I'm the school librarian at G.S. Lakie Middle School. As you can see - me, reading and comfy chairs go way back. I still enjoy Asterix and many other graphic novels. My main reason for blogging is for reviewing books for the students and anyone else that might be interested in YA literature.
My Big Mouth: 10 songs I wrote that almost got me killed by Peter Hannan
Summary:
Davis Delaware is not from Delaware. But try telling that to everyone at his new school. When you move in the middle of ninth grade, people are going to think whatever they want about you. If they pay attention at all.
Blending in is fine with Davis. He just wants to doodle in his notebook. Make a few friends. Not rock the boat. Easier said than done. Because when he starts a band called the Amazing Dweebs with beautiful Molly and nerdy Edwin. Davis rocks the boat big-time. And all that rocking gets the attention of school bully Gerald "the Butcher" Boggs. Now Davis is suddenly king of the school - and the Butcher's next target. This can't end well.
This my friends is the book I've been anxiously waiting for. I absolutely loved Brian Selznick's first book The Invention of Hugo Cabret and now we have another beautifully illustrated cleverly crafted book to put along side it on the shelf. I'll rave about it soon at school.
Till then here is the trailer.
For those of you that have read The Invention of Hugo Cabret you'll be happy to know it will soon come out as a movie.
And just because I think Brian Selznick is a genius. Here's some more.
I just got this one in, and well the first three chapters have been great. How many of you would steal the school pet mascot in order to fit into a more popular group at school? What if that school mascot was a goat? Are you still in for it? Well this is exactly what Tara Brennan finds herself faced with in the very first chapter. No spoilers here.
Sorry everyone, but this one is going home with me first (actually I've nabbed the advanced readers copy) our library copy should be on its way soon. Till then this will have to be your appetizer.
Summary:
Sometimes the only way to survive is to keep moving.
America is a vast, desolate landscape left ravaged after a brutal war. Two-thirds of the population are dead from a vicious strain of influenza. People called the sickness the Eleventh Plague.
Fifteen-year-old Stephen Quinn was born after the war and only knows the life of a salvager. His family was among the few who survived and took to roaming the country in search of material to trade. But when Stephen's grandfather dies and his father falls into a coma after an accident, Stephen finds his way to Settler's Landing, a community that seems too good to be true. There Stephen meets strong, defiant, mischievous Jenny, who refuses to accept things as they are. When they play a prank that goes horribly wrong, chaos erupts, and they find themselves inthe midst of a battle that will change Settler's Landing and their lives - forever.
And Hunger Games author Suzanne Collins had this to say : "The Eleventh Plague hits disturbingly close to home... an excellent, taut debut novel."
Some of you know I loved Michael Grant's GONE series, so I can hardly wait until this one shows up. In the meantime I'll give you a little taste of what to look forward to.
Summary from the publisher:
Until the 3000 year-old man appeared in the boy's room, middle-schooler Mack MacAvoy had resigned himself to leading a middling, unexceptional life. That was before the ancient bathroom crasher identified Mack as one of The Magnificent Twelve, a group of talented 12-year-olds who have been empowered to save the world. Before they can do that however, Mack must track down these other special children and prepare to do battle. Action, magic and laughs.
This is a prequel book which provides background to the origins and adventures of Charlie Bone's magical ancestor The Red King. For those of you who don't know Charlie Bone yet, this is a great series filled with magic and adventure (a great read alike to the Harry Potter series.)
Timoken is a prince born in a secret kingdom. At his birth, a forest jinni bestows magical gift upon him: a cloak made by the last moon spider and a potion called Alixir. When the peaceful land is attacked, Timoken and his sister Zobayda, must find a new kingdom to call home. Together with only the magical gifts and a talking camel, the siblings set off.
In this brand new series bestselling author Jenny Nimmo takes readers on an extraordinary quest with one of her most powerful and mysterious characters, the one who started it all for Charlie Bone and the Red King.
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
From the bookjacket.
A mysterious island.
An abandoned orphanage.
A strange collection of very peculiar photographs.
It all waits to be discovered in this unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that Miss Peregrine's children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow - impossible though it seems - they may still be alive.
A spine-tingling fantasy illlustrated with haunting vintage photography, will delight anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows.
I'm only a third of the way through, and so far I love the blend of curious photos and the mystery that it has sent Jacob on. Is his imagination working double time or can there really be monster out to get him and his family.
I'd love to speak with the author on how he developed this concept - which came first the photos or the story?
Not such a long time ago, in a middle school not so far, far away...
Something amazing happened. A weird kid named Dwight made an origami finger puppet of Yoda. (That wasn't the amazing thing- just typical Dwight weirdness.) The amazing thing was that Origami Yoda gave great advice. He could predict the date of a pop quiz, tell a guy if a girl liked him or not, and keep kids from embarrassing themselves in a dozen different ways. Most of the sixth graders were convinced he was using The Force.
But now, a year later, it's a dark time at McQuarrie Middle School. Dwight has been suspended and may be expelled, which means no more Origami Yoda. Even worse, Darth Paper, a puppet created by Dwight's nemesis, Harvey, has take Yoda's place. He spews insults and evil and just may be responsible for getting Dwight kicked out in the first place. Now the kids of McQuarrie are trying to build a case to save Dwight. This is their case file.
Loved the first book, can't wait to dive into this one.
3:15 - Things that go bump in the night by Patick Carman
Some stories are best told in the dead of night.
3:15 means several things. It's a time when things go bump in the night. A place where spooky stories find a home. A feeling... that chill running down your spine.
It means 10 terrifying tales that you'll experience in 3 parts. A frightful audio introduction. Several spooky pages of text. And a creepy video conclusion you can watch online. All in 15 minutes or less.
Step into the world of 3:15 an d you'll meet Cody Miller, whose greed leads to a grave mistake. Emma Franklin, who learns that not all childhood fears are foolish; Dylan Smith, who should know better than to show off his snowboarding skills on a haunted mountain; and more.
Patrick Carman does it again, recreating a genre we already love (ghost stories) by adding the elements of brilliantly spooky audio and video - sandwiching a great stories to read. Can't wait for more.
Here's a taste of what I'm talking about in the intro trailer.
Kate, Michael and Emma have suffered through ten years odious orphanage "care" ; now they have slipped into the care of the eccentric, distrubingly mysterious Dr. Pym. While exploring their new home, the children discover a magical green book. With that discovery, a decade of tedium dissolves into cascades of dangerous time travel adventures and struggles with a beautiful witch and deciededly less attractive zombielike Schreechers.
This is next on my to read stack. Can't wait, have students telling me about it.
In the mean time here's an interview with John Stephens and the book trailer.
Are you ready to save the world? The bestselling series returns with an adventure spanning six explosive books.
Thirteen-year-old Dan Cahill and his older sister Amy , thought they belonged to the world's most powerful family. They thought the hunt for 39 clues leading to the source of that power was over. They even thought they had won. But Amy and Dan were wrong.
One by one distress calls start coming in from around the globe. Cahills are being kidnapped by a shadowy group known only as the Vespers. Now Amy and Dan have only days to fulfill a bizarre ransom request or their captured friends will start dying. Amy and Dan don't know what the Vespers want or how to stop them. Only one thing is clear. The Vespers are playing to win, and if they get their hands on the Clues... the world will be their next hostage.
This book has been snapped up by our die-hard fans of the 39 Clues series - I haven't even had my turn with it yet - oh well, I guess that is what the holds list is for.
From bestselling author Gordon Korman, a second heart-stopping adventure aboard the unluckiest ship of all.
The Titanic has hit high seas, and moves steadily towards its doom. Within the luxury of the cabins and the dark underbelly of the ship, mysteries unfold -- a secret killer who may be on board, a legacy that might be jeapordized, and a vital truth that will soon be revealed. For Paddy, Sophie, Julianna, and Alfie life on the Titanic brings both hiding and seeking, as their lives become intertwined.
And then of course an iceberg appears, and the stage is set for the final scene.
Aptly named -- S.O.S. -- Book 3 in the Titanic series by Gordon Korman
We all know what happens to the boat, but what happens to our four main characters? And what about the killer?
Attack of the Vampire Weenies: and other wapred and creepy tales by David Lubar
As many of you know I am a huge fan of the warped and creepy weenie books. They are such fun short stories and so it was without hesitation that I picked up this newest edition for our library. 33 scary (kind of), funny (definately), short (3-5 pages) stories.
A boy steals a ticket to an amusement park and gets the roller-coaster ride of a lifetime -- literally. The first day of middle school turns into a free-for-all when the gym teacher offers the class a get-out-of-gym-free card. Sick of his sister's vampire wannabe friends, a kid decides to teach them a lesson at their next party. But the table are turned when some surprise guests show up. Watch out for the vampire weenies!
This is the perfect book for those of you who are skaters, or those of you who can't refuse a dare, or those of you who need a short, action-packed read. Lots of intense action, daring skate challenges and not too heavy with the moral of the story.
Here's the summary:
Casey lives to skate. At the end of his final year of high school, Casey hasn't applied to college, and, other than skateboarding, he doesn't believe he's good at much of anything. When a young movie star offers him a job as a stunt double in an upcoming skateboarding movie, Casey is stoked. It's his dream job. But when word gets out aobut Casey's new gig, a local skater has other ideas about who would make the best stunt double. What price will Casey pay to realize his dream?
Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not Reading by Tommy Greenwald ; illustrated by J.P. Coovert
I think I've met a few Charlie Joe Jackson's in my life - in fact I think I might have been one (I know it's hard to believe, cause now I love reading - but there once was a time when I had a strong adversion to reading, school work, homework, possibly anything with the word work in it - you might say I was allergic. And I invented schemes and rules that were probably similiar to Charlie Joe's, some of them were a success, others not so much...)
Anyways I had a great time reading Charlie Joe's guide to Not Reading.
Here are some of my favourtie bits. Charlie Joe's Tip #12 The Library Can Be Your Friend.
Don't automatically assume that just because the library is filled with books it's a bad place.
It all depends on why you're going there.
For example, there's a pretty good movie section in most libraries. And they have computers.
The library in my town even has a place to buy snacks. I like to grab a book (that I have no intention of reading), then amble over to the cafe for a little hot chocolate and conversation.
Every once in a while I'll even open the book.
Sometimes, a girl I know will wander over and ask me what I'm reading. (Unless she goes to my school, in which case she'll know that books and I don't get along.) Then I'll ask her what she's reading. Then I'll ask her lots of questions about her book, which shows how curious and senstive I am. Then I'll say it sounds like a book I might like. She'll smile. I'll smile back.
Yeah-like I said, the library can be your friend.
As you can tell Charlie Joe is a bit of a player ;-)
"NOTE TO PARENTS: Our academic, social, and future economic success depends on us being able to text, IM, check Facebook, and call our friends every fifteen seconds while writing a school paper. Preferably while also playing"Call of Duty" at the same time."
Summary:
Charlie Joe Jackson may be the most reluctant reader ever born. And so far, he has managed to get through life without ever reading an entire book from cover to cover. But now that he is in middle school, avoiding reading isn't as easy as it used to be. And when his friend Timmy McGibney decides that he is tired of covering for him. Charlie Joe finds himself resorting to more desperate measures to keep his perfect record intact. This is the hilarious story of an avid-nonreader and the extreme lengths to which he'll go to get out of reading a book.
Kazu Kibuishi's bestselling series continues.
Emily and her friends think they'll find the help they need in Cielis, but something isn't right. Streets that were once busy are deserted, and the townspeople who are left living in fear. Emily is escorted to the Academy where she is expected to compete for a spot on the Guardian Council, the most powerful Stonekeepers. But as the number of competitors gets smaller and smaller, a terrible secret is slowly uncovered - a secret that, if left buried, means certain destruction of everything Emily fights for.
Beautiful, inventive artwork captures this other world of the Stonekeepers. It's no wonder it's a popular pick at our library.
Enjoy - here's the trailer.
For those of you that want to experience even more from your books and are lucky enough to own an ipad, you should check this one out. Or have a look at the website -
This is a crazy mix of story, interaction, animation and fun. Probably meant for a younger audience than middle school, but could be interesting to entertain a younger brother or sister with.
Guys Read: Thriller / edited by Jon Scieszka
Another terrific book, this time short stories. Thrillers! say it with me Thriller. Even just saying the word gives a bit of a shiver down the spine. These ten stories are great, some better than others, but I felt entertained by each of them. Here's a little taste from the intro.
Why is that shady-looking character lurking in the dark alley? What's he doing with that crowbar? Is that something in his other hand? What is he doing? What has he done?
That is the mystery.
I'll bet the kid who just spotted him knows what he's up to.
There's not enough light from the street or the full moon to see the guy's face clearly. What if he turns? The kid will see his face. But will he see the kid. And then what?
That is the thriller.
Summary:
A body on the tracks, a teenage terrorist, a mysterious wish-granting machine, the world's worst private detective. The second volume in the Guys Read library of great reading is chock full of mystery, intrigue, and nefarious activity. Featuring some of the best writers around and complied by Jon Sciezka. It's a pulse-pounding collection of brand new short stories, each one guarenteed to keep you riveted until the final page.
Well, if there is gonna be a book that will make you late for school, it might be this one. It almost made me late for the very first day of school. I was reading as fast as I could, getting more and more caught up in Saba's story. I described the book to Mr. Newman and Ms. Garner this way -- it's like The Hunger Games and MadMax and True Grit all rolled up in one. Written in an interesting dialect of the old west, this captures how language changes in different times. I thought of this book many times throughout the day and when that bell rang at 3:30 I knew I needed to get home to finish it. Wow! If your in need of an action packed trill ride with strong characters, action, drama, suspence and unpredictability - this should be your next book. To add to my admiration of the book Moira Young the author is Canadian.
Summary :
A story to make your heart beat faster.
In a wild,
lawless
land...
Saba's twin brother is stolen by mysterious, black-robed riders. She sets out ona desperate journey to find him. Ahead lie violence and treachery, and Saba will need a spirit as tough as her crossbow to survive. But her companions are the smartest bird that ever flew, and a young, handsome thief with eyes the colour of moonlight....
The book trailer.
Stickman Odyssey: an epic doodle by Christopher Ford
Well, this one by far was my favourite read in my Graphic Novel Blitz. There is something about stickmen cartooning that I think is endearing for all of us. It somehow puts us all on a level playing field- that is because we can all draw a stickman, and with a few added lines or bendy lines suddenly our stickman is running. Ta da! Now when you're good at the stickman all you need is a story - no, an epic story. And your on your way. That's how I imagine Christopher Ford got his start, and he just ran with it.
Of course this is a retelling of a very classic story, - The Odyssey. For those of you who have never heard of it, well, it's gonna cross your path someday. But I'm pretty sure some of you will recognise the retelling of these ancient Greek stories. This was laugh out loud funny in places. I really, really liked it.
Summary:
When Zozimos is banished by an evil witch (his stepmother) from the kingdom of Sticatha- the kingdom he was next in line to rule - he trains at battle ( if you can call chasing butterflies training), travels across stormy seas (thanks for that Poseidon), slays golems and monsters (with a lot of help), charms beautiful women (not really) and somehow (despite his own ineptitude) survives quest after quest. By the love of Zeus, though, none of it brings him closer to home!
It does however, make for one quirky, original, giggle provoking graphic novel sure to appeal to any kid interested in Greek Mythology, or mearly looking for an entertaining read.
I was very impressed with Doug TenNapel's first graphic novel Ghostopolis, it was wierd, creepy, fun. I wanted that same feeling from this book, and unfortunately this one kind of fell flat. I feel bad just saying that, I mean look at it! Full-colour, great title that suggests all sorts of wierd creepy fun, huge hours of drawing, colouring and writing this story - for what turned out to be just okay. Anyway, I hope some of you will review it and give me a different perspective about it.
Summary:
Somthing on the island is up to no good...
When Reese is forced to go on a boating trip with his family, the last thing he expects is to be shipwrecked on an island - especially one teeming with wierd plants and animals. But what starts out as simply as a bad vacation turns into a terrible one, as the castaways must find a way to escape while dodging the islands dangerous inhabitants. With few resources, and a mysterious entity on the hunt, each secret unlocked could save them... or spell their doom. One thing Reese knows for sure: this is one bad island.
With supreme abilities, like being able to shift-shape and move objects with his mind, Daniel is strong enough to take on anything in the world. It the things from beyond this planet that are the real problem. Daniel possess a coverted list - that belonged to his father, before he was brutally murdered - targeting inter-galactic criminals preying on the human race. Now, Daniel vows to take on his fathers dangerous mission as the Alien Hunter.
A lone outlaw arrives in the beautiful city of Holliswood with a gruesome goal. He'll create chaos - and film the pandemonium for an audience back home. The destiny of the city and it's inhabitants lies in Daniel X's hands. But this time, Daniel has created a secret weapon of his own. With the help of an all-star team, Daniel and his friends must face a villian with a taste for the kind of terror that usually lives safely in the movies.
Of course if you hadn't figured it out, this is the graphic novel version of the chapter books Daniel X. Daniel is working his way down the list of aliens that still need fighting, that he found from his father.
I read an early graphic novel (not manga) of this series and was impressed - maybe I should explain that, I'm not crazy about aliens and alien hunters, but I thought that it might appeal to some of the readers at my school, and it does. Both the chapter books and the graphic novels are circulating so I can't be that far off. I think I prefer the first graphic novel styling better than the more recent manga styling, but this seems to be the route James Patterson wants to go with the rebranding of the series.
