I've moved

Hi,

Just to let you all know, I haven't stopped blogging, but I have moved my blog over to wordpress.
You can now follow me here:
http://lakielibrary.wordpress.com/

Read On!

Ungifted

Ungifted by Gordon Korman

From the back cover:
The word gifted has never been applied to a kid like Donovan Curtis. It's usually more like Don't try this at home. So when the troublemaker pulls a major prank at his middle school, he thinks he's finally gone too far. But thanks to a mix-up by one of the administrators, instead of getting in trouble, Donovan is sent to the Academy for Scholastic Distinction (ASD), a special program for gifted and talented students.
It wasn't exactly what Donovan had intended, but there couldn't be a more perfect hideout for someone like him. That is, if he can manage to fool people whose IQs are above genius level. And that becomes harders and harder as the students and teachers of ASD grow to realize that Donovan may not be good at math or science (or just about anything). But after an ongoing experiment with a live human (sister), an unforgettably dramatic middle-school dance, and the most astonishing come-from-behind robot victory ever, Donovan shows that his gifts might be exactly what the ASD students never knew they needed.

I enjoyed this visit to an elite school through a normal kids eyes, but I also liked hearing the brainiac voices of the story. In the same fashion as Korman's Schooled - the various characters take a turns in telling the story. I thought the strongest of these to be Donovan, Chloe and Noah's. I especially liked how Donovan's character frees up Chloe and Noah from being driven students with only one goal (A+++++) into becoming people with many characteristics.

From page 8.
"Corrosion is a terrible thing. It was all in slow motion, but there was nothing you could do to stop it. With a crack, the bolt snapped, pieces whizzing out of sight. The ball of the world and heavens toppled and hit the ground with a whump!
The big bronze globe careened down the hill toward the gym, picking up speed as it went...
The prognosis was not good."

Timber Wolf

Timber Wolf by Caroline Pignat

If you crave a story filled with backcountry adventure look no further...
Jack wakes up alone, injured and completely lost in the Northern wilderness. He has no memory of what happened, how he got there, or who he is. The days pass but there is still no sign of rescue. His injuries are festering and he can no longer hunt to survive. With the dwindling scraps of food and the wolf drawing nearer each night, Jack begins to fear for the worst. His family, wherever they are, whoever they are, have abandoned him completely. The only one coming for him is the wolf.

This is the third book in the Greener Grass series by Caroline Pignat. What I like about this series is that each book can stand alone, although they are tied together by the Byrne family.

I loved this description of the Windigo - "The Windigo towers above the tallest man, but is as gaunt as a skeleton. It smells of death and decay, for that is what it brings as it seeks to feed its never-ending hunger. And the more it eats, the bigger it gets. But as it grows, so does its hunger."
It reminded me of Skeleton Man by Joseph Bruchac. Obviously both creatures are based in Native American myths and legends. I hate to be told that kind of story before heading out on a winters night.

Cardboard

Cardboard by Doug TenNapel

Love this! Good vs evil, creative, friendly,  weird, and creepy cardboard monsters come to life. This story has probably been floating in Mr. TenNapel brain since he was a kid - it's more than just a box.
From page 12 --
 "Gideon, this is an empty box."
"Empty? It's full! Full of ideas... projects... adventure!
"He does like to make things."
"Now you're getting it! Make a submarine, a monster, a train! It beats the heck out of some dumb ol' remote-controlled car! - To the naked eye it appears to be just a plain old cardboard vessel! But this is actually a father-and-son project in disguise! Slay the giant! Kill the Nazis! Hunt for buried treasure! It's up to you! No, this is not just a box! It's everything mankind ever needed to accomplish pressed into a cube of corrugated pulp!

And alas that cube of corrugated pulp becomes a whole nother world, complete with living and breathing creatures and creations. Now part of the problem is how to escape it.
Full colour illustrations and characters that you truly feel you know and can relate with, bring this story to life. I appreciate how one reviewer wrote " Marcus is like a teenage version of Calvin from Calvin & Hobbes."
Summary from back cover:
Cam's down and out father gives him a cardboard box for his birthday and he knows it's the worst present ever. To make the best of a bad situation, they bend the cardboard into a man - and to their astonishment, it comes magically to life. But the neighbourhood jerk, Marcus, warps the powerful cardboard into his own evil creations that threaten to destory them all!

Beware the Ninja Weenies

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.

Bzrk

BZRK by Michael Grant

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.

Archie Meets KISS

 

Archie Meets KISS by Alex Segura

 

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.

 

Here's the trailer

Outcasts United

Outcasts United by Warren St. John

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.

September 19 -- International Talk Like A Pirate Day

 

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!

 

 

Skating Sensation

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.