In search of Sasquatch

In Search of Sasquatch by Kelly Milner Halls

I'm not sure whether it was all the creepy stories my brothers told me about mysterious creatures lurking in the dark and the shadows or if it's because it's Halloween night. But as I sat curled up reading this book, I couldn't help but wonder if there really is or could be such a thing as Sasquatch.

This book takes a look at the native american myths and legends of Bigfoot, current scientists that are actively researching and investigating any evidence that comes up, as well as debunking some stories that have circulated. It was fascinating to hear of real science being applied to these investigations. The question is do you believe? and if not maybe this book will convince you for the next time your out in the woods.
Oh Yeah, this book even references an article from the Lethbridge Herald of 1959. And I especially love the end papers featuring a deep dark forest and quotes Hall has collected during her research of the book.

The Always War

The Alway War by Margaret Peterson Haddix

I'm a big fan of Magaret Peterson Haddix, her books are always thought provoking, what would life be like it??? And she once again has created a story where we ask that exact question. What would life be like if your entire life your country has been at war, how about not just your lifetime but also your parents lifetime, what if this war had been going on for as long as people could remember? Interesting and a scary thought.

Here's the summary from the back cover.
For as long as Tessa can remember, her country has been at war. When local golden boy Gideon Thrall is awarded a medal for courage, it's a rare bright spot for everyone in Tessa's town - untile Gideon refuses the award, claims he was a coward, and runs away. Tessa is bewildered, and can't help but follow Gideon to find out the truth. But Tessa is in for more than she bargained for. Before she knows it, she has stowed away on a rogue airplane and is headed for enemy territory. But all that pales when she discovers a shocking truth that will change the world. But is Tessa strong enough to bring it into the light?

Teachers got caught reading

Can you guess who's reading what? All these readers are from our G.S. Lakie staff. Check out the bulletin board in the library to enter the contest and win fabulous prizes.

Pie

Pie by Sarah Weeks

This book will have your mouth watering with all the talk of pie, but I think you'll also enjoy the tasty mystery and colorful characters Sarah Weeks has created in her latest novel.
"Polly Portman was a natural born pie maker. When she was little, even her mud pies were a cut above what anyone else in the sandbox was doing."

I enjoyed how each new chapter starts out with a recipe card for a pie, and how each of these pies is meant for a particular person of the story. Wonderful, charming read - and now I think I'm off to try my hand at one of the recipes.

Case closed?

Case closed? nine mysteries unlocked by modern science by Susan Hughes

This was a fascinating read suggested by one of our students. The nine mysteries are: ancient eypgtian female pharoh Hatshepsut -was it murder?, Could early explorer Hsu Fu reach North America in a bamboo boat?, What happened to the city of Ubar? Where did the Anasazi people disappear to? What happened to the men of  Sir John Franklin's mission to find the North West Passage?, Could Russian princess Anastasia escaped ?,  Did George Mallory summit Mt. Everest first?,   What happened to the airliner Stardust?,  Where did INS Dakar go?,

These mysteries are researched and debunked with the use of modern science. I learned alot and found these cases to be filled with intrigue, some of them get completely solved, others are still part mystery. 

Dark Eden

Dark Eden by Patrick Carman

I've had the good fortune of receiving the advanced reading edition of this one and having been consuming it for a couple of days and I have to admit to being caught right up in the scary side of phobias. And of course Patrick Carman is still on the cutting edge of bringing his books to life this time with an interactive apps for your iphone / android phone / ipad / ipod / techno gadget. It will make it way to our library soon, get your name on the hold list.
Summary.
Fufteeb-year-old Will Besting is sent by his doctor to Fort Eden, an institution meant to help patients suffering from crippling phobias. Once there, Will and six other teenagers take turns in mysterious fear chambers and confront their worst nightmares - with the help of the group facilitator, Ransford, an enigmatic guide. When the patients emerge from the chamber, they feel emboldened by the previous night's experiences. But each person soon discovers strange, unexplained aches and pains ... What is really happening to the seven teens trapped in this dark Eden?
  Heres the book trailer and some info from Patrick Carman

The Grimm Legacy

The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman

What if fairy-tale magic really existed?
Elizabeth has just started working as a page at the New York Circulating Material Repostitory, a lending library of objects - contemporary and historical, common and obscure. And secret, too - for in the repository's basement lies the Grimm Collection, a room of magical items straight from the Grimm Brothers fairy tales. But the magic mirrors and seven-league boots and other items are starting to disappear. And before she knows it, she and her fellow pages - handsome Marc, perfect Anjali, and brooding Aaron - are suddenly caught up in an exciting but dangerous adventure.

Trailer.



60sec recap

Blizzard of Glass

Blizzard of Glass : the Halifax Explosion of 1917
by Sally M. Walker

Summary from back cover:
December 6, 1917, started lie any other day in Halifax, but everything stopped shortly before 9 a.m., when two ships collided in Halifax Harbour. One of those ships was loaded with munitions and the other held medical supplies, both intended for war-torn Europe.
The resulting disaster was the largest man-made explosion until the detonation of the atomic bomb in 1945. The blast flattened two towns, Halifax and Dartmouth, and killed nearly 2,000 people. As if that wasn't devastating enough, a blizzard hit the next day, dumping more than a foot of snow on the area and slowing much needed relief efforts.
Packed with period photographs, Blizzard of Glass is just what today's young nonfiction lovers are looking for: a fascinating true story and a gripping read.

Back in 2004 Cathy Beveridge wrote a fiction story based on the Halifax explosion titled : Chaos in Halifax, it's a great book and this is also a great book filling in some details about this harrowing event in Canadian history. I liked how the book followed the story of several young people (survivors) as they started their day and the aftermath that followed. The photos from the Nova Scotia archives also provide the reader with a true sense of how forceful the blast and the following tsunami was on the towns of Dartmouth and Halifax.
I can't wait to share this narrative non-fiction with G.S. Lakie students.

Son of Neptune

Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan

Yes, it's finally here! and we have a couple of copies, and our first folks on the holds list are fast readers, so your turn will arrive quickly (I hope?).

Here's the cover summary.

Beginning at the "other" camp for half-bloods and extending as far as the land beyond the gods, this breathtaking second installment of the Heroes of Olympus series introduces new demi-gods, revies fearsome monsters and features other remarkable creatures, all destined to play a part in the Prophesy of Seven.

Percy is confused. When he awoke from his long sleep, he didn't know much more than his name. His brain fuzz is lingering, even after the wolf Lupa told him he is a  demigod and trained him to fight with the pen/sword in his pocket. Somehow Percy manages to make it to a camp for half-bloods, despite the fact that he has to keep killing monsters along the way. But the camp doesn't ring any bells for him. The only thing he can recall from his past is another name: Annabeth.

Book trailer.

Losing Joe's Place

Losing Joe's Place by Gordon Korman

I love so many of Gordon Korman's books that they're getting hard to list, and here's another one to add. Quirky characters, unbelievable events and laughs - what more could you ask for?

Summary:
"Whatever you do, DON'T lose me this lease. It's the best deal in town. Sell your friends, but hang onto the apartment."

Jason and his two best friends are about to have the ultimate summer experience in the big city. And they get to use Jason's brother's apartment for the summer. All they have to do is be sure to pay Joe's rent each month. No problem, right?
Wrong.
They didn't count on dealy with the sleazy landlord, or Joe's strange friend, Rootbeer. And they certainly weren't expecting Joe's Camaro to go missing. Keeping Joe's place turns out to be way harder than they'd expected.

Everything on it

Every thing on it by Shel Silverstein

Have you ever read a book with every thing on it?

Well, here it is, an amazing collection of never before published poems and drawings from the creator of Where the Sidewalk Ends, A Light in the Attic, and Falling UP. You will say Hi Ho for the tiolet troll, get tongue-tied with Stick-a-tongue-out-Sid, play a highly unusual horn, and experience the joys of growing down.

What's that? You have a case of the Lovetobutcans? impossible! Just come on in and let the magic of Shel Silverstein bend your brain and open you heart.

Although I cannot see your face

As you flip these poems awhile,

Somewhere from some far off place,

I hear you laughing -- and I smile.

Floors

Floors by Patrick Carman



Charlie had his chocolate factory. Stanley Yelnats had his holes. Leo has the wacky, amazing Whippet Hotel.
The Whippet Hotel is a strange place full of strange mysterious people. Each floor has its own quirks and secrets. Leo should know most of them - he is the maintenance man's son afterall. But a whole lot more mystery gets thrown his way when a series of cryptic boxes are left for him ... boxes that lead to hidden floors, strange puzzles, unexpected alliances. Leo had better be quick on his feet, because the fate of the building he loves is at stake... and so is Leo's own future.

Here's  the trailer

This Dark Endeavour

This Dark Endeavour : the apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein by Kenneth Oppel

Wow! just finished and yes WOW. From the opening chapter, I was hooked, dark, mysterious, historical, brothers, jealousy, love, action/adventure, magic, villans. Hooked yet? If not -here's the summary from the book jacket.

The purest intentions can stir up the darkest obsessions.
Sixteen-year-old Victor Frankenstein leads a charmed life. He and his twin brother, Konrad, and their beautiful cousin Elizabeth take lessons at home and spend their spare time fencing and horseback riding. Along with their friend Henry, they have explored all the hidden passageways and secret rooms of the palatial Frankenstein chateau. Except one.
The Dark Library contains anceint tomes written in strange languages and filled with forbidden knowledge. Their father makes them promise never to visit the library, but when Konrad becomes deathly ill, Victor know he must find the book that contains the recipe for the legendary Elixir of Life.
The elixir needs only three ingredients. But impossible odds, dangerous alchemy and a bitter love triangle threaten the quest at every turn. Victor knows he must not fail. But his success depends on how far he is willing to push the boundaries of nature, science and love - and how much he is willing to sacrifice.

The Stone Child

The Stone Child by Dan Poblocki
This was a book that was recommended by one of our students, I can definately see why he thought it would be a good addition to our library. Scary. - You guys know I don't like scary books, so why did I take it home on a  gloomy, rainy, dark afternoon? Thanks for setting me up to jump at every little noise around me!
Here's the summary.
How cool! Eddie loves scary stories, and he is moving to the small town where his favourite author, Nathaniel Olmstead, used to live. The author vanished without a trace thirteen year ago, like something out of one of his own creepy novels.
But Eddie soon learns that life in Gatesweed isn't as idyllic as he hoped. He keeps seeing strange things, unreal things, horrible things that shoule only exist in Olmstead's books. How have they escaped the pages to terrorize the town?
Soon Eddie realizes that he and his new friends Harris and Maggie must solve the mystery of Olmstead's disappearance before Eddie's mom finishes writing her own scary tale, unleashing the most horrific creature of all.

Trash

Trash by Andy Mulligan

I was resisting this book, I though this book is gonna break my heart, this book is gonna depress me. Instead I got quite a surprize, I got a book so packed with mystery and suspense I could barely put it down. I got a book that is still with me a week after. I got a book that shows the hopeful side of the human condition in the dirtiest, smelliest, aweful settings I've ever read about. Resiliency, a powerful attribute, an excellent theme for a book if it can be done thoughtfully - Andy Mulligan succeeded in designing an amazing book about it.
Summary from the back cover:
Raphael is a dumpsite boy. He spends his days wading through mountains of steaming trash, sifting it, sorting it, breathing it, sleeping next to it. Then one lucky-unlucky day, Raphael's world turns upside down. A small leather bag falls into his hands. It's a bag of clues. It's a bag of hope. It's a bag that will change everything. Soon Raphael and his friends Gardo and Rat are running for their lives. Wanted by the police. It takes all their quick thinking, fast talking to stay ahead. As the net tightens, they uncover a dead mans mission to right a terrible wrong. And now it's three street boys against the world.

Here's the book trailer.

Lunch Lady series

This graphic novel series is clever and fun, perfect for a quick read during math.
Could our mild mannered Lunch Ladies actually be superheroes with a great disguise? According to Jarret Krosoczka the answer is definately YES.
Creative, clever, love Betty's kitchen spy gadgets, hilarious.

I So Don't Do Makeup

I So Don't Do Makeup by Barrie Summy
Summary:
This third mystery about fast thinking sleuth Sherry Holmes Baldwin is perfect for those that love investigating with heroines they can relate to.
What's better than a sleepover? A sleepover with makeovers! Sherry and her friends have an awesome time with eye shadow, glitter, and more hair products than a salon. But when the girls wake up the next morning with serious skin issues, Sherry is freaked. Someone must have tampered with her makeup. And if anyone can solve a mystery involving mascara, it's Sherry Holmes Baldwin.

Withering Tights

Withering Tights by Louise Rennison

Confession of Georgia Nicholson is back with Georgia's younger cousin Tallulah Casey. Yes! more hilarity from Jolly Ole England.

Summary:

Picture the scene: Dother Hall preforming arts college somewhere Up North , surrounded by rolling dales, bearded cheesemaking villagers (male and female) and wildlife of the squirrely type. On the whole its not quite the showbiz experience Tallulah was expecting ... but once her mates show up and they start their FAME I'm gonnnna liiivvvve forevvvver, I'm gonna fill my tiggghts summer course things are bound to look up. Especially when the boys arrive (When DO the boys arrive?) Six weeks of parent-free freedom, BOY freedom, artistic freedom, cos it's the THEATRE dahling, theatre.

Here's the trailer.

Gimme a call

Gimme a Call by Sarah Mlynowski

We've just recieved more books yeah!!!! So I want to give you a quick peek at some of them - unfortunately I haven't had a chance to read all these titles so I'm just going to give you the book jacket info and a trailer if there is one.

Summary:

A new life is just a phone call away!

Devis' life isn't turning out at all like she wanted. She wasted the past three years going out with Bryan - cute, adorable, break-your-heart Bryan. Devi let her friendships fade, blew off studying, didn't join any clubs ... and now that Bryan has broken up with her, she has nothing left.

Not even her stupid cell phone - she dropped it in the fountain at the mall. Now it only calls one number -- hers. At age fourteen, three years ago.

Once Devi gets over the shock - and convinces her younger self that she isn't some wacko - she realizes she's been given an awesome gift. She can tell herself all the right things to do ... because she's already done the wrong ones. Who better to take advise from? right?