Summer Reading

Well, here it is at last -- summertime. The time to kick back and enjoy doing not much of anything. For me this means spending time at the cabin, getting in some hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing and some ordinary chore type of stuff - getting the oil changed on the car, mow the lawn, weed the garden etc. I've also got a bit of travel planned. And of course summer reading!
This is my bedside table loaded with suggestions from you guys. Here's how they currently stack up (from bottom to top)
Everything is Fine
Rules to Rock By
I Heart You, You Haunt Me
Enclave
City of Bones
Z
The Light
I Am Number Four
Take Me to the River
Raven's Gate
The Sky is Everywhere
The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May and June

I will be mixing it up with some gems found at the public library. I encourage all of you to keep reading over the summer, it doesn't matter if it's instructions on how to do something, comic books, graphic novels, magazines - just keep reading. Add a book when your heading out on a road trip - it gives you a great excuse to ignore your little brother or sister and your parents will most likely be on your side of the arguement.

Have a great summer - stay tuned to the blog, and I look forward to hearing about your summer adventures when you return to Lakie in September.

Read On.

School House Rocks

The other day I heard this terrific rendition of an old School House Rock song. Many of you have probably never heard of School House Rock - it's from the States and it was an after school cartoon that used song to re-enforce stuff you learned in school. My husband has made me familiar with some of his favourites -- sooooo when this rap version of Mr. Morton came on the radio he could sing along. Subject, predicate and a cool explaination of how they work together.
Here it is - Your introduction to School House Rock.

Slave Lake

Thank you to those students who offered to help the Slave Lake Public Library rebuild their collection. We collected and sent 2 full boxes of great titles that will help restock the shelves. It made me feel good to be helping out and I am sure that our small effort will be appreciated.

The Westing Game

The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin

When Mrs. Babki asked me if I had read The Westing Game, I had to say no, because I hadn't, in fact I don't know if I had even heard of it. She said she was interested in it and that it sounded like the perfect book to introduce mystery / dectective / forensics to her grade six classes. Well, if they were going to tackle all that - maybe I should too.

It turned out to be a terrific mystery / guessing game filled with clues and red herrings (false clues) and some pretty interesting characters. I think it will be alot of fun.

Here's the summary:
This highly inventive mystery involves sixteen people who are invited to the reading of Samuel W. Westing's will. They could become millionaires - it all depends on how they play the tricky and dangerous Westing game, a game involving blizzards, buglaries and bombings . Ellen Raskin has created a cast of characters in a puzzle knotted, word twisting plot filled with humor, intrigue and suspence.

Apparently there has been a movie made - I have my name on the hold list at the public library. But I don't know if they can squeeze everything from that book into a movie. I'll report back whether it makes the cut.
Read On.

Sparrow Hawk Red

Sparrow Hawk Red by Ben Mikaelsen

I just finished this book this morning. -- I have to admitt that I've been taking a break from some of my reading, and this week I finally dove back in and cranked off 3 under 200 page books.
So, if any of you grade six students have caught the flying bug after learning all about flight and then going up in the plane this year - this might be a great book for you, cause it's all about a kid who has been flying with his Dad, learning about planes and learning stunts.

Here's the summary:
When thirteen-year-old Ricky Diaz discovers that his mother was actually murdered by drug dealers, he's desperate for revenge. But his father, a former drug enforcement agent, refuses the mission the DEA now offers: to steal an airplane with an American made radar detector that the cartel uses to smuggle drugs from Mexico.
Angry with his father for throwing away the chance to avenge his mother,Ricky decides to take matters into his own hands - he will steal the plane. He runs away to Mexico, disguising himself as one of the many rateros, or homeless children in hopes of gaining access to the drug ring.

War Horse

War Horse by Michael Morgurgo


Joey is a war horse, but he wasn't always. Once, he was  farm horse and a gentle boy named Albert was his master. Then World War I came storming through and everything changed. Albert's father sells Joey to the army where the beautiful, red-bay horse is trained to charge the enemy, drag heavy artillery, and carry wounded soldiers not much older than Albert off the battlefields. Amongst the clambering of guns and slogging through the cold mud, Joey wonders if the war will ever end. And if it does, will he ever find Albert again?


Here's another book that you should try and read soon, because in December it is going to be released in movie format - directed by none other than Stephen Spielberg, apparently he was inspired after seeing the London Theatre production of the novel.


Here's a  look at both the theatre production and not a movie trailer but the small bit that has been release about the movie.

Mr. Popper's Penguins

Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater

This book has been around for long time (1938), some might call it a classic, I know that it is a brilliant read aloud to be shared with any animal lover. Of course, I know you've heard that Jim Carrey will be starring in the upcoming movie production of it. So, I thought some of you might be adventurous and quickly read this one before the movie comes out. If you get stuck looking after a younger brother or sister or cousin or babysitting during this summer this would be a great book to pull out and start reading.

Here's the summary:
The unexpected delivery of a large crate containing an Antarctic penguin changes the life and fortunes of Mr. Popper, a house painter obsessed with dreams of the polar regions.

And the movie trailer.

Page by Paige

Page by Paige by Laura Lee Gulledge

I really enjoyed this graphic novel. The art work was fun, thoughtful, and full of double meanings (idioms galore). I think many of you will be able to relate in some way to Paige, she insecure about her art work and vunerable to criticism but she doesn't let that stop her and she becomes an inspiration to her friends and those around her. I loved some of the projects she and the Agents of Wimsy take on, it reminded me of the Random Acts of Kindness that our staff does for one another.

Here's the summary:
Page Turner has moved to New York with her family, and she's having some trouble adjusting to the big city. In the pages of her sketchbook , she tries to make sense of her new life, including trying out her secret identity: artist. As she makes friends and starts to explore the city, she slowly brings her secret identity out into the open, and process that is equal parts terrifying and rewarding.

Cool Stuff Exploded

Cool Stuff Exploded by Chris Woodford

The third installment of the hugely popular Cool Stuff series will blow your mind. This super cool technology book deconstructs - or literally explodes everyday objects so readers can see exactly how they work. Beautifully photographed spreads show a piece-by-piece breakdown of cell-phones, computers, cars and more. Detailing how each part works and how they all fit together as a whole. This unique look at the items we use every day brings science, technology and wonder to the fore, giving us all a great appreciation for how our twenty-first century world works. Set into the cover is a CD Rom containing animations of the "exploded" views featured in the book.

I know there will be a lineup for this one.
READ ON!

The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May & June

The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May & June by Robin Benway

Yesterday, when a smallish box of books arrived I was excited as usual, but also sad because this will be one of the last deliveries of the year. Anyway, this was one of the titles in that little box, and one I plan to be taking home with me for some of my summer reading.

Here's the summary from the back cover:
I hugged my sisters and they fit against my side like two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle that would never fit anywhere else. I couldn't imagine ever letting them go again, like releasing them would be to surrender the best parts of myself.

Three sisters share a magical, unshakable bond in this witty high-concept novel. Around the time of their parents divorce, sisters April, May and June recover special powers from childhood - powers that come in handy navigating the hell that is high-school. Powers that help them cope with the hardest year of their lives. But could they have a greater purpose?
April, the oldest and a bit of a worrier, can see the future. Middle child May can literally disappear. And baby June reads minds - everyones but her own. When April gets a vision of disaster, the girls come together to save the day and reconcile their strained family. They realize that no matter what happens, powers or no powers, they'll always have each other. Because there is one thing stronger than magic - sisterhood. 

Racing in the Rain

Racing in the Rain: My Life as a Dog by Garth Stein


Mr Meyer's suggested this book to me last year, and when I found that they had adapted the novel for a younger audience I thought I would pick it up for our collection at the school and also preview it for you. How can car racing, reincarnation and dogs all make it into the same book? that's what I was thinking. But after reading the first chapter told from Enzo the dogs point of view I came to understand how things were gonna fall into place -"Gestures are all I have - sometimes they must be grand in nature." This is an enjoyable read for any dog lover or fan of car racing, for those of you that love a plot driven book, this will move to slowly for you.


Here's the summary from the back cover:
Have you ever wondered what your dog is thinking?
Meet one funny dog - Enzo, the lovable mutt who tells this story. Enzo know he is different from the other dogs: most dogs love to chase cars, but Enzo longs to race them. He learns about racing and the world around him by watching TV and by listening to the words of his best friend, Denny, an up-and-coming race car driver, and his daughter, Zoe, his constant companion. Enzo finds that life is just like being on the racetrack - it isn't simply about going fast. And, applying the rules of racing to his world, Enzo takes on his family's challenges and emerges a hero. In the end, Enzo holds in his heart the dream that Denny will go on to be a racing champion with his daughter by his side. For thiers is an extraordinary friendship - one that reminds us all to celebrate the triumph of the human (and canine) spirit.


If you only read a couple of chapters I recommend chapter one (to get you familiarized with the characters) and chapter 25. I believe it has already been optioned for becoming a movie, so watch for it in a year or two.


Thanks Mr. Meyers it was a fun read.