Slob

This is a great book for middle-schoolers...Slob by Ellen Potter has been on my TBR list for a while. I was thrilled to see it arrive in our middle school library.

From the book jacket...

"Twelve-year-old Owen Birnbaum is the fattest kid in school.

"But he's also a genius who invents cool contraptions--like a TV that can show the past. There is something that happened two years ago that he needs to see if he ever hopes to unravel a dreadful mystery.

"But genius or not, there is much Owen can't outthink. Like how his Oreos keep disappearing from his lunch. Or why his sister suddenly wants to be called by a boy's name. Or why a diabolical, scar-faced thug at school seems to be on a mission to destroy him. He's sure that if he can only get the TV to work, things will start to make sense. But it will take a revelation, not a cool contraption, for Owen to see that the answer's not in the past, but the present. That no matter how large he is on the outside, he doesn't have to feel small on the inside."

I enjoyed this book very much. There were times when it reminded me of Jerry Spinelli's Stargirl and times when I felt like I was reading Rebecca Stead's When You Reach Me.

This is a very real realistic fiction novel. Ellen Potter tells Owen's story with such honesty that at times I was cringing wondering if students are really treated this way in school. Not only do Owen's classmates treat him poorly, but so does his gym teacher, Mr. Wooly ("Mr. Hates Unathletic Kids and Enjoys Seeing Them Suffer").

There is a mystery in this book...something Owen is remembering and dealing with that is not revealed until later in the book. Ellen Potter weaved this into her story so delicately that I was surprised when I read it.

This is a great read for sixth, seventh, and eighth graders.

(By the way...Ellen Potter is sponsoring a writing contest. The deadline is June 15, 2010. Click HERE to view the details.)

Keep Reading!

Mrs. T :)

P.S. Reading is like breathing chocolate air!

Killer Pizza = Killer Book!

I just finished reading Killer Pizza by Greg Taylor. I thought it was quite a 'tasty' read. Okay, I'll try not too get too 'cheesy' with food puns!

I think middle school readers are going to like this book. It's got pizza and monsters! What better combination could there be?

Toby is the main character who is having a boring summer. He watches Food Network and wishes to be a chef one day. Great news comes Toby's way when he learns he is hired by Killer Pizza, a local pizza joint. What a great way to combine some money-making with his career-to-be.

Toby meets his fellow crew workers, Annabel and Strobe. Together, the three of them survive the mania that comes with running the afternoon shift at Killer Pizza. They think they have things under control until they learn that Killer Pizza is more than just a local pizza eatery. It is actually a front for monster killers!

This book would be perfect for readers who wish to graduate from R.L. Stine. In fact, R.L. Stine says, "Greg Taylor serves up a hot slice of horror that I couldn't put down."

Check this one out if you want to read some monster slashing and let me know how you like it!

(Click HERE to go to the book's website.)

Happy Reading!

Mrs. T :)

P.S. Reading is like breathing chocolate air!

The Storm in the Barn

Winner of the 2010 Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction, The Storm in the Barn by Matt Phelan has been on my TBR list for quite a while.

From the book jacket..."In 1937, eleven-year-old Jack Clark faces his share of ordinary challenges: local bullies, his father's failed expectations, a little sister with an eye for trouble. But he also has to deal with the effects of the Dust Bowl, including the rising tensions in his small town and the spread of a shadowy illness. A case of the new "dust dementia" would certainly explain who (or what) Jack has glimpsed in the abandoned Talbot barn--a sinister figure with a face like rain. In a land where it never rains, it's hard to trust what you see with your own eyes--and harder still to take heart and be a hero when the time comes."

This fable is told in more pictures than text. With 201 pages, there is very little reading of words in this story. Take your time and soak in the pictures. If you do not take the time to tell yourself this story, you will miss a good one!

Click HERE to visit the author's website. Click HERE to visit the author's blog.

Happy Reading!
Mrs. T :)

P.S. Reading is like breathing chocolate air!

More Movie News...

It seems lately that I have been posting about those things in the future that I am waiting for (and not very patiently I might add). Well, here is another 'in the future'...but interesting nonetheless...

The movie Legend of the Guardians will be based on the first three Guardians of Ga'Hoole books by Kathryn Lasky. The story follows Soren, a young barn owl who is kidnapped by the owls of the St. Aegolius Academy for Orphaned Owls, or St. Aggie's. The academy is supposed to be an orphanage, but instead it brainwashes its pupils into becoming soldiers who will ultimately clash with the wise, peaceful owls of Ga'Hoole.

It comes to theaters on September 24, 2010, in 3D by the producers of Happy Feet.

Fans of the Warrior series by Erin Hunter would perhaps enjoy this series. You may want to check out the series now!

Click HERE to see the trailer.

Happy Reading!

Mrs. T :)

P.S. Reading is like breathing chocolate air!

Gotta Keep Reading!

LOVE this song and video! What a great job by the students at Ocoee Middle School in Florida.

This video was inspired by the Flash Mob Dance on the Oprah Winfrey Show performed by the Black Eyed Peas and several thousand of Oprah's fans.

Thanks to Ingrid Law who posted the video on her website.

Happy Reading!
Mrs. T :)

P.S. Reading is like breathing chocolate air!
(Gotta Keep Reading and Reading and Reading..)

Yet Another One I'm Looking Forward To...

RICK RIORDAN! Need I say any more? Fans of Percy Jackson, get ready! On May 4, 2010, a new series is being released. I cannot begin to tell you how excited I am! It is The Kane Chronicles with Book One, The Red Pyramid.

Here is what Amazon says about the book..."Since their mother’s death, Carter and Sadie have become near strangers. While Sadie has lived with her grandparents in London, her brother has traveled the world with their father, the brilliant Egyptologist, Dr. Julius Kane.

"One night, Dr. Kane brings the siblings together for a 'research experiment' at the British Museum, where he hopes to set things right for his family. Instead, he unleashes the Egyptian god Set, who banishes him to oblivion and forces the children to flee for their lives.

"Soon, Sadie and Carter discover that the gods of Egypt are waking, and the worst of them--Set--has his sights on the Kanes. To stop him, the siblings embark on a dangerous journey across the globe--a quest that brings them ever closer to the truth about their family, and their links to a secret order that has existed since the time of the pharaohs."

Click HERE to read the first chapter of the book!

Rick Riordan has a great website to visit. Click HERE. I enjoy following his blog which is just a click away when you visit his website.

And take a look at this SUPER COOL poster over to the right. MUST HAVE this for the classroom!

Thank you, Mr. Riordan, for writing these awesome adventures! You have created a lot of excitement for reading with your books!

Happy Reading!
Mrs. T :)

P.S. Reading is like breathing chocolate air!

How to Train Your Dragon

From Cressida Cowell's website..."Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III was an awesome sword-fighter, a dragon-whisperer and the greatest Viking Hero who ever lived. But it wasn't always like that.

In fact, in the beginning, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III was the most put upon Viking you'd ever seen. Not loud enough to make himself heard at dinner with his father, Stoick the Vast; not hard enough to beat his chief rival, Snotlout, at Bashyball, the number one school sport and CERTAINLY not stupid enough to go into a cave full of dragons to find a pet... It's time for Hiccup to learn how to be a Hero."

How to Train Your Dragon is the first in a series of eight books. And now...a movie! It is being released on March 26. Click HERE to go to the movie's website and view the trailer.

Click HERE to visit the author's website (and read her thoughts on the new movie). LOTS of cool stuff can be found there!

Happy Reading!
Mrs. T :)

P.S. Reading is like breathing chocolate air!

I Can't Wait!

Scumble, the sequel to Savvy, is being released August 24. What a great 'Welcome Back to School' reward! Here is a blurb about the book from Ingrid Law's website:

"Nine years after Mibs’s Savvy journey, her cousin Ledge has just turned thirteen...

Ledger Kale’s savvy is a total dud—all he does is make little things fall apart. So his parents decide it’s safe to head to Wyoming for a family wedding, where it’s soon revealed that Ledge’s savvy is much more powerful than anyone thought. Worse, his savvy disaster has an outside witness: Sarah Jane Cabot, reporter wannabe and daughter of a local business man. Just like that, Ledge’s beloved normal life is over. Now, he has to keep Sarah from turning family secrets into headlines, stop her father from foreclosing on Uncle Autry’s ranch, and scumble his savvy into control so that, someday, he can go home.

Starring a cast both fresh and familiar, Scumble melds heart and humor with the legendary Wild West."

The paperback version of Savvy is coming out on March 23. In the back of this paperback edition, Ingrid Law will provide the first chapter of Scumble for interested readers.

I can't wait!

Happy Reading!

Mrs. T :)

P.S. Reading is like breathing chocolate air!

Woods Runner

My mind is still reeling from this book. My breath is shallow, and I feel as though every sense in me is heightened. I am wired. I have just finished reading Gary Paulsen's new book Woods Runner. It has been a while since I have read a book so real, so heartbreaking, so disturbing. I have chosen to post the following blurb from Amazon as I tried and tried myself to put words to this story. However, I either found myself at a loss for words--still feeling the story--or found myself wanting to tell you the entire story of Samuel.

"Samuel, 13, spends his days in the forest, hunting for food for his family. He has grown up on the frontier of a British colony, America. Far from any town, or news of the war against the King that American patriots have begun near Boston.

But the war comes to them. British soldiers and Iroquois attack. Samuel’s parents are taken away, prisoners. Samuel follows, hiding, moving silently, determined to find a way to rescue them. Each day he confronts the enemy, and the tragedy and horror of this war. But he also discovers allies, men and women working secretly for the patriot cause. And he learns that he must go deep into enemy territory to find his parents: all the way to the British headquarters, New York City."

I was enthralled by Samuel's story. I could not put this book down even for a second! I know that this book will be loved by readers who like the outdoors, who like to hunt, who have knowledge of firearms, who have an interest in historical fiction and war stories.

Gary Paulsen writes this novel alternating the fiction with historical segments that he feels are essential for the reader to know. For example, before the chapter when Samuel's family is visited by a man carrying a slip of paper with news about the war, Paulsen gives a page of information about 'Communication' in the year of 1776. There are other historical segments such as 'Frontier Life', 'Weapons', 'War Orphans', and 'Civilian Intelligence'.

Don't pass this one up if you are looking for a riveting book that will keep you turning the pages and which will most certainly leave you haunted with the horrific realities of war.

Happy Reading!

Mrs. T :)

P.S. Reading is like breathing chocolate air!

Odd and the Frost Giants

Here is a quick fun read! Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman is a story about a boy named Odd. Odd is unlucky. His dad died while on a Viking expedition, and one of Odd's legs is shattered while trying to take his father's place as a woodcutter. His mother has remarried to an awful man who mistreats Odd. Still, Odd keeps smiling.

Odd strikes out on his own to his father's old woodcutting hut where he meets a fox, a bear, and an eagle--three animals that have a very 'odd' story of their own to tell.

Odd sets off with the fox, the bear, and the eagle to save Asgard, city of the gods. Odd must outwit the Frost Giants to help the gods reclaim what is rightfully theirs and to restore the season of spring since winter has taken hold of the world that Odd knows.

With only 117 pages, this is a story that will be over before you know it. I enjoyed the beginning and middle of this book but found the ending particularly satisfying. I appreciated Odd's wit and wisdom as he talked to the Frost Giant, and I felt happy for Odd in the ending...which of course, I cannot give away!

You will enjoy reading this if you like mythology and folklore with a good bit of adventure. It is a fast-paced book that will keep you reading until the end.

Click HERE for the book trailer that I showed you in class.

Happy Reading!
Mrs. T :)

P.S. Reading is like breathing chocolate air!

Boys Are Dogs

Boys Are Dogs. What a title, huh? It was the title that piqued my interest in reading this book.

It is about a sixth grader named Annabelle. While at summer camp, her mother moves in with her boyfriend. That means a move about thirty miles away from an apartment in the city to a house in the suburbs. It also means a move from her all-girls school to a new middle school with girls AND boys. And that means problems...

One good thing...her mom gets her a new puppy. Annabelle begins to train her new puppy by reading a How To manual that her mom purchased for her. While she is trying to train her new puppy, Annabelle realizes that many of the training rules might also apply to the boy problems she is having at her new school. The manual might just be the thing Annabelle needs to tame the wildest beast of all: the teenage boy!!

This is a cute novel that I think girls will relate to. It speaks to the girls about just how obnoxious boys can be sometimes (I said 'sometimes'!!!). From name-calling to mean pranks, I think author Leslie Margolis was realistic in how she wrote about girls and their feelings towards middle school boys...or not? Perhaps some of you girls should read this one and then let me know! (And you just might pick up on some tips on how to deal with obnoxious boys!!)

Happy Reading!
Mrs. T :)

P.S. Reading is like breathing chocolate air!

Ways to Live Forever

Sam likes to write lists:
　
“LIST NO. 1—FIVE FACTS ABOUT ME
My name is Sam.
I am eleven years old.
I collect stories and fantastic facts.
I have leukemia.
By the time you read this, I will probably be dead.”
　
Ways to Live Forever by Sally Nicholls is “written” by eleven year-old Sam. He is living through the last stages of leukemia. He is determined to find answers to all of the questions nobody ever answers. Sam's story is a collection of journal entries, lists, questions, and pictures.

This book is definitely a Kleenex book—not filled with action but one that you will need at least one (or two) Kleenex to read.

Click HERE for a 'taste' of the book. Click HERE to visit the book's website

AND...A movie has been made of this fantastic book. Look for it coming out sometime 2010!

Happy Reading!
Mrs. T :)

P.S. Reading is like breathing chocolate air!

Are You a Wimpy Kid Fan?

If you're a DWK fan, then you will be thrilled to know that Jeff Kinney is taking his popular series to the movie screen! Yes! I said MOVIE!

Opening April 2, 2010, is "The Diary of a Wimpy Kid" movie. It will be live action with bits of animation in it as well. Jeff Kinney has been heavily involved in the process of making this film. To view an article about Jeff Kinney and the making of the movie, click HERE.

To view a trailer of the movie (too funny!), click HERE.

Did you know...

**Book five is coming out in the fall. It will detail the last year of middle school for Greg.

**Jeff Kinney manages two websites...Funbrain.com and Poptropica.com.

Out in bookstores in March will be The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary. "Go behind the scenes with Jeff Kinney and the making of the "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" movie! If you've ever wondered how a movie gets made, you're not alone. Author and illustrator Jeff Kinney didn't know either, but when his bestselling series, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, was turned into a live-action movie by 20th Century Fox, he learned how a book gets adapted into a major motion picture. Complete with photographs, script pages, storyboard sketches, costume designs, and original art by Jeff Kinney, The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary is the perfect companion to the bestselling series."--from Amazon

Happy Reading!
Mrs. T :)

P.S. Reading is like breathing chocolate air!

And the Winner Is...

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

That's right! The 2010 Newbery Winner is When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead!

Did you hear me squeal?! Did you hear me scream?! I had my fingers crossed! I am thrilled that we shared this book together in class this year. I will forever remember reading to you about Miranda and Sal...Sal and Miranda...and the Laughing Man...and watching your faces twist and your minds boggle as you attempted to fit the mysterious pieces of this story together. LOVE this book!


The FOUR Newbery HONOR books this year are...

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly

I read The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jaqueline Kelly this summer. This is her first novel. The book takes place in 1899. The protagonist is Calpurnia Virginia Tate but everyone calls her Callie Vee. The book is a collection of experiences that Callie has during the last half of that year before a new century begins. Callie's mom spends her time in the book trying to make Callie into a respectable lady. Callie, however, befriends her grandfather and would much rather be outdoors. She is very interested in science and discovery and animals and plant life. Oh...did I mention she has to deal with six brothers? No wonder her mother wants her to become a proper lady!

I think the reader who likes this book will enjoy historical fiction. It somewhat reminded me of Caddie Woodlawn, a well-known historical fiction book about a tomboy who would much rather be scouting Indians and playing in the creek than doing lady-like things. If you like science--animals, insects, plants--this would be a great novel for you to read as well. With 340 pages, this book was a very good read. I enjoyed getting to know Callie Vee.

The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg by Rodman Philbrick

Want a GREAT historical fiction book to read? I read this book over the summer as well and LOVED IT!! This book has it all...adventure, action, humor, gut-wrenching description of battle in the Civil War.

This book follows the story of Homer whose older brother Harold is illegally sold into the Union Army. Homer escapes the grasp of his mean guardian to find Harold before he is killed in battle. Along the way, Homer has adventure after adventure. And in each adventure, Homer cannot help but to stretch the truth to get him further along in his journey.

Homer and his tale reminded me some of Tom Sawyer...telling tall tales...a likeable fellow...plenty of mischief. I enjoyed this character and his courageousness in the search for his older brother. I was cheering him on even when his situation looked hopeless.

I don't want to give too much away in this book. Just know that if you want an adventure--action--humor--and you like historical fiction, then you should read this book.

Claudette Colvin Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose

I have not read this book so here is a summary from Amazon..."On March 2, 1955, an impassioned teenager, fed up with the daily injustices of Jim Crow segregation, refused to give her seat to a white woman on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama. Instead of being celebrated as Rosa Parks would be just nine months later, fifteen-year-old Claudette Colvin found herself shunned by her classmates and dismissed by community leaders. Undaunted, a year later she dared to challenge segregation again as a key plaintiff in Browder v. Gayle, the landmark case that struck down the segregation laws of Montgomery and swept away the legal underpinnings of the Jim Crow South.

"Based on extensive interviews with Claudette Colvin and many others, Phillip Hoose presents the first in-depth account of an important yet largely unknown civil rights figure, skillfully weaving her dramatic story into the fabric of the historic Montgomery bus boycott and court case that would change the course of American history."

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin

Here again is a summary from Amazon..."In the valley of Fruitless mountain, a young girl named Minli lives in a ramshackle hut with her parents. In the evenings, her father regales her with old folktales of the Jade Dragon and the Old Man on the Moon, who knows the answers to all of life's questions. Inspired by these stories, Minli sets off on an extraordinary journey to find the Old Man on the Moon to ask him how she can change her family's fortune. She encounters an assorted cast of characters and magical creatures along the way, including a dragon who accompanies her on her quest for the ultimate answer.


"Grace Lin, author of the beloved Year of the Dog and Year of the Rat, returns with a wondrous story of adventure, faith, and friendship. A fantasy crossed with Chinese folklore, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is a timeless story reminiscent of The Wizard of Oz. Her beautiful illustrations, printed in full-color, accompany the text throughout. Once again, she has created a charming, engaging book for young readers."

Happy Reading!
Mrs. T :)

P.S. Reading is like breathing chocolate air!

Newbery Award Announcement Coming Soon!

This year's Newbery Award will be announced at the American Library Association's 2010 Youth Media Awards on Monday, January 18. The announcement will be coming from Boston this year. Click HERE to view a live webcast starting at 7:45 AM on Monday. PLEASE NOTE: The number of available connections for the webcast is limited and the broadcast is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

If you are unable to connect to the live webcast, live updates on the awards will be posted HERE.

Happy Reading!

Mrs. Tyo :)

P.S. Reading is like breathing chocolate air!

How to Steal a Dog

How to Steal a Dog by Barbara O'Connor is about Georgina Hayes. Her father has recently left her and her mother and younger brother. They are living out of their car. I thought the author wrote this very honestly and up front--living homeless. Georgina and her younger brother are doing poorly at school...they are unkempt...they struggle with trying not to let anyone know what is really going on in their lives.

One day, Georgina sees a reward poster on a telephone pole about a missing dog and a REWARD! She gets the idea to steal a dog in order to claim the reward money in the hopes of getting a real place to live. Throughout the book, Georgina writes in her sparkly purple notebook the rules for "How to Steal a Dog".

I liked this book very much and highly recommend it. It does get heartbreaking at certain points in the book if you stop and think about what Georgina and her younger brother, Toby, are going through. It might also make you feel sad when Willy, the dog, is stolen and what the two kids have to do to keep the dog hidden until it is time to claim their reward.

Definitely a worthwhile read! And click HERE to view Barbara O'Connor talking about her book and a little about the writing process as well...

Happy Reading!

Mrs. Tyo :)

P.S. Reading is like breathing chocolate air!

Coraline

Interested in a weird graphic novel? Try Coraline. Based on the novel by the same name, this is one strange story! Coraline lives with her mom and dad in a very large old house. The other tenants of the house, an old man who lives upstairs and two former elderly actresses, can never get Coraline’s name quite right. “Caroline,” they say. Coraline’s own parents seem far too busy with their own lives to pay much attention to Coraline.

So when Coraline finds a locked door with a brick wall behind it one minute and a passageway the next, she is drawn to what may be beyond this dark space. Coraline finds herself in another world much like her own...right down to her ‘other’ parents. Her other parents want to please Coraline very much and want her to stay with them...that is, if it weren’t for the other parents’ button eyes!

Coraline goes back to her real apartment only to find her real parents are missing. Upon finding out that her other mother has trapped her real parents and hidden them somewhere, Coraline is desperate to find them and return things to normal.

This is one strange story! After reading the graphic novel, why don’t you pick up the original novel and read that one. How do the two compare? I’ll be waiting to see who takes me up on this challenge!

Happy Reading!
Mrs. Tyo :)

P.S. Reading is like breathing chocolate air!

Faith, Hope, and Ivy June

Here is a good read for the girls! Faith, Hope, and Ivy June by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor is a touching story about two very different girls who find out they have a lot in common.

Ivy June lives in Thunder Creek, Kentucky, “up in the mountains with her grandparents, Mammaw and Papaw Mosley.” Her parents live just down the mountain in a small house with her older sister and three brothers. There just wasn’t enough room for everyone so Mammaw and Papaw took in Ivy June. “The Mosleys use an outhouse, drive rickety old cars, and wear hand-me-downs.”

Catherine Combs lives in Lexington, Kentucky, “with her close-knit family in a large, beautiful house with plenty of space for everyone. She has her own room with two beds and is driven to school every day.” There are five bathrooms in her house!

Ivy June and Catherine are taking part in the first-ever seventh-grade student exchange program. “Taking turns, each girl leaves home for two weeks to live and attend classes with the other, and each records her honest feeling about the experience in a journal. For both of them, it’s a chance to see how others live and to find out if what they’ve been told about each other’s lifestyles and beliefs is true.”

I enjoyed this story about Ivy June and Catherine and would recommend it to those of you who enjoy reading realistic fiction about friendship.

Happy Reading!
Mrs. Tyo :)

P.S. Reading is like breathing chocolate air!

Two Books and Autism

Rules by Cynthia Lord (Review from Amazon)...

“Catherine is twelve years-old and just wants a normal life. This is near impossible when you have a brother with autism and a family that revolves around his disability. She's spent years trying to teach David the rules from "a peach is not a funny-looking apple" to "keep your pants on in public"---in order to head off David's embarrassing behaviors.

But the summer Catherine meets Jason, a surprising, new sort-of friend, and Kristi, the next-door friend she's always wished for, it's her own shocking behavior that turns everything upside down and forces her to ask: What is normal?”

I enjoyed this story very much. It was one of those books that after reading and reflecting, I could gleam many life lessons from. This story is told simply and honestly. No wonder it won a Newbery Honor!



Anything But Typical by Nora Raleigh Baskin was a book recommended to me by one of my sixth graders last year.

Jason is twelve years-old and has autism. The book is written from his point of view. Jason gives the reader a glimpse of what life is like for him living in a world where other people are not accepting and/or educated about autism.

Jason is very involved in an online Storyboard site. He writes stories there and posts messages to other writers. He starts getting messages from PhoenixBird and thinks that perhaps this could be his chance to have one real true friend. Perhaps there will be a chance to meet this friend, but he is terrified that if they do meet, that perhaps PhoenixBird will see who he truly is.

Nora Raleigh Baskin does a great job of writing from the main character's viewpoint. I certainly learned a lot about what an autistic child may think and feel. I would recommend this book to a reader who is open to learning what goes on in the mind of others as well as to the reader who likes to write. There are many references to writing a story...character, plot, setting, conflict, etc. A good book.

Happy Reading!

Mrs. T :)

P.S. Reading is like breathing chocolate air!

Leven Thumps and the Gateway to Foo

“Fourteen-year-old Leven Thumps lives a wretched life in Burnt Culvert, Oklahoma. But his life is about to change and his destiny be fulfilled as he learns about a secret gateway that bridges two worlds—the real world and Foo, a place created at the beginning of time in the folds of the mind that makes it possible for mankind to dream and hope, to aspire and imagine.

But Foo is in chaos, and three transplants from that dreamworld have been sent to retrieve Leven, who alone has the power to save Foo. Enter Clover, a wise-cracking fuzzy, foot-high sidekick; Winter, a girl with a spectacular gift of her own; and Geth, the exiled but rightful ruler of Foo. Their mission: to convince Leven Thumps that he has the power to save Foo and help him reach the hidden gateway and destroy it before it is too late.

Will belief overcome doubt? Can Leven even find the gateway in time? Will fate make up the difference? Or will Sabine and his dark shadows find the gateway first, escape Foo into reality, and destroy the hope of all mankind?

Go with Leven Thumps and his unique band of travelers on their fantastic voyage to a magical place that no longer can be hidden. Welcome to Foo!”



I need to thank three people for bringing this book to my attention...First, thank you to QUINCY who has read the Leven Thumps series and Obert Skye’s book Pillage. Skye is Quincy’s favorite author, and I first heard about these books from Quincy. Secondly, thank you to SANTA who brought my daughter Tessa the first book in the Leven Thumps series, Leven Thumps and the Gateway to Foo. Seeing Tessa halfway through the book a day after Christmas, I asked her to tell me about it. She even read me some of her favorite passages. So thank you, TESSA, for getting me interested in the writing of Obert Skye and nudging me to read “The Beginning” which started my journey to Foo!

I enjoyed the journey of Leven Thumps (‘Lev’). It certainly reminded me of Harry Potter...Leven is akin to Harry. Both boys have a difficult family life, growing up with guardians who are certainly not kind in any way. Both boys seems to have a destiny that is well beyond their imagination. Both boys get help from a small creature...Harry has Dobby and Leven has Clover. Remember the dementors in Harry Potter? Well, there are shadows of Sabine in this adventure. And Sabine might be just as dark and evil as You-Know-Who.

Even though I thought a lot of Harry Potter while reading this adventure, I enjoyed most of my time with Leven. I enjoyed Winter, a girl who has had a rough upbringing of her own. I enjoyed the many fantastical adventures of Leven. I am not quite sure I bought the character of Geth, however. I mean, a toothpick? That can walk and talk? But I suppose that was exactly what Leven was thinking as well.

Overall, a non-stop adventure taking me back to those Harry Potter days. I do think I will continue the adventure of Leven. I would like to see what Obert Skye has in store for Lev, Winter, Clover, and Geth in Foo.

(For more information on this series, visit http://www.leventhumps.com/)

Happy Reading!

Mrs. T :)

P.S. Reading is like breathing chocolate air!

Molly McGinty and Duane Homer Leech

Today I have one book for the girls and one book for the boys…BOTH books by Gary Paulsen!

First, the GIRLS...

“Today,

-Molly lost her Notebook.
-Her Notebook that Contained Everything She Needed to Live.
-Including her homework.
-Learned her wacky grandma Irene was coming to spend the day at school with her.
-Got a black eye.
-Was late to class.

And it’s only nine a.m. Could things get any worse? You bet!”

In Molly McGinty Has A Really Good Day, Molly is in seventh grade. She is super organized with a multi-pocketed three-ring binder that she carries everywhere. That binder is now lost, and Molly has to face a day at school without it. To make matters worse, her wacky grandma is coming to school with her in observance of Senior Citizen’s Day. Grandma Irene is one eccentric lady who takes charge in every situation.

Has anyone ever read a picture book called Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day? Gary Paulsen’s book about Molly reminds me of Alexander...nothing can go right! What a terrible day Molly has at Our Lady of Mercy Middle School.

This book is a fun read with even a touch of romance thrown in to boot. I enjoyed reading the quotes at the beginning of each chapter that came from Molly’s notebook. My favorite quote, however, was from Irene: “Misery is optional.”

Will Molly survive the day? Will Molly find her notebook? If Molly has such a bad day, why is the book titled Molly McGinty Has a Really Good Day? Will Molly learn anything along the way?


Now for the BOYS…

I found this book tucked in among all the other Paulsen titles at the Worch Library. Even though this book was published in 2006, it was the first time I had ever seen it. Wow.

The Amazing Life of Birds (The Twenty-Day Puberty Journal of Duane Homer Leech) is one boy’s look at puberty. Oh my! Duane is twelve years and one week old, and he is convinced that it (puberty) is going to destroy him.

Through a short journal, Duane shares his awkward experiences with puberty—from cowlicks to clumsiness to zits. Parts of his story will make you laugh out loud while others will make you cringe.

While writing about his own changes, Duane is also observing and writing about a newborn bird in a nest outside his window. Somehow as Duane sees the bird undergoing its own growth and independence, he makes a connection to his own predicament.

(Oh, by the way...I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED the ending of this book! LOUD APPLAUSE for Gary Paulsen for the conclusion!)

Happy Reading!
Mrs. T :)

P.S. Reading is like breathing chocolate air!

11 Birthdays

"What do you call it when every tomorrow is both tomorrow and today? And every today is both today and yesterday?"

I just finished 11 Birthdays by Wendy Mass. What a quick, fun read.

"Amanda's eleventh birthday should be a happy occasion. Instead she's dressed in an itchy costume her mother picked out for her boring Hollywood-themed party while, across town, her ex-best friend, Leo, is celebrating their joint birthday with a huge bash including a hypnotist, a football star, a giant iguana, and a rock band. SO not fair!

Amanda can't wait for the day AFTER her birthday so she can stop thinking about the fight that led her and Leo to have separate parties for the first time in their lives. There's just one problem. The next day is her birthday all over again.

In this hilarious and touching adventure, Amanda must figure out how to get unstuck, in more ways than one."

I enjoyed this book. Living the same day over and over again is a plot that I have seen in a movie before, and I was interested to see how Wendy Mass would approach the same topic in this book. I believe she was successful. I kept reading to see how Amanda was going to get out of the repeating situation.

Pick this book up and give it a try!

Happy Reading!
Mrs. T :)

P.S. Reading is like breathing chocolate air!

The Secret Science Alliance

The Secret Science Alliance and the Copycat Crook by Eleanor Davis is one cool graphic novel! Ever since I read this one and book talked it, I have not seen it on my shelf! You guys are passing this one around like crazy!

Eleven year-old Julian Calendar feels like he never fits in at school. So when his parents announce that they are moving which means a new school, he is thrilled beyond belief. A new start! He will have a chance to start fresh...to be ‘normal’ like everyone else. Soon, he befriends Greta who always wears her bicycle helmet and Ben who never seems to stop playing basketball. These three end up having a lot in common.

Julian, Greta, and Ben are all interested in science and creating their own wild inventions. They even have a hideout which at first seems like a plain wooden shed. Wait until your eyes feast on their real secret lair! The three of them form The Secret Science Alliance and begin to create their wild inventions.

But then a revered scientist steals their inventions. The Secret Science Alliance must use their smarts and science knowledge to stop the Copycat Crook.

This story is funny, inspiring, and filled with science and wacky inventions. I thoroughly enjoyed the most detailed drawings in the book. There were several that were so intricate that I spent several minutes looking and reading and finding the pertinent information located in each one.

I think this book will be one that will fall into the hands of readers of all interests. It is one that makes the reader root for the underdog…and don’t we all love an underdog!

Happy Reading!
Mrs. T :)

P.S. Reading is like breathing chocolate air!

The Magician's Elephant

I just finished a magical book. It was dark, yet warm. It was sad, yet hopeful. It was The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo.

Peter Augustus Duchene lives with his guardian, an old soldier named Vilna Lutz. Peter is sent to the market for fish and bread. Instead of spending his money as he has been told, Peter spends his coin at the fortuneteller's tent.

Peter knows his question: Does his sister live? And if so, how can he find her? The fortuneteller's answer involves an elephant!

Kate DiCamillo writes this story poetically. She uses descriptive and haunting vocabulary....words such as...entrusted, excruciating, audacity, sullen, unobtrusive, perpetually, reciprocal, austere, cataclysmic.

I was drawn into the magical telling of this story. I wanted to read more to discover if Peter finds his sister. I wanted to know how the elephant would lead Peter to her. I wanted to figure out how all the other stories Kate DiCamillo was weaving into Peter's tale were connected to finding his sister.

Those of you who love magic and fantasy would enjoy this book as well as those who enjoy a story about love and family. Put this one on your TBR list and enjoy!

Happy Reading!
Mrs. T :)

P.S. Reading is like breathing chocolate air!

The Stonekeeper (Amulet, Book 1)

Oh! WOW! I just finished The Stonekeeper (Amulet, Book 1), and I LOVED it! My daughter, Tessa, bought this graphic novel from the book fair at her school. I think she knew I would enjoy it, too!

The illustrations are vivid and sharp. So colorful! My eyes took in every scene in this action packed story. With this graphic novel, you will find not only incredible artwork but an equally incredible story.

This story by Kazu Kibuishi begins dramatically with Emily and Nevin losing their father in a terrible accident. Fast forward two years later...Emily, Nevin, and their mom are moving to a new town to a house that has been in the family for generations. It's a house that will need a lot of love (and cleaning!) but this family is determined to make a fresh start. While looking around the house, Emily stumbles across her great-grandfather's study where she finds a hidden amulet with special powers.

Emily needs these special powers desperately since it is soon up to her and her brother to save her mother from an awful fate. What has happened to Emily and Nevin's mother? Will they be able to save her? How will the amulet help them in this quest? Who else will they meet on their strange and dangerous adventure?

READ this book! You'll love it! And then prepare yourself for The Stonekeeper's Curse (Amulet, Book 2) that has just been released! I don't have it in the classroom yet, but you can be sure that I'll be getting it soon!

Happy Reading!

Mrs. T :)

P.S. Reading is like breathing chocolate air!

The Legend of Spud Murphy

Meet Will and Marty Woodman. They are sentenced to spend a few 'educational' hours at the library each week during the summer.

Meet Spud Murphy. "She hates kids and she used to be a spy in the army. Tracking kids from enemy countries. She has a spud gun...a gas-powered one that takes an entire potato in the barrel. She shoots kids with it if they make a noise in the library."

That's right, folks. Spud Murphy is the librarian at Will and Marty's local library where there is nothing "but books...books just waiting to jump off the shelves" and bore them silly.

Will and Marty are sentenced to a small patch of carpet in the junior section with their pink library cards. They are warned by Spud not to go off the carpet until they leave and not to get any boyish ideas in their heads or there will be trouble.

Marty is the first to decide to test Spud and does so by rearranging books on the shelves in the wrong order. What happens to Marty will leave even the seasoned library visitor quaking in their shoes.

In a short ninety-five pages, Eoin Colfer had me laughing out loud! I found Spud Murphy to be hilarious! The story moved right along, and I had no problems finishing this entertaining book quickly.

For anyone who has ever thought reading books was boring...The Legend of Spud Murphy will keep you reading about two boys who don't want to read themselves. Perhaps you--along with Will and Marty--will find out that reading is actually quite a pleasant and not so awful thing!

Happy Reading!
Mrs. T

P.S. Reading is like breathing chocolate air!

AND...A big THANK YOU to Aaron B. for telling me about this book! You're right, Aaron...it was SUPER!

AND...Guess what? There are two other books about Will and Marty...The Legend of Captain Crow's Teeth and The Legend of the Worst Boy in the World...so get reading!

Into the Volcano

Wow! What a graphic novel! Don Wood tells a riveting story of two brothers, Sumo and Duffy. They are swept away on an adventure into the underground lava tubes of an erupting volcano!

I have never read a graphic novel with so much intense action shown in the illustrations. I felt like the author took me on one gigantic amusement park ride! What an artist Don Wood is!

I enjoyed the character of Duffy at the beginning of Into the Volcano. I liked his take-charge attitude. Although I didn't begin with a fond feeling about Sumo, by the end of the book I loved him! What a dynamic character! I liked how his character underwent changes. By the end of the book, it was Sumo that I liked the best!

For a super cool look at how Don Wood researched his book, go to this website: http://www.audreywood.com/mac_site/into_the_volcano/into_the_volcano_01.html

Happy Reading!
Mrs. T :)

P.S. Reading is like breathing chocolate air!

My Rotten Life Nathan Abercrombie, Accidental Zombie

“My best friend and I used to have contests where we’d try to gross each other out. We don’t bother with that anymore. I can win every time, even when I’m not trying.” Nathan is not your ordinary ten year-old. At least, not after he gets doused with Hurt-Be-Gone.

Nathan Abercrombie lives a not-so-popular life. He is dissed by Shawna Lanchester in the cafeteria. She asks Nathan if he has heard of her popular Halloween party. (Of course he has!) Shawna smiles sweetly and drops the bomb, “You’re not invited.” The same day at school, Nathan is picked last for a team in gym class. (Of course he is!). Then Nathan loses awfully at a video game in front of his entire art class. (Of course he does!) Nathan doesn’t think the day can get any worse. He actually wishes he had sat on glue so all he’d have to do is “slip out of my pants and walk home in my underwear. That, I could handle.”

Nathan and his best friend Mookie meet up with their classmate Abigail who believes can help Nathan feel better. Her plan involves her eccentric uncle who has been working on a secret formula called Hurt-Be-Gone, “the world’s first all-natural, totally safe emotion killer. It takes only one tiny drop to wash away all your sorrows. We can even target specific hurts, or protect people from new ones.”

However, clumsy Mookie trips over his own shoelace and crashes into Abigail’s uncle who is holding the Hurt-Be-Gone. Nathan is doused with the formula and soon finds himself needing no sleep, no food, and feeling no pain.

What has happened to Nathan? Will he find a cure? If he does, will he want to go back to his normal self?

I enjoyed My Rotten Life Nathan Abercrombie, Accidental Zombie by David Lubar. My favorite character was Mookie. Mookie provides the comic relief in the book. From his off-topic ramblings to his ability to produce noxious gas, Mookie kept me chuckling. I also enjoyed Abigail’s character, smart yet dealing with a secret hurt of her own.

Both boys and girls will enjoy reading this story. It has action, humor, suspense, grossness (is that a word?) and the ever real dilemma of ‘fitting in’ among middle school students. Pick this one up! You’ll enjoy it!

Happy Reading!
Mrs. T. :)

P.S. Reading is like breathing chocolate air!

The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg

Want a GREAT historical fiction book to read?

You MUST check out Rodman Philbrick's newest book, The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg. This book has it all...adventure, action, humor, gut-wrenching description of battle in the Civil War.

This book follows the story of Homer whose older brother Harold is illegally sold into the Union Army. Homer escapes the grasp of his mean guardian in order to find Harold before he is killed in battle. Along the way, Homer has adventure after adventure. And in each adventure, Homer cannot help but to stretch the truth to get him further along in his journey.

Homer and his tale reminded me some of Tom Sawyer...telling tall tales...a likeable fellow...plenty of mischief. I enjoyed Homer and his courageousness in the search for his older brother. I was cheering him on even when his situation looked hopeless.

I don't want to give too much away in this book. Just know that if you want an adventure--action--humor--and you like historical fiction, then you MUST read this book!

Happy Reading!

Mrs. T :)

P.S. Reading is like breathing chocolate air!

Philippa Fisher and the Dream-Maker's Daughter

"Philippa Fisher is feeling lonely. She misses her fairy godsister, Daisy. But while on vacation with her parents, she befriends a local girl named Robyn. Though she's excited to have a new friend, Philippa can't help but feel there's something strange about Robyn and her father.

Meanwhile, Daisy, who is hard at work on a new mission, misses Philippa as well, so she decides to break the rules to visit her friend. Though the girls are happy to be reunited, things soon begin to go horribly wrong with Daisy's new assignment. And when all three of the girls find themselves in danger, Philippa must work quickly to save herself and her friends from a dark and powerful magic."

Philippa Fisher and the Dream-Maker's Daughter by Liz Kessler is one that younger readers, especially girls, would enjoy. I am recommending this book to those girls who like a touch of fantasy, fairies, and friendship. All too often in sixth grade, friendships fall apart one day only to be rebuilt another day. I believe that girls who fall in and out of their friendships could very much relate to both Philippa and Robyn perhaps giving them hope in their own situations.

Let me know what you think of this one, girls!

Happy Reading!
Mrs. T :)

P.S. Reading is like breathing chocolate air!

The London Eye Mystery

In The London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd, Salim, the cousin of Kat and Ted, is about to leave London with his mother and move to New York. Before Salim and his mother make this big move, Salim wants to ride the London Eye, the biggest Ferris Wheel in Europe. (Google “London Eye” and see it for yourself! I would NEVER go on this as I am scared to death of heights!)

Salim gets a free ticket to ride the London Eye from a total stranger. Ted and Kate, who have ridden the London Eye before, look on as Salim gets on the ride. However, when his pod comes back to the ground, he does not get off with the other riders.

Where is Salim? What happened to him? Can Kat and Ted figure out the mystery?

Be careful...you could possibly get stuck on the English words and spellings in the book...for example, instead of tennis shoes, the British say ‘trainers’. Instead of spelling esophagus, it is spelled 'oesophagus'. There are many other instances in the book. This might throw some readers as they try to understand the story.

If you like mysteries and puzzles, you might want to give this one a shot.

Happy Reading!
Mrs. T :)

P.S. Reading is like breathing chocolate air!

The Dopple Ganger Chronicles The First Escape

What a unique book! I loved G.P. Taylor's The First Escape. It is the first book in The Dopple Ganger Chronicles.

This book is different because it is a mix of traditional text, illustrations, AND graphic novel! All three mesh together in this book to tell the story of two sisters. Here is the blurb from the book:

"At Isambard Dunstan's School for Wayward Children, life is trouble for fourteen year-old identical twins Sadie and Saskia Dopple and their friend, former thief Erik Morrissey Ganger. But what starts out as a perfectly normal day of food fights, rioting classmates, and (yawn) threats of expulsion goes suddenly and horribly wrong when a mysterious, wealthy woman appears at the school and adopts Saskia...without her sister.

On her own in a mansion full of dark secrets, Saskia stumbles upon a conspiracy that threatens her very life. Meanwhile, desperate to find Saskia, Sadie and Erik escape from the orphanage with a gang of enemies in hot pursuit. Faced with perils beyond their imaginations, the trio must decide who to trust--and what to believe--if they are to survive long enough to find each other again."

What a cool book! The second book in the series has just been published...The Secret of Indigo Moon. Go to http://www.dopplegangerchronicles.com/ to view the book trailer for the second book. I can't wait to get my hands on my own copy! I will read it FAST and then put it in the classroom for YOU!

Happy Reading!
Mrs. T :)

P.S. Reading is like breathing chocolate air!

A big THANK YOU to Maddie C. for loaning me her copy of The Secret of Indigo Moon! I read this second book of The Dopple Ganger Chronicles, and it did not disappoint! A good mystery with Saskia, Sadie, and Eric again! Pick it up!

14 Cows for America

“Because there is no nation so powerful it cannot be wounded, nor a people so small they cannot offer mighty comfort.” This line from 14 Cows From America was the perfect end to a powerful book.

There are many stories about September 11, 2001, yet none quite like this one. Written by Carmen Agra Deedy and illustrated by Thomas Gonzalez, 14 Cows From America tells of the story of Kimeli who visits his Massai village in Kenya. It is nine months after the terrorist attack has taken place. He tells the horrors of September 11 to his tribe. They are moved. Kimeli wishes to offer his only cow to the American people, a gift sacred to the Massai; the cow is life. Kimeli asks the elders for their blessing which they give, but there is more that they wish to do.

I was moved by Kimeli’s story and the gift of the Massai. The story was elegantly told with a richness and powerfulness that matched that of the Massai. The illustrations were colorful and powerful themselves. Twice I was moved by the illustrations. The first was of the picture of Kimeli’s mother welcoming him home. The last bit of text on the page reads, “He thinks of New York then. He remembers September.” My eyes then go directly to the right and down just a touch where the New York skyline is represented behind the illustration of Kimeli’s mother and other tribe members. Perfect placement of text and illustration!

The second time I was moved by the illustrations was on the last page. The reflection of the Twin Towers in the pupil of an eye. Very powerful. Very memorable. Just like this story.

You should read this picture book to learn about the Massai whom seem very different from ourselves yet who obviously are very connected with the hearts and minds of Americans. It is a great book!

Happy Reading!
Mrs. T :)

P.S. Reading is like breathing chocolate air!

Savvy by Ingrid Law

Faaaaaaaaabuloussssssssssss! Savvy by Ingrid Law is a keeper! Can I just say, “FABULOUS!” Oh...I already said that? Well then, let me say it again...FABULOUSSSSSSSS!!!!

This is from the front book jacket…

“Mibs Beaumont is about to become a teenager. As if that prospect weren’t scary enough, thirteen is when a Beaumont’s savvy strikes—and with one brother who causes hurricanes and another who creates electricity, it promises to be outrageous...and positively thrilling.

But just before her big day, Poppa is in a terrible accident. Suddenly, Mib’s dreams of X-ray vision disappear like a flash of her brother’s lightening. All she wants now is a savvy that will save Poppa. In fact, Mibs is so sure she’ll get that powerful savvy that she sneaks a ride to the hospital on a rickety bus, with her siblings and the preacher’s kids in tow. But when the bus starts heading in the wrong direction only one thing is certain. After this extraordinary adventure, not a soul on board will ever be the same.”

I highly recommend this book. Don’t let the 342 pages intimidate you. The text is large, and there is not the usual amount of writing on a page so the book reads quickly.

This is Ingrid Law’s first book and she WOWs me with her writing style—the words she chooses—the sentences she writes—the tale she tells is FABULOUS! RICH!

If you go to Ingrid Law's website, you will discover that she is working on a companion novel to Savvy. At the present time, it has been titled Scumble and will be published in the fall of 2010. The main character will be a cousin of the Beaumont’s-one that we did not meet in this first book. I can’t wait!

Happy Reading!
Mrs. T :)

P.S. Reading is like breathing chocolate air!