One Last Party!

Our last reading party of the year was called the "Great Give Away", as we drew name after name and gave away prize after prize to lucky readers. Balloons even popped out cash prizes! What a fun year of reading at WV. Remember the party with Brooke Walker of KSL TV teaching us a little line dancing? Crazy fun! This blog may take a little snooze going into summer, but if you get a minute between sleeping in and hangin' out, check in. A great book might just find its way to this spot. Enjoy your summer and "Keep Turning Pages!"

More Page Turners

Into the Wild, the first title in a huge, really huge, series by Erin Hunter, is a favorite of Chloe Carver. Really-- the series takes up about three shelves in the media center, and the books just keep flying off the shelves. Chloe sets the scene: "Rusty, a house cat, dreams of living in the wild and gathers the courage to leap beyond his fence. He soon encounters a young cat his age, who lives in the Thunder clan of the forest and offers Rusty a chance to join. His decisions result in all kinds of adventures in the wild."

Consider reading at least one book in this popular series. If you like these books, check out the Redwall series by Brian Jacques.

Camille Christensen checks out a new book daily--no kidding. She's a crazy reader! One of her favorite series is The Lord of the Rings. Camille says, "Based in a Viking-like world, Frodo's quest to destroy the Ring will reveal hidden greeds, disloyal friends, and horrible monsters. It's very brutal, very boyish, and very long. And---the books were much better than the movies!"

Keep "turning pages!"

Teachers read too!

Do you recognize these teachers? Mrs. Parker and Mr. Barker are big into books and they have rhyming names-- a little weird! They always want to have the hottest book in their hands. How did they get copies of Riordan's latest? Connections? Maybe you've noticed Mrs. Parker occasionally reading on her Kindle. She's a techie reader! When you run into Parker/Barker ask them what's next on their reading list.

Mrs. Erekson, our fab art teacher, just discovered the blog and adds: "I'm reading the Beyonders right now and am very much enjoying it. It's quite different than Mull's Fablehaven series, but still very interesting. We started reading it as a family, but my kids keep sneaking it away and reading ahead, so I've started hiding the book!"

Thanks for your blog entries and comments. Everyone is welcome to participate. You know that old saying ---"the more the merrier." Students--come in and fill out a form in the media center. We want to hear from you and don't forget to keep "turning pages."

Bet you didn't know . . .

We have two published author/teachers at WV--- Mr. Haderlie and Mrs. Black!

Mr. Haderlie made a goal to write a book and, bingo, two years later A Boy with a Red Parcel was in bookstores. The main character, Jeremy Chase, was loosely patterned after a 6^th grader he

used to teach. Mrs. Haderlie thinks kids will love this book because it’s packed with adventure and

death-defying action. What does Mr. Haderlie like to read? “I love everything by Rick Riordan. I just finished The Maze Runner, by Dashner, and really enjoyed it. I almost never reread books, but I made an exception for the Harry Potter series.”

Mrs. Black got rejection letters for her first four books, but determination kept her writing. At age sixteen she got the idea for The Moas about large extinct birds. She did tons of research and drew all the illustrations in the book. Near the end of her senior year in high school, her book was accepted and published. While promoting the book in schools, she decided to become a teacher. Lucky us!

She is almost finished with a science fiction novel for young adults set in 13^th century England. She said, “It’s a much bigger job than writing a picture book. My students are some of my greatest sources of motivation because of their enthusiastic feedback and suggestions.

The Boy With a Red Parcel and The Moas are both available in the media center.

Keep “turning pages.”

Speedy 6th Graders!

Before 1st hour was over yesterday, 3 excited 6th graders from Mrs. Hall's class, rushed into the media center to check out copies of Throne of Fire. Kayla McKinnon, Vincent Wiberg, and Lydia Stanford are reading it at this very minute. We'll be expecting blog posts!

Meet a couple of page turners:

Seventh grader, Christopher DuHadway just finished To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Your parents probably read this when they were your age. It's timeless and can be read again and again. Chris (who happens to be my library aide) said, "This is an interesting book about two kids whose father, a lawyer, gets a case pitting a black man's word against the word of a white girl back in 1936. It deals with racial discrimination, and I highly suggest it to you!"

Paige Farmer reads about a book a week. She loved The Maze Runner by James Dashner, a Utah author. "It's an awesome book that anyone would enjoy. I loved how the setting in a future society is so different from our society now. Through the whole book you're wondering what will happen next. This book is part of a series. Please read this book. You'll love it!"

What are you reading? Please share.

Just a reminder--our last reading party will be May 25th. Tickets due May 20th the same day all library books must be turned in. Really? It's almost over? Where did this year go? Keep "turning pages."

Bingo! Sam's had a zillion copies of Throne of Fire. Be one of the first four students to tell me you read this blog, mention the secret words (Kane Chronicles), and you'll be reading Riordan's new book today! And---if you are a Ranger's Apprentice fan, you'll be happy to know we have three copies of The Emperor of Nihon-Ja, #10 in that great series. Can't wait to see which of you will be the first to post to our blog. Keep "Turning Pages."

Getting Started

I’ll get us started with a look at three fiction books I read this past month.

Matched, by Ally Condie. I hated to miss Condie’s presentation along with Shannon Hale, Brandon Mull, and James Dashner in Logan last week—a Utah author extravaganza! Easter weekend found me out of town doing the egg thing with my grandkids. Were any of you able to go? Tell us about it! Anyway—back to Matched.

It’s considered a dystopian novel meaning it centers on a futuristic controlled society -- utopia gone wrong. If you look up “utopia” you’ll find it means “an ideally perfect society.” Well, anyway, Matched is part of that genre. I’m not a huge fan, but I found myself liking this novel. Seventeen year olds in the society attend a special ceremony to have their lifetime mate revealed to them. Think of arranged marriages. Anyway, Cassia and Xander are matched and then Ky enters the picturel A three way mix doesn’t fit the society rules. It’s a page turner!

I love John Grisham’s books and was anxious to read Theodore Boone, Kid Lawyer, his first young adult novel. Theo is thirteen with the mind of a lawyer which he eventually wants to be. He finds himself dragged into a murder trial. What he knows could mean the difference between prison and freedom for the accused. If you like a mystery and courtroom drama, you’ll like this. I hope Theo becomes a regular in a Grisham series.

Out of My Mind by Susan Draper took me in a whole different direction. Tender and terrific! Eleven year old Melody is one smart cookie but nobody knows it---she can’t talk, can’t walk and can’t write. This is a book full of hope and love as Melody finally finds a way to speak You’ll never forget what and how she finally speaks and you’ll find yourself changed---in a good way!

So there’s the beginning of our book blog. I love to read, and I want to post often, but let’s hear what you are reading. Jot a short note about a favorite book you’ve read recently. I’ll get it posted and you’ll be “published”---in a techie sort of way.

Check back often for book tips and keep “turning pages.”