I wish...

These ideas are GREAT!

I wish I had enough old encyclopedias 
to do this for December:

Click here for cool idea #1

OR... to be able to make this 
creative iPod charging station:

Click here for cool idea #2

CHERUB

I've just started reading a new book:

CHERUB: Mission 1, The Recruit

Robert Muchamore wrote the Cherub series and these books have become very popular among the 7th- and 8th-grade boys! We've had holds on the two books in this series that we have in the middle school... my turn finally just came up for the first one and I started reading it this morning!

This book is about a boy, James Adams, who is part of CHERUB, the top-secret branch of the British Secret Service.

I'll be honest -- this is not my typical kind of book. I'm on chapter 4 now and already the book is a bit violent, scary, and intense for me BUT I'm into it and already can't put it down. I can already tell this will be the type of book that I read at night and then am too scared to fall asleep!

Fun Fact: Author, Robert Muchamore, was one of the authors for Write Path to write a story starter this year! He wrote the story starter that our students, Linh and Jeniffer, worked on!

There's at least one person on hold for this book after me... I hope to be able to finish it over the weekend... but let me know if you'd like to be put on hold for it too!

Miss Patrice recommends...

  Miss Patrice just finished Jerry Spinelli's book, MANIAC MAGEE...

Click on the video below to hear a bit about the book 

and why she loves it so much!

Favorite Tuesday Moment

My favorite moment from yesterday (other than walking back into the library and have Larry sing out a mini-theme song, welcoming me back to the library!) was in Miss Sarah's block G class...

I was just leaving the classroom since their Reader's Workshop time was ending and saw Ben completely engrossed in a book... I love seeing that!

When I asked what book he was reading he didn't hear me... too into it...

I whispered to him, "Ben, what book are you reading??"

Ben replied by holding up the book so I could see the cover but he was able to keep reading (too good to put down!)... I LOVE that!  :)

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What book was Ben reading??? ...One of my FAVS! 

(I know I say that a lot... but it's always true.)

Mary Downing Hahn's book, All the Lovely Bad Ones.

So, so good!

Mary Down Hanh is a fabulous scary story writer. I was lucky enough to meet  her last year and have lunch with her! It was pretty special.

(The picture above was taken in Denver, Colorado last February. Mary was in town for a reading conference - she is in the middle. My mom was there too - she was in town from New York for the same conference!)

BRUCE COVILLE

Recently, Zack posted a wonderful book recommendation on Bruce Coville's book, My Teach is an Alien... (one of my favorites too!)... and Bruce Coville came up again today...

As I was just helping a student find a great book, I also found a book that I want to add to my reading pile!

I love the author, Bruce Coville... I've read plenty of his books... both when I was in middle school and since I've "grown up" (I'm SO old! haha).

The student I was helping decided to go with Bruce's book,  

ALIENS STOLE MY BODY...

The book that I found and am excited to read is Bruce's book,  

THE MONSTERS OF MORLEY MANOR. 

I've never heard of this book by him and look forward to it - I haven't met a book yet that is written by Bruce Coville and I didn't like.  :)

AND - fun fact: Bruce Coville lives in Syracuse, New York (United States) - which is very close to where Miss Stacia grew up!

Spotlight on book series...

Are you looking for a great series to get into?

Below are some book series that are very popular and great reads...

 Looking for a funny series? 

I love Lemony Snicket's, A Series of Unfortunate Events - wonderful books about the unfortunate lives and weird happenings to two orphans.

The first book in this series is, The Bad Beginning.

 Erin Hunter's series, SEEKERS... these books follow the adventures of four wild bear cubs.

Erin Hunter's other big book series: WARRIORS. Read about the warring adventures between wild cat clans!

Have you seen the movie,  

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief?

Did you know that it was originally written as a book? 

(And in my humble opinion... like most books that have been made into movies... the book is better!)

The Percy Jackson books are fabulous, can't-put-them-down, action-packed, fantasy reads!

I do suggest you read these books in order, starting with the first: 

The Lightning Thief.

The author of the Percy Jackson books is Rick Riordan... he also wrote the first book, The Maze of Bones, in the 39 Clues series (another great adventure series!)

We shelve the 39 Clues books by the last window (end of non-fiction and beginning of fiction) because each book in the series is actually written by a different author... very cool.  

New signage

Ms. Phuong has made it even easier for students to find books in the fiction section! She has added large letters along the shelves to help when looking for a specific book.

How are fiction books organized??

That's right -- by the 1st three letters of the author's last name.  :)