Grief Girl; My True Story

Scanning the shelves I found this book. The inside cover intrigued me:

I am just like you.

I get bored in school.

I goof off with my friends.

I fight with my family.

I love my family.

I have big dreams.

I am just like anyone else.

And then, in a split second, I'm not.

This is my story.

What could happen in a split second to change 14-year-old Erin's world? Her parents were in a horrific car accident. Read the book -- go home and tell your parents that you love them -- it is Erin's true story.

Gadget Nation - A Journey Through the Eccentric World of Invention

I saw this nonfiction book on the shelf and it caught my eye. I like quirky "stuff". If you do, you will lol at this book.

Don't you wish you would have thought of "bird diapers"? How about pet "fat"? Octodogs or lighted slippers? This book is full of odd inventions and the stories behind the inventions. How much money was spent on "mopflops? Did the inventor make any money? You'll have to browse the book and see!

Wake

Imagine you were able to "spy" on the dreams of other people -- classmates, your parents, teachers........ that is exactly what happens to Janie.

Since she had her first experience when she was 9 years old, Janie is able to fall into the dreams of others. Imagine you are working at a table in the library. At the table next to you someone falls asleep (now....if it were here at West I'd probably nudge you awake!) suddenly you enter their dream. That is exactly what happens to Janie. Unfortunately she also "blacks out" in the process. It looks like she is having a seizure.

In the past 8 years Janie has been drawn into some very bizarre dreams. But now, she is drawn into some pretty gruesome nightmares. Why is she dreaming about Cabel? Why is he dreaming about her? Read this book by Lisa McMann and the follow-up, Fade.

Deadly Little Secret

When I first started reading this book I thought, "Oh no......it's starting to sound like Twilight." Remember the scene in Twilight where Edward saves Bella by blocking an out-of-control car in the student parking lot? Something similar happens in this book. Camelia, the main character, could have died 3 months ago in the school parking lot. Gloria went into diabetic shock while driving and her car headed straight for Camelia. Out of the blue, Ben, a very mysterious new student shows up. He pushed Camelia out of the way, saving her life. But....then he disappears. Camelia really wants to thank him, but can't find him. Meanwhile rumors start about Ben -- about how he killed his ex-girlfriend. Camelia starts receiving threatening letters and packages. Everyone puts two and two together -- Ben is the suspect. Did he or didn't he?

Anna: A Daughter's Life

One of the things I'm enjoying about high school is I get to read more "adult" books. Last night I finished this memoir that William Loizeaux wrote about his first-born daughter, Anna. It was heartbreaking, but I was compelled to read it. Both William and his wife, Beth, were older parents....something I can relate to.

Anna was born with a variety of birth defects known as Vater Syndrome. In Anna's short 5 1/2 month life she endured many surgeries to fix her myriad of problems. William is trying to make sense of the death of his child. The book is written in a diary format to span the months of Anna's life. Touching, tender and sad. Read it.

The Compound

Eli's dad has always been a "freak" about nuclear war. Dad was convinced that war would come -- and he wanted his family to be prepared. When the inevitable happens and the steel door to the compound closes behind Eli, life as his family knew it, will never be the same. The door is programed to stay closed for 15 years -- the amount of time it should take our world to recover from a nuclear event.
Eli is 15 years old. He has been living in the underground compound for 6 years. Some things are not adding up. Dad gives him a CD to listen to. Eli peels the label off and finds the name of the band and the copyright date -- but the date is last year. How can that be when he and his family have been locked up for 6 years? Certain things don't seem right. As Eli starts to question his father, dad shows increasingly erratic behavior. Read the book and find out what happens to Eli and his family.
S. A. Bodeen (Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen) is a Wisconsin author. She grew up in Humbird, Wisconsin. You'll have to Google the location to see where it is -- I know I never heard of it:)

Before I Die

What a sad title:( Tessa has terminal cancer. The cancer is so advanced that she has decided to forgo chemotherapy treatments. She is just a teenager. In the months that she has left she wants to pack her life with all the experiences that she will miss as an adult.

Some sound simple -- others like, find love, are not. Read the book by Jenny Downham and see what happens to Tessa.

Finally ... September 1 --the sequel is published!

I've been waiting for this sequel. Many of you read Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Here is the next one....... We don't have it yet, but soon will!

Living Dead Girl

The cover quote about this book is "Stark. Gripping. Totally unforgettable." There is no better way to describe this book by Elizabeth Scott. I couldn't put the book down and read it completely in a few hours.

"Alice" was kidnapped by Ray when she was 10 years old. She is now 15. The abuses she has suffered at Ray's hands are too horrible to imagine. Yet....she has survived. Ray now has a plan to find a new little girl. Will Alice help kidnap her? When will Alice's nightmare be over? Read the book and find out.

Lily Dale: Awakening

Believe it or not, this isn't a vampire book! (It seems like my summer reading was themed!) This book by Wendy Corsi Staub is about physic ability.

Calla's mom has just accidentally died. Calla and dad are devastated. To make matters worse Calla has to fly from her home in Florida to her grandmother's home -- a tiny town named Lily Dale in upstate New York. Her father had committed to a semester teaching in California.

Calla hasn't had a relationship with Odelia. Mom never encouraged visits. Now that she is sleeping in her mom's childhood bed, Calla knows why.

The community of Lily Dale is a spiritualist community. Look down the streets and you will see signs advertising all kinds of "services". Mediums are more than willing to look into your future, read your palm, or try to connect you with dead relatives. To make matters worse, Odelia is a medium. Calla doesn't know what she got herself into......but is curious enough to keep the information from her dad.

Things grow stranger and stranger until Calla wonders if she has inherited the family "gifts". You will have to read the book to see what circumstances lead Calla to this revelation. This is the first in a series...I have to get the next one!

Blue Bloods

Do you like vampire books as much as I do? If so, you'll probably love Blue Bloods the first in a series by Melissa De la Cruz.

Schuyler Van Alen is one of the main characters. She attends a very private, very exclusive school in New York City. She is an outcast at the "academy" in part because she doesn't worry about fashion or how she looks, like Bliss and Mimi --- the "popular" girls.

As Schuyler turns fifteen things start to change. Her skin starts to turn translucent. The blue of her veins shows through in a paisley pattern. Schuyler is invited or rather summoned, to join the Committee. She learns that she is part of the long and noble tradition of the Four Hundred. The changes she is experiencing are all completely normal and part of the Cycle Of Expression.

Have I peaked your curiosity yet? If that isn't enough, Aggie, a classmate is mysteriously murdered. You will have to read the book and the sequels that follow. I couldn't put it down!

Dark Dude

Oscar Hijuelos is a Pulitzer Prize winning author. This is his first book for young adults. Did you read The Outsiders in middle school? If you did, I bet you will like this book.

The main character is a light-skinned Cuban-American boy named Rico. His light skin is important because he is often mistaken for being white....in Rico's neighborhood that isn't a good thing. He lives in 1960's Harlem. It is a time filled with violence -- a shooting at school, a friend overdosing on drugs, and constant harassement. Rico is a smart boy and knows enough to know that he has to get out if he ever wants to make something of himself.

Somehow he convinces Jimmy (his overdosing friend) that they need to leave the streets of Harlem and move to Wisconsin. Yes....Wisconsin. Rico has a friend, Gilberto, who lives on a farm and attends Milton College. (Milton College is located near Madison. It operated as a college until 1982 when it had to close due to financial difficulties.)

Hitchhiking to Wisconsin makes for some funny plot lines. Life in Wisconsin of the 1960's has a much slower pace and near Madison the hippie life prevails. Gilberto puts them to work painting the farm and cleaning out the outhouse. Rico's parents don't know where he is...he didn't say goodbye or leave a forwarding address. So.........

Can you leave your problems behind and start over? Read the book see what happens to Rico.

Unwind

This book by Neal Shusterman is riveting and chilling -- all at the same time. I couldn't put it down.
At the very beginning the "Bill of Life" is introduced.... The Bill of Life states that human life may not be touched from the moment of conception until a child reaches the age of thirteen. However, between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, a parent may choose to retroactively 'abort' a child... ...on condition that the child's life doesn't 'technically' end. The process by which a child is both terminated and yet kept alive is called 'unwinding.' Essentially, if you are unwound your body parts become available for transplantation.
Reading that in the prologue was enough to convince me to read this book. Connor is one of the main characters. He's been in some trouble and his parents are tired of dealing with him. They make arrangements for him to be unwound. He learns of their decision and decides to runaway and make it on his own. He meets Risa and Levi - both are scheduled to be unwound. The orphanage can no longer keep Risa - she has not proved to be valuable to society. Levi is being sacrificed by his religious parents.
Imagine this type of world.....Read the book and see what happens to the three main characters. If you liked The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins you will definitely like this one!

Moving West

I only shared this with a few students -- but here it goes.......I am now an Oshkosh West Wildcat!!!!
Unfortunately, cuts in education have become more and more commonplace in Oshkosh and around the state. With all my years of experience in the district I am able to keep a job - but to stay in one building instead of 3, I decided to move up to the high school.
Those of you who knew me and Tipler and Traeger....I'll see you in the high school. I am excited to reconnect with former students. I'll miss all my 6th and 7th graders --- but, hey --- you'll be at West in a few years anyway. Keep in touch: beth.helm@oshkosh.k12.wi.us
And as always....come to me if you need a good book to read. More posts to follow on my summer reading:)

Everything is Fine

Oh......this book made me really, really sad. Yet, at the same time it is a true portrayal of what a family goes through when someone dies. Mazzy's mom just can't get out of bed. She is severely depressed. I don't want to give away details of what happened to Olivia, Mazzy's sister, but obviously she has died. The family does not know how to go on.

bog child

This book is tragic .... as is, or was the life of the author, Siobhan Dowd. She died of cancer in 2007. At the time of her death she had two unpublished books, this is one.

Ireland has had troubles for centuries. There is always conflict between Northern Ireland and Ireland. This book is set in the Ireland of the early 1980's. There are several parallel stories and it is interesting to see how the author brings them together.

Fergus' brother is in prison. He ends up going on a hunger strike with other jailed members of the IRA (Irish Republican Army). No one has lived much beyond 50 days. It is tearing the family apart - especially Mam.

But.....I'm sure you're asking...."What about the bog child?" As the story begins, Fergus and Uncle Tally are up in the mountains cutting peat. What is peat? It is decayed matter that you would find in a bog or marshy area. In Ireland it is cut and burned -- similar to firewood. The chemicals in peat also have amazing properties of preservation. As Fergus is cutting the peat he finds a human hand. Curled up in the bog they find the body of a human child. Archeologists are called in. It is determined that the body is of a young girl who lived in the year 80.

Mel, as the bog child is named, has her story told as well. She has been murdered. Why? Read the book! Find out how Fergus is blackmailed and how Cora fits into the story. As I said earlier, Dowd has written a touching story -- but keep all the plot lines together.

Groosham Grange

Anthony Horowitz has done it again! This fast-reading horror story reads almost like a short story. David Eliot is being sent to Groosham Grange. It is another boarding school, in a string of boarding schools that he has attended.

Gregor, the driver waits at the train station to take David to the school. "He was horribly deformed. If he had been involved in a dreadful car crash and then fallen into an industrial mangle, it could only have improved him." Needless to say, David is apprehensive as approaches the building. Upon arrival he meets Mr. Kilgraw. His first clue that something isn't quite right is when the headmaster makes him sign his name in blood in the school register. He says that it is a "tradition". Hmmmmm.....

Things only get more strange. David tries repeatable, without success, to escape Groosham Grange. Read the book and see what happens on his 13th birthday!

The Missing Girl

Creepy........A man is watching the five Herbert sisters. He watches them as they walk to school, he watches them in the park....all the while he is trying to decide which sister he likes best. Read the book by Norma Fox Mazer. See what happens to the family when he finally makes his move and kidnaps Autumn.

Granny

Aren't "grannies" supposed to be kind, bake your favorite cookies and buy you special treats? Well....meet Joe's granny. She is the ANTI-GRANNY!! In fact, she admits she hates Joe!!

Anthony Horowitz has concocted an unusual, eccentric story. Joe lives the life of wealth. Too bad his parents don't pay much attention to him. After his parents go on vacation ....again, granny makes sure she has Joe to herself. Her plan is to kidnap him and take him to the Golden Granny Awards. Once there, the evil grannies want to remove the enzymes from his body. Hopefully they will then be able to inject themselves with a magic formula that has been developed. Think fountain of youth! The device (extractor) they have built to do this sounds like a torture device from the middle ages. The plan almost succeeds.

Once you read this book I know you will appreciate your granny:)

The Last Invisible Boy

Did you read the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books? If you did, you will probably like this book by Evan Kuhlman. The illustrations remind me of those that Jeff Kinney has in his books.

The main character is a 12 year-old boy named Finn Garrett. Finn feels he is becoming invisible....his once dark black hair is slowly turning white. Really! His skin is also a pasty white color. All these changes began in June on "The Terrible Day that Changed Everything". What could possibly happen that would be so traumatic and cause these changes? At first Finn says, "I lost my dad forever." I wasn't sure if his parents had divorced or dad had died. Sadly, his father has died, but he doesn't reveal what happened.

Read the book. See how Finn gradually turns whiter and whiter -- and becomes more and more invisible. Will he ever be normal again?

The Adoration of Jenna Fox

This book by Mary E. Pearson is brand new. (I love new books!)

Jenna's parents adored her.....thus they would do anything to save her. Wouldn't your parents?

This book is a little futuristic. Jenna is 17 and is told she has been in a terrible car accident. The accident explains some of the amnesia, but not everything. Why is she so clumsy? Why is she shorter than she was before the accident? She knows things that she never knew before, but has no recollection of friends and her life in Boston. It doesn't make sense.

Jenna's dad is a scientist. What he has done with Jenna is illegial. Read this "medical thriller" and find out what it is!

Torn to Pieces

Wow.....I could not stop reading this new mystery book by Margot McDonnell. More to come later.

Beastly

Did you know that author Alex Flinn is a woman? I guess using the more masculine "Alex" I thought it was a male author. Alex loves to read fairy tales to her daughters. She made them sit through numerous readings of Beauty and the Beast while she was writing Beastly.

In this modern retelling of the original Beauty, Kyle Kingsbury is the main character. He is "beautiful and handsome" on the outside, yet inside, where it really counts, he is mean, nasty and arrogant. He asks Kendra to an important school dance, only to stand her up. The last laugh is Kyle's though, when Kendra places a spell on him. She turns him into a beast -- hairy, sharp claws, the whole package. Now he is as ugly on the outside as he is on the inside.

Kendra does give him a chance to redeem himself and possibly turn into a normal human again. Read the book and find out how.

Dusssie

I can't believe I haven't blogged about this book by Nancy Springer. It's always out and always popular during booktalks.

Puberty does crazy things to your body:) Dusssie wakes up one morning and finds she has snakes for hair!! If you're "up" on your Greek mythology you know that Medusa shares the same characteristic. Dusssie finds out that her mother - who always dresses in long, flowing caftans and turbans - is a Gorgon AND Medusa's younger sister!

Inadvertently Dusssie transforms a boy in her class to stone, a boy she secretly has a crush on! Obviously, she is just getting used to her new-found powers. Read the book and find out what Dusssie tries to do to remedy the situation.

Greek gods living in the 21st century is a popular genre!

Neptune's Children

The prologue of this book by Bonnie Dobkin pulled me in right away.......

Terrorists have created a virus and planted it in locations around the world. A timing device is set. But...when the virus is released the unthinkable happens...it mutates! All adults die!

The story is set at the Isles of Wonder Theme Park. Families had been enjoying a warm summer day at the park when the tragedy struck. The survivors band together under the leadership of Josh and Milo. Did you ever watch the TV show, Survivor? Like the television show, alliances are made and broken. Disagreements break out and violence often threatens.

This is a good survival story. Read it and see which side you would choose to be on!

Knucklehead

Jon Scieszka is an author many are familiar with -- The Stinky Cheeseman and the Time Warp Trio books are popular even in middle school. His newest book, Knucklehead, is Jon's autobiography. I loved this silly book!!

Jon grew up in Flint, Michigan in the 1960's. He was the second of six brothers. Mom was a nurse -- a good thing in a house of rambunctious boys, and his dad was a school principal. I laughed and laughed at the goofy things he did during childhood. Because his mom was a nurse she demanded that the boys use the "proper" name for things. He devotes a chapter to "urinating", not the slang word that most kids use. The chapter on a family vacation was hilarious. Their family cat (a boy also) accompanied them. When it threw up after eating a candy bar that one of the boys dropped, it set off a chain reaction. You can only imagine how the car smelled.

Read the book....the stories are timeless:)

Pictures from the tea!

Tea with author Laura Schaefer. Yes.....we really served tea!

Laura shared a Powerpoint with students that explained the process she went through to have her book published.

You can visit her online at http://teashopgirl.blogspot.com/ Check out the blog for more pictures from our tea!

The Teashop Girls

Laura Schaefer, author of The Teashop Girls, was at Tipler for our "teashop". It was a great opportunity for students to meet a "real" author. Pictures from the event will be posted later......

The book itself revolves around the friendship between three girls -- Annie, Genna, and Zoe. Annie's grandma run the Steeping Leaf, a teashop in Madison, WI. Economic times are tough and the Steeping Leaf is facing stiff competition from local coffeshops. The prospect of closing the tea shop brings the friends together with a purpose. Can they save the shop? What role will the "horrid" Zach Anderson play?

The Midnight Twins

I always knew author Jacquelyn Mitchard as an adult author. This book, The Midnight Twins, is her first young adult book.

Can you imagine being a twin, but not sharing the same birthday....or even the same birth year? That is exactly what happens to the Brynn sisters -- Meredith and Mallory. One is born on December 31 and the other 2 minutes after midnight on January 1. It makes for an interesting story. Their personalities are very opposite, but they share many things -- including a "secret" twin language.

On another New Years Eve - the eve of their 13th birthday there is a terrible fire. One of the sisters is left with a scar on her hand. For the first time, the twins are not identical. The fire does more than just physical damage. The girls no longer share dreams. Mallory starts to dream about future traumatic events and Meredith past events. They will need to put their dreams together to solve a mystery.

Bonechiller

Bonechiller is the newest book (and a very creepy one) by Graham McNamee, the author of Acceleration....another book that I really liked.

The story is set in Harvest Cove, Canada. It is a tiny, tiny isolated town in the province of Ontario. Danny is returning home late one night. He feels eyes following him. Panic ensues as he runs faster. He sees the large shape continuing to follow him. Danny stumbles over the snow piles and falls into a ditch. The creature is on him in an instant and stings him. After that, it disappears. At first Danny wonders if it was just a weird dream. But as other classmates disappear and he grows colder and colder, Danny knows it was more than just a dream.

What stung Danny? What creature stalks other teenagers in the town? Read the book and find out!

Reaching for Sun

I love the cover of this new book by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer. The yellow dandelions make me think of warm summer days...days that currently seem a long way off!

Josie has a disability - cerebral palsy. As the story begins she is struggling. No one wants to be her friend because she is different. Her mom is going back to college and busy with her job. No dad is in the picture. Grandma is there to provide stability.

Through the free verse poem format Josie really shares her feelings. Mom wants Josie to be successful -- be a doctor or a lawyer. Josie feels weighed down by her mom's expectations and describes it "like wearing a heavy wool coat in summer."

Jordan, a "geeky" science-loving kid moves into the neighborhood --- finally a friend! Josie has lots of challenges ahead of her. Read the book for the beautiful language she uses.

When I Crossed No-Bob

What in the world is No-Bob? That was my thought when I looked at the title of this book. No-Bob is a hollow in the Mississippi woods. Addy O'Donnell lived there -- until she was abandoned by her mother. The O'Donnell family...and extended family... don't have very good reputations. They are poor, they are fighters and they are involved with the Ku Klux Klan.

The story takes place after the Civil War. After Addy's mom leaves, she is taken in by the Russell's. Finally, Addy is raised in a comfortable, loving home. She goes to school, makes friends and tries to overcome the bad reputation of her last name. Things happen though..... a new friend, Jess Still, a black boy, is killed in a fire. Addy knows her father, a member of the KKK was responsible. She feels a loyalty to family, but reaches a point where she thinks, "Pappy? You are a killer and a thief. You have stolen from so many. You have taken lives." What decisions does Addy make about her future? Read the book!

The Declaration

It seems like many books being published, or at least ones that I am reading, are about the future. This sci-fi book fits that description - but it is a scary future.

Do you want to live forever? In the year 2140 you have that opportunity. Gemma Malley writes about a future where you have the choice to take longevity drugs. Have you read Turnabout or Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix? Both books reminded me of this one.

Anna is 14 years old and should never have been born. She is known as "Surplus Anna". Both her parents signed "the declaration" when they made the decision to take the drugs and live forever. The declaration states that you will never have children. Children would create more competition for resources -- food and shelter. Peter comes to Grange Hall where Anna lives with others like herself, and tells her she is more than a "valuable asset". She has parents that love her and want to be with her. Peter tries to convince Anna to escape with him. Does she? You will have to read the book to find out!

The Other Side of the Island

Did you ever read The Giver by Lois Lowry? This book by Allegra Goodman really reminded me of it. The Other Side of the Island takes place in the future, but it feels like it could be tomorrow.

The future world is peaceful, in part because Earth Mother and the Corporation control everything....even the weather! Honor and Helix are the main characters. Both live on the climate-controlled Island 365. Both sets of parents disappear. Is it because they are secretly working against the Corporation? Is it because Honor's parents had a forbidden second child?

Honor and Helix band together to find their kidnapped and zombie-like parents. Do they find them on the other side of the island? You will have to read the book to find out!

The Graveyard Book

Bod - short for "Nobody" Owens lives in a graveyard! Yes -- he is alive and is cared for by the ghostly inhabitants of the graveyard.

How did Bod come to have such an unusual upbringing? The first line of the story, "There was a hand in the darkness, and it held a knife." begins the story. Bod's parents and sister are murdered by the intruder. Somehow 2-year old "Bod" toddles out of his crib, through the front door, down the street and crawls through the gate of the old graveyard. Bod is adopted by the ghosts of Mr. and Mrs. Owens who raise him as their own child. He is given "Freedom of the Graveyard" which allows him to do things normal humans can.

The killer is still out there looking for Bod. Read the story if you like a fantasy/suspense story filled with magic and ghouls!

Neil Gaiman is also the author of Coraline, which has just been turned into a movie. It comes out February 6, 2009. To be honest, I liked this book a lot more!!

Guest blogger -- Maggie

This book Prom, by Laurie Halse Anderson, is about a high school senior girl named Ashley Hannigan. Ashley is your normal slacker "I dont want to do anything except for hang out with my boyfriend", my life stinks kind of girl. At first. Her best friend Natalie, "Nat" is on the prom committe and is totally commited! But when the prom committe's advisor is arrested for stealing the money for the prom, the prom is cancelled. Now Nat is totally depressed and she doesn't want to do anything except for brainstorm ways for them to get the prom back on. But somehow Ashley gets sucked into the plan and now she is Nat's "assistant." Then Nat breaks her leg because she tripped down the stairs in new high-healed shoes. So Ashley is now the one and charge and does not know how she is going to pull this off! Read Prom today and I promise you that it will be a great book!

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

This book is intense ....... and it leaves you waiting for the sequel!

Katniss, the main character lives in District 12. She is one of 2 tributes selected from her district to attend the yearly "hunger games". The games are held in the capital city, Panem. Although the setting is somewhat futuristic, it reminded me of the time of the ancient Romans. Tributes from all the districts fight in the games like the gladiators did in Rome. The fight is to the death!

Because Katniss comes from a poorer district and family, she has always had to supplement the family's food supply with animals she has trapped or shot. Her skill with a bow and arrow do afford her an advantage in the games. Still.....I found it hard to accept that a society would sacrafice its own members --- and young adults no less!

Will Katniss and Peeta, the other tribute from District 12 survive? What will become of their budding romance? Will it help or hinder the brutality of the games? You have to read the book to believe all that happens!

Firestorm

Firestorm by David Klass is the first book in the Caretaker Trilogy. If you want to read a sci-fi thriller, this is it!!

Until the night that Jack broke the school's rushing record everything was normal. Until later that evening at the diner, everything was normal. Until the time, even later when Jack's dad tells him he is not his father, everything was normal. Why now does Jack's father call him the "beacon of hope"? Why is Jack pursued by strange creatures? What is shooting lasers at him? Jack finds out he was born 1000 years into the future. His birth father has sent him back in time with caretakers, to the present day, so that he can find "firestorm". With any luck, firestorm will save the earth.

According to Wikipedia, a screenplay for the movie version is being developed. I can't wait to start the second book, Whirlwind.

The Redheaded Princess

Ann Rinaldi is a great historical fiction writer. I haven't sat down to read much historical lately, but when I started this book I couldn't put it down.

The story starts in 1542. Elizabeth is the 9-year-old second daughter of King Henry VIII. Her mother was Anne Boleyn.....I say "was" because the King had his wife beheaded. Ever since she was 3 years old Elizabeth has feared death. She can't trust anyone except her nanny. Her father has removed her from succession - this means she can never be queen. But....never say never. Elizabeth wants to someday be queen. Read this book and see if it happens!!

First Shot

This "shot" by Walter Sorrells isn't a basketball shot, rather a gun shot. David Crandall becomes convinced his father, the very stern headmaster at his exclusive private school, killed his mother. After 3 years the crime remains unsolved. The police show up to question dad again. Later that evening David follows his father as he buries a mysterious, sheet-wrapped object. Is it the rifle that killed his mother? Despite their rocky relationship David hates to believe his father would be capable of violence. Read this very exciting mystery to see who is charged with the crime.

Found

Margaret Peterson Haddix is probably best known as the author of the Shadow Children series. Wait until you read Found, the start of a new series.

A plane shows up, unannounced, at the airport terminal. All attempts to contact the pilot and the flight attendants go unanswered. Finally the ground crew opens the gate to the plane and goes on board. No one is in the cockpit. It is oddly, very silent..... no sounds of passengers gathering luggage and belongings.

Angela looks around the plane and hears some wimpering sounds. Her gaze lowers to the 36 seats on the plane. Each one is filled --- with a baby!!!!

How did the mystery plane get there? Where are the babies from? You don't get all the answers in the start to this new series. Get your name on the waiting list. It will also be at the book fair in October!

We have it!!!!

As promised, we now have The Dead and the Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer. YEAH!!!! This is the companion volume to Life As We Knew It.

Remember --- an asteroid hits the moon --- disaster and chaos ensue. Read this book to see how people in New York City survive.

The Golden Rat

I found this book, The Golden Rat, on the new book shelves at Traeger. The reason I noticed it was because it is by Don Wulffson, the same author who wrote Soldier X (another really good WWII book!).

Baoliu's stepmother is murdered. Baoliu was found, covered in blood, next to her body. Despite his pleas that he is innocent, he is the number one suspect. Baoliu is put in jail and condemmed to die. In 12th century China, the setting for this book, death comes by beheading. He has been rejected and disowned by his wealthy family. Read the book and find out why his father pays a "ka-di" to have an innocent man beheaded in Baoliu's place.

Warning: The beheading scene is a little gruesome.

Evolution, Me & Other Freaks of Nature

Mena hopes that her first day of high school - a day she has been looking forward to forever - would at least turn out slightly better than eating live bugs. That is not to be the case.

What did Mena do to turn her parents, her church, and her former friends from her? No one will talk to her, except her new, rather quirky science lab partner, Casey. Read the book to find out the answer. Mena stands by her decision that she did the right thing.

There is further drama when Mena's science class begins a study of evolution. Evolution versus intelligent design has divided the science class and made it more of a battleground. Find this book on the Young Adult shelf.

City of Ember

One of my most favorite books, City of Ember, is coming out as a movie. Check out the trailer at Yahoo Movies. http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1809907875/photo/970476517

The Noah Confessions

Lynnie goes to a private school. It is customary for all students to get a car for their 16th birthday. Lynnie can't wait. On the morning of her birthday she gets up early, eagerly anticipating the "gift" that will be hers. She is sorely disappointed. Her father gives her a tarnished silver bracelet that used to belong to her mother. Mom died in a car accident when Lynnie was in 3rd grade. Hence - no car.

After school Lynnie receives one more present -- another legacy from her mother. It is a letter mom wrote when she was in high school, to a boy named Noah. Who was the mysterious Noah? Mom has made the craziest confession to him in the letter --- that she is a criminal and should be thrown in jail! Read the book to discover family secrets that Lynnie never expected both her mother and father were capable of keeping.