Tuesday, March 17, 2009

SANDPIPER, by Ellen Wittlinger posted by Mrs. Schauer

SANDPIPER
by Ellen Wittlinger
AR: Yes
Interest Level: Upper Grades

Fifteen year old Sandpiper Ragsdale Hollow has made some mistakes with boys--with quite a few boys. It started as a way to get one certain boy to like her--and it worked, for a while. Then there was the next boy, and the next...and before she knew it, she had a reputation as a "bad girl." She's not sure why, but as soon as a boy really starts to like her, she tires of him, casts him aside and moves on to the next one. When one of her rejected suitors decides to get even with her, at first...it's just annoying. Then, he gets more and more violent and threatening, until his rage turns to violence. Can Sandpiper turn her life and reputation around? Why are some mistakes so much harder to live down than others? Why can some girls get away with certain behaviors, and she's judged for them? And what about the Walker, the mysterious loner she befriends...what secrets is he hiding? Could he be different than the other boys she's known? It would be easy for me to give away everything....but then what would be your incentive to read this fantastic book? I highly recommend it--it's a quick, page-turning read.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Book Trailer for THREE LITTLE WORDS, by Ashley Rhodes-Courter posted by Mrs. Schauer


This book trailer for THREE LITTLE WORDS, by Ashley Rhoades-Courter, was created by Mrs. Schauer. There is an AR quiz available and this book is appropriate for upper grades.

LIFE ON THE REFRIGERATOR DOOR, by Alice Kuipers posted by Mrs. Schauer

LIFE ON THE REFRIGERATOR DOOR
by Alice Kuipers
AR: Yes (Thanks, Samantha B, for writing the quiz! I made a 100 on it!)
Interest Level: Middle and Upper Grades

My daughter Hailee suggested I take this book with me on my flight to Ft. Worth yesterday, and I loved it! It is a quick read--I finished it in about an hour--and was sad when I was done. The entire book is made up of short notes between a mother and daughter, that they leave for one another daily, on the refrigerator door. The daughter is fifteen and the mom is a doctor, who is at work so much, that many times these notes are their only form of communication for days at a time. Their notes are full of all the normal things moms and daughters go through. There are shopping lists, requests for money, discussions about boyfriends, and tidbits about their days. The notes take on a more serious tone when the mom is diagnosed with breast cancer...I don't want to give away any more than that, because I'd rather people read the book to find out what happens...isnt' that typical of me?



Tuesday, March 10, 2009

BONECHILLER, by Graham McNamee posted by Rebecca , Freshman

BONECHILLER
by Graham McNamee
Posted by Rebecca, Freshman
AR: Yes

This book is about these four kids in Canada that are friends. One of them encounters this beast that lurks in the night...when it's cold. No one believes them, but then another friend encounters the same beast. The worst thing is that they both get bitten. Now the four of them have to stop this beast that's been lurking for thousands of years. This book was great!

I DARE YOU TO READ IT!!!

Monday, March 9, 2009

HERSHEY HERSELF, by Cecilia Galante posted by Jackie, 6th Grader

HERSHEY HERSELF
by Cecilia Galante
Posted by Jackie, 6th Grader

Hershey Herself is a wonderful book about a girl named Hershey (just like the candy bar!) In the beginning Hershey's mom and her boyfriend Slade, get in a fight, while Hershey is at her friend Phoebe's house. Together the girls make a plan to get Slade to move out. When Hershey goes back to the house, her mom has been beaten up by Slade. She and Hershey move into a Women's Shelter, where they meet new people and have many adventures. I really liked this book!