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.
Beware the Ninja Weenies : and other warped and creepy tales by David Lubar
I have been a fan of David Lubar's for years now, our library has the complete collection of his warped and creepy tales, and I think the make the best short story read-alouds. So, I was happy to take this book home and review it. I now have a list of a least 6 more that will make perfect read-alouds for the gang at Lakie.
I'm in touch with this description from the back cover: "These short-story collections really showcase [Lubar's] delightfully twisted imagination. For me, reading Attack of the Vampire Weenies was like watching a bunch of Twilight Zone episodes for kids.... There is no doubt about it - David Lubar is the Rod Serling of middle-grade fiction."
I was a late night watcher of the Twilight Zone and I think Lubar must have been too.
Here's the deal, I won't have a chance to read this one right away (and I have to admit that I'm a little overwhelmed with the number of dystopian future books on my TBR pile) so I am looking for a student to read and review this one for me. I will post your review here on the blog - it can be a written review, a avatar review, or a vlog review - your choice.
Here's the book trailer so that you know what your in for.
It's been awhile since I've read an Archie comic, so when I was ordering this round of graphic novels I couldn't resist including Archie in his latest antics. The characters of Riverdale remain the same, with a few unexpected visitors, Sabrina the teenage witch, Josie of Josie and the Pussycats and well obviously KISS - oh yeah and throw in some zombies. The storyline is the following: When one of Sabrina the Teenage Witch's spells goes awry and summons forth a gang of dangerous monsters bent on turning the people of Riverdale into mindless zombies, what can Archie and the gang do to save the town and their friends. Enter KISS - four supernatural heroes with their sights set on the frightening invaders.
Things I liked: Reading an Archie comic again. KISS lyrics sprinkled throughout the text. The chapter cover artwork that mimics KISS album covers. The artists sketchbook at the end of the book - I love to see where the inspiration comes from.
Things I didn't like: It was a little predictable and I would have liked the monsters to be more monsterish.
I always cheer for the underdog, I'm always happy to see the little guy do well, and I love the fact that there are people out there that are quietly giving of themselves to better a situation. Outcasts United embraces all of these things. What's not to like.
I don't know much about the game of soccer. I've never played it. I've never watched a full game of it. I don't know how many players are on a team, what their positions mean, but that didn't stop me from understanding this book. Because this book although it is about soccer, the heart of the book is about community, about a team, about struggle, about committment and about a coach who believes in the game and her players. If you're in need of an uplifting story don't miss out on this one.
pg. 226
"Luma is really a normal person doing what she can for the people around her. If people can look at her and see that, that she's human, not a saint or a superhero, and that she doesn't - can't- do everything or effect miracles, then maybe they can say to themselves, 'I need to look around myself and see my neighborhood, and what is going on here and five streets over, and what I can do in terms of investing myself and my time , to be present for the people around me, and to do something positive for change in my community.' "No one person can do everything," Tracy said. "But we can all do something."
From the book jacket:
More than half of the people who live in clarkston, Georgia, are refugges, mostly women and children, form more htna fifteen countries. Twenty year ago, clarkston was sparsely populated by working-class families. Then the federal government designated the town a refugee centre. Almost overnight, Clarkston changed in countless ways.
One day, Luma Mufleh, a young Jordanian woman educated in the United States and working as a coach for private youth soccer teams in Atlanta, was out for a drive and ended up in Clarkston. She was pleasantly surprised by the ethnic restaurants and by the sight of women wearing the hijab. Most of all, she was amazed and delighted to see young boys, black and brown and white, some barefoot, playing soccer on every flat surface they could find. Luma decided to quit her job, move to Clarkston, and start a soccer team. This was where she needed to be, and this was where she would make a huge difference.
Ahoy! matey's. AaRRR the day has finally come. The day to plunder your lockers for hidden eye-patches, to loot the classroom for buried treasure and dance the hornpipe when the bell rings. It's the day to let your raucous pirate self out before he/she get locked away down deep (Davie Jones locker deep) until next year.
Here's a listing of some fabulous piratey books. Grab one and get inspired.
Tough Boris by Mem Fox
Whatever You Do Don't Go Near That Canoe by Julie Lawson
Blackbeard and the Birthday Suit by M. McElliott
The Secret of the Unicorn by Herge
Timothy and the Dragons Gate by A. Kress
The Dread Pirate Fleur and the Ruby Heart by Sara Starbuck
Pirates by Celia Rees
Hamish X and the Cheese Pirates by Sean Cullen
Demons of the Ocean by Justin Stomper
Bloody Jack by L.A. Meyer
The Invaders by John Flanagan
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
The Wave Runners by Kai Meyer
Airborn by Kenneth Oppel
The Ghost of Grania O'Malley by Michael Morpurgo
Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry
The Last of the Sky Pirates by Paul Stewart
Capt. Hook by J.V. Hart
Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson
The Unsinkable Walker Bean by Aaron Renier
The Wreckers by Ian Lawrence
There's many more, come down and see me - do your best pirate impression and the reward will be great ... if your impression is poor well I'll make you swab the deck, before I make you walk the plank!
Dork Diaries : Skating Sensation by Rachel Renee Russell
These books are gaining so much popularity at school that I've had to order more, and yesterday this brand new one arrived.
Here's the summary:
Nikki Maxwell isn't at all surprised to find out that her crush Brandon volunteers at a local animal shelter. He's such a sweet guy - of course he wants to help those adorable puppies. Then Brandon tells her that the shelter is in danger of closing down, and Nikki knows that she can't let that happen. Especially when she discovers a shocking secret about Brandon that makes keeping the shelter open more important that anything. So Nikki and her friends Chloe and Zoey enter an ice skating competition to help raise money for the shelter, but big surprise MacKenzie has to stick her nose in and cause trouble so that she can be the one to swoop in and save the day. No way will Nikki let that happen: she'll just have to find some extra creative ideas this time.
This is a story that will satisfy both historical fiction fans and sci-fi fans. Our strong female protagonist Jesse lives with her family in the frontier village of Clifton. The children of Clifton are getting sick. Seriously sick. Jesse is the one chosen to leave the village (and everything she knows) to travel to a strange new place in order to find medicine that could save her friends and family. Can she do it before she runs out of time.
This book will provide great conversation, the idea of reality TV might have sprung up from this book. I love the idea of which skills transfer through generations of time. Jesse's courage and questioning mind are the heroes of the story. It was a great quick read for the weekend.
Throughout middle school and high school students learn about various forms and styles of governments, for those of us living in a democracy we can hardly imagine a life without a Bill of Rights that ensures all kinds of basic rights and freedoms. So to imagine a country that has gone from a democracy to dictatorship / tyranny, that should scare the pants off of you. Imagine the Bill of Rights being replaced by Moral Statutes, or that the police have been replaced by soldiers and these soldiers have absolute power to make decisions about your future on the spot. Imagine a set of rules that demand complete compliance - there will be no argument, no debate, no trial for disobeying. This is the world that Ember finds herself in, and when her mother is arrested for violating Article 5 (Children are considered valid citizens only when conceived by a married man and wife ). Ember's life changes abruptly as she is taken away to a rehabilitation centre. Ember's focus becomes one of escape and survival in order to rescue her mother, but that can't be done from within the prison she beening held at. Can she rely on Chase a boy from her past, who is now part of the governments machine of law and order?
Dystopian future books are still all the rage, and here is another one to add to the list. While I had high hopes for this one, it fell a bit short for me. It's an interesting idea and will appeal to readers who enjoyed Divergent. Give it a try and tell me what you think.
The breakneck pace of Storm Runners by Roland Smith, grabs you from the first page and just keeps on going, right to page 143. The story never really let up- in fact I'll be heading to the shelves this morning to check out book two in the series. Chase Masters and his father are storm runners, racing across the country in pursuit of hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods. Anywhere bad weather strikes, they are not far behind. Chase is learning more on the road than he ever would just sitting in the classroom. But when the hurricane of the century hits, he will be tested in ways he never could have imagined.
Here's an interview with author Roland Smith.
I love picture books. I love all they can say with so few words. I love the simplicity, the artwork, the humour. So this morning when I came across this project I just felt I needed to share it. Now this has me thinking... do you think we could do a project like this with titles from our library?
Maybe even more than picture books, I enjoy pop-up books, I've tried making simple ones, but get a load outta this guy. He's a true paper engineer. I know I'd love to hold that advent calendar in my hands, peek in every window, every door and be mystified at how it was done.
