This Month @ Your Library!

April 2010

2010-04-15T14:34:00.000-07:00

2010 ITA Voting...
is in, and we have a winner! After over 4,700 votes were cast, I am happy to announce that Iowa's 2010 Iowa Teen Award goes to Carl Deuker for Gym Candy.

March 2010

2010-03-01T06:04:00.001-08:00

Gotta Keep Reading!

A Florida middle school's music video -- Gotta Keep Reading -- brightened my day. I thought it might do the same for you!

February 2010

2010-02-01T08:45:00.001-08:00

Book Trailer Spotlight... for our newest books!

The Compound by S. A. Bodeen

Models Don't Eat Chocolate Cookies by Erin Dionne

January 2010

2010-01-01T08:28:00.000-08:00

New
Arrivals

Wondering what new books we have for you to read? Check out what is new on our shelves and what titles will be appearing soon. Happy 2010!

Look For These Books In January...

Chains by Laurie Anderson
Million Dollar Throw by Mike Lupica
Takedown by Rich Wallace
Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica George
11 Planets by David Aguilar
Al Capone Shines My Shoes by Gennifer Choldenko
Crocodile Tears by Anthony Horowitz
How To Get Rich on the Oregon Trail by Tod Olson
The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg by Rodman Philbrick
Front and Center by Catherine Murdock
Ghost in the Machine by Patrick Carman
Sent by Margaret Haddix

October 2009

2009-10-06T20:15:00.000-07:00

Read the books... see the movies.

Cirque Du Freak : The Vampire's Assistant (PG-13) will be in movie theaters on October 23. This movie is based on the first 3 books of the Cirque Du Freak series by Darren Shan. We do have all twelve books in this creepy, scary book series in the NW library.

Check out this new biography we have in our school library. On July 2, 1937, Amelia Earhart vanished on her way to Howland Island in the South Pacific. She and her plane were never found, but it is Amelia's life story that is truly remarkable. Amelia became a legend in her own time. Amelia (PG) based on the real life story of Amelia Earhart will also be in theaters on October 23.

Thanks to Mrs. Heier's sixth grade students for displaying their Egyptian art projects in the library this month. If you haven't seen them yet, make sure you stop by our library. They really look great!

Get wrapped up in reading this month... Happy October!

September 2009

2009-08-20T18:43:00.000-07:00

It's a great time to checkout what's new at our school library!

Go Big or Go Home
by Will Hobbs

Brady and his cousin Quinn love extreme sports, but nothing could prepare them for the aftermath of Brady's close encounter with a meteorite after it crashes through his Black Hills, South Dakota, bedroom. Did you know that this author visited our school four years ago? I was surprised when he mentions Decorah in this book. Kinda cool... We do have eleven other adventure books by Will Hobbs in our school library that you might enjoy reading, too.

The Beef Princess of Practical County
by Michelle Houts

Libby is excited about raising calves in preparation for the steer competition at the county fair. However, her mother is more excited about her entering the Beef Princess pageant. The setting is Indiana but the story could have taken place right here in Iowa. You'll be entertained by the ups and downs of Libby's experiences at the Practical County Fair.

The Chicken Dance
by Jacques Couvillon

Don Schmidt, the narrator of this book, is big on chickens. He becomes the youngest person to ever win the chicken-judging contest in his small town of Horse Island, Louisiana, and goes from outcast to instant celebrity in his middle school and his community. Mrs. Bigler told me about this funny book after her son read it last year.

Lucky
by Rachel Vail

Some girls have all the luck. Pretty, popular, and rich, Phoebe and her four closest friends are getting ready to graduate from middle school and plan a lavish eighth-grade graduation party. Unexpectedly, Phoebe's family is hit with a financial crisis that completely changes their lives. How far will Phoebe go to keep up her image as a lucky girl? I have to admit I was clueless when the author used the word " snarkiness" in the book. I thought she had made up the word but my curiosity made me look in up in Webster's and yes, the word "snarky" is there.

Six Innings
by James Preller

Fan of baseball will enjoy this exciting game. Two little league teams battle for the championship while Sam, a player who is now in a wheelchair, calls the play-by-play action instead of participating in the game. Make sure you don't peek at the scoreboard until the end of the game!

Waiting for Normal
by Leslie Connor

Addie lives in a small trailer on a busy city street with her mother, never knowing how long- a few hours, a few days, a week- her irresponsible mother will be gone. You will love Addie's spunk and spirit as she tries to cope with her challenging life.

The Last Olympian
by Rick Riordan

This is the final book in the popular "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" series. The first book, The Lightning Thief, was the 2009 Iowa Teen Award winner and the Percy Jackson movie based on this book will hit theaters February 12, 2010. In The Lightning Thief, Percy discovers he is a demi-god. His mother is human, but his father whom he has never met is the god Poseidon. Then Percy discovers that his best friend Grover, is also a mythical creature, a satyr, half human, half goat. Things just keep getting stranger and Percy and his friends end up on a wild cross-country adventure involving gods, goddesses, and mythical monsters. There are five books in the series so there is plenty of reading to keep you busy until next February when the movie comes out.

Speaking of the Iowa Teen Award, do take a look at the new 2009-2010 poster on display in our library and Mrs. Bigler's room or checkout the ITA website. These book titles were chosen by middle school students like you to be put on the list. We do have these books in our school library. You are ALL invited to participate in voting for your favorite book. Remember you need to have read at least two of the books to vote on April 1st.

Happy Reading and ENJOY!