Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Read it Before You See It!
Incarceron, by Catherine Fisher, is a highly-rated dystopian fantasy novel which is already being cast for a movie. CSMS' seventh and eighth grade book clubs will be reading it in April, and deciding whether we agree with the glowing reviews it has received.
Friday, April 1, 2011
New Lone Star Line-Up!
Each year, members of the Texas Library Association select books to be included in the Lone Star List for middle school students. This is comparable to the Bluebonnet List for elementary age children. The list for next year has something for every reading taste. Most of these titles are already available in the library, so if one catches your eye, stop by and check it out!
Ship Breaker, by Paolo Bacigalupi. In a realistic future world after global warming has taken its toll, ship breakers scavenge the metal and oil from beached tankers. Nailer is a young ship breaker who comes upon a lucky find.
Little Blog on the Prairie, by Cathleen Bell. Genevieve's mom decides that the family should spend the summer at an authentic frontier community, in spite of Genevieve's protests. When Genevieve sneaks in her cell phone to keep in touch with her friends, and it is discovered, she must make a difficult choice.
Fat Cat, by Robin Brande. Catherine's nickname, Fat Cat, has not helped her self image, relationships with friends, or her general health. It takes a year-long experiment of giving up junk food and modern technology for Cat to realize what really matters in life.
Heist Society, by Ally Carter. Kat wants to escape the "family business" of stealing famous artworks, but she learns that her father's life is in danger and is pulled back into a life of crime.
Forgive My Fins, by Tera Childs. Lily lives the life of a mermaid, and would like Brody Bennet to join her under the sea. But things get complicated when her obnoxious neighbor gets involved.
Matched, by Ally Condie. Cassia is thrilled with the match selected for her by the Officials, her best friend Xander. But then another Match flashes on the screen. Could this be a mistake which will determine her future?
Payback Time, by Carl Deuker. There is a mysterious new player on the football team who might turn out to be the sports sensation of the year.
The Total Tragedy of a Girl Named Hamlet, by Erin Dionne. Middle school is hard enough without your genius little sister being promoted to 8th grade with you. When you also have parents who teach Shakespeare, life becomes a tragicomedy for a girl named Hamlet.
Brain Jack, by Brian Falkner. Sam, a computer hacker, uses a neuro headset to tune into other's thoughts. He receives 24 hour live feeds from the internet and gaming sites, a real barrage of information. Step into Sam's world where nothing is quite as it seems.
How to Survive Middle School, by Donna Gephart. David would love to become the next Jon Stewart. This is a farfetched dream since he is targeted by the class bully and is deserted by his best friend. Can he somehow find an audience?
Dragonfly, by Julia Golding. When Princess Taoshira and Prince Ramil are ordered to marry to form an alliance against a powerful warlord, they are horrified. But then they are kidnapped, and must find a way to put aside their differences.
Vampire Rising, by Jason Henderson. Alex Van Helsing shares the name of a legendary vampire hunter, and he may become one too.
Stuck on Earth, by David Klass. Tom, a social outcast from a dysfunctional family, is alienated and bullied by his classmates. But he also holds the fate of the human race in his hands. The question is: are we doomed?
The Grimm Legacy, by Polly Shulman. When Elizabeth takes a job in the library, she is excited to earn some extra money. But she soon learns she is not working in an ordinary library.
After Ever After, by Jordan Sonnenblick. Jeffrey and Tad are complete opposites but they are best friends. They also have something important in common: they are both cancer survivors. Now they are in middle school, and are realizing that "Living Happily Ever After" isn't all it's cracked up to be.
The Last Summer of the Death Warriors, by Francisco Stork. After Pancho's father dies and his sister is murdered, he finds himself in trouble with the law. He is placed in an orphanage where friendship, revenge, and death become intertwined.
Countdown, by Deborah Wiles. In 1962, Franny lives in the shadow of the Cold War, and life is changing faster than she can imagine. The entire United States is worried about Russia launching a nuclear bomb from Cuba. Franny's world will never be the same.
The Monstrumologist, by Richard Yancey. In 1888, twelve-year-old Will Henry is an apprentice to the Monstrumologist. Will recounts his bizarre and horrific encounters with a brutal species that feeds on human prey.
Ship Breaker, by Paolo Bacigalupi. In a realistic future world after global warming has taken its toll, ship breakers scavenge the metal and oil from beached tankers. Nailer is a young ship breaker who comes upon a lucky find.
Little Blog on the Prairie, by Cathleen Bell. Genevieve's mom decides that the family should spend the summer at an authentic frontier community, in spite of Genevieve's protests. When Genevieve sneaks in her cell phone to keep in touch with her friends, and it is discovered, she must make a difficult choice.
Fat Cat, by Robin Brande. Catherine's nickname, Fat Cat, has not helped her self image, relationships with friends, or her general health. It takes a year-long experiment of giving up junk food and modern technology for Cat to realize what really matters in life.
Heist Society, by Ally Carter. Kat wants to escape the "family business" of stealing famous artworks, but she learns that her father's life is in danger and is pulled back into a life of crime.
Forgive My Fins, by Tera Childs. Lily lives the life of a mermaid, and would like Brody Bennet to join her under the sea. But things get complicated when her obnoxious neighbor gets involved.
Matched, by Ally Condie. Cassia is thrilled with the match selected for her by the Officials, her best friend Xander. But then another Match flashes on the screen. Could this be a mistake which will determine her future?
Payback Time, by Carl Deuker. There is a mysterious new player on the football team who might turn out to be the sports sensation of the year.
The Total Tragedy of a Girl Named Hamlet, by Erin Dionne. Middle school is hard enough without your genius little sister being promoted to 8th grade with you. When you also have parents who teach Shakespeare, life becomes a tragicomedy for a girl named Hamlet.
Brain Jack, by Brian Falkner. Sam, a computer hacker, uses a neuro headset to tune into other's thoughts. He receives 24 hour live feeds from the internet and gaming sites, a real barrage of information. Step into Sam's world where nothing is quite as it seems.
How to Survive Middle School, by Donna Gephart. David would love to become the next Jon Stewart. This is a farfetched dream since he is targeted by the class bully and is deserted by his best friend. Can he somehow find an audience?
Dragonfly, by Julia Golding. When Princess Taoshira and Prince Ramil are ordered to marry to form an alliance against a powerful warlord, they are horrified. But then they are kidnapped, and must find a way to put aside their differences.
Vampire Rising, by Jason Henderson. Alex Van Helsing shares the name of a legendary vampire hunter, and he may become one too.
Stuck on Earth, by David Klass. Tom, a social outcast from a dysfunctional family, is alienated and bullied by his classmates. But he also holds the fate of the human race in his hands. The question is: are we doomed?
The Grimm Legacy, by Polly Shulman. When Elizabeth takes a job in the library, she is excited to earn some extra money. But she soon learns she is not working in an ordinary library.
After Ever After, by Jordan Sonnenblick. Jeffrey and Tad are complete opposites but they are best friends. They also have something important in common: they are both cancer survivors. Now they are in middle school, and are realizing that "Living Happily Ever After" isn't all it's cracked up to be.
The Last Summer of the Death Warriors, by Francisco Stork. After Pancho's father dies and his sister is murdered, he finds himself in trouble with the law. He is placed in an orphanage where friendship, revenge, and death become intertwined.
Countdown, by Deborah Wiles. In 1962, Franny lives in the shadow of the Cold War, and life is changing faster than she can imagine. The entire United States is worried about Russia launching a nuclear bomb from Cuba. Franny's world will never be the same.
The Monstrumologist, by Richard Yancey. In 1888, twelve-year-old Will Henry is an apprentice to the Monstrumologist. Will recounts his bizarre and horrific encounters with a brutal species that feeds on human prey.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Rest in Peace, Brian Jacques
Brian Jacques, the author of the Redwall series, passed away recently at the age of 71. The author of 24 books, 21 of which are part of the Redwall saga, Mr. Jacques was a former truck driver from Liverpool, England. He got his start as an author after reading stories to students at the School for the Blind in Liverpool. The children loved his stories and as a result of their enthusiasm, he wrote them down and they were eventually published.
When I was an elementary librarian, I had the pleasure of taking a group of students to hear Mr. Jacques read from his books at a local bookstore. His presentation style was unique, and he brought his many animal characters to life with dialect and humor. The students were entranced.
Brian Jacques' Redwall books are an excellent bridge between the worlds of elementary and middle school fantasy novels. If you enjoy epic battles, suspense, and lots of action, this series will appeal to you.
When I was an elementary librarian, I had the pleasure of taking a group of students to hear Mr. Jacques read from his books at a local bookstore. His presentation style was unique, and he brought his many animal characters to life with dialect and humor. The students were entranced.
Brian Jacques' Redwall books are an excellent bridge between the worlds of elementary and middle school fantasy novels. If you enjoy epic battles, suspense, and lots of action, this series will appeal to you.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Fiction Friday: Matched, by Ally Condie
In the Society, everything is perfect. Or so it seems. The Society chooses what you wear, what you eat, where you go and when, and most importantly, your Match. This is the person you are chosen to live the rest of your life with. The Society decides how many children you will have. Sometime in your 17th year, you will attend your Match Banquet. You stand up and your Match's face appears on the screen.
But, in Cassia's case, the screen remains black, and she immediately knows what this means. Her Match is somewhere in the room, and it is highly likely she already knows him well. They call out Xander's name. She and Xander have been best friends for as long as they can remember. They already know every detail about each other. The chip provided to everyone else with necessary information about their Match is unnecessary in their case.
Still, curiosity gets the better of Cassia, and when she gets home, she plugs it into her port. The face smiling back at her is the handsome and well-known face of her best friend. Then the screen goes blank. When it comes back on, a different face appears, and it is yet another guy from her province, Ky Markham. The chance that her Match is from her own province is almost impossible, and for her to have two Matches, both people she knows, is impossible.
Everything Cassia thought she ever knew is unraveling. Her grandfather gives her an illegal poem, and after that, she seems to be in the middle of everything against all the rules. The scariest thing is that she finds herself falling in love with the wrong person. The only question is: What will Cassia do?
Reviewed by Morgan F, 8th grade
But, in Cassia's case, the screen remains black, and she immediately knows what this means. Her Match is somewhere in the room, and it is highly likely she already knows him well. They call out Xander's name. She and Xander have been best friends for as long as they can remember. They already know every detail about each other. The chip provided to everyone else with necessary information about their Match is unnecessary in their case.
Still, curiosity gets the better of Cassia, and when she gets home, she plugs it into her port. The face smiling back at her is the handsome and well-known face of her best friend. Then the screen goes blank. When it comes back on, a different face appears, and it is yet another guy from her province, Ky Markham. The chance that her Match is from her own province is almost impossible, and for her to have two Matches, both people she knows, is impossible.
Everything Cassia thought she ever knew is unraveling. Her grandfather gives her an illegal poem, and after that, she seems to be in the middle of everything against all the rules. The scariest thing is that she finds herself falling in love with the wrong person. The only question is: What will Cassia do?
Reviewed by Morgan F, 8th grade
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
How Do You Like Your Fiction?
If you've been to a local bookstore lately looking for teen fiction, you might have noticed how the most popular genres are now spotlighted. At Barnes & Noble, fantasy and paranormal romance have broken out of the pack and are highlighted separately. Fans of these books will be happy campers - they will be able to locate the newest and hottest titles immediately. Others might not be sure where to look for their favorites.
This system is provoking a growing controversy in the world of secondary school libraries. Some schools are taking the major step of breaking up their fiction collections by genre. As I see it, the benefits of this are that teens will be able to go straight to the genre of choice, not even having to scan the shelves where other categories are listed.
On the other hand, the chance of a serendipitous discovery is considerably lessened. That wonderful ah-hah moment where you stumble upon something you might not otherwise have seen. You would seldom notice an intriguing new historical romance if you only zeroed-in on the paranormal romance section.
There could also be some confusion over how to categorize a book. Would you put Gone, by Michael Grant, under fantasy or maybe in the paranormal section? Under post-apocalyptic fiction?
What do you think? I would love for Clint Small students to weigh in on this issue.
This system is provoking a growing controversy in the world of secondary school libraries. Some schools are taking the major step of breaking up their fiction collections by genre. As I see it, the benefits of this are that teens will be able to go straight to the genre of choice, not even having to scan the shelves where other categories are listed.
On the other hand, the chance of a serendipitous discovery is considerably lessened. That wonderful ah-hah moment where you stumble upon something you might not otherwise have seen. You would seldom notice an intriguing new historical romance if you only zeroed-in on the paranormal romance section.
There could also be some confusion over how to categorize a book. Would you put Gone, by Michael Grant, under fantasy or maybe in the paranormal section? Under post-apocalyptic fiction?
What do you think? I would love for Clint Small students to weigh in on this issue.
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