TN #12: Virals

Wow!  I made my goal - 12 books in one month.  I know, I really need to get a life.  I guess I will spend July trying to do that...

I'm going to go a little backwards here, as I normally go with a topic and then lead into the book.  But in this case, it seems that introducing the book works a little better.  So first, I have found a interview with author Kathy Reichs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UhfdBZyTvE&feature=related

As Ms. Reichs mentioned, she is the author of the Bones series.  Before Bones was a series on Fox, it was a book series, that is still in publication.  In fact, she has another Bones book coming out in August.  As much as I enjoy the television series (when I can actually watch normal adult programming), I haven't had a chance to read any of the books.  Maybe I will have to add them to my list.

Ok, Virals, is based on Temperance Brennan's great niece Tory Brennan.  The book does explain that she doesn't get the name Brennan from her father's side, but from her mother's side, even though she is related to Dr. Brennan through her father.  Talk about family issues.  Tori lives with her father, who she has only recently met, after her mother is killed by a drunk driver.  Her father is a Marine Biologist studying marine life on a remote island on the outskirts of Charleston, South Carolina.  When Tori and her friends decide to track down some information at her father's lab, they find a lost wolfdog cub and decide to take the wolfdog cub with them. From there, their lives change forever.

Why was the wolfdog cub at the lab?  The story tends to revolve around the Canine Parvovirus.  A flu-like virus that attacks wild and domesticated (the type you may have at home) and causes high fever, vomiting, diarrea, chills, loss of energy, loss of appetite, and a few other things.  Not very pleasant and can lead to death.  There is a vaccine for this virus and as long as the animal has been vaccinated, they usually should escape the virus.  Or so my vet tells me when I have to get my dog vaccinated for different things each year.

Those of my students who enjoy some aspect of science will really get into this book, as many different scientific ideas come up throughout the book.  It also makes for a nice crime investigation book.  So a little science, a little crime fighting, oh and some mean girls (can't have a teen book without those).  This makes for a well rounded story.

And a good place for my little green post-it note to get retired...

As always, let me know what you think and hopefully you have read enough of the Truman Nominees to be able to vote this coming Spring.  Who will you vote for?  Well, that is up to you...

Works Cited 

"Follow Us On Twitter @ExploreCHS." Charleston, SC. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 June 2012. <http://www.charlestoncvb.com/>. 

"Kathy Reichs | Welcome To Kathy Reichs." Kathy Reichs | Welcome To Kathy Reichs. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 June 2012. <http://kathyreichs.com/>. 

"Kathy Reichs Discusses Virals Series." YouTube. YouTube, 29 Dec. 2010. Web. 30 June 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UhfdBZyTvE>. 

"Marine Careers :: Marine Biology." Marine Careers :: Marine Biology. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 June 2012. <http://marinecareers.net/field_marinebiology.php>. 

"An Overview of Canine Parvovirus." Http://bakerinstitute.vet.cornell.edu/. Cornell University, 2007. Web. 30 June 2012. <http://bakerinstitute.vet.cornell.edu/animalhealth/page.php?id=1089>. 

TN #11: The Heros of Olympus - The Lost Hero

Olympian Family Tree

http://thedeadone.net/wp-content/uploads/olympian-family-tree.png

A couple of summers ago I decided to spend two months studying Classic Mythology.  What's Classic Mythology?  Well in a nut shell it is the study of the morals and ethics during the Greek (and later Roman) times.  Actually, many of our beliefs go back to Greek and Roman times.

Last year, I was required to read a book about the journey of a young man transitioning to be a great soccer player.  The story itself was based on the ancient Greek story idea of the Hero's Journey.  So what is the idea of a Hero's Journey?  I could copy and paste, but I think it would be easier to let you see for yourself at The Hero's Journey Reference.  But the following diagram also gives you a bit of look at the Hero's Journey as well.

http://newvillager.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/myth_quest_model_heroes_journey.gif

So back to that report that I was talking about, while I was researching it, I learned about a very popular movie from 1977 that was actually written based on the ancient idea of the Hero's Journey.  The movie Star Wars, created by George Lucas, was written using the Hero's Journey as a blueprint or road map.  When I gave my presentation, I actually found a video that discussed a little bit of how the two came together that was created by the History Channel, but unfortunately I can't find it.  Anyway, if you want to know a little more about what I learned, we can look it up in class or just discuss it.  

So how does this relate to book number 11 on the Truman Nominee List?  Book number 11 is entitled The Heros of Olympus:  The Lost Hero and in itself follows the same Hero's Journey blueprint.  We meet our heros, something supernaturally happens to them, they must make the choice to go on the journey, they meet face many trials, there is a female figure (in this case Hera, Queen of the Gods), their is a great battle, and so on.  Basic premise.  

The storyline itself is much like the other Percy Jackson stories, just without Percy, although his presence is felt throughout the story.  Lots of action, with something in it for both my female and male readers.

Here is the author, Rick Riordan, introducing the book.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsquP0gehj4

If you get a chance, take a look at the Hero's Journey site and try to compare it to the story as you read along and let me know what you think - is it a Hero's Journey or just another mythological story?

Works Cited

"The Heroes of Olympus, The Lost Hero." YouTube. YouTube, 15 Mar. 2012. Web. 29 June 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsquP0gehj4>.

"Heros Journey : Summary of Steps." Heros Journey : Summary of Steps. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 June 2012. <http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/smc/journey/ref/summary.html>.

"The Heroâ  s Journey «." The Heroâ  s Journey «. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 June 2012. <http://newvillager.wordpress.com/2011/07/22/the-heros-journey/>.

"The Lost Hero - Heroes of Olympus: The Online World of Rick Riordan." The Lost Hero - Heroes of Olympus: The Online World of Rick Riordan. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 June 2012. <http://www.rickriordan.com/my-books/percy-jackson/heroes-of-olympus/the-lost-hero.aspx>.

"Thedeadone.net." Olympian Gods Family Tree for Lost Heroes. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 June 2012. <http://thedeadone.net/blog/olympian-gods-family-tree-for-lost-heroes/>.

"Truman 2012-2013 Final Nominees - Missouri Association of School Librarians." Truman 2012-2013 Final Nominees - Missouri Association of School Librarians. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 June 2012. <http://www.maslonline.org/?page=1213TRUFinNom>.

TN #8 - Soccerland

 

U.S. Soccer Director of Women's Development Jill Ellis
http://www.ussoccer.com/~/media/210F445109CA4E558FB54ED2CECA1E96.ashx?w=400&h=300

To the right you will see the picture of Jill Ellis.  This year, approximately 100 14 year old girls will be working at one of three camps across the country attempting to get her attention.  Why?  She is the United States Soccer Director of Women's Development.  That means that she is a part of a team that decides which girls have what it takes to make the United States National Team and which will be playing soccer on the local level until they find something else to do.  Harsh, right?  Well, when thousands of girls are dreaming of being the next Mia Hamm  or Brandi Chastain, and only eleven positions (+substitutions) to be filled on a team, only so many can make it and to make it you can't just be good, you have to be unbelievable good.

So why am I focusing on what Ms. Ellis does?  Why, because our next selection, Soccerland, is based on what Ms. Ellis does for a living, finding the next U.S. U-15 Women's Soccer Team.

I could write about the author Beth Choat, but I think that the following video, from the author really lets you why she wrote this book and what it is about, so make sure to click on the video and take a look.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQr5-BX7So4

Ladies, if you love sports - playing it or watching it, I really think you will enjoy this book.  Me, I had a hard time putting it down.  It follows the typical story and pretty much ends up about how you expect it to, but it is a detailed story about what it takes to make it to the national level.  Something we really don't ever get to hear about.  And its about the girls, whereas most sports stories are about boys.

Guys, there are a lot of hits and soccer terms, and just a little bit of romance - not too much.  These girls put sports first.  So, you may actually like it.

Ms. Choat has really put some research into this training camp and it shows throughout the book.  When I looked up the U.S. Olympic Complex Training Center in Colorado and the U.S. Soccer Youth Development Teams the information really did line up.

On my goodreads.com site I gave it 5 stars, let me know what you think.


Works Cited
"About the Author." Welcome to the ISA. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 June 2012. <http://theinternationalsportsacademy.com/author.html>.
"Brandi Chastain." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 19 June 2012. Web. 20 June 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brandi_Chastain>.
Choat, Beth. Soccerland. Tarrytown, NY: Marshall Cavendish, 2010. Print.
Choat, Greg. "Soccerland." YouTube. YouTube, 17 Apr. 2012. Web. 20 June 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQr5-BX7So4>.
"Colorado Springs." Team USA. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 June 2012. <http://www.teamusa.org/About-the-USOC/Training-Centers-and-Sites/Colorado-Springs.aspx>.
"Jillian Ellis." - U.S. Soccer. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 June 2012. <http://www.ussoccer.com/teams/team-staff/jillian-ellis.aspx>.
"Mia Hamm." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 19 June 2012. Web. 20 June 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mia_Hamm>.
"U.S. U-14 GNT to Hold First Training Camp of 2012 at The Home Depot Center." - U.S. Soccer. N.p., 7 May 2012. Web. 20 June 2012. <http://www.ussoccer.com/news/u-14-national-development-program/2012/05/u14-gnt-to-hold-first-training-camp-of-2012.aspx>.
"U.S. Under-14 NDP." - U.S. Soccer. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 June 2012. <http://www.ussoccer.com/Teams/Youth/US-Under-14-NDP.aspx>.
"Welcome to the ISA." Welcome to the ISA. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 June 2012. <http://theinternationalsportsacademy.com/index.html>.

TN #10 - The Grimm Legacy

The modern idea of a fairy tale always seems to end with "and they lived happily ever after."  They give hope and sometimes false ideas of what we should expect when we grow up.  Don't get me wrong, I love fairy tales.  I grew up watching every story that the big giant company run by a mouse has ever produced in animated format (and live format).  As much as I loved those, I enjoyed when some other company would take the story in a different direction.  Make it more dark.  At the time I though that they were playing with the real story for dramatic effect.  But as I grew older I learned about something called The Brothers Grimm.

http://www.notablebiographies.com/images/uewb_05_img0317.jpg

Who are these brothers?  Their once was two brothers (ok, I am stealing this from National Geographic to give you a synopsis) named Will and Jake Grimm, who set out to find and share folktales from Germany during the early 1800s.  They shared their findings with their audiences who found them entertaining.  These stories became the stories of The Brothers Grimm.  Many of these stories have been changed over the years to take out some or most of the Grimm aspects of the story.  Translation:  make them happy stories.

So, since these stories are part of a collection of fairy tales found all over Europe, I'm sure someone would say that there must be some kind of basis in the truth for some of these stories.  So with that idea, our author, Polly Shulman brings the Grimm Stories to modern day times.

So what if these stories all had some basis in truth?  What if the magical items all really existed?  Would they be safe in the world or would they be safer locked up in a museum of some sort?  In The Grimm Legacy the magically items found in the different Grimm stories have all been brought together for safe keeping.  People can check these items out, for a price.  But something is happening to the items, they seem to be losing their magic powers.  So it is up to a few fearless pages from the New York Circulating Material Repository to track down who is stealing the magic before it is too late.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XIepgXWeE0

Nice book, takes a little to get into it, so don't give up because once the story gets going, it can be quite a ride.  Just a notice for my boys, there is a little bit of romance in the storyline, but I don't think enough to be distracting.  So one of you is going to have to give me your input on this issue.  Otherwise, share your thoughts on the story.  As always, I am looking forward to what you think.

By the way, for my next book I will be giving my little green post-it a break.  I was able to secure a digital copy of Soccerland on sale so I will be able to talk about that next time.  

"Brothers Grimm: Fairy Tales, History, Facts, and More." Brothers Grimm: Fairy Tales, History, Facts, and More. National Geographic Society, 1999. Web. 19 June 2012. <http://www.nationalgeographic.com/grimm/index2.html>.

"Grimm Brothers Biography." Germany Insider Facts. Rita Amend, 2010. Web. 19 June 2012. <http://www.germany-insider-facts.com/grimm-brothers.html>.

PenguinYoungReaders. "The Grimm Legacy Book Trailer Video." YouTube. YouTube, 24 May 2010. Web. 19 June 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XIepgXWeE0>.

"Polly Shulman." Polly Shulman. N.p., 2010. Web. 19 June 2012. <http://www.pollyshulman.com/>.

Shulman, Polly. The Grimm Legacy. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2010. Print.

"Grimm Brothers Picture." Notable Biographies. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 June 2012. <http://www.notablebiographies.com/images/uewb_05_img0317.jpg>.

TN #9: The Gardener

I really meant to read yesterday...

And I actually did.  Problem was, it wasn't a book on the list, it was something that I had been reading at the gym while working out on the elliptical.  Yes, I read while I am working out.  No there is nothing wrong with me (at least I think not).  I actually read because it makes the workout go a lot faster.  Forty minutes go by really fast when you are reading.  Anyway, the book, while was only slated for keeping me coming back to workout grabbed my attention and I just couldn't put it down.  So I finished it last night and got back to work on my little list of books.  To which my husband commented that "haven't you been reading that book for days?"  Nope, just today...

Anyway, so this morning I picked up The Gardener (with my little green post it) and got to work reading.  At first, it was work.  This seemed like a very strange book to me.  A lot of scientific stuff going on and then there was this football player who had a huge scar on his face.  How in the world did these two things go together?

The story drawls you in, so many questions?  Who is the girl?  Why isn't she eating?  What is Mason's mom hiding from Mason and why?  Who is the Gardener?  Those are just some of the questions that I had.  I'm sure there are more that you will have as you read.

http://records.viu.ca/~soules/medi402/walker/borg1.GIF

Then there is the Star Trek aspect.  I'm not sure how many of you have ever heard of the Borg.  They are these genetically altered humans (think part human/part computer) who went around assimilating species to add to their "collective" (something like a beehive).  Anyway, these were probably one of the most evil things in the new Star Trek Universe.  And they didn't just add to their numbers by force, they also grew babies cyborgs into adult cyborgs.  All this I know because I must have watched every episode of Star Trek:  The Next Generation at least ten times.

So how does this fit into the story (other than being mentioned at least twice in the book)?  The front cover of the book says it all - This Greenhouse...Grows Humans.  I don't know about you, but that is just a bit disturbing.  The book is about a company that is growing humans.  For what?  I can't tell you that.  It is for you to find out, if you choose to read the book.  I for one, would like to hear your thoughts.

Anyway, here is a little video someone made about the book.  It's about two minutes long, but it is a nice setup.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLFYdCeEyPU

So, what did I find out about the author, S. A. Bodeen?  Well, first it seems that she like to write books that are a little disturbing. She also has a book called The Compound (2008) and another book coming out shortly called The Raft (2012).  But while she writes these books, she also write sweet little children's books.  Interesting combination.    Anyway, you can learn more about her at her website: http://www.rockforadoll.com/.  

Time to move that little green post-it.  

Bodeen, S. A. The Gardener. New York: Feiwel and Friends, 2010. Print.

Naomibates. "The Gardener by S.A. Bodeen." YouTube. YouTube, 19 Oct. 2010. Web. 16 June 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLFYdCeEyPU>.

"Children's Author Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen Is Available for School, Author Visits -- Books, Reviews, Honors, Awards." Children's Author Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen Is Available for School, Author Visits -- Books, Reviews, Honors, Awards. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 June 2012. <http://www.rockforadoll.com/index.html>.

"Star Trek." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 16 June 2012. Web. 16 June 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek>.

"The Compound [Hardcover]." Amazon.com: The Compound (9780312370152): S. A. Bodeen: Books. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 June 2012. <http://www.amazon.com/The-Compound-S-A-Bodeen/dp/0312370156>.

TN #7: Scrawl

So after I last wrote, I took off with my two little girls, the latest book on the list, and my little green post-it note and headed off to the gym/swimming pool to get them to their swimming lessons (and my version of punishment - aerobics class in 85 degree weather).  Before class, I had a chance to read about 5 pages of Scrawl and somehow knew that I would like it already.

Why?

Was it because the story wasn't really chapters and more like a journal.  If you remember one of my first posts about Life as we knew it, the book was more of a journal which gave it a voice.  And while I like stories with a personal voice, that wasn't the reason.  It was how this book was laid out.

You see  Scrawl is an example of a style of learning and teaching that I have been studying about in school.  You write, I respond, you write some more.  Now don't get scared, I don't have permission yet to implement this, but my future classes will probably see this.  I like this technique, it is a way to get to know you, while also giving you an inside to my thinking at the same time.  The goal of this kind of writing isn't just to get you to write, but to be honest and open with yourself.  Who knows, we may get to play around with this idea.

Anyway, I liked this book.  Not just from the teaching aspect (oh you bet I have plans for it), but because it takes you through a whole range of emotions.  You feel different things for Tod (our bully).  Sometimes good, sometimes bad.  It's not sugar coated and why should it be?  Do I think all bullies think this way?  No, everyone has something different that pushes them to do what they do.

At least I have a book I can really recommend especially for my guys, not that the girls won't like it too.  Not as much I expect, but maybe the different emotions might interest them.

Well, here is a little video about the book:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYYk6t4EcWM

As for the author, Mark Shulman, this is his first novel, even though he has written several children's stories (at least this is what wikipedia has to tell me).  Unlike most of our authors, there is not much on Mark, so I suggest you read the description of the author in the book.  Let me know if you need help finding it.

Question for you:  If you were told to write anything for 45 minutes, what would you write about and why?

Well, I have to go.  More books to read.  One programming note:  I can't get a hold of the next book on the list Soccerland until sometime in August so I guess I will have to come back to that.

"Mark Shulman." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 06 Dec. 2012. Web. 14 June 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Shulman>.

Clasurdo. "Scrawl Book TRailer- Mark Shulman." YouTube. YouTube, 05 Mar. 2012. Web. 14 June 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYYk6t4EcWM>.

Shulman, Mark. Scrawl: A Novel. New York: Roaring Brook, 2010. Print.

TN# 6: Paranomalcy

So I have this little green post-it bookmark that I have been using for most of the books that I have been reading so far.  I say most, because it is the second, the first died a tragic death in a freak water accident (I.E. - it got dropped in a lot of water).  So why am I talking about a green post-it note.  Maybe because I would like to see this normal little sticky piece of paper last forever, but nothing last forever, does it?

In the books we read and the stories we watch on TV and in the Movies things do last forever.  Immortals, Fairies, things we have yet to invent or learn about, they last.  Ok, what's up Mrs. Levey?

In our world, these are very strange and abnormal things, but in the latest book that I have read about a young girl named Evie, to her these are the norm. But all she really wants is to be a normal average teenager.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEfkhm97vus

Welcome to the world of Paranormalcy!  Where those who are different from us hide their differences behind something called glamour.  It makes vampires attractive, werewolves a lot less hairy, and boys made of water look like anyone they have ever seen.  Interesting right?

This book is probably going to interested the girls a lot more than the boys in my class.  Why?  Because, at its core, it is a book about a teenage girl wanting to be a teenage girl.  She wears pink, watches teen soap operas, and dances with fairies (or at least she used to).  Definitively a girly type of book, with not enough action to keep the boys interested, so I won't even try to push it on my guys.  But for my girls that like a bit of romance and the idea that they feel out of place, this should be your book of choice.  Plus, there are two sequels to keep you busy, should you want to read on about Evie and her connection to the fairies.

• Supernaturally (2011)
• Endlessly (2012)

As always, I have found the author's blog at http://kierstenwrites.blogspot.com/p/paranormalcy.html.  As I was reading a little bit about her, I felt a bit of a connection.  Here is someone who is married with two kids, likes to write (don't tell my professor), and views herself as funny (even if not everyone around her agrees).  Gotta love it.

I wish I had time to write more, but my kiddos want to go to swim class and if I don't get them going soon, I have a feeling WWIII will be starting soon.  So I'm going to move my little green post-it note onto my next book and I will write soon!

Oh, I almost forgot - Paranormalcy has been optioned and according to Mrs. White, the first draft of the screen play has been written, with the hopes of seeing a movie sometime in 2013.  That might be interesting!

• White, Kiersten. Paranormalcy. New York: HarperTeen, 2010. Print.
• TeenLitCentral. "Paranormalcy Book Trailer." YouTube. YouTube, 03 Aug. 2010. Web. 13 June 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEfkhm97vus>
• "Kiersten Writes: PARANORMALCY Trilogy." Kiersten Writes: PARANORMALCY Trilogy. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 June 2012. <http://kierstenwrites.blogspot.com/p/paranormalcy.html>.

TN #5: Heist Society

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf0p_Jggro8

Imagine if what you thought was  normal family life was anything but normal.  For Katarina Bishop, this is the reality.  Her family is in the business of stealing some of the most priceless items in the world, but for Kat, she wants to steal something a little different.  A new life.  And she almost succeeds - almost.

Families are a funny thing.  They are willing to let you go, but will find any reason to bring you back.  In Kat's case, her father is in trouble.  Some very valuable painting, belonging to a very (shall we say) evil man have gone missing and he is the chief suspect.  And the only one who can help is a very reluctant Kat.

Here is a book that dives into the same world as Ocean's Eleven and the Italian Job, which may peak the interest of some guys out there, also has an underlying romantic tension that will keep the girls interested.

Do you know what I found interesting?  I know a book has me sucked in when I start hearing the voices of the characters in my head while I am reading it, and with this book that started happening about half way into it.  I could hear Russian, German, Austrian, Italian, French, and English accents all while I was reading and even tried to read a little out loud in those accents.  I wasn't very good, but it does make it a little more interesting.

Above, you saw a video from Ally Carter, the author of Heist Society, the sequel - Uncommon Criminals, as well as the Gallagher Girls Books.    In 2013, she will have a third Heist Society Book coming out through her publisher Disney-Hyperion Books.  You can learn more about these books and Ally Carter at www.allycarter.com. Ally, like most writers keeps a blog on her website about what she is working on.  It seemed like there were a lot of questions about what an option on a book was, so in her blog she gives a nice little detailed breakdown.  You can read that at:  http://allycarter.com/2012/04/retro-throw-back-post-how-movies-happen/. 

Heist Society has already been optioned.  Drew Barrymore (ET, Never Been Kissed) is scheduled to produce and maybe even direct the movie which is due out around 2014 from Warner Brothers Studios (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heist_Society and http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/drew-barrymore-produce-direct-young-207349).  Interesting rumor is that they will age the characters so that they are in their twenties.  Now for me, I'm torn.   I can see it as a story about twenty-somethings, but I think what works about this story is that it is essentially about a group of teenagers trying to accomplish what their parents deem impossible.  What do you think?  

Carter, Ally. Heist Society. New York: Disney/Hyperion, 2010. Print.

N.p., n.d. Web. 11 June 2012. <http://www.allycarter.com/>.

"Drew Barrymore to Produce and Direct Young-Adult Thriller 'Heist Society' (Exclusive)." The Hollywood Reporter. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 June 2012. <http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/drew-barrymore-produce-direct-young-207349>.

"Heist Society." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 06 May 2012. Web. 11 June 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heist_Society>.

"Heist Society, by Ally Carter." YouTube. YouTube, 15 Mar. 2012. Web. 11 June 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf0p_Jggro8>.

TN#4: Girl, Stolen

We hear about carjackings all the time on the news, but what if you were in the backseat when your car was taken.  What if you were sick and couldn't do anything to stop it.  What if you were blind...

Author April Henry saw a story about a young blind girl named Heather who had an experience somewhat similar to this and began to think of all kinds of what ifs.  In fact, here is a little video about the story behind Girl, Stolen (from the Truman Nominee list).  To see it, click here.  (For some reason I can only get it through Ms. Henry's website)

April Henry says that her stories are a series of what ifs.  If you saw a story about a girl on the news who was taken, could you come up with a series of what ifs?  Why not write those down and see what kind of story you come up with before reading Girl, Stolen.  Then we can compare your what ifs to the author's.

http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1316730155l/7906105.jpg

So what did I think of this book?  I liked most of it.  There are a lot of twist and turns that you don't see coming.  I also felt compassion for the character Griffen, the young man who kidnaps Cheyanne (our protagonist).  Here is a boy who makes a lot of bad choices, but is he really bad at heart or is it because of the hand that he has been dealt?  That is something that the author addresses.  Which I think is important.  A lot of times we come to accept our circumstances and don't try to do anything to change those, but what would happen if we did?  Ah yes, another what if.

So, think about your what ifs, write them down, and let me know if you how close you were or where your story will go.


Henry, April. "The Story Behind Girl, Stolen." Youtube.com. You Tube, 7 Mar. 2012. Web. 8 June 2012. <http://youtu.be/dH-CFxp5Iv0>.
Henry, April. Girl, Stolen. New York: Henry Holt, 2010. Print.

TN#3: Dark Life

For as long as I can remember, I have always had a place in my heart for Science Fiction stories.  Blame my mom, she took me to my first Science Fiction movie, Star Wars, before I was even born.  Still, only certain Science Fiction stories can qualify.  So with this high standard in mind, I read the next book on the list of Truman Nominees, Dark Life.


Here is a book that was so greatly received that it had a film deal with Disney and Director Robert Zemeckis even before the book's initial release in 2010.  Well, it is 2012 and after some not so extensive looking, it doesn't look like it has gone into production yet.  Unfortunately I can't find a reason for the hold up, so we will just have to keep waiting.

Waiting for what?  I can hear you saying that now.  Especially since I haven't said anything about this book yet.  Ok, here is the trailer I found for the book:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCjp2JdIz48

Interested yet?  Don't worry if your not, it took even a big sci-fi fan like me a few pages to get interested.  But first, I had to put my imagination to work.  I had to see the story come to life while I was reading it, which was a little hard as the author tends to only give you bits and pieces of the puzzle at a time.  Most likely a way of keeping you interested.  Good hook idea, but a little frustrating at times.  Everything does finally come together in the end, just like any book, as long as you give it a chance.  This is definitely not one of those books you can decide what you think about it in the first 50 pages.  So if you are skeptical, give it at least 100 pages.  Then again, you may be hooked from the start, especially my guys out there.

Here we have a boy, named Ty, who was born and raised underwater.  Underwater, by the way, is the new frontier.  So this should catch the interest of those who like westerns.  Back to the story.  Ty, lives with his parents and sister at their underwater ranch, while eagerly awaiting his eighteenth birthday when he will be able to make a claim on his own piece of land.  One day, while out exploring beyond his area (something he's not supposed to be doing), he comes across a young lady from the Topside (above the water) named Gemma.  With this chance meeting begins an adventure that Ty will never forget.  He comes in contact with Outlaws, while coming to deal with what it really means to be a pioneer underwater.

So, as always, before I read the book I researched the author and what I could about the book (see above mention of a possible movie).  I will have to tell you as a teacher I was quite excited.  You see the author, Kat Falls has quite an extensive website (www.katfalls.com).  I was even able to download a Discussion Guide on this book that has lots of great test questions.  Will I use those?  Who knows?  I highly suggest you check out her site, there is some interesting links about the story.  Plus, you can learn more about aquatic life and the sequel to Dark Life, Rip Tide(2011).

Questions to ponder and look up?

1)  What are some of the aquatic life that Ty and Gemma encounter throughout the book?

2)  What is the cause of the Rising?  Could it happen in real life?  How does this relate to the idea of Global Warming?

As always, I look forward to your thoughts, responses, and recommendations!

Falls, Kat. Dark Life. New York: Scholastic, 2010. Print.

Falls, Kat. Rip Tide.  New York: Scholastic, 2011. Print.

"Kat Falls." Kat Falls. Web.  06 June 2012. <http://katfalls.com/>

TN #2: Bruiser

I'm not sure how to take Bruiser.  There are several heavy issues in this book, that you cannot take lightly.    The first and main one is child abuse, while the second one, divorce, still plays a large role in this book.  For me, I was able to connect with two of the characters, whose parents are starting the process of divorce because they are going through it the same time I was dealing with my own parents' divorce.

Ok, so a little bit about the story.  Brewster (Bruiser) Rawlins was once voted "Most Likely to Receive the Death Penalty."  (Think I joke - it really says that on page 6).  He has no friends and never talks to anyone, but Bruiser is special.  Bruiser has an empathic ability to absorb the physical and emotional pain of those he cares about.  So the only way to protect himself is to not care about anyone, except for his little brother Cody and Uncle Hoyt, until the day he meets Bronte.  Bronte and her twin Tennyson are children of two college literary teachers (hence their names).  Bronte and Tennyson break through Bruisers barrier and become his friends, which could be good for Bruiser - or is it?

He is a young man who has the ability to take on other people's hurts, but who can help take his pain away?  The story itself does resolve that question, though not until near the end do we find out.

There is one more aspect to this story that does actually work, and that is that the story is told from four different points of view.  Tennyson, Bronte, Cody, and Bruiser.  I really was able to get a sense of each person's voice, especially Bruiser's.  How does his voice connect to how we met him through Bronte's description of their meeting?

The author, Neil Shusterman, poses some interesting questions in the appendix (extras section) of the book.  They are:

1. How would we ever even know what happiness is, if we had never experienced unhappiness? (page E16)
2. What if an otherwise ordinary kid had the power to take away our pain - even our death?  How would that affect us - both positively and negatively? Would it free us or enslave us?  Would it empower us or corrupt us?  Could we resist the urge to use this power? (page E3)

I would really like to see your answers to those questions in the response section below.  But if you are going to respond, read the book first, and spend a little time thinking about your answer.

Ok, before I go, I want to talk a little more about the author, Neil Shusterman.  First, I have a little YouTube video that he made to talk about himself and his family.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=bATROQuo1cQ

Second, did you know that he wrote a book using Joplin as the main city?  In the book, Unwind, the main character is going back to Joplin.  Of course, Neil had to learn as much as he could about Joplin for the story and became quite connected to it.  This past February he returned to Joplin and discussed what he found on his blog.  To read what he has to say click here.  You can also access his website to learn about some of the different books that he has written, as well as some other projects that he is involved in.  www.storyman.com

"Neal Shusterman." Neal Shusterman: Unwind. Web. 05 June 2012 <htto://storyman.com/books/unwind.html>

Shusterman, Neal. Bruiser. New York:  HarperTeen, 2010. Print.

TN 2012-13: After Ever After

When I was in Middle School I loved to read Lurlene McDaniel Books.  You know the ones, someone either gets sick and dies or something tragic happens to one of the characters.  Why did I like these books?  To this day, I do not have a clue.  Who wants to read a book about someone dying or how people close to them are dying.  Maybe it was because at the time, no one that I knew had ever died or was ever very sick.  Maybe..

So as you can tell, the theme of our first book is Cancer or actually it is what it is like to live beyond cancer.  As I was researching this book I learned that the author, Jordon Sonnenblick, actually wrote this book in response to a nurse who wrote into him after the book Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pies and told him that the story wasn't complete.  That there was more to fighting cancer than just getting to remission, that there are side effects that no one talks about from the medication.  This book, After Ever After, which is the sequel to to Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pies skips to years later when the lead protagonist from the first book has gone off to college (and now Africa) and we get to see inside the head of his little brother, Jeffrey, who is now in eight grade and dealing with the side effects of his treatment from cancer.  We also get to meet Jeffrey's best friend, Tad, who is also a cancer survivor.  The relationship, born out of a common enemy, helps these two get through the challenges of daily life.

This book has got me thinking about what really happens after a person goes into remission and beyond in their battle against cancer.  Like I said earlier, no one ever talks about it.  It seems that after someone battles cancer and "wins," everything is happy ever after.  What I like is that this book shows that it is not.  There is more to it.  So I decided to go over to www.cancer.org to look at some of the different effects of treatment and here is a short list of side effects:

• emotional relationships
• Chemo Brain (difficulty with staying focused, remembering details, taking longer to complete tasks, and more)
• Chemotherapy-induced (chemo-induced) peripheral neuropathy (set of symptoms that are caused by damage to the nerves furthest away from the spinal cord and brain)
• Lead to other cancers later in life

The book also talks about a couple of other things I want you to think about and try to answer.  

The first is Jeff and Tad have very specific diets that their mothers have put them on.  What are some of the items that they eat and can you find any other foods that their mothers might be tempted to feed them?

Another is the term beau geste.  Beau geste, as defined by thefreedictionary.com is a grand gesture.  Much of the story surrounds the idea that Tad wants to perform some grand gesture for someone as he feels that he has never done that for anyone.  What will it be?  I can't tell you, as that is a part of the story that makes up part of the climax.  So in other words, you will have to read it for yourself.  :)

But this makes me wonder, have you ever performed some grand gesture for someone else?  What did you do and how did they react?  Maybe you didn't think it was something that was going to be big, but it turned out to surprise even you.    

I'd really like to hear what you thought of this book and maybe your ideas for a grand gesture that we could do as a class.

Work Cited:

"Beau Geste." The Free Dictionary. Farlex. Web. 03 June 2012. <http://www.thefreedictionary.com/beau geste>.

"Treatments and Side Effects." Treatments and Side Effects. Web. 03 June 2012. <http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/index>.

Sonnenblick, Jordan. Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie. London: Scholastic, 2006. Print.

Sonnenblick, Jordan. After Ever After. New York: Scholastic, 2010. Print.

Truman Nominees 2012-13

Most of the books - minus 3

Hopefully this year you will get the opportunity to read all of these books to the left (plus the three not pictured).  Why?  Because you get to help decide which one will win the Truman Award for 2012-13.  What are the Truman Awards?  From the Missouri Association of Librarians (www.maslonline.org/?page=truman_award) I found the following information:

About the Truman Readers Award

Age Level

The winner of the annual Truman Readers Award is selected by students in grades six through eight.

Vision

The Truman Readers Award encourages students in the early teen years to express their unique voice through exploring new literary genres, communicating with their peers about young adult literature, and honoring authors writing for young teens.

Guidelines for Choosing Books

1. Books should interest early teens in grades six through eight.
2. Books should be written by an author living in the United States.
3. Books should be of literary value which may enrich early teens' personal lives.
4. Books should be published two years prior to nomination on a Master List of 12 nominees.
5. Some consideration should be given to genre diversity, gender representation, range of reading level, racial diversity, and diversity of social, political, economic, and religious viewpoints.

The final list is about 12 books, down from a preliminary list of 25.  Both lists can be found at the Missouri Association of Librarians website, but to make it easy I am also going to list the 12 finalists, along with their Author and a quick synopsis (which I am getting from amazon.com). 

• After Ever After by Jordan Sonnenblick (April 1, 2011)



http://www.jordansonnenblick.com/wp-content/book-images/after_ever_after.jpg

• Jeffrey isn't a little boy with cancer anymore. He's a teen who's in remission, but life still feels fragile. The aftereffects of treatment have left Jeffrey with an inability to be a great student or to walk without limping. His parents still worry about him. His older brother, Steven, lost it and took off to Africa to be in a drumming circle and "find himself." Jeffrey has a little soul searching to do, too, which begins with his escalating anger at Steven, an old friend who is keeping something secret, and a girl who is way out of his league but who thinks he's cute. (http://www.amazon.com/After-Ever-Jordan-Sonnenblick/dp/0439837081/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1338595974&sr=8-1) 

• Bruiser by Neil Shusterman (October 4, 2011)



http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1318261800l/1931915.jpg

• There's a reason why Brewster can't have friends—why he can’t care about too many people. Because when he cares about you, things start to happen. Impossible things that can’t be explained. I know, because they’re happening to me. When BrontË starts dating Brewster “Bruiser” Rawlins—the guy voted Most Likely to Get the Death Penalty—her twin brother, Tennyson, isn’t surprised. But then strange things begin to occur. Tennyson and BrontË’s scrapes heal unnaturally fast, and cuts disappear before their eyes. What at first seems like their good fortune turns out to be more than they bargained for . . . much more. (http://www.amazon.com/Bruiser-Neal-Shusterman/dp/0061134104/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1338596109&sr=1-1)

• Dark Life by Kat Falls (February 1, 2011)



http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1328837536l/7027735.jpg

• Dive deep into the vivid underwater world of Dark Life!
  
  The oceans rose, swallowing the lowlands. Earthquakes shattered the continents, toppling entire regions into the rising water. Now, humans live packed into stack cities. The only ones with any space of their own are those who live on the ocean floor: the Dark Life.
  
  Ty has spent his whole life living deep undersea. When outlaws attack his homestead, he finds himself in a fight to save the only home he has ever known. Joined by Gemma, a girl from Topside, Ty ventures into the frontier's rough underworld and discovers some dark secrets to Dark Life. Secrets that threaten to destroy everything. (http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Life-Book-Kat-Falls/dp/0545178150/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1338599483&sr=8-1) 
• Girl, Stolen by April Henry (March 13, 2012)



http://jacketupload.macmillanusa.com/jackets/high_res/jpgs/9780312674755.jpg

• Sixteen–year-old Cheyenne Wilder is sleeping in the back of a car while her mom fills her prescription for antibiotics. Before Cheyenne realizes what’s happening, their car is being stolen. Griffin hadn’t meant to kidnap Cheyenne, but once his dad finds out that Cheyenne’s father is the president of a powerful corporation, everything changes—now there’s a reason to keep her. How will Cheyenne survive this nightmare? Because she’s not only sick with pneumonia—she’s also blind. (http://www.amazon.com/Girl-Stolen-April-Henry/dp/0312674759/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1338599528&sr=1-1)
• Heist Society (Heist Society #1) by Ally Carter (February 9, 2010)



http://www.cinemablend.com/images/news_img/16927/heist_society_16927.jpg

• When Katarina Bishop was three, her parents took her on a trip to the Louvre...to case it. For her seventh birthday, Katarina and her Uncle Eddie traveled to Austria...to steal the crown jewels. When Kat turned fifteen, she planned a con of her own--scamming her way into the best boarding school in the country, determined to leave the family business behind. Unfortunately, leaving "the life" for a normal life proves harder than she'd expected.
• Soon, Kat's friend and former co-conspirator, Hale, appears out of nowhere to bring her back into the world she tried so hard to escape. But he has good reason: a powerful mobster has been robbed of his priceless art collection and wants to retrieve it. Only a master thief could have pulled this job, and Kat's father isn't just on the suspect list, he is the list. Caught between Interpol and a far more deadly enemy, Kat's dad needs her help. For Kat there is only one solution: track down the paintings and steal them back. So what if it's a spectacularly impossible job? She's got two weeks, a teenage crew, and hopefully just enough talent to pull off the biggest heist in history--or at least her family's (very crooked) history. (http://www.amazon.com/Heist-Society-Ally-Carter/dp/B003TO6D2I/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1338599591&sr=1-1)
• Paranormalcy (Paranormalcy #1) by Kiersten White (July 26, 2011)



goodreads.com

• Evie’s always thought of herself as a normal teenager, even though she works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, she’s falling for a shape-shifter, and she’s the only one who can see through glamours.
• But now Evie’s dreams are filled with haunting voices and cryptic messages—and she’s realizing that she may be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.
• So much for normal.
• Scrawl by Mark Shulman (September 14, 2010)
• Tod Munn is a bully. He's tough, but times are even tougher. The wimps have stopped coughing up their lunch money. The administration is cracking down. Then to make things worse, Tod and his friends get busted doing something bad. Something really bad.  Lucky Tod must spend his daily detention in a hot, empty room with Mrs. Woodrow, a no-nonsense guidance counselor. He doesn't know why he's there, but she does. Tod's punishment: to scrawl his story in a beat-up notebook. He can be painfully funny and he can be brutally honest. But can Mrs. Woodrow help Tod stop playing the bad guy before he actually turns into one . . . for real? Read Tod's notebook for yourself. (http://www.amazon.com/Paranormalcy-Kiersten-White/dp/0061985856/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1338599669&sr=1-1)

• Soccerland by Beth Choat (September 2010)



luvs2readbooks.blogspot.com

• One day I’m going to play for the U.S. Women’s National Team. That’s what Flora Dupre promised her mom, before her mom died of cancer. Flora and her mom had created a place called Soccerland, an escape world where they went and just talked soccer. And now Flora’s dream of playing for the U.S.A. might be coming true. Flora’s received the invitation of a lifetime: the chance to try out for the Under-15 U.S. Girls’ Soccer Team, an opportunity that could put Flora on the road to making her dream a reality and reaching the real “Soccerland.” But when Flora arrives at the International Sports Academy, Flora struggles to hold her own, grappling with new positions on the pitch, injuries, a frustrating coach, and contempt from other players. But Flora is a big, strong Dupre girl—and she’s not going to go down easy. (http://www.amazon.com/Soccerland-International-Sports-Academy-Choat/dp/0761457240/ref=sr_1_1_title_2_har?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1338599726&sr=1-1)
• 
  
• The Gardener by S.A. Bodeen (March 1, 2011)



book-crazy.com

• Mason has never known his father, but longs to. All he has of him is a DVD of a man whose face is never seen, reading a children’s book. One day, on a whim, he plays the DVD for a group of comatose teens at the nursing home where his mother works. One of them, a beautiful girl, responds. Mason learns she is part of a horrible experiment intended to render teenagers into autotrophs—genetically engineered, self-sustaining life-forms who don’t need food or water to survive. And before he knows it, Mason is on the run with the girl, and wanted, dead or alive, by the mysterious mastermind of this gruesome plan, who is simply called the Gardener. Will Mason be forced to destroy the thing he’s longed for most? (http://www.amazon.com/The-Gardener-S-A-Bodeen/dp/0312659423/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1338599804&sr=1-3)

• The Grimm Legacy by Polly Schulman (July 7, 2011)
• Elizabeth has just started working as a page at the New York Circulating Material Repository - a lending library of objects, contemporary and historical, common and obscure. And secret, too - for in the repository's basement lies the Grimm Collection, a room of magical items straight from the Grimm Brother's fairy tales. But the magic mirrors and seven-league boots and other items are starting to disappear. And before she knows it, she and her fellow pages - handsome Marc, perfect Anjali, and brooding Aaron - are suddenly caught up in an exciting, and dangerous, magical adventure. (http://www.amazon.com/The-Grimm-Legacy-Polly-Shulman/dp/0142419044/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1338599872&sr=1-1)

---

• The Lost Hero (The Heros of Olympus #1) by Rick Riordan (October 12, 2010)



rickriordan.com

• After saving Olympus from the evil Titan lord, Kronos, Percy and friends have rebuilt their beloved Camp Half-Blood, where the next generation of demigods must now prepare for a chilling prophecy of their own:
• Seven half-bloods shall answer the call,
• To storm or fire the world must fall.
  An oath to keep with a final breath,
  And foes bear arms to the Doors of Death.
  
  Now, in a brand-new series from blockbuster best-selling author Rick Riordan, fans return to the world of Camp Half-Blood. Here, a new group of heroes will inherit a quest. But to survive the journey, they’ll need the help of some familiar demigods. (http://www.amazon.com/The-Heroes-Olympus-Book-One/dp/1423113462/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1338599930&sr=1-1
• Virals by Kathy Reichs (November 2, 2012)



goodreads.com

• Tory Brennan, niece of acclaimed forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan (of the Bones novels and hit TV show), is the leader of a ragtag band of teenage "sci-philes" who live on a secluded island off the coast of South Carolina. When the group rescues a dog caged for medical testing on a nearby island, they are exposed to an experimental strain of canine parvovirus that changes their lives forever.
• As the friends discover their heightened senses and animal-quick reflexes, they must combine their scientific curiosity with their newfound physical gifts to solve a cold-case murder that has suddenly become very hot--if they can stay alive long enough to catch the killer's scent.

  
  

  Fortunately, they are now more than friends--they're a pack. They are Virals. (http://www.amazon.com/Virals-Kathy-Reichs/dp/B0078XOME2/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1338599990&sr=1-1)

  
  
  
  
  That's our 12 finalists - read a few or read them all.  The more you read, the better you will be able to judge which one you believe is best.  As for me, I will be spending the next several posts talking about each of these books, their authors, and any other details that I hope you will find interesting.  Well, I better get reading, as Phineas and Ferb say "there are only 104 days of summer vacation..."
  
  
  
  
  Did you know The Hunger Games won the Truman Award in 2011?