Gruesome, gory and deadly accurate. Author James Swanson paints a not so pretty picture of the turmoil surrounding the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln and the twelve days it took to capture his killer. From the slippery blood on a bedroom floor to the astonishing mistakes and missed opportunities, you will feel like you are in the chase as well for Lincoln's killer.
Grades 7 & up
Librarian comments: Solid choice for reluctant readers at the high school level as well and a good alternative to Swanson's Manhunt if needed; avoid using just for its curriculum connections, although it would be an interesting study of author bias in addition to its obvious social studies link.
December 6, 2010
November 9, 2010
The Defense of Thaddeus A. Ledbetter
Swarms of killer bees, Slug Bug contest mishaps, and lethal oranges. . .they’re all regular events in the life of middle schooler Thaddeus A. Ledbetter. If only his principal and teachers could understand that none of these things would happen if they’d only listen to his suggestions and advice. What do grown-ups know anyway?!? Too bad for Thaddeus, one of his stunts lands him in In-School Suspension – for the entire school year. Luckily for you, he’s put together a clever defense complete with illustrations, how-tos, and a copy of his “prison journal.” Check out John Gosselink’s The Defense of Thaddeus A. Ledbetter to see if the truth will set Thaddeus free.Best for Grades 5-9
Read-alikes: Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, NERDS series
Librarian comments: clever with heart
September 26, 2010
Happy Almost Banned Books Week! In preparation for Banned Books Week, I have been putting together a display of books that have been challenged or banned in 2009-2010 (as per the ALA Banned Books in 2009-2010 publication). I'm pulling the books that we have in our library that are on the list and sticking a "Beware of the Book" sticker that I made on them and putting them together in a display. Geography Club is one of the books on the list. I remember talking about it in YA Lit this past summer and was intrigued, so I picked it up for myself. In a nutshell, it is about a group of gay and lesbian high school students that meet together at school to connect with one another under the guise of meeting for "Geography Club" (which they amusingly conclude is a safe name b.c no high schooler in their right mind would willingly join a club called Geography Club). I've just begun reading; have you read it?
Mamba Point by Kurtis Scaletta
One of the deadliest snakes in the world is the Black Mamba, found in parts of Africa. It is aggressive, venomous and huge -- growing to be up to 12 feet in length. People hope to never see a Black Mamba in their lifetime.
What if one of those snakes decides to make you its friend? This is what happens to Linus Tuttle in Kurtis Scaletta's new book Mamba Point. The snake likes to hang out with Linus; to be petted, talked to, and played with just like a puppy dog or a kitten. What could possibly go wrong??
Grades 6-10
If you like this, you might also like: Savvy and Scumble by Ingrid Law
What if one of those snakes decides to make you its friend? This is what happens to Linus Tuttle in Kurtis Scaletta's new book Mamba Point. The snake likes to hang out with Linus; to be petted, talked to, and played with just like a puppy dog or a kitten. What could possibly go wrong??
Grades 6-10
If you like this, you might also like: Savvy and Scumble by Ingrid Law
September 21, 2010
Princess Academy by Shannon Hale
Have you ever felt like people underestimate you? They might think you’re weak or just can’t get the job done? Do YOU ever doubt yourself? Feel like you don’t belong or wonder what your place is with your friends. . .your family?
What if you got a chance to prove to everyone around you and YOURSELF that they were wrong about you? Fourteen-year-old Miri gets the chance to do just that in Shannon Hale’s story Princess Academy.
Perfect for Grades 6-10.
To view an interview with Shannon Hale, click here! Courtesy of Adlit.org
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)