eLibraries

Reasons to be Happy by Katrina Kittle

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be the child of a famous person? For Hannah it turns out that it’s not all fun and games. When she starts her new school for rich kids, many problems start unwinding..

Hannah is any ordinary girl (other than the fact she has famous parents)! When Hannah starts at her new school she is accepted by the popular girls… not so bad right? Wrong… they make Hannah try to be someone she’s not. It starts to get to her so bad that she throws up to try to be skinny. Not only does Hannah have to worry about no one finding out about her bulimia she has to stay strong and help her mom through her battle with cancer. By mid book all the problems get worse. Her dad can’t handle her so he sends her on a trip with her aunt Izzy. While on her trip she meets many new friends and tries to fix her problem. Will it work? Read the book to find out.

Katrina Kittle did an amazing job on the book Reasons to be Happy! She spent so much time developing the characters and really making them seem so real. She also did an amazing job painting pictures of what Hannah was going through. It made it seem like I was right there with Hannah. The book kept me going to the very end. It was so good I couldn’t put it down. (I read the entire book in 3 hours!) There was one part in the middle of the book that was a little confusing because so many problems were happening at the same time. Once I read more it calmed down and made more sense. All and all this book was great and will make it on my favorites list! I definitely suggest getting Reasons to be Happy by Katrina Kittle when it comes out!

Brigid M., EMS Blogger
This copy of Reasons to be Happy was obtained at BEA 2011. It will be available in bookstores October 1, 2011.

The Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsch

“Bow down to your new masters!” I yelled. “Fort Leonard forever!”
Little did Stephen know he was sparking a war involving what he had closest to a family.

Sometime in the future there is a war between America and China. After we drop a nuclear bomb onto China they strike back by releasing a plague into our nation. The plague is called P11H3 or P Eleven for short. When they first dropped it on the big cities everyone got infected with the plague and started dying. Several years later the disease is gone but two thirds of the population is dead and the world is filled with slavers, scavengers, and bandits. After Stephen’s Dad slips into a coma, Stephen must try to survive on his own.

I believe in the end this a good read. It really makes you wonder if anything like that could happen. Imagine our home turned into a wasteland where you have to watch out for danger everywhere you go – hoping you can find a safe place to escape the chaos. The ending of the book is very exciting where you think it’s all over but there is a glimmering light at hope at the end of the tunnel. I also like how Stephen becomes independent and starts a whole revolution with the possibility they could still save this country. You should never give up even when it seems like you should.

This book comes out in September and I  highly recommend reading this.

Sam D., EMS Blogger
This copy of The Eleventh Plague was obtained at BEA 2011. It became available in bookstores today!

As summer vacation draws to a close, students have finished their summer reading and are sending in the reviews!

The Apothecary by Maile Meloy

When I first picked up this book, I had no clue what it was about. By looking on the back of the book I thought it looked pretty interesting. With the Soviet Spies trying to take “the sacred book of the Apothecary, the Pharmacopoeia”. But the cover was strange it showed a bird sitting on top of a vial with some other birds in it. Anyways, once I picked it up it seemed like nothing the back of the book said. It talked about how Janie was celebrating the end of WW2 and how life was pretty much normal until Janie says she feels like she is being watched. Then on a way home from school she is stalked by some people in a black sedan. That’s when my adrenaline started to pump. The story just went on taking no breaks.

I think The Apothecary is a great book. It is truly magical. It makes it impossible to put down. If you’re looking for a good story with people having extraordinary abilities (like turning invisible), with dash of the cold war, PLUS nuclear bombs, then look no further The Apothecary is your book.

Will B., EMS Blogger
This copy of The Apothecary was obtained at BEA 2011. It is due in stores, October 4, 2011.

Bunheads by Sophie Flack

If I were to ask you to give me your best guess at what a bunhead was, then what would you say? Before I read this book then I would have said a dancer most likely a ballerina who is obsessed with dance. After reading this book I would say it would be a dancer who loves to dance and will do anything or give up anything to dance. Think of what comes to your mind when you hear the word bunhead. Then think of the word bunhead after reading the book. Do you think your opinion will change?

In the book Bunheads by Sophie Flack the main character Hannah, dances in the MBA (The Manhattan Ballet Academy).Hannah was one of those kids who always wanted to dance from a young age till now when she is 19. But as Hannah gets older she learns that all she can do in the MBA is eat, sleep, and dance. She learns this more and more when she meets Jacob a cute pedestrian (a college student – that’s what Hannah’s friend would call him). Jacob gets upset with Hannah because she never has time for him. This tests Hannah. Should she choose love and life or keep striving for the top spot in the MBA?

I think this book is a good book and is a good example that in life you will have easy decisions like what color to paint your nails and more difficult like Hannah’s. I would recommend this book to people who are into dance or who are more girly than others. I think these kind of people would enjoy it because it’s a story of the challenges of dance, love and what Hannah wants for her life. I would not recommend this to boys or girls who are not as girly. I don’t think they would like this book because it’s not about sports or something both genders could read.

Nikki B., EMS Blogger
This copy of Bunheads was obtained at BEA 2011. It is due in stores October 10, 2011.

Skyship Academy: The Pearl Wars by Nick James

What if your life was consumed by war? Well that’s what Jesse Fisher has to deal with in the book Skyship Academy: The Pearl Wars by Nick James.

Jesse lives in a place called Skyship Academy. He is floating over his enemies who destroyed the world. Those people are called the Unified Party. They caused most of the world to become a wasteland. They bombed the world in fear of terrorists and now they live in cities powered by pearls the ultimate energy source. Just one can power a city. The only problem is that both Skyship and the Unified party want them. So they fight. But something strange happens when Jesse and a boy from the Unified Party meet each other in search for pearls. Will these two unlikely allies join together to find the truth about their past? or will they continue to fight for pearls?

This book was a great action-packed thriller with loads of adventure. It leaves you wanting more after every page. Skyship Academy is non-stop action that makes you never want to stop reading!

Jason M., EMS Blogger

This copy of Skyship Academy was obtained at BEA 2011. It is currently available at bookstores.

Shifting by Bethany Wiggins

What if you could “shift” into an animal when you wanted to?
In this story, Shifting by Bethany Wiggins, Maggie Mae can.

Maggie is in foster care and she is tired of being thrown into different homes all the time. She has to keep her deepest secret bottled up inside her. Maggie Mae is a shape-shifter. She is moved to a nice foster home where she is to stay for the remainder of her time in the system. Maggie has agreed to go to prom with the most popular guy in school, Bridger O’Connell. She is on her way to fitting in, but a surprise is around the corner. The legendary Skinwalkers of Navajo have been tracking Maggie her whole life. Will Maggie be able to save herself and the people she cares about? Will they still care about her after they know what she’s been hiding?

I thought this book was good. It had some nice plot twists. I liked how there was a little romance thrown in with the action. It also wasn’t a hard book to get through, but it wasn’t TOO easy either. Although, it wasn’t the BEST book I ever read, I would recommend it to friends. I think it’s a great first book and I will be looking for more books by Bethany Wiggins!

McKenzie K., EMS Blogger
Note: This copy of Shifting was received at BEA 2011. It is due in stores September 27, 2011.

Here are 3 reviews from EMS Blogger, Jessica M!

Fallout by Nikki Tate

Have you ever thought if you did something very small something could have gone differently? Or has something small turned into something big? Well, that’s what Tara thinks after her sister died in the book Fallout by Nikki Tate.

Tara’s sister Hannah didn’t care about much at the age of 15. She bought alcohol not in but outside of the liquor store. One phone call made a difference in her life no words, no ring, no talking, nothing. She will live in questions for the rest of her life. That phone call before those few steps in front of the bus will leave Tara in guilt forever. Tara will live with poetry and will learn a way to move on.

I loved this book –especially all the questions it had you asking throughout the book. You learn her life through the poetry, her thoughts and questions. You can see the poetry lets her free and calm. I would read another book by the same author. Will Tara be able to move on? You’ll just have to read the book to find out.

Jessica M., EMS Blogger
This copy of Fallout was obtained at BEA 2011. Publication date is set for September 1, 2011.

Liesl and Po by Lauren Oliver

Imagine a dark cellar where all you do is watch, play, talk to mice and watch the shadows in the dark. Well, that’s pretty much the life for Liesl in the book Liesl and Po by Lauren Oliver

Liesl, a young girl, lives with her stepmother after her dad died. Right when you think she has lost hope, she gets a visit from a friend Po from the other world of ghosts. Her goal is to put her dad’s ashes next to the rest of her family’s grave. Will she make it to the graveyard or not even make it out of the house? Will she make it past the cops or wondering people who see a little girl walking around? You’ll just have to read the book to find out!

In the beginning of the book it was a little slow and boring, but once you read a little bit it starts to pick up. The author does a great job of saying what other people are doing and describing how everyone is feeling. This is a good book and very intense at parts. You always have the question, “Is she going to make it?” I would defiantly read another book by this author.

Jessica M.,  EMS Blogger
This copy of Liesl and Po was obtained at BEA 2011. Publication date is set for October 4, 2011.

Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen

Lights, Camera, Action!

Have you ever thought about having your name in lights or tried to find your dad even knowing he is known for wild parties? Well that’s all that Letty Laskper and Cordelia Grey think about in the book Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen.

It is 1929 and you want your name in lights, where do you go? You go to New York City! That is exactly where Letty and Cordelia go. They are surprised how different the city and Broadway is from their mid-western town. This life is more exciting, thrilling and also hard. Letty thinks she will get her name in lights overnight and Cordelia thinks she’ll find her dad quickly, but they realize immediately they are not the only girls with a dream.

This book was very interesting. I loved learning about New York City in 1929, especially thinking about the similarities and differences of New York City then and now. This book was very exciting and was great right from page one. I would read a sequel of this book or a different book by the same author.

Jessica M., EMS Blogger
This copy of Bright Young Things was obtained at BEA 2011. It is available in bookstores now!

Did you ever imagine what it would be like to travel somewhere different? Maybe to another country? Well, in the book, Dumpling Days by Grace Lin, Pacy never had that thought in her mind.

Pacy and her family travel over to Taiwan, her family’s homeland. They go over to visit her relatives and they are there to celebrate her Grandmother’s sixtieth birthday. Pacy does not expect it to be fun and exciting, but that changed once she got there and learns about her culture and country. One cool thing she gets to do in Taiwan is take a painting class where she learns how to paint with meaning and style. Her sisters also get to take different art classes too. Pacy gets to try lots of new food. By accident, she eats chicken feet! Ewwww! I don’t like trying new food, so I don’t think I would make that mistake! There was a big variety of food. There was even McDonald’s! However, the McDonald’s in Taiwan was different from the United States. There were chicken nuggets, but there were also rice burgers. It’s not a burger at all. Instead, it is rice tightly packed and toasted to make a bun shape with pork and lettuce.

I thought it was very interesting to learn about life in Taiwan. It was cool to learn that they have night markets. Night markets are where vendors sell items, mostly food, at night. I thought it was kind of crazy that Pacy’s father had to leave Taiwan early because of work. He couldn’t even celebrate Pacy’s Grandmother’s sixtieth birthday! You should be able to stay if it was for a special celebration, especially someone’s sixtieth birthday! One last thing I didn’t agree with was how Pacy did not want to see relatives over in another country. That would be so cool to travel somewhere new. I always love traveling with my family even if it is the same place I’ve been to before. Overall, if I was to rate this book I would give it four stars. It was a great book that I would recommend.

Lauren S., EMS Blogger

This advanced readers copy of Dumpling Days was obtained at BEA 2011. It is the third book in the Pacy Lin series and is expected to be published January 2, 2012.

Have you ever felt different? Pushed around and laughed at by your peers? Donna Underwood knows exactly what that’s like. Some of the struggles she faces are not unlike what many people go through today. While reading The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney you will understand that sometimes being different is a good thing.

Donna Underwood has always stood out. When she was younger her arms were severely damaged up to her elbows. To restore her arms, an alchemist named Maker used iron that moves and changes so that Donna would be able to use them normally. Her friend Navin who lives next door to her drags Donna to a party where she meets Xan. He isn’t just the normal college dropout. He’s adopted and isn’t entirely human. When Donna goes to Maker’s lab to see if he knows why her arms are hurting so much lately, Navin follows her and sees a dark elf from the other world. Donna then has to decide whether to tell Navin something she has never told anyone before. When Navin and Maker are kidnapped by the dark elves, Donna and Xan team up and are forced to make a deal with the Wood Queen Aliette. In exchange for her friends’ lives, Donna and Xan must go on a dangerous mission to steal an irreplaceable item from the alchemists who raised Donna after her parents died. Will they make it back in time to save Navin and Maker? Or will Donna and Xan perish trying?

Donna is brave, independent, and when life gets tough, she keeps with it. When she is challenged to save the lives of her friends she doesn’t give up. Her compassion toward her friends and family is a major part of what makes this novel so appealing. Xan also plays a very important role. When he and Donna meet at his party they instantly become friends. When they are around each other they seem to fit together like two pieces of a puzzle. Navin, Donna’s best friend, is completely human and is very accepting of differences. He is very supportive of Donna and tries to help her when he can. This book is a great science fiction novel that I definitely recommend. Overall, it was an enthralling book that I couldn’t put down. Once you pick up The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney you need to be prepared to fall under its spell.

Anna T., EMS Blogger

This copy of The Iron Witch was obtained at BEA 2011. It was published in February 2011.

Here are two different reviews of the book Hound Dog True written by EMS Students!

Would you ever imagine yourself as a janitor in the near future? I know I haven’t. Well, in the book, Hound Dog True by Linda Urban, ten year old Mattie Breen does.

Mattie’s Uncle Potluck is a school janitor and she helps him with his job during the summer. Mattie wants to become his Custodial Apprentice. She records custodial wisdom notes every time she goes with Uncle Potluck. Custodial wisdom notes are notes that Mattie takes so she can be a better Custodial Apprentice. She wants to show her Uncle that she can take the job of a custodial apprentice.

            Mattie is going to have to start school soon. She and her mom are always moving around to different places so it’s hard for Mattie to get used to every place they decide to go. They are currently living with Uncle Potluck, her mom’s brother. Mattie has not been able to make any friends yet, and doesn’t really want to, until one day the neighbor next door’s niece comes over, wants to hang out with her and everything changes. Mattie’s mom thinks that she is actually making friends, but Mattie doesn’t think that. She tries to avoid the girl so she can’t be friends.

            I thought this book was pretty good. It was somewhat sad because Mattie’s dad left her and her mom. To me Uncle Potluck is like a dad to her. She always hangs out with him, helping with his custodial work. I didn’t like how the author made Mattie not want to be friends with the other girl. If I was Mattie, I would have wanted to have a friend. She has never had a friend because of all the moving she went through. You’d think she want to have someone to talk to, someone to hang out with. Lastly, I liked how the author put some parts in the book about Mattie’s past experiences at school. I thought it was a good idea how the author went back and forth to her school experiences and thoughts.

             I thought this book showed the way some kids feel when they first move to a new place, to a new school. Some don’t really want to make friends, while others are eager to start a new life, make new friends, and want to learn new things. This was a great book and I would recommend this book.

Lauren S., EMS Blogger

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“When going to investigate a leak, bring a bucket,” Mattie Mae Breen writes. In this book Hound Dog True by Linda Urban you will discover the thoughts and feelings of how Mattie really feels, and how much she really wants to be her Uncle Potluck’s Custodial Apprentice.

It all starts when Mattie Mae Breen goes to school, after she has moved so many times before this, and she wants to say something in front of her class that would make kids really want her as their friend. Last time she had to say something she said, “I’m Mattie Breen. I’m not a Buddhist.” That same year is when Mattie stops writing her stories. A girl named star was going through her classmates coats to try and find extra money but what she didn’t know was that Mattie was in the room to so Mattie saw the entire thing. When Star came to Mattie’s coat she saw Mattie’s gold notebook where she wrote all her stories. Star read through the book and started saying a word Mattie thought, “Og-ree.” Star just kept saying it all day and after that Mattie Breen said she would never write stories again. Soon after that Mattie met a girl who she thought was so much older than her and would want to do things that older girls (not like Mattie) would do. This girl was Quincy Sweet and when she talked she had a plunk in her voice so to make herself sound older, Mattie tried to have that same boring plunk sound to her voice too. As time went on, Mattie learned more and more things about how to be a good Custodial Apprentice. But does she find a real friend in Quincy Sweet? Does she start to write stories again? You will have to read this book to find out!

All though to some people like me might think this book is a little strange.  It is a great a story about a girl’s life with many different things happening to her from moving to growing up but how all she is really trying to do is find a friend who is Hound Dog True to her.

Danielle M., EMS Blogger

This advanced readers copy of Hound Dog True was obtained at BEA 2011. It’s due in stores September 20, 2011.

The goal of the read-a-thon (as explained on http://www.readingangel.com/2011/05/once-upon-read-thon-sign-ups.html):

“A Readathon is where you set a goal for yourself to read more books that is beyond your average number of books you read. There is no minimum, it’s all up to you! Push yourself to get some of those books read that have been sitting on your shelves for awhile! You can read any type of book you choose!”

Any year I am part of the Nutmeg Committee I am already pushing myself to read beyond my average number. I’ll read about 100 books this year! For these three read-a-thon days, I was going to try and read at least one book a day. Today I started to read

Three Rivers Rising: A Novel of the Johnstown Flood by Jame Richards

This book is in verse and tells a story based on a horrible flood that took place in the late 1800′s in Pennslyvania. I should have finished it easily but was distracted by a variety of factors today. Including reading some of

title Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Harry Potter, #7)

author Rowling, J.K.

which I am rereading before the final movie comes out on Friday. When I first read this book, I read it so fast cause I was afraid I’d find out the ending before I finished the book. This time I am reading it much slower and really enjoying it.

I did get my mini-challenge completed. I went to The Musings of ALMYBNENR where her challenge was to identify books from close up shots. What a great idea! I will have to try this with my students next year!!

-Miss G.

Have you ever wanted to be a warrior or a princess? Well this novel stars a warrior princess that goes through a life that you wouldn’t ever dream of living. After you read The Gray Wolf Throne by Cinda Williams Chima you will understand that being a princess is not all fun and games.

Raisa ana’Marianna, who also goes by the names Rebecca, Briar Rose, and Lady Brianna, is a princess who will someday be named Queen of the Fells. She ran away from home to a school called Oden’s Ford with Amon Byrne, the son of Captain Byrne, to escape being married to Micah Bayer, son of the high wizard Lord Bayer.  While at Oden’s Ford she becomes friends with Han Alister a wizard street lord who knows her as Rebecca Morley. When she tries to return home to the Fells she is attacked. Little does she know the Bayers are plotting to put her sister on the throne and marry her to Micah to gain absolute control over the Fells.  She must rely on her strong will and wits to survive. The wizard Han Alister has sworn to see Raisa crowned Queen but feels betrayed. His mother and sister were killed by order of Raisa’s mother and she left him without an explanation at Oden’s Ford. Raisa believes that she can trust Han but will she be able to trust him to protect her?

 After reading the first couple of books from the Seven Realms series by Cinda Williams Chima, I couldn’t wait for The Gray Wolf Throne to come out and it didn’t disappoint me. I was hooked from page one. The suspense and plot twists kept me reading. Seeing all of the relationships between the characters change and grow was another great part of what made this novel so catching. Some of the hardships Raisa faces are unbelievable, but there are pleasant parts too. Who will claim Raisa’s heart? Will Raisa or Mellony be crowned Queen? Those are just a few questions that will be answered when reading this book. I can’t wait to see if she will write another book in the series to answer my few remaining questions. If you love reading romance novels and about the cruel work of fate, than this would be the perfect book for you.

-Anna T., EMS Blogger

This copy of The Gray Wolf Throne was obtained at BEA 2011. It’s due in stores August 30, 2011.

The first review from a 2011 EMS Summer Blogger!

           Everyone has heard about World War 1. The Allies went against the Central Powers in what became widely known as the “Great War”. The Leviathan trilogy focuses on an alternate history, where the Darwinists (Allies), who believe in using fabricated beasts for daily life, go against the Clankers (Central Powers), who believe in using machines in everyday life. Caught in the middle is a Darwinist airship, the Leviathan. Goliath, by Scott Westerfeld, is the third and final book in the Leviathan trilogy.

            Alek is an Austro-Hungarian and Clanker, a prince whose parents died earlier in the war. He has a letter from the Pope that is his only claim to the throne. Deryn is a girl secretly serving aboard the Leviathan as a boy named Deryn. She has to serve secretly because women are still not viewed as equals to men. Earlier in the series, Alek went aboard the Leviathan when it crashed. Ever since then, he’s been gaining acceptance from the crew as he grew as a Darwinist himself and as he travels around the world. Deryn  herself grows fond of Alek, and even starts to have feelings for him. Now, all Alek wants to do is stop the war. This opportunity comes when a brilliant inventor comes aboard the ship, claiming to have an invention that could end the war. But will it work? And can Deryn continue hiding her secrets from Alek?

            Scott Westerfeld does a great job of mixing reality with his alternate history. For example, in the second book in this trilogy, Behemoth, he uses a real city that was politically unstable during the time as the site of a rebellion. One other example is that in Goliath, the famous war-ending invention supposedly caused a giant explosion in Siberia. In real life, a giant explosion took place around that time in Siberia. It’s amazing to see seamlessly fiction ideas translate to real life events! Another great thing about this book is that it is action-packed with war. Toward the end of the book, the Leviathan gets in a fight with some walkers (giant Clanker machines that walk on two legs). Bombs are launched, machine guns sprayed, and blood is spilled.  One thing I didn’t like about the book was the ending. I thought it lacked in action for an ending of a book, and especially for the ending of a trilogy. The ending did make sense, I just imagined a bigger ending battle sequence. The ending of the second book was bigger, longer, and very exciting! Overall, though, this book is a must read for anyone that likes sci-fi or fantasy novels.   

- Nick B., EMS Blogger

Note: This copy of Goliath was recieved at BEA2011. It is due in stores September 20, 2011.

It’s summer vacation! So much more time to read – hooray!! I have decided to alternate between reading I have to for the 2013 Nutmeg Committee and other books on my to-read list. Though, I may have to pick up the pace on my required reading to get all 80 books finished in time.

To help decide what books to read next, I’ve asked some of my students to review some of the books I picked up at BEA this year. I’ll be posting their reviews as they send them to me throughout the summer. I’m excited to read what they have to say about the new books.

One of my goals for this summer is to improve this blog. It’s definitely hard to keep up with it during the school year and I’d love to jazz it up a bit. I’ll be reading other blogs to gather ideas on what widgets to add and ways to improve the format. Hopefully this will be a much improved blog come September!

For those of you looking for ways to motivate your summer reading there are some great options available. Here are a few I have found so far:

This is Teen http://www.thisisteen.com/index.htm  Meg Cabot, Libba Bray, and Maggie Stiefvater have teamed up with Scholastic to create a summer full of contests and events.

Once Upon a Read-a-Thon http://www.readingangel.com/2011/05/once-upon-read-thon-sign-ups.html
It looks like  Reading Angel,  Pure Imagination, and Candace’s Book Blog have lots of great swag and books to giveaway! You just have to read more than you normally would for a few days and write about it. You don’t have to have a blog – you can also post on Facebook or Twitter. Check it out!!

Of course I have to mention that there are great programs at the public libraries. One World, Many Stories is the theme for the 2011 Govenor’s Reading Challenge. Check out what it happening at Hall Memorial Library in Ellington. For a list of upcoming events click here

That should be good to get you started! Happy Reading!!