My Thirteenth Winter : A Memoir by Samantha Abeel

What is a memoir? It is an autobiographical account of a person's life that usually covers a period of time -- not their entire life. I just finished reading MY THIRTEENTH WINTER. Samantha was diagnosed with a math learning disability when she was in middle school. Dyscalculia prevented her from telling time, opening a locker, doing basic addition or even counting change. For years she tried to hide the fact that she couldn't do these things. Samantha struggled to look like a "normal" student. This memoir covers her life from elementary school through college. Do you like to read stories about real people. Look for this book in the 921 section of the library!

Hoot by Carl Hiaasen

Over the weekend I finished reading HOOT. The book club will be discussing this book on Tuesday after school. For some reason??? I put off reading the book until now. Once I got into the story, I couldn't stop reading.

Roy, along with several "friends", are trying to save the tiny, burrowing owls from the Mother Paula's Pancake House construction site. The police are trying to find out who is behind the vandalism at the site. There is sabotage -- spraypainting a police car, alligators in toliets, and poisonous snakes. Read the book to see if the owls are saved.

Hiassen's newest book is called FLUSH. It is available in the Media Center.

New Books

Almost better than presents from Santa????? New books have been arriving in both the Tipler and Sunset libraries. Mrs. Fauske is busy processing. Watch for them on the "New Book" shelves. You can also find them listed on the visual search of the Destiny system.

Vacation Reading

I made two excellent picks for my holiday reading. Try PRIVATE PEACEFUL if you are interested in a good World War I story. The Peaceful brothers - Thomas and Charles - enlist in the war. The story follows their life from childhood through their war experience.
BOUND is a Chinese Cinderella story. Everyone knows the story of Cinderella, but this is one of many versions that take place in China. Take note: One of the daughters, Mai Lee, is going through the very painful process of foot binding. See Mrs. Helm for a detailed explanation of what is involved in foot binding.