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Hale, Bruce. PLAYING WITH FIRE
Max Segredo isn’t a bad kid---but somehow, in each of the seven foster homes he’s lived in, bad things have happened. Foster parents die in not-so-ordinary ways, fires seem to just happen, and, yes, things go missing… “It’s not my fault!” says Max. Now he’s down to his last chance to avoid juvenile detention---the Merry Sunshine Orphanage. The fact that the director of the orphanage meets him at the door with a pistol in her hand is the first sign that life at Merry Sunshine is going to be a little bit…different. “Fires? Stealing?” she says. “You know what I say?” “Learn to control fire…and if you’re stealing, don’t get caught.” Join Max as he learns that the Merry Sunshine Orphanage is actually a training center for would-be spies, and as he discovers that the father he believed was dead may actually be the best spy of all… (New Hampshire Great Stone Face Book Award nominee, 2015)
Sunday, May 18, 2014
Book of the day 05/18/2014
Saturday, May 17, 2014
Book of the day 05/17/2014
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Gardner, Sally. OPERATION BUNNY
This is the story of a neglected young girl, a human-sized talking cat, a fairy-hating witch with a very bad lamp, a set of temperamental magic keys, and bunnies. So. Many. Bunnies. Emily Vole was found as a baby in a suspiciously-ticking hatbox at the airport. The Dashwoods adopted her, but the self-absorbed couple quickly turned Emily into their servant when they had their own triplets. Forced to do nothing but chores, Emily is fortunately discovered by Miss String, her eccentric neighbor, and possibly a fairy, who gives her an education, and, all-too-soon, a large inheritance. With nothing to keep her, Emily runs away with Fidget, Miss String’s talking cat, to track down the evil witch who is killing fairies and leaving a trail of formerly-human pink bunnies in her wake. With the help of a grumpy former fairy detective and an enchanted shop that refuses to stay put, Emily is on her way to a magical destiny. (New Hampshire Great Stone Face Book Award nominee, 2015)
Friday, May 16, 2014
Book of the day 05/16/2014
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Gaiman, Neil. FORTUNATELY THE MILK
When mum goes off to a conference, dad’s routine trip to the corner store for milk becomes an epic adventure through time and space! (well, spaceSHIPS, anyway. Well, A spaceship. Twice.) While fetching milk for his children’s cereal, a father finds himself beamed up by aliens, threatened by pirates (who don’t even know about walking the plank!), meeting the balloon-flying stegosaurus scientist who invented time travel, rather elaborately avoiding a volcanic eruption and also escaping from some very pale, rather hungry-looking (and not at all sparkly) people with funny accents. Oh, and there’s ponies at one point. And possibly piranhas. And hard-hairy-wet-white-crunchers. Will he ever return to his poor hungry children? Where there is milk, there is hope! (New Hampshire Great Stone Face Book Award nominee, 2015)
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Book of the day 02/25/2014
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Messner, Kate. CAPTURE THE FLAG
Messner, Kate. CAPTURE THE FLAG New York : Scholastic, 2012 IL 3-6, RL 4.5 ISBN 0545395399 If you love a good adventure where ordinary kids like you can do amazing things, Capture the Flag is for you! Three seventh graders with nothing in common attend an event at the Smithsonian Museum where the original flag created by Betsey Ross is stolen. The next day, the same three kids are stranded in the same part of the airport after a snowstorm. They soon discover that they have more in common than they realized, particularly that they were at the Smithsonian when the flag was stolen. Figuring that the thief could be stranded at the airport with them, they launch an investigation to “capture the flag” before it becomes lost forever. (Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award nominee, 2014)
Sunday, February 9, 2014
Book of the day 02/09/2014
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Barrow, Randi. SAVING ZASHA Scholastic 2011 World War II is over and Russia does not want anything to do with Germany, a country that attacked them so brutally.. Mikhail, a 13 year old boy from Russia, finds a sick and dying man who has a German shepherd. Mikhail’s family decides to keep Zasha a secret from the rest of the townspeople and vows to hide and protect her. Mikhail discovers Zasha is pregnant. There is a man nearby who is trying to breed a Russian superdog and would love to add a German shepherd to the breed. Find out what happens to Zasha and her puppies. (Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award nominee, 2014)
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Book of the day 02/05/2014
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Stout, Glenn. SOLDIER ATHLETES
Stout, Glenn. SOLDIER ATHLETES New York : Sandpiper, 2011 IL 5-8, RL 6.7 ISBN 0547417292 Some athletes do more than just play the game and earn a paycheck. Some athletes serve their country, the United States, in times of war. Whether they served before their career, after their career, or in the middle of their sports career, these four athletes made a difference by being American Patriots first, and professional athletes second. Every one may know Ted Williams was one of the greatest hitters ever to play baseball. Did you know he also served in the Air Force? Rocky Blier played for the Pittsburgh Steelers, and also served in Viet Nam. Chicago White Sox’s Carlos May and Arizona Cardinal’s Pat Tillman also served their country. Find out more about these soldier athletes in the informational text. (Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award nominee, 2014)
Sunday, February 2, 2014
Book of the day 02/02/2014
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Singer, Marilyn. MIRROR, MIRROR : A BOOK OF REVERSIBLE VERSE
Singer, Marilyn. MIRROR, MIRROR : A BOOK OF REVERSIBLE VERSE New York : Dutton Children's Books, 2010 IL 3-6, RL 4.1 ISBN 0525479015 The first poem in this book will challenge your thinking: “Who says it’s true—down is the only view? If you believe that, this poem will challenge you. Up is something new.” Want to try it? Read the poem in reverse, a method that author Marilyn Singer made up. “Something new is up. You will challenge this poem if you believe that the only view is down. It’s true, Says who?” Each of the poems in this book is based on a fairy tale, and tells both sides of the story. After your read the poems, you will want to try reverso yourself. (Review by Sue Dahlstrom, Wayne Elementary School) (Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award nominee, 2014)