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Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Friday, July 2, 2010
Middle School Reading Project 2010
Summer Project List
HIDDEN OAKS MIDDLE SCHOOL 2010
READING LIST FOR SUMMER FUN, FUN, FUN!
The Kings of Clonmel (Ranger's Apprentice Series #8) by John Flanagan
Mankind puts its faith in many things—gods, kings, money—anything for protection from the world's many dangers. When a cult springs up in neighboring Clonmel, promising to quell the recent attacks by lawless marauders, people flock from all over to offer gold in exchange for protection. But this particular group, with which Halt is all too familiar, has a less than charitable agenda. Secrets will be unveiled and battles fought to the death as Will and Horace help Halt in ridding the land of a dangerous enemy. Books 1 through 7 are also available.
By Royal Command (Young Bond Series #5) by Charlie Higson
Forced to flee from Eton to Austria, James must leave behind everything he knows. Soon he is trapped in a deadly war of secrets and lies, as a nightmare reunion with a bitter enemy plunges him once more into the face of death. Life for James Bond will never be the same again. Books 1 through 4 are also available.
The Red Pyramid (Kane chronicles series #1) by Rick Riordan. Since their mother's death, Carter and Sadie have become like strangers. While Sadie has lived with her grandparents in London, her brother has traveled the world with their father, the brilliant Egyptologist, Dr. Julius Kane. One night, Dr. Kane brings the siblings together for a "research experiment" at the British Museum, where he hopes to set things right for his family. Instead, he unleashes the Egyptian god Set, who banishes him to oblivion and forces the children to flee for their lives. Soon, Sadie and Carter discover that the gods of Egypt are waking, and the worst of them —Set— has his sights on the Kanes. To stop him, the siblings embark on a dangerous journey across the globe - a quest that brings them ever closer to the truth about their family and their links to a secret order that has existed since the time of the pharaohs.
Kane Chronicles/Red Pyramid Website
http://disney.go.com/disneybooks/kanechronicles/
Red Pyramid Book Trailer
Overdrive
http://martin.lib.overdrive.com/0DF90FDE-8038-4BE5-95C2-FEDB3591177B/10/572/en/ContentDetails.htm?ID=E070507A-204E-416C-8A96-A35A966AFAFA
Babe and Me (Baseball card adventure series) by Dan Gutman. On October 1, 1932, during Game Three of the Chicago Cubs — New York Yankees World Series, Babe Ruth belted a long home run to centerfield. According to legend, just before he hit, Babe pointed to the bleachers and boldly predicted he would slam the next pitch there. Did he call the shot or didn't he? Witnesses never agreed. Like other baseball fans, Joe Stoshack wants to know the truth. But unlike other fans, Joe has the astonishing ability to travel through time and solve one of baseball's greatest puzzles.... Other books in the series are Ray and Me, Shoeless Joe and Me, Jackie and Me and Mickey and Me.
Artemis Fowl: The Atlantis Complex by Eoin Colfer. (#7 in the series and will be available July 27th)) Artemis has committed his entire fortune to a project he believes will save the planet and its inhabitants, both human and fairy. Can it be true? Has goodness taken hold of the world’s greatest teenage criminal mastermind? Captain Holly Short is unconvinced, and discovers that Artemis is suffering from Atlantis Complex, a psychosis common among guilt-ridden fairies -- not humans -- and most likely triggered by Artemis’s dabbling with fairy magic. Symptoms include obsessive-compulsive behavior, paranoia, multiple personality disorder and, in extreme cases, embarrassing professions of love to a certain feisty LEPrecon fairy. Unfortunately, Atlantis Complex has struck at the worst possible time. A deadly foe from Holly’s past is intent on destroying the actual city of Atlantis. Can Artemis escape the confines of his mind -- and the grips of a giant squid -- in time to save the underwater metropolis and its fairy inhabitants?
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater. For years, Grace has been fascinated by the yellow-eyed wolf that saved her from its pack when she was a child. Sam, bitten by a wolf as a boy, is that wolf. Discover what happens when they finally meet after a wolf hunt (inspired by the apparent death of a local teen) that sends a wounded and temporarily human Sam into Grace's arms.
Author webpage
Spells by Aprilynne Pike. Laurel's a faerie, and faeries are plants. On her back, a blossom sprouts annually; she binds it down under her shirt to keep the secret. Briefly visiting magical Avalon, where she was born (but which she doesn't recall), she studies plant lore and faerie society. As is traditional in supernatural romance, two boys want her: human David, warm and devoted, and faerie sentry Tamani who is sizzlingly attractive and pining for Laurel's return. Trolls stalk and entrap Laurel and her loved ones in the human world, seeking revenge and the gateway into Avalon, while a slick human woman with a special-ops team helps defeat the trolls but rouses Laurel's suspicion. Book 1 – Wings is also available.
The Cardturner by Louis Sachar. After his girlfriend hooks up with his best friend, Alton Richards is too shell-shocked to be hunting for new adventures. Recognizing his doldrums, his parents dispatch him on a strange summer assignment: His new job, four times a week, is to turn cards for his blind, bridge-playing great-uncle Lester. Aging, rich, and visibly frail, Lester Trapp is surrounded by family, servants, and nurses attentive to the old man's wishes hoping to get into his will. Watching their mixed motives (and some of his own), Alton learns to discern the difference between illusion and reality.
Fire in the Sky (Seekers series #5) by Erin Hunter. Three cubs along with their shape-shifting friend stand on the edge of the sea-ice under the blazing Northern Lights. The land has come to an end, but the bears’ journey is far from over. Now they must put their trust in Kallik’s paws, as she feels the ice pulling her out toward the ocean. Books 1 through 4 are also available.
Woods Runner by Gary Paulsen. Samuel, 13, spends his days in the forest, hunting for food for his family. He has grown up on the frontier of a British colony, America. He lives far from any town, or the news of the war against the King that American patriots have begun near Boston. But soon the war comes to them. British soldiers and the Iroquois attack. Samuel's parents are taken away as prisoners. Samuel follows, hiding, moving silently, determined to find a way to rescue them. Each day he confronts the enemy, and the tragedy and horror of this war. But he also discovers allies, men and women working secretly for the patriot cause. And he learns that he must go deep into enemy territory to find his parents: all the way to the British headquarters of New York City.
The books listed above are the newer books that have just come out or will be coming out soon. Other great titles that are available at your local library (you just need a library card) are;
The On the Run series by Gordon Korman. (crime action adventure)
The Clique series by Lisi Harrison. (girl drama)
The Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer. (supernatural romance)
The Warrior series by Erin Hunter. (Animal fantasy)
The Sammy Keyes series by Wendelin Van Draanen. (mystery comedy)
The Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney. (comedy in diary format)
Extra credit will be given to those students that read a book from the above list and complete a project from the project list found on this web site. Participating in the summer reading project is optional; however we do want to encourage all our students to read over the summer.
HIDDEN OAKS MIDDLE SCHOOL 2010
SUMMER READING PROJECT CHOICES
In an effort to keep students reading over the summer, Hidden Oaks Middle School would like to provide all returning students the opportunity to earn extra credit by reading one of the books off the 2010 recommended summer reading list and completing one of the projects listed below. This is NOT a requirement but we hope that parents will encourage their children to read and explain that escaping into a captivating book can be a refreshing mini-vacation. Projects must meet the requirements explained below, be organized, show creativity and effort along with knowledge of the book read.
Poster: Make a time line of all the events in the book on a poster board. Include title, author, setting and main character names.
ABC Book: Each letter in your book will represent a character’s name, place or significant event. Write one sentence that corresponds with each letter. Illustrate each page and assemble as a book ranging from A to Z.
Poster: Make a poster creating a new cover for your book. Write a summary of the plot.
Wanted Poster: Make a “wanted” poster for one of the characters or objects in your book. Include the following:
· A drawing or cut out picture of the character or object
· A physical description of the character or object
· The character’s or object’s misdeeds (or deeds)
· Other information about the character or object which is important
· The reward offered for the capture of the character or object
Oral Report: Be a TV or radio reporter, and give a report of a scene from the book as if it is happening “live.” It should be 3-5 minutes and can be done on video or in front of the class.
Be the Teacher – Make a test for the book you read. Include 10 true-false questions. After making the test, provide the answers for your questions.
Poster: Make a poster advertising your book so someone else will want to read it. Use plot details on the poster.
Poster: Look through magazines for words and pictures that describe your book. Use these to create a collage on poster board. Write sentences beside each picture to show its significance.
Poster: Draw a comic-book page complete with bubble-style conversations showing an incident in your book.
use this page for backgrounds and for text then either hand draw characters from book to paper and then cut and glue onto the comic book page or create them online with yahoo avatar maker, inkscape, paint, etc...
http://disney.go.com/dxd/index.html?channel=865704#/create/apps/comiccreator/ultraheroes/
Poster: Make a poster creating a new cover for your book. Write a summary of the plot.
Poster: Follow the foot prints – click here for instructions.
HIDDEN OAKS MIDDLE SCHOOL 2010
READING LIST FOR SUMMER FUN, FUN, FUN!
The Kings of Clonmel (Ranger's Apprentice Series #8) by John Flanagan
Mankind puts its faith in many things—gods, kings, money—anything for protection from the world's many dangers. When a cult springs up in neighboring Clonmel, promising to quell the recent attacks by lawless marauders, people flock from all over to offer gold in exchange for protection. But this particular group, with which Halt is all too familiar, has a less than charitable agenda. Secrets will be unveiled and battles fought to the death as Will and Horace help Halt in ridding the land of a dangerous enemy. Books 1 through 7 are also available.
By Royal Command (Young Bond Series #5) by Charlie Higson
Forced to flee from Eton to Austria, James must leave behind everything he knows. Soon he is trapped in a deadly war of secrets and lies, as a nightmare reunion with a bitter enemy plunges him once more into the face of death. Life for James Bond will never be the same again. Books 1 through 4 are also available.
The Red Pyramid (Kane chronicles series #1) by Rick Riordan. Since their mother's death, Carter and Sadie have become like strangers. While Sadie has lived with her grandparents in London, her brother has traveled the world with their father, the brilliant Egyptologist, Dr. Julius Kane. One night, Dr. Kane brings the siblings together for a "research experiment" at the British Museum, where he hopes to set things right for his family. Instead, he unleashes the Egyptian god Set, who banishes him to oblivion and forces the children to flee for their lives. Soon, Sadie and Carter discover that the gods of Egypt are waking, and the worst of them —Set— has his sights on the Kanes. To stop him, the siblings embark on a dangerous journey across the globe - a quest that brings them ever closer to the truth about their family and their links to a secret order that has existed since the time of the pharaohs.
Kane Chronicles/Red Pyramid Website
http://disney.go.com/disneybooks/kanechronicles/
Red Pyramid Book Trailer
Overdrive
http://martin.lib.overdrive.com/0DF90FDE-8038-4BE5-95C2-FEDB3591177B/10/572/en/ContentDetails.htm?ID=E070507A-204E-416C-8A96-A35A966AFAFA
Babe and Me (Baseball card adventure series) by Dan Gutman. On October 1, 1932, during Game Three of the Chicago Cubs — New York Yankees World Series, Babe Ruth belted a long home run to centerfield. According to legend, just before he hit, Babe pointed to the bleachers and boldly predicted he would slam the next pitch there. Did he call the shot or didn't he? Witnesses never agreed. Like other baseball fans, Joe Stoshack wants to know the truth. But unlike other fans, Joe has the astonishing ability to travel through time and solve one of baseball's greatest puzzles.... Other books in the series are Ray and Me, Shoeless Joe and Me, Jackie and Me and Mickey and Me.
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Artemis Fowl: The Atlantis Complex by Eoin Colfer. (#7 in the series and will be available July 27th)) Artemis has committed his entire fortune to a project he believes will save the planet and its inhabitants, both human and fairy. Can it be true? Has goodness taken hold of the world’s greatest teenage criminal mastermind? Captain Holly Short is unconvinced, and discovers that Artemis is suffering from Atlantis Complex, a psychosis common among guilt-ridden fairies -- not humans -- and most likely triggered by Artemis’s dabbling with fairy magic. Symptoms include obsessive-compulsive behavior, paranoia, multiple personality disorder and, in extreme cases, embarrassing professions of love to a certain feisty LEPrecon fairy. Unfortunately, Atlantis Complex has struck at the worst possible time. A deadly foe from Holly’s past is intent on destroying the actual city of Atlantis. Can Artemis escape the confines of his mind -- and the grips of a giant squid -- in time to save the underwater metropolis and its fairy inhabitants?
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater. For years, Grace has been fascinated by the yellow-eyed wolf that saved her from its pack when she was a child. Sam, bitten by a wolf as a boy, is that wolf. Discover what happens when they finally meet after a wolf hunt (inspired by the apparent death of a local teen) that sends a wounded and temporarily human Sam into Grace's arms.
Author webpage
Spells by Aprilynne Pike. Laurel's a faerie, and faeries are plants. On her back, a blossom sprouts annually; she binds it down under her shirt to keep the secret. Briefly visiting magical Avalon, where she was born (but which she doesn't recall), she studies plant lore and faerie society. As is traditional in supernatural romance, two boys want her: human David, warm and devoted, and faerie sentry Tamani who is sizzlingly attractive and pining for Laurel's return. Trolls stalk and entrap Laurel and her loved ones in the human world, seeking revenge and the gateway into Avalon, while a slick human woman with a special-ops team helps defeat the trolls but rouses Laurel's suspicion. Book 1 – Wings is also available.
The Cardturner by Louis Sachar. After his girlfriend hooks up with his best friend, Alton Richards is too shell-shocked to be hunting for new adventures. Recognizing his doldrums, his parents dispatch him on a strange summer assignment: His new job, four times a week, is to turn cards for his blind, bridge-playing great-uncle Lester. Aging, rich, and visibly frail, Lester Trapp is surrounded by family, servants, and nurses attentive to the old man's wishes hoping to get into his will. Watching their mixed motives (and some of his own), Alton learns to discern the difference between illusion and reality.
Fire in the Sky (Seekers series #5) by Erin Hunter. Three cubs along with their shape-shifting friend stand on the edge of the sea-ice under the blazing Northern Lights. The land has come to an end, but the bears’ journey is far from over. Now they must put their trust in Kallik’s paws, as she feels the ice pulling her out toward the ocean. Books 1 through 4 are also available.
Woods Runner by Gary Paulsen. Samuel, 13, spends his days in the forest, hunting for food for his family. He has grown up on the frontier of a British colony, America. He lives far from any town, or the news of the war against the King that American patriots have begun near Boston. But soon the war comes to them. British soldiers and the Iroquois attack. Samuel's parents are taken away as prisoners. Samuel follows, hiding, moving silently, determined to find a way to rescue them. Each day he confronts the enemy, and the tragedy and horror of this war. But he also discovers allies, men and women working secretly for the patriot cause. And he learns that he must go deep into enemy territory to find his parents: all the way to the British headquarters of New York City.
The books listed above are the newer books that have just come out or will be coming out soon. Other great titles that are available at your local library (you just need a library card) are;
The On the Run series by Gordon Korman. (crime action adventure)
The Clique series by Lisi Harrison. (girl drama)
The Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer. (supernatural romance)
The Warrior series by Erin Hunter. (Animal fantasy)
The Sammy Keyes series by Wendelin Van Draanen. (mystery comedy)
The Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney. (comedy in diary format)
Extra credit will be given to those students that read a book from the above list and complete a project from the project list found on this web site. Participating in the summer reading project is optional; however we do want to encourage all our students to read over the summer.
HIDDEN OAKS MIDDLE SCHOOL 2010
SUMMER READING PROJECT CHOICES
In an effort to keep students reading over the summer, Hidden Oaks Middle School would like to provide all returning students the opportunity to earn extra credit by reading one of the books off the 2010 recommended summer reading list and completing one of the projects listed below. This is NOT a requirement but we hope that parents will encourage their children to read and explain that escaping into a captivating book can be a refreshing mini-vacation. Projects must meet the requirements explained below, be organized, show creativity and effort along with knowledge of the book read.
Poster: Make a time line of all the events in the book on a poster board. Include title, author, setting and main character names.
ABC Book: Each letter in your book will represent a character’s name, place or significant event. Write one sentence that corresponds with each letter. Illustrate each page and assemble as a book ranging from A to Z.
Poster: Make a poster creating a new cover for your book. Write a summary of the plot.
Wanted Poster: Make a “wanted” poster for one of the characters or objects in your book. Include the following:
· A drawing or cut out picture of the character or object
· A physical description of the character or object
· The character’s or object’s misdeeds (or deeds)
· Other information about the character or object which is important
· The reward offered for the capture of the character or object
Oral Report: Be a TV or radio reporter, and give a report of a scene from the book as if it is happening “live.” It should be 3-5 minutes and can be done on video or in front of the class.
Be the Teacher – Make a test for the book you read. Include 10 true-false questions. After making the test, provide the answers for your questions.
Poster: Make a poster advertising your book so someone else will want to read it. Use plot details on the poster.
Poster: Look through magazines for words and pictures that describe your book. Use these to create a collage on poster board. Write sentences beside each picture to show its significance.
Poster: Draw a comic-book page complete with bubble-style conversations showing an incident in your book.
use this page for backgrounds and for text then either hand draw characters from book to paper and then cut and glue onto the comic book page or create them online with yahoo avatar maker, inkscape, paint, etc...
http://disney.go.com/dxd/index.html?channel=865704#/create/apps/comiccreator/ultraheroes/
Poster: Make a poster creating a new cover for your book. Write a summary of the plot.
Poster: Follow the foot prints – click here for instructions.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Recommended Titles for Students Entering Fifth Grade:
We suggest these titles for students who are entering fifth grade. They are designed to encourage students to make reading a habit, raising both their interests and reading level. Remember students can choose a book from the
list or any other book they would like to read. Happy reading!
Titles:
Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry
Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo
Summer of the Skunks by Wilmoth Foreman
Dork in Disguise by Carol Gorman
Ida B: and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World by Katherine Hannigan
Into the Wild By Erin Hunter
The Capture by Kathryn Lasky
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
The Wish Master by Betty Ren Wright
The City of Ember Jeanne DuPrau
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin
The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg by Rodman Philbrick
Chickens may not cross the road and other crazy (but true) laws by Kathi Linz
Beauty and the Beast by Jan Brett
The Loathsome Dragon by David Wiesner
You wouldn’t want to be Cleopatra! An Eqyptian Ruler You’d Rather Not Be by Jim Pipe
Time of Wonder by Robert McCloskey
Million-Dollar Throw by Mike Lupica
The Graveyard Book By Neil Gaiman
Sounder by William Howard Armstrong
Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis
The Cay by Theodore Taylor
The Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell
Try these Series...
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer Beast Quest by Adam Blade
Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
Deltora Quest by Emily Rodda
Edgar and Ellen by Charles Ogden
Guardians of Ga'hoole by Kathryn Lasky
Warriors by Erin Hunter
Baseball Card Adventure by Dan Gutman
Main Street by Ann M. Martin
Help! By Todd Strasser
Mysteries in Our National Parks by Gloria Skurzynski
Dear America by Various authors
Sisters Grimm by Michael Buckley
Dark is rising sequence by Susan Cooper
Dear Dumb Diary by Jim Benton
Try these Authors...
Avi
Beverly Clearly
Sharon Creech
Lois Lowry
Betsy Byars
Dave Barry
Roland Smith
Andrew Clements
Gordan Korman
Peg Kehret
Margaret Peterson Haddix
list or any other book they would like to read. Happy reading!
Titles:
Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry
Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo
Summer of the Skunks by Wilmoth Foreman
Dork in Disguise by Carol Gorman
Ida B: and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World by Katherine Hannigan
Into the Wild By Erin Hunter
The Capture by Kathryn Lasky
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
The Wish Master by Betty Ren Wright
The City of Ember Jeanne DuPrau
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin
The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg by Rodman Philbrick
Chickens may not cross the road and other crazy (but true) laws by Kathi Linz
Beauty and the Beast by Jan Brett
The Loathsome Dragon by David Wiesner
You wouldn’t want to be Cleopatra! An Eqyptian Ruler You’d Rather Not Be by Jim Pipe
Time of Wonder by Robert McCloskey
Million-Dollar Throw by Mike Lupica
The Graveyard Book By Neil Gaiman
Sounder by William Howard Armstrong
Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis
The Cay by Theodore Taylor
The Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell
Try these Series...
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer Beast Quest by Adam Blade
Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
Deltora Quest by Emily Rodda
Edgar and Ellen by Charles Ogden
Guardians of Ga'hoole by Kathryn Lasky
Warriors by Erin Hunter
Baseball Card Adventure by Dan Gutman
Main Street by Ann M. Martin
Help! By Todd Strasser
Mysteries in Our National Parks by Gloria Skurzynski
Dear America by Various authors
Sisters Grimm by Michael Buckley
Dark is rising sequence by Susan Cooper
Dear Dumb Diary by Jim Benton
Try these Authors...
Avi
Beverly Clearly
Sharon Creech
Lois Lowry
Betsy Byars
Dave Barry
Roland Smith
Andrew Clements
Gordan Korman
Peg Kehret
Margaret Peterson Haddix
Recommended Titles for Students Entering Fourth Grade:
Remember students can choose a book from the list or any other book they would like to read. Happy Reading!
TITLES:
Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs by Betty Birney The World According to Humphrey by Betty Birney Mr. Chickee's Funny Money by Christopher Paul Curtis
Shelter Dogs: Amazing Stories of Adopted Strays by Peg Kehret
The Last Brother by Trinka Hakes Noble When Mack Came Back by Brad Strickland
The Three Little Wolves and The Big Bad Pig by Eugenios Trivizas
Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Star in the Storm by Joan Hiatt
Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George
Windcatcher by Avi
Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry
Howliday Inn by James Howe
Pigs Might Fly by Dick King-Smith
The Well-Wishers by Edward Eager
Bug Boy by Carol Sonenklar
Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
Trumpet of the Swan by E. B. White
The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden
Matilda by Roald Dahl
The Pinballs by Betsy Byars
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
Thunder from the Sea by Joan Hiatt Harlow
Just Grace by Charise Mericle Harper
Sword Thief by Peter Lerangis
SERIES:
Time Warp Trio by Jon Scieszka
Amazing Days of Abby Hayes by Anne Mazer
Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
American Chillers by Jonathan Rand
Warriors by Erin Hunter
The Underland Chronicles (Gregor) by Suzanne Collins
39 Clues by various authors
Secrets of Droon by Tony Abbott
Allie Finkle by Meg Cabot
The Spiderwick Chronicles by Tony DiTerlizzi
Dragon Slayers’ Academy by Kate McMullan
Fairy Realm by Emily Rodda
Frannie K. Stein by Jim Benton
Hank Zipzer by Henry Winkler
Left Behind- the Kids by Jerry Jenkins
Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket
Judy Moody by Megan McDonald
AUTHORS:
George Selden
Edward Eager
Peg Kehret
Louis Sachar
Beverly Clearly
Andrew Clements
Judy Blume
Roald DahlBill Wallace
Gordan Korman
Roland Smith
Will Hobbs
Rick Riordan
Matt Christopher
TITLES:
Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs by Betty Birney The World According to Humphrey by Betty Birney Mr. Chickee's Funny Money by Christopher Paul Curtis
Shelter Dogs: Amazing Stories of Adopted Strays by Peg Kehret
The Last Brother by Trinka Hakes Noble When Mack Came Back by Brad Strickland
The Three Little Wolves and The Big Bad Pig by Eugenios Trivizas
Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Star in the Storm by Joan Hiatt
Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George
Windcatcher by Avi
Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry
Howliday Inn by James Howe
Pigs Might Fly by Dick King-Smith
The Well-Wishers by Edward Eager
Bug Boy by Carol Sonenklar
Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
Trumpet of the Swan by E. B. White
The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden
Matilda by Roald Dahl
The Pinballs by Betsy Byars
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
Thunder from the Sea by Joan Hiatt Harlow
Just Grace by Charise Mericle Harper
Sword Thief by Peter Lerangis
SERIES:
Time Warp Trio by Jon Scieszka
Amazing Days of Abby Hayes by Anne Mazer
Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
American Chillers by Jonathan Rand
Warriors by Erin Hunter
The Underland Chronicles (Gregor) by Suzanne Collins
39 Clues by various authors
Secrets of Droon by Tony Abbott
Allie Finkle by Meg Cabot
The Spiderwick Chronicles by Tony DiTerlizzi
Dragon Slayers’ Academy by Kate McMullan
Fairy Realm by Emily Rodda
Frannie K. Stein by Jim Benton
Hank Zipzer by Henry Winkler
Left Behind- the Kids by Jerry Jenkins
Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket
Judy Moody by Megan McDonald
AUTHORS:
George Selden
Edward Eager
Peg Kehret
Louis Sachar
Beverly Clearly
Andrew Clements
Judy Blume
Roald DahlBill Wallace
Gordan Korman
Roland Smith
Will Hobbs
Rick Riordan
Matt Christopher
Recommended Titles for Students Entering Third Grade:
Remember students can choose a book from the list or any other book they would like to read. Don’t forget some
non-fiction, too! Happy reading!
Individual Book Titles
Max’s Words by Kate Banks
Ruby’s Wish by Shirin Bridges
One Green Apple by Eve Bunting
Where’s the Big Bad Wolf? By Eileen Christelow
Mercy Watson to the Rescue by Kate DiCamillo
The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses by Paul Goble
Babymouse by Jennifer Holm
The Ugly Duckling by Gloria Jean Pinkney
Clever Beatrice by Margaret Willey
Something Beautiful Sharon Dennis Wyeth
What Do You Do With a Tail Like This? By Steve Jenkins
The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales by Jon Scieszka
Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney
The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf
Owl Moon by Jane Yolen
Caleb’s Story by Patricia MacLachlan
Let’s Talk About Race by Julius Lester
Freckle Face
The Whipping Boy by Sid Fleishman
A Bad Case of Stripes
Kat Kong by Dav Pilkey
Dogzilla by Dav Pilkey
Noah’s Ark by Jerry Pinkney
Tico and the Golden Wings by Leo Lionni
I’m Allergic to School! by Robert Pottle
Fairytale News by Colin Hawkins
Henry’s Freedom Box by Ellen Levine
The Eyes of the Gray Wolf by Jonathan London
Series
Cam Jansen Series by David Adler
Ivy and Bean by Annie Barrows
Jigsaw Jones by James Preller
Geronimo Stilton by Geronimo
Stilton
Magic Treehouse by Mary Pope Osborne
A to Z Mysteries by Ron Roy
Chet Gecko by Bruce Hale
Pee Wee Scouts by Judy Delton
Disney Fairies by various authors
Flat Stanley’s Worldwide Adventures by Sara Pennypacker
My Weird School by Dan GUtman
Katie Kazoo by Nancy Krulik
Authors
Judy Blume
David Adler
Beverly Cleary
Ellen Conford
Debbie Dadey
Gail Gibbons
Patricia Reilly Giff
May Hoffman
Dan Gutman
Allen Say
Jon Scieszka
E. B. White
Mike Thaler
Laura Ingalls Wilder
non-fiction, too! Happy reading!
Individual Book Titles
Max’s Words by Kate Banks
Ruby’s Wish by Shirin Bridges
One Green Apple by Eve Bunting
Where’s the Big Bad Wolf? By Eileen Christelow
Mercy Watson to the Rescue by Kate DiCamillo
The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses by Paul Goble
Babymouse by Jennifer Holm
The Ugly Duckling by Gloria Jean Pinkney
Clever Beatrice by Margaret Willey
Something Beautiful Sharon Dennis Wyeth
What Do You Do With a Tail Like This? By Steve Jenkins
The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales by Jon Scieszka
Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney
The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf
Owl Moon by Jane Yolen
Caleb’s Story by Patricia MacLachlan
Let’s Talk About Race by Julius Lester
Freckle Face
The Whipping Boy by Sid Fleishman
A Bad Case of Stripes
Kat Kong by Dav Pilkey
Dogzilla by Dav Pilkey
Noah’s Ark by Jerry Pinkney
Tico and the Golden Wings by Leo Lionni
I’m Allergic to School! by Robert Pottle
Fairytale News by Colin Hawkins
Henry’s Freedom Box by Ellen Levine
The Eyes of the Gray Wolf by Jonathan London
Series
Cam Jansen Series by David Adler
Ivy and Bean by Annie Barrows
Jigsaw Jones by James Preller
Geronimo Stilton by Geronimo
Stilton
Magic Treehouse by Mary Pope Osborne
A to Z Mysteries by Ron Roy
Chet Gecko by Bruce Hale
Pee Wee Scouts by Judy Delton
Disney Fairies by various authors
Flat Stanley’s Worldwide Adventures by Sara Pennypacker
My Weird School by Dan GUtman
Katie Kazoo by Nancy Krulik
Authors
Judy Blume
David Adler
Beverly Cleary
Ellen Conford
Debbie Dadey
Gail Gibbons
Patricia Reilly Giff
May Hoffman
Dan Gutman
Allen Say
Jon Scieszka
E. B. White
Mike Thaler
Laura Ingalls Wilder
Recommended Titles for Students Entering Second Grade:
Remember students can choose a book from the list or any other book they would like to read. Happy Reading!
TITLES:
Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears by Verna Aardema
Library Lion by Michelle Knudsen
Are you my mother by P.D. Easman
Bark, George by Jules Feiffer
Bad Dog, Marley! by John Grogan
The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss
Click, Clack, Moo, Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin
The Day Jimmy’s Boa Ate the Wash by Trinka Hakes Noble
The Doorbell Rang by Pat Hutchins
The Lion & the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney
All the World by Liz Garton Scanlon
Strega Nona by Tomie De Paola
Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg
The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka
How I Became a Pirate by Melinda Long
Sector 7 by David Wiesner
Crickwing by Janell Cannon
Dory Story by Jerry Pallotta
Skippyjon Jones by Judith Byron Schachner
Read Aloud
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo
The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo
The Tale of Despereaux
by Kate DiCamillo
SERIES:
The Magic Treehouse by Mary Pope Osborne
The Bailey School Kids by Debbie Dadey
The Black Lagoon by Mike Thaler
Cam Jansen by David Adler
Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish
Babymouse by Jennifer Holm
Bone by Jeff Smith
Fancy Nancy by Jane O’Connor
Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown
Magic School Bus by Joanna Cole
Minnie and Moo by Denys Cazet
George and Martha by James Marshall
Henry and Mudge by Cynthia Rylant
Junie B. Jones by Barbara Park
Mr. Putter by Cynthia Rylant
Rotten Ralph by Jack Gantos
Frog and Toad stories by Arnold Lobel
AUTHORS:
Kevin Henkes
Tomie de Paola,
Laura Numeroff
Demi
Karma Wilson
Dr. Seuss
James Marshall
Cythina Rylant
Tedd Arnold
Joanna Cole
Eloise Greenfield
Steven Kellogg
Anita Lobel
Pat McKissack
Mark Teague
Gary Soto
Wong Herbert Yee
TITLES:
Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears by Verna Aardema
Library Lion by Michelle Knudsen
Are you my mother by P.D. Easman
Bark, George by Jules Feiffer
Bad Dog, Marley! by John Grogan
The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss
Click, Clack, Moo, Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin
The Day Jimmy’s Boa Ate the Wash by Trinka Hakes Noble
The Doorbell Rang by Pat Hutchins
The Lion & the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney
All the World by Liz Garton Scanlon
Strega Nona by Tomie De Paola
Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg
The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka
How I Became a Pirate by Melinda Long
Sector 7 by David Wiesner
Crickwing by Janell Cannon
Dory Story by Jerry Pallotta
Skippyjon Jones by Judith Byron Schachner
Read Aloud
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo
The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo
The Tale of Despereaux
by Kate DiCamillo
SERIES:
The Magic Treehouse by Mary Pope Osborne
The Bailey School Kids by Debbie Dadey
The Black Lagoon by Mike Thaler
Cam Jansen by David Adler
Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish
Babymouse by Jennifer Holm
Bone by Jeff Smith
Fancy Nancy by Jane O’Connor
Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown
Magic School Bus by Joanna Cole
Minnie and Moo by Denys Cazet
George and Martha by James Marshall
Henry and Mudge by Cynthia Rylant
Junie B. Jones by Barbara Park
Mr. Putter by Cynthia Rylant
Rotten Ralph by Jack Gantos
Frog and Toad stories by Arnold Lobel
AUTHORS:
Kevin Henkes
Tomie de Paola,
Laura Numeroff
Demi
Karma Wilson
Dr. Seuss
James Marshall
Cythina Rylant
Tedd Arnold
Joanna Cole
Eloise Greenfield
Steven Kellogg
Anita Lobel
Pat McKissack
Mark Teague
Gary Soto
Wong Herbert Yee
Recommended Titles for Students Entering First Grade:
Remember students can choose a book from the list or any other book they would like to read. Happy reading!
Titles
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judie Barrett
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems
Animalia by Graeme Base
Zen Shorts by Jon J. Muth
Olivia by Ian Falconer
We’re Going On a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen
Tikki Tikki Tembo by Arlene Mosel
The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch
Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale by Mo Willems
Kitten’s First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes
The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear by Don Wood
Miss Nelson is Missing by Harry Allard
Puff, the Magic Dragon by Peter Yarrow
Parts and More Parts by Tedd Arnold
The Missing Tooth by Joanna Cole
There’s an Alligator Under My Bed by Mercer Mayer
Danny and the Dinosaur by Sid Hoff
Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss
Hop on Pop by Dr. Seuss
Too Many Frogs by Sandy Asher
Go, Dog, Go by P. D. Eastman
Great Day for Up by Dr. Seuss
Hondo and Fabian by McCarty, Peter.
Marvin K. Mooney, Will you please go home? By Dr. Seuss
Wolf’s Coming by Joe Kulka
Series
Biscuit series by Alyssa Capucilli
Little Critters series by Mercer Mayer
Arthur series by Marc Brown
Max & Mo series by Patricia Lakin
Puppy Mudge series by Cynthia Rylant
Bill and Pete series by Tomie DePaola
Clifford series by Norman Bridwell
Frog and Toad series by Arnold Lobel
McDuff Series by Rosemary Wells
Authors
Eileen Christelow
Doreen Cronin
Olivier Dunrea
Kevin Henkes
Margaret Hillert
Arnold Lobel
Mercer Mayer
Laura Joffe Numeroff
Nancy Shaw
Janet Stevens
Mike Thaler
Mo Willems
Titles
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judie Barrett
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems
Animalia by Graeme Base
Zen Shorts by Jon J. Muth
Olivia by Ian Falconer
We’re Going On a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen
Tikki Tikki Tembo by Arlene Mosel
The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch
Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale by Mo Willems
Kitten’s First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes
The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear by Don Wood
Miss Nelson is Missing by Harry Allard
Puff, the Magic Dragon by Peter Yarrow
Parts and More Parts by Tedd Arnold
The Missing Tooth by Joanna Cole
There’s an Alligator Under My Bed by Mercer Mayer
Danny and the Dinosaur by Sid Hoff
Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss
Hop on Pop by Dr. Seuss
Too Many Frogs by Sandy Asher
Go, Dog, Go by P. D. Eastman
Great Day for Up by Dr. Seuss
Hondo and Fabian by McCarty, Peter.
Marvin K. Mooney, Will you please go home? By Dr. Seuss
Wolf’s Coming by Joe Kulka
Series
Biscuit series by Alyssa Capucilli
Little Critters series by Mercer Mayer
Arthur series by Marc Brown
Max & Mo series by Patricia Lakin
Puppy Mudge series by Cynthia Rylant
Bill and Pete series by Tomie DePaola
Clifford series by Norman Bridwell
Frog and Toad series by Arnold Lobel
McDuff Series by Rosemary Wells
Authors
Eileen Christelow
Doreen Cronin
Olivier Dunrea
Kevin Henkes
Margaret Hillert
Arnold Lobel
Mercer Mayer
Laura Joffe Numeroff
Nancy Shaw
Janet Stevens
Mike Thaler
Mo Willems
Thursday, June 3, 2010
2010 Summer Reading Incentive Martin County High School
Martin County High School 2010 Summer Reading Incentive
The Martin County high schools, working with the Martin County Library system, have put together a unique summer reading program. This year, eight (8) award winning titles are being featured from the world of young adult contemporary literature. The goal of the summer reading program is to promote reading for pleasure. After voluntarily reading a book on the recommended list, you may choose to participate in various incentive options either through your high school and/or the Martin County Library.
Option Choices
What are the 3 summer reading incentive options?
Start by reading one or more books from the 8 choices listed.
Option#1. Martin County High School
Create a Reflection Journal for each book you read. Use the following questions as a guide to help think about the meaning of each chapter. You may choose a different question for each chapter or choose to work with a few questions you like. Each journal entry must be no more than 1 page, and must have an entry for every chapter.
1.
Write down 3 questions you have for the author of the chapter you are reading. Explain why you have asked those questions.
2.
What are you learning about yourself from the chapter you have just read (your own values, attitudes, and beliefs)
3.
What are some strengths and weaknesses of the chapter you have just read?
4.
Write about a connection you made with the text sharing it in some way to something personal, something else you have read, or something happening in the world.
5.
Write about something you learned in that chapter.
6.
Respond to the chapter in a personal way. Did it stir up an emotion? Describe that emotion and explain why.
Incentive: You will get the chance to attend a school-wide book chat the first week school is in session. In addition you will be eligible to enter your name in a drawing for assorted prizes featuring an I-Touch. ***To receive an entry ticket to the school-wide book chat and drawing, you will turn in the journal at the start of school to the Reading Coach.
Option #2. Martin County Library
Log on to the Martin County Library site (www.library.martin.fl.us) and complete a review of your book. Your intended audience is a community of young adult readers in our county and neighboring counties. Your job is to help guide them in making a choice as to whether or not read the book in question. If you cannot complete the review electronically you can pick-up a paper version at any Martin County library branch. For each book you read you must submit a separate book review.
Book Review Criteria
1.
Title and Author of the book.
2.
Who is the intended audience/who would the book appeal to? – (1 sentence)
3.
A small paragraph describing what the book is about? (4-5 sentences describing the theme)
4.
A small paragraph describing strengths and weaknesses about this book? (4-5 sentences.)
5.
A small paragraph explaining why you would recommend or not recommend this book to others (4-5 sentences).
Incentive: In return for your time you will be awarded a credit of 1 hour of Community Service. A drawing for a Sony Reader for each high school is also available.
Option #3. Participate in both options and enjoy the benefits of each incentive.
Think Win-Win…read more…get smarter…& be eligible for more raffle tickets.
Selected Book List 2010 and Video Reference for Previewing Opportunities
Titles are listed based on their Lexile level. Lexiles are a numerical value assigned to a book based on its word frequency and sentence length. Since the goal of the summer reading program is to promote reading for pleasure, books were also selected based on interest and ease of reading for enjoyment.
Chess Rumble by G. Neri 620L
“Lotsa things make me mad,” says young African American Marcus, who gets into fights at school and at home. Violence is all around: “In my ‘hood, / battles is fought every day.” And when he is hassled by bullies or by his little brothers, Marcus responds with his fists. Then his teacher sends him to the library, where he meets CM, a local chess master who teaches students to fight their battles on the board instead of the streets. This novel is written as free-verse poetry.
author interview, summary, and excerpts
(interest grabber with music and excerpts)
(author website with information and links)
http://www.gregneri.com/g.neri_chessrumble.html
Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie by David Lubar 680L
Scott Hudson chronicles the ups and downs of life as a freshman in high school. He's small, he's lost, and seniors bully him for spare change. His honors homework keeps him up all night and his gym teacher is trying to pushing him. He joins the paper, runs for student council, and tries out for the play, just to be near a girl he likes. This all backfires. Meanwhile, Scott’s mother is pregnant. The plot is framed by Scott's journal of advice for the unborn baby.
http://www.davidlubar.com/bpsfnl.html
(audio interest excerpt on the site)
MCLS Link
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/yhpqTvlDGN/STUART/8790115/88
Gym Candy by Carl Deuker 710L
Having grown up in the shadow of his father's failed NFL career, high-school football player Mick Johnson is determined not to make the same mistakes. But when he's tackled just short of the goal in a pivotal game, he decides that vitamin supplements aren't enough and begins purchasing "gym candy," or steroids, from the trainer at his local gym.
(student production a couple of typos, but good interest grabber)
MCLS Link
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/2GFOTMHurc/STUART/8790115/88
We Were Here by Matt de la Pena 770L
Miguel struggles to forgive himself for a tragic event that changed his life and his family forever. He willingly accepts his one-year sentence to a juvenile detention center and the requirement that he keep a journal.
Unsigned Hype: A Novel by Booker T. Mattison 780L
Tory Tyson may only be in high school, but he knows what he wants out of life--a successful music career. And he's not going to learn about all that at school. So when school lets out next month, he's not going back. He's finally ready to stop spinning old records at parties and start laying down his own beats--and the Unsigned Hype music contest is the perfect place to launch his career. But will he be able to handle the fame and fortune he seeks?
(trailer/interview with author)
(author book read/interview)
(interactive website for the book, complete with music :)
http://www.unchartedterrortory.com/
MCLS Link
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/pb5xvftj3s/STUART/171480103/88
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins 810L
In a not-too-distant future, the United States of America has collapsed, weakened by drought, fire, famine, and war, to be replaced by Panem, a country divided into the Capitol and 12 districts. Each year, two young representatives from each district are selected by lottery to participate in “The Hunger Games,” a televised “Survivor” of sorts with real consequences.
MCLS Link
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/8PWrBrFhvk/STUART/253950109/9
Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer 820L
It's almost the end of Miranda's sophomore year in high school, and her journal reflects the busy life of a typical teenager: conversations with friends, fights with mom, and fervent hopes for a driver's license. When Miranda first begins hearing the reports of a meteor on a collision course with the moon, it hardly seems worth a mention in her diary. But after the meteor hits, pushing the moon off its axis and causing worldwide earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanoes, all the things Miranda used to take for granted begin to disappear.
(trailer/interest grabber)
MCLS Links
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/Slkay1Mnun/STUART/41930102/9
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/BOCQra6adS/STUART/41930102/9
Slow Way Home by Michael Morris 990L
Will eight-year-old Brandon ever have a permanent, happy home? When his mother runs off with her boyfriend, she sends him to her parents on the bus and disappears, but later, when he has been doing well with them, she threatens to take him back. To keep him safe, the grandparents run from the courts and head further south. Trouble follows the trio after they settle down in a remote fishing village.
http://www.michaelmorrisbooks.com/files/SlowWayHome.pdf (first chapter to be read online)
MCLS Links
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/SjgHXY3Bw7/STUART/268790099/9
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/5inJLIeMGE/STUART/268790099/9
The Martin County high schools, working with the Martin County Library system, have put together a unique summer reading program. This year, eight (8) award winning titles are being featured from the world of young adult contemporary literature. The goal of the summer reading program is to promote reading for pleasure. After voluntarily reading a book on the recommended list, you may choose to participate in various incentive options either through your high school and/or the Martin County Library.
Option Choices
What are the 3 summer reading incentive options?
Start by reading one or more books from the 8 choices listed.
Option#1. Martin County High School
Create a Reflection Journal for each book you read. Use the following questions as a guide to help think about the meaning of each chapter. You may choose a different question for each chapter or choose to work with a few questions you like. Each journal entry must be no more than 1 page, and must have an entry for every chapter.
1.
Write down 3 questions you have for the author of the chapter you are reading. Explain why you have asked those questions.
2.
What are you learning about yourself from the chapter you have just read (your own values, attitudes, and beliefs)
3.
What are some strengths and weaknesses of the chapter you have just read?
4.
Write about a connection you made with the text sharing it in some way to something personal, something else you have read, or something happening in the world.
5.
Write about something you learned in that chapter.
6.
Respond to the chapter in a personal way. Did it stir up an emotion? Describe that emotion and explain why.
Incentive: You will get the chance to attend a school-wide book chat the first week school is in session. In addition you will be eligible to enter your name in a drawing for assorted prizes featuring an I-Touch. ***To receive an entry ticket to the school-wide book chat and drawing, you will turn in the journal at the start of school to the Reading Coach.
Option #2. Martin County Library
Log on to the Martin County Library site (www.library.martin.fl.us) and complete a review of your book. Your intended audience is a community of young adult readers in our county and neighboring counties. Your job is to help guide them in making a choice as to whether or not read the book in question. If you cannot complete the review electronically you can pick-up a paper version at any Martin County library branch. For each book you read you must submit a separate book review.
Book Review Criteria
1.
Title and Author of the book.
2.
Who is the intended audience/who would the book appeal to? – (1 sentence)
3.
A small paragraph describing what the book is about? (4-5 sentences describing the theme)
4.
A small paragraph describing strengths and weaknesses about this book? (4-5 sentences.)
5.
A small paragraph explaining why you would recommend or not recommend this book to others (4-5 sentences).
Incentive: In return for your time you will be awarded a credit of 1 hour of Community Service. A drawing for a Sony Reader for each high school is also available.
Option #3. Participate in both options and enjoy the benefits of each incentive.
Think Win-Win…read more…get smarter…& be eligible for more raffle tickets.
Selected Book List 2010 and Video Reference for Previewing Opportunities
Titles are listed based on their Lexile level. Lexiles are a numerical value assigned to a book based on its word frequency and sentence length. Since the goal of the summer reading program is to promote reading for pleasure, books were also selected based on interest and ease of reading for enjoyment.
Chess Rumble by G. Neri 620L
“Lotsa things make me mad,” says young African American Marcus, who gets into fights at school and at home. Violence is all around: “In my ‘hood, / battles is fought every day.” And when he is hassled by bullies or by his little brothers, Marcus responds with his fists. Then his teacher sends him to the library, where he meets CM, a local chess master who teaches students to fight their battles on the board instead of the streets. This novel is written as free-verse poetry.
author interview, summary, and excerpts
(interest grabber with music and excerpts)
(author website with information and links)
http://www.gregneri.com/g.neri_chessrumble.html
Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie by David Lubar 680L
Scott Hudson chronicles the ups and downs of life as a freshman in high school. He's small, he's lost, and seniors bully him for spare change. His honors homework keeps him up all night and his gym teacher is trying to pushing him. He joins the paper, runs for student council, and tries out for the play, just to be near a girl he likes. This all backfires. Meanwhile, Scott’s mother is pregnant. The plot is framed by Scott's journal of advice for the unborn baby.
http://www.davidlubar.com/bpsfnl.html
(audio interest excerpt on the site)
MCLS Link
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/yhpqTvlDGN/STUART/8790115/88
Gym Candy by Carl Deuker 710L
Having grown up in the shadow of his father's failed NFL career, high-school football player Mick Johnson is determined not to make the same mistakes. But when he's tackled just short of the goal in a pivotal game, he decides that vitamin supplements aren't enough and begins purchasing "gym candy," or steroids, from the trainer at his local gym.
(student production a couple of typos, but good interest grabber)
MCLS Link
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/2GFOTMHurc/STUART/8790115/88
We Were Here by Matt de la Pena 770L
Miguel struggles to forgive himself for a tragic event that changed his life and his family forever. He willingly accepts his one-year sentence to a juvenile detention center and the requirement that he keep a journal.
Unsigned Hype: A Novel by Booker T. Mattison 780L
Tory Tyson may only be in high school, but he knows what he wants out of life--a successful music career. And he's not going to learn about all that at school. So when school lets out next month, he's not going back. He's finally ready to stop spinning old records at parties and start laying down his own beats--and the Unsigned Hype music contest is the perfect place to launch his career. But will he be able to handle the fame and fortune he seeks?
(trailer/interview with author)
(author book read/interview)
(interactive website for the book, complete with music :)
http://www.unchartedterrortory.com/
MCLS Link
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/pb5xvftj3s/STUART/171480103/88
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins 810L
In a not-too-distant future, the United States of America has collapsed, weakened by drought, fire, famine, and war, to be replaced by Panem, a country divided into the Capitol and 12 districts. Each year, two young representatives from each district are selected by lottery to participate in “The Hunger Games,” a televised “Survivor” of sorts with real consequences.
MCLS Link
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/8PWrBrFhvk/STUART/253950109/9
Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer 820L
It's almost the end of Miranda's sophomore year in high school, and her journal reflects the busy life of a typical teenager: conversations with friends, fights with mom, and fervent hopes for a driver's license. When Miranda first begins hearing the reports of a meteor on a collision course with the moon, it hardly seems worth a mention in her diary. But after the meteor hits, pushing the moon off its axis and causing worldwide earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanoes, all the things Miranda used to take for granted begin to disappear.
(trailer/interest grabber)
MCLS Links
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/Slkay1Mnun/STUART/41930102/9
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/BOCQra6adS/STUART/41930102/9
Slow Way Home by Michael Morris 990L
Will eight-year-old Brandon ever have a permanent, happy home? When his mother runs off with her boyfriend, she sends him to her parents on the bus and disappears, but later, when he has been doing well with them, she threatens to take him back. To keep him safe, the grandparents run from the courts and head further south. Trouble follows the trio after they settle down in a remote fishing village.
http://www.michaelmorrisbooks.com/files/SlowWayHome.pdf (first chapter to be read online)
MCLS Links
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/SjgHXY3Bw7/STUART/268790099/9
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/5inJLIeMGE/STUART/268790099/9
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Sunshine State Books 2010-2011
SUNSHINE STATE BOOKS 2011-2012
Sunshine State Young Reader’s Award Program
Master List of Titles 2010 - 2011
Grades 3-5
Avi.. The Seer of Shadows. HarperCollins, ©2008.
[(2008 Hardcover) - 0060000155 (2009 paperback) – ISBN 0060000171; Recorded Books (2009) – ISBN
1436137756]
Newbery Medalist Avi weaves one of his most suspenseful and scary tales—about a ghost who has to be seen to be believed and must be kept from carrying out a horrifying revenge.
The time is 1872. The place is New York City. Horace Carpetine has been raised to believe in science and rationality. So as apprentice to Enoch Middleditch, a society photographer, he thinks of his trade as a scientific art. But when wealthy society matron Mrs. Frederick Von Macht orders a photographic portrait, strange things begin to happen.
Horace's first real photographs reveal a frightful likeness: it's the image of the Von Machts' dead daughter, Eleanora.
Pegg, the Von Machts' black servant girl, then leads him to the truth about who Eleanora really was and how she actually died. Joined in friendship, Pegg and Horace soon realize that his photographs are evoking both Eleanora's image and her ghost. Eleanora returns, a vengeful wraith intent on punishing those who abused her.
Rich in detail, full of the magic of early photography, here is a story about the shadows, visible and invisible, that are always lurking near.
READERS' GUIDE
http://files.harpercollins.com/PDF/ReadingGuides/0060000155.pdf
MCLS LIBRARY LINK
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/NrHCrvpXEl/STUART/180930128/9
and audio copy
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/iGnq8WAyYn/STUART/180930128/9
Beaty, Andrea. Cicada Summer. Amulet Books, ©2008.
[(2008 hardcover) – ISBN 0810994720]
“... this is compelling fiction that will be a hit with young readers, as rich and thought-provoking and yet as accessible as DiCamillo’s Because of Winn-Dixie." —Horn Book
Lily has read every Nancy Drew book in the library. She’s good at spying and keeping secrets. She has to be. She has secrets of her own that no one can ever find out.
When summer brings lying, stealing Tinny Bridges to town, Lily must depend on her wits to keep ahead of this sly newcomer. Tinny takes candy from the general store and blames Lily. She tries to steal Lily’s friends and her father’s affection. Worst of all, she seems to know Lily’s secrets. When Tinny goes missing, only Lily has any idea what happened to her. But for Lily, finding Tinny means confronting her hidden past.
In one unusual summer, Lily Mathis will have a chance to solve a mystery, make a friend, and, most important, find forgiveness.
Sir David Attenborough talks about Cicadas
MCLS Link
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/Jgu6wDeQl2/STUART/110630009/88
Broach, Elise. Masterpiece. Henry Holt and Co., ©2008.
[Henry Holt (2008 hardcover) – ISBN 0805082700; Square Fish ( 2010 paperback) – ISBN 0312608705;
Macmillian Young Listeners Audio (2010) – ISBN 1427211159]
From School Library Journal
Starred Review. Grade 4–8—Broach combines discussion about the art of Albrecht Dürer with a powerful tale of friendship in a novel that is entertaining and full of adventure. Marvin is a beetle, and he and his family live in the Manhattan kitchen that belongs to the Pompaday family. When James receives a pen-and-ink drawing set for his 11th birthday, Marvin discovers that he is a bug with artistic talent. Although he can't speak to James, they soon bond in a true interspecies friendship, and their escapades begin. Because of Marvin's wonderful drawing, presumed to be James's work, the boy is recruited to create a fake Dürer for the Metropolitan Museum of Art to help trap an art thief. Marvin produces the forgery, but he soon realizes that the original artwork is in danger. Only by placing his life on the line and relying on James's help can he save the masterpiece. Broach's projection of beetle life, complete with field trips to the family's solarium and complex uses of human discards for furniture and meals, is in the best tradition of Mary Norton's The Borrowers (Harcourt, 1953) and similar classic looks at miniature life. Murphy's illustrations add perspective and humor, supporting the detailed narrative. A masterpiece of storytelling.—Beth L. Meister, Milwaukee Jewish Day School, WI
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
James lives an invisible existence in a grand apartment on the Upper East Side. His mother, busy with her new husband and baby and her climb up the Manhattan social ladder, has little time for him. By contrast, Marvin, a beetle whose overprotective, extended family resides behind James’ mother’s kitchen, gets more attention than he wants. The two find friendship when James’ artist father gives him a pen-and-ink set, and Marvin discovers his talent for “drawing,” crafting delicate, museum-quality miniatures with his legs. When Marvin and James find themselves embroiled in a plot to steal a Dürer drawing from the Metropolitan Museum, they must find creative ways to communicate to foil the thieves and protect the masterpiece. Murphy’s own pen-and-ink spot art reflects the text’s sweet insouciance. With suspense, art history, complex family relationships (human and arthropod), and a resonant friendship, this enjoyable outing will satisfy the reserved and adventurous alike. Grades 3-6. --Thom Barthelmess
Vid about Albrecht Dürer
MCLS LINK
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/f0rDtr9e93/STUART/180930128/9
Delaney, M. C. Obi, Gerbil on the Loose. Dutton Juvenile, ©2008.
[(2008 hardcover) – ISBN 0525478906]
From School Library Journal
Grade 3–5—Obi is content with her simple life in a cage—or apartment, as she likes to think of it—cared for by her human owner, Rachel. Then one day, Rachel's family leaves for vacation. Tad, a neighbor, comes to feed their many pets, but he seems to have forgotten that the gerbil exists. Obi doesn't know how long the Armstrongs will be gone, and she's starving. Thus begins her quest for freedom, food, and to find out if Rachel really cared enough to leave Tad a note to feed her. Along the way, Obi hilariously confronts three sadistic cats, a harebrained parrot, a menacing tarantula and snake, and a paranoid squirrel who thinks Obi is a jailed criminal. The house also holds a surprise—a wise old mouse who has been keeping an eye on Obi through all of her escapades. He offers to help her, but at the expense of her loyalty to Rachel. Throughout each new challenge, readers feel Obi's terror, joy, and surprise, which are all written with a sense of fun. The chapters are peppered with black-and-white illustrations and are very short, which adds appeal for younger and reluctant readers. This is a laugh-out-loud story.—Jane Cronkhite, San Jose Public Library, CA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
Obi, a young gerbil named for the Jedi knight in Star Wars, lives a cushy existence with the Armstrongs until they go on vacation, leaving a neighbor boy to feed all the pets. Unfortunately, Tad doesn’t know about Obi (headphones prevent him from hearing her frantic yelps), so he doesn’t feed her. Hungry Obi finally breaks out of her cage, beginning an adventure that takes her to the attic (where she meets an elderly mouse who shows her secret passageways and escape routes); the kitchen (home to three particularly nasty cats); and a bedroom, where she finds a boa constrictor and a tarantula. Themes of self-reliance and loyalty are woven into the story as Obi learns to assert herself, take care of her needs, and reassure herself that her owner, Rachel, did not forget about her care. Small, black line drawings add drama and emotion to a book that will be popular with young pet lovers; the ending hints at more Obi stories to come. Grades 2-4. --Kay Weisman
Pirate Gerbil Vid
Obi, the Gerbil's Blog
www.obi.typepad.com/
MCLS Link
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/sLzp5cBVRU/STUART/110630009/88
DiTerlizzi, Tony. Kenny & the Dragon. Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing, ©2008.
[Simon and Schuster (2008 hardcover) – ISBN 1416939776; Simon and Schuster UK (2008 paperback) –
ISBN 1847385028; Simon and Schuster Audio (2008 audiobook) – ISBN 0743572122]
From School Library Journal
Grade 3–6—Kenny's father brings home a fearsome description of an enormous creature: "...one of them flying things that eats pretty maidens and burns castles to the ground." Instead of being frightened, Kenny, a curious and well-read rabbit, wants to meet the beast. His father, not too bright in some ways but quite sensible in others, is sure Kenny can handle it, but Kenny's no-nonsense mother insists, "Dishes and homework first." What follows is a delightful riff on Kenneth Grahame's classic The Reluctant Dragon, starring a dragon named Grahame that can delicately torch crème brûlée with the flames from his left nostril and has no interest in killing anyone. Before long, rumors and fear create a mob mentality among the local townspeople, and Kenny has to come up with a plan to prevent the retired dragon slayer (George, of course) from killing Grahame. This is a fun story with substance. At one point, Kenny wonders, "How can they want someone killed they don't even know?... How can George just blindly do whatever the king says?" The civilizing influence of literature is another theme that has relevance for today's readers. Lively pencil sketches add to the charm. The author's reputation will enhance the popularity of this solid fantasy.—Lauralyn Persson, Wilmette Public Library, IL
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Product Description
What do you do when your new best buddy has been designated a scourge by the community and marked for imminent extermination? Just ask Kenny Rabbit. When the simple folks in the sleepy little village of Roundbrook catch wind that there's a dragon running loose in the countryside, they get the wrong idea and the stage is set for a fight to the death. So it's up to Kenny to give his neighbors front-row seats to one of the best-known battles in history -- the legendary showdown between St. George and the dragon -- without losing a friend in the fray.
Tony DiTerlizzi's Blog about Kenny and the Dragon- has fan art, book tour pics, and great author interviews
http://diterlizzi.com/blog/category/kenny-the-dragon/
Tony DiTerlizzi Talking About Dragon Mythology
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVmgXV7lrH4&feature=related
MCLS LINK
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/tpBOmGkbhl/STUART/180930128/9
and audio
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/1MdYL6bMXd/STUART/180930128/9
Feldman, Jodi. The Gollywhopper Games. HarperCollins, ©2008.
[HarperCollins (2008 hardcover) – ISBN 0061214507; Greenwillow (2009 paperback) – ISBN 0061214523]
Publishers Weekly Review
When his father is charged with embezzlement, 12-year-old Gil Goodson becomes an outcast at school and his family sinks under a black cloud that doesn't lift, not even after his dad is acquitted. From this somber premise, first-time novelist Feldman concocts an outlandish method by which Gil will come out on top again-and get enough cash so his family can move. But winning the Gollywhopper Games, a contest sponsored by the toy company that fired his father, means besting 25,000 entrants in a series of brainteasers. Gil makes it to the final 10, where two teams compete against each other. His teammates are as obnoxious as the golden ticket holders on Charlie Bucket's famous tour, though not as imaginatively drawn, and their bickering nearly drains the fun from the whacked-out challenges they face. Indeed, the appeal of the book lies in the puzzles, which involve unscrambling clues hidden in rhyming verses and then tackling various stunts (obstacle courses, mazes, scavenger hunts) that get increasingly difficult as the field is winnowed. As the outcome of this intricate, potentially interactive story is never in doubt, many kids will want to put the story on pause to try to work out each answer. Final illustrations not seen by PW. Ages 10-14. (Feb.) Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information.
Booklist Review
Combine the contest and puzzle elements of the TV show The Amazing Race, Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (1967), and Ellen Raskin's The Westing Game (1974). Then, add a young man's desire to defend his father, and you've got Feldman's slight but enjoyable debut novel. Twelve-year-old Gil Goodson's father worked for the Golly Toy and Game Company but was fired after being investigated for (and acquitted of) embezzling funds. Gil is determined not only to win the Gollywhopper Games grand prize (cash, a college scholarship, and all sorts of Golly toys and games) but also to clear his father's name. Feldman includes truly despicable villains, unexpected kindnesses, and a surprise ending. The characterization is somewhat underdeveloped, but this is clearly a plot- and puzzle-driven novel. Nonstop action, appealing pencil illustrations, and increasingly difficult brainteasers will keep readers engaged, and readers will pull out paper and pencil to try and solve the puzzles as they work through the book.--Carton, Debbie Copyright 2007 Booklist
Actual real live kid review
MCLS LINK
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/XoCcUB0K8H/STUART/180930128/88
To read more about Jody feldman and the Gollywhopper Games go to:
http://www.jodyfeldman.com/
http://www.gollywhoppergames.com/
http://jodyfeldman.livejournal.com/
Forester, Victoria. The Girl Who Could Fly. Feiwel & Friends, ©2008.
[Feiwel & Friends (2008 hardcover) – ISBN 0312374623; Square Fish (2010 paperback) – ISBN 0312602383]
Summary
You just can't keep a good girl down . . . unless you use the proper methods. Piper McCloud can fly. Just like that. Easy as pie. Sure, she hasn't mastered reverse propulsion and her turns are kind of sloppy, but she's real good at loop-the-loops. Problem is, the good folk of Lowland County are afraid of Piper. And her ma's at her wit's end. So it seems only fitting that she leave her parents' farm to attend a top-secret, maximum-security school for kids with exceptional abilities. School is great at first with a bunch of new friends whose skills range from super-strength to super-genius. (Plus all the homemade apple pie she can eat!) But Piper is special, even among the special. And there are consequences. Consequences too dire to talk about. Too crazy to consider. And too dangerous to ignore. At turns exhilarating and terrifying, Victoria Forester's debut novel is an unforgettable story of defiance and courage about an irrepressible heroine who can, who will, who must . . . fly.
Booklist Review
*Starred Review* In this terrific debut novel, readers meet Piper McCloud, the late-in-life daughter of farmers. Her parents revel in conformity, so it's disconcerting at best when Piper shows a talent for flying. Homeschooled and kept away from outsiders, Piper is lonely. Finally, her parents let her go to a community picnic, where she thinks she'll meet new friends. Instead, she terrifies the neighbors by flying up to catch a ball during a kids' game. In no time, the McCloud farm is besieged. Then, out of a helicopter comes the empathetic Dr. Letitia Hellion, who whisks Piper off to a secret school for kids with special talents. But are things there what they seem to be? No. Forester gets almost everything right here. The story soars, just like Piper, with enough loop-de-loops to keep kids uncertain about what will come next. Her plainspoken heroine has a big heart and a strong streak of defiance, and Piper's reactions always seem true, even in the midst of sf machinations. Many other characters are also clearly set within the context of their lives, giving them dimension sometimes lacking in supporting casts. Best of all are the book's strong, lightly wrapped messages about friendship and authenticity and the difference between doing well and doing good. Give this to fans of Trenton Lee Stuart's The Mysterious Benedict Society (2007).--Cooper, Ilene Copyright 2008 Booklist
MCLS LINK
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/M2R9Gq5IqF/STUART/199990090/9
and
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/CCxsGeIwDb/STUART/199990090/9
The Girl Who Could Fly Vid
Giff, Patricia Reilly, Eleven. Wendy Lamb Books, ©2008.
[Wendy Lamb Books (2008 hardcover) – ISBN 0374308470; Yearling (2009 paperback) – ISBN 0440238027;
Listening Library (2008) – ISBN 0739362801]
Summary
Sam is almost 11 when he discovers a locked box in the attic above his grandfather Mack s room, and a piece of paper that says he was kidnapped. There are lots of other words, but Sam has always had trouble reading. He s desperate to find out who he is, and if his beloved Mack is really his grandfather. At night he s haunted by dreams of a big castle and a terrifying escape on a boat. Who can he trust to help him read the documents that could unravel the mystery? Then he and the new girl, Caroline, are paired up to work on a school project, building a castle in Mack s woodworking shop. Caroline loves to read, and she can help. But she s moving soon, and the two must hurry to discover the truth about Sam.
MCLS Link
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/fmaOOP3qBk/STUART/235590109/9
Henkes, Kevin. Bird Lake Moon. Greenwillow Books, ©2008.
[Greenwillow Books (2008 hardcover) – ISBN 0061470769; Greenwillow Books (2010 paperback) – ISBN
Summary
Spencer thought the house might be haunted. Mitch knew it wasn't. And he knew why. The whole time Spencer and Mitch hung out together at Bird Lake that summer, there were secrets keeping them apart. And maybe a secret knowledge keeping them together, too-together like members of the same tribe. Like friends.
MCLS Link
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/UdFBx8m5U9/STUART/235590109/9
0061470791; HarperChildrens Audio (2008 audiobook) – ISBN 0061551856]
Holt, Kimberly Willis. Piper Reed, Navy Brat. Henry Holt and Co., ©2007.
[Henry Holt (2007 hardcover) – ISBN 0805081976; Square Fish (2008 paperback) – ISBN 0312380205;
Listening Library (2007) - ISBN 0739359584]
It s not easy being the middle child, especially when your dad is a Navy Chief. Meet Piper Reed, a spunky nine-year-old who has moved more times than she can count on one hand. From Texas to Guam, wherever Piper goes, adventure follows, inspired by her active imagination, free-wheeling spirit, and a bit of sister magic. Unlike her older sister, Piper loves being part of a Navy family, and unlike her little sister, Piper is no prodigy genius. Piper is Piper—fearless and full of life. Based on her own childhood experience, Kimberly Willis Holt portrays the life of a Navy family with warmth and humor. Chief stood in the hallway, again. “Piper, you re going to be late for mess hall. Mess hall was what the Navy called the place where they ate their meals, but Chief called our kitchen that, too. The bed creaked as I rolled off my mattress. I took Bruna outside to see if she d do her business, but she kept jumping on me, wanting to play. Finally I figured she didn t need to do her business. She d already done it on me. I gave up and we went inside. I needed to get out of my stinky nightgown and take a shower. But it was too late. Tori was already in the bathroom. That could take forever. Sam hurried with Annie toward the bathroom door, wearing her stupid crown. “I m next! she hollered. “You forgot about the list, I reminded her. “You re last. Sam rubbed her eyes. “But I have to go real bad. “Okay. Real quick because I get to shower next. I pounded on the door. “THAT S IF TORI REED EVER DECIDES TO GET OUT OF THE BATHROOM! “LEAVE ME ALONE! Tori shouted back. I was feeling grumpier by the minute.
MCLS Link
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/k1JhHgcowh/STUART/199990090/9
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/tTBd8uhz0N/STUART/199990090/9
and on cd
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/cjSBsYx1XW/STUART/199990090/9
Lupica, Mike. Safe at Home. Philomel, ©2008.
[Philomel (2008 hardcover) – ISBN 0399247165; Puffin (2009 paperback) – ISBN 0142414603; Penguin Audio
(2010 audiobook) – ISBN 0143145746]
Nick Crandall feels like he doesn't belong anywhere. He never has felt like he belongs, really. He doesn't fit in this new family with his new foster parents, both of whom are professors. They don't know the first thing about sports—and he's not exactly a model student. It's only a matter of time until they realize he's not the right kid for them. And Nick certainly doesn't belong playing varsity baseball. He's only twelve years old! His teammates want a catcher their own age, not some kid. But Nick needs to prove something. He needs to prove that he belongs—to his parents, to his team, and to himself.
Mike Lupica's website
http://www.mikelupicabooks.com/books.html
MCLS Link
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/9pBQ13c8Az/STUART/199990090/9
Mass, Wendy. 11 Birthdays. Scholastic Press, ©2009.
[Scholastic (2009 hardcover) – ISBN 0545052394; Scholastic (2010 paperback) – ISBN 0545052408]
It's Amanda's 11th birthday and she is super excited — after all, 11 is so different from 10. But from the start, everything goes wrong. The worst part of it all is that she and her best friend, Leo, with whom she's shared every birthday, are on the outs and this will be the first birthday they haven't shared together.
When Amanda turns in for the night, glad to have her birthday behind her, she wakes up happy for a new day. Or is it? Her birthday seems to be repeating iself. What is going on?! And how can she fix it? Only time, friendship, and a little luck will tell. . .
Scholasic.com book description
MCLS Link
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/Bs7X7Jdjr1/STUART/199990090/9
Napoli, Donna Jo. Mogo, the Third Warthog. Hyperion Books, ©2007.
[Hyperion (2008 hardcover) – ISBN 1423108167 ]
From School Library Journal
Grade 3–6—When warthogs have their third litter, the sows cast out their first litter. That's how Mogo, the runt of his litter, finds himself on his own. Using what he has learned from his mother, from his older brothers' missteps, and from a helpful baboon who is also alone, he carves out a life as he matures and finds a potential mate. While the author builds on a strong natural-history base, she also explores her characters' emotions, hopes, and fears. This tempers the potentially frightening wild world of the African savanna's hungry cheetahs, wild dogs, and lions, who hunt to ensure their own survival in a harsh environment. The book's high read-aloud potential stems from Mogo's appeal as an unlikely hero who thrives when he finds friendship and loving companions. Realistic black and gray-tone watercolor illustrations that range in size from small vignettes to full page grace every chapter, introduce unfamiliar animals, and interpret the action.—Ellen G. Fader, Multnomah County Library, Portland, OR
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
As in Napoli’s Ugly (2006), the protagonist here is a young animal learning to survive on its own. The last of three male warthogs born in his litter, Mogo always walks behind his mother and his just-slightly-older brothers in the last position, the most vulnerable to the many predators on the savanna. In a convincing first-person narrative, Mogo tells how he survives after his mother forces the three brothers out on their own. Instincts, learned lessons, and reasoning are on his side, but luck and an unlikely friendship with a lone baboon also come into play. Though the final art for Judge’s illustrations was not seen, the sketches look very promising. Readers with no particular interest in African animals may find themselves unexpectedly caught up in this well-told, life-or-death adventure tale, while children who love animals, even those as apparently unlovable as the warthog, will be in their element here. Grades 3-5. --Carolyn Phelan
National Geographic vid on wart hogs
MCLS Link-
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/hmTEGGKeP9/STUART/130780102/9
Wolf, Joan. Someone Named Eva. Laurel Leaf, ©2009.
[Clarion (2007 hardcover) – ISBN 0618535799; Sandpiper (2009 paperback) – ISBN 0547237669]
Summary
On the night Nazi soldiers come to her home in Czechoslovakia, Miladas grandmother says, "Remember, Milada. Remember who you are. Always." Milada promises, but she doesnt understand her grandmothers words. After all, she is Milada, who lives with her mama and papa, her brother and sister, and her beloved Babichka. Milada, eleven years old, the fastest runner in school. How could she ever forget?Then the Nazis take Milada away from her family and send her to a Lebensborn center in Poland. There, she is told she fits the Aryan ideal: her blond hair and blue eyes are the right color; her head and nose, the right size. She is given a new name, Eva, and trained to become the perfect German citizen, to be the hope of Germanys future-and to forget she was ever a Czech girl named Milada.Inspired by real events, this fascinating novel sheds light on a little-known aspect of the Nazi agenda and movingly portrays a young girls struggle to hold on to her identity and her hope in the face of a regime intent on destroying both.
MCLS Link
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/TnXm6z0mTP/STUART/116120103/9
Yep, Laurence. The Earth Dragon Awakes: The San Francisco Earthquake of 1906.
HarperCollins ©2008.
[HarperCollins (2006 paperback) – ISBN – 0060275243; HarperCollins (2008 paperback) – ISBN 0060008466]
Summary
Tuesday, April 17, 1906It is early evening in San Francisco. Streetlights come on. People hurry home. No one knows about the danger below. Underneath their feet, the earth begins to stir.Wednesday, April 18, 1906, 5:12 A.M. , Sacramento StreetEarly the next morning, Henry Travis hears a low rumbling. It sounds like a train coming. . . . Windows rattle. Doors thump. . . . There is a crash above him.Wednesday, April 18, 1906, 5:12 A.M. , ChinatownAcross town, Henry's friend Chin waits for the trembling to stop. But it goes on and on. . . . “The tenement is falling!” Chin's father shouts. Walls crack and crumble. Windows shatter. Broken glass sprays like little daggers.The Earth Dragon has awakened . . . with a vengeance.When the quake subsides, Chin and Henry and their families are lucky to be alive. But now they must escape the fires that have broken out and find their way to safety.
MCLS Link
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/pi5JltxCGQ/STUART/116120103/9
Sunshine State Young Reader’s Award Program Master List of Titles 2010-2011
Grades 6-8
Avi.. The Seer of Shadows. HarperCollins, ©2008.
[HarperCollins (2008 hardcover) – ISBN 0060000155; (2009 paperback) – ISBN 0060000171; Recorded Books
(2009) – ISBN 1436137756]
Newbery Medalist Avi weaves one of his most suspenseful and scary tales—about a ghost who has to be seen to be believed and must be kept from carrying out a horrifying revenge.
The time is 1872. The place is New York City. Horace Carpetine has been raised to believe in science and rationality. So as apprentice to Enoch Middleditch, a society photographer, he thinks of his trade as a scientific art. But when wealthy society matron Mrs. Frederick Von Macht orders a photographic portrait, strange things begin to happen.
Horace's first real photographs reveal a frightful likeness: it's the image of the Von Machts' dead daughter, Eleanora.
Pegg, the Von Machts' black servant girl, then leads him to the truth about who Eleanora really was and how she actually died. Joined in friendship, Pegg and Horace soon realize that his photographs are evoking both Eleanora's image and her ghost. Eleanora returns, a vengeful wraith intent on punishing those who abused her.
Rich in detail, full of the magic of early photography, here is a story about the shadows, visible and invisible, that are always lurking near.
READERS' GUIDE
http://files.harpercollins.com/PDF/ReadingGuides/0060000155.pdf
MCLS LIBRARY LINK
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/NrHCrvpXEl/STUART/180930128/9
and audio copy
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/iGnq8WAyYn/STUART/180930128/9
Bartolett, Susan Campbell. The Boy Who Dared. Scholastic ©2008.
[Scholastic (2008 hardcover) – ISBN 0439680131; Scholastic (2008 paperback) – ISBN 0; Listening Library
( 2009 audio) – ISBN 0739374052]
From School Library Journal
Grade 6–9—In the newly formed Third Reich, Hitler's initial political doctrine is filled with hopeful solutions for a country plagued with unemployment, poverty, and a post-World War I feeling of defeat. Propaganda and promises quickly turn to oppressive new laws including the required participation in the Hitler Youth. Helmuth Hübener enters the program and is at once impressed with the bravado, shiny uniforms, boots, and patriotic fever sweeping the country. But his Mormon-based teachings trigger questions in his mind about the reality behind the regime's invasions of neighboring countries, mistreatment of Jewish citizens, and closely controlled media. He creates an underground newsletter with information gathered from BBC reports using an illegal shortwave radio. As he secretly distributes the flyers throughout the town, his boldness encourages him to gather several accomplices resulting in his arrest, trial, and execution. The novel opens as he is on death row, and the story is told as a series of flashbacks. Helmuth is portrayed as a brave, outspoken voice amid a family of acquiescing brothers, mother, and new SS stepfather. Based on a real person, the novel includes black-and-white photos of Hübener and his family. Bartoletti offers another perspective on the Holocaust, demonstrating that even if the effort proves unsuccessful, the courage and convictions of a minority should be motivation to speak the truth rather than remain silent. It's a message that must be continually emphasized as a lasting legacy of the Holocaust.—Rita Soltan, Youth Services Consultant, West Bloomfield, MI
From Booklist
*Starred Review* In Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler’s Shadow, Booklist’s 2005 Top of the List for youth nonfiction, 2005, Bartoletti included a portrait of Helmuth Hübener, a German teenager executed for his resistance to the Nazis. In this fictionalized biography, she imagines his story as he sits in prison awaiting execution in 1942 and remembers his childhood in Hamburg during Hitler’s rise to power. Beaten and tortured to name his friends, he remembers how he started off an ardent Nazi follower and then began to question his patriotism, secretly listened to BBC radio broadcasts, and finally dared to write and distribute pamphlets calling for resistance. The teen’s perspective makes this a particularly gripping way to personalize the history, and even those unfamiliar with the background Bartoletti weaves in–the German bitterness after World War I, the burning of the books, the raging anti-Semitism––will be enthralled by the story of one boy’s heroic resistance in the worst of times. A lengthy author’s note distinguishes fact from fiction, and Bartoletti provides a detailed chronology, a bibliography, and many black-and-white photos of Helmuth with friends, family, and members of his Mormon church. This is an important title for the Holocaust curriculum. See the Booklist interview with Bartoletti, in which she discusses how this teen’s story moved her. Grades 6-12.--Hazel Rochman
MCLS Link
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/3uzDkx1kjy/STUART/199990090/88
Bloor, Edward. Taken. Knopf Books for Young Readers ©2007.
[Knopf (2007 hardcover) – ISBN 0375836365 ; Knopf (2009 paperback) – ISBN 0440421284]
When Charity Meyers is taken, she knows better than to panic--at first. As the hours of her imprisonment tick by, Charity realizes that no training could have prepared her for what the kidnappers really want--or worse, who they turn out to be.
MCLS Link
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/mrSXeUarG6/STUART/34740132/9
Cooney, Caroline B. Diamonds in the Shadow.
A powerful novel about the difficulty of doing what is right.
Through their love for people, yet ignorance of the unknown, the Finch Family has joined alongside their church and opened their home to an African refugee family who are moving to Connecticut. The Amabo family of four– Andre, Celestine, Mattu, and Alake: father, mother, and teenage son and daughter– arrive in great hope as they have escaped the tyranny of Africa. What the Finch Family doesn’t know is that there are not just four refugees in this Amabo family, but five.
As the Amabo family, who have suffered unimaginable horrors, begin to adjust to a life of plenty in the Finches' suburban Connecticut home, and the Finches are learning new lessons of “The Golden Rule”. The life adjustment for all seems flawless.
But the fifth refugee does not believe in good will. This lawless rebel has managed to enter America undetected. And the Amabo family has something of his--something that they agreed to carry into the country for him.
When Jared, the oldest Finch son, realizes that the good guys are not always innocent, he must make a decision that could change the fates of both the Finches and the Amabos. In this uncommonly penetrating story, Caroline B. Cooney presents a fresh perspective on how doing what is right can be most difficult.
MCLS Link
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/mwme6HzcJl/STUART/116120103/88
Green, Tim. Football Hero. HarperCollins ©2008. [HarperCollins (2008 hardcover) – ISBN
0061122742; HarperCollins (2009 paperback) – ISBN 0061122769; Full Cast Audio (2009 audio) – ISBN 1934180858]
Summary
Ty Lewis can't believe it when Coach V recruits him for the football team. This is Ty's big chance to prove how fast he is on the field, get a fresh start in a new school, and be like his older brother, Thane "Tiger" Lewis, who's about to graduate from college-and is being courted by the NFL. But Ty's guardian, Uncle Gus, won't let him play. Uncle Gus needs Ty to scrub floors and toilets for his cleaning business while he cooks up gambling schemes with the local mob boss, a man called "Lucy." When Lucy hears just how famous Ty's older brother is, he becomes suddenly friendly. Are the questions Lucy is asking Ty really about fantasy football . . . or is the Mafia using Ty to get valuable insider info from his superstar brother? Desperately worried, Ty must come up with a plan to save Thane's football career-and, ultimately, his life. Author of the New York Times bestselling Football Genius, former NFL player Tim Green will have you on the edge of your seat rooting for Ty-and enjoying an up-close look at what it's like to be inside the NFL.
MCLS Link
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/NeElOgbV6j/STUART/116120103/9
Herlong, M. L.. The Great Wide Sea. Viking Juvenile ©2008.
[Viking Juvenile (2008 hardcover) – ISBN 0670063304; Puffin (2010 paperback) – ISBN 0142416703]
Summary
Ben, Dylan, and Gerry are still mourning their mother's death when their dad decides to buy a boat and take them on a year-long sailing trip. Tensions flare between Ben and his father, but they gradually learn to live together in close quarters. Then one morning the boys wake up to discover their father has disappeared-and they are lost. What happened to him? Where are they? And what will they do when a terrible storm looms on the horizon?
MCLS Link
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/XogQvwFKAY/STUART/116120103/88
Hill, Kirkpatrick. Do Not Pass Go. Margaret K. McElderry ©2007.
[Margaret K. McElderry (2007 hardcover)]
Summary
Deet's world turns upside down when his father is arrested for drug use. It doesn't seem possible that kind, caring Dad could be a criminal! After all, he only took the pills to stay awake so he could work two jobs. Now what will happen? How will Deet be able to face his classmates? Where will they get money? And most importantly, will Dad be okay in prison?Hurt, angry, and ashamed, Deet doesn't want to visit his father in jail. But when Mom goes back to work, Deet starts visiting Dad after school. It's frightening at first, but as he adjusts to the routine, Deet begins to see the prisoners as people with stories of their own, just like his dad. Deet soon realizes that prison isn't the terrifying place of movies and nightmares. In fact, Dad's imprisonment leads Deet to make a few surprising discoveries -- about his father, his friends, and himself.With moving realism, Kirkpatrick Hill brings to light the tumultuous experience of having a parent in jail in this honest and stirring story of a young man forced to grow up quickly.
MCLS Link
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/Jejyhi8RIL/STUART/116120103/88
Paulsen, Gary. Lawn Boy. Wendy Lamb Books ©2007.
[Wendy Lamb Books (2007 hardcover) – ISBN 0670063304; Yearling (2010 paperback) – ISBN 0553494651;
Brilliance Audio (2009 Audiobook)]
Summary
One day I was 12 years old and broke. Then Grandma gave me Grandpa's old riding lawnmower. I set out to mow some lawns. More people wanted me to mow their lawns. And more and more. . . . One client was Arnold the stockbroker, who offered to teach me about "the beauty of capitalism. Supply and Demand. Diversify labor. Distribute the wealth." "Wealth?" I said. "It's groovy, man," said Arnold. If I'd known what was coming, I might have climbed on my mower and putted all the way home to hide in my room. But the lawn business grew and grew. So did my profits, which Arnold invested in many things. And one of them was Joey Pow the prizefighter. That's when my 12th summer got really interesting.
MCLS Link book
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/Ab4icbcNQm/STUART/116120103/9
MCLS Link playaway
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/QHU6vG3rVQ/STUART/116120103/9
Porter, Tracey. Billy Creekmore: a Novel. HarperCollins ©2007
[HarperCollins (2007 hardcover) – ISBN 0060775704; HarperCollins (2008 paperback) – ISBN 0553494651]
Summary
Folks say I'm bound to be unlucky in life, for I was born at midnight on a Friday, the thirteenth of December, and Peggy says it's certain I can commune with spirits. But I ain't never seen any ghosts, not even my own mother, and wouldn't that be the ghost I'd see if I could? So begins the tale of Billy Creekmore, a boy with mystifying powers and the glorious gift of storytelling. But what does life hold for someone growing up in the cruel clutches of the Guardian Angels Home for Boys, where Billy's gifts do more harm than good? Escaping the orphanage seems an impossible feat, but when a stranger comes to claim Billy, he sets off on an extraordinary journey. With only a tin box that holds precious mementos of his beloved mother and mysterious father, Billy travels from the coal mines of West Virginia to the spectacular world of a traveling circus in search of his past, his future, and his own true self.
MCLS Link book
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/QFE7ro9zf0/STUART/116120103/9
MCLS Link cd book
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/FIhkw2aPbD/STUART/116120103/9
Schmid, Susan Maupin. Lost Time. Philomel ©2008
[Philomel (2008 hardcover) – ISBN 0399244605]
Summary
A space age mystery!Twelve-year-old Violynne Vivant wants answers. Orphaned and anguished, she wonders daily what happened to her parents, archaeologists who went digging for the ancient city of Ninthon and vanished into the red sands of Lindos never to return.Things heat up when a thief breaks into the Vivant’s house, looking for Violynne. Suddenly, she is swept into a maze of powerful adult forces: from the planetary ruler called the Arbiter to the murky underworld figure, the Coil—they all have a sudden deep interest in Violynne. Why? And what does it have to do with her parent’s disappearance? It becomes apparent that only Violynne herself can uncover her parents’ whereabouts—along with age-old secrets of the mysterious planet that many would rather stay buried . . .Imaginative and gripping, this unique blend of sci-fi and mystery will captivate young readers.
MCLS Link
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/JpBMJEfrAp/STUART/116120103/9
Shafer, Audrey. The Mailbox.
[(2008 hardcover) – ISBN 1439583056; Yearling (2008 paperback) – ISBN 0440421344; Recorded Books (2007 audiobook) – ISBN 1428146296]
Summary
Vernon Culligan had been dead to the town of Draydon, Virginia, so long that when the crusty Vietnam vet finally died, only one person noticed. Twelve-year-old Gabe grew up in the foster care system until a social worker located his Uncle Vernon two years before. When he comes home to discover that his uncle has died of a heart attack, he's terrifed of going back into the system--so he tells no one. The next day, he discovers a strange note in his mailbox: I HAVE A SECRET. DO NOT BE AFRAID. And his uncle's body is gone. Thus begins a unique correspondence destined to save the two people that depended on Vernon for everything. Through flashbacks, we learn about Gabe and Vernon's relationship, and how finding each other saved them both from lives of suffering. But eventually, Vernon's death will be discovered, and how will Gabe and the mystery note writer learn to move forward? THE MAILBOX is not a story about death--though it begins with a death. It's also not a story about Vietnam vets, although the author works with Vietnam veterans and wrote this novel, in part, to illuminate their sacrifices and suffering. THE MAILBOX is a story about connections--about how two people in need can save each other.
MCLS Link book
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/xSCDRJeBB3/STUART/116120103/9
MCLS Link cd book
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/SP2aMscWY6/STUART/116120103/9
Sherman, Delia. Changeling. Viking Juvenile ©2006
[Viking Juvenile (2008 hardcover) – ISBN 0670059676; Firebird (2008 paperback) – ISBN 0142411884]
A determined heroine, a quest— adventure galore!
Neef is a changeling, a human baby stolen by fairies and replaced with one of their own. She lives in “New York Between,” a Manhattan that exists side by side with our own, home to various creatures of folklore. Neef has always been protected by her fairy godmother—until she breaks a Fairy Law. Now, unless she can meet the challenge of the Green Lady of Central Park, she’ll be sacrificed! Neef is determined to beat the rap—but time is running out . . .
map of New York Between
http://www.sff.net/people/kushnerSherman/Sherman/map.htm
Delia Sherman's website
http://www.sff.net/people/kushnerSherman/Sherman/writingchildren.htm
What Delia Sherman posted when she was notified that her book was on the Sunshine State booklist-
"Wahoo! This is gobsmacking on so many levels I can't even count them all. Florida! Who knew? And best of all, the prize will be voted on by actual kids. It's truly an honor just to be nominated, but I'd be so chuffed if kids read this book that is so close to my heart and love it enough to vote for it. I have no idea when I'll hear, but it's a much-needed shot in the arm."
Vid of sequel to Changeling, "Magic Mirror of the Mermaid Queen"
MCLS Link
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/wRhIyEDRyW/STUART/116120103/9
Smith, Roland .I., Q: Independence Hall. Gale ©2009
[Gale (2009 hardcover) – ISBN 1585364688; Sleeping Bear Press (2008 paperback) – ISBN 1585363261]
Booklist Review
Adventure, suspense, humor, fascinating characters, and plot twists galore will draw middle-graders to this series starter. Thirteen-year-old Q (short for Quest) has just gained a stepfather and stepsister his mother, singer-songwriter Blaze Munoz, has married singer-songwriter Roger Tucker, and their new band, Match, is set to start a yearlong tour. Roger's 15-year-old daughter, Angela is, like Q, less than thrilled at the speed of their parents' romance, and both teens have mixed feelings about the prospect of spending a year together on a tour bus. But there's no time for grousing: the teens discover they are being followed, and given Angela's mother's past history as a Secret Service agent, that's not a good thing. The appearance of Boone, an old roadie friend of their parents, only keeps the mysteries building. Q's skills as a magician save the teens more than once, while Angela's knowledge of martial arts and spy games will fascinate readers. Think Ian Fleming for the younger set, and offer to those who love Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series.--Carton, Debbie Copyright 2008 Booklist
this book has a super cool website, check it out at
http://www.iqtheseries.com/author-dossier/roland-smith.asp
Book trailer for the book, I,Q by Roland Smith. Class project for Youth Programs, LS 5343.21, Summer 2009.
MCLS link
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/iraneGke8i/STUART/133340135/88
Soto, Gary. Mercy on These Teenage Chimps. Perfection Learning ©2008
[Perfection Learning (2008 hardcover) – ISBN 1606860615; Graphia (2008 paperback) – ISBN 0152062157]
On his thirteenth birthday, Ronnie woke up feeling like a chimp--all long armed, big eared, and gangly. He's been muddling through each gawky day since. Now his best friend, Joey, has turned thirteen, too--and after Joey humiliates himself in front of a cute girl, he climbs a tree and refuses to come down. So Ronnie sets out to woo the girl on Joey's behalf. After all, teenage chimps have to stick together.
Acclaimed author Gary Soto tells a fun and touching story about friendship, understanding, and the painful insecurities of being thirteen.
About the Author
GARY SOTO's first book for young readers, Baseball in April and Other Stories, won the California Library Association's Beatty Award and was named an ALA Best Book for Young Adults. He has since published many novels, short stories, plays, and poetry collections for adults and young people. He lives in Berkeley, California. www.garysoto.com
Vid with Steve Martin and some teen chimps
MCLS Link
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/bzfbnB4Stq/STUART/116120103/88
Spinelli, Jerry. Smiles to Go. HarperCollins ©2008
[HarperCollins (2008 hardcover) – ISBN 0060281332; HarperCollins (2009 paperback) – ISBN 0064471978;
HarperChildrens Audio (2008 audiobook) – ISBN 0061551864]
What is stargazer, skateboarder, chess champ, pepperoni pizza eater, older brother, sister hater, best friend, first kisser, science geek, control freak Will Tuppence so afraid of in this great big universe?
Jerry Spinelli knows.
YouTube vid about Smiles to Go
Jerry and Eileen Spinelli talk about writing
MCLS Link
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/WbHtboOdYD/STUART/102950138/88
Sunshine State Young Reader’s Award Program
Master List of Titles 2010 - 2011
Grades 3-5
Avi.. The Seer of Shadows. HarperCollins, ©2008.
[(2008 Hardcover) - 0060000155 (2009 paperback) – ISBN 0060000171; Recorded Books (2009) – ISBN
1436137756]
Newbery Medalist Avi weaves one of his most suspenseful and scary tales—about a ghost who has to be seen to be believed and must be kept from carrying out a horrifying revenge.
The time is 1872. The place is New York City. Horace Carpetine has been raised to believe in science and rationality. So as apprentice to Enoch Middleditch, a society photographer, he thinks of his trade as a scientific art. But when wealthy society matron Mrs. Frederick Von Macht orders a photographic portrait, strange things begin to happen.
Horace's first real photographs reveal a frightful likeness: it's the image of the Von Machts' dead daughter, Eleanora.
Pegg, the Von Machts' black servant girl, then leads him to the truth about who Eleanora really was and how she actually died. Joined in friendship, Pegg and Horace soon realize that his photographs are evoking both Eleanora's image and her ghost. Eleanora returns, a vengeful wraith intent on punishing those who abused her.
Rich in detail, full of the magic of early photography, here is a story about the shadows, visible and invisible, that are always lurking near.
READERS' GUIDE
http://files.harpercollins.com/PDF/ReadingGuides/0060000155.pdf
MCLS LIBRARY LINK
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/NrHCrvpXEl/STUART/180930128/9
and audio copy
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/iGnq8WAyYn/STUART/180930128/9
Beaty, Andrea. Cicada Summer. Amulet Books, ©2008.
[(2008 hardcover) – ISBN 0810994720]
“... this is compelling fiction that will be a hit with young readers, as rich and thought-provoking and yet as accessible as DiCamillo’s Because of Winn-Dixie." —Horn Book
Lily has read every Nancy Drew book in the library. She’s good at spying and keeping secrets. She has to be. She has secrets of her own that no one can ever find out.
When summer brings lying, stealing Tinny Bridges to town, Lily must depend on her wits to keep ahead of this sly newcomer. Tinny takes candy from the general store and blames Lily. She tries to steal Lily’s friends and her father’s affection. Worst of all, she seems to know Lily’s secrets. When Tinny goes missing, only Lily has any idea what happened to her. But for Lily, finding Tinny means confronting her hidden past.
In one unusual summer, Lily Mathis will have a chance to solve a mystery, make a friend, and, most important, find forgiveness.
Sir David Attenborough talks about Cicadas
MCLS Link
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/Jgu6wDeQl2/STUART/110630009/88
Broach, Elise. Masterpiece. Henry Holt and Co., ©2008.
[Henry Holt (2008 hardcover) – ISBN 0805082700; Square Fish ( 2010 paperback) – ISBN 0312608705;
Macmillian Young Listeners Audio (2010) – ISBN 1427211159]
From School Library Journal
Starred Review. Grade 4–8—Broach combines discussion about the art of Albrecht Dürer with a powerful tale of friendship in a novel that is entertaining and full of adventure. Marvin is a beetle, and he and his family live in the Manhattan kitchen that belongs to the Pompaday family. When James receives a pen-and-ink drawing set for his 11th birthday, Marvin discovers that he is a bug with artistic talent. Although he can't speak to James, they soon bond in a true interspecies friendship, and their escapades begin. Because of Marvin's wonderful drawing, presumed to be James's work, the boy is recruited to create a fake Dürer for the Metropolitan Museum of Art to help trap an art thief. Marvin produces the forgery, but he soon realizes that the original artwork is in danger. Only by placing his life on the line and relying on James's help can he save the masterpiece. Broach's projection of beetle life, complete with field trips to the family's solarium and complex uses of human discards for furniture and meals, is in the best tradition of Mary Norton's The Borrowers (Harcourt, 1953) and similar classic looks at miniature life. Murphy's illustrations add perspective and humor, supporting the detailed narrative. A masterpiece of storytelling.—Beth L. Meister, Milwaukee Jewish Day School, WI
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
James lives an invisible existence in a grand apartment on the Upper East Side. His mother, busy with her new husband and baby and her climb up the Manhattan social ladder, has little time for him. By contrast, Marvin, a beetle whose overprotective, extended family resides behind James’ mother’s kitchen, gets more attention than he wants. The two find friendship when James’ artist father gives him a pen-and-ink set, and Marvin discovers his talent for “drawing,” crafting delicate, museum-quality miniatures with his legs. When Marvin and James find themselves embroiled in a plot to steal a Dürer drawing from the Metropolitan Museum, they must find creative ways to communicate to foil the thieves and protect the masterpiece. Murphy’s own pen-and-ink spot art reflects the text’s sweet insouciance. With suspense, art history, complex family relationships (human and arthropod), and a resonant friendship, this enjoyable outing will satisfy the reserved and adventurous alike. Grades 3-6. --Thom Barthelmess
Vid about Albrecht Dürer
MCLS LINK
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/f0rDtr9e93/STUART/180930128/9
Delaney, M. C. Obi, Gerbil on the Loose. Dutton Juvenile, ©2008.
[(2008 hardcover) – ISBN 0525478906]
From School Library Journal
Grade 3–5—Obi is content with her simple life in a cage—or apartment, as she likes to think of it—cared for by her human owner, Rachel. Then one day, Rachel's family leaves for vacation. Tad, a neighbor, comes to feed their many pets, but he seems to have forgotten that the gerbil exists. Obi doesn't know how long the Armstrongs will be gone, and she's starving. Thus begins her quest for freedom, food, and to find out if Rachel really cared enough to leave Tad a note to feed her. Along the way, Obi hilariously confronts three sadistic cats, a harebrained parrot, a menacing tarantula and snake, and a paranoid squirrel who thinks Obi is a jailed criminal. The house also holds a surprise—a wise old mouse who has been keeping an eye on Obi through all of her escapades. He offers to help her, but at the expense of her loyalty to Rachel. Throughout each new challenge, readers feel Obi's terror, joy, and surprise, which are all written with a sense of fun. The chapters are peppered with black-and-white illustrations and are very short, which adds appeal for younger and reluctant readers. This is a laugh-out-loud story.—Jane Cronkhite, San Jose Public Library, CA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
Obi, a young gerbil named for the Jedi knight in Star Wars, lives a cushy existence with the Armstrongs until they go on vacation, leaving a neighbor boy to feed all the pets. Unfortunately, Tad doesn’t know about Obi (headphones prevent him from hearing her frantic yelps), so he doesn’t feed her. Hungry Obi finally breaks out of her cage, beginning an adventure that takes her to the attic (where she meets an elderly mouse who shows her secret passageways and escape routes); the kitchen (home to three particularly nasty cats); and a bedroom, where she finds a boa constrictor and a tarantula. Themes of self-reliance and loyalty are woven into the story as Obi learns to assert herself, take care of her needs, and reassure herself that her owner, Rachel, did not forget about her care. Small, black line drawings add drama and emotion to a book that will be popular with young pet lovers; the ending hints at more Obi stories to come. Grades 2-4. --Kay Weisman
Pirate Gerbil Vid
Obi, the Gerbil's Blog
www.obi.typepad.com/
MCLS Link
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/sLzp5cBVRU/STUART/110630009/88
DiTerlizzi, Tony. Kenny & the Dragon. Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing, ©2008.
[Simon and Schuster (2008 hardcover) – ISBN 1416939776; Simon and Schuster UK (2008 paperback) –
ISBN 1847385028; Simon and Schuster Audio (2008 audiobook) – ISBN 0743572122]
From School Library Journal
Grade 3–6—Kenny's father brings home a fearsome description of an enormous creature: "...one of them flying things that eats pretty maidens and burns castles to the ground." Instead of being frightened, Kenny, a curious and well-read rabbit, wants to meet the beast. His father, not too bright in some ways but quite sensible in others, is sure Kenny can handle it, but Kenny's no-nonsense mother insists, "Dishes and homework first." What follows is a delightful riff on Kenneth Grahame's classic The Reluctant Dragon, starring a dragon named Grahame that can delicately torch crème brûlée with the flames from his left nostril and has no interest in killing anyone. Before long, rumors and fear create a mob mentality among the local townspeople, and Kenny has to come up with a plan to prevent the retired dragon slayer (George, of course) from killing Grahame. This is a fun story with substance. At one point, Kenny wonders, "How can they want someone killed they don't even know?... How can George just blindly do whatever the king says?" The civilizing influence of literature is another theme that has relevance for today's readers. Lively pencil sketches add to the charm. The author's reputation will enhance the popularity of this solid fantasy.—Lauralyn Persson, Wilmette Public Library, IL
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Product Description
What do you do when your new best buddy has been designated a scourge by the community and marked for imminent extermination? Just ask Kenny Rabbit. When the simple folks in the sleepy little village of Roundbrook catch wind that there's a dragon running loose in the countryside, they get the wrong idea and the stage is set for a fight to the death. So it's up to Kenny to give his neighbors front-row seats to one of the best-known battles in history -- the legendary showdown between St. George and the dragon -- without losing a friend in the fray.
Tony DiTerlizzi's Blog about Kenny and the Dragon- has fan art, book tour pics, and great author interviews
http://diterlizzi.com/blog/category/kenny-the-dragon/
Tony DiTerlizzi Talking About Dragon Mythology
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVmgXV7lrH4&feature=related
MCLS LINK
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/tpBOmGkbhl/STUART/180930128/9
and audio
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/1MdYL6bMXd/STUART/180930128/9
Feldman, Jodi. The Gollywhopper Games. HarperCollins, ©2008.
[HarperCollins (2008 hardcover) – ISBN 0061214507; Greenwillow (2009 paperback) – ISBN 0061214523]
Publishers Weekly Review
When his father is charged with embezzlement, 12-year-old Gil Goodson becomes an outcast at school and his family sinks under a black cloud that doesn't lift, not even after his dad is acquitted. From this somber premise, first-time novelist Feldman concocts an outlandish method by which Gil will come out on top again-and get enough cash so his family can move. But winning the Gollywhopper Games, a contest sponsored by the toy company that fired his father, means besting 25,000 entrants in a series of brainteasers. Gil makes it to the final 10, where two teams compete against each other. His teammates are as obnoxious as the golden ticket holders on Charlie Bucket's famous tour, though not as imaginatively drawn, and their bickering nearly drains the fun from the whacked-out challenges they face. Indeed, the appeal of the book lies in the puzzles, which involve unscrambling clues hidden in rhyming verses and then tackling various stunts (obstacle courses, mazes, scavenger hunts) that get increasingly difficult as the field is winnowed. As the outcome of this intricate, potentially interactive story is never in doubt, many kids will want to put the story on pause to try to work out each answer. Final illustrations not seen by PW. Ages 10-14. (Feb.) Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information.
Booklist Review
Combine the contest and puzzle elements of the TV show The Amazing Race, Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (1967), and Ellen Raskin's The Westing Game (1974). Then, add a young man's desire to defend his father, and you've got Feldman's slight but enjoyable debut novel. Twelve-year-old Gil Goodson's father worked for the Golly Toy and Game Company but was fired after being investigated for (and acquitted of) embezzling funds. Gil is determined not only to win the Gollywhopper Games grand prize (cash, a college scholarship, and all sorts of Golly toys and games) but also to clear his father's name. Feldman includes truly despicable villains, unexpected kindnesses, and a surprise ending. The characterization is somewhat underdeveloped, but this is clearly a plot- and puzzle-driven novel. Nonstop action, appealing pencil illustrations, and increasingly difficult brainteasers will keep readers engaged, and readers will pull out paper and pencil to try and solve the puzzles as they work through the book.--Carton, Debbie Copyright 2007 Booklist
Actual real live kid review
MCLS LINK
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/XoCcUB0K8H/STUART/180930128/88
To read more about Jody feldman and the Gollywhopper Games go to:
http://www.jodyfeldman.com/
http://www.gollywhoppergames.com/
http://jodyfeldman.livejournal.com/
Forester, Victoria. The Girl Who Could Fly. Feiwel & Friends, ©2008.
[Feiwel & Friends (2008 hardcover) – ISBN 0312374623; Square Fish (2010 paperback) – ISBN 0312602383]
Summary
You just can't keep a good girl down . . . unless you use the proper methods. Piper McCloud can fly. Just like that. Easy as pie. Sure, she hasn't mastered reverse propulsion and her turns are kind of sloppy, but she's real good at loop-the-loops. Problem is, the good folk of Lowland County are afraid of Piper. And her ma's at her wit's end. So it seems only fitting that she leave her parents' farm to attend a top-secret, maximum-security school for kids with exceptional abilities. School is great at first with a bunch of new friends whose skills range from super-strength to super-genius. (Plus all the homemade apple pie she can eat!) But Piper is special, even among the special. And there are consequences. Consequences too dire to talk about. Too crazy to consider. And too dangerous to ignore. At turns exhilarating and terrifying, Victoria Forester's debut novel is an unforgettable story of defiance and courage about an irrepressible heroine who can, who will, who must . . . fly.
Booklist Review
*Starred Review* In this terrific debut novel, readers meet Piper McCloud, the late-in-life daughter of farmers. Her parents revel in conformity, so it's disconcerting at best when Piper shows a talent for flying. Homeschooled and kept away from outsiders, Piper is lonely. Finally, her parents let her go to a community picnic, where she thinks she'll meet new friends. Instead, she terrifies the neighbors by flying up to catch a ball during a kids' game. In no time, the McCloud farm is besieged. Then, out of a helicopter comes the empathetic Dr. Letitia Hellion, who whisks Piper off to a secret school for kids with special talents. But are things there what they seem to be? No. Forester gets almost everything right here. The story soars, just like Piper, with enough loop-de-loops to keep kids uncertain about what will come next. Her plainspoken heroine has a big heart and a strong streak of defiance, and Piper's reactions always seem true, even in the midst of sf machinations. Many other characters are also clearly set within the context of their lives, giving them dimension sometimes lacking in supporting casts. Best of all are the book's strong, lightly wrapped messages about friendship and authenticity and the difference between doing well and doing good. Give this to fans of Trenton Lee Stuart's The Mysterious Benedict Society (2007).--Cooper, Ilene Copyright 2008 Booklist
MCLS LINK
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/M2R9Gq5IqF/STUART/199990090/9
and
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/CCxsGeIwDb/STUART/199990090/9
The Girl Who Could Fly Vid
Giff, Patricia Reilly, Eleven. Wendy Lamb Books, ©2008.
[Wendy Lamb Books (2008 hardcover) – ISBN 0374308470; Yearling (2009 paperback) – ISBN 0440238027;
Listening Library (2008) – ISBN 0739362801]
Summary
Sam is almost 11 when he discovers a locked box in the attic above his grandfather Mack s room, and a piece of paper that says he was kidnapped. There are lots of other words, but Sam has always had trouble reading. He s desperate to find out who he is, and if his beloved Mack is really his grandfather. At night he s haunted by dreams of a big castle and a terrifying escape on a boat. Who can he trust to help him read the documents that could unravel the mystery? Then he and the new girl, Caroline, are paired up to work on a school project, building a castle in Mack s woodworking shop. Caroline loves to read, and she can help. But she s moving soon, and the two must hurry to discover the truth about Sam.
MCLS Link
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/fmaOOP3qBk/STUART/235590109/9
Henkes, Kevin. Bird Lake Moon. Greenwillow Books, ©2008.
[Greenwillow Books (2008 hardcover) – ISBN 0061470769; Greenwillow Books (2010 paperback) – ISBN
Summary
Spencer thought the house might be haunted. Mitch knew it wasn't. And he knew why. The whole time Spencer and Mitch hung out together at Bird Lake that summer, there were secrets keeping them apart. And maybe a secret knowledge keeping them together, too-together like members of the same tribe. Like friends.
MCLS Link
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/UdFBx8m5U9/STUART/235590109/9
0061470791; HarperChildrens Audio (2008 audiobook) – ISBN 0061551856]
Holt, Kimberly Willis. Piper Reed, Navy Brat. Henry Holt and Co., ©2007.
[Henry Holt (2007 hardcover) – ISBN 0805081976; Square Fish (2008 paperback) – ISBN 0312380205;
Listening Library (2007) - ISBN 0739359584]
It s not easy being the middle child, especially when your dad is a Navy Chief. Meet Piper Reed, a spunky nine-year-old who has moved more times than she can count on one hand. From Texas to Guam, wherever Piper goes, adventure follows, inspired by her active imagination, free-wheeling spirit, and a bit of sister magic. Unlike her older sister, Piper loves being part of a Navy family, and unlike her little sister, Piper is no prodigy genius. Piper is Piper—fearless and full of life. Based on her own childhood experience, Kimberly Willis Holt portrays the life of a Navy family with warmth and humor. Chief stood in the hallway, again. “Piper, you re going to be late for mess hall. Mess hall was what the Navy called the place where they ate their meals, but Chief called our kitchen that, too. The bed creaked as I rolled off my mattress. I took Bruna outside to see if she d do her business, but she kept jumping on me, wanting to play. Finally I figured she didn t need to do her business. She d already done it on me. I gave up and we went inside. I needed to get out of my stinky nightgown and take a shower. But it was too late. Tori was already in the bathroom. That could take forever. Sam hurried with Annie toward the bathroom door, wearing her stupid crown. “I m next! she hollered. “You forgot about the list, I reminded her. “You re last. Sam rubbed her eyes. “But I have to go real bad. “Okay. Real quick because I get to shower next. I pounded on the door. “THAT S IF TORI REED EVER DECIDES TO GET OUT OF THE BATHROOM! “LEAVE ME ALONE! Tori shouted back. I was feeling grumpier by the minute.
MCLS Link
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/k1JhHgcowh/STUART/199990090/9
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/tTBd8uhz0N/STUART/199990090/9
and on cd
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/cjSBsYx1XW/STUART/199990090/9
Lupica, Mike. Safe at Home. Philomel, ©2008.
[Philomel (2008 hardcover) – ISBN 0399247165; Puffin (2009 paperback) – ISBN 0142414603; Penguin Audio
(2010 audiobook) – ISBN 0143145746]
Nick Crandall feels like he doesn't belong anywhere. He never has felt like he belongs, really. He doesn't fit in this new family with his new foster parents, both of whom are professors. They don't know the first thing about sports—and he's not exactly a model student. It's only a matter of time until they realize he's not the right kid for them. And Nick certainly doesn't belong playing varsity baseball. He's only twelve years old! His teammates want a catcher their own age, not some kid. But Nick needs to prove something. He needs to prove that he belongs—to his parents, to his team, and to himself.
Mike Lupica's website
http://www.mikelupicabooks.com/books.html
MCLS Link
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/9pBQ13c8Az/STUART/199990090/9
Mass, Wendy. 11 Birthdays. Scholastic Press, ©2009.
[Scholastic (2009 hardcover) – ISBN 0545052394; Scholastic (2010 paperback) – ISBN 0545052408]
It's Amanda's 11th birthday and she is super excited — after all, 11 is so different from 10. But from the start, everything goes wrong. The worst part of it all is that she and her best friend, Leo, with whom she's shared every birthday, are on the outs and this will be the first birthday they haven't shared together.
When Amanda turns in for the night, glad to have her birthday behind her, she wakes up happy for a new day. Or is it? Her birthday seems to be repeating iself. What is going on?! And how can she fix it? Only time, friendship, and a little luck will tell. . .
Scholasic.com book description
MCLS Link
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/Bs7X7Jdjr1/STUART/199990090/9
Napoli, Donna Jo. Mogo, the Third Warthog. Hyperion Books, ©2007.
[Hyperion (2008 hardcover) – ISBN 1423108167 ]
From School Library Journal
Grade 3–6—When warthogs have their third litter, the sows cast out their first litter. That's how Mogo, the runt of his litter, finds himself on his own. Using what he has learned from his mother, from his older brothers' missteps, and from a helpful baboon who is also alone, he carves out a life as he matures and finds a potential mate. While the author builds on a strong natural-history base, she also explores her characters' emotions, hopes, and fears. This tempers the potentially frightening wild world of the African savanna's hungry cheetahs, wild dogs, and lions, who hunt to ensure their own survival in a harsh environment. The book's high read-aloud potential stems from Mogo's appeal as an unlikely hero who thrives when he finds friendship and loving companions. Realistic black and gray-tone watercolor illustrations that range in size from small vignettes to full page grace every chapter, introduce unfamiliar animals, and interpret the action.—Ellen G. Fader, Multnomah County Library, Portland, OR
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
As in Napoli’s Ugly (2006), the protagonist here is a young animal learning to survive on its own. The last of three male warthogs born in his litter, Mogo always walks behind his mother and his just-slightly-older brothers in the last position, the most vulnerable to the many predators on the savanna. In a convincing first-person narrative, Mogo tells how he survives after his mother forces the three brothers out on their own. Instincts, learned lessons, and reasoning are on his side, but luck and an unlikely friendship with a lone baboon also come into play. Though the final art for Judge’s illustrations was not seen, the sketches look very promising. Readers with no particular interest in African animals may find themselves unexpectedly caught up in this well-told, life-or-death adventure tale, while children who love animals, even those as apparently unlovable as the warthog, will be in their element here. Grades 3-5. --Carolyn Phelan
National Geographic vid on wart hogs
MCLS Link-
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/hmTEGGKeP9/STUART/130780102/9
Wolf, Joan. Someone Named Eva. Laurel Leaf, ©2009.
[Clarion (2007 hardcover) – ISBN 0618535799; Sandpiper (2009 paperback) – ISBN 0547237669]
Summary
On the night Nazi soldiers come to her home in Czechoslovakia, Miladas grandmother says, "Remember, Milada. Remember who you are. Always." Milada promises, but she doesnt understand her grandmothers words. After all, she is Milada, who lives with her mama and papa, her brother and sister, and her beloved Babichka. Milada, eleven years old, the fastest runner in school. How could she ever forget?Then the Nazis take Milada away from her family and send her to a Lebensborn center in Poland. There, she is told she fits the Aryan ideal: her blond hair and blue eyes are the right color; her head and nose, the right size. She is given a new name, Eva, and trained to become the perfect German citizen, to be the hope of Germanys future-and to forget she was ever a Czech girl named Milada.Inspired by real events, this fascinating novel sheds light on a little-known aspect of the Nazi agenda and movingly portrays a young girls struggle to hold on to her identity and her hope in the face of a regime intent on destroying both.
MCLS Link
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/TnXm6z0mTP/STUART/116120103/9
Yep, Laurence. The Earth Dragon Awakes: The San Francisco Earthquake of 1906.
HarperCollins ©2008.
[HarperCollins (2006 paperback) – ISBN – 0060275243; HarperCollins (2008 paperback) – ISBN 0060008466]
Summary
Tuesday, April 17, 1906It is early evening in San Francisco. Streetlights come on. People hurry home. No one knows about the danger below. Underneath their feet, the earth begins to stir.Wednesday, April 18, 1906, 5:12 A.M. , Sacramento StreetEarly the next morning, Henry Travis hears a low rumbling. It sounds like a train coming. . . . Windows rattle. Doors thump. . . . There is a crash above him.Wednesday, April 18, 1906, 5:12 A.M. , ChinatownAcross town, Henry's friend Chin waits for the trembling to stop. But it goes on and on. . . . “The tenement is falling!” Chin's father shouts. Walls crack and crumble. Windows shatter. Broken glass sprays like little daggers.The Earth Dragon has awakened . . . with a vengeance.When the quake subsides, Chin and Henry and their families are lucky to be alive. But now they must escape the fires that have broken out and find their way to safety.
MCLS Link
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/pi5JltxCGQ/STUART/116120103/9
Sunshine State Young Reader’s Award Program Master List of Titles 2010-2011
Grades 6-8
Avi.. The Seer of Shadows. HarperCollins, ©2008.
[HarperCollins (2008 hardcover) – ISBN 0060000155; (2009 paperback) – ISBN 0060000171; Recorded Books
(2009) – ISBN 1436137756]
Newbery Medalist Avi weaves one of his most suspenseful and scary tales—about a ghost who has to be seen to be believed and must be kept from carrying out a horrifying revenge.
The time is 1872. The place is New York City. Horace Carpetine has been raised to believe in science and rationality. So as apprentice to Enoch Middleditch, a society photographer, he thinks of his trade as a scientific art. But when wealthy society matron Mrs. Frederick Von Macht orders a photographic portrait, strange things begin to happen.
Horace's first real photographs reveal a frightful likeness: it's the image of the Von Machts' dead daughter, Eleanora.
Pegg, the Von Machts' black servant girl, then leads him to the truth about who Eleanora really was and how she actually died. Joined in friendship, Pegg and Horace soon realize that his photographs are evoking both Eleanora's image and her ghost. Eleanora returns, a vengeful wraith intent on punishing those who abused her.
Rich in detail, full of the magic of early photography, here is a story about the shadows, visible and invisible, that are always lurking near.
READERS' GUIDE
http://files.harpercollins.com/PDF/ReadingGuides/0060000155.pdf
MCLS LIBRARY LINK
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/NrHCrvpXEl/STUART/180930128/9
and audio copy
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/iGnq8WAyYn/STUART/180930128/9
Bartolett, Susan Campbell. The Boy Who Dared. Scholastic ©2008.
[Scholastic (2008 hardcover) – ISBN 0439680131; Scholastic (2008 paperback) – ISBN 0; Listening Library
( 2009 audio) – ISBN 0739374052]
From School Library Journal
Grade 6–9—In the newly formed Third Reich, Hitler's initial political doctrine is filled with hopeful solutions for a country plagued with unemployment, poverty, and a post-World War I feeling of defeat. Propaganda and promises quickly turn to oppressive new laws including the required participation in the Hitler Youth. Helmuth Hübener enters the program and is at once impressed with the bravado, shiny uniforms, boots, and patriotic fever sweeping the country. But his Mormon-based teachings trigger questions in his mind about the reality behind the regime's invasions of neighboring countries, mistreatment of Jewish citizens, and closely controlled media. He creates an underground newsletter with information gathered from BBC reports using an illegal shortwave radio. As he secretly distributes the flyers throughout the town, his boldness encourages him to gather several accomplices resulting in his arrest, trial, and execution. The novel opens as he is on death row, and the story is told as a series of flashbacks. Helmuth is portrayed as a brave, outspoken voice amid a family of acquiescing brothers, mother, and new SS stepfather. Based on a real person, the novel includes black-and-white photos of Hübener and his family. Bartoletti offers another perspective on the Holocaust, demonstrating that even if the effort proves unsuccessful, the courage and convictions of a minority should be motivation to speak the truth rather than remain silent. It's a message that must be continually emphasized as a lasting legacy of the Holocaust.—Rita Soltan, Youth Services Consultant, West Bloomfield, MI
From Booklist
*Starred Review* In Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler’s Shadow, Booklist’s 2005 Top of the List for youth nonfiction, 2005, Bartoletti included a portrait of Helmuth Hübener, a German teenager executed for his resistance to the Nazis. In this fictionalized biography, she imagines his story as he sits in prison awaiting execution in 1942 and remembers his childhood in Hamburg during Hitler’s rise to power. Beaten and tortured to name his friends, he remembers how he started off an ardent Nazi follower and then began to question his patriotism, secretly listened to BBC radio broadcasts, and finally dared to write and distribute pamphlets calling for resistance. The teen’s perspective makes this a particularly gripping way to personalize the history, and even those unfamiliar with the background Bartoletti weaves in–the German bitterness after World War I, the burning of the books, the raging anti-Semitism––will be enthralled by the story of one boy’s heroic resistance in the worst of times. A lengthy author’s note distinguishes fact from fiction, and Bartoletti provides a detailed chronology, a bibliography, and many black-and-white photos of Helmuth with friends, family, and members of his Mormon church. This is an important title for the Holocaust curriculum. See the Booklist interview with Bartoletti, in which she discusses how this teen’s story moved her. Grades 6-12.--Hazel Rochman
MCLS Link
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/3uzDkx1kjy/STUART/199990090/88
Bloor, Edward. Taken. Knopf Books for Young Readers ©2007.
[Knopf (2007 hardcover) – ISBN 0375836365 ; Knopf (2009 paperback) – ISBN 0440421284]
When Charity Meyers is taken, she knows better than to panic--at first. As the hours of her imprisonment tick by, Charity realizes that no training could have prepared her for what the kidnappers really want--or worse, who they turn out to be.
MCLS Link
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/mrSXeUarG6/STUART/34740132/9
Cooney, Caroline B. Diamonds in the Shadow.
A powerful novel about the difficulty of doing what is right.
Through their love for people, yet ignorance of the unknown, the Finch Family has joined alongside their church and opened their home to an African refugee family who are moving to Connecticut. The Amabo family of four– Andre, Celestine, Mattu, and Alake: father, mother, and teenage son and daughter– arrive in great hope as they have escaped the tyranny of Africa. What the Finch Family doesn’t know is that there are not just four refugees in this Amabo family, but five.
As the Amabo family, who have suffered unimaginable horrors, begin to adjust to a life of plenty in the Finches' suburban Connecticut home, and the Finches are learning new lessons of “The Golden Rule”. The life adjustment for all seems flawless.
But the fifth refugee does not believe in good will. This lawless rebel has managed to enter America undetected. And the Amabo family has something of his--something that they agreed to carry into the country for him.
When Jared, the oldest Finch son, realizes that the good guys are not always innocent, he must make a decision that could change the fates of both the Finches and the Amabos. In this uncommonly penetrating story, Caroline B. Cooney presents a fresh perspective on how doing what is right can be most difficult.
MCLS Link
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/mwme6HzcJl/STUART/116120103/88
Green, Tim. Football Hero. HarperCollins ©2008. [HarperCollins (2008 hardcover) – ISBN
0061122742; HarperCollins (2009 paperback) – ISBN 0061122769; Full Cast Audio (2009 audio) – ISBN 1934180858]
Summary
Ty Lewis can't believe it when Coach V recruits him for the football team. This is Ty's big chance to prove how fast he is on the field, get a fresh start in a new school, and be like his older brother, Thane "Tiger" Lewis, who's about to graduate from college-and is being courted by the NFL. But Ty's guardian, Uncle Gus, won't let him play. Uncle Gus needs Ty to scrub floors and toilets for his cleaning business while he cooks up gambling schemes with the local mob boss, a man called "Lucy." When Lucy hears just how famous Ty's older brother is, he becomes suddenly friendly. Are the questions Lucy is asking Ty really about fantasy football . . . or is the Mafia using Ty to get valuable insider info from his superstar brother? Desperately worried, Ty must come up with a plan to save Thane's football career-and, ultimately, his life. Author of the New York Times bestselling Football Genius, former NFL player Tim Green will have you on the edge of your seat rooting for Ty-and enjoying an up-close look at what it's like to be inside the NFL.
MCLS Link
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/NeElOgbV6j/STUART/116120103/9
Herlong, M. L.. The Great Wide Sea. Viking Juvenile ©2008.
[Viking Juvenile (2008 hardcover) – ISBN 0670063304; Puffin (2010 paperback) – ISBN 0142416703]
Summary
Ben, Dylan, and Gerry are still mourning their mother's death when their dad decides to buy a boat and take them on a year-long sailing trip. Tensions flare between Ben and his father, but they gradually learn to live together in close quarters. Then one morning the boys wake up to discover their father has disappeared-and they are lost. What happened to him? Where are they? And what will they do when a terrible storm looms on the horizon?
MCLS Link
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/XogQvwFKAY/STUART/116120103/88
Hill, Kirkpatrick. Do Not Pass Go. Margaret K. McElderry ©2007.
[Margaret K. McElderry (2007 hardcover)]
Summary
Deet's world turns upside down when his father is arrested for drug use. It doesn't seem possible that kind, caring Dad could be a criminal! After all, he only took the pills to stay awake so he could work two jobs. Now what will happen? How will Deet be able to face his classmates? Where will they get money? And most importantly, will Dad be okay in prison?Hurt, angry, and ashamed, Deet doesn't want to visit his father in jail. But when Mom goes back to work, Deet starts visiting Dad after school. It's frightening at first, but as he adjusts to the routine, Deet begins to see the prisoners as people with stories of their own, just like his dad. Deet soon realizes that prison isn't the terrifying place of movies and nightmares. In fact, Dad's imprisonment leads Deet to make a few surprising discoveries -- about his father, his friends, and himself.With moving realism, Kirkpatrick Hill brings to light the tumultuous experience of having a parent in jail in this honest and stirring story of a young man forced to grow up quickly.
MCLS Link
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/Jejyhi8RIL/STUART/116120103/88
Paulsen, Gary. Lawn Boy. Wendy Lamb Books ©2007.
[Wendy Lamb Books (2007 hardcover) – ISBN 0670063304; Yearling (2010 paperback) – ISBN 0553494651;
Brilliance Audio (2009 Audiobook)]
Summary
One day I was 12 years old and broke. Then Grandma gave me Grandpa's old riding lawnmower. I set out to mow some lawns. More people wanted me to mow their lawns. And more and more. . . . One client was Arnold the stockbroker, who offered to teach me about "the beauty of capitalism. Supply and Demand. Diversify labor. Distribute the wealth." "Wealth?" I said. "It's groovy, man," said Arnold. If I'd known what was coming, I might have climbed on my mower and putted all the way home to hide in my room. But the lawn business grew and grew. So did my profits, which Arnold invested in many things. And one of them was Joey Pow the prizefighter. That's when my 12th summer got really interesting.
MCLS Link book
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/Ab4icbcNQm/STUART/116120103/9
MCLS Link playaway
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/QHU6vG3rVQ/STUART/116120103/9
Porter, Tracey. Billy Creekmore: a Novel. HarperCollins ©2007
[HarperCollins (2007 hardcover) – ISBN 0060775704; HarperCollins (2008 paperback) – ISBN 0553494651]
Summary
Folks say I'm bound to be unlucky in life, for I was born at midnight on a Friday, the thirteenth of December, and Peggy says it's certain I can commune with spirits. But I ain't never seen any ghosts, not even my own mother, and wouldn't that be the ghost I'd see if I could? So begins the tale of Billy Creekmore, a boy with mystifying powers and the glorious gift of storytelling. But what does life hold for someone growing up in the cruel clutches of the Guardian Angels Home for Boys, where Billy's gifts do more harm than good? Escaping the orphanage seems an impossible feat, but when a stranger comes to claim Billy, he sets off on an extraordinary journey. With only a tin box that holds precious mementos of his beloved mother and mysterious father, Billy travels from the coal mines of West Virginia to the spectacular world of a traveling circus in search of his past, his future, and his own true self.
MCLS Link book
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/QFE7ro9zf0/STUART/116120103/9
MCLS Link cd book
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/FIhkw2aPbD/STUART/116120103/9
Schmid, Susan Maupin. Lost Time. Philomel ©2008
[Philomel (2008 hardcover) – ISBN 0399244605]
Summary
A space age mystery!Twelve-year-old Violynne Vivant wants answers. Orphaned and anguished, she wonders daily what happened to her parents, archaeologists who went digging for the ancient city of Ninthon and vanished into the red sands of Lindos never to return.Things heat up when a thief breaks into the Vivant’s house, looking for Violynne. Suddenly, she is swept into a maze of powerful adult forces: from the planetary ruler called the Arbiter to the murky underworld figure, the Coil—they all have a sudden deep interest in Violynne. Why? And what does it have to do with her parent’s disappearance? It becomes apparent that only Violynne herself can uncover her parents’ whereabouts—along with age-old secrets of the mysterious planet that many would rather stay buried . . .Imaginative and gripping, this unique blend of sci-fi and mystery will captivate young readers.
MCLS Link
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/JpBMJEfrAp/STUART/116120103/9
Shafer, Audrey. The Mailbox.
[(2008 hardcover) – ISBN 1439583056; Yearling (2008 paperback) – ISBN 0440421344; Recorded Books (2007 audiobook) – ISBN 1428146296]
Summary
Vernon Culligan had been dead to the town of Draydon, Virginia, so long that when the crusty Vietnam vet finally died, only one person noticed. Twelve-year-old Gabe grew up in the foster care system until a social worker located his Uncle Vernon two years before. When he comes home to discover that his uncle has died of a heart attack, he's terrifed of going back into the system--so he tells no one. The next day, he discovers a strange note in his mailbox: I HAVE A SECRET. DO NOT BE AFRAID. And his uncle's body is gone. Thus begins a unique correspondence destined to save the two people that depended on Vernon for everything. Through flashbacks, we learn about Gabe and Vernon's relationship, and how finding each other saved them both from lives of suffering. But eventually, Vernon's death will be discovered, and how will Gabe and the mystery note writer learn to move forward? THE MAILBOX is not a story about death--though it begins with a death. It's also not a story about Vietnam vets, although the author works with Vietnam veterans and wrote this novel, in part, to illuminate their sacrifices and suffering. THE MAILBOX is a story about connections--about how two people in need can save each other.
MCLS Link book
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/xSCDRJeBB3/STUART/116120103/9
MCLS Link cd book
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/SP2aMscWY6/STUART/116120103/9
Sherman, Delia. Changeling. Viking Juvenile ©2006
[Viking Juvenile (2008 hardcover) – ISBN 0670059676; Firebird (2008 paperback) – ISBN 0142411884]
A determined heroine, a quest— adventure galore!
Neef is a changeling, a human baby stolen by fairies and replaced with one of their own. She lives in “New York Between,” a Manhattan that exists side by side with our own, home to various creatures of folklore. Neef has always been protected by her fairy godmother—until she breaks a Fairy Law. Now, unless she can meet the challenge of the Green Lady of Central Park, she’ll be sacrificed! Neef is determined to beat the rap—but time is running out . . .
map of New York Between
http://www.sff.net/people/kushnerSherman/Sherman/map.htm
Delia Sherman's website
http://www.sff.net/people/kushnerSherman/Sherman/writingchildren.htm
What Delia Sherman posted when she was notified that her book was on the Sunshine State booklist-
"Wahoo! This is gobsmacking on so many levels I can't even count them all. Florida! Who knew? And best of all, the prize will be voted on by actual kids. It's truly an honor just to be nominated, but I'd be so chuffed if kids read this book that is so close to my heart and love it enough to vote for it. I have no idea when I'll hear, but it's a much-needed shot in the arm."
Vid of sequel to Changeling, "Magic Mirror of the Mermaid Queen"
MCLS Link
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/wRhIyEDRyW/STUART/116120103/9
Smith, Roland .I., Q: Independence Hall. Gale ©2009
[Gale (2009 hardcover) – ISBN 1585364688; Sleeping Bear Press (2008 paperback) – ISBN 1585363261]
Booklist Review
Adventure, suspense, humor, fascinating characters, and plot twists galore will draw middle-graders to this series starter. Thirteen-year-old Q (short for Quest) has just gained a stepfather and stepsister his mother, singer-songwriter Blaze Munoz, has married singer-songwriter Roger Tucker, and their new band, Match, is set to start a yearlong tour. Roger's 15-year-old daughter, Angela is, like Q, less than thrilled at the speed of their parents' romance, and both teens have mixed feelings about the prospect of spending a year together on a tour bus. But there's no time for grousing: the teens discover they are being followed, and given Angela's mother's past history as a Secret Service agent, that's not a good thing. The appearance of Boone, an old roadie friend of their parents, only keeps the mysteries building. Q's skills as a magician save the teens more than once, while Angela's knowledge of martial arts and spy games will fascinate readers. Think Ian Fleming for the younger set, and offer to those who love Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series.--Carton, Debbie Copyright 2008 Booklist
this book has a super cool website, check it out at
http://www.iqtheseries.com/author-dossier/roland-smith.asp
Book trailer for the book, I,Q by Roland Smith. Class project for Youth Programs, LS 5343.21, Summer 2009.
MCLS link
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/iraneGke8i/STUART/133340135/88
Soto, Gary. Mercy on These Teenage Chimps. Perfection Learning ©2008
[Perfection Learning (2008 hardcover) – ISBN 1606860615; Graphia (2008 paperback) – ISBN 0152062157]
On his thirteenth birthday, Ronnie woke up feeling like a chimp--all long armed, big eared, and gangly. He's been muddling through each gawky day since. Now his best friend, Joey, has turned thirteen, too--and after Joey humiliates himself in front of a cute girl, he climbs a tree and refuses to come down. So Ronnie sets out to woo the girl on Joey's behalf. After all, teenage chimps have to stick together.
Acclaimed author Gary Soto tells a fun and touching story about friendship, understanding, and the painful insecurities of being thirteen.
About the Author
GARY SOTO's first book for young readers, Baseball in April and Other Stories, won the California Library Association's Beatty Award and was named an ALA Best Book for Young Adults. He has since published many novels, short stories, plays, and poetry collections for adults and young people. He lives in Berkeley, California. www.garysoto.com
Vid with Steve Martin and some teen chimps
MCLS Link
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/bzfbnB4Stq/STUART/116120103/88
Spinelli, Jerry. Smiles to Go. HarperCollins ©2008
[HarperCollins (2008 hardcover) – ISBN 0060281332; HarperCollins (2009 paperback) – ISBN 0064471978;
HarperChildrens Audio (2008 audiobook) – ISBN 0061551864]
What is stargazer, skateboarder, chess champ, pepperoni pizza eater, older brother, sister hater, best friend, first kisser, science geek, control freak Will Tuppence so afraid of in this great big universe?
Jerry Spinelli knows.
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YouTube vid about Smiles to Go
Jerry and Eileen Spinelli talk about writing
MCLS Link
http://www.lib.martin.fl.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/WbHtboOdYD/STUART/102950138/88
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