A BIG THANK YOU TO MS. WEISS' SIXTH GRADE HUMANITIES CLASS!

Thank you so much for recommending some great books. Please share any more must reads and I will order them for the library. Ms. Sheehy, Mrs. Harrington and I are always happy to have you visit!

Happy Reading!

Mrs. Schuster

P.S. This is my dog, Tiki. He just likes to EAT books!

FRUITS BASKET by Natsuki Takaya (Stefanie M.)

"Translated from the Japanese.;"This book is printed 'manga-style' in the authenic Japanese right-to-left format"--Colophon. Orphan Tohru Honda is taken in by the mysterious Sohma, who introduce her to a world of magical curses and family secrets." (Stefanie M.)

Book summary by

Follett Library Resources

JUNIE B. JONES by Barbara Park (Hodalys A.)

"When her kindergarten class has Job Day, Junie B. goes through much confusion and excitement before deciding on the "bestest" job of all." (Hodalys A.)

Barbara Park

Book summary by

Follett Library Resources

FUDGE-A-MANIA by Judy Blume (Makayla H.)

"Pete describes the family vacation in Maine with the Tubmans, highlighted by the antics of his younger brother Fudge." (Makayla H.)
Judy Blume

Book summary by

Follett Library Resources

THE RIVER by Gary Paulsen (Johnny R.)

"Because of his success surviving alone in the wilderness for fifty-four days, fifteen-year-old Brian, profoundly changed by his time in the wild, is asked to undergo a similar experience to help scientists learn more about the psychology of survival." (Johnny R.)
Gary Paulsen
Book summary by

Follett Library Resources

THE MIRACULOUS JOURNEY OF EDWARD TULANE by Kate diCamillo (Ambreen H.)

"With her adventurous sister, Meryl, suffering from the Grey death, meek and timid Princess Addie sets out to find a cure." (Ambreen H.)
Book summary by

Follett Library Resources

THE TWO PRINCESSES OF BAMARRE by Gail Carson Levine (Tiffany George)

"With her adventurous sister, Meryl, suffering from the Grey death, meek and timid Princess Addie sets out to find a cure." (Tiffany G.)
Book summary by

Follett Library Resources

A HORSE FOR MANDY by Lurlene McDaniel (Beth D.)

"Mandy is thrilled when she gets her own horse for her thirteenth birthday, but her best friend, Laura, reacts strangely to the news, and their friendship is tested when tragedy strikes." (Beth D.)
Book summary by

Follett Library Resources

STAR GIRL by Jerry Spinelli

"Stargirl, a teen who animates quiet Mica High with her colorful personality, suddenly finds herself shunned for her refusal to conform." (Alex H.)
Book summary by

Follett Library Resources

ARE YOU THERE GOD, IT'S ME MARGARET by Judy Blume

"Faced with the difficulties of growing up and choosing a religion, a twelve-year-old girl talks over her problems with her own private God." (Nicole C.)
Book summary by

Follett Library Resources

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS by J.K. Rowling

Booklist starred (August 2007 (Vol. 103, No. 22))

"The cloak of inevitability hangs on the final installment of the Harry Potter series. One must die, one will live. Friends will be distinguished from foes. All will be revealed. To Rowling’s great credit, she manages this finale with the flair and respect for her audience that have permeated the previous six novels, though the mood here is quite different..."

Harry, Harry, Harry...I am so bereft that it's over. I think I need to start at the beginning again. Thank you, J.K. Rowling for giving so many of us an unsurpassed reading experience.

If you haven't tried the Harry Potter books, well, what are you waiting for???

AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS by Jules Verne

"Jules Verne's classic novel featuring Phileas Fogg, a wealthy gentleman who makes a bet that he can travel around the world in just eighty days." Audio version narrated by Jim Dale.

The Excellent, the bad and the ugly. Dale's audio interpretation is truly fabulous. I also thoroughly enjoyed the character of Phileas Fogg, a man whose calm demeanor and impeccable character remain constant in the face of disaster. The story is an excellent window into many aspects of technology and travel in the 1870's. I could not help but compare our wired world today with Verne's world. What stories could he have imagined today? That's the excellent.

The Bad and the Ugly. Jim Dale brought the book alive, but I would only give the printed version - although a great adventure - to a patient reader. Teachers could use parts of this book very effectively in terms exploring and comparing technology's impact on society then and today, or, now here's the ugly - the shallow stereotyping of world cultures from a white European 19th century perspective: Native Americans as "enraged monkeys" or the emphasis on the white skin of a beautiful Indian woman, thereby making her an acceptable companion for Fogg.

The publisher addresses these issues in an afterward. The bottom line for me is that this is a great adventure reflecting a historical perspective. How far we have come. I would highly recommend it as a teacher directed class read or as a family listening experience.

ENDYMION SPRING by Matthew Skelton

"Having reluctantly accompanied his academic mother and pesky younger sister to Oxford, twelve-year-old Blake Winters is at loose ends until he stumbles across an ancient and magical book, secretely brought to England in 1453 by Gutenberg's mute apprentice to save it from evil forces, and which now draws Blake into a dangerous and life-threatening quest."

Follett Library Resources

Mystery and magic combine to create a wide audience for this page turner. It reminds me a bit of Inkheart by Cornelia Funke in the the author's clear passion for books, but will appeal as well to the large number of students who read fantasy. I love the exposure to literature and history interwoven through Faust and Gutenberg. The editor, however, could have advised on a bit of medical logistics at the end, but I don't want to be a spoiler. A good recommendation for most students grades 5-7, possibly grade 8 as well.

THE BOOK THIEF by Marcus Zusak

"Originally published: Australia : Pan Macmillan Australia, 2005. Trying to make sense of the horrors of World War II, Death relates the story of Liesel--a young German girl whose book-stealing and story-telling talents help sustain her family and the Jewish man they are hiding, as well as their neighbors."

Follett Library Resources

An astounding book. Zusak towers over other writers in his absolute command of language. That said, I confess I had to start it twice. I just couldn't warm up to Death as the narrator at first. After a second attempt, however, I was completely hooked. Zusak is a brilliant and passionate writer who describes the experiences of a young German girl, her family and friends whose lives are shattered by World War II. This should be on every high school reading list. A select few middle school readers could also tackle it, but it's really one of those fabulous adult novels that is content appropriate for teens. It is worth experiencing in both audio and print format.

Zusak also wrote I Am the Messenger, which won a 2006 Printz Honor Award for Young Adult literature and is next on my reading list. He is truly a magnificent writer.

A CORNER OF THE UNIVERSE by Ann M. Martin

"The summer that Hattie turns twelve, she meets the childlike uncle she never knew and becomes friends with a girl who works at the carnival that comes to Hattie's small town."

Follett Library Resources

A 2003 Newbery Honor Medal, this is one of those books that's been in my to-read pile for a long time, mainly because my students keep recommending it. They are right. It is a gem that would be great as assigned reading or a teacher read aloud. The discussion possibilities are terrific: friendship, teasing, acceptance, actions and consequences, comparing social views of disabilities in the 1960s versus today. The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards, although an adult read, comes to mind as another portrayal of misunderstandings and actions in response to a disability that have profound life altering effects. Not a difficult read, but extremely thought provoking. Excellent choice for fifth, sixth and possibly seventh grades.

THE RIVER BETWEEN US

by Richard Peck
Historical Fiction; Civil War; Racism. "During the early days of the Civil War, the Pruitt family takes in two mysterious young ladies who have fled New Orleans to come north to Illinois."

Follett Library Resources

Richard Peck frames this novel as story within a story. The narrator, a boy, travels with his father in 1916 to see his grandparents. This beginning is a little slow and I wasn't sure where Peck was going. The story really takes off, however, once the grandmother takes over as narrator.The boy picks up the narration at the end, which concludes as a conversation with his grandmother and a revelation.

Truly skillful. Peck is a master! Highly recommended for both a Civil War reading list addition or just a good read.

JACOB HAVE I LOVED

by Katherine Paterson " Newbery Medal, 1981 Filled with resentment over the attention showered upon her twin sister, and awaiting the day she can leave her town behind, young Louise meets a wise old sea captain and begins learning how to let go of her anger."

Follett Library Resources

"Jacob I have loved, but Esau have I hated," Romans 9:13

This is a classic coming of age story with universal appeal. The depth of emotions may be appreciated by both middle and high school students, as well as adult readers. The book begins quietly and gently brings to life a young girl's struggle for identity in a small town in the Chesapeake Bay during World War II. Sara Louise comes alive as a complex girl with frustrations and dreams that are unique in circumstance but understood by all.

COUNTING ON GRACE by Elizabeth Winthrop

"Twelve-year-old Grace Forcier and her friend Arthur, taken out of school and put to work in a Vermont textile mill in 1910, are championed by their teacher who urges them to write the National Child Labor Committee, an action only Grace seems to realize will have serious repercussions."

Follett Library Resources

Winthrop conveys vividly the desperation, danger and hardship that families faced as mill workers. Their world is bleak and hopeless, bearable only through family bonds and caring people such as Grace's teacher and Lewis Hine, the photographer who recorded children laborers. This is a well researched, well written novel, one of my absolute favorites this year. An excellent read aloud or assigned reading choice.

Other good books on this subject are Russell Freedman's "Kids at Work" and of course "Lyddie" by Katherine Paterson.

MAGYK by Angie Sage

"V"

Author, Angie Sage, is coming to visit today. This is an exciting mystery fantasy. Many students have already read and recommended this series. " Jenna learns that she is a princess found as a baby by the man she believed was her father and now she and Septimus, who was taken at birth by the midwife, are being threatened by the evil wizard, DomDaniel who intends to finish off the entire royal line."

Follett Library Resources

Angie Sage spoke to grades 5-8, courtesy of our favorite bookstore, Books, Byes and Beyond, which is located in Glen Rock, New Jersey. She showed pictures of her home in Cornwall, England and talked about the writing process. Most interesting to me was seeing the room in which she writes and the view from her window. Cornwall itself seems very magic-like with its hilly countryside and old homes. I highly recommend her as a speaker; she was relaxed, but knew how to keep the program moving. Sage pulled us into her world completely for 45 riveting minutes.

ELSEWHERE by Gabrielle Zevin

After fifteen-year-old Liz Hall is hit by a taxi and killed, she finds herself in a place that is both like and unlike Earth, where she must adjust to her new status and figure out how to "live."

Deborah Kris, our English teacher, recommended this book as a good middle school selection. Written in the present tense, it is a quiet but intriguing read with a satisfying ending. Elsewhere addresses mortality, romance and how we decide to live our lives, all in a manageable and entertaining style.