#famous

Image from: www.jillygagnon.com

by Jilly Gagnon

Rachel Ettinger and Kyle Bonham are seats away from each other in class but worlds away from each other in social standing. Rachel is pretty sure Kyle doesn't even know who she is but, one day, while she is at the mall, she "Flits" (read Tweets) a picture of Kyle to one of her friends. Her friend shares the picture and caption with a few other people and the whole things ends up going viral.

The flit goes so viral that a talk show host asks to have  Kyle come on the show to talk about his recent fame. The visit goes well and the show decides that they also want to meet Rachel. They decide that Kyle will ask her to go to a dance at their school and that they will film the whole thing.

Rachel and Kyle end up thrown into a Hollywood adventure where they have to learn to trust each other, let go of insecurities, value themselves and decide what really matters to them. This story read quickly and was, overall, a fun read that I really enjoyed.

The other part of this story is about social media and the mean behaviour of some students in their teen years. In this particular story, Rachel is treated very poorly by the virtual world, while Kyle is given Star Status. Over time, the "Flitterverse" changes its opinion about Rachel but she suffers through many rude comments and even death threats.

As a parent, I think this book could be a gateway to talk about the importance of being careful on social media. It also made me pause and think about what kind of person I may have been had my high school years been filled with social media. There is some drinking and talk about sex in this book but it is not central to the plot line. I would recommend this book for Grade 8 and up.

Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics

Image from: http://chrisgrabenstein.com/kids/mr-lemoncellos-library-olympics.php

By Chris Grabenstein

This is the second book in the Lemoncello series. I read the first one with my boys a couple of times so we were excited about another one coming out.

In the second book, Kyle and his team must compete against students from all over America to prove that they deserved to win the first time. Unfortunately, there are people who do not want to see that happen and even some who do not want Mr. Lemoncello to have any control over the library he so lovingly created. In the end, all the kids have to work together to figure out who is sabotaging everything or their library may be lost forever!

I have enjoyed both of the Mr. Lemoncello books greatly. They have a lot of literary references, good clean fun, mystery and adventure. They are a wonderful family read-aloud and appeal to a wide age of students. I read the first one to my youngest when he was in Grade 2 and my son going into Grade 7 listened in on most of this second one as well.

Grabenstein also has a book out called The Island of Dr. Libris, which contains many literary references and adventure, but we definitely liked this one least. If you are looking for a book to read together with your kids, I would say the Lemoncello books would appeal to Grade 2-6.

The Crown's Game

Image from: www.evelynskye.com

by Evelyn Skye

Enchanters. A duel to the death. Mystery and intrigue. Russian royalty. Romance.  The Crown's Game has them all.

Russia is in turmoil and the tsar realizes he needs an Imperial Enchanter to help them through a difficult time. Two people have unknowingly spent their whole lives training to fill the role of Enchanter. Unfortunately, mystical law states that only one of them can reign; they must enter a magical duel to the death.

To complicate matters, one of the enchanters is Nikolai, the tsar's son's best friend and the other is Vika, the tsar's son's love interest. Not only is the heir to the throne interested in Vika, but Nikolai and Vika feel an undeniable bond to one another that can't be ignored. Needless to say, the game becomes very complicated for everyone involved.

I found out about this book on a list of new YA books that are getting lots of attention and I can see why this one would be on the list. While it isn't a book I would normally pick up on my own it has a lot to offer and I really enjoyed reading it. If you liked The Selection series you will probably like this book as well. I would recommend this book for Grade 6-8.

Pax

Image from: www.sarapennypacker.com

by Sara Pennypacker

I was excited to see that Sara Pennypacker (think Clementine) had a new book out and, even better, to see that it was also illustrated by Jon Klassen (think This is Not My Hat and I Want My Hat Back).

The story is much different that any of the other Sara Pennypacker books I have read. The tone is much more serious and the plot is more intricate. Pax is a wolf who grows up domesticated because he was abandoned by his family as a baby. After living for many years with his beloved boy Peter, Peter's dad is called to war and forces Peter to leave Pax alone in the wild.

Peter is filled with regret and realizes he should never have abandoned Pax. The rest of the novel is Peter's attempt to find Pax back and Pax's experience of being in the wild for the first time since he was a baby.

This book is a story of friendship, bonds, forgiveness and love. If you love animals, especially foxes, you will love all the chapters that explain about Pax's integration into the wild. In terms of age range,  I would say this book would be best suited for kids in Grade 4 or 5.  It is part of the Global Read Aloud as well so kids all over the world will be hearing or reading this story. Join the fun and read this book today!

A Post About Overdrive

Image from:  http://pausd.lib.overdrive.com/

Overdrive is an online borrowing service that is used by the Halton District School Board as well as many public libraries including the OPL. Using Overdrive, you can download audio and e-books with the click of a mouse. You can read or listen to the books using a variety of devices and I just wanted to share what a lifesaver Overdrive was for us this summer!

My family went on a two-week road trip. My boys, aged 7 and 10, were happy and calm every time we had an audio book on. We were able to listen to the first two Harry Potter books, the first 39 Clues book and about half of Rick Riordan's new book The Trials of Apollo. The Trials of Apollo expired before we finished but both boys really liked it. When you have a lot of driving to do and four people in a small car any diversion or entertainment is welcome and our best times driving were when an audiobook was playing.

HDSB Library Services has catered their Overdrive selections for students in Grade 5-12 so I always give out student barcode information near the beginning of the year so that everyone in Grade 5-8 can access books online if they want. If you ever want your barcode again, I am happy to write it down for you. If you ever need help getting started on Overdrive I am also happy to do that.

Overdrive is a great way to take advantage of a ton of resources and you can never lose a book or incur late fees because everything is digital. If you haven't gotten started on Overdrive yet and would like to, come and see me in the Learning Commons and we will get going.

Say You Will

Image from: www.ericwalters.net

by Eric Walters

One word. Promposal!!

This book is a great story of how Sam sets up an amazing promposal for the one girl in school he wants to go with. All through the book there are two possible people he might ask - Taylor - one of the most popular kids in school - or Brooke - one of his best friends.

Eric Walters does a great job of keeping us guessing and I LOVE the actual promposal that Sam comes up with! I also love that Eric Walters is such a diverse author - one minute he is writing about the end of the world and the next he puts out a light and fun book like Say You Will.

I would recommend this book for Grade 5-8 and would love to hear your thoughts on Sam's great promposal if you take the time to read this book!

Fish in a Tree

Image from: www.lyndamullalyhunt.com

by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

I have been dying to read this book since one of our grade 3 students told me it was the best book she ever read and my son read it with his grade 5 class this year. I wasn't disappointed!

Ally has always felt that she is dumb and tries to hide the things she can't do, like read, from others. When her new teacher, Mr. Daniels, recognizes that Ally might have dyslexia and tries to help her she begins to see herself in a new light. She also starts to open herself up to the possibliity of having friends and letting people know about her struggles instead of hiding them all the time.

I would recommend this book for kids in Grade 3-7. Like some other books I've reviewed lately if you like Wonder or Mockingbird you will probably like this one as well.

The Thing About Jellyfish

Image from: www.alibenjamin.com

Ali Benjamin

I found out about this book through the website www.theglobalreadaloud.com. They are currently having a vote on the shortlist of books for next year and this is one of the books they are recommending for middle school. I decided I am going to read them all and see if there are any real standouts that we can use next year.

This is a great story about loss, grief, and sadness and how we process all three. If you are looking for a good cry, the last part of this book will definitely provide it. This book reminded me of Mockingbird by Katherine Erksine and Wonder by Palaccio so if you liked either of those books you will probably like this one too!

The Blackthorn Key

Image from: http://books.simonandschuster.ca/The-Blackthorn-Key/Kevin-Sands/Blackthorn-Key/9781481446518

by Kevin Sands

I was excited to read this book because I have seen it all over the place and I wasn't disappointed. The main character, Christopher, is an apothecary's apprentice. Unfortunately, apothecaries all over the city are being murdered and it isn't long before Christopher's beloved master is the next victim.

Using the puzzles and clues that his master left behind, Christopher, along with his friend Tom, must find out who is behind the horrible murders and decide whether he wants to share the power that lies behind his master's hidden discovery.

I would recommend this book to Grade 5-7. It is a quite violent in the last couple of chapters but the overall story, character development, etc. is GREAT! As an added bonus, Kevin Sands is a Canadian author so I am hoping this one will be on Silver Birch or Red Maple next year!

Fuzzy Mud

Image from: www.louissachar.com

By Louis Sachar

I picked up this book because we had to study Louis Sachar for Battle of the Books and I was curious if it was any good, considering I wasn't a big fan of the title. I am, however, a big fan of Louis Sachar in general and have read Holes and Sideways Stories many, many time.

Anyway, Fuzzy Mud is the story of Tamaya Dhilwaddi and Marshall Walsh, who end up taking a detour through the woods and find themselves in some serious trouble. Another boy, Chad Hilligas, has decided to beat up Marshall and hunts them down in the woods. As they are fighting, Tamaya picks up some weird mud and throws it at Chad's face. He backs off and leaves.

Tamaya and Marshall make their way home. That night, Tamaya's hand starts to get a rash. She realizes it's from the mud she picked up and that her skin is flaking off. Tamaya ends up going to school the next day where she learns that Chad is missing. She realizes it is up to her to find him and that he is probably in really bad shape since the mud went all over his face. She sets out to find him and the adventure continues from there.

I don't want to say too much more about this one because I don't want to give it away but it was a good read, freakier than I thought it would be, but good. I would recommend this book for Grade 4-6.

unfriended

Image from www.rachelvail.com

By Rachel Vail

Truly dumps her best friend when one of her old friends, who is now quite popular, invites her into her group. Hazel, the girl who gets dumped, hacks Truly's social media accounts. Hazel tries to stir things up, sometimes to help Truly, sometimes not so much.  Natasha, the girl who invited Truly into her group, also uses social media to spread rumours. Before long everything has gone wrong and Truly isn't sure what to do.

The book ends with Truly throwing her phone into the lake and everyone making up and being friends again.

Normally I like Rachel Vail books and I was excited to check this one out too. Unfortunately it was not my favourite, mostly because I didn't like the writing. There were a few good story lines but the story was told by many different characters so you have to pay attention to who is talking or you might be a bit confused.

I would recommend this book to Grade 6-8 as it is a story about middle school.

Better Nate Than Never

Image from www.timfederle.com

by Tim Federle

This is a story about a boy named Nate who really wants to be on Broadway. With the help of his best friend Libby he sneaks away from home to go to an audition in New York City. He makes it to the audition but not without worrying his whole family, re-uniting with his aunt, and having a few adventures in NYC.

I liked this book because Nate is the kind of character who sticks with you. I read this book a while ago and I still remember what it was about, which is a good sign since I read a lot and sometimes forget. If you like stories that really focus on the characters you will probably enjoy this book. There is a second book in the series as well called Five. Six. Seven..

Timberwolf Rivals

Image from: http://www.rockandroll-literacy.com/books.html

By Sigmund Brouwer

I got this book last year when Sigmund Brouwer came to our school last year and it ended up under the tree for my younger son. We had a lot of fun reading this book together as it is full of pranks and silliness. The story isn't about hockey very much but is more about how two friends try to impress a girl to get her to do a dance competition with them. 

I think that kids in grades 1-3 would like this book and it is part of a series so if you like this one there are other ones that you can enjoy as well. 

Fragile Bones - Red Maple

Image from: http://www.lornaschultznicholson.com/

By Lorna Schultz Nicholson

Fragile Bones -- Harrison and Anna -- is the first book in a series about a group of teenagers who take part in a program called Best Buddies. "To take part in the Best Buddies Program, volunteers with and without intellectual disabilities agree to be paired with each other for one school year.  The pairs are then responsible for contacting each other once a week by telephone, e-mail, letter or note; meeting each other twice a month for a one-to-one activity; and participating in group activities during the school year." (http://bestbuddies.ca/about-us/faq/)

This story tells both of their points of view as they participate in the program and learn from one another. If you are interested in learning about autism this book gives a lot of insight into Harrison's experience with autism and also how his family handles it. If you are interested in learning more about the Best Buddies Program you can check it out at www.bestbuddies.ca. 

Speechless - Silver Birch

By Jennifer Mook-Sang

Image from: http://www.scholastic.ca/books/authors&illustrators/jennifer-mook-sang

Speechless is a book that could take place in any school in Ontario. It features ordinary characters going to an ordinary school. The main character, whose nickname is Jelly, decides that he wants to win the school's speech competition. Unfortunately, so does the biggest know-it-all in his class. He sets out to win the contest even though public speaking is really not his thing. 

I liked this book because it was so relatable. I could picture this happening at our school, or really any school. I like that Jelly stretches himself to do something he wouldn't normally do, I like that he tries to convince his parents of his point of view but does it without whining or throwing a fit, and I like that he learns about helping out at a Food Bank but doesn't do his speech about it. I think that Jelly was a great character and I enjoyed spending some time with him while he was learning and growing so much. 

This book is a quick, valuable read and I would recommend it if you are planning to participate in Silver Birch this year. 

Lost in the Backyard - Silver Birch

Image from: http://www.orcabook.com/Lost-in-the-Backyard-P979.aspx

by Alison Hughes

Flynn can't understand why his sister loves the outdoors so much she would want to spend a weekend wilderness camping. While she's gone, he gets stuck visiting his parents' friend's house that they built in the woods. As they are checking out the backyard, Flynn wanders off and falls down a ravine. He hears wild animals, panics and makes a run for it. Before he knows what has happened he is injured, soaking wet, scared and alone. Not only that, but a light snow starts to fall. Flynn has to do everything in his power to stay alive and find his way to safety.

I enjoyed this book and think that if you like survival stories you will enjoy this one too.

Rocket Blues - Silver Birch

By David Skuy

Image from: www.accessola.org

David Skuy writes sports books for kids aged 8-12. Before this year I have never actually read one myself but my son read Striker last year for Silver Birch and said it was good so I thought I would give this one a try.

IT WAS SO GOOD! If you play hockey, if you like watching hockey, if you play street hockey, if you just want to read about hockey you should definitely read this book. I am thinking I will go back and read Striker as well, which was his Silver Birch nomination for last year. Striker also has a sequel that just came out called The Beautiful Game so if you've read the first one you might want to check this one out too. (Striker and The Beautiful Game are both about soccer).

To find out more about David Skuy's books go to http://davidskuy.com/

Between Shadows - Silver Birch

Image from: http://coteaubooks.com/index.php?id=913

By Kathleen Cook Waldron

It is Forest of Reading season so I am doing some Silver Birch and Red Maple reading over the holidays. The first Silver Birch book I did was Between Shadows, since my son was reading it also. This book is about a boy named Ari who inherits a cottage from his grandfather. He is beyond excited and hopes his family will move there. Unfortunately his aunt and father have other ideas and want to sell the cottage. Ari has to see if he can convince them to keep the cottage his grandfather loved and convince his father that maybe it's time for a new start.

This book is a quick read at only 100 pages and has some exciting elements. Ari quickly makes friends in the area and is able to get neighbours to help him keep the cottage. I wish this book was a bit longer as I think the first part could use more detail. I also think the aunt's character is a bit harsh and that a bit more time on character development would have helped the story.

If you are hoping to read 5 books to vote for Silver Birch this year I would recommend giving this one a try. If you are a quick reader you can finish it in a day or two and there are some fun moments throughout this story.

The Family Cooks

Image From: http://thefamilydinnerbook.com/

Baking and cooking books have been really popular in the last couple of years. I was happy to buy a bunch more the last time I was shopping. One that I am really excited about is called The Family Cooks -- there are so many recipes I want to try! When I read through it I bookmarked about 20 pages and I have already made the pancakes.

The recipes in this book are easy to follow and often include a "play with it" at the end, which gives you ideas of how you could change the recipe to make it a bit differently. If you love cooking healthy food for your family I think you will really like this new cookbook.

The Art of Being Stared At

Image from: www.lauralangston.com

By Laura Langston

Imagine being in high school, knowing that your only dream is to be a movie producer, and having a film company approach you about applying to their prestigious program. You are beyond excited, everything seems to be going your way, and nothing is going to get you down.

Then, your hair starts falling out. At first it doesn’t seem like a big deal but more and more is lost. You have to tell someone; you have to find out what is going on.

Sloane Kendriks, the main character, has to decide what matters most and how she is going to handle the news that she has alopecia areata in the midst of chasing her biggest dream.

The Art of Being Stared At is a White Pine selection this year, which means it was selected for the High School level for the Forest of Reading. I think Grade 7 & 8 students would also enjoy this book.