 402
Rating: 4 1/2 out of 5 stars

Since her parents' bitter divorce, McLean and her dad, a restaurant consultant, have been on the move-four towns in two years. Each new place gives her a chance to try out a new persona: from cheerleader to drama diva. But now, for the first time, McLean discovers a desire to stay in one place and just be herself, whoever that is.

As a caveat, I am a HUGE Sarah Dessen fan. In fact, the highlight of my summer so far has been actually getting to meet her. So it was pretty safe to assume that I was going to like this book. But I don't want the fact that it is possible that I gushed over Ms. Dessen like I was a teenage girl to take away from this remarkable book.

This is a highly readable novel with well-drawn and believable characters, both teen and adult. No character is black or white, but all have shades of gray. Like so many teens, McLean is struggling to figure out who she really is, and desperately want to rid herself of being the daughter of scandal. McLean has reinvented herself, and I think that many teens will relate to this desire to try on a new persona.

I liked that this is not an angst-driven novel, but one where small moments make the story. This book has a smooth storyline that quietly unfolds and, as always, Dessen has perfectly captured the teen girl voice. McLean is building a community, both literally and figuratively. The friendships she makes are terrific (and this is due to the strength of the secondary characters). The dialog between the characters is authentic and Dessen does an excellent job of showing, not telling, the story.

And in case you want to see what gushing over one of your favorite authors looks like:

By the way, I just want it on record that in addition to the photograph, I was able to get an autographed book...and I sacrificed mine to get one personalized for my 22-year-old niece instead. She is a fan of Ms. Dessen as well!

Best Fiction Teen Feedback Session

2011-07-30T21:31:00.000-07:00

One of the best parts of being on Best Fiction for Young Adults (BFYA) is the opportunity to hear from teens who have read the nominated books. In my school, this is an ongoing process throughout the year where kids fill out a bookmark-sized review form about nominated and eligible titles. As part of the committee meetings, this happens during the "Teen Session," a time where local teen book groups are brought in to give their opinions about the nominated titles.

I LOVE this two hour session at each conference, and am always madly taking notes on my iPad, trying to get down each and every word. Teens speak about their favorite books from all the nominated titles (you can find the current list here). One of the curious things this time were the books that the teens did not speak about: "What Happened to Goodbye" (Dessen), "The Last Little Blue Envelope" (Johnson), "Cryer's Cross" (McMann) are just a few top authors that none of the teens spoke about. After being surprised by this for a little while, I realized that it was probably because of the last minute publication date/nomination date of most of these titles. Students probably hadn't had the opportunity to read the books before the conference. I look forward to hearing teen comments on these titles at Midwinter in Dallas.

Here are some of the teen comments, as close to word-for-word as I could get. I have not included every book that the teens stood up to talk about, but the ones which teens were clearly passionate about. (Exclamation points are included where the decibal lev)el increased). As near as I could tell, all the teens that spoke were in high school.

"Strings Attached" (Blundell): This book stirred up emotions, had love, drama, suspense, and a heartbreaking ending. One of the best books they had ever read. (I'm actually glad to hear this comment, because while I personally enjoyed this book, I was really worried about teen appeal and who the audience for this book would be).

"Beauty Queens" (Bray): Really liked, funny, interesting, wasn't girly, hilarious, comedic, great one-liners. (Yeah! This is one of the books on my Summer Reading suggestions).

"Iron Thorn" (Kittredge): Had nightmares after reading this, dark, interesting, amazing, characters, full of secrets, good gothic fantasy.

"Absolute Value of Mike" (Erskine): Discusses big ideas, loved comedy throughout the book, strive to be your own person. (There was also discussion about how this book is shelved in the children's section of some libraries and the young-looking cover, which does not help with teen appeal).

"Where She Went" (Forman): Author tapped into emotions, lived up to expectations, well-written, different perspective from the first book, perfect ending.

"Exposed" (Marcus): Loved it, accurate description of relationships, not a cheesy ending, loved the poems and only the words necessary were used.

"False Princess" (O'Neal): Loved it!

"Anna and the French Kiss" (Perkins): Classic romance, really like the book. Liked the details about Paris, which helped shape the book. You feel like you are part of the book while you are reading.

"Delirium" (Oliver): Different, unique, shocking ending, stayed up late reading, amazing.

"This Dark Endeavor" (Oppel): Good twist on the Frankenstein story!

"Between Shades of Gray" (Sepetys): Wonderful, good flow, believable characters, loved this book, another side to the World War II story, making you a character through the protagonist, emotionally rattling.

"Running Dream" (Van Draanen): Really liked!

"Blink and Caution" (Wynne-Jones): Liked points of view, really liked book.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone

2011-07-29T21:48:00.000-07:00

Laini Taylor's new book, "Daughter of Smoke & Bone," comes out in September and has already been nominated for Best Fiction. Even though I haven't read it yet (because one of the teens in my neighborhood stole my advance copy), I am looking forward to reading it!

Last month, at the ALA Conference in New Orleans, Little Brown Books/Hachette Books threw a terrific "launch" party for this book which I was lucky enough to be invited to. It was a such a fun evening, complete with "smoke," masks, fortune tellers, and bone readers. New Orleans was a perfect setting for this event, and it was great to meet the amazing Laini Taylor!

The book promises to be a terrifically creepy read, set in a unique world. "Black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.
In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherworldly war.

Karou fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages—not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out."

By the way, here is a picture of me in my mask from the event. Of course, my daughter confiscated the mask as soon as she found it in my suitcase, so I will never see it again. But it was fun while it lasted!

Have you read the book? I'd love to know what you think...

Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler!

2011-07-28T21:31:00.000-07:00

In addition to reading MANY books as part of the Best Fiction for Young Adults committee, we also get the chance to hear from teens about the nominated books (more on that later). Before this year's BFYA "Teen Session" at the ALA conference in New Orleans, authors Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler entertained the teens (and committee members) talking about their newest book, "The Future of Us," which they co-wrote. Thanks to Penguin Teen for making this event happen!

Asher ("Thirteen Reasons Why") and Mackler ("Tangled"), are each well-known authors with a LARGE fan base, but you might be surprised to discover that they did not know each other before they decided to write this book together. "The Future of Us," set in 1996, takes us on a journey with two teens, neighbors Emma and Josh who discover that they can see their future through a crazy application that has taken over Emma's computer...Facebook. What if you could see your future, who you were going to marry? On Facebook? Before Facebook was invented?

The book is AMAZING (my review will follow), and what follows is some notes I took on the talk the authors gave about how they wrote this book.

I was surprised to learn that they did not know each other before this project. One email from Carolyn to Jay led to many email conversations about books they like and don't like, and eventually to this idea to "share the creative space." When they felt safe to be themselves, they decided on the concept and the characters.

Both wanted to capture the feeling of the highs and lows of the teen years, much like a John Hughes movie (of which, they are huge fans). They both wrote the book, not one particular character, writing chapters together (back and forth via email) until it "felt right." Asher and Mackler told stories of times where they would tell the other "Oh, you're so smart, I'm so glad you wrote that scene" or "I'm sorry, but I have to take that out now" and then discovering that they had actually written it.

In the book, Emma discovers that she is not happy in her future and wants to change it. Josh, however, discovers that he has married the hottest girl in school and doesn't want Emma to mess with anything! It is really about the small choices that you make and how that affects your future.

After talking about what it was like writing the book, the authors took questions from the teen audience. Here are some of their answers:

Did you have a favorite character in this book?Both: Did not have a favorite character, but both liked the secondary characters and where they ended up going and how they evolved and grew.

How long did the process take?It was about a year for the whole process...nine months to write the book, plus extra time for edits.

How did you choose the character names?Jay: Very scientific about it and looked at the census data for that year to find out most popular names.
Carolyn: Picked based on feeling, and what felt right.

What were your favorite books growing up?Jay: "Bridge to Terabithia" (Paterson) was his favorite as a kid, and then he stopped reading as a teen except for required reading. In 2000, he read "Stotan" (Crutcher) and became a fan.
Carolyn: Loved Judy Blume books as a kid. Reading "Tuck Everlasting" was the first time she felt "deep." In this new book, Emma's favorite books on Facebook are listed as "Tuck Everlasting" and "Harry Potter."

What do you like about the other's writing?Jay: Loves Carolyn's characters. Her books are easy to read, the words are exactly what they need to be. She is the modern Judy Blume.
Carolyn: Loves the tension Jay creates. She didn't move from the time she started "13 Reasons Why" until she finished it. Likes that he thinks about what will keep the reader reading.

When did you know you wanted to be a writer? How long did it take you to become published? Do you have any suggestions for teens who want to write?Jay: Wrote a "horrible" book about the Easter Bunny which we will never have to read. There were 12 years of rejection until "13 Reasons Why" was published. He kept writing, and now 13 Reasons is going to be a movie.
Carolyn: Always loved reading, and didn't write until later. She wrote in journals at first. Now she throws away a lot, and does much rewriting. Aspiring writers should read and write what you like to write, what keeps you excited!

By the way, Jay shared a story that should make fans very happy. While in New York, celebrating the completed novel with each other and their respective families, Jay received a phone call alerting them that the film rights to "The Future of Us" have already been sold!

The book comes out in November, so make sure to get on your library hold list now. If you are an EJH student/community member, I have an advance copy, so please comment here to be next in line (after several readers in my neighborhood...both teens and adults)!

Summer Reading...

2011-07-27T15:39:00.000-07:00

August is just around the corner and it feels like forever since I have posted here. There are good reasons, including a lovely vacation to the East Coast (where, unlike Seattle, they have been having a summer), and the fact that my computer has been having "issues." As much as I love my iPad, it just doesn't let me access the blog to post, so I haven't been able to let you know about all the great books I've received and have been reading.

But, much like the Seattle summer, which has suddenly arrived (hopefully for longer than 78 minutes)...I'm hoping that my computer is finally working again! And there is much to catch up on! So, stay tuned...

Free Audiobooks for Summer!

2011-07-01T14:45:00.000-07:00

Traveling to the beach this summer? Visiting grandparents? Forced to ride in the car with your family to a destination far, far away? Than you need audiobooks...and some good headphones.

Each week, from now until August 17th, you can download two totally FREE audiobooks through SYNC. Though you've missed some great titles that were available during the first few weeks (sorry for not reminding you sooner!), there are still terrific titles to be had!

Anyone can participate, there's no required sign-up or personal info or credit card needed, the titles are in MP3 format compatible with ANY digital player or computer. The choices each week are one top Teen book and one top Classic. All the directions on how to download the files are on the website, including a "how-to" video.

If you take advantage of this, let me know what you think!

Geeky Librarian Fun in New Orleans

2011-06-24T14:52:00.000-07:00

No thanks to United/Continental Airlines, I have finally made it to New Orleans for the American Library Association's Annual Conference. (The only good thing about the flight was the fact that "Beastly" was the in-flight movie). After arriving at 4:30am local time this morning, thanks to extensive delays, I am ready to report on all the geeky librarian fun I will be having...stay tuned!

Today started with SLEEPING IN, and then a magical discovery that my hotel's pool was on the roof. Reading in the glorious sunshine was a wonderful way to spend the afternoon. (I am still trying to finish up the last of the BFYA books that I brought with me). 90 degrees feels wonderful to someone stuck in the horrible Seattle "spring" that we've had.

Tonight I am off to two publisher events, with the opportunity to meet wonderful authors and eat yummy food. Will post details later...

Are you in NOLA? What are you most excited for this weekend?

Summer Reading!

2011-06-24T14:44:00.000-07:00

School is FINALLY out...yeah! Those snow days, many of which weren't really snow days, stretched the year out an extra week, but we have survived and made it to SUMMER! Now, if only the sun would cooperate...

If you are looking for good reads for all ages, from Kindergarten through High School (and adult!), check out the EJH Library "Summer Reading" website. The lists are divided by grade level, and students of all ages, reading levels, and interests will find something good to read, I promise. Some will find MANY great books to read. The lists are designed for students "graduating" from the grade levels listed, but some students will also find titles of interest on the lists above and below their grade level. (By the way, the call numbers listed next to each title are the King County Library System call numbers). And if you are a grown up looking for something good to read this summer, start with the High School list. Great titles to choose from!

Stay tuned to the blog throughout the summer. It will be updated daily with "latest and greatest" titles not published in time to be included on the Summer Reading lists. I would LOVE your feedback on books that you've read or books that I should review here! Feel free to comment. We can have our own online book club...

Review: The Mermaid's Mirror (Madigan)

2011-06-09T19:10:00.000-07:00

Title: The Mermaid's Mirror
Author: Madigan
Genre: Fiction, Surfing, Families, Mermaids
Pages: 308
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Lena has lived her whole life near the beach, walking up and down the shore, watching the surfers, and breathing in the salty air. The thing she wants more than anything is to learn how to surf. As her sixteenth birthday approaches, Lena vows she will no longer watch from the sand: she will learn to surf.

But her father, a former surfer who almost drowned in an accident, refuses to let Lena surf. Being a typical teenage girl however, that does not stop her. She can't help the powerful and unexplainable draw the ocean has always had over her. One morning while looking out into the ocean, Lena catches sight of a beautiful woman — with a silvery tail. Now nothing can stop Lena from seeking out the mermaid, not even the dangerous waves.

The premise for this book is completely original. What starts out as realistic fiction turns to fairy tale/fantasy and still keeps readers hooked. The characters are well-rounded and engaging. Lena is a typical teen and her emotions are real. She is a girl struggling to find out where she belongs and who her family is. The setting is vivid, and the undersea world is so well drawn, you will think you have become part of Lena's home under the sea. Although you wouldn't think it, the connection between the real and fantasy worlds is completely believable and works with the story.

Overall, a perfect read for the perfect summer day at the beach.

BFYA Reading Challenge, Update #4

2011-06-09T18:10:00.000-07:00

,Oh please don't get me started on how far behind I am in my reading. When nominations finally closed, there were 91 books nominated for Best Fiction for Young Adults (BFYA). Because I was BUSY reading non-nominated titles so that I could complete my summer reading lists for all grades, I got behind! I am going to have to abandon my dream of reading everything before our committee meeting.

However, it's not as bad as you might think. Here's the update:

16 DAYS TO GO

34 BOOKS TO READ (oooh, that does look scary, but there are several weekend days and a LONG plane ride to the meeting).

Of the 34 books to read, I don't have 14 of them, so am unlikely to read them at this point. That brings the number down to 20. That feels better!

So, with the end of school madness, two kids birthdays, Father's Day, and packing for this trip, am I going to make it?

BFYA Reading Challenge, Update #3

2011-05-24T09:35:00.000-07:00

If you haven't been keeping up...on Monday, 5/16/11, I began a new reading challenge. At the time, there were 48 nominated books left to read in the 40 days before my committee meeting at ALA in June. Here is an update on my progress:

I swear I've been reading! But I feel like I just can't keep up. Probably doesn't help that this weekend I read 6 books NOT nominated because they were more interesting to me than the ones I should have been reading. Whoops! (A list of those titles will be coming soon...I might even nominate one or two of them).

So, here's where I stand today: 3 more books have been nominated, bringing the total to 80. STOP THIS MADNESS! Luckily the cutoff for nominations is this Sunday, so I'll have almost a month to catch up without more being added to the pile.

Since the last update, I have finished: "Angry Young Man" (Lynch), "The Piper's Son" (Marchetta), "Jasper Jones" (Silvey), and "Bitter Melon" (Chow). I am still listening to "Chime" (Billingsly) though I am counting it as "read" because I'm so close. I also finished "BADD" (Tharp), "The Absolute Value of Mike" (Erskine), "Ten Miles Past Normal" (Dowell), and "Sharks & Boys" (Tracy). WHEW!

I am currently about to start reading "Anna and the French Kiss" by Perkins.

Grand total: 42 books to read in 32 days.

This percentage doesn't seem to be getting any better. However, it is worth noting that I do not currently have a copy of 16 of the titles, and I might not before the meeting. When you subtract these out, it leaves 26 books to read in 32 days. Ooooh, I like that much better!

Thanks for checking in to my updates. I promise reviews of these books this week, hopefully by the weekend. Stay tuned to the BFYA list here. And I would love to know what books are keeping you busy right now!

BFYA Reading Challenge, Update #2

2011-05-19T10:02:00.000-07:00

On Monday, I began a new reading challenge. At the time, there were 48 nominated books left to read in the 40 days before my committee meeting at ALA in June. Here is an update on my progress:5/19/11:
Finished "The Queen of Water" (Resau), which was lovely, but not my favorite of her books.

Currently Reading: "Angry Young Man" (Lynch), "The Piper's Son" (Marchetta), "Jasper Jones" (Silvey), "Bitter Melon" (Chow), and "Chime" (Billingsly--on audio in the car), which are all nominated titles. The reason I've started and abandoned so many right now is that several of them just aren't "speaking" to me and I move on. Bad idea though since I will have to finish them at some point.

I am also reading "Sean Griswold's Head" by Leavitt which is not currently nominated (though I'm considering it).

The problem...more nominations keep coming in. Yesterday, there were three more added, bringing the total nominations to 77. Since I have now read 28 of the titles, that means I have 49 titles to read in 37 days. AAAH!

Must stop writing...back to reading...

Review: Numbers: The Chaos (Ward)

2011-05-19T04:00:00.000-07:00

Title: Num8ers: The Chaos
Author: Ward
Genre: Fiction, Dystopian, Future, Psychic Ability
Pages: 339
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars!

This is a stand-alone sequel to "Num8ers" and honestly does not require that you read them in order. However, if you have not read "Num8ers," I would highly recommend that you do so!

On the last page of "Num8ers," we learn that Jem's baby has inherited her ability to see the dates that people are going to die. It was a truly chilling way to end a book, by the way, and felt like a punch in the stomach when I was reading it. In this sequel, that baby is teenager Adam, and he has noticed that many people are going to die in January 2027, just six months away. Can he figure out why in time to stop it?

Just like his mom, Adam sees the dates that people are going to die. When he notices that large numbers of people are going to die around New Years, he sets out to figure out what is going to happen and tries to warn people of the impending doom. Adam resolves to use his "gift" to change the future and strives to do the right thing.

Adam's story is interwoven with Sarah's, a damaged girl who also has visions of the future and wants to understand what they mean. Both share an emotional connection and are haunted by their respective visions. Alternating the narration between the two characters takes readers on an emotional roller coaster. Adam and Sarah are well-drawn, multidimensional characters with distinctive voices and are characters that you care about and root for.

The action and engaging premise will intrigue readers and keep them turning the pages. The pacing is perfect, the plot is strong, and the characters are genuine. Just like in "Num8ers," the worldbuilding is done with such detail that you feel an immediate connection to the story.

Another sequel that does not disappoint! A MUST read!

Review: The Last Little Blue Envelope (Johnson)

2011-05-18T04:00:00.000-07:00

Title: The Last Little Blue Envelope

Author: Johnson

Genre: Fiction, Travel, Letters, Grief

Pages: 304

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars!

First of all, if you have not read "13 Little Blue Envelopes," I must ask you to stop reading this review, get to your nearest library/bookstore and get a copy (should be in paperback), and READ it! When I read it years ago, it completely moved me! I still want to be Ginny, or at least have someone in my life that will send me on such a journey. I continue to plot how I will do this for my kids some day. I cannot say enough about how much I LOVE this book and continue to recommend it to my students, and my grown-up friends as well. Any friend of mine that has read "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" (Brashares), is required to read "13 Little Blue Envelopes" in order to continue being my friend (just kidding...or am I?).

And now Maureen Johnson has written the sequel and we finally get to find out what happened to the last blue envelope that Ginny received from her aunt. When envelope #13 was stolen at the end of the first book, Ginny was left wondering how the journey was supposed to end. Now, a mysterious stranger in the UK contacts Ginny claiming to have found the missing letter. What adventure will it lead her on this time?

This sequel did not disappoint. The writing was distinctive and on the mark. Whether we are hearing the story from Ginny, or reading her aunt's letter, we feel as if we are there and are immediately drawn into Ginny's quest. The setting is well drawn, and the imagery evoked is memorable (at one point Ginny and her friends are staying in a youth hostel/cat shelter. Completely crazy, but you can totally picture what it looks like).

The characters are unique, the dialog between them is perfect, and everyone feels just like friends you would want to meet on such a journey. Even though Aunt Peg exists only in letters, she is a fully developed character and her letter/asides add so much to the story. You will continue to root for Ginny to complete her mission and find love, happiness, and closure.

Without a doubt, this is a MUST read!

Reading Challenge Update!

2011-05-17T08:18:00.000-07:00

Just a quick update on my progress (because I'm actually making some)...

5/16/11 Total:

48 Books in 40 Days:
Yesterday, I finished 3 books..."The Running Dream" (Van Draanen), "The False Princess" (O'Neal), and "Exposed" (Marcus). I truly enjoyed all three, for vastly different reasons. But I have to admit that "The Running Dream" is my favorite of the three and likely rates a 4 1/2 out of 5 stars. I'm completely in love with it!

5/17/11 New Total:

45 Books in 39 days!

Currently reading:
"The Queen of Water" (Resau), and praying that no new nominations come in!

Tuesday Top 10

2011-05-17T04:00:00.000-07:00

This week's post pays tribute to YALSA's Teens’ Top Ten, a “teen choice” list, where teens nominate and choose their favorite books of the previous year. Nominators are members of teen book groups in fifteen school and public libraries around the country. This year's nominations were recently posted (see the above link for titles/annotations) and teens have the opportunity to read any or all of these books over the summer before voting for their favorite at the end of August.

There are some great books nominated for this year's Teens' Top Ten...I'm not sure that I could narrow down my favorites, and there are still a few that I have not read. I decided to look at Evergreen Junior High's "Top 10" to see just how our students compared with teens across the country. (Our library catalog tracks the Top 10 books at any given time based on some strange formula I have never quite figured out, but appears to factor in number of copies and number of checkouts, but not number of holds/requests).

Three books from 2009's Teens' Top Ten list have spent much time in our own Top 10 recently, including our current #1 book "The Hunger Games." Not a surprise that students here or around the country would vote for this book. "The Hunger Games" was recently named Washington State's Evergreen Young Adult Book Award winner this year, and it dominated our school's voting as well, garnering over 62% of EJH's votes! It still resides in the number one place on our Top 10 likely due to the continued hype about the upcoming movie. (With all that being said, I still cannot convince my 8th grade son to read it...makes me crazy not having anyone in the family to talk about the series with! Who is going to see the movie with me???)

Two other books from the 2009 list have been in and out of our Top 10 during the past few months: "The Graveyard Book" (Gaiman) and "Graceling" (Cashore). Both of these are due to the fact that they were also nominated for this year's Evergreen Young Adult Book Award. Though neither book garnered enough votes to beat out "The Hunger Games" (and really, what could?), both have seen an increase in readership since the voting took place. I attribute this to students encouraging friends, families, and teachers to read them...how exciting when students promote the books they love!

Several books from the 2010 Top Ten list have also spent time on our Top 10 recently. "Catching Fire" (Collins), for obvious reasons. "Wintergirls" (Anderson) is always a popular choice with our 8th graders when they do the "Survival" unit (recently completed). And I'd like to attribute the popularity of "Heist Society" (Carter) to the fact that I love it so much and booktalk it often. Does this mean that the students actually listen to what I say? I will keep thinking that I do influence their reading habits, while also noting I'm sure it has a lot to do with the book itself and the amazing Ally Carter. We are looking forward to the sequel this summer!

On a side note, one of the authors from the 2010 list, Sarah Dessen (for "Along for the Ride"), is wildly popular with my 8th grade girls (and since it's spring, my 7th graders are starting to discover her). Though her individual titles typically don't crack our Top 10, if the system could track Top 10 authors, she would be in the Top 5 without question. All of our copies of all of her books are ALWAYS checked out.
So what is popular right now with your teens?

So Many Books, So Little Time...A New Reading Challenge

2011-05-16T09:11:00.000-07:00

Much to the surprise of many of you, I'm sure, I have NOT dropped off the face of the earth. Between state-mandated classroom-based assessments and testing, my days are a whirlwind of "excitement." Luckily, the last of our CBAs (as we lovingly call them in Washington) are completed, and testing should be done this week (fingers crossed).

Please don't think that I haven't been reading! I haven't let you down completely, I've just been too busy/exhausted/trying to be a mom to blog about all the great books that I've discovered recently. AAAH! I promise to remedy that starting now!

There are about 40 days until my Best Fiction for Young Adults (BFYA) committee meeting, at ALA's Annual Conference in June. So far, there are 74 books nominated for BFYA, which we will be discussing at this meeting...meaning I have to read these books before we discuss them. I have just tallied the "read" vs "not read" and it appears that I have...drumroll please...48 books to read in 40 days! Good Lord! And that's assuming that no more books get nominated before nominations close on May 29th. Hmmm...this does not bode well.

In my defense, about 10 of these books JUST arrived on my doorstep over the weekend, so there is no way I could have read them yet. And there are another 5-10 that I still do not have, so I'm not feeling completely lazy. However, you can clearly see what I'll be doing for the next month and a half. I will attempt to keep you updated on my reading each day. Can I make it?

40 Days, 48 Books
Currently reading:Half-way through 2 of the 48 titles, and I expect to complete both today! "Running Dream" by Van Draanen (which I already LOVE), and "The False Princess" by O'Neal (also really like, and I did not expect to).

Do you want to participate? Follow the BFYA link above to the list of nominated titles (only updated through April 1 right now, but will include all of them soon). Have you read any? What did you think? Want to read some? Let me know which ones you choose and which ones you enjoyed most. I'd LOVE to have your feedback!

Sarah Dessen talks about her NEW book!

2011-04-18T04:00:00.000-07:00

Sarah Dessen fans take note! The author's new book, "Whatever Happened to Goodbye," will hit bookstore (and library) shelves on May 10th. While you are waiting, here is an interview with Ms. Dessen where she talks about this latest title.

By the way, I've read an advance copy of the book and LOVED it. You will not be disappointed...stay tuned for my review.

Lord of the Rings Fans!

2011-04-15T19:59:00.000-07:00

I know that we have many Lord of the Rings fans at EJH.

Here is a treat for you for the weekend...the first video "sneak peek" of the new "Hobbit" movie. Director Peter Jackson's first video entry about the making of the new movie. Check it out!

Review: Blank Confession (Hautman)

2011-03-17T05:00:00.000-07:00

Title: Blank Confession
Author: Hautman
Genre: Fiction, Mysteries, Murder, Bullying
Pages: 170
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Last summer, I went through a stretch where I didn't read anything that rated higher than 3 stars, and those were the good ones. However, this past month, I am apparently making up for that. Everything that I've read rates 3, 4, and 5 stars!

"Blank Confession" opens when Shayne Blank walks into the local police station and confesses to a murder. Shayne is the new kid in town, and he's not talking about his background. But he is talking about the murder, and has no problem telling the detective the story that led up to the killing.

Even though Shayne is the one confessing, the story alternates between two unlikely narrators: the detective listening to the confession, and Mikey, a kid that Shayne befriended to protect him from a bully. For me it is unusual that Shayne is the one confessing, but he is not the narrator of the story. Mikey and Shayne have only been friends for a short time when the story takes place. But when Mikey comes under attack by a drug-dealing bully, Shayne jumps in to rescue him and unfortunately makes matters worse. Both boys attempt to right the wrongs they see. The narrators parcel out the story, and through it we see the quick development of the boys' friendship, and the growth that Mikey makes.

We never really know quite what to make of Shayne, and that is an intential part of the mystery. It is not a mystery that someone is killed; the mystery is who ends up dead. Hautman weaves a compelling story that will keep readers turning the pages. Just when you think you have it all figured out, you realize that you could be wrong when another bad guy is introduced. It will keep you guessing until the end.

Because there are some elements introduced in the book that are not quite "junior high appropriate," this is definitely a book for high school and up. However, fans of Hautman will not be disappointed. Likewise, if you like gritty, fast-paced, whodunits, this is a first-rate choice!

Review: Gossip From the Girls' Room: a blogtastic! novel (Cooper)

2011-03-16T05:00:00.000-07:00

Title: Gossip from the Girls' Room: a blogtastic! novel
Author: Cooper
Genre: Fiction, Middle School, Friendship, Popularity, Gossip, Blogs
Pages: 256
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Sixth-grader Sophia just wants to be one of the popular students at Middlebrooke Middle School. Unfortunately, her plans to accomplish this have not met with success. Sophia and her BFF Nona did not end up in “super fun” elective classes where they could talk to cool kids. The after school activities they tried did not make them popular, just sweaty. To make matters worse, Sophia’s mom ends up as a substitute teacher at the school.
Now Sophia is determined to use her anonymous school blog to post gossip about the popular kids in hopes that at least her blog will be popular. Things go awry when she posts something private about Nona, and she discovers that maybe the popular girl she is trying to bring down isn’t so bad after all.

To be honest, when I was sent this book to review, my first reaction was, "Oh no, a girly book, with pink on the cover." But I was immediately drawn to Sophia's humorous voice, and her description of the perils of middle school. Written as a journal with illustrations and asides, this humorous take on trying to fit in in middle school will find wide appeal. Hand this to girl fans of "Diary of Wimpy Kid," who will soon be looking forward to Sophia’s next adventure. I am one of those fans who can't wait to read more!

Tuesday Top 10

2011-03-15T05:15:00.000-07:00

I decided to celebrate my students' reading with this week's "Top 10." Our school library's circulation system tracks the Top 10 books at any given time, based on checkouts. Though I think that it should also factor the hold list into the Top 10 formula, it is still a pretty good indication of what is popular at the school at any given moment.

When I was online approving holds tonight (yes, I'm working at night; and yes, my students can put holds on books from home), I checked out the Top 10 and it inspired me to create this post. So I offer you, the Evergreen JH Library's "Student Top 10."

1. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. This book has not been in the Top 5 for quite some time, though it never really drops out of the Top 10. I think its push to the top right now reflects that it won our schoolwide Evergreen Young Adult Book Award voting (see previous post), and students that hadn't read it clearly want to know why it's so popular!

2.The Compound by S.A. Bodeen. This book has consistently been in the Top 5 since the fall when we started our award nominee reading. It came in 2nd in the voting, and all the students that didn't get a chance to read it before are currently eating it up like crazy. Even some of our teachers are reading it based on student feedback.

3. Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi. This book is the reason I think our system doesn't calculate the Top 10 based on all factors. It should clearly be the number 1 book in my opinion based on the fact that we have 15 HOLDS on the book right now, in addition to the 6 copies checked out. But I do love that it proves the power of booktalking. This book hardly got checked out until everyone finished The Hunger Games trilogy and I would tell anyone who would listen that they MUST read it. Last week, I spoke with all of our 7th and a few of our 8th grade classes about it...and presto! Everyone wants it!

4. Beastly by Alex Flinn. Another one that is not a surprise right now, but has made a recent surge into the Top 10 because of the movie. And because it is one of my favorite books? Unfortunately, I'm not sure that I have more sway than Alex Pettyfer with my students.

5. The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan. A consistent performer that has been somewhere in the Top 10 since its release in October.

6. Num8ers by Rachel Ward. I love this book and have been promoting it like crazy in advance of the sequel. I think we have 10 holds on 5 copies right now. What more could you want than a red eyeball on the cover to get teens interested in reading it?

7. The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting. Again, another book that I've been talking up quite a bit as the sequel just came out. It takes place in Washington, so our students really like the connection. But it is a good murder mystery with just the right amount of creepy and supernatural.

8. The Comet's Curse by Dom Testa. This great first book in the Galahad series has made a sudden surge into the Top 10. I am hoping that the interest in this series continues through the remaining books. I really loved the premise behind the book, and I know my students do also.

9. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth by Jeff Kinney. One of the Wimpy Kid books can always be found in the Top 10, but I attribute the popularity right now to the fact that I've been showing the movie preview in the library and we are all excited about the next movie. You know where I'll be on the 25th!

10. Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen. As wildly popular as Sarah Dessen is with my 8th grade girls (and since it's spring, my 7th graders are starting to discover her), her books typically don't crack the Top 10. But if the system could track Top 10 authors, she would be in the Top 5 without question. All of our copies of all of her books are ALWAYS checked out.

So that is a look into the current reading habits of 7th, 8th, and 9th graders in my little corner of the world. What is popular where you live? What are your favorites right now?

Evergreen Young Adult Book Award!

2011-03-15T05:00:00.000-07:00

This is the first year that we participated in the statewide Evergreen Young Adult Book Awards. It is just a quirky twist that the awards seem to be named after our school. For those readers outside the state of Washington, we are also known as The Evergreen State, which is where the awards get their name.

The awards are open to all students, statewide, in grades 7-12. Each year, ten books are nominated (all must be available in paperback), and students can read any or all of them. Then in March, students vote through their school or public library (or online) for their favorite, and in April a statewide "winner" is announced. This year's nominees can be found here.

Our 7th and 8th graders participated this year and votes were tallied last week. 321 students participated by reading at least one of the books and there was definitely an overwhelming winner! With 197 votes, the EJH winner was "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins. Honestly, this was not such a surprise, but I did think that some of the other nominees would garner more votes in the end.

If you're interested, our 2nd place winner was "The Compound" by S.A. Bodeen, and 3rd place was too close to call, a virtual tie between "Lock and Key" by Sarah Dessen and "The Adoration of Jenna Fox" by Mary Pearson.Voting is open through today, March 15th, for Washington state students in grades 7-12. If you did not get a chance to vote through your class and would like your voice to be heard, click here and VOTE NOW!

Stay tuned after spring break for the announcement of the state winner. Do you think it will be the same? I have a feeling it just might. But I could be wrong.

Review: Close to Famous (Bauer)

2011-03-14T12:00:00.000-07:00

Title: Close to Famous
Author: Bauer
Genre: Fiction, Realistic, Cooking, Learning Disabilities, Friendship
Pages: 240
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Today I am home with a sick child and we are entertaining ourselves by watching "Cupcake Wars." I am being reminded at every commercial break of three things: (1) my daughter desperately thinks the Food Network should have challenges for kids...and she wants to be the first to participate, of course; (2) I am incredibly hungry for cupcakes; and (3) I haven't written up my review for this wonderful book with the yummy cover!

Foster McPhee barely graduated 6th grade. She clearly cannot read, but was pretty good at hiding her learning disability. Either that, or her teachers took sympathy on her. Foster's dad died while serving in Iraq and all that she has left is a pillowcase of mementos and letters from him that she cannot read.

Now it is the summer before 7th grade and Foster and her mother have had to runaway in the middle of the night to escape mom's abusive boyfriend. She has to start over, in a new town, and eventually at a new school. While she dreads school, and that people may find out that she cannot read, there is one thing that Foster loves: baking. Specifically, baking cupcakes. And she is a pretty talented baker, who even starts her own cupcake business in town. Foster idolizes Food Network stars and practices for when she has her own show all the time.

Foster cupcakes help her make new friends, but she is afraid to tell anyone her secret. Will she ever trust someone enough to let them help her? Can cupcakes save the world, or at least Foster's little corner of it?

I am a HUGE fan of Joan Bauer and have to admit that this is one of the galleys that I was most excited to read from the stash I received in January. Foster is such a well drawn character, who has issues and adversities to overcome, but it ultimately hopeful and full of dreams. As in many of Bauer's novels, the supporting characters are quirky and add dimension to the story. This book has a "small town feel" to it, and a charm about it that will leave a smile on your face. I love how even though life has knocked her down, Foster never lets go of her cupcake-baking dreams of stardom.

And, of course, I love all the mention of cupcakes! The only thing that could have made this book better was an inclusion of the recipes at the end. This is a terrific middle school introduction to Bauer, that I hope my students will enjoy as much as I did. I also know this will lead them to the author's other wonderful books!

Author Interview--Dori Jones Yang!

2011-03-08T23:04:00.000-08:00

Last Thursday, we were lucky to have author Dori Jones Yang visit our school. Ms. Yang has written a new book about the Mongolian Empire at the time of Marco Polo's arrival in China, and came to Evergreen to share her experiences researching and writing this book.

First of all, I have to say a BIG thank you to Parkplace Books in Kirkland for arranging this visit and for promoting authors in all our local schools. And obviously, a BIG thank you to Ms. Yang for visiting...and for agreeing to present to 9th graders...so brave!

We were able to squeeze 120 students into the library to hear the presentation: 3 9th grade classes, and 1 8th grade class. Chinese Dynasties is a curriculum topic for our 9th graders, so the book fits nicely with what they study. Ms. Yang's presentation was the perfect mix of history, her own travel/research experiences, and the writing process. She brought clothing items and personal photograph to incorporate into her presentation. Students and teachers alike were completely engaged and entertained. I was proud of the kids for the great questions that they asked.

Since many of our students were not able to hear the presentation, I decided to interview Ms. Yang myself, based on questions the students asked. Here are her answers:

Tell us about your latest book!
Daughter of Xanadu is a lively, fun, romantic adventure story, set in China in the time of Marco Polo. The main character, Emmajin, is a granddaughter of Khubilai Khan and wants to join the army. When she meets Marco Polo, he turns her world upside down. They go off on a long journey, which includes a battle against elephants and a hunt for ‘dragons.’

What were you like as a young reader?
As a kid, I read like crazy. My dad had a bookstore, and I would borrow books from the children’s section and read them without breaking the spine, so that he could sell them as new. I especially liked books about magic and fantasy worlds. I was such a total Tolkien fan that I learned to write in his elvish script. In 7th grade, I wrote notes to my friend in elvish code and passed them in class, where no one else could read them!

When did you know that you wanted to be a writer?
I wrote my first story at age seven and my first books at age ten. I even looked up my name in the library and was sad to find out there were already two other authors with my name, Dorothy Jones. It helped that I later married a man named Yang. Now my name is not so common.

How long did it take you to write Daughter of Xanadu (from start to publication)? How long does it typically take you to write a book?
It took nearly ten years to write Daughter of Xanadu – way too long! I got really caught up in the research and the story. I even traveled to Mongolia, twice, to see how Mongolian people live, what they eat, what horses they ride. [The picture above is from one of the author's visits. She is playing a horsehead fiddle]. My children’s book, The Secret Voice of Gina Zhang, took me only two years to complete.

What does your work schedule look like when you are writing?
I do my best writing in the morning, when my mind is clear. So I turn off the phone and close my Internet browser between 8 a.m. and noon. Well, in theory.

Where do you get your ideas?
Ideas are everywhere – in the air, on walks, in conversations, in coffee shops. I often think them through when I’m in bed, trying to fall asleep. I just had a new idea the other day, based on some unusual experiences I had in eighth grade. But I haven’t told anyone about it yet. It’s like a tender shoot, just poking out of the ground. I don’t want anyone to stomp on it!

You have written a book for adults, one for middle grade readers, and now one for teens. What was your favorite to write? Was one harder or easier to write?
I love variety. I love learning new things. So I have written for different audiences with each book. I’m happy to be writing in the ‘young adult’ genre now. It is really growing and attracting a lot of talented writers. Young people are growing up in a multicultural society, in a global world, which means they’re not afraid of reading a book set in an unfamiliar time and place, long ago and far away.

Who are some of your favorite authors? A few books that you think nobody should miss?
I admit a great fondness for the incredibly imaginative J.K. Rowling and, yes, I loved The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, although I thought I wouldn’t. I highly recommend two books by Kirby Larson: Hattie Big Sky and The Fences Between Us, and also many books by Lensey Namioka, including Ties That Bind, Ties That Break.

What do you like to do when you are not writing?
Hmmm. I spend WAY too much time on Facebook! Of course, I enjoy reading. I also like taking walks on sunny days, boating, crabbing, and watching funny movies.

What is your advice for students who want to become writers?
Read a lot. Write a lot. Find someone who will read your work and give you useful advice. Revise. If you love writing, keep at it and don’t give up! Summer vacations are great times for writing. That’s when I wrote “The Secret of the Lonely Mountain Cabin” – which will never be published! But I learned a lot writing it.

Thank you so much Dori for sharing your stories with us! We are richer for the experience. I love the books that she recommends (most are available from the EJH Library, by the way) and her appreciation of our multicultural society. And I am so glad that I am not the only one that spends WAY too much time on Facebook.

On a side note, one of our students asked about how the cover for Daughter of Xanadu was chosen and whether Ms. Yang had any input (she did). Apparently the publisher chose a Chinese model for the cover as there wasn't a model of Mongolian heritage available. Just wanted to say, we have a student who is from Mongolia and she would have made a perfect model for the cover.

Have you read Daughter of Xanadu yet? You definitely should get your hands on a copy, especially if you are a fan of historical fiction.

New Shel Silverstein Book!

2011-03-07T05:00:00.000-08:00

In case you missed the announcement, there will be a new Shel Silverstein book this fall! This will be the second Silverstein book posthumously published. "Every Thing On It" contains previously unpublished poems and arrives in bookstores in September, 2011.

In honor of this new book, I thought that I would post my favorite Silverstein poem. When I used to teach storytelling and coach speech team, I knew it by heart and would present it to students to show them how fun words could be. Now, I can remember the first two stanzas and the last line but I still love it!

Pinocchio (From the book "Falling Up")

Pinocchio, Pinocchio,

That little wooden bloke-io,
His nose, it grew an inch or two
With every lie he spoke-io.

Pinocchio, Pinocchio,
Thought life was just a joke-io,
‘Til the morning that he met that cat
And the fox in a long red cloak-io.

They cried, “Come on, Pinocchio,
We’ll entertain the folk-io,
On puppet strings you’ll dance and sing
From Timbuktu to Tokyo.”

Pinocchio, Pinocchio,
Got sold to a trav’lin’ show-kio,
Got put in a cage by a man in a rage
With a stick to give him a poke-io.

So Pinocchio, Pinocchio,
Out of that cage he brokie-io
To the land where boys just play with toys
And cuss and fight and smoke-io.

Pinocchio, Pinocchio,
He finally awoke-io
With donkey ears and little-boy tears,
And his poor wooden heart was broke-io.

So back home ran Pinocchio,
As fast as he could go-kio,
But his daddy, he had gone to sea,
So off to sea went Pinocchio.

Pinocchio, Pinocchio,
He got quite a soak-io
When he lost his sail and got ate by a whale,
And it looked like he was gonna croak-io.

But Pinocchio, Pinocchio,
A fire he did stoke-io
Inside that whale, who sneezed up a gale
And blew him out in the smoke-io.

Pinocchio, Pinocchio,
Next mornin’ he awoke-io,
And he had no strings or puppety things,
And his donkey ears had disappeared,
And his nose– – surprise– – was the normal size,
And his body filt fine, not made of pine,
And he cried, “Oh joy, I’m real boy,
And everything’s okey-dokey-o.”

So, are you excited for this new collection? What is your favorite Silverstein poem/book?

YA Historical Fiction Challenge

2011-03-06T19:08:00.000-08:00

Since starting my blog, I have spent time reading other people's blogs as well. It is always interesting to read postings and book reviews from people that share my reading interests. I have been quite behind in keeping up with everyone's postings, so I tried to catch up this weekend. I came across a great reading challenge this weekend, hosted by YA Bliss.

The YA Historical Fiction Challenge encourages readers to read teen historical fiction. There are MANY great titles in this genre, and over the course of 2011, I will be attempting to read 15 Historical Fiction books. I will post reviews here and let you know when they are a "Challenge" title.

If you would like to know more about the Challenge, click here. Do you have a great YA historical fiction book to suggest? Let me know! Do you want to participate in the challenge with me? Comment and let me know. I am happy to post guest reviews!

Review: Where She Went (Forman)

2011-03-01T06:00:00.000-08:00

Title: Where She Went
Author: Forman
Genre: Fiction, Music, Romance, Relationships. Grief
Pages: 258
Rating: 4 1/2 out of 5 stars

This is the long-awaited sequel to "If I Stay," where a tragic car accident forced Mia to weigh whether to follow her family in death, or remain and deal with her grief at losing them. This was one of the best books that I read in 2009 and I highly recommend reading it. In fact, if you have not read it yet, stop reading this review right now, get your hands on a copy, and come back when you have read it!

That being said, I don't think that it is 100% necessary for you to have read the first book in order to understand this sequel. (I think that it just makes this second book more meaningful).

"Where She Went" takes place three years after the devastating accident that destroyed Mia's family, and is told from the point of view of Adam, the boyfriend who's love saved Mia. It has been three years since Mia came back to him...and three years since she walked out of his life.

Now, Adam is a rock-n-roll star with every tabloid wanting to tell his story, while Mia is a rising classical music star at Juilliard. One evening, a chance encounter offers the opportunity for the two to catch up before life takes them in opposite directions. Will they make the most of this opportunity? Will they ask the questions that need to be answered?

Readers learn right away where both Mia and Adam went after the conclusion of "If I Stay," so this book is really more about how they got there, and why. Forman delivers the narrative using the same style as in the first book...a flashback sequence alternating with present day/time. The characters have grown up, they have flaws, and their lives are complicated. And both are still dealing with their grief over the accident that killed Mia's family. This is such an honest and emotional look into their lives that it will resonate with readers long after they have finished it. All I can say is...WOW!

By the way, the book will be released in April. I read an advance copy. It has already been nominated for BFYA this year! I can't wait to hear what you think...

Author Visit--Dori Jones Yang

2011-02-28T14:32:00.000-08:00

In honor of Read Across America, our local bookstore (Parkplace Books) is bringing author Dori Jones Yang to visit our school. I am very excited to host Ms. Yang, especially since she willingly agreed to speak with our 9th graders.

I just finished Ms. Yang's new book "Daughter of Xanadu" over the weekend and I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed it. I will post a separate review this week, but I would definitely give it 4 stars!

If you would like to order an autographed copy of the book, please fill out and return the order form to the EJH Library ASAP. You can find the form on the Library home page.

It is always a wonderful experience for readers to meet an author and listen to them speak. I am so grateful to provide my students with this opportunity. I am hoping that Ms. Yang will agree to let me post an author interview on the blog...stay tuned this week for more details!

Spotlight On: Black History Month (Muhammad Ali)

2011-02-25T13:38:00.000-08:00

On this day in 1964, a 22-year-old boxer named Cassius Clay defeated Sonny Liston to become the new Heavyweight Champion. It is this fight where Clay predicted that he would "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee." Liston was an 8-to-1 favorite going into the match, but Clay won by technical knockout in the 7th round.

To celebrate winning the world heavyweight title, Clay went to a private party that was attended by his friend Malcolm X, an outspoken leader of the African American Muslim group known as the Nation of Islam. Two days later, Clay, a descendant of a runaway slave, announced he was joining the Nation of Islam. Later that year he rejected the family name given by a slave owner and took the Muslim name of Muhammad Ali.

Many know Ali today for his struggle with Parkinson's disease. He is one of the greatest athlete's of all-time, with many memorable fights, including 1974's Rumble in the Jungle vs George Forman. You might also remember he was bestowed with the honor of lighting the flame at the 1996 Summer Olympic Games.

If you want to read a terrific biography of Ali, my first suggestion is always The Greatest: Muhammad Ali by Walter Dean Myers. Fight sequences are interwoven with Ali's life story and the political issues of the time. Black-and-white photographs are also included. It takes an author as talented and skilled as Myers to cover a legend like Ali.

Review: Cryer's Cross (McMann)

2011-02-24T05:13:00.000-08:00

Title: Cryer's Cross
Author: McMann
Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Supernatural, High School, Missing Children
Pages: 240
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

In addition to my duties reading books for award committees (currently that means BFYA), I also review books for Booklist. For some reason, I often get sent 500+ page vampire romance novels to review, which is honestly not my favorite genre. In fact, "UGH!" is sometimes my response. Imagine my surprise when I received the new Lisa McMann novel to review at the beginning of January. It's possible I did a little dance upon opening the envelope. I LOVED McMann's Wake/Fade/Gone trilogy, and am very excited for a new book by her.

Kendall is a senior in a one-room high school where last spring Tiffany, a freshman, disappeared. Now it is the start of a new year and Kendall’s boyfriend Nico has gone missing. Nico understood Kendall and her OCD and she has trouble coping with the disappearance. While compelled to straighten the desks before class one morning, Kendall discovers that Nico’s desk was also Tiffany’s desk. This seems like more than a coincidence, but Kendall is afraid that people will think she is crazy. The town’s dark past is a well-kept secret and though she doesn’t want to admit it, Kendall will need the help of brooding newcomer Jacian if she is going to find Nico.

Kendall is a unique character and the details of her OCD compulsions are well-drawn. Haunting passages from another world, which provide just enough detail to intrigue and disturb readers, are intertwined with Kendall’s story. Part mystery, part ghost story, and part romance, this book has enough to satisfy a variety of readers and will find popularity with McMann’s established fan base and new readers alike.

On a side note, the best reaction that I received when I put this book out on display was from one of our 9th Grade LA teachers, who giggled like a junior high school girl when she saw that we had received the book. I wish I had video that I could upload.

This Day in History...

2011-02-23T05:00:00.000-08:00

On this day in 1945, the famous photograph Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima was taken on Mount Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima. This famous photograph, one of the most iconic photographs in American history, and used as the basis for the Iwo Jima Memorial, immortalized the six soldiers captured on film that day.

Three of the men, Franklin Sousley, Harlon Block, and Michael Strank, were later killed later during the battle. Three of the men survived the battle and went on to become heroes once their identities were discovered: Rene Gagnon, Ira Hayes, and John Bradley were those men.

Upon discovering that his father was one of the flag raisers, Frank Bradley decided to find out more about all six men. His book, Flags of our Fathers, is an excellent example of narrative non-fiction as well as a powerful tribute to these reluctant heroes. A must-read, whether or not you have seen the movie based on the book.

Spotlight On: Black History Month (Rap Music at the Grammys)

2011-02-22T15:53:00.000-08:00

It almost the end of award season...the Golden Globes, American Music Awards, the Grammys, and now the Oscars, which air on Sunday. Did you watch this year's Grammy Awards? Did you have a favorite performance? We actually recorded the event at the Yusko household (thank God for TiVo) because all those commercials make me a little nuts.

Though the Grammys have aired on television since 1959, it was not until 1989 that Rap Music rated it's own genre/category for awards. On this day in 1989, DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince (aka Jeff Townes and Will Smith) won the first ever Rap Grammy for "Parents Just Don't Understand."

I admit to being a FAN of everything Will Smith, as well as a closet 1980's Rap fan. However, I can relate today's "this day in history..." tidbit to books, I promise! In honor of Smith's historic Grammy win, I recommend his picture book, "Just the Two of Us" (based on his rap version/poem of the song by Grover Washington, Jr). And while Smith's rap is a wonderful tribute from a father to his son, and should be on everyone's "new dad" gift list, it is Kadir Nelson's illustrations which bring life and love to this book.

Truly amazing!

Spotlight On: Black History Month (Nelson Mandela)

2011-02-11T08:56:00.000-08:00

I suppose that Black History Month traditionally celebrates the achievements of African-Americans and milestones in American history, but today I thought I would put the spotlight an important person on the World history stage.

Today marks the anniversary of Nelson Mandela's release from prison. On this day in 1990, Mandela was released after 27 years in prison for "sabatoge and conspiracy." The son of a Thembu chief in South Africa, Mandela began his life-long campaign against white colonial rule while he was a college student. Mandela was dedicated to nonviolence in his attempts to end apartheid in South Africa. He became a leader in the African National Congress and was arrested and imprisoned by South Africa's ruling minority in 1962. During his 27 years in prison, Mandela continued his fight for a democratic and free society, and ultimately was released and elected president of South Africa.

Nelson Mandela is one of my personal heros. There is a quote of his that is one I always come back to and try to live my life according to: "There is no passion to be found playing small, in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living."

If you are interested in finding out more about this great man, there are two books that I would recommend. Obviously, "Long Walk to Freedom," his autobiography, is a must read. For middle school/junior high and even high school students, I recommend "Mandela: the rebel who led his nation to freedom" by Ann Kramer. This book, published by National Geographic, is part of their World History Biographies series and is an excellent introduction to Mandela. (The series rates high on my list if you are looking for biographies for junior high students...I highly recommend all of them)!

Independent Literary Awards

2011-02-10T13:42:00.000-08:00

Over the past couple of months, because I clearly needed more books to read, I served as a judge/panelist for the newly launched Independent Literary Awards. These are awards given out by Literary Bloggers...people like me, who blog about books and all things reading related.

I was very excited to serve on the Non-Fiction Award committee as this is a passion of mine. From the nominations received, we determined a "short list" of 5 titles. After reading all 5, we chose our "Top 3." The titles making the cut were:

"At Home: a short history of private life" by Bill Bryson
"The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot

"The Warmth of Other Suns: the epic story of America's Great Migration" by Isabel Wilkerson

And the winner was...(insert drumroll here)...

"The Warmth of Other Suns" (Wilkerson). This is a beautifully crafted book that chronicles one of the great untold stories of American history: the decades-long migration of black citizens who fled the South for northern and western cities, in search of a better life. From 1915 to 1970, this exodus of almost six million people changed the face of America. Wilkerson relates to readers by connecting personal stories with American History. This book is detailed, clearly well-researched, and amazingly written. It reminded me of reading Steinbeck.

Our runner up was actually my favorite book, "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks." Henrietta Lacks was a poor African-American woman who died of cervical cancer in 1951, when she was only 31 years old. Doctors removed cells from a tumor during Lacks' cancer treatment. While she died from the disease, her cancer cells proved uncommonly hearty, reproducing at an unheard-of rate, and even today, years later, billions of these cells are used in laboratories around the world and have led to such discoveries as the polio vaccine, cloning, gene mapping, and in vitro fertilization. This book is a story about science but it is also so much more. It is incredibly well-researched and well-written. The science is completely accessible to anyone that might read this book, but it also satisfies science geeks like myself. Lacks' story is a tragic one, filled with injustice, ethical questions, right vs. wrong, history, and family dynamics. There is really something for every reader in this book.

To find out more about the awards, and to see all the category winners, click here. And I think that both of these books tie-in nicely with my Spotlight On: Black History Month books that I've been highlighting this month. Perfect! Not sure how I got so lucky, but I'll take it.

What do you think? Have you read any of these books? What was your favorite adult non-fiction title of 2010?

Spotlight On: Black History Month (Satchel Paige)

2011-02-09T09:17:00.000-08:00

If you are a regular visitor to this blog, you will know that I am a huge sports fan. Some of my favorite books are biographies of famous sports legends, or collections of heroic sports stories (think Rick Reilly).

Today I thought I would honor the 40th anniversary of the nomination of Satchel Paige to the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame. On February 9, 1971, pitcher Leroy "Satchel" Paige became the first Negro League veteran to be nominated for the Baseball Hall of Fame. In August of that year, Paige, a pitching legend known for his fastball, showmanship and the longevity of his playing career, which spanned five decades, was inducted. Baseball legend Joe DiMaggio once called Paige "the best and fastest pitcher I've ever faced."

There are many Negro League players with incredible talent and the life stories to match. This graphic novel, "Satchel Paige: striking out Jim Crow," follows Paige from game to game as he travels through the segregated South. The powerful graphics and prose definitely do justice to this sports legend!

Spotlight On: Black History Month (Revolutionary War Spies)

2011-02-08T11:39:00.000-08:00

Our 7th graders have finished their study of the Revolutionary War, so I thought that I would highlight several books that fit nicely with this unit.

"Chains" and "Forge," both by Laurie Halse Anderson, tell the stories of Isabel and Curzon. Both teens are slaves in New York at the time of the Revolution, and both want nothing more than their freedom.

"Chains" is Isabel's story. The story of a young girl who was promised freedom, but sold to new owners instead. Isabel, determined to become free by whatever means necessary, meets fellow slave Curzon and decides to spy for whichever side will grant her freedom.

"Forge" shifts perspective to Curzon (sort of sequel, sort of a companion novel), and finds the newly escaped young man caught up with Washington's army for the winter at Valley Forge. Curzon cannot leave or let his true identity be known, for fear that he will be punished and sent back.

If you want to learn more about real slaves that spied for the British, you should make sure to check out "Liberty or Death: The Surprising Story of Runaway Slaves who Sided with the British During the American Revolution" by Margaret Whitman Blair. This is a truly fascinating look at American history and an inspiring story of a little known group of freedom fighters.

In Memory: Brian Jacques

2011-02-07T12:06:00.000-08:00

It is with sadness that I report the passing of author Brian Jacques over the weekend. Jacques, the prolific author of the widely popular "Redwall" series, died on Saturday at the age of 71.

Back in my public library days, I had the honor of meeting Mr. Jacques, as we were able to have him present a program at our library for a large group of local school kids. If you were ever able to hear him speak in person, I hope that you consider yourself as fortunate as I do. It was truly a mesmerizing experience (and not just because of his wonderful accent)!

The Redwall series includes 21 books, plus 3 companion titles. The first, "Redwall," was published in 1986 and the most recent, "The Sable Quean," in 2010. Mr. Jacques also wrote the Castaways of the Flying Dutchman series. I will be the first to admit that I am not typically a fan of fantasy books where animals are the main characters, but I LOVED "Redwall." I am sorry that I have not found the time in my life to read every book in the series, but I have read the Castaways books.

The Redwall series got it's start when Jacques wrote/read stories to children at the Royal Wavertree School for the Blind in Liverpool, when he was a truck driver delivering milk. The children there loved the stories so much and he was encouraged to publish them.

If you have not had the opportunity to read the books yourself, you should! If you want to hear them read by the author, check them out on audio. Many are "full cast" recordings with Jacques as the narrator/main character. But be careful, there are recordings that do not feature him...still a good book, but it is so much better if you can hear it read by the author.

A great writer and amazing storyteller who will definitely be missed...

Spotlight On: Black History Month (Emmett Till)

2011-02-06T08:00:00.000-08:00

Continuing our spotlight on Black History Month, today's post is about the murder of Emmett Till. This landmark case is not often found in textbooks, but more and more books are being published. Two of the best are:

Title: Simeon's Story: an eyewitness account of the kidnapping of Emmett Till

Author: Wright
Genre: Non-fiction, Biography, Crimes
Pages: 176
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars!

I have read many books about the kidnapping and murder of Emmett Till, the 14-year-old black boy from Chicago whose body was battered beyond recognition and dumped in the Tallahatchie River while visiting relatives in Money, Mississippi, in 1955. Till's crime? He supposedly whistled at a white woman. This crime was often overlooked by the history books because Till was African American. Though his murderers were never brought to justice, the crime has received much attention in recent years.

This account of the tragedy is told by the boy's cousin, Simeon Wright, who was with Emmett on the fateful day and was sleeping in the same room when white men came to take him away in the middle of the night. Simeon's story is a page-turner and should be included in American History curriculums.

Though it looks like a picture book, A Wreath for Emmett Till by Marilyn Nelson is definitely intended for older readers. This book is a collection of 15 sonnets that tell the story surrounding the murder of Emmett. The "wreath" is the collection of poems, the last line of one of the sonnets becomes the first line of the next, and the final sonnet contains one line from each of the preceding 14 poems. Very moving, and a perfect companion book to Simeon's Story.

Spotlight On: Black History Month (Claudette Colvin)

2011-02-05T08:00:00.000-08:00

In honor of Black History Month, I thought that I would spend February highlighting books that honor that history...and that you should read!

Today's entry is:

Title: Claudette Colvin: Twice toward justice
Author: Hoose
Genre: Biography
Pages: 160
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars!

This is a MUST READ book about an important young woman, that is unfortunately often neglected in the history books. On March 2, 1955, Claudette Colvin, a teenager fed up with the daily injustices of Jim Crow segregation, refused to give her seat to a white woman on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama. Instead of being celebrated as Rosa Parks would be nine months later, fifteen-year-old Claudette found herself shunned by her classmates and dismissed by community leaders. Undaunted, a year later she dared to challenge segregation again as a key plaintiff in Browder v. Gayle, the landmark case that struck down the segregation laws of Montgomery and swept away the legal underpinnings of the Jim Crow South.

Hoose has written a well-researched and engaging biography of Ms. Colvin, based in no small part on interviews with her. It won the 2009 National Book Award, was a Newbery Honor winner, a YALSA Excellence in Non-Fiction finalist, and a Sibert Medal Honor book...just to name the "big" ones. Definitely time well spent getting to know this amazing young woman!

Friday 15: My Favorite 15..."Love" Stories

2011-02-04T08:00:00.000-08:00

Well, it is almost Valentine's Day. I think that the Valentine's candy, cards, and balloons have been in the stores since New Year's, but at least I have resisted the temptation to purchase any...so far.

To try and get myself in the mood for this holiday of love, I thought that I would turn my "Friday 5" into a "Friday 15" and mention my Top 15 "Love" Stories for Teens. It should be noted that I do not consider myself a "gushy, romance, love story" kind of girl, but I had trouble cutting this list DOWN to 15 so I might have to start re-thinking my self-image.

In no particular order...

Beastly by Alex Flinn. SO much more than just a twist on Beauty and the Beast. Flinn has spun a wonderful story from the point of view of the Beast, a vain Manhattan private school student who is turned into a monster because of his behavior. Before he can return to his human form, he will have to find true love. And since I have been waiting FOREVER for the movie, I am glad that it will arrive in theaters soon!

Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan. I am completely willing to admit to a small crush on David Levithan. But that is not the reason I am recommending the book...honest! Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on a favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. But is Dash that right guy? The book promises a "love story that will have readers perusing bookstore shelves, looking and longing for a love (and a red notebook) of their own" and it does not disappoint!

Devoted by Dick Hoyt. This is the ultimate story of a father's love for, and complete devotion to, his child. I tear up just thinking about it. An amazing family, an amazing life, a truly powerful love story.

The Princess Bride by William Goldman. Do I even have to say anything about this classic? LOVE IT (and the movie, too)! Westley, a farm boy, goes off to seek his fortune shortly after declaring his love for Buttercup, the most beautiful woman in the world. But their relationship is put to the test when his ship is captured by pirates and she is summoned to become the bride of the prince.

I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You by Ally Carter. Smart girls who are spies? What could be better?! This is book #1 in the Gallagher Girls series, each book having a equally fun play-on-words title. As a sophomore at a secret spy school and the daughter of a former CIA operative, Cammie is sheltered from "normal teenage life" until she meets a local boy while on a class surveillance mission.

Matched by Ally Condie. I'll admit that this one kept ending up on the bottom of my "To Read" pile. Now that I have finished it, I'm not sure why. This is a great book, especially for fans of dystopian fiction (Hunger Games, etc.). Cassia has always had complete trust in the Society to make decisions for her, but when she is being paired with her ideal mate, a second face flashes on the screen, and Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility as she tries to decide which man she truly loves.

Street Love by Walter Dean Myers. What's that you say? Walter Dean Myers wrote a love story? Absolutely! Told in free verse, this story is set against a background of street gangs and poverty in Harlem in which seventeen-year-old African American Damien takes a bold step to ensure that he and his new love will not be separated.

Shakespeare Bats Cleanup by Ron Koertge. When a fourteen-year-old baseball player catches mononucleosis, he discovers that keeping a journal and experimenting with poetry not only helps fill the time, it also helps him deal with life, love, and loss. Simple, yet wonderful. The sequel, Shakespeare Makes the Playoffs, is equally enjoyable!

Seth Baumgartner's Love Manifest by Eric Luper. Looking for laugh-out-loud funny with your love story? Here's the book for you! After his girlfriend breaks up with him and he sees his father out with another woman, high school senior Seth Baumgartner, who has a summer job at the country club and is preparing for a father-son golf tournament, launches a podcast in which he explores the mysteries of love as only a teenage boy could.

The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson. I honestly cannot say enough about this wonderful book about love and loss, and trying to find love again. In the months after her sister dies, seventeen-year-old Lennie falls into a love triangle and discovers the strength to follow her dream of becoming a musician. There is so much in this book for readers to fall in love with.

Son of the Mob by Gordon Korman. Another brilliant title by Mr. Korman! When teenage Vince Luca--whose family connections make dating difficult--finally finds a girl worth pursuing, her father turns out to be the FBI agent whose life's goal is to take out Vince's mob boss dad. If you want to really enjoy this book, listen to the audio which is read by Max Casella...you know, "Vinnie" from Doogie Howser, MD. Terrific narration!

The Things a Brother Knows by Dana Reinhardt. Again, not your "traditional" love story, but it is such a compelling story of a brother's love and wanting to fix someone who is clearly broken.

This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen. You didn't think that I was going to pick 15 titles without having a Sarah Dessen book on the list, did you? Remy, a master at getting rid of boyfriends before any emotional attachments form, finds herself strangely unwilling to free herself from Dexter, a messy, disorganized, impulsive musician who she suspects she has come to love.

Thwonk! by Joan Bauer. This book should come with a warning label: "Be careful what you wish for..." A cupid doll comes to life and offers romantic assistance to A.J., a teenage photographer suffering from unrequited love.

Riding Invisible by Sandra Alonzo. If you are into traditional, gushing love stories where boy meets girl and they all live happily ever after, this might not be the book for you. However, if you like survival, adventure, and a little edge to your love stories, I think you will see how Yancy's devotion to protect his beloved horse makes this a love story. Fifteen-year-old Yancy details his adventure in the wilderness after he decides to run away from home because he is scared of his older brother's threats. Yancy ends up staying on a ranch in the desert where he reflects on his relationships with his sibling, parents, and a girl from school.

On a side note, my 13-year-old son who really dislikes to read LOVED this book. He was equally surprised that his mom recommended a book with swear words in it...gotta love it!

So, what are your favorite love stories? I'm sure I'm missing something good. Maybe next Friday, I'll make a list of the ones I had to delete to narrow it down to 15.

Gung Hay Fat Choy!

2011-02-03T11:25:00.000-08:00

Today is Chinese New Year and the start of the Year of the Rabbit!

Two weeks ago, my family went out to dinner at our local Chinese restaurant (which makes an amazing pineapple fried rice, by the way) to celebrate my mother's mid-January birthday. I had to explain to her that because she has a January birthday, she really was not born in the Year of the Rat like she had thought all these years. She was really born under the Year of the Pig (like me). This was quite a shock to her, but we have straightened it all out now, and I think that she will be able to carry on.

In honor of this holiday, I thought I would highlight a title from our BFYA list of "Best Books."

Title: Gateway
Author: Shinn
Genre: Fiction, Time Travel, Fantasy, Chinese Americans
Pages: 280
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

From Goodreads: As a Chinese adoptee in St. Louis, teenage Daiyu often feels out of place. When an elderly Asian jewelry seller at a street fair shows her a black jade ring—and tells her that "black jade" translates to "Daiyu"—she buys it as a talisman of her heritage. But it's more than that; it's magic and it takes Daiyu through a gateway into a version of St. Louis much like 19th century China. Almost immediately she is recruited as a spy, which means hours of training in manners and niceties and sleight of hand. It also means stealing time to be with handsome Kalen, who is in on the plan. There's only one problem. Once her task is done, she must go back to St. Louis and leave him behind forever. . .

I am not typically a big fan of fantasy/time-travel adventure novels. However, this one contains an interesting premise, with the possiblity of sequels. Definitely a book worthy of our Best Fiction list, and one that you shouldn't miss!

Gung Hay Fat Choy to all!

New Books!

2011-01-26T00:12:00.000-08:00

I have finally finished unpacking my suitcase and all the treasures that I picked up at the American Library Association's Midwinter Conference in San Diego. This includes all the galleys that I received while I was there. Actually, the books arrived the day after I got home (thanks to the miracle of Priority Mail), but I didn't have the shelf space to unpack them!

Thank goodness for TAs and substitutes in the library. I finally cleared out some space in my office and shelved all the galleys according to publication date. Please don't laugh at the fact that they are not in author order. It already makes my secretary crazy, but the system works for me.

Now I can get busy READING! And offering up titles to my students. And believe me, there are some good ones in the pile! I've already read:

Whatever Happened to Goodbye (Sarah Dessen)
The Last Little Blue Envelope (Maureen Johnson)
Cryer's Cross (Lisa McMann)
Where She Went (Gayle Forman)
Cloaked (Alex Flinn)

Reviews coming soon, I promise.

There are so many good choices I know my students will be excited for, and I can't wait to read myself: Angel (Patterson/Maximum Ride); Family (Ostow); Ten Things We Did (Mlynowski); Beauty Queens (Bray); The Abused Werewolf Rescue Group (Jinks); Withering Tights (Rennison); She loves you, she loves you not (Peters); Shine (Myracle); and Jenna & Jonah's Fauxmance (Halpin/Franklin). These are just a few of the ones I'm looking forward to. There are MANY! I'll post more of the titles later.

I have three shelves of galleys right now, but as soon as I start telling the students the books are here, I'm sure they will disappear. I'll keep you updated on reviews and what their favorite titles are!

What new book are you most looking forward to?

I am kind of in shock...

2011-01-25T14:04:00.000-08:00

One of my students came to me asking for books. Now, this is not a newsworthy or unusual occurance, but the story she told about why she wanted the books is still shocking to me.

This 8th grader had just finished listening to my book talks that accompany the "Survival" Unit reading project and was very interested in books about the Holocaust. (By the way, this is probably because our school is the only school in the country that does NOT study The Diary of Anne Frank...don't get me started on that. And yes, I am shocked by that). Anyway, I digress...

Said 8th grader went home over the weekend and was having a conversation with her mom about the Holocaust. (This is everything that we hope kids do about books and subjects they are interested in)! The discussion turned to Nazi experimentation on Jews and she decided that she wanted to know more. So, she went to our local public library over the weekend and asked for books about Nazi experimentation during the Holocaust. She was told, "you probably shouldn't be reading about that," and the person at the reference desk wouldn't help her find any books on the subject.

AAAAH! Having worked for almost 7 years in the public library before moving to school libraries, this REALLY shocks me. I am still in awe about the entire exchange, and am hoping that it was a misunderstanding!

By the way, on Monday when she told me about this, I made sure she checked out our copy of Surviving the Angel of Death: The story of a Mengele twin in Auschwitz. Which, I must add, the local library owns, and shelves in their Young Adult Biography section.

At least I got to be the hero in this story! In talking about this experience with several non-librarian friends, it is good to know that they were as shocked as I was.

Yes, I really am alive!

2011-01-19T18:55:00.000-08:00

It has been awhile since I have posted. And there are several reasons for that including the holiday season, a lovely vacation in Hawaii, and some sketchy Internet connections...and a new found addiction to Plants vs. Zombies, but that's a story for another day.

But the biggest reason that I haven't posted lately is that I've been READING...A LOT! No really, I have! As part of YALSA's 2011 Best Fiction for Young Adults (BFYA) award committee, I spent the last month reading, reading, and reading. There were 191 books nominated for the award, and I managed to leave a number of them until Winter Break. Perhaps too many of them. There are some days that I'm very vague about the details: did I take a shower? Eat? Did the kids get to where they needed to be? I was kind of in a reading haze.

But it was all worthwhile last week when our committee met in San Diego at the American Library Association's Midwinter Convention. Sitting in a room all day, for 5 days talking about books was great fun. And then we finally voted on which books should make the list. Very interesting!

Here's the proof: The 2011 BFYA List
You will see all the titles that made the final award list, as well as a link to the Top 10 (which is a GREAT list of books in my opinion). Please note my name on the list of committee members...the only proof that I really was busy reading and not lost in Plants vs. Zombies on my iPad!

Are any of your favorite books on this list? Pretty soon I'll post my own personal Top 10 from the list, as well as those books that I LOVED but just didn't make the cut.

By the way, nominations for the 2012 list open on February 1st. I have a few weeks to read what I want until the next award cycle! Funny thing though, the only thing I've been reading are all the galleys (advance copies) that I picked up at Midwinter. There were so many good ones...more on those later, I promise!

Someday, in all my free time...

2010-12-07T00:54:00.000-08:00

Being on an award committee is nothing new to me...I've been on various national committees that involve lots of reading for years. My favorite one was the SB&F Prize book award for Young Adults, which recognizes outstanding science writing. Excellent non-fiction for children and teens is a passion of mine, and since I am a science major, this award was close to my heart. Unfortunately, in the time since my two year stint on this committee, my non-fiction reading has dramatically dropped off, making me very sad.

Another favorite committee of mine was YALSA's Popular Paperbacks. This award recognizes popular titles to encourage teens to read for pleasure. What could be better than that?! During my two years on this committee, my complaint was that I was reading (or re-reading) all things older (the books had to be in paperback after all), and that I did not read any new titles during that two years. I feel like there is a gap of great books in the publishing world that I have never read!

Enter my latest award committee, YALSA's Best Fiction for Young Adults (BFYA). This award recognizes the best in new fiction for teens published in a 16-month calendar year. I will never complain about not getting to read the new books ever again! However, at this point in the year (voting takes place in early January), all I am reading are the books nominated for the award. If it didn't make the list, then I just don't have the time to read it.

I would really love to find extra time in the day to read all those books that I want to read JUST FOR ME! I know that characters in the books I read do this all the time, so it must be possible. If I were to figure out how, here is a just a small list of books I would love to read:

Virals by Kathy Reichs
The Scorch Trials by James Dashner
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth by Jeff Kinney
Sapphique by Catherine Fisher (the sequel to Incarceron, I have had this book in my possession since JUNE, but still haven't had a chance to read it!)
Cross my Heart and Hope to Spy by Ally Carter
Flash Burnout by L.K. Madigan
King of Ithaka by Tracy Barrett
Charlie Bone and the Red Knight by Jenny Nimmo
The Youngest Templar series by Michael Spradlin
You are Not Here by Samantha Schutz
The Rivalry by John Feinstein
And the list goes on...and on...and on. Every day I come across a new title that went immediately out on the school library shelves before I got a chance to read it.

What about you? What is on your WISH list of books to read from the past couple of years? Have you read any of mine?

Where has Mrs. Yusko been?

2010-12-06T08:54:00.000-08:00

I am looking at the blog today and discovering that my last post was before Thanksgiving. Yikes! That seems like a REALLY long time ago. But I do have several good reasons for that, I promise!

(1) We traveled to Vegas for 9 days over Thanksgiving break, and while I had every intention of actually posting reviews while on vacation (honest!), the Internet at our location was sketchy at best. And there was really no way I was going to use a year's worth of data plan to do it via cell phone. I promise that I was reading though!

(2) Upon my return to school, our 9th graders jumped right into a state-mandated research project that takes over the library, and my life, for three weeks. Can you imagine how much fun a Social Studies project on "Humans and the Environment" can be with 14 year olds?

(3) I have been READING, READING, READING as I am woefully behind in my committee reading. And I haven't been very excited about many of them lately, so not really motivated to write a review for you, sorry. But I am going to attempt to remedy this over the next few days.

So, I am alive, and I do have lots to share with you. I will try and make it up to you after the holidays. I'm thinking of having a giveaway after January 11th, 2011 (the day my American Library Association committee votes on our award). Hmmmm....what should it be???

Diary of a Wimpy Kid at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade!

2010-11-21T09:43:00.000-08:00

It is no secret that I am a fan of all things Wimpy Kid.

It is also not a secret that Thanksgiving is not my favorite holiday. And I would rather do almost anything than watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade on television each year. I'm sure that there is no childhood trauma of being attacked by a large balloon or anything, but parades just aren't my thing.

Well, I have just found out that there will be a new balloon in this year's Macy's parade...a Wimpy Kid balloon! Darn it, now I might have to watch.

But I did discover that the parade website has cartoon images of some of the balloons, and the Wimpy Kid balloon is one of them. So visit the Macy's parade website and get a sneak peak, and then tune into the parade to see the real thing!

Have a wonderful holiday!

Barnes & Noble Changes Teen Section!

2010-11-20T13:15:00.000-08:00

According to a Publisher's Weekly article, which can be found in it's entirety here, Barnes & Noble bookstores are changing the way their teen fiction section is organized.

The store is rearranging its teen fiction section chain-wide in an effort to "improve the shopping experience and boost sales." Barnes & Noble decided to reorganize all its teen sections by separating out the two most popular genres—paranormal romance and fantasy and adventure—from teen fiction. Teen series will be absorbed into the appropriate category, and two bays will be devoted to bestsellers. One will change weekly to reflect the top 10 teen fiction bestsellers; the other will be organized by genre and display top teen picks.

Barnes & Noble hopes that "in addition to helping teens discover new books, the rearranged sections will enable them to easily filter out books they’re not interested in and go straight to the genre that they’re looking for."

There has been lots of discussion of rearranging libraries to reflect this move as well. What do you think? What would you like to see in your library?

Review: Hunger (Kessler)

2010-11-20T00:00:00.000-08:00

Title: Hunger
Author: Kessler
Genre: Fiction, Fantasy, Eating Disorders
Pages: 177
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

As I read the book over the summer, I am once again stealing the synopsis from Goodreads: Lisabeth Lewis has a black steed, a set of scales, and a new job: she’s been appointed Famine. How will an anorexic seventeen-year-old girl from the suburbs fare as one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse?

Traveling the world on her steed gives Lisa freedom from her troubles at home: her constant battle with hunger, and her struggle to hide it from the people who care about her. But being Famine forces her to go places where hunger is a painful part of everyday life, and to face the horrifying effects of her phenomenal power. Can Lisa find a way to harness that power — and the courage to battle her own inner demons?

This is the first book in an intended series about the Four Horsemen of the Apocalype, and it is a fascinating premise. I really liked the original take on a story dealing with eating disorders. This is definitely not the usual approach when writing about this difficult topic. And even though it is a book about a teenage girl struggling with an eating disorder, there is so much more going on in this quick read.

Death, one of the other Horsemen, is actually my favorite character in this book. He has the snarky attitude you would expect of someone symbolizing Death, and I could completely visualize him in my head. I hope that he is the star of the next title, though maybe I shouldn't like him quite so much. He is Death, after all.

Review: After Ever After (Sonnenblick)

2010-11-19T00:01:00.000-08:00

Title: After Ever After

Author: Sonnenblick

Genre: Fiction, Middle School, Friendship, Cancer

Pages: 272

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars!

Jeffrey isn't the little boy with cancer he was in Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie. Now he's a teen who's in remission, just trying to make it to 8th grade graduation. But life is fragile and the after-effects of treatment have left Jeffrey with an inability to be a great student or to walk without limping.

Jeffrey is still friends with Tad, another 8th grade cancer "survivor." Together the two of them just want to be "normal" teens, living life after the "happily ever after." But parents still worry about them, and they will always be the poster boys for cancer.

Jeffrey's older brother Stephen, the star of Drums, Girls..., has run away to Africa to find himself, leaving Jeffrey to narrate this tale. People are keeping secrets, he might never graduate 8th grade, and there is a really cute girl who likes him but shouldn't. What's a guy to do?

This is a great book about friendship...and the fact that even though we all have individual struggles, we are a lot alike. Middle school problems are faced by everyone. I loved Jeffrey and his sense of humor. His take on the world is unique, but his message is universal. His relationship with his best friend Tad is so realistic I can visualize the pair walking the hallways here at EJH. Jeffrey's inability to know how to deal with his feelings for Lindsey is spot on 8th grade boy.

Ultimately happy, sad, honest, and hopeful, this is a wonderful read that any teen can identify with. And though it is technically a sequel, it is not necessary to read the first one in order to appreciate this book. A must read!

Review: Empty (Weyn)

2010-11-19T00:00:00.000-08:00

Title: Empty
Author: Weyn
Genre: Fiction, Dystopian, Science Fiction
Pages: 183
Rating: 2 1/2 out of 5 stars

In a not-so-distant future, the U.S. is at war with Venezuela over dwindling oil reserves, and global warming has created a super-hurricane causing destruction up and down the East Coast. In the gloom that is the end of the world, several teens are trying their best simply to survive. Gasoline is scarce, electricity comes and goes, and there is very little food to be had in the wake of the storm.

Gwen, abandoned by her mother years ago, is trying to evade authorities looking for her brother, who was selling black-market gasoline; rich-girl Niki, whose father lost his job, has never had to face adversity in her life; and Tom, an all-around hero who lost his father to an illness, complete the love triangle. In the wake of the storm these teens, along with several other classmates, have found a secret hide-out that just might provide a way to survive the crisis. But will they tell anyone?

I reviewed this book for Booklist, but I had actually read it before I was assigned the review. It is not my favorite example of the genre. Even though the characters and dialogue are sometimes routine, the realistic and thought-provoking scenario is packaged into a speedy read. Given the popularity of dystopian fiction, it should find an audience. In fact, our one library copy is currently checked out, and my two advance copies have been borrowed by students that heard me talk about it. It does have it's market...and I think the short length is is selling point.

Can't wait to hear what these students have to say about the book!

Review: Magic Under Glass (Dolamore)

2010-11-18T00:38:00.000-08:00

Title: Magic Under Glass

Author: Dolamore
Genre: Fiction, Fantasy, Magic
Pages: 225
Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars

Okay, I know that someday I am going to regret the rating that I gave this book. It has received starred reviews everywhere, and was recently named one of the Top 10 first novels of the year. I'm sure there are more awards to follow and I simply missed the boat.

That being said, this was an amazing and well-written book. My rating is based on my perceived wide-scale audience appeal of the book...I think it will definitely have fans, but nothing along the scale of Harry Potter, for example. But that is not necessarily a bad thing.

Nimira is a music-hall performer forced to dance for pennies to an audience of leering drunks. When a wealthy sorcerer (Parry) hires her to sing accompaniment to a piano-playing automaton, Nimira believes it is the start of a new life and runs away to live with him.

There are many buried secrets in Parry's world however. Rumors of ghosts about in his house, there is a mad woman roaming the halls that may or may not know what happened to Parry's wife, and Parry is mixed up with ruthless sorcerers who torture fairies for sport.

When Nimira discovers the spirit of a dashing young fairy, Prince Erris, is trapped inside the automaton's stiff limbs, waiting for someone to break the curse and set him free, the two fall in love. But they are both in danger when they attempt to save the entire fairy realm.

I truly enjoyed this book, and I definitely think that it deserves all the praise it has received. It is a unique story and an engaging read. There are many fascinating plot elements and I will be the first to admit that this book is not one I would normally pick up and yet it kept me reading. Will she rescue Erris? Won't she? I had to know! There will definitely be a sequel in 2011, Magic Under Stone. I am excited to see where the story goes from here and to read more about Nimira's life.

By the way, the cover images are curious to me. The one on the left is the one that we received from the publisher and now have in our library. I'm not sure what edition the one on the right is, but I'm not sure it appeals to the intended market of the book. What do you think? And if neither cover does it for you, there is a third one that I found on Goodreads:

Review: Tell Me A Secret (Cupala)

2010-11-18T00:00:00.000-08:00

Title: Tell Me a Secret

Author: Cupala

Genre: Fiction, Love, Secrets, Sisters, High School

Pages: 292

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

I am beginning to think that I am the worst blogger ever! This is another title that I read during the summer and am just now getting to the review. So, I will steal the summary from Goodreads in case I have forgotten pertinent details.

"In the five years since her "bad girl" sister Xanda’s death, Miranda Mathison has wondered about the secret her sister took to the grave, and what really happened the night she died. Now, just as Miranda is on the cusp of her dreams—a best friend to unlock her sister’s world, a ticket to art school, and a boyfriend to fly her away from it all—Miranda has a secret all her own. Two lines on a pregnancy test confirm her worst fears. Stripped of her former life, Miranda must make a choice with tremendous consequences and finally face her sister’s demons and her own."

Rand, shortening her name to resemble her sister's, is having a hard time adjusting to senior year. She was dumped by her boyfriend, her girlfriends don't understand her, and she can't stop arguing with her parents. Probably because they don't know her secret...no one does. So Rand looks to an an online community of expectant mothers to find friendship. Unfortunately, she cannot even be honest with them.

This is a fresh take on the teenage pregnancy plot, and the mystery surrounding the sister's death fuels readers on. Debut author Cupala (a local Seattle author, by the way) has created a realistic character in Rand. Readers will definitely connect with her and appreciate her flaws. She is strong and vulnerable, and just trying to figure out who she is and what she really wants.

While I would recommend this for mature readers able to deal with the topic, I absolutely think it is a must read for teen girls. You should pair this with Siobahn Vivian's Not That Kind of Girl for another important book with great discussion potential. Or simply because you want to read terrific books about strong, realistic girls.

Review: The War to End all Wars (Freedman)

2010-11-17T00:01:00.000-08:00

Title: The War to End All Wars
Author: Freedman
Genre: Non-fiction, War, History
Pages: 192
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Even though the majority of the reviews posted on this blog are fiction titles, it is no secret that non-fiction is my passion. There is great joy in finding well-written and interesting non-fiction titles, especially for teens.

So it should not be a shock that non-fiction master Russell Freedman has done it again with his recent book on World War I. This "War to end all wars" is very important in the history of the world, but is often not covered as extensively in class as WWII.

In this book, Freedman untangles the relationships and alliances of the many nations involved and succinctly explains the causes leading up to WWI. Discussion is also given to the introduction of modern weaponry and the effects of these destructive weapons, top-level military decisions that resulted in casualties on an unprecendented scale, and why the resolution to the conflict only fanned the flames that led to WWII.

There are archival photographs included throughout which really lend to the tone of the book. On Amazon.com, the author posted a letter to readers about why he wrote the book, and I think this letter describes the book best:

Dear Amazon Readers,

...In 1916, my father ran away from home, changed his name, lied about his age, and joined the United States army. He was 14 years old. Back then, before social security numbers and computerized record keeping, it wasn't difficult to take on a new identity, and that's exactly what my father did. To begin with, he was sent to the Mexican border to fight Pancho Villa under General John J. Pershing. And when the United States entered World War I, he sailed to France with the 7th Infantry Division. In the fall of 1918, he was shot and gassed, and he spent several months recovering at Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington, D.C.

My father was proud of his service to America, and I grew up hearing nostalgic stories of his adventures as a teenage soldier. But as I eventually learned, the war's reality presented quite a different tale. This was the first global conflict to employ modern weapons--long-range artillery, rapid-fire machine guns, poison gas, flamethrowers, tanks, and airplanes that bombed and strafed--the first war in which modern weapons inflicted mass slaughter, introducing new kinds of terror and record levels of suffering and death. It was now possible to kill your enemy at distance, without seeing him.

Called the Great War at first, because of its massive and unprecedented scale, the conflict later was known as the War to End All Wars, because it was unthinkable, unimaginable, that humanity would allow such carnage to be repeated ever again.

...It was said at the time that if the war could just once be described in honest and accurate language, people everywhere would demand that the fighting be stopped. That challenge was taken up by many ordinary soldiers of World War I, the men in the trenches, who recorded their experiences under fire in letters, diaries, journals, and memoirs that provide us today with eyewitness accounts of what it was like to fight in the War to End All Wars.

Sincerely,
Russell Freedman I put our library copy on display for Veterans Day and it was checked out quickly...before our history teacher had a chance to look at it and use it in class. Might have to order another copy!

Review: You (Benoit)

2010-11-17T00:00:00.000-08:00

Title: You
Author: Benoit
Genre: Fiction, High School
Pages: 223
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

I am desperately attempting to catch up on all of my reviews of BFYA (Best Fiction for Young Adults) nominees. To be honest, I read this book in the summer and knew immediately that it was not junior high appropriate, so I did not post a review here. But, upon further reflection, it does merit a review in this forum and the message/theme of the book is a good one, even if I still think it is for older readers.

I am posting the synopsis from Goodreads as it has been months since I have read this and don't want to do an injustice to the book by forgetting a key element: You're just a typical fifteen-year-old, an average guy named Kyle Chase. This can't be happening to you. But then, how do you explain all the blood? How do you explain how you got here in the first place?

There had to have been signs, had to have been some clues it was coming. Did you miss them, or ignore them? Maybe if you can figure out where it all went wrong, you can still make it right. Or is it already too late? Think fast, Kyle. Time's running out. How did this happen?

I don't think that teens ever intend for bad things to happen to them. Unfortunately, sometimes there is not any thinking going on, and actions have consequences. You is the riveting story of Kyle and the small choices he does and doesn't make that lead to his own destruction. This is not a happily ever after story, but still a powerful one.

National Book Award Nominees!

2010-11-16T10:00:00.000-08:00

Every year, the National Book Foundation determines nominees and winners of the National Book Award. There are several categories of awards, including Young People's Literature. I am so excited by the five titles nominated in this year's Young People's Literature category! And I wish I was near New York City today to see the National Book Award Teen Press Conference.

Middle- and high-school students from New York City public and private schools are invited to the Schomburg Center of The New York Public Library for the Foundation’s popular National Book Awards Teen Press Conference. According to the NBF website, students prepare for the event by reading one of the five Finalists' books and drafting questions based on the text, the writing life, and what it means to be a National Book Award Finalist. At the event, each participating student will receive a professionally designed press kit with biographical information on each author, excerpts from their books, and materials related to the National Book Awards.

Authors read from their work and then the floor is turned over to the students for the Press Conference. Students have the opportunity to meet the authors and have their books signed at a reception following the event. I am so jealous!

So, who are these amazing authors and which books are nominated? It is quite a prestigious group, and I am quite proud to say that I have actually read 4 of the 5 books! That is amazing. And the 5th one is in my suitcase for my Thanksgiving road trip (at least it will be...I not really packed yet).

And the nominees, in alphabetical order, are:
Ship Breaker by Paolo BacigalupiMockingbird by Kathryn ErskineDark Water by Laura McNeal (the only one I haven't read yet)Lockdown by Walter Dean MyersOne Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia
If you want to read a GREAT article/interview with all the authors about what it was like to find out their books were nominated, read The Fab Five in a recent edition of School Library Journal.

So, who should win? Which ones have you read? I'm reserving judgement until I read Dark Water. But I'd hate to be the person with the final say because they all such strong contenders!

Romeo and Juliet...and Vampires!

2010-11-16T08:40:00.000-08:00

We have just completed the first full week of 2nd quarter here at EJH, and that means our 9th graders are busy with Shakespeare! Specifically, Romio and Juliet. (Because you can clearly never get enough teenage angst in a junior high). And I won't be offering my critique of this master of the English language, other than to say you must read it if you have not.

But I thought that I'd make one of our Language Arts teachers completely crazy by pointing out the lastest "mash-up," Romio & Juliet & Vampires. Hilarious! (If you want to browse inside the book, click here).

According to Goodreads, in this version "the Capulets and the Montagues have some deep and essential differences. Blood differences. Of course, the Capulets can escape their vampire fate, and the Montagues can try not to kill their undead enemies. But at the end of the day, their blood feud is unstoppable. So it's really quite a problem when Juliet, a vampire-to-be, and Romeo, the human who should be hunting her, fall desperately in love. What they don't realize is how deadly their love will turn out to be—or what it will mean for their afterlives..."

Mash-ups, combining classic works of fiction with popular genres (vampires, zombies, etc.), have become all the rage in the last few years. Some notable examples include "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies," "Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters," and "Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter." To be honest, I haven't read any of these mash-ups as I am not a fan of the vampire and zombie genre to begin with. And being a science major, I'll be honest that classic works of fiction aren't typically my thing either. (I know, I'm a horrible librarian)!

But it is a fun concept, and obviously popular. "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" was one of the top 3 sellers at our school's book fair last spring. I would love to hear from anyone that has read a mash-up...what do you think? As good as the original?

Student Review: The Magician's Elephant (DiCamillo)

2010-11-13T00:54:00.000-08:00

Title: The Magician’s Elephant

Author: Kate DiCamillo
Genre: Fantasy, Fiction
Pages: 201
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Peter is an orphan in the city of Baltese. He has been told for years by a strict, militaristic guardian that the younger sister he knows he has is dead. In spite of all evidence, Peter is skeptical. One day, he goes down to the market square and pays a fortuneteller to inform him of his sister’s whereabouts. She says that yes, his sister is indeed alive, and that an elephant will lead her to him.

So begins the story of two orphans, a beggar, his dog, a magician, a nun, a countess, and many other memorable characters. They all have various missions and goals, but are all involved with one common element: the elephant. Some of them are connected to the situation through Peter. Others have a completely different outlook. They come from many different classes and occupations, as well as three different species, and yet they are all connected to the one universal element in this book. Armed with a dazzling, poetic writing style and a knack for communicating characters’ feelings, DiCamillo pulls us into her story, forcing us to forget that her main idea should be difficult to believe.

This was a lovely book, with a perfect, timely ending and an impressive amount of maturity in its characters. The people in this story felt no need to impose their problems on the reader or the other characters. They didn’t demand sympathy, move the audience to tears, or become severely depressed. Even the beggar accepted his lifestyle, and the class differences in the characters were not meant to force us into charity work. Without preaching about the “less fortunate,” this book gave the reader insight on the way that many different people live. I would recommend this book to anyone who has ever been interested in what others are thinking.

This story was a large, tangled web of events combining many characters and motives. I’m willing to bet this kind of thing happens in real life. Please comment with your own stories about complicated experiences!
--Celia, 8th grade

I must admit that this is the only one of Ms. DiCamillo's books that I have not read. And I'm not really sure why, because I LOVE her other titles! Thanks, Celia!

Student Review: Airhead (Cabot)

2010-11-13T00:08:00.000-08:00

Title: Airhead

Author: Meg Cabot
Genre: Science Fiction
Pages: 337
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

The science fiction book Airhead, by Meg Cabot, describes the drama and turmoil 16 year old video game loving tomboy Em Watts is thrown into when she wakes up not as herself, but as world famous supermodel Nikki Howard. At the grand opening of the Stark Megastore, where Em, her best friend Christopher, and Frida, her little sister, are, a giant flat screen TV dangling from the ceiling comes loose and falls on Em. She wakes up a month later and discovers that she is in Nikki Howard’s body. Apparently, when the TV fell on Em, her body was completely crushed, but her brain was fine. At that exact moment, though, Nikki Howard, who was a huge representative of Stark, had a brain aneurysm, which caused her to become brain-dead. Because she was such a huge representative of Stark, the company, who also had a medical lab and hospital, took Em’s brain and put it inside Nikki Howard’s body. Now Em must learn to act and behave like Nikki did, hanging out with Nikki’s friends and boyfriend, going to her modeling shoots, living in her loft. She is not allowed to tell anyone who she really is, or else her parents will be sued for two million dollars. But she discovers that not everything is as it seems to be.

I chose this book because it sounded very different from what I usually enjoy reading, and I love fashion and modeling. Some characters that I thought were very interesting were Frida, who is her little sister. Frida is almost the exact opposite of Em. She is very social and loves fashion, and she has lots of friends. Through this experience Frida and Em become closer, and Frida learns that she shouldn’t always take things for granted. I think the theme of this book is don’t judge a book by it’s cover, because in this book Em discovers that everyone thinks that Nikki is a total airhead just because she models for a living, so she has to really prove to everyone that she isn’t just some ditzy, gorgeous girl who poses in outfits for a living.

I loved this book because the characters were very interesting and there are a lot of plot twists and the author makes something sounding very fake seem very real. I recommend this book to teenage girls because there is a little romance and it is told from a girl’s point of view.

This book really made me think, what would I do if I woke up as someone else and was stuck like that forever?
--Helena, 8th grade

Great review! I love this book and, of course, anything written by the author. I must confess that I have not read the sequels (Being Nikki and Runaway), though I keep meaning to. So many books, so little time...

Book Blog Hop

2010-11-12T11:20:00.000-08:00

Once again, it is time for another Blog Hop. I love discovering new blogs to follow! I hope that you enjoy this blog and become a new follower! Thanks to the wonderful "Crazy-for-Books" blog for hosting each week.

The question this week is: If you find a book that looks interesting but is part of a series, do you go back and start with the first one?

My answer: First, I try not to get involved in series books, but in the young adult genre/market, that is nearly impossible. So, when I find a new series, I always start with the first book. If I like it A LOT, I will read the rest...if not, then I'll just stop after that one.

Obviously, it is really important in my job to know whether the series books can be read out of order (ie: Redwall series by Brian Jacques), or MUST be read sequentially. And to be honest, while I do read a number of book #1s, there are not very many teen series that I feel compelled to keep up with. As long as I know the premise, I'm okay.

What about you????

Student Review: Seth Baumgartner's Love Manifesto (Luper)

2010-11-12T00:55:00.000-08:00

Title: Seth Baumgartner’s Love Manifesto

Author: Eric Luper
Genre: Realistic Fiction, Humor, Love
Pages: 293
Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5 stars.

So it all started at Applebee’s. Seth Baumgartner is on his lunch break with his girlfriend when she dumps him, she says she too “Comfortable with him” while she’s really into her co-worker Anders. It was then that his father walked in with a woman that wasn’t his mother, Seth’s heart was sinking. After his 30 minute lunch break, Seth goes back to his job at Belgian fries express where his boss fires him after his shift because he was late. YIKES! So Seth’s day isn’t going to well. Later that week, Seth launches an anonymous podcast called the Love Manifesto to talk about the reasons he loves his ex-girlfriend, Veronica, his investigation of his father’s affair and other things related to love and why it sucks. Seth’s father wasn’t happy he lost his job since it was his 4th job he got fired from so he gets a job at the country golf club where his family goes and also where he’s training for a father/son competition with his dad. Amidst all this he comes face to face with Luz, his father’s mistress, a few times and even goes in her apartment! Also, he gets in a fight with his best friend Dimitri…

I chose to read book because when Mrs. Yusko gave a brief summary of the book, it sounded really funny and interesting and it also seemed like the type of book I like to read. I think the theme of this book would be perseverance because Seth never gave up on what was going on around him. He got over Veronica and got a new girlfriend, got a new job, and never gave up on investigating his father affair.

I really enjoyed reading this book because it was a quick and easy read. Also, I liked reading this book because the author kept me wanting to read more after every page, in every chapter, the author threw something totally unexpected for me to absorb in. Overall, this book is going to get your emotions up and down like a roller coaster, one minute you are going to despite a character and another minute you will love them. I would recommend this book to teenagers and above and either boys or girls because there is some bad language and even though it’s written from a guy’s perspective, girls could relate to it easily also. Also, I would recommend this book to people who like stories with good twists, romantical comedies, and for people who likes golf because the book talks about some golf terms.

So… what would you do if everything you cared about fell apart in a matter of minutes?
--Nomin, 8th grade

I am so glad that you chose to read this book! As you know, it is one of my favorite stories this year (Top 10 for Summer Reading), and I did recommend it for this project. You can read my brief review here.

Student Review: Sundays at Tiffany's

2010-11-12T00:02:00.000-08:00

Title: Sundays at Tiffany’s

Author: James Patterson
Genre: Fantasy and love story (mostly realistic)
Pages: 328
Rating: 3 out of 5stars

Jane Margaux’s mom is the head of a huge production studio in New York, and she only spends time with her daughter on Sundays when they go shopping for diamonds at Tiffany’s. Jane is okay with this though, because she has her thirty five year old Imaginary Friend Michael to keep her company. The job of an Imaginary Friend is to care for a child between the ages of six and nine. Once a child turns nine though, his or her imaginary friend is forced to leave. This is made bearable only by the fact that when the child wakes up the next morning they will no longer remember their friend. However, when Michael leaves Jane, Jane doesn’t forget him. As she grows older she continues to think about Michael, and when she is in her thirties she meets back up with him. The more time they start spending together the more questions begin to arise; why hasn’t she forgotten him? Why have they met back up? And what does all of this mean?

I thought Jane’s mom, Vivienne, was the character that connected most to the theme. All she cared about was being perfect, being beautiful, and making Jane that way too. But the theme of the book was the exact opposite; do not get to caught up on the small things in life, but instead focus on the bigger picture- exactly unlike Vivienne. The difference between her and the theme painted a vivid picture of exactly what it was trying to get the reader not to be like. An ah-ha moment for me was when I finally realized that even though an imaginary friend seams imaginary to everyone but the child, they really aren’t. They are actually a “real imaginary” thing.

I would recommend this book to girls only who don’t mind a slightly slower paced story. The writing style reminded me very much of Sarah Dessen’s books such as The Truth About Forever, and even Jodi Picoult’s like Keeping Faith and Change of Heart. If you’ve read and enjoyed any of these, you will enjoy Sundays at Tiffany’s.

So what would you do if an imaginary person who left you long ago returned, only this time not Imaginary?
--Mekenna, 8th grade

Good review Mekenna. I appreciate your spot-on reading recommendations!

Student Review: The Hound of the Baskervilles (Doyle)

2010-11-10T00:45:00.000-08:00

Title: The Hound of the Baskervilles

Author: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Genre: Classical Mystery
Pages: 359
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

This book begins, like many other Sherlock Holmes books, in the small, quiet shared apartment of Holmes himself and Dr. John Watson. While enjoying their tea one morning Dr. Edward Mortimer shows up, fearful, at their door. He tells them the story of the head of the Baskerville manor's grandfather's death; he was an evil man with a sadistic soul who locked a young woman in a chamber. Following her escape he led a chase which ended up in his death at the paws of the hound. Soon Holmes and Watson meet the current owner of the estate, Sir Henry Baskerville. Dr. Mortimer fears that the curse of the hound will catch up with Sir Henry and he pleads for their assistance. It is decided that Watson, Mortimer, and Sir Henry will travel to the Baskerville estate, as Holmes has other matters to attend to in London. Watson soon begins investigating, interrogating, and questioning. He is eventually accompanied by Holmes but will their combined wits be enough?

I decided to choose this novel because I am a big fan of the "Sherlock Holmes" series and any book written by Doyle, another reason was because I thoroughly enjoy mystery books. A literary technique used in this text is classism as the author emphasizes the different classes such as the high class like the Baskervilles and the lower class as the small town next to the estate. Two very obvious interesting characters are Holmes and Watson but another sneaky individual is Mr. Stapleton a butterfly collector living out on the moor. The overall theme of this book would have to be "Do not trust appearances."

I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars because it is an overall great read, had just the right amount of detail for me, and had that frightening old style tale feeling to it. I would recommend this novel to mature and strong readers as it is written in advanced vocabulary and old English style text. This story reminded me of all of the previous Conan Doyle books I have read.

The Hound Of Baskervilles written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, written for the purpose to bring Holmes back is a challenging mystery novel and includes danger for Holmes and his partner. If you could, would you take the place of Watson as the legendary detective Sherlock Holmes' assistant?
--Rob, 8th grade

I am so glad that you chose to read and review this book! This is one of the most popular book choices for our 9th graders during their "Classics" unit each spring. I, too, am a big fan of mysteries and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. By the way, this is NOT the cover of the book that we have in the library, thank goodness! We have the great one with the evil hound baring his teeth...much more in line with the tone of the book, but it wouldn't upload to the blog at all.

Student Review: Beautiful (Martinusen-Coloma)

2010-11-10T00:38:00.000-08:00

Title: Beautiful: Truth is Found When Beauty is Lost

Author: Cindy Martinusen-Coloma
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Pages: 272
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

This book is about an amazing girl named Ellie Summerfield. She has everything a teenager could want in her life: she’s pretty, popular, gets straight A’s, and has a schedule filled with parties or volunteer commitments. One day though changed everything! She went to a party and was coming home late at night with her friend and got into a huge car crash. Her friend died, and she survived but had 3rd degree burns all over the left side of her! So this book is mostly how her personality takes a huge turn after the accident, and her dealing with these burns.

The theme of this book is really the underdog and the decision because Ellie does of course have a disadvantage because of the burns on her face but she has to make a decision if she wants to complain about these burns all her life, or live her life in a better way. I thought an interesting character was Megan Summerfield, Ellie’s sister. Megan was the opposite of Ellie at the beginning of the book. She smoked, drank, hated life, barely had friends and hated her sister. After Ellie’s accident though you can see a nicer side of Megan and both sisters' relationship changes for the better!

I liked how the author describes everything with great detail, and this book makes you very emotional at times. I disliked however how the story dragged on at times. All in all, I would recommend this book to any teen girl because it makes you realize what true beauty is. This book shows how one thing can impact someone forever and I truly learned many lessons about what beautiful really is in this book.

This book really makes you think deeply….what if you had something horrible happen to yourself, how would you deal with it?
--Pooja, 8th grade

I have not read this book, but the cover is very intriguing. I am wondering if it would work for our 8th Grade Survival unit? Hmmm...this might be another one to add to my "to read" pile.

Student Review: The Guardians of Ga'Hoole: The Capture (Lasky)

2010-11-09T00:26:00.000-08:00

Title: Guardians of Ga’Hoole: The Capture
Author: Kathryn Lasky
Genre: Fiction, Adventure, Fantasy
Pages: 219
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Once upon a time, there was an order of knightly owls, from a kingdom called Ga’Hoole, who would rise each night into the blackness and perform noble deeds. Or at least that’s what the most famous owl legend says!

Soren is a young barn owl living happily in the kingdom of Tyto, until he falls out of his nest. Unfortunately, his nest up in a tree and Soren can’t fly. After trying to get help, Soren is snatched by a mysterious owl and brought to a faraway canyon called the St. Aegolius Academy for Orphaned Owls. There he meets Gylfie, a highly intelligent elf owl. Together, they try and penetrate the purpose of St. Aegolius. When they uncover some alarming facts, Soren and Gylfie know they must escape and find the Island of the Great Ga’Hoole Tree, to save all owl kind.

Throughout this enthralling book, I discovered a theme that was very important to me. It was to believe in yourself. Every time an owl talked about flying, or overcoming a challenge, they always said that you had to believe you could do it.

I loved this book! It drew me in from the beginning, and kept me there until the end. It also had many twists and events I never saw coming. This is the perfect book for any adventure reader or fantasy enthusiast! Although it’s not the best book I’ve ever read, I still enjoyed it immensely.

Gylfie and Soren believe in the Ga’Hoolian legend. Do you?
--Samantha, 8th grade
Thank you Samantha! Did you see the recent movie based on The Guardians of Ga'Hoole? I have not, but am interested to hear from anyone who has (see yesterday's post about movies based on books)...

Student Review: Split (Avasthi)

2010-11-09T00:01:00.000-08:00

Title: Split
Author: Swati Avasthi
Genre: Realistic Fiction, Survival
Pages: 233
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

At age 16 Jace Witherspoon runs away from home to escape his father’s abusive tendencies. His plan is to find his brother Christian who also ran away but before him and then save his mother, but his father warns him he will kill her if Jace comes back. Jace is at a loss, but then he hurries to realize that he must save his mother before his father has another temper burst and decides to kill her. The clock is ticking so Jace finally decides to make his decision and go back to save his mother.

I think this book was a great example of the domestic violence that people go through every day. I enjoyed the story because seeing what it was like to go through life with an abusive father and suffer what Jace has suffered. The entire story itself is about how Jace deals with what he has gone through and how he will deal with it. The story talks about his problems in the past, like how he discovers he has his own abusive problems and beats up his girlfriend. Parts of the story were all flashbacks and commonly reoccur during the story and explain a lot about his past. But in the end he resolves his problems and he makes a big emotional breakthrough.

The theme here in this book is coming of age, because Jace deals with a lot and matures through these experiences. He experiences several events that shape him into a person that is positive, calm, and trustworthy. A small note is that at first Jace abandons his mother when he first leaves. This comes back to haunt him even after he tried to rescue her.

I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars because the book was relatively short and packed a big story into a small book. I would have like for the author to elaborate more. This book is good for both boys and girls but the genre is mainly for people who like tragedy stories.

What would you do if you had to make a decision, a decision to leave your old life behind or try to piece together the remains?
-Aaron, 8th grade

This was one of the first books I reviewed on the blog. You can read my quick review here. I notice that I gave the book a 3 1/2 out of 5 stars...which is interesting because now I actually feel very strongly about how much I love this book. Hmmmm...

Avalon High...the Disney Movie?

2010-11-08T10:00:00.000-08:00

When you have a 3rd grade girl living in your house, you are frequently inundated with all things Disney Channel. I will be the first to admit that several of the shows make me want to poke my eyes out, but I have grown quite fond of Good Luck Charlie and Hannah Montana (or Hannah Montana Forever).

Which means that my Sunday evenings are spent curled up on the couch with a giggly girl, watching the Disney Channel. And of course with Disney Channel shows come Disney Channel commercials...ugh!

Recently (well, probably since August), Disney has been promoting their upcoming made-for-tv movie, "Avalon High." My daughter thinks it looks great and is very excited to see it on Friday when it premieres. I am having a much tougher time adjusting to the fact that one of my ALL-TIME favorite books has been Disney-fied.

Now, my problem likely stems from the fact that Disney is targeting the pre-teen crowd with their marketing efforts and my 8 year old wants to watch it because she recognizes some of the teen actors. The book stars Ellie, a high school junior recently moved to Maryland and enrolled at Avalon High School...where several students may or may not be reincarnations of King Arthur and his court. Cabot delivers an original and clever twist on the legend of King Arthur that hard core Arthurians and novices (like myself) will enjoy.

Meg Cabot, author extraordinnaire, has posted about this movie on her blog and has no ill will towards Disney and encourages readers to enjoy the movie! She also reminds us that movies can never take the place of books, and we should not expect them to because of the time limitations inherant to film. So, because I am a HUGE fan of Ms. Cabot, I will take her advice and enjoy the movie for the entertainment that it is intended to be. And someday, when my daughter is in junior high, I will introduce her to the books!

But I warn you, if there is singing and/or choreographed dance routines, I might lose it!

What do you think? How successful are movies based on books? Do you have a favorite movie based on book?