Spring Break Reading

It's a Two for One Day

Some Books to Add to your Reading List!

For the "It's Gotta Have Action" readers:

I suggest

Two German youth who have no family to lose, find themselves recruited by the English to retrieve a "special" package and bring it back to England.  The package can stop the war?  You will just have to read the book to find out.

Why is it a fast-paced action fiction?  It's author is a screenwriter!

Book Two

Who Wouldn't Want Super Powers?

 

Can you stop a bus with just a glare?  Or make the prize basketball player of the other team miss a basket?  Would you like be able to get people do what you want them to?

Jax Opus learns that he has these powers.  Not has Jax learned about these powers, but Dr. Elias Mako, Founder and Director of Sentia Institute has learned about his special powers as well.  Dr. Elias Mako, who has devoted his life to New York City education and is an inspiration to every single one us (be careful of this phrase), has some plans for Jax.  Jax must decide how to use the special powers he now has.

 

Check out Gordon Korman's video about the book here.

 

 

http://video.scholastic.com/services/player/bcpid75580074001?bckey=AQ~~,AAAAAFv844g~,BASb5BU03X_l9AdwGvsCRhRAI3eFS6eT&bctid=2513635673001

 

 

Stealing Air

 

 

Wish  you could fly?  Take of into the blue skies with the wind blowing through your hair.  That experience of feeling free, and no one can touch you?

 

That is what Brian wants.  However, life comes crashing down when, his parents move him to Iowa.  Now he has to start life over in a small town with a big bully.

 

Join Brian and his nerdy friend Max, Alex the "wheeler dealer," and Wendy (the new love of his life?).

 

Need more information?

 

 

Trent Reedy's link: http://www.trentreedy.com/book-sa.html

Scholastic Interview with Mr. Reedy: http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/qa-trent-reedy-about-stealing-air

What We Found in the Sofa, and How it Saved the World

 

It almost sounds like a challenge question on a test. 

"While sitting on a couch, you find a domino, a crayon, and a two headed coin.  Taking these three items only, you have to save the world.  How would you do it?"

 

Fiona, Freak, and River find the sofa sitting at their bus stop. After exploring the couch they find crayon.  Who knew that a "Zucchini" crayon would get them into so much trouble, or that the couch would have traveling abilities (save your dust bunnies).

 

This story is science fiction, adventure, mystery, and ghost story all rolled up in one.  It has an evil villain who wishes to rule the world.  By the way, he is from Indorsia.

 

If you are looking for something fun to read--give this a try.  If you want to read more about the book check out this site:

 

http://www.indorsia.com/blog.html

 

This is Henry Clarks's first novel.  It looks like he has another book coming out soon!

In Front of God and Everybody: Confessions of April Grace

  Just finished this book.    It is the summer of 1986, and life changes in this little town in the Ozarks. Many may say that if you live in a small town, nothing happens.  But not April Grace!  In her own light-hearted humorous way April Grace tells you about the new neighbors and the mystery of  Grace's grandma's new boy friend. 

 

Book Website:  http://aprilgrace.kdmccrite.com/talk-with-april-grace/

Don't forget to check out the book trailer!

 

Marie Antoninette:"Madam Deficit"

     Marie Antoinette by Liz Hockinson

     I don't like non-fiction.  Did I mention that before?  Anyway, when looking at books, I sometimes judge them by the cover.  This looks pretty elementary.  But look carefully, not many elementary books have blood stains and a guillotine on the cover.  When you open to the middle of the book, there are lots of pictures!  So I pulled it from the shelf and was carried back in history to France, where I learned about a queen that I have heard mentioned on a TV show.  Don't just hate it when someone is mentioned and you don't know who it is?

As the biography unfolds, modern pictures, old paintings and other artifacts tell what life was like during Marie's time. I highly recommend this book. 

AR reading level 6.8  

P.S.  I will have Cleopatra, , Mary Tudor and the other Thinking Girl's Treasury of Dastardly Dames on my next purchase list!

Wow! It has been a Year!!!!

I can't believe it!  I haven't fallen off the edge of the world!  But I have been reading, just not the writing part.  I guess that it is time to do that again.

Let's start with what I'm reading now, and then I will start adding my Summer of 2013 list of books.

Kennedy's Last Days 

            When Mr. Harrigan saw this on the shelf, he said that I really needed to read this.  I'll admit, I'm not a non-fiction fan, and I'm definitely not into politics.  However, I've always been interested in the Kennedy assassination.  So, I just had to read it.    

            This book is made for students in the middle grades, and it explains  everything that was happening at that time and how they connected together.  This book has everything--black and white photos, Primary Documents (try reading the hand written notes on the inside back cover), timelines, quotes, life in the 1960's, etc.  If you are interested in more information Mr. O'Reilly has other resources for you to peruse (read carefully)!

            I hope to finish it this weekend, and it will be available soon!

Girl Stolen by April Henry

Taken from the newspaper headlines, this is a fictional about sixteen year old Cheyenne's kidnapping.  Griffin only wanted to make his father proud by stealing a car. So when he finds out that Cheyenne is in the backseat why doesn't he just throw her out?  Well of course she could identify him to the police, but then he finds out that she is blind.  Being kidnapped is bad enough, but dealing with it in darkness is scarier...Cheyenne is blind.

To find out about this book and other's check-out April Henry's website,