new book clubs! interested?

Vacation is over - and too short, as usual...

Nevertheless, we have some good things in store for the library.

First - Our book club read and discussed The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents, by Terry Pratchett. Next, we expect to read Flowers for Algernon, a combo of sci fi, emotional realism, love story, and 4-hanky tearjerker. (Okay, if you're like me, maybe it's a 10-hanky tearjerker...)

We'll also be starting 2 new book clubs, one for the 7th grade and one for the 8th grade. Our school has received a non-fiction book grant, and part of the bequest is a 10-book set of two titles, which will be used for book clubs. I'll be speaking to English teachers; extra credit will be involved for those participating! The books are: Born on a Blue Day; inside the extraordinary mind of an autistic savant, and Yell-Oh Girls; emerging voices explore culture, identity, and growing up Asian-American. I chose these two titles because they seemed fascinating to me.

But we've been given (and will be getting more - speak to me!) such a wide variety of books that there is sure to be something that will appeal to everyone,

Just a sampling:

Three Wishes; Palestinian & Israeli children speak

Paleo Bugs; survival of the creepiest (quite vividly illustrated!)

The DNA Gave It Away; teens solve crime

Hip-Hop; a short history

Life on Earth - and Beyond; an astrobiologists quest

American Shaolin

Boys of Steel; the creators of Superman (yes, of course it's a graphic format!)

Chill; stress reducing techniques for a more balanced, peaceful, you

Hurricane Force; in the path of America's deadliest storms

Media Madness; an insider's guide to media

Stop by to take a look at our new collection.

Bog Child

Just finished Bog Child by Siobhan Dowd. I was never particularly knowledgeable about the IRA and the troubles in Northern Ireland, but reading this is both an education and an incentive to learn more. This is a combination of mystery, romance, and historican fiction, with a dash of the unexplainable thrown in, and it is a wonderful read! This takes place in the 1980's in Northern Ireland; a teenaged boy finds a preserved body in a bog - about 2000 years old. The past and present mingle, merge, and teach hard lessons. This book is both thoughtful and beautifully written. It's a heartbreaker, too. Highly recommended!!