Larger-Than-Life Lara by Dandi Daley Mackall

A quick read with a great message. I really enjoyed it.

From Amazon:
Ten-year-old Laney Grafton is more than a little relieved when Lara Phelps (immediately dubbed Larger-Than-Life Lara) joins her class. Enormously fat and relentlessly kind, Lara distracts the local bullies from all the negative attention that Laney has previously received. Unfortunately, Laras cheerfulness attracts quite a lot of nasty attention from her other classmates as well until something happens that tears down Laras remarkable spirit entirely. Laney is an engaging narrator. Particularly delightful is the way in which she tells the story. Each chapter has a title that is related to the narrative, such as Rising Action, Suspense, Dialogue, etc. Laney then explains why she chose to include or hold back pertinent information in accordance with her teachers storytelling rules.

Happy Reading! If you read Larger-Than-Life Lara, comment on this post and let me know how you liked it! :)

2 good books...

I recently finished reading Word Nerd by Susin Nielsen and The Boy Who Dared by Susan Campbell Bartoletti. Both were great books that I really enjoyed.


Word Nerd
from Amazon:
Twelve-year-old Ambrose Bukowski and his widowed, overprotective mother, an adjunct professor, move frequently. When he almost dies after he bites into a peanut that bullies put in his sandwich, just to see if he is really allergic, Irene has had enough, and she decides to homeschool him. While she teaches at night, Ambrose gets to know 25-year-old-Cosmo, recently released from jail and the son of the Bukowskis' warmhearted Greek landlords who live upstairs. Ambrose discovers that he and his neighbor both love Scrabble, so, without his mother's knowledge, he talks Cosmo into taking him to a Scrabble Club. For the first time, Ambrose has a friend, but when his mother finds out, she starts packing up to move again to get him away from the ex-con. This prompts Ambrose to run away, determined to get his mother to listen to him. Ambrose is a neat kid who is comfortable in his own skin, despite always being an outsider. Cosmo knows he made some wrong choices, but he is regretful, as well as caring and thoughtful, and a great morale booster for Ambrose. This is a tender, often funny story with some really interesting characters.

The Boy Who Dared
from Amazon:
In the newly formed Third Reich, Hitler's initial political doctrine is filled with hopeful solutions for a country plagued with unemployment, poverty, and a post-World War I feeling of defeat. Propaganda and promises quickly turn to oppressive new laws including the required participation in the Hitler Youth. Helmuth Hübener enters the program and is at once impressed with the bravado, shiny uniforms, boots, and patriotic fever sweeping the country. But his Mormon-based teachings trigger questions in his mind about the reality behind the regime's invasions of neighboring countries, mistreatment of Jewish citizens, and closely controlled media. He creates an underground newsletter with information gathered from BBC reports using an illegal shortwave radio. As he secretly distributes the flyers throughout the town, his boldness encourages him to gather several accomplices resulting in his arrest, trial, and execution. The novel opens as he is on death row, and the story is told as a series of flashbacks. Helmuth is portrayed as a brave, outspoken voice amid a family of acquiescing brothers, mother, and new SS stepfather. Based on a real person, the novel includes black-and-white photos of Hübener and his family.


Happy Reading! If you read Word Nerd or The Boy Who Dared, comment on this post and let me know how you liked it! :)

Chasing Lincoln's Killer by James Swanson

This was good! It was a detailed and suspenseful account of Abraham Lincoln's assassination and the 12 day manhunt for his killers. I also liked the photographs and documents that were included throughout the book.

Happy Reading! If you read Chasing Lincoln's Killer, comment on this post and let me know how you liked it! :)

Diamond Willow by Helen Frost

I loved this little gem of a book. You always hear me talk about how I am drawn to a book's cover .. and this cover didn't impress me, SO I am glad I didn't judge a book by the cover and gave this book a chance!

From Amazon:

In her small Alaskan town, 12-year-old Diamond Willow, named for the tree, prefers to be just "Willow" but muses that if her parents had called her "Diamond," "…would I have been one of those sparkly kinds of girls?" Instead she describes herself as an average, part-Athabascan girl with one good friend, who finds herself more comfortable around her family's sled dogs than with people. Her story takes a heartrending turn on a solo dogsled trip to visit her grandparents, and Willow is soon caught up in an intense adventure that leads to the discovery of a family secret. As she unravels the truth, Willow comes to understand the diamonds and scars that bind her family together. She also gains awareness of her own strength and place in her community. Willow relates her story in one-page poems, each of which contains a hidden message printed in darker type. At key intervals, the narrative is continued in the voices of her ancestors, who take the form of animal spirits—Red Fox, Spruce Hen, Mouse, Chickadee, Lynx—and her sled dogs. Frost casts a subtle spell through innovative storytelling. Her poems offer pensive imagery and glimpses of character, and strong emotion.

Happy Reading! If you read Diamond Willow, comment on this post and let me know how you liked it! :)

Cicada Summer by Andrea Beaty

I had a hard time settling into this book - it wasn't bad, it just didn't grab me like some books do. I DO think this book has a little something for everyone - mystery, drama, and pulls at your heartstrings too. I loved that the main character, Lily, is a big reader :)

From Amazon:
Lily, who hasn’t spoken since the accident that killed her brother two years ago, does nothing to contradict the general notion that she is now brain damaged. She finds comfort in the openhearted affection of an elderly neighbor and in reading Nancy Drew mysteries on the sly. After Tinny, a troubled new girl in their small Illinois town, discovers that Lily is hiding the fact that she can still read, Lily finds it increasingly difficult to maintain the facade that has been her emotional shield. A present-tense account of scenes leading up to her brother’s death, inserted in italics at intervals within the primary first-person narrative, heightens the level of intensity as the main story progresses and the parallel narrative approaches that shrouded but clearly traumatic event.

Happy Reading! If you read Cicada Summer, comment on this post and let me know how you liked it! :)

new books

New books in the LMC - please stop by to take a look :)

A few that I thought looked interesting:
* A Taste For Red by Lewis Harris
* Flygirl by Sherri Smith

I have also received some more copies of the Short and Shivery short stories collections. Fun reads with Halloween around the corner.

Notes from a Midnight Driver by Jordan Sonnenblick

Many students have been encouraging me to read this ... and I am glad I finally did. This author does not disappoint - he does a terrific job of capturing characters personality and emotions. I was sad to see this story end.

From Amazon:

After drinking some vodka and taking his mom's car for a spin to his father's girlfriend's house, who just happens to be his former third-grade teacher, 16-year-old Alex Gregory finds himself on his neighbors' lawn with police yelling at him and a broken gnome under his car. It is hard to believe that Alex would do anything like this; most of the time he hangs out with his friend Laurie, a sassy petite karate expert, and plays guitar in the school jazz band. He is also trying to get over his parents' recent split. For drinking and driving, Alex is sentenced to 100 hours of community service at a nursing home with Solomon Lewis. Sol is a difficult, crotchety, eccentric old man with emphysema who lashes out at Alex in strange Yiddish phrases. Soon Alex grows found of Sol, who teaches him something about the guitar, respecting the elderly, and taking responsibility for his actions.

Happy Reading! If you read Notes from a Midnight Driver, comment on this post and let me know how you liked it! :)

Bird Lake Moon by Kevin Henkes

I listened to this book and the narrator did a great job of giving the characters a believable voice. I found this story to be sad and heartwarming at the same time.

from Amazon:

Mitch Sinclair, 12, is at Bird Moon Lake because his parents are divorcing. But there are tense moments with his grandparents, so Mitch fantasizes about moving into the empty house next door. Then Spencer Stone and his family, who own the cottage, arrive. Spencer and younger sister love the lake, but it’s also the place where their barely remembered brother, Matty, drowned at age four. Told in overlapping chapters, the story is spare. Mitch tricks Spencer into thinking Matty is haunting them; then he does something worse. After the boys become friends, the truth becomes both barrier and bridge.

Happy Reading! If you read Bird Lake Moon, comment on this post and let me know how you liked it! :)

Wow! Summer is over already?!

I hope everyone had a great summer!

I wanted to first start with a Question of the Week ...

The Question of the Week is: What was your favorite thing about summer?

I enjoyed having more time to read and enjoying the warm weather.

Please cast your vote in the poll located at the top of the blog :)

I also thought I would share some titles that I really enjoyed reading this summer:

* Wings by Aprilynne Pike (so good! it reminded me of Twilight)

* The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han (same author of Shug - this was a great summer read!)

* Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (the sequel to The Hunger Games - I could not put it down!)

What did you read this summer? Leave a comment and let me know!

reading...and reading.

I haven't had time to post, it has been busy during the past few weeks. :)

Recently I have read:

Anything but Typical by Nora Raleigh Baskin (a great realistic fiction pick...the author did a great job of describing the life of Jason, a 12 year old autistic boy)

Exodus by Julie Bertagna (many students recommended this one .. it was good! Fantasy, set in the future)

Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston (I LOVED this one!)

Friendship for Today by Patricia McKissack (great story of friendship)

Let me know if you read any of these... and what you think :)

reading... reading...reading

I have been reading quite a bit lately. Some recent titles that I have read:

* Forever Changes by Brendan Halpin
* The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
* Impossible by Nancy Werlin (I couldn't put this one down!)
* Max by James Patterson (newest Maximum Ride book ... I really liked it!)

What have you been reading lately?

Spring Break

I did quite a bit of reading over Spring Break. Almost all my reading is usually young adult, middle school books - but I actually decided to read some "grown up" :) and high school books over break. Jodi Picoult is one of my favorite adult authors so I was anxious to read her new book.

One middle school book that I did read over break was the Maximum Ride graphic novel. I enjoyed it! It was neat to see Max's story told in the graphic novel format.

The Plain Janes by Cecil Castellucci and Jim Rugg

This graphic novel is a gem in my humble opinion. The first page I opened to at the beginning of the book had a small illustration of a sketch book with the words "art saves" on the cover. That illustration just had my attention immediately ... and I loved the rest of the book just as much.

from Barnes and Noble:
Caught in a terrorist attack, Jane changes hair, mindset, and-compelled by her frightened parents-city and school. Spurning the in-crowd, she recruits other outcast Janes to stage guerilla-style art attacks, tagged P.L.A.I.N.: People Loving Art in Neighborhoods. The hyperparanoid authorities are not amused, but P.L.A.I.N. wins over most of the other kids. The premise is intriguing, relevant, and disturbing, even as the resolution leaves more questions. When is an art attack sabotage, graffiti, or vandalism? How can people reinvent their lives despite fear?

Happy Reading! If you read The Plain Janes, comment on this post and let me know how you liked it! :)

3 Willows by Ann Brashares

3 Willows was a predictable read (but still a good one!) - it followed the same kind of storyline as the Sisterhood books. Ama, Jo, and Polly have been best of friends for a long time ... but as the story begins, summer is just starting and each of the girls have very different plans. They also find that their friendship is changing. I loved how the author shared facts about willow trees at the beginning of each chapter.

Happy Reading! If you read 3 Willows, comment on this post and let me know how you liked it! :)

Every Soul a Star by Wendy Mass

Ally, Bree, and Jack are different in many ways - the author managed to capture each character's concerns, dreams, and fears. Each chapter is told from a character's point of view. I thought the story dragged a little at times, but I am glad I stuck with it - I learned so much about the moon, stars, and what happens during a total eclipse. I also loved seeing how the characters changed and grew.

From Barnes and Noble:
Ally, Bree, and Jack meet at the one place the Great Eclipse can be seen in totality, each carrying the burden of their own problems, which become dim when compared to the task they embark upon and the friendship they find.

Happy Reading! If you read Every Soul a Star, comment on this post and let me know how you liked it! :)

Dr. Seuss

Today was one of my favorite days of the year ... Ms. Basic and Mr. Witz's 3/4 class went over to East school to help celebrate Dr. Seuss' birthday by reading Dr. Seuss books aloud to the East school students.

I also had a great time participating in East School's assembly this afternoon as Thing 2 from The Cat in the Hat. :) Ms. Soule, the librarian at East, was Thing 1.

What is your favorite Dr. Seuss book? I think mine is Green Eggs and Ham. :)

Rebecca Caudill winner @ LBMS

Voting took place yesterday. LBMS voted for The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan. The state winner will be announced in March.

The 2010 titles will be available soon for check out in the LMC.

Also, you can start nominating titles for the 2011 list. See Ms. Kirsch if you are interested in nominating some titles. :)

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

I was SO anxious to read this book...I had heard so many students (and other librarians!) talking about it. I really enjoyed it! The subject matter made me a little not-so-sure about the book - people fighting each other to death? I wasn't sure if I wanted to read about that! But the book turned out to be so much more than that. I was immediately drawn into the world of Katniss and Peeta. I found it hard to put this book down. 

Happy Reading! If you read The Hunger Games, comment on this post and let me know how you liked it! :)

Rebecca Caudill

Did you read (or listen) to at least 3 of the 20 titles on the 2009 Rebecca Caudill list? If so ... then you are eligible to vote for your favorite book! Voting will take place during afternoon advisory on Tuesday, February 24th. Check the LMC News board within the next week or so for more information. 

I am also very excited because the Rebecca Caudill list for 2010 was just released. You can see the list on the Rebecca Caudill site. I served on the reader's advisory committee for this list - there are some great books that made it to the list! 

lots of reading going on ...

I read quite a bit over break and during the past week or so. I just haven't had time to blog about the books I have read. :)

Since the last time I blogged I have read the following books:

* The Wednesday Wars by Gary Schmidt
* Miss Spitfire: Reaching Helen Keller by Sarah Miller
* Home of the Brave by Katherine Applegate
* The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
* The Naked Mole-Rat Letters by Mary Amato
* Drita, My Homegirl by Jenny Lombard
* Someone Named Eva by Joan Wolf

I actually enjoyed all of these books. :) Some realistic fiction and some historical fiction ...