Got a great recommendation from my morning library aides and am loving this book by Ginger Rue! They were so tickled when I asked them to help ME find a book. Jump is a fantasy novel that will teach valuable lessons to middle and high school girls about narcissism and bullying. Very reminiscent so far of "Mean Girls" and "Freaky Friday". Basically, Brinkley, a popular high school junior attending a prestigious school, is so mean to her female classmates that four of her victims have left and are attending school elsewhere. One has even checked into rehab for an eating disorder. Brinkley, being beautiful and perfect in every way, sees nothing wrong with her behavior and sees absolutely no use in attending mandatory counseling sessions after school. Her counselor has plans to help Brinkley see the world like others do. Literally. When Brinkley begins to transform into other girls and spend time walking in their shoes, she is distraught and her therapy truly begins.
I'm only on page 29 and this is what I know about the story so far. I plan on enjoying Brinkley's therapy. :)
Parents, be aware that I keep this book on the restricted shelf due to language. However, if you're willing to read this alongside your tween or teen, you'll find many good opportunities for discussion. And, sometimes as a parent I can't express myself like I need to...gonna let this character's story do it for me with my daughter!
Happy Reading!
RC
I'm reading the classic, Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson for our September Book Breakfast. I chose this title because I found numerous copies in the book storage closet that had yellowed and hadn't been circulated in many years. I also am intrigued because this title has one of the oldest copyright dates in our collection and I'm constantly trying to "prove" to my students that older books can be some of the best they've ever read. I'm excited to introduce my students to young Jim Hawkins and the infamous Long John Silver. When I booktalked this title, they immediately shouted out, "Like the restaurant?" Yes. But he was a character first. lol
Pick up a classic...give the older titles a chance to impress you. (Or walk the plank, matey!)
Happy Reading!
RC
We're in the midst of golf season at my house and with that comes many stolen opportunities to read. I'm traditional and carry my book with me everywhere I go. My daughter, on the other hand, prefers to read digitally when she can. I love this picture of her stealing a moment to read. She's currently reading Charlotte's Web. (Big smile!)
I've managed to work in an adult novel recently highly recommended to me by LT. Harlan Coben's Missing You is a mystery that you won't be able to put down. I found myself staying up late and waking up early to read. It's a suspenseful tale that I'm glad I worked in to my young adult line-up! Here's what Amazon has to say about it...
It's a profile, like all the others on the online dating site. But as
NYPD Detective Kat Donovan focuses on the accompanying picture, she
feels her whole world explode, as emotions she’s ignored for decades
come crashing down on her. Staring back at her is her ex-fiancé Jeff,
the man who shattered her heart—and who she hasn’t seen in 18 years.
Kat feels a spark, wondering if this might be the moment when past
tragedies recede and a new world opens up to her. But when she reaches
out to the man in the profile, her reawakened hope quickly darkens into
suspicion and then terror as an unspeakable conspiracy comes to light,
in which monsters prey upon the most vulnerable.
As the body
count mounts and Kat's hope for a second chance with Jeff grows more and
more elusive, she is consumed by an investigation that challenges her
feelings about everyone she ever loved—her former fiancé, her mother,
and even her father, whose cruel murder so long ago has never been fully
explained. With lives on the line, including her own, Kat must venture
deeper into the darkness than she ever has before, and discover if she
has the strength to survive what she finds there.
Soldier Dog, by Sam Angus is a fantastic debut novel about Stanley and the love he has for his dogs. Set in WWI England, Stanley's journey begins as a desperate attempt to escape his abusive father. He ends up enlisting in the army and finds himself working with dogs...the perfect job for him. Many trench scenes later, the reader is left with a wadded up box of tissues and a desire to adopt a big dog asap! Or at least that was my experience. LOL This title reminded me of Cracker by Cynthia Kadohata. I'm proud to offer it to students as part of our '14-'15 KBA Nominee List. Be advised that the vocabulary may be difficult for some. This was written and published in England first.
Finally! A piece of science fiction I can add to my "top ten books of all time" list! I am so in love with Steelheart! Not the evil Epic, mind you, but the book named after him. Kudos to Brandon Sanderson for his imaginative characters and plot! I also love the witty humor and intentional misuse of metaphors throughout. An English teacher could teach some serious metaphor lessons with excerpts from this book! It also reminds me of the X-Men comics I love so much. I may be personally biased, but I would stand this book up next to any of the popular dystopian fiction on shelves now. It's magnificent. Read it if you want action, humor, reputable characters and a little bit of tongue-in-cheek. It's perfect for graphic novel readers who reluctantly read "real" books for me. Can't wait to introduce them to David and the rest of the Reckoners! And, it's a series! Whoo!
Happy Reading!
RC
