Highland LC Blog

Lunch and Learn Session on eBook Resources!

2012-01-24T21:57:00.000-06:00

I'm SO excited about the lunch and learn sessions that will be held at the Highland Learning Center on Wednesday 1/25! With the increasing number of eReading devices in the hands of students and staff at Highland, I want to make sure people know about the downloadable resources available at Cook Library, our local public library.

Susie Pasini, Cook's resident eBook guru, will be doing three sessions at Highland during the three lunch periods. She'll be showing participants about what downloadables are available at Cook and how to use these resources. The sessions are open to interested Highland students and staff.

Mystery Night in the Learning Center

2011-11-17T14:46:00.000-06:00

Last year we had a blast during mystery night in the library. The program is back again this year with a new case to solve. Any interested students are invited to attend the event on Wednesday, November 30, from 3:45 - 4:45 in the Learning Center. Students can reserve their space by signing up in the LC.

Announcing Guys Read - a new book group for guys

2011-11-17T14:43:00.001-06:00

Fern Schumer Chapman Visits Highland

2011-11-17T14:40:00.002-06:00

Cook Library ran a program, United We Read, in October and November. This community-wide reading program featured two books by Fern Schumer Chapman, Is It Night or Day? and Motherland. Both books explore the journey of Chapman's mother, Edith, coming to America as a twelve-year-old from Germany during the 1000 Children rescue effort to get Jewish German children out of the country to safety during World War II.

Fern Schumer Chapman talks to Highland students. Photo by Robin Kollman.

The Highland Learning Center was thrilled to be able to bring Fern Schumer Chapman to Highland to speak to students and classes who had read (or will be reading) her book. The talks were a good match with the eighth grade curriculum where World War II and the Holocaust will be studied in depth this year.

Students and staff alike were engaged and interested by Ms. Chapman's talk and her question and answer sessions. Several students reported wishing they had a longer time to interact with Ms. Chapman. The author graciously signed books during her day at Highland. I think the visit was highly enjoyed by all!

United We Read

2011-10-31T19:50:00.000-05:00

The Cook Memorial Library in Libertyville has been leading a community read program, United We Read, during October and into November. The selected books are Fern Schumer Chapman's Is It Night or Day? and Motherland.

All of the lunch bunch book clubs will be reading Is It Night or Day? for our November meetings. And on Thursday, November 10, Fern Schumer Chapman will be coming to Highland to speak!

Battle of the Books

2011-01-31T14:45:00.001-06:00

Highland will field a team in the 6th Annual Lake County Battle of the Books on March 8, 2011. The event, which will take place at Deerpath Middle School, will challenge students to test their knowledge about the books on the 2011 Caudill Readers' Choice Award list. It's a game show like activity where students buzz in with the title of one of the twenty books on the reading list after questions are asked. Several area middle schools will be participating in the Battle of the Books.

Students interested in the Highland team are invited to come to our first meeting/practice on Tuesday, 2/8, after school in the Learning Center.

Go HORNETS!

Write in the Middle - Call for Writing and Artwork

2011-01-24T11:49:00.000-06:00

photo © 2010 John O'Nolan | more info (via: Wylio)
Write in the Middle, Highland's literary magazine, is looking for submissions for the third volume of the publication. Highland students and staff members are invited to submit poetry, short stories, essays, and artwork for consideration.

Work should be submitted electronically to Dr. Wyatt at ewyatt@d70schools.org by February 4, 2011.

Highland Learning Center Starts to Check Out iPods and Audiobooks

2011-01-12T13:52:00.000-06:00

The Highland and Adler Learning Centers are introducing a pilot program called Literacy on the Go this year thanks to a grant from the Partners for Educational Excellence.

Students can check out iPod Shuffles loaded with an audiobook in order to listen to a book. We are taking requests about which books to purchase. So far we have three eAudiobook titles available. We can also load any CD that the library owns on to an iPod to be checked out.

Stop by today to check out an audiobook and try this new service!

Highland Kicks Off Virtual Author Visits

2011-01-12T13:45:00.000-06:00

This year, through a generous Partners for Educational Excellence grant, Highland is going to be doing a series of virtual author visits to connect students and writers.

The first visit was a big success. Mrs. Fox's classes got to meet with Joseph Bruchac. The students read his book, Skeleton Man, as a class novel earlier this year. Our first attempt using Skype to connect with an author went relatively smoothly.

The visit got a really nice write-up in the Libertyville Patch. Check out the article to see what Highland students had to say about the visit.

Works Cited
Skeleton Man Cover. LibraryThing. Web. 12 Jan. 2011. .

Caudill and Lincoln Program 2011

2010-09-28T12:22:00.000-05:00

The Readers' Choice Program at Highland is underway for this school year. While many of the eighth grade students have reading requirements from these book lists, there is enthusiasm and wide-spread participation among many other students in the school as well.

The Caudill Award is an annual award given to a book by 4th - 8th grade students from around the state of Illinois. Each year there is a new list of twenty Caudill nominated books. We've also added ten of the books from this year's Lincoln list into the mix of the program at Highland.

In order to be eligible to vote for the award, students must read three of the nominated Caudill titles before the end of February.

We have some extra rewards students can earn at Highland. For reading ten of the books on the list, students will earn a free lunch. And for reading twenty of the books on the list, students will earn the grand prize.

Happy Reading!

Hunger Games Fever

2010-09-28T12:12:00.000-05:00

I just had a conversation with a couple eighth grade guys who were wondering about the length of the hold list for Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins. (Currently, there are 22 students waiting for one of the four library copies of Mockingjay.) Her trilogy, which begins with The Hunger Games, is definitely the hottest series at Highland this fall. It appeals across grade levels and genders. It really does have something for everyone action, adventure, violence, romance, psychological struggle.

I first read Hunger Games several years ago (long enough that I had to wait a year for book #2, Catching Fire, to be released), and I was hooked. I've read lots of dystopian fiction since then. I thought I'd share a couple favorites. We've also got a read-alike list in the library's catalog if you are looking for some suggestions.

Here are some standouts if you are looking for a series after Hunger Games or while you wait for one of the books:

The Maze Runner by James Dashner - finished it last night and am now anxiously awaiting The Scorch Trials (out October 12)
Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
Gone by Michael Grant - I read book three this summer and was suprised the series stayed fresh and took some interesting turns
The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness - I'm anxiously awaiting book three

If you have suggestions of other books I should pick up, I welcome them!

Summer Reading

2010-06-17T02:05:00.000-05:00

My summer reading is off to a slow start, but I'm ready to really dive in after finishing a major project.
I kicked the summer off with a book I was assigned to review, The Not-So-Great Depression by Amy Goldman Koss. It was a fun way to get started.

Next I treated myself to two chick lit reads. I loved Shug by Jenny Han and her book, The Summer I Turned Pretty, would be a great book to take to the beach and read. After all, it is about a girl who spends her summers at the ocean and the boys she grows to love.

Then I turned back to a Sci Fi selection. I've read a lot of sci fi and dystopia this school year, and it seems that trend is continuing into the summer. I liked the premise of The Roar by Emma Clayton. However, the book kind of left me hanging. It really got good in the last third and then kind of abruptly ended. Can you say sequel?

What have you been reading this summer? What should I pick up next?

What Does Your America Look Like? Exhibit

2010-04-27T22:28:00.001-05:00

This week there is an exhibit of art, music, and literature of the 1930s in the Learning Center. All of the works include artists' representations of American life. The exhibit is organized into eight stations that include podcasts or audio to accompany the works of art. All Highland students will have a chance to visit the exhibit in one of their classes.

As a response to the exhibit, students are invited to contribute to a mural and a blog as a way to reflect on American life today.

A movie made up of newsreels from the 1930s include bits of news, sports, entertainment, and daily life.

Students list to the podcast about the works of Grant Wood, including American Gothic.

Students look at images of Jacob Lawrence and the Great Migration.

One of the Spanish courses in the school created podcasts to help explain what they found in a mural by Diego Rivera and then created artwork of their own.

So far the exhibit has been well received. I think it'll be a great week!

Earth Day Book Swap

2010-04-20T22:12:00.002-05:00

The second annual earth day book swap will be held in the Learning Center on Wednesday, April 21. Students are invited to bring books they no longer need and other middle schoolers might enjoy, in exchange participants can choose books that are new to them.

It looks like we have a great selection of items from which to choose!

Nonfiction Reading

2010-03-21T17:32:00.002-05:00

As I've posted, during March we're doing a project called Reality Rocks! The idea is to challenge everyone at Highland to read a nonfiction book of their choice during the month.

It's going well so far. Many students are participating and most of the staff members. It is great to walk around the school and see which books teachers are reading. Teachers have posted the titles of the books which they are reading outside of their rooms.

I've read two nonfiction books so far this month, started listening to a third on audio, and all the book clubs this week will be discussing nonfiction titles. Right now I'm listening to Chris Crutcher's memoir, King of the Mild Frontier: An Ill-Advised Autobiography.

I challenge you to pick up a nonfiction book that interests you and join us!

Works Cited
King of the Mild Frontier Cover. LibraryThing. 21 March 2010. Web. http://www.librarything.com/work/117271

Graceling and Fire by Kristin Cashore

2010-03-21T17:11:00.006-05:00

I don't consider myself a fan of fantasy. In my quest to stretch myself as a reader, I regularly try to read a wide range of genre. I had heard a lot of good things about Graceling by Kristin Cashore from both students and other librarians. I grabbed the audio book and thought I'd have a listen.

I loved it! Frequently, I found myself fighting the temptation to grab a print copy of the book so I could get through the story more quickly to find out what happened. Although sometimes the romantic dialog felt a bit stilted, there were great action sequences and the characters were very interesting. Katsa is graced, her specialty is fighting. When she tires of being King Randa's heavy, Katsa and Po embark on a journey to get to the bottom of a kidnapping and save a little girl.

After finishing Graceling, I was anxious to read Fire. It is a companion book, with only one character from Graceling appearing. I think it was good I read Graceling first because the second book took me farther into the realm of fantasy. But being previously introduced to Cashore's writing and the world of the seven kindgoms, I was ready to slip through the mountains to the Dells. The world of the Dells is a world of monsters and humans and a world at war. Fire is a human monster (the one and only) with bright red hair, breathtaking beauty, and the ability to influence the minds of those around her.

There is another book planned called Bitter Blue. I'll be anxious to read that one when it is published!

Works Cited
Fire. LibraryThing. 20 March 2010. Web. http://www.librarything.com/work/8744927
Graceling. LibraryThing. 20 March 2010. Web. http://www.librarything.com/work/5246849

And the 2010 Caudill Winner Is...

2010-03-15T20:04:00.004-05:00

1. All The Lovely Bad Ones by Mary Downing Hahn
2. Someone Named Eva by Joan M. Wolf
3, Elephant Run by Roland Smith

At Highland the top three were:
1. Someone Named Eva by Joan M. Wolf
2. Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George
3. Elephant Run by Roland Smith

Work Cited
All the Lovely Bad Ones. LibraryThing. Web. 15 March 2010. http://www.librarything.com/work/4954038

Highland Team Competes in the Lake County Battle of the Books

2010-03-07T17:02:00.009-06:00

On Thursday, March 4, a team from Highland traveled to Woodland Middle School to face off in the Lake County Battle of the Books. The competition is based on knowledge of the Caudill nominated books for the current school year.

Four schools participated, Woodland Middle, Deerpath Middle in Lake Forest, Beach Park Middle School had teams in addition to Highland. Highland's team finished in fourth place. A good time was had by all!

Pictured: Ms. Perrin, librarian at Woodland Middle School, explains how the event will work to the participants. The Highland team takes a moment to relax after the competition.

Highland's 2010 Caudill Results

2010-03-01T14:11:00.003-06:00

Most years it is fairly clear which of the twenty nominated Caudill books will garner most of the Highland students' votes. This year, I didn't have a clue about which book would win. When I asked students about their favorite book from the list, I got a wide range of answers too.

We had around 225 students vote for the Caudill Award this year, about 1/4 of the students at Highland. Eleven of the titles on the list got more than ten votes.
The top three vote getters at Highland were:

Someone Named Eva - 25 votes
Dragon Slippers - 21 votes
Elephant Run - 20 votes

Here's the complete breakdown of votes by title:

I'm anxious to see which book will win the statewide voting and which author will receive the 2010 Caudill Award.

Reality Rocks in District 70

2010-02-28T17:33:00.003-06:00

I'm so excited to get started with the Reality Rocks project. The Learning Center staff members in District #70 are leading the way in challenging all the students and staff members in the district to read a nonfiction book of their choice during March.

At Highland, students and staff will be able to track their participation, enter a raffle with each book they finish, and get their picture taken with the book that is read to be part of a digital slideshow.

Why are we doing this? Here are just a couple of the many reasons:

1. Effectively reading informational texts is an essential skill.

2. Reading an informational book (aka nonfiction) may lead to learning and be a satisfying reading experience!

3. Many students prefer reading nonfiction. This is an opportunity to encourage that habit.

4. Choosing what you want to learn about and then reading up on the topic IS self-directed learning.

I had a fun time this afternoon roaming the shelves and choosing some of the nonfiction books I'm going to read this month. I hope a lot of students and staff at Highland participate! Please leave a comment about the nonfiction book you choose to read.

2010-02-13T10:16:00.003-06:00

The National Science Foundation along with NBC has posted a series of short videos about the science of some of the sports in the Winter Olympics. The series is called Science of the Olympic Games. I'm a big fan of the Olympics, and I'm always interested in knowing more about how things work.

I just learned about the impact of acceleration and drag on bobsledding by watching this video:

Caudill News

2010-02-10T14:05:00.004-06:00

We are in the last few weeks of the 2010 Caudill program. Students who have read at least three books from this year's list are eligible to cast a vote for the book they believe should win the award. Voting will take place at Highland from 2/19 - 2/25.

A team of Highland students will represent our school to compete in the Lake County Battle of the Books. The game-show style competition will take place after school on March 4, 2010 at Woodland Middle School. If you are interested in participating, please see Ms. Wyatt for a permission slip.

In other Caudill news, the 2011 Caudill List has just been announced.
Drum roll please...Here it is:

Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson
The Boy Who Dared by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
Scarlett by Cathy Cassidy
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Waiting for Normal by Leslie Connor
Diamond Willow by Helen Frost
Found by Margaret Peterson Haddix
The Great Wide Sea by M.H. Herlong
Scat by Carl Hiassen
Schooled by Gordon Korman
Savvy by Ingrid Law
11 Birthdays by Wendy Mass
A Friendship for Today by Patricia C. McKissack
Fablehaven by Brandon Mull
All Shook Up by Shelley Pearsall
Yellow Star by Jennifer Roy
Trouble by Gary D. Schmidt
The Alchemyst by Michael Scott
The Mailbox by Audrey Shafer
Notes from a Midnight Driver by Jordan Sonnenblick

Retelling of Greek Myths

2010-01-24T21:34:00.005-06:00

A few weeks ago Mr. Weiland's six grade language arts and literature classes studied Greek Myths in preparation for their novel studies of The Lightning Thief and The Adventures of Ulysses. Each group read online and print versions of their stories. Then they worked with their groups to write their own version of the myth. Finally they created illustrations and made VoiceThreads with their versions of the tales.

Here's the story, Orpheus and Eurydice, retold by Maddie, Catherine, and Kasey:

Here's the story, Pandora, retold by Tim, Jesse, and Stefani:

Here's the story, Hercules, by Natalie, Andrew, Drew, and Henry:

Here's links to some of the other projects:

Pandora's Box by Whitney, Claire, Barak, and Amit
Theseus and the Minotaur by Kameron, Harriet, Douglas, Lizzy, and Jessi -
Hercules by Ben, Riley, Pete, Patricia, and Maddie
Orpheus by Rachel, Max, Megan, and Zach
A Story of Greek Mythology: Icarus
Pandora's Box by Hannah, James, Adam, and Maggie
Persephone by Hannah, Patrick, and Jake
Sisyphus
Hercules and the 12 Labors
Icarus by Tori, Katie, and Maria
Orpheus by Nick, Maddie, Jon, and Delaney
The Story of Sisyphus

Check out some of these stories! Any comments?

Write in the Middle

2010-01-22T13:43:00.004-06:00

Highland's Literary Magazine, Write in the Middle, is looking for submissions for its second issue. Last year we had a really successful publication. This year the magazine will include artwork as well. Highland students and staff members are invited to submit poetry, short stories, essays, and artwork for consideration.

All work must be submitted to Ms. Wyatt by Friday, February 5.
We have some amazing talent at Highland. Please consider participating!

You can check out last year's publication online at http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback-book/write-in-the-middle/7174941

What I've Been Reading

2010-01-20T10:23:00.009-06:00

It's been so great to be able to choose my own reading materials lately. In the fall I was teaching a young adult literature class. It was really fun but very intense. I may have overdone it on the reading list with the six to seven young adult books per week. Needless to say, I didn't have much recreational reading time despite reading A LOT of books.

This past weekend I treated myself. I read three books of my choosing for fun!
First, I read Whirlwind by David Klass. It was a sequel to Firestorm, a book that I listened to during winter break. While I thought this book was just ok, it had lots of action and kept me turning the pages. A combination of action, scifi, and adventure, the characters from the book (some of whom were from 1000 years in the future) worked to try to save the Amazon from the Dark Lord.

It was a weekend for sequels. I've really been looking forward to the release of Front and Center by Catherine Gilbert Murdock. I loved the first two books about DJ and the folks in Red Bend, WI (Dairy Queen and The Off Season). It was great to catch up with the characters and see what was happening in their lives during DJ's junior year basketball season. This is realistic fiction with sports, family stuff, and romance all mixed in.

Finally, I read the next 7th Grade Lunch Bunch Book Club Book. The Percy Jackson and the Olympians series is all the rage at Highland (like everywhere else, I'm guessing). For book club we chose another mythology inspired story, The Night Tourist by Katherine Marsh. Jack has a near-death experience which has left him with the ability to visit the New York City underworld. He's looking for his dead mother and ends up having quite an adventure with Euri. It was a fun read, but it didn't knock my socks off. I'm looking forward to hearing what the book club members have to say.

Since I can choose my own books now, I'm looking for some recommendations!

Works Cited
Front and Center Cover. Library Thing. Web. 22 Jan. 2010. http://www.librarything.com/work/8187861
The Night Tourist Cover. LibraryThing. Web. 22 Jan. 2010. http://www.librarything.com/work/3931039
Whirlwind Cover. LibraryThing. Web. 22 Jan. 2010. http://www.librarything.com/work/3941396

Fractured Fairy Tales

2010-01-11T10:19:00.005-06:00

Before break, Mrs. O'Connell's classes created fractured fairy tales. After the students studied different types of tales like folk tales, fables, and fairy tales. They wrote and illustrated a story of their own working in small groups. Students created the images using Tux Paint and then recorded their stories using VoiceThread.

Here's an example that was created by Katie and Emma called "Rapunzel Twist".

Here are links to some of the other projects:

Goldilocks and the 3 Rich Bears by Siobhan and Hillary
Gold N. Bear and the 3 Dorms by Jake, Julian, and Hezze
Rapunzel Remix by Emily, Katherine, Jamie, Nicole, and Maddie
Big Red Riding Hood by Parijat, Zack, and Drew
Hershey and Gummy the Gingerbread Kids by Emma and Olivia
The Frog Princess by Fiorella, Marissa, and Maddie
Marissa and the Missing Eyeball by Kate, JoJo, and Katharine
The Truth About Little Red Riding Hood by Nia, Hannah, Anna, and Andie
The Grinch by Robert, Jack, and Nick
The True Story of the Gingerbread Man by Kristin and Stacy
Dirty the Mudman by Alex, Eric, Michael, Jackson, and Dillon
The Gingerbread Man by Ethan, Josh, Luke and Nick
The Real Story of Rapunzel by Emily and Haley
Gingerella by Daisy, Brittany, Megan and Sarah
Goldie Bear and the Three Locks by Chris and Jack

Book Fair is Coming!

2009-12-03T16:53:00.002-06:00

The book fair is coming to Highland. All students will have the chance to visit the book fair and do some shopping during their visit to the Learning Center on Monday, 12/7 - Thursday, 12/10.

If you'd like to help set up the book fair, see Ms. Wyatt. We'll be setting things up on Friday (12/4) afternoon.

Yellow Star by Jennifer Roy

2009-11-15T14:23:00.004-06:00

I'm looking forward to discuss this book for eighth grade book club later this week. Yellow Star was a quick, but engrossing historical fiction read. Written in verse, it recounts the experiences of Syvia and her family during World War II. Based on the experiences of her aunt during the war, Jennifer Roy chose to share her aunt's story through a first person narrative. Syvia was four and a half when her family and all the other Jews in Lodz, Poland were moved to the ghetto. By the time liberation came the quarter million Jewish population of the city numbered at 800, with only 12 surviving children. A powerful story of war and suffering told through a child's eyes.

Works Cited
Yellow Star Cover. LibraryThing. Web. 15 Nov. 2009 http://www.librarything.com/work/1194939

Science Fiction and Fantasy

2009-11-15T14:15:00.003-06:00

For the past couple weeks, I've been reading all fantasy and science fiction as part of the materials for young adults class I am teaching this fall. These are genres (especially fantasy) that I don't always pick up when choosing my recreational reading. It has been a great reminder for me how important it is to continue to stretch myself as a reader and how important it is for me as a librarian to make sure I'm familiar with books in all genres to do a better job in matching books with readers at Highland.

Here's what I've read:
Feed by M.T. Anderson
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Unwind by Neal Schusterman
Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
Foundling by D.M. Cornish
River Secrets by Sharon Hale
Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr
Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchet
The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
Fruits Basket v. 1 by Natsuki Tayaka

I really enjoyed the science fiction reads! And I made it through all the fantasy (enjoying some more than others), including my first manga.

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

2009-10-22T15:53:00.003-05:00

I know I probably shouldn't post this before book club discusses it next week, but WOWSA! I really liked this book. I think I've read about 30 books so far this school year, and Unwind is by far my favorite.

This book grabbed me and kept me hooked. There were a number of twists and turns that caught me off guard. The premise is original and twisted. Set in future America after the Heartland War (the second Civil War), a peace treaty was signed after both sides agree to the idea of unwinding - taking 13 to 18 year olds and harvesting all their body parts. Connor finding out he is about to be unwound goes on the the run. Along the way he meets Risa, a ward of the state, and Lev, a child born to be tithed. The three of them try to stay alive. There is lots to think about in this book and plentiful action.

The Arrival by Shaun Tan

2009-09-27T09:54:00.009-05:00

I just finished "reading" The Arrival by Shaun Tan. I put reading in quotes because the entire story is told with artwork and no words. However, it clearly and powerfully expressed the story of a family leaving their homeland and moving to a new place. The father in the family goes first and has to struggle to try to figure out the language, culture, food, and a way to survive in this new and foreign place. As he comes in contact with people who help him understand the ways of this new place, their stories of why they have come to this brighter, more hopeful place are briefly told.

Wow! While I was hesitant to pick up this book, I am so glad to have experienced this story.

Works Cited
Arrival Cover. LibraryThing. Web. 28 Sept. 2008 http://www.librarything.com/work/1779085/

Recent Reading

2009-09-17T19:39:00.005-05:00

I'm excited to be teaching a Materials for Young Adults course this fall! The class has required me to do a lot of reading. We are covering 5 or 6 books a week. Some of the books are more for older teens, but a lot of the books on our reading list are books we have in the Highland library.

I read The Contender by Robert Lipsyte. I've been playing with Animoto. It's a tool that lets users create a short video. It's a great tool for creating book trailers.
Here's my animoto:

Here's what I've read so far for the class:

Book Clubs

2009-09-17T19:28:00.003-05:00

The Highland Lunch Bunch book clubs will be kicking off for this year soon. Any Highland students are invited to join the fun! We meet during the lunch and recess period to eat together and talk about the book. Please contact Ms. Wyatt if you have any questions. Check out the book club page to find out what is happening with the lunch bunch groups this year.

6th Grade Lunch Bunch will meet on Friday, 9/25, to talk about Earthquake Terror by Peg Kehret. The book is a page turner about a brother and sister who have to figure out how to survive in the aftermath of an earthquake. I couldn't believe all that these two kids had to go through during the course of the book!

7th Grade Lunch Bunch will meet on Thursday, 9/24, to talk about Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Wowsa! If you haven't read this book yet, you have to check it out. Katniss and Peeta are chosen to represent their district in the annual Hunger Games. The games are a televised competition where the last survivor wins. There's something for everyone: action, adventure, and even a little romance.
8th Grade Lunch Bunch will meet on Friday, 9/25, to talk about Acceleration by Graham McNamee. This book was a thriller. Duncan has a horrible summer job, staffing the lost and found at the Toronto Subway. Bored out of his mind, he starts reading a diary that someone has lost. What he finds is disturbing. It seems that the writer of the journal is planning to kill someone. Will Duncan get involved and find this killer before it is too late?

Demon Princess: Reign or Shine by Michelle Rowen

2009-09-04T10:11:00.002-05:00

Nikki Donovan’s life is perfect. She’s popular, just turned sixteen and Chris Sanders, the hottest guy at school, has just asked her out. Then Michael shows up, he seems to be stalking Nikki, trying to convince her that her long-lost father is really DemonKing in another dimension. She ignores him but takes the note that is “from her father” and convinces herself that it’s just one of Chris’s friends messing with her. If that’s the case then why does Michael know her father’s name: something she’s never told anyone and why is there a large man with a knife trying to kill her while calling her “Princess”? On top of all that why does she feel strangely drawn to Michael and now unsure about Chris?
It turns our Michael is telling the truth. Nikki’s father is a demon, but not the stereotypical one. He’s loving and compassionate just like any good father. He’s dying and Nikki is his only heir. Now Nikki must choose between becoming the Demon Queen or drinking a potion and turning back into a regular human. Pretty easy choice right? Well if she chooses the human route then she’ll forget everything and everyone related to the Demon world including her dragon-tear bracelet, her father and Michael. What will Nikki do? To find out the answer to these questions and more read Demon Princess: Reign or Shine by Michelle Rowan.
This book was one of the best books I’ve read in a while. I’d give it a perfect 5 out of 5. The characters were interesting and easy to relate to and the plot was unpredictable and kept me reading until the last page. Rowan has created a unique read that has something in it for everyone: monsters, mystery and even a little romance. It’s a sensational novel.

Summer Reading...an update

2009-07-28T15:50:00.003-05:00

I was giving a presentation last week about technology tools that have been really useful in the library, and I realized that I haven't updated this blog for quite a while. I've been trying to read a bunch of books from the highland collection this summer. Here are the cover images of the last 20 books I've read. If you want to see my ratings and read my reviews of these books, click on the book cover below or check out my LibraryThing page.

Kingdom Keepers by Ridley Pearson

2009-06-20T18:35:00.003-05:00

I just spent a week with my family in Disney World. I decided to bring along Kingdom Keepers, a book about a group of Orlando middle school students who have been chosen as DHIs, interactive hologram hosts. Finn turns out to be the leader of this group when many strange, unexplainable events start to take place. When they all start having strange dreams and start visiting Disney at night in their holographic forms, they realize there is something very strange going on. The kids meet Wayne, an original Imagineer, who tells them about a fable that may help them stop the evil forces scheming something awful. This book will appeal to Disney fans. While it didn't knock my socks off, it was fun to read about this adventures taking place in all the rides and attractions I just visited.

Works Cited
"Kingdom Keepers Cover." Online image. LibraryThing. 20 June 2009 http://www.librarything.com/work/543826

Student Summer Recommendations

2009-06-08T16:20:00.004-05:00

We asked students to recommend their favorite reads of the year. We had these recommendations displayed in the library to assist other students with ideas when they are looking for books to read this summer.
Here's the list in no particular order:

IQ by Roland Smith
Cryptid Hunters by Roland Smith
Peak by Roland Smith
Elephant Run by Roland Smith
Shakespeare’s Secret by Roland Smith
Masterpiece by Elise Broach
Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers
Alex Rider Series by Anthony Horowitz
Redwall Series by Brian Jacques
Eragon Series by Christopher Paolini
Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series by Rick Riordan
I’d Tell You I Love You, But Then I’d Have to Kill You by Ally Carter
Kimchi and Calamari by Rose Kent
Sammy Keyes Series by Wendelin VanDraanen
Deep and Dark and Dangerous by Mary Downing Hahn
The Boy Who Dared by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
Chronicles of Ancient Darkness Series by Michelle Paver
Shooter by Walter Dean Myers
Children of the Lamp by P.B. Kerr
Zenda Series by Amodeo
The Naked Mole-Rat Letters by Mary Amato
You Be the Jury by Marvin Miller
Ashes of Roses by Mary Jane Auch
Artemis Fowl Series by Eoin Colfer
Swindle by Gordon Korman
Leven Thumps Series by Obert Skye
I Am the Messenger by Markus Zuszak
Inkheart Series by Cornelia Funke
The Uglies Series by Scott Westerfield
The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
Fable Haven Series by Brandon Mull
Amazing Agent Luna by Nunzio DeFilippis
Pendragon Series by D.J. MacHale
White Giraffe by Lauren St. John
Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer
Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling
Evernight by Claudia Gray
The Weight of the Sky by Lisa Ann Sandell
The Edge Chronicles by Paul Stewart
The Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series by Jeff Kinney
Feathered by Laura Kasischke
Soul Surfer by Bethany Hamilton
Shark Girl by Kelly Bingham

Looking for Summer Reading Suggestions?

2009-06-05T10:20:00.002-05:00

So many Highland students are really avid readers! We hope that you all will continue this habit over this summer. I know I'm looking forward to time in the sun with lots of good books. I thought I'd put some resources together to help if you are looking for some books to read this summer. Don't forget to ask your friends, as they are usually a really good source for recommendations.

Even though there is some major construction going on at the public library, don't forget about the summer reading program at Cook Memorial Library! Using their web site is a great way to request materials and find out about programs.

Places to find book recommendations:

Right here on the Highland Blog - keep up with student reviews and see what Ms. Wyatt has been reading.
WyattWinner tag in the Cook Memorial Library Catalog - in the catalog you can search using WyattWinner and you'll find all the books I've tagged. Anyone with a library card can develop a tag and tag books, so get started!
2010 Caudill List - get a head start on next year’s Caudill nominated books.
Center for Teaching and Learning Recommended Reads - a huge list of recommended books sorted by grade level and gender.
Reading Rants – a blog with a big set of book lists about different topics.
The Horn Book Summer Reading List - Check out the middle school section!

Please post a comment if you have books to recommend for summer reading or you read any books that really wow you this summer.
Happy Reading!

The Trials of Kate Hope by Wick Downing

2009-06-04T21:30:00.002-05:00

Kate Hope, a fourteen year old lawyer works at her family office, Hope and Hope, with her grandfather. When her grandfather falls ill she has to take care of the business including two cases that she needs to take to court. A poor dog named Herman needs to be saved from death because he's all his owner Miss Willow has. Meanwhile she has to help a poor man named Mr. Alvarez who has been accused of murder. How will she be able to do this and still be friends with Mike her sort-of boyfriend?

Review by JF

Works Cited
"The Trials of Kate Hope Cover." Online image. LibraryThing. 4 June 2009 http://www.librarything.com/work/5204455

Write in the Middle Release Party

2009-06-04T21:04:00.004-05:00

Today we celebrated the release of the first edition of Write in the Middle, Highland's brand new Literary Magazine! It was a great event! I'll post some pictures soon. But here's a peak at the cover of the publication.

Because we got a grant for the project, all the published authors and the members of the editorial board received a copy of the publication. We self-published online, so copies can be ordered
http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback-book/write-in-the-middle/7174941.

A special thanks goes out to the amazing students who volunteered their time to be part of the editorial board and the teachers who worked to help facilitate this student-led publication, Carey Fox, Brianne Hodges, Linda O'Connell, Alison Ortega, Kristen Palic, and Logan Shoemaker.

Every Soul A Star by Wendy Mass

2009-05-28T13:52:00.005-05:00

Every Soul a Star by Wendy Mass is a great novel about astronomy, family, and most of all friendship. It’s a great book because it is really interesting, and there is a lot going on.

Jack, Ally, and Bree are three totally different teenagers. Jack is a pudgy, kind of lazy boy that would rather sit in the back of the classroom drawing aliens than learn or hang out with friends. Also, he is not very smart, and usually fails a few classes. But, under special circumstances everybody gets along. Right?

Ally is a smart girl that loves astronomy. She lives in a place called the Moon Shadow, where they have the best view of the moon and stars. She has never been to a place with more than fifty people, and she always thought she would grow up here in the Moon Shadow and take it over one day with her brother Kenny.

Bree is a beautiful, outgoing teen that loves to shop, hang out with friends and party. She really wants to be a model someday. To her life seems perfect, and she just knows she will be taken for the modelling class. Until she hears the news from the science geeks that called her parents.

Then, everything changes. Jack’s science teacher calls (which is a class he happened to fail) and invites Jack to come see the eclipse at the Moon Shadow with him, while leading a tour and working on a project. Jack doesn’t really want to go until he hears that would get him out of summer school. No summer school? Oh, sure I’ll come Mr. Silver! Jack says. Anything to get out of school while your supposed to be home having fun. So he goes on the trip. Ally suddenly figures out that she will have to move to a crowded area around Chicago. Leave the Moon Shadow? Go where the stars are pretty much covered with pollution? NO WAY! But, her parents have decided, and the Moon Shadow is already getting new owners. Bree is terrified! A place without malls? Without civilization? Are they kidding me? These are the first thoughts that go through Bree’s head when she finds out she is moving to a lonely place called the Moon Shadow. What is she supposed to do with stars? She needs clothes!

But, with everything happening so fast, the three teenagers become friends and start planning how to go back to where they belong. Lots of events happen, and in the end.... read for yourself! This is a great book, which you won't want to put down.

Review by Jessi479

Works Cited
"Every Soul a Star Cover." Online image. LibraryThing. 4 June 2009 http://www.librarything.com/work/5376233

Thanks to Danette Haworth, Virtual Guest Author!

2009-05-28T09:23:00.003-05:00

The sixth grade lunch bunch read Violet Raines Almost Got Struck by Lightning for our last book of the year. We were very fortunate to be able to have an author chat with Danette Haworth. Ms. Haworth showed us some pictures of wildlife and the landscape in Florida that help shaped the places in the book. We also got a chance to look at a bunch of examples of cover art.

It was a text chat with images in a presentation. It was great watching the students involved. As our time with Danette went on, they crept closer and closer to the screen where we could see the images and the text chat. By the end of the session they were waving and saying good-bye to the screen.

We really appreciate Danette Haworth taking the time to talk with us about her book and answer our many questions. I'm excited about the possibility of connecting with other authors virtually in the future.

Works Cited
"Violet Raines Cover." Online Image. Summer Friend Blog. 28 May 2009 http://summerfriend.blogspot.com/

Home of the Brave by Katherine Applegate

2009-05-10T16:30:00.004-05:00

Home of the Brave is one of the 2010 Caudill nominees. Although the cover of the book doesn't look particularly appealing, I really hope that students will look past the cover and check out this book. I thought it was a pretty amazing read.

Kek describes his experience arriving in America after leaving a relocation camp in Sudan. His dad and brother were killed in the violence and his mom is missing. Kek tries to understand this new country after arriving in Minnesota during the middle of winter. Written in verse, the language is poetic and beautiful. Fifth-grader Kek remains optimistic and has a way of connecting with people and carving out a new life for himself in spite of heartbreaking and nightmarish experiences endured in his young life.
This book is touching and poignant. I would highly recommend this book.

Works Cited
"Home of the Brave Cover." Online image. LibraryThing. 8 May 2009 http://www.librarything.com/work/2610887

Deep and Dark and Dangerous by Mary Downing Hahn

2009-05-07T09:38:00.003-05:00

Ali is just your average 13-year-old girl looking for some adventure in her summer. When her Aunt Dulcie invites her Gull Cottage by Sycamore Lake, where Dulcie and her mother used to spend summers, to baby sit Emma while Dulcie paints, Ali can’t say yes fast enough. Ali’s mother is not as open to the idea, could it have something to do with the picture Ali found a few weeks of Dulcie, her mom, and the arm of a girl who’s name completely gone except for the letter “T”? Ali tells her mom that there is nothing dangerous about Sycamore Lake. Although her mom seems to be holding something back, she eventually lets Ali go with her aunt and cousin. When they get to lake Ali has no idea how her mother could hate such a gorgeous place.

Emma, who’s 4 years old, is simply ecstatic that she gets to spend the summer here and is almost happy except for one thing, besides her mom Ali is her best and only friend. Then Sissy comes. Sissy is cruel, bratty and Emma’s new best friend. Ali is furious when Emma starts acting exactly like Sissy. Ali is sure that Sissy is just using Emma ,but whenever she brings the topic up Emma becomes furious and Ali gets in trouble with Dulcie. When Sissy starts telling them the rumors about a girl being drowned right in Sycamore Lake, Ali begins to wonder who she can trust and what is and isn’t real.
Deep and Dark and Dangerous by Mary Downing Hahn is a thrilling, quick read that will keep you reading until the very end. I’d give it a 4 out of 5 because at times the plot was quite predictable, other than that Hahn does a wonderful job of making the characters jump off the page and has really created a wonderfully chilling ghost story.

Review by SilentLikeALamb17

Works Cited
"Deep and Dark and Dangerous Cover." Online image. LibraryThing. 7 May 2009 http://www.librarything.com/work/2338116.

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

2009-04-17T10:22:00.003-05:00

Seldom in the realm of young adult fiction are we placed into the mind of a character such as Katsa. Graceling by Kristin Cashore narrates from the point of view of a young lady who struggles with control over her own life. In the world of Graceling, some individuals are born with proficiency in a certain skill, called a Grace. These “Gracelings” have distinctive eyes that identify them. Some are alienated, while others rise to higher positions. Katsa is discovered to have a Grace that isolates her from other people and Gracelings alike: the Grace of killing. She is exploited by her uncle Randa, a king. Unexpectedly, she meets a mystifying Graceling fighter, Prince Greening, or “Po”, who seems to be able to read her like an open book. He becomes one of her first real friends. A mystery arises as to the kidnapping of Po’s grandfather, and they discover a secret that threatens the destruction of all they know.

Graceling was better than I anticipated, seeing as it was the author’s debut novel. I didn’t completely like the writing style in the beginning, but I did get used to it after the first few chapters. The plot and character development, especially the change in Katsa’s personality, became more absorbing as I read on. The twist at the end especially surprised me. Those who enjoy fiction or fantasy would most likely enjoy this book because of its array of colorful characters.

Review by Bear Xiong

Works Cited
"Graceling Cover." Online image. LibraryThing. 17 April 2009 http://www.librarything.com/work/5246849

Need by Carrie Jones

2009-04-17T10:04:00.004-05:00

Zara, has been sent to her parents’ home state, Maine, months after her father died. When the book starts, Zara is extremely depressed about it. Her mother sends her to live with her Grandma Betty for some time. When she gets there, she goes to a new school and meets the creepy guy. Turns out, the creepy guy is a pixie. This is all I can say if i don't want to spoil the book.

Another cool thing in the book are the fears. Zara names all kinds of funky fears and phobias that no one has ever heard of. There are so many you can't even remember them all. This suspenseful book is packed with action and love. I think it is great for guys and girls even though the main character is a girl.

Review by JG

Works Cited
"Need Cover." Online image. LibraryThing. 16 April 2009 http://www.librarything.com/work/6025844/

The Last Invisible Boy by Evan Kuhlman

2009-04-06T14:15:00.003-05:00

The Last Invisible Boy was a sad and funny book about a boy named Garret who is writing a diary/journal of his life. He had recently lost his dad which he calls "the terrible day that changed everything", and he explains the struggles of his brother, his mom, and himself. During this time he feels like he is “going invisible.” Garret hasn’t gone to school for weeks and goes to the cemetery where his father is buried. Garret has a friend that helps him the whole way through.

Review by cecx2

Works Cited
"The Last Invisibile Boy Cover." Online image. LibraryThing. 6 April 2009 http://www.librarything.com/work/5175838

Earth Day Book Swap

2009-04-06T12:17:00.003-05:00

Highland students will have the opportunity to participate in the school's first book swap. Students are invited to bring in a middle school appropropriate book from home they no longer want or need. Students can drop these books off in the Learning Center any time in the next few weeks.

Then, on Earth Day, April 22, the book swap will be open for action. All of the books that were collected during the swap will be on display. Students who brought in a book are welcome to come to the library and choose a new-to-them book from what other students' have added to the swap. It'll be a great way to reuse books and get some new things for students' personal libraries!

Highland Book Fair, 4/14 - 4/17

2009-04-06T11:55:00.002-05:00

The spring book fair will soon be arriving at Highland.
The book fair will be held in the Learning Center from Tuesday, 4/14 - Friday, 4/17. Students will have the opportunity to browse and shop when they visit the library with their literature classes. The book fair will also be open during Open House from 7:00-8:30 on Thursday, 4/16.

If you have questions. please contact Ms. Wyatt.

The Door of No Return by Sarah Mussi

2009-03-26T11:53:00.004-05:00

Zac Baxter is just a teenager when his grandfather is brutally murdered and their apartment ransacked. Suddenly caught in a deadly conspiracy where every move could bring a deadly checkmate, Zac has no one to trust and everything to lose. Zac moves to Ghana in a thrilling conclusion that can uncover the truth…and a treasure of gold. This fast paced book boasts an exciting plot, tons of intriguing foreshadows, and every new clue in the mystery completely throws you for a loop. Also, the reader will enjoy the Zac’s amusing thoughts like this portion of the book.
“‘Why do you think I was so ready to help you?’
‘Because of my stunning good looks,’ I suggested.
‘Dummy,’ said Mina.”

Unfortunately, sometimes the book moves a little too quickly and the foreshadows can ruin the suspense of sections of the book. However all in all the book was an amusing and novel that compelled you to keep reading.

Review by Septimus Demosthenes

Works Cited
"The Door of No Return Cover." Online image. LibraryThing. 26 March 2009 http://www.librarything.com/work/5233082

The Magic Thief by Sarah Prineas

2009-03-17T13:55:00.004-05:00

The Magic Thief is about a poor gutter boy named Connwaer who steals a stone from a stranger. Little does he know that the stone is actually a locus magicalicus, a stone on which a wizard focuses his or her magic. At first, he thinks the man is ordinary and not so special, but then he realizes that the man is anything but ordinary and has gotten himself in something involving forces even greater than his own. Wellmet is a city teeming with magic. But as the magic level drops in Wellmet, can Conn save it from the hands of disaster?

I rate this book 5 stars because of the action and the power of friendship woven throughout this novel.

Review by Diana

Works Cited
"The Magic Thief Cover." Online image. LibraryThing. 13 March 2009 http://www.librarything.com/work/book/43032502

GemX by Nicky Singer

2009-03-17T12:39:00.003-05:00

This science fiction novel takes place in a futuristic society where people are either extremely poor or wasteful and rich. A genetically modified “GemX” child, Maxo Strang lives the life of a snotty brat, until one day, when he sees a girl on a TropScreen who he instantly falls in love with. As he finds out who she is and learns her story, both of their lives are changed. This story is somewhat innovate and creative, but is somewhat too unrealistic at times. The author’s naming of ProperNouns is also somewhat distracting. If you like romance novels and reading about dystopian societies, then this is the book for you.

Review by I. Kanreed

Works Cited
"GemX Cover." Online image. LibraryThing. 13 March 2009

Masterpiece by Elise Broach

2009-03-17T11:53:00.002-05:00

Marvin is somewhat normal. He has a very big family. The thing that isn’t very normal about Marvin is that he is a beetle. He lives under a sink in the Pompadays’ home. The boy who lives there is James. When James gets a pen and ink set for his birthday Marvin surprises him with a tiny picture of the outside of James’s window. James sees the picture and starts talking to Marvin.

When James’ dad sees this he is very impressed. So impressed that he shows it to the museum. There James and Marvin realize that the picture looks like a Durer drawing. Then the assistant says that many of Durer’s drawings have been stolen. And she gets the idea that if James (Marvin) could draw a fake drawing of Fortitude then she might be able to catch the thieves. When the plan goes wrong what will Marvin do to get the real picture back?

I rate this book a 5 out of 5 because it was a book I could never put down.

Review by AH

Works Cited
"Masterpiece Cover." Online image. LibraryThing. 16 March 2009 http://www.librarything.com/work/book/43028148

The Possibilities of Sainthood by Donna Freitas

2009-03-17T10:16:00.004-05:00

Most girls enjoy reading teen romance novels. Unfortunately, it seems that most love stories targeted toward our age group all have the same plot lines and are very limited. Each of these stories only seems to be a variation on a theme. For this reason, I was pleasantly surprised when I read The Possibilities of Sainthood by Donna Freitas, which really stood out from other novels in this genre.

This book is about Antonia Lucia Bella, an Italian American teenager with big dreams and hopes of finding love. Since she was a child, Antonia has dreamed of becoming a saint. She has sent the Pope tons of letters suggesting all kinds of saints — from patron saint of the fig tree to saint of quick thinking. She has always recommended herself for the job. But now she needs a certain saint more than anything else- the patron saint of kissing. Antonia is desperate for her first kiss. Only, she may be looking for a relationship with the wrong guy, when her perfect match is right before her.

Through a few miracles, humorous events, and sweet moments, Antonia learns about herself and love. Most of all, she sees that she is wonderful the way she is.

This novel is laced with the humor and struggles of dealing with family, boys, and discovering yourself. It is a fun read that I would recommend to girls looking for an entertaining coming-of-age book.

Review by KM

Works Cited
"The Possibilites of Sainthood Cover." Online image. LibraryThing. 17 March 2009 http://www.librarything.com/work/5126377

Announcing the Highland Literary Journal

2009-03-17T10:08:00.006-05:00

I'm really excited about this new project! Mrs. O'Connell, Mrs. Fox, Ms. Hodges, Ms. Ortega, and I got a grant this year to start a literary journal at Highland.

We are currently collecting submissions of writing from students and staff members at Highland. The writing can be poetry, prose, or non-fiction. Writing pieces should be submitted to me via email ewyatt@d70schools.org or on a flash drive. The deadline to submit work is April 17, 2009.

We are also looking for a name for the journal, cover art, and students and staff members willing to serve on the editorial board to help determine the what will be included in the inaugural Highland literary journal. I've included a copy of the application for the editorial board within this blog post.

Please see me in the Learning Center if you have any questions and stay tuned for some more updates on how the project is progressing.

Caudill News

2009-03-05T22:20:00.002-06:00

The Highland Caudill results are in, and the winner at Highland was The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan. Second place was Jenny Han's shug and Heat by Mike Lupica was in third place. We had 278 students vote this year. To vote in the Caudill program students had to read three or more of the nominated books. There were 20 students who read all 20 of the Caudill nominees!

Next week we'll have the Battle of the Books. There are some battles scheduled within and between classes. Any students are welcome to come to the Battle of the Books on Friday, March 13 afterschool.

A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban

2009-03-04T10:15:00.002-06:00

A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban really reminded me about how the little things can be wonderful. Zoe Elias learns this when she realizes she wants to learn how to play piano and go onto Carnegie Hall. When she asks for a big, white, shiny, new grand piano, all she gets is the Perfectone D-60..an old, wheezy, organ. Throughout the book, Zoe learns that the Perfectone really isn't that bad and discovers that her family and friends love her. She faces many challenges but succeeds in the end. One challange is the annual Perform-O-Rama. Will Zoe take home the gold, or fall flat on her face with the Perfectone D-60? Read A Crooked Kind of Perfect to find out!

Review by FredrickO'Charles

Works Cited
"A Crooked Kind of Perfect cover." Online image. LibraryThing. 4 March 2009 http://www.librarything.com/work/book/42485152

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

2009-03-04T09:49:00.003-06:00

If you knew that someone you loved was going to die, how far would you go to save them? Mary E. Pearson explores this concept in The Adoration of Jenna Fox. Jenna Fox has just come out of a coma after she was in an unexplained accident. She’s trying to piece together her life while trying to unscramble the mysteries of the present. Why can she remember her baptism when she was an infant but not remember what her best friends were like? Why does her next door neighbor know more about her than she does? Why is she 2 inches shorter than before? Most importantly, who was Jenna Fox and who is Jenna Fox?

On her journey Jenna will have to face obstacles bigger than odd next door neighbors, cute egocentric boys, and kind disabled girls. She’ll have to face herself and what she did that her parents are trying to make her forget. But if she forgets her past, how will she discover her future?

Overall I enjoyed the book. I would give it a 3 out of 5 stars because there were certain parts that I thought were boring and unnecessary and the ending was pathetic for a published writer. Other than that I thought that theme was great and it was an original story that is worth reading.

Review by SilentLikeALamb17

Works Cited
"The Adoration of Jenna Fox Cover." Online image. LibraryThing. 4 March 2009 http://www.librarything.com/work/4448913/

Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree by Lauren Tashis

2009-02-25T19:48:00.005-06:00

It was lights out this afternoon at Highland. The power suddenly went out and stayed out until there were just five minutes left of the school day.

Thank goodness the library has some windows and emergency lights. We were still able to host classes for reading, although the two classes signed up to use the computer lab were out of luck.

After working for a while on non-computerized things, I decided to take advantage of the time and read along with the students in the library. I picked up a book from next year's Caudill list, Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree. It was such a cute, touching story. I really liked it, and it was a super quick read. Emma-Jean is a quirky protagonist who finds it a great complement to be called strange after she looks up the definition in the dictionary. She is the kind of kid who stands apart and likes to observe. However, she decides to try to help a couple people out with problems which leads her into problems of her own. Her brand of help, although clever, usually involves some level of forgery. I really liked Emma-Jean. I think this will prove a popular Caudill book, particularly with the sixth graders.

Works Cited
"Emma Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree Cover." Online image. LibraryThing. 25 Feb, 2009 http://www.librarything.com/work/1826591

The Wild Girls by Pat Murphy

2009-01-29T16:10:00.003-06:00

The Wild Girls is about Joan, a girl who reluctantly moves to a new neighborhood. In the forest nearby, she discovers an eccentric girl who refers to herself as the “Queen of the Foxes”, or Fox for short. Joan and Fox become fast friends, and spend their time exploring and imagining. As Joan grows closer to Fox, and meets Fox’s father, Gus, she begins to learn more about herself and discovers a love for writing.

I was quick to judge when reading The Wild Girls: within the first two chapters I had already dismissed it as a trivial, juvenile book that wasn’t likely to be remotely unique. I began to find the story interesting and enjoy it a bit more when the girls join a writing program, and when Joan’s conflict with her family was brought more into focus. Altogether, readers of realistic fiction might be inclined to follow the colorful characters of Joan and Fox, but others might find the story somewhat bland. I would rate this story a 2.5 out of 5 stars.

Review by Bear Xiong

Works Cited

"The Wild Girls Cover." Online image. LibraryThing. 29 Jan. 2009 http://www.librarything.com/work/book/41099428

Evernight by Claudia Gray

2009-01-29T15:54:00.006-06:00

Bianca doesn't connect with people well; she's extremely shy. She's deadly afraid of her first day at Evernight academy where her parents are both teachers. She decides to make a statement to her parents and run away from the gloomy castle of Evernight. Before she gets too far away from Evernight she meets Lucas who tackles her thinking she needs protection from something. Lucas is apparently also an Evernight student and Bianca finds it strangely easy to talk to him. Bianca finds Lucas attractive with his rumpled bronze hair and his perfect smile. They depart and Bianca can't wait to go to orientation in hopes of seeing Lucas again.

At Evernight there are two very distinct social groups: the perfect, snobby popular ones and the losers who didn't belong. Bianca, upon arrival realizes she's in the second group. In the main hall where all the students are assembled Lucas is nowhere to be found. Even after the headmistress has dismissed everyone Bianca can't find Lucas and she is disappointed, she thought Lucas and her had really connected, but apparently it was nothing special. In the next few days Bianca is walking to class with Patrice and she sees Lucas. She immediately runs over to talk to him and he acts as though he's never met her before. Bianca is crushed and feels completely alone once again. She tries to forget about Lucas but it seems impossible. What will happen next? Will Bianca and Lucas ever end up together? To find out these answers and more read Evernight by Claudia Gray.

Overall I thought that Evernight had an outstanding cast of characters that keep you reading until the very end. I would give it 5 out of 5 stars because the plot was full of twists and turns and it was one of those books that really makes you laugh, cry, and wish for more. I would highly suggest reading Evernight to all fans of Twilight.

Review by SilentLikeALamb17

Works Cited
"Evernight cover." Online image. LibraryThing. 29 Jan. 2009 http://www.librarything.com/work/4511060/book/41099007

Boost by Kathy Mackel

2009-01-23T15:23:00.002-06:00

I really enjoyed the book Boost by Kathy Mackel. This book is about sports and how some people turn them into more than just fun. Savvy is a star basketball player and her older sister Callie is a flyer on a cheerleading team. Although their sports are very different, they are both looking to boost their game. When illigal steroids are found in Savvy's gym bag, she says they are not hers but no one seems to belive her. Meanwhile, her sister, Callie, is stuggling to keep her position as the star flyer on the team even after she is told she is getting too heavy and needs to drop some weight. How far will both girls go to stay on top? You'll have to read Boost to find out!

Review by FredrickO'Charles

Works Cited
"Boost Cover." Online image. LibraryThing. 23 Jan 2009 http://www.librarything.com/work/book/40842502

The Compound by S. A. Bodeen

2009-01-23T15:13:00.003-06:00

In a world where supposedly everything has been destroyed from nuclear war, one family survives. When warning of an attack came, Eli Yanakakis and his family escaped to an obscure, underground structure called the Compound, built by Eli's father, a rich and powerful figure. The doors to the outside are locked for 15 years, when nuclear radiation is supposed to dissipate, and can only be opened before with a password that only Eli's father knows. Unfortunately, they are running out of food, and having no choice, Eli's family turn to drastic solutions. It is during this time that Eli finally stumbles into the room meant to be for his twin brother Eddy, who along with his grandmother, did not reach the Compound in time. Eli suddenly notices that Eddy's laptop, which still had an Internet setup, was briefly connected to the Internet. Through a series of events, Eli and his siblings begin to question their father's actions, until they finally realize the horrible truth. This great novel provides constant surprises and twists, and will make you want to finish it in one sitting.

Review by I. Kanreed

Works Cited
"The Compound Cover." Online image. LibraryThing. 23 Jan. 2009 http://www.librarything.com/work/book/40842054

The Devil's Breath by David Gilman

2009-01-23T15:03:00.003-06:00

From the very first sentence, “The killer, like many assassins, came in the night”, to the dramatic conclusion, The Devil's Breath is action packed. And, unlike some popular books, like the Maximum Ride series, this book has a plot too! The only problem with the book is that there is a little too much of the supernatural. When 15-year-old Max Gordon’s father goes missing, Max journeys to South Africa to find him. However, this adventure is made much more difficult by mercenaries, giant sinkholes, and sabotage. This exciting novel deserves 4 1/2 stars.

Review by Demosthenes Pleasant

Works Cited
"The Devil's Breath Cover." Online image. LibraryThing 23 Jan. 2009 http://www.librarything.com/work/book/40841701

Quest by Kathleen Benner Duble

2009-01-13T15:58:00.003-06:00

Quest is a historical fiction book about the time when the crew of the Discovery try to discover a passage to the east. Different parts of the book are told by one of four people; John Hudson, the son of Henry Hudson Henry who is the captain of the Discovery, Richard Hudson, who was the brother of John, Seth Syms, a boy who was trying to escape from someone and replaced his cousin Nicholas on the Discovery, and Isabella Digges, who has fallen in love with John. I like how this book is told from four different points of view, and it’s not the kind of book that uses sailor terms.
I would give this book 4.5 stars out of 5.

Review by cecx2

Works Cited
"Quest Cover." Online image. LibraryThing. 13 Jan. 2009 http://www.librarything.com/work/5046595/40437245

Fairy Tale Detectives by Michael Buckley

2009-01-08T21:44:00.005-06:00

Fairy Tale Detectives, part of The Sisters Grimm series, is a hilarious novel about two girls, Sabrina and Daphne Grimm, who are orphans. They have theoretically not relatives and have been tossed around to many foster homes. When someone who claims to be their "Grandma Grimm" shows up, the girls are a bit skeptical about following her to her home in Ferryport. But soon Sabrina and Daphne find out that things aren't always what they seem in Ferryport.

I think everyone should read this novel! It's a book that you will never be able to put it down!

Works Cited
"The Sisters Grimm Cover." Online image. LibraryThing. 8 Jan. 2009 http://www.librarything.com/work/book/40236526

Knucklehead by Jon Scieszka

2009-01-08T21:30:00.004-06:00

Most of us probably head straight to the fiction section of the library, forgetting about the biography and autobiography sections. So if we never venture into that unpopular library section how much will we miss out on? Are there interesting or perhaps even entertaining books that we won’t ever know about? Honestly, I would usually keep my distance between the biography section and myself. However, after recently reading the hysterical book Knucklehead by Jon Scieszka, I saw that there actually are some great autobiographies.

Knucklehead is an autobiography of Jon Scieszka, the editor of Guys Write for Guys Read and the hilarious co-author of books such as The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs! and The Stinky Cheese Man. His autobiography focuses mainly on his incredible boyhood and growing up in a family with six mischievous boys. Scieszka and his brothers were deemed “knuckleheads” by their father, which, after each amazing act of stupidity and their never-ending monkey business, is proven to be true. I really enjoyed reading this book and often times found myself laughing out loud. From breaking his brother’s collarbone four times, tying his little brother to a bed with his father’s ties, tying a babysitter up in a closet for two hours, and some crazy road trip adventures, this book is full of laughs! There were also tons of great pictures and drawings included along the text. This book was very funny and was a pleasure to read. As an autobiography, I give Knucklehead high praise, and would rate it three stars compared to all books.

Works Cited
"Knucklehead Cover." Online Image. LibraryThing. 08 Jan. 2009 http://www.librarything.com/work/book/40236172

Into the Volcano by Don A. Wood

2009-01-08T21:20:00.002-06:00

Into the Volcano is an interesting new graphic novel about two brothers who go on a trip to Hawaii, where some of their relatives live. The boys get more than they signed up for, as a "research trip" into an exploding volcano reveals the true reason they are there. Sumo, the timid and less athletic brother, also must overcome his weaknesses, and his experience in the volcano changes him. Meanwhile, the brothers meet up with an unexpected person, and must escape from the volcano. This graphic novel has some great, almost cinematic drawings, and is as much about the artwork as the story. The plot, however, can be somewhat unrealistic at times. Still, this book is an exhilarating and breathtaking experience, that older and younger kids can both enjoy.

Works Cited
"Into the Volcano Cover." Online image. LibraryThing. 8 Oct. 2009 http://www.librarything.com/work/book/40235533

Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

2009-01-08T20:39:00.003-06:00

Wowsa! I got hooked into this book. I had heard from a couple students and other librarians that it was a book I shouldn't miss. I agree! Although I think I actually hollered out at the end because it left me hanging and waiting for book two...

Katniss is chosen as the District 12 girl competitor for the annual Hunger Games. The games consist of 24 teens, two from each district. Life is hard in District 12, and Katniss and her best friend, Gale, have to scrounge and hunt illegally in order to help their families survive. When she travels to the capital Katniss and Peeta, the boy competitor from District 12, have to compete in the games and try to outwit and outlast the other contestants in a game of life and death that is manipulated for the interest of the viewing audience. With a little bit of everything, this book will appeal to a wide audience. There was action, adventure, fights to the death, and even some romance. This book kept me turning the pages and the end left me hanging and hungering for the sequel.

Works Cited
"The Hunger Games Cover." Online image. LibraryThing. 8 Oct. 2009 http://www.librarything.com/work/7251909/book/40233646

The Tail of Emily Windsnap by Liz Kessler

2008-12-30T22:44:00.004-06:00

Emily Windsnap is just your average seventh grader except for one little thing: she's half mermaid. I know that is something you can't really miss, and she only turns grows a tail when she's in the water. Her mom has never allowed her to take swim lessons before. Until she decides to let Emily take them in seventh grade which is kind of inconvenient considering Emily and her mom live on a boat. After Emily discovers she's a mermaid she sneaks out at night to go for a swim, and she meets another mermaid named Shona. Shona has a theory about how Emily is so unique but she wants to ask her teacher at her mermaid school a few questions to confirm her theory. They ask the teacher and they learn about an illegal interaction between a merman and a human woman that happened in this area. Apparently they were deeply in love and King Neptune's guards caught them, arrested the merman, and began to wipe the memory of the human woman. Emily and Shona go on a journey to find Emily's father but in the process Emily finds out things that she never dreamed of learning about.

Overall I would give the book three stars because there were a few parts where Emily took forever to figure things out, which bugged me, and I thought the ending only resolved part of the conflict and I honestly hated it. I thought the book had two main strengths, one was the plot was very interesting and there really was no boring parts, also Emily has a very strong sense of who she is so it makes her a character you can relate to easily. I would highly suggest The Tail of Emily Windsnap by Liz Kessler to anyone who likes fantasy and adventure.

Review by SilentLikeALamb17

Works Cited
"The Tail of Emily Windsnap Cover." Online image. LibraryThing. 30 Dec. 2008 http://www.librarything.com/work/1004049/.

A Friend at Midnight by Caroline Cooney

2008-12-30T22:32:00.003-06:00

A Friend at Midnight by Caroline B. Cooney is about a girl named Lily and her family. Her brother Michael just moved out to live with her dad. Michael is just eight, but he really needed his dad. Lily lives with her mom and her stepfather. Her stepfather isn't too bad, but Lily doesn't like him simply because he isn't her dad. Nate, Lily's baby stepbrother, is the only sibling she has left living with her, since her big sister, Reb, is just going to college. On the day that Lily's mom and stepdad are taking Reb to college, her little brother calls. He doesn't call from his dad's house though he calls from the airport. Michael just got dropped off at the airport without anything at all. The reason why her dad dropped him off was because Michael wasn't "the son he had in mind." Lily goes through a lot of trouble to pick Michael up, and then not trying to tell anyone what happened to Michael. Michael didn't want his dad to get in trouble, because he was still his dad. No matter what, Michael would always love him- something Lily would never be able to do again, after what had happened to her brother.

Review by jessi479

Works Cited
"A Friend at Midnight Cover." Online image. LibraryThing. 29 Dec. 2009 http://www.librarything.com/work/1889177/.

Impossible by Nancy Werlin

2008-12-23T11:42:00.004-06:00

I found this to be a very compelling read. Lucy (Lucinda) has been raised by two loving adoptive parents. Her mother, Miranda, went crazy after giving birth, leaving Lucy with the lyrics to Scarborough Fair. The Scarborough girls have been cursed...they get pregnant with a daughter at 18 and as soon as they deliver the daughter they go insane. The lyrics to the song they pass down holds the key to breaking the curse. When she is 18, Lucy too becomes pregnant after she is raped at prom. Lucy has people around her who love and believe in her, including the boy-next-door best friend Zach, and together this group tries to race against time to complete the three tasks before she delivers her baby.

Because of some of the issues that arise in this book, I would recommend it as a read for 8th graders. This book would definitely appeal to fans of Twilight and the Gemma Doyle series, but certainly is a strong enough read to find fans all its own. It seems like several of the books I've read lately (From Charlie's Point of View, A Great and Terrible Beauty, Poison, and Keturah and Lord Death) have this common thread of integrating this fantasy or other-worldly realm into the story.

Works Cited
"Impossible Cover." Online image. LibraryThing. 23 Dec. 2008 http://www.librarything.com/work/5398461/

Highland Book Fair

2008-12-03T22:26:00.003-06:00

The first book fair of the year is underway in the Highland Learning Center.
The book fair will be open during the school day from Wednesday, 12/3 - Friday, 12/5. Students will have a chance to visit the book fair with their language arts and literature classes. Checks can be made out to Highland Middle School.

A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray

2008-12-03T16:42:00.006-06:00

After her mother's death, Gemma is sent to a boarding school in London where she is to be taught how to behave like a lady in order to land a husband. She is haunted and puzzled by the events around her mother's death and the strange vision she had. After finding a hidden diary and exploring her new powers, she and three friends decide to try to explore the Realm. This decision and the excursions into the Realm has serious consequences for them all and delves into each of the girl's hearts desire.

I am anxious to read the rest of the series and see where Gemma's path takes her. I think this series would appeal to fans of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series.

Works Cited
"A Great and Terrible Beauty Cover." Online image. LibraryThing. 3 Dec. 2008
http://www.librarything.com/work/32099/

Forensic Mystery

2008-11-30T21:19:00.005-06:00

I did a little travel over break and took the first two books in the Forensic Mystery series by Alane Ferguson with me. These books feature a high school student, Cammie, who is fascinated with forensics and has convinced her coroner father to allow her to work as the assistant to the coroner. This job brings her to the scene of several crimes, and she gets really involved in helping to uncover the mysteries behind the deaths. Intertwined in all the medical and crime scene investigation information is insight into Cammie's personal life including the disappearance of her mother, her relationship with her best friend, and her interaction with the new deputy sheriff, Justin. Cammie somehow seems to get herself in the middle of the action through her tenacity, persistence, and curiosity.

I really enjoyed these books and am looking forward to reading about Cammie's third adventure.

Works Cited
"The Angel of Death Cover." Online image. LibraryThing. 30 Nov. 2008 http://www.librarything.com/work/1782424/
"The Christopher Killer." Online image. LibraryThing. 30 Nov. 2008 http://www.librarything.com/work/1439350/

Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson

2008-11-30T21:05:00.002-06:00

Chains takes place while the Revolutionary War is raging. When their owner dies, Isabel is left alone with her younger sister, Ruth. They are denied their pledged freedom and taken from Rhode Island to New York to work for a Loyalist couple. After meeting another slave, a boy named Curzon on the side of the Patriots, she is torn between which side she should support. Isabel begins to play her part in the conflict, wishing only to gain freedom for her and Ruth.
Chains was a smooth, simple read that gave me a slightly different angle on the Revolutionary War. Although I had already known a little about the War, the author presented the events in a way that made me feel like I was learning about them all over again through the eyes of a young slave girl. For a young adult historical fiction book, it was very good compared to others I have read and got started quicker rather than dragging on. However, as I got to the end, I felt as if it wasn’t complete, and wanted to know more about the fates of the characters. Overall, I would rate this book 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Review by Bear Xiong

Works Cited
"Chains Cover." Online image. LibraryThing. 30 Nov. 2008 http://www.librarything.com/work/5175837/

The Great Receiver by Elena Yates Eulo

2008-11-23T15:58:00.004-06:00

Joey Eastland is a vital part of his high school football team. As the water boy, he's a team player always ready to help. Unbeknownst to others, he aspires to be the wide receiver of his team, and he has to ability to do it. When one of the players on the team is suspended for cheating, Joey gets the spot and finds himself much more popular. As Joey tries to maintain an unstable equilibrium between staying on top of his schoolwork and acknowledging his newfound popularity, he realizes that in the end you have to do what you believe is right. This book about a high school student's struggles and accomplishments includes many moments of comedy and can be a good read even if you don't like sports.

Review by I. Kanreed

Works Cited
"The Great Receiver Cover." Online image. LibraryThing. 29 Nov. 2008 http://www.librarything.com/work/6065045/book/38714622

How to Ditch Your Fairy by Justine Larbalester

2008-11-23T15:52:00.006-06:00

Charlie is a fourteen year-old girl living in New Avalon, a city in a world where everyone has a fairy that gives them good luck in certain areas, whether it be making the perfect serve every time, always having nice hair, or possessing a knack for finding loose change. These fairies are very helpful, make life easy, and can even bring fame. But for Charlie, having a fairy is a nightmare. Her is a parking fairy which always allows her find a good parking spot. Charlie’s gift has become a horrible nuisance as people always drag her along with them when driving anywhere. She begins going out of her way to get rid of her fairy. As things get worse and it seems like she will never be free of her fairy, Charlie teams up with a girl she despises, Fiorenze, who also dislikes her gift, in hopes of getting rid of their fairies. They both find a way to get what they desired only to realize that their new gifts might be even worse than before. In the end, they have to take some extreme actions to fix things.

This book was an enjoyable read, and I think it would appeal to most younger girl readers at Highland, especially those who enjoy more girly fantasy stories. I found this book a bit confusing as it was set in a different world with a whole new vocabulary. I also felt like I wasn’t able to relate to the characters. The plot was very simple and the lack of major conflicts bothered me. I also felt as if I had read similar books and thought this one didn’t stand out. I would give it two out of five stars. Though I wasn’t very impressed by this novel, it was a fun, lighthearted book that I think most readers will enjoy.

Review by KM

Works Cited
"How to Ditch Your Fairy Cover." Online image. LibraryThing. 27 Nov. 2008 http://www.librarything.com/work/5267367/.

The Savage by David Almond

2008-11-13T21:07:00.003-06:00

The Savage is written by David Almond and illustrated by Dave McKean. It is a great novel within a novel kind of story. It is a fast-paced, violent, and intense book. The story is about a boy, Blue, who loses his father, and to drown out his sorrows, he creates a comic book called the Savage. This comic is about, you guessed it, a savage boy living in the woods that feeds on stray chicken and children. Blue writes about many of the Savage's adventures, that he puts into his comic book, and some of which are included within the book.

The Savage is fairly short, about 80 pages, and with all the pictures and large print, there isn’t much reading. I wound up giving the Savage a 3 out of five. It was a little too quick to read, and Blue’s handwriting is hard to decipher, but otherwise, it was a fairly good execution, and a decent book.

Review by JH

Works Cited
"The Savage Cover." Online image. LibraryThing. 13 Nov 2008 http://www.librarything.com/work/5175834

Trouble by Gary Schmidt

2008-11-13T20:32:00.006-06:00

Henry Smith is just your average kid. He has a mom, a dad, sister Louisa and a brother named Franklin. Franklin is a rugby star who promised to climb the mountain Katahdin with Henry. Henry’s life is quite uneventful until a car hits Franklin. Franklin looses his arm and is rarely conscious in the hospital bed. The entire family goes into depression. Louisa locks herself in her room and refuses to come out, Henry’s father just stares out the window, and Henry’s mother tries to put on a brave mask but Henry hears her cry herself to sleep at night. Henry immediately hates the man who hit Franklin, Chay Chouan. When they go to court to see what happens to Chay, the court declares him innocent and just takes away his license for a few months. Henry is furious that the man who tried to kill his brother is off the hook. As Chay leaves the courtroom he looks up at Louisa and she begins to cry. Henry decides that in honor of Franklin he is going to climb Katahdin. Will he make it, and what’s up with Chay and Louisa? To find out these answers and more read Trouble.

I give the book 3 out of 5 stars because the book was excellent once the action started but until that point it was slow. I have to admit that the author set up the plot very well but there were a lot of unnecessary details that dragged down the plot. Overall I thought the book was average with an occasional glimmer of extraordinary writing.

-Review by SilentLikeALamb17

Works Cited
"Trouble Cover." Online image. LibraryThing. 13 Nov. 2008 http://www.librarything.com/work/4124215

The Disreputable History of Frankie-Landau Banks by E. Lockhart

2008-11-13T20:17:00.004-06:00

Frankie-Landau Banks is known to her family as ‘Bunny Rabbit’, a rather degrading nickname, and has been underestimated by them for her entire life. She attends an elite boarding school where most don’t really notice her and those who do have no idea what she is capable of. After a huge summer growth spurt, Frankie suddenly acquires the attention of a whole new crowd of friends, including her crush from the previous year, the handsome and talented Matthew Livingston. She quickly starts dating him, but while everything seems to be going perfectly, she knows that he is keeping secrets from her and shutting her out. She thinks that Matthew is part of an all-male secret society called the Loyal Order of the Bassett Hounds. After finding a book of Former Bassett’s deeds and spying on the group, Frankie uses her undiscovered intelligence to take over the Bassett Hounds and direct them to perform complicated pranks with hidden meanings, while challenging the club’s leader. Nobody suspects it is Frankie since her boyfriend and his friends all seem to want her to be a cute and fragile girl instead of the brilliant genius that she really is. When everything goes terribly wrong, Frankie has to confess to what she has done and deal with the ruined relationships afterward. In the end, Frankie realizes that though losing friendships might hurt, it’s better to be yourself than to be with people that don’t accept who you really are and won’t let you become a part of their lives.

I really enjoyed reading The Disreputable History of Frankie-Landau Banks. It was an entertaining book and was hysterically funny. I would give this book three stars. This is a great book for girls who enjoy humorous books and are looking for a fun read.

Review by KM

Works Cited
"The Disreputable History of Frankie-Landau Banks Cover." Online image. LibraryThing. 13 Nov. 2008 http://www.librarything.com/work/3528275

The Case of the Bizarre Bouquets by Nancy Springer

2008-11-10T20:49:00.003-06:00

In this mystery Sherlock Holmes' assistant Dr. Watson goes missing. Enola Holmes, Sherlock's sister, is determined to show her brother that she is capable of solving mysteries just as well as he can and she sees this mystery as the perfect one to solve. When Enola starts to investigate, she realizes that these bizarre bouquets of flowers keep showing up. The bouquets are regular flowers but there is green asparagus in all of these bizarre bouquets. Enola is determined not only to solve the mystery of Dr. Watson but also the case of the bouquets. The story is filled with some suspence and a lot of big words.

Out of five stars, I give this book a three because the plot is a little hard to understand. There are many slow parts in the book that did not entertain me.

Review by Fredrick O'Charles

Works Cited
"The Case of the Bizarre Bouquets Cover." Online image. LibraryThing. 10 Nov. 2008 http://www.librarything.com/work/3569417

Highland Mock Election Results

2008-11-05T20:04:00.003-06:00

Highland students participated in a school-wide mock election on Tuesday. In addition to the popular vote, a mock electoral college was also conducted with studio ones representing the states.

The Highland Mock Election results were...
POPULAR VOTE:
Obama/Biden 438 = 53.3%
McCain/Palin 317 = 38.6%

ELECTORAL COLLEGE:
Obama/Biden = 344
McCain/Palin = 145

The complete results are available on the mock election page of the LC wiki.

Students served as election judges and did a great job making the election a success.

Keturah and Lord Death by Martine Leavitt

2008-11-03T21:18:00.004-06:00

Keturah follows a hart into the forest and gets utterly lost. As she is sitting there completely depleted of energy a well-dressed handsome man, Lord Death. appears. Keturah relies on her talent to tell stories and makes a deal with Lord Death to give her an extra day of life in order to find her one true love. The story weaves Keturah's exploits to try to find her love and her relationship with Lord Death. I thought of Shadow Spinner as I read, especially in the early parts of the book. I've wanted to read this book for a long while, and I wasn't disappointed as I found the book really enjoyable.

Works Cited
"Keturah and Lord Death Cover." Online image. LibraryThing. 3 Nov. 2008 http://www.librarything.com/work/book/37670779

New Lunch Bunch Book Club Page Launched

2008-11-03T21:07:00.004-06:00

We've just finished the second round of Lunch Bunch Book Club meetings at Highland.
The book clubs have a new web page within information about our upcoming meetings and selected books - http://highlandlc.wikispaces.com/BookClubs. Any students at Highland are welcome to join the book club at any time.

Next books and meetings are:

6th Grade - Fever, 1793 by Anderson on Wednesday, 11/19
7th Grade - Son of the Mob by Korman on Thursday, 11/20
8th Grade - Monkey Town by Kidd on Monday, 11/24
8th Grade - Maus by Spiegelman on Tuesday, 11/25

Evermore by Alyson Noel

2008-11-02T19:19:00.004-06:00

Are you looking for a good romance book but tired of the typical love-story plot line? If so, I would recommend the book Evermore by Alyson Noël. The novel’s main character, sixteen-year-old Ever, lost her family in a terrible car crash. She miraculously survived the accident, and gained the ability to hear people’s thoughts, see auras, and know everything about a person by touch. She also has frequent visits from her dead little sister. She takes extra measures to restrain her powers, and these precautions make her an outcast. This doesn’t affect Ever because she hasn’t cared about most social matters since her former carefree lifestyle ended. That is, until she meets an unusual new student, Damen. Everyone at her school is falling for him, and for good reason, because he is extraordinarily handsome, interesting, and talented. He not only stops the hearts of every girl at the school, but also stops Ever’s burdensome gifts. Ever finds herself in love with Damen, but she quickly realizes that he isn’t like other humans. In fact, she isn’t even sure that he is human. Along with this new love comes danger. Damen’s close friend, Drina, hates Ever and becomes a horrible threat to her existence. Ever finds herself facing a horrible enemy, trying to understand her abilities, helping her sister move on, and deciding whether or not she belongs with Damen.

I thought Evermore was a really interesting and thought provoking book. I also thought it was a refreshing, unique love story compared to typical romance novel, however it was not one of my favorites. I felt like I didn’t get to know other characters besides the narrator very well, and this made it harder to understand their ways of thinking and had trouble wanting Damen and Ever to end up together. Also, it seemed like I had heard some of the ideas and details before, in Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight. I think that those who haven’t read the Twilight series will appreciate this book more. Overall, I would give this a rating of 2.5 stars out of 5. Despite my low rating, I did like this book and think that fans of romance and the paranormal will enjoy reading Evermore.

Works Cited
"Evermore cover." Online image. LibraryThing. 1 Nov. 2008 http://www.librarything.com/work/6103672

Cherry Heaven by L.J. Adlington

2008-10-27T21:08:00.004-05:00

In the distant future, humans have colonized many new worlds and developed gills. On one such world, people are sorted into three different classes according to their genes. A massive war has decided the "ranks" of these classes. Cherry Heaven is a story of this world told through two different viewpoints. Luka is a Galrezi, thought to be an inferior class. Kat and Tanka are two adopted sisters who happen to be Atsumisi, the "highest" ranked class. As these characters meet, the story of past events and injustices is revealed. This book tends to drag on a bit, but it is a great read for science fiction lovers who are looking for something new.
Cherry Heaven is the companion novel to The Diary of Pelly D by L.J. Adlington.

Review by I. Kanread

Works Cited
"Cherry Heaven Cover." Online image. LibraryThing. 27 Oct. 2008 http://www.librarything.com/catalog/ewyatt

The Ghost of Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen

2008-10-17T22:37:00.006-05:00

The Ghost of Spirit Bear was an exhilarating reading experience. The Ghost of Spirit Bear starts off where Touching Spirit Bear ended. Cole has returned from the island of Alaska. His enemy, Peter, is now his best friend after they shared experiences on the island. They now need to face the dangers of Minneapolis Central High School. They have to endure bullies, drugs, and a suicide. Yes…suicide. Cole needs to learn to cope his anger. This book is for mature audience as there is some strong language due to the characters mostly being high school students.

In my opinion, this book is a 5. The book has a great moral, just like its prequel and the author has ended it excellently. I recommend this book to every mature reader at Highland. Hope you read this book and hopefully the prequel before it. And remember, read every chance you get!

Review by KP

Works Cited
"Ghost of Spirit Bear." Online image. LibraryThing. 17 Oct. 2008 .

The Dead and the Gone by Susan Pfeffer

2008-10-17T21:52:00.004-05:00

Alex Morales, a New Yorker, was a junior at a prestigious school, overshadowed by those more fortunate than he. He worried about earning suitable grades for a good college. Then, something completely unexpected happened that changed his way of life forever. In one cataclysmic moment, the moon was knocked closer to the Earth, dramatically altering its climate and leaving its inhabitants frightened and confused.

Now, Alex must support the two remaining members of his family, responsible Bri and kid sister Julie. Bri keeps her faith in religion and preserves undying hope for the safety of their parents, as Julie thinks that everyone and everything has turned against her. They all grapple with reality and fight to try to stay alive.

A powerful parallel novel to Life As We Knew It, The Dead and The Gone was suspenseful, emotional story. The author sets you in the characters’ shoes, and as I read on, I began to see more and more from the point of view of Alex and Bri, and empathize with Julie. However, the first major event came too soon without much emphasis given to it at first, perhaps this is because the characters themselves don’t quite understand what has happened. Those who didn’t read Pfeffer’s Life As We Knew It probably wouldn’t comprehend the idea as much, so although it isn’t necessary, reading Life As We Knew It would be advisable. However, I still feel as if this book drew me in fairly quickly and continued to do so until the end. Overall, I would give this book a rating of four out of five stars, but it is not a story for those who dislike sad stories or angst.

Review by Bear Xiong

Works Cited
"The Dead and the Gone." Online image. LibraryThing. 17 Oct. 2008 .

Sweethearts by Sara Zarr

2008-10-17T21:39:00.004-05:00

Jennifer Harris has turned her life around. Once the outcast, the girl who was spurned by her classmates becomes social Jenna Vaughn. She hides bitter memories from her new friends and boyfriend. One of those memories was of her best and only friend, Cameron Quick. She constantly recalls an incident between them which has repeatedly haunted her. Now, eight years later, it is Jenna’s birthday, and Cameron unexpectedly enters her life again. Jenna now has to cope with suppressing Jennifer Harris and the secrets that have been kept from her by the people she loves.

Reading the inside cover of this book, the plotline did not appear particularly unique to me, but I decided to give it a chance. Now that I have read it, I still think that it isn’t the most creative or engaging idea for a story. The first several pages lured me in a bit, but as the book progressed I didn’t find that it had a real focus. It didn’t leave me with a distinctive feeling at the end either. I did not connect with the characters as much as I would have liked.

Overall, I would give Sweethearts a rating of 2 out of 5. Although I considered it slightly below average, those who enjoy romance might like this story.

Review by Bear Xiong

Works Cited
"Sweethearts." Online image. LibraryThing. 17 Oct. 2008 http://www.librarything.com/work//edit/37132168

Simon Bloom: The Gravity Keeper by Michael Reisman

2008-10-15T21:33:00.003-05:00

The Gravity Keeper brings new ideas to the sci-fi genre in an interesting and colorful way. Sixth grader Simon Bloom stumbles onto the well kept secrets of the Union, a secret society known to everyone but the Outsiders (everyday people). As he learns the fantastic abilities of a mysterious book that literally fell out of the sky, Simon is thrown into a dangerous adventure of saving the world from a tyrant who wants the power of the Union. On the way, he meets Owen, a peculiar boy who is afraid of shredded lettuce, and Alysha, a curious girl who is getting tired of being popular. Together they float, electrify, and ground skate their way through dangerous, and sometimes funny, perils.

Overall this book is a good read that is full of fun adventures and wacky characters, but on the downside, there is not a very strong plot. The book can leave readers with a sense of wanting more story rather than adventure. I give it 3 stars out of 5.

Review by CR

Citation
"Gravity Keeper Cover." Online image. LibraryThing. 15 Oct. 2008 http://www.librarything.com/work/2990767

New Blood by Peter McPhee

2008-10-13T21:04:00.003-05:00

New Blood by Peter McPhee is a very interesting and quick read (167 pages). Callum, a high-school aged immigrant from Scotland, has moved to Canada because of a horrible incident between himself and some thugs from his old, dangerous neighborhood. Callum’s whole family is now living with his older brother Ewan and his wife, Vickie. Callum soon finds himself between a rock and a hard place once again after he gets into a fight with the toughest group of guys at school on the first day. Callum is fortunate, however, to have found two new best friends; Aidan, the rebel, and Tyler, the technology buff. It seems that Callum has bitten off more than he can chew this time. He is in for a lot of surprises living on Morley Avenue. From a cute girl who has an abusive family member, to putting soap in a fountain, to pictures on the internet of Callum wearing a kilt, you never know what could happen next in New Blood.

I thought that New Blood was a relatively good story, but the storyline was not as good as some other books that I have read. It didn’t seem as if the plotline really came together in the end to serve a meaningful purpose. The ending of the book did not really satisfy me. Overall, I would give this book three stars because even though the plotline was not my favorite, the characters were well-developed and the book ended up to be very interesting. I would definitely recommend this book to those readers who are into teenage conflict stories. I usually would not pick out a book like New Blood so it was a somewhat new experience for me.

Review by BH

Citation
"New Blood Cover." Online image. LibraryThing. 13 Oct. 2008 http://www.librarything.com/work/4951479

Exodus by Julie Bertagna

2008-10-13T19:42:00.006-05:00

For science fiction and fantasy readers, I would highly recommend Exodus by Julie Bertagna. After pollution caused the polar ice caps to melt, entire continents have been covered by water and whole nations drowned, leaving only a few scattered islands inhabited by survivors. One of these is the island Wing. As the days grow hotter, the immense waters rise. Fifteen-year old Mara knows that her people need to face the problem before they all drown. A new discovery convinces her that strong cities were built that could provide safety for them. Her people leave to find them. Once they reach one of the grand metropolises, they realize those in safety have decided to turn away all refugees. As everyone grows ill, Mara sneaks in and finds others living in hiding in the city. They are convinced that she is meant to save them. When two of her new friends are taken to be slaves, she ventures into the world above with the hope of helping them all escape to a land that may exist in the north. With the help of a rebel citizen, her plan might work. In the end, Mara has to make a huge sacrifice so that the unwanted people can start their own civilization.

This novel was almost magical and had the important message of protecting our environment and acting with selflessness. My only complaint was that some of the subjects weren’t fully explained. This was a great read!

Review by KM

Citation
"Exodus Cover." Online image. LibraryThing. 13 Oct 2008 http://www.librarything.com/work/255625/covers/

Ever by Gail Carson Levine

2008-10-09T11:33:00.004-05:00

Gail Carson Levine has done it again with Ever. Olus is the god of winds who has never had a friend. Kezi is a mortal peasant who loves to weave and dance. What were to happen if these two were to fall in love? But how long can this love last when Kezi is going to be sacrificed to Admat, what Kezi believes to be the god of all, in 30 days. Olus has a plan, if Kezi were to become immortal then when the priest stabs her he will live, but becoming immortal isn't as easy as you think. Will love conquer all or will Kezi only have 30 days to live with her beloved Olus?

I would give this book a 4.5 stars out of 5. I thought the book was enchanting except for the ending. The author, in my opinion, wrapped it up way too quickly, but other than that the book was extraordinarily well written. The book has many strengths including a plot with so many twists and turns that it made it nearly impossible to put down. I found myself saying just one more page, no wait maybe another page, constantly. The characters also have very refreshing personalities. How often do you come across a girl who loves to dance and weave with a heart of gold and a god who has human needs and just wants to be loved? I loved these unique personalities, they made the book worth while.

I also loved how Gail Carson Levine described the characters and settings. For example, this part is describing Olus, "The slave was flawless, without a blemish. Majestic, taller than Elon, more muscular... He stands straight, and he is clean-shaven so I see his square jaw and wide mouth... I see humor and sadness in the mouth." (p.63) I think that paints a better picture in your mind than any artist could ever try to paint. I thought that was one of the major strengths because you feel like you are Kezi looking at this perfect slave.

If you like romance, adventure and a sprinkle of humor then read Ever by Gail Carson Levine, where you'll be whisked away to another world and go on the adventure of a lifetime!

Review by SilentLikeALamb17

Image Citation
"Ever Cover." Online image. LibraryThing. 9 Oct. 2008 http://www.librarything.com/work/4517682.

Student Reviews to Appear on the Highland LC Blog

2008-10-09T11:25:00.005-05:00

This fall an idea that has been rattling around my head for awhile has finally come to life. I'm really excited about it! There are a lot of students at Highland who are avid readers and writers. At the Highland Learning Center we've started a student reviewer program. Interested students applied to be reviewers. These students get first crack at the new books we receive in the library in exchange for writing reviews of those books. The reviews will be published here and also linked into our library catalog. Thanks to all those students who have agreed to be part of this program! If there are other Highland students interested, see me to get an application.

First Book Club Meetings of 2008-2009

2008-09-30T19:26:00.003-05:00

It is almost the beginning of October which means that the book club meetings are finally here! I'm really looking forward to talking about our first books of the year. The 6th grade club meets on October 1 to talk about Rules by Cynthia Lord. As soon as we pick our next book I'll post it here. The 7th grade club is set to meet October 2 to talk about Turnabout. Finally, the 8th grade club will meet on Monday, October 6, (which is a change of date!) to discuss Acceleration.

Web Search Strategies in Plain English Video

2008-09-30T19:15:00.005-05:00

I'm a big fan of the Common Craft Show. Lee and Sachi Lefever make really easy to understand short videos on often complicated topics. Their latest video is about web search strategies. Check it out. The tips will help you improve your searching.

An animation about Runner

2008-09-22T20:13:00.007-05:00

I read the book Runner by Carl Deuker this weekend. I really liked it. Chance and his dad struggle to make ends meet, and his dad can never seem to keep a job. They live on a run down sailboat. Chance is desperate to make some money to pay the bills. When a strange man on the docks approaches him with the opportunity to make $200 a week to pick up packages on his daily run, it seems too good to be true or at least legal. What will Chance do?

I was just playing with the tool GoAnimate. It is a really simple way to create animations. I thought I'd use the tool to make a teaser about the book. If you try out goanimate, please share what you make!

Everlost

2008-09-18T22:47:00.004-05:00

Everlost by Neal Shusterman was a book that hooked me right in and made me want to find out what would happen to the main characters.

Allie and Nick awake to find themselves in a place called Everlost after a car accident they didn't survive. As they try to navigate this new reality, they try to figure out its rules, tangle with Queen Mary, and deal with the evil creature McGill. Allie is desperate to get back home again, and she'll do just about anything to try to get there. This was a creative concept for a story and a really enjoyable read. The book had action, adventure, interesting characters, and was thought-provoking.

Another book I recommend to a lot of Highland students is Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin. It imagines the life of the main character after she has died in a biking accident and goes to a place called Elsewhere. Although the after death places are totally different, this book came to mind while I was reading Everlost.

Image Citation
"Elsewhere Cover." Online image. LibraryThing. 18 Sept. 2008 http://www.librarything.com/work/76114

"Everlost Cover." Online image. LibraryThing. 18 Sept. 2008 http://www.librarything.com/work/book/36103293

Evil Genius

2008-09-17T20:24:00.004-05:00

I just finished Evil Genius. The sequel for this book, Genius Squad, just arrived at the Highland library as well.

Cadel is smart, really smart with a genius IQ. He is moved ahead in school despite his teacher's concerns about his social skills. He is also a master manipulator and studier of systems of all types. Small challenges he tackled were to create traffic jams and make all the teachers late for school without getting caught. Cadel is surprised when he finds out from his psychologist, Thaddeus, that his dad is really Phineas Darrkon, one of the most dangerous criminal masterminds around. Cadel gets enrolled in the Axis Institute, an academy to train potential supervillians and other evil doers. Cadel starts to wonder if he is really cut out to be evil and if his plans are spinning out of his control. I enjoyed the book, but the characters and plots once Cadel starts at the Axis Institute got a bit convoluted. This book would definitely appeal to fans of the Artemis Fowl series!

Image Citation
"Evil Genius Cover." Online image. LibraryThing. 17 Sept. 2008 http://www.librarything.com/work/book/36052441