Choose your own adventure

Sometimes Choose Your Own Adventure books require teamwork -- especially when it involves zombies. Book of choice was Zombie Hunter by Steve Barlow & Steve Skidmore, it's part of the iHorror series.

Wolf Rider

Wolf Rider by Avi

This is an interesting twist on the boy who cried wolf story. I was in need of a change up from the stack of dystopian future books that I'd been reading, and this provided just the right amount of mystery / thriller that I was looking for. A fast read with an unexpected ending.

"The phone rang three times before Andy picked it up. "Hello?" he said. A voice replied, "I just killed someone. I killed ... Nina."

Andy Zadinski in convinced that the man who calls himself "Zeke" is serious. But no one will listen to Andy - not his friends, not the police, not even his father. They all say he's crying wolf, even when Andy discovers that there really is a Nina Klemmer. Even when he spots her at the local college and sees that she fits Zeke's description fo her. Exactly.

Despite warnings from his father that he should just forget about the call, Andy feels obligated to track Nina down and warn her. What if Zeke really is plotting to kill her? When Andy investigates futher, he finds out that Nina may not be Zeke's only target...

All These Things I've Done

All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin

In 2083, chocolate and coffee are illegal, paper is hard to find, water is carefully rationed, and New York City is rife with crime and poverty. And yet for Anya Balanchine, the sixteen-year-old daughter of the city's most notorious (and dead) crime boss, life is fairly routine. It consists of going to school, taking care of her siblings and her dying grandmother, trying to avoid falling in love with the new assistant DA's son, and avoiding her loser ex-boyfriend. That is until her ex is accidentally poisoned by the chocolate her family manufactures and the police think she's to blame. Suddenly Anya finds herself thrusts unwillingly into the spotlight - at school, in the news, and most importantly within her mafia family.

I've enjoyed all of Gabrielle Zevin's books so far, so I was not disappointed with this one either. I quickly fell into liking the character Anya and her family, I love the Romeo / Juliet concept of forbidden love - and family duty, I liked the dystopian future ideas although I think that they could have been elaborated on. So I'd probably give it 4/5 on the readability scale - unfortunately I think they've talked Gabrielle into making this a series, when it really is a great stand alone story.
I think lots of you will enjoy it.
REad On

Nex-generation digital book

Last week Mr. Hall sent a very interesting link to a TED talk that is very relevant to libraries, schools and the future of books.
Here's the link:
http://www.ted.com/talks/mike_matas.html

Later in the day I watched the clip with two classes of grade seven's. Here is some of the discussion and comments we had.
Cool -- (first and foremost.)
Content could be constantly revised and updated with the latest statistics, info-graphs and maps -- maybe information could also be made country specific rather than looking at info only pertaining to United States we could look at others as well.
Jobs of the future -- graphic design, videographers, software design, copy editors (fact checkers).
Appeals to a larger audience - than just text.
Problems with creating a digital divide between the haves' and the have/nots.
Easily damaged - if you drop it, etc.
Hacking issues.
Eliminates the problem of heavy backpacks.
Choosing the best/right format. What will it be next month - is this the flavour of the week?

Students weren't sure if they would be seeing this sort of textbook in their high-school years, some were optimistic in thinking 2 years, but most thought it was about five years away.

Ashfall

Ashfall by Mike Mullin

Did I mention that I've been on a dystopian future kick these days. Well, here's another one that made it's way into my hands- but I think I'm gonna let one of you be the first reader (I started a realistic fiction this morning.)

Summary from the book jacket:
Many visitors to Yellowstone National Park don't realize that the boiling hot springs and spraying geysers are caused by an underlying supervolcano, so large that the caldera can only be seen by plane or satellite. And by some scientific measurements, it could be overdue for an eruption.
For Alex, being alone for the weekend means freedom from his parents and the chance to play computer games and hang out with his friends without hassle from his mother: Then the supervolcano erupts, plunging his hometown into a nightmare of darkness, ash, and violence, Alex begins a harrowing trek, searching for his family and finding help in Darla, his travel partner. Together they must find the strength and skills to survive and outlast an epic disaster.


Beware, this is another one that has a sequel -- which won't be released until later this year (probably September / October.)

Library mash-up

Hey, I just found this cool library mash-up made by Greene County Public Library. Libraries and librarians have been sneaking their way into movies, television and cartoons for years, here's a mash-up of some of the more well known clips featuring libraries, books and librarians.

Michael Vey

Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25 by Richard Paul Evans

Superpowers? What would yours be? Would you want to be able to read minds? How about stop time? or reverse time? How about generate electricity? or make people feel a certain way?
In the story of  Michael Vey a group of teenagers (all born on the same day at the same hosipal in Pasadena) who discover that their is something special -- in fact very special about themselves. Most have been gathered up by evil genius Hatch and have been quickly forced into doing his bidding. All except Michael and Taylor. I'm not going to give too much more away, but this is where the going really gets started.
I think this will find it's way into the hands of those of you who enjoy the Percy Jackson books and also those who enjoy x-men. Kind of an underdog story in a battle of good vs. evil.

The Line

The Line by Teri Hall

Well, it seems like a round of dystopian future type books has hit my desk and here is another one -- The Line by Teri Hall.

From the publisher:
An invisible, uncrossable physical barriers encloses the United States. The line is part of the border that lopped off part of the country, dooming the inhabitants to an unknown fate when the enemy used a banned weapon. It's said that bizarre creatures and superhumans live on the otherside in Away. Nobody except tough old Ms. Moore would live next to the line.
Nobody but Rachel and her mother, who went to live there after Rachel's Dad died in the last war. It's a safe, quiet life. Untile Rachel finds a mysterious recorded message that can only have come from Away. The voice is asking for help.
Who sent the message? Why is her mother so protective? And to what lengths is Rachel willing to go to in order to do what she thinks is right?

Here's an animoto made book trailer that nicely shows how to give credit for pictures/music used.
Read On.

Missing On Superstition Mountain

Missing On Superstition Mountain by Elise Broach

The three Barker brothers, Simon, Henry and Jack - just moved to Arizon and their parents have repeatedly warned them not to explore Superstition Mountain, which is near their home. But when their cat Josie goes missing, the boys see no other choice.
There's somethign unusually  creepy about the mountain, and when the boys find three human skulls, they grow determined to uncover the mystery. Have people really gone missing over the years and is there someone or something lurking in the woods? Together with their new neighbor Delilah, the Barker boys are deadset on cracking the case even if it means putting themselves in harm's way.

I'm a fan of Elise Broach and we've just had a group of students use her book Shakespeare's Secret as a litertature circle choice, so I know that this one will fly off the shelves before long.

Showoff

Showoff by Gordon Korman

From the book jacket:
Showoff: someone who is given to bragging, having a swelled head, boasting, swaggering, knowing it all...
Griffin Bing and his friends are back - and this time, things have gone to the dogs!
After former attack dog Luthor goes berserk at a dog show, he's accused of ruining the career of the three-time champion. Griffin has always wondered whether you could teach such a vicious dog new tricks... but he also smells a setup of some kind. he feels bad for Luthor - bad enough to spring him from the pound.
The only way for Luthor to make everything right is to do the unthinkable... and become the new national champion. Can Griffin Bing, The Man With the Plan, turn this beast into a beauty? Very soon, the whole world will want to know the answer.

If you can't get enough of the characters that Korman created for Swindle, Zoobreak and Framed, you'll be happy to know that the library just got a copy of Showoff. Dog lovers and readers who enjoy a fun sense of humor unite and enjoy another great book from Gordon Korman.
Booktrailer.