We hope many of you will join us this winter as we read, or perhaps re-read, the action-packed book, The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins. As many of you know, this is our third year of choosing and reading a book together during the winter months, and this year we are especially excited because the book is coming out as a movie on March 23rd.
Our Media Center certainly was not quiet Tuesday after school when author Tom Angleberger dropped in for a hilarious Skype session, live from somewhere in his house…in Virginia (I think). Many of you have read his pair of books, The Strange Case of Origami Yoda, and Darth Paper Strikes Back, often attempting to fold his origami Star Wars characters, also saying how much you have loved the books. On Tuesday, though, we finally met the man behind characters like Tommy, Kellen, Harvey and Dwight. (Tom shared that he resembles Dwight the most.) Tom talked about books and authors he admires, like Daniel Pinkwater, and Lloyd Alexander’s Pyrdain Chronicles, and also gave us a heads-up on his newest book due out in April titled Fake Mustache! Oh, and yes, there will be a third in the Origami Yoda series due out in late August– just in time to kick off another terrific school year!
Here are two clips from our Skype session. Thanks again Tom, we had a blast!
There are new books available in the Media Center–thanks to some leftover book fair points! So, instead of placing the new books on hold the old way, I’ve decided to try something new. The titles are listed below and are hyperlinked to their InfoCentre record where you can place the book on hold using your patron ID. (the links will only work at school)
From Bad to Cursed by Katie Alender Crossed by Ally Condie Fire World by Chris D’Lacey
First Kill by Heather Brewer Ten Miles Past Normal by Frances O’Roark Dowell The Underdogs by Mike Lupica
Inheritance by Christopher Paolini A Web of Air by Philip Reeve Okay for Now by Gary Schmidt
Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool
Thank you to Mrs. Vassiliev’s grade 7 life science class for creating the first set of podcasts on this blog! It all began with a conversation about kids gravitating to fiction, often missing out on reading the interesting nonfiction books on our library’s shelves. So, Mrs. Vassiliev and I developed a unit that allowed her life science students a chance to choose a nonfiction science book of their choice, interact with their book, and create a podcast review of their book. These podcasts are now available on their ESPN: exploring science publications network page under the “classroom blogs” tab above.
The students in Mrs. V’s Life Science class hope you listen to their podcasts, and of course, share your thoughts on their page!
Consider heading downtown next Saturday, November 19th, to meet co-authors Donn Fendler, Lynn Plourde, and comic illustrator Ben Bishop, as they unveil their new book, Lost Trail: nine days alone in the wilderness. They will be at Bagel Central from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., and this event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Mrs. Patterson at school, or Mrs. Anderson, owner of the Briar Patch bookstore, and sponsor of this event, at 941-0255.
The folks at EBSCO’s NoveList have made many improvements over the past few years, but this new feature to the database will make using this tool even more useful. Most books in NoveList will now have a link to the Good Reads website–a blog of sorts with over 6,000,000 members who are READERS just like you! So the next time you find youself in NoveList, take a minute to click on the Good Reads link, and find out why their readers liked or perhaps disliked the book you were thinking about reading.
Take some time to check out the latest new posts on our blog!
Kirk W.’s Letter Box Clues for J.F.D.S.
Miss Johnson’s grade 7 page and grade 8 page
Last October, you might have noticed students carrying a copy of The Strange Case of the Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger around school. It has kind of an odd title, yet Angleberger painted a rather accurate picture of the ups and downs of life in middle school. When one of their gang, Dwight, shows up to school with an origami Yoda puppet on his finger, and offers advice to his fellow students, Tommy, the narrator, sets out to prove whether Dwight’s Yoda-like advice worked. As each student chimes in, we find that Dwight, who was never one to appear too “with it,” actually provided sound advice to his peers. The sequel to Origami Yoda, Darth Paper Strikes Back, begins the following September, as Dwight and the gang are starting seventh grade. Tommy shares that they all thought this year would be perfect, as Dwight had helped move them from rarely noticed, to “semi-cool” status. Unfortunately, life doesn’t always work out the way we plan, and fellow seventh grader, Harvey, along with his Darth Paper, is on a mission to make Dwight’s life miserable. Who will win, good or evil? Read it, you should.
Students interested in reading Darth Paper Strikes Back may sign up this week, October 17-21 in the Media Center. After school discussions begin next Tuesday, October 25, and run through Tuesday, November 15.
If you love books and reading, there is nothing more special than meeting authors in person. On Saturday, October 1st, there will be authors galore at the Bangor Public Library, the Discovery Museum and even Bagel Central, as Bangor celebrates it’s fourth annual Book Festival. Young adult authors such as Carrie Jones, Maria Padian, Jennifer Jacobson, Ellen Booraem, and Catherynne Valente will be presenting, reading, and signing books, all day at the Bangor Public Library.
Just head to the Bangor Public Library, and locate the Story Room, and you will be treated to FOUR different author programs starting on the hour, from 1:00-4:00. Amazing!
There’s nothing like the feel of a brand new book. The covers are still shiny, the pages crisp, the stories yet to be discovered. But, truth be told, my favorite book is the one that has had its spine taped, the occasional page dog-eared, and a slightly dull cover, because it means that book has been read, over and over again, by the students and teachers at JFDS.
I hope one of my favorite books that I read this summer becomes just that, well-read, and well-loved. It is called A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park. It appears on this year’s Maine Student Book Award list for 2011-2012, and I am thrilled the MSBA committee has included such a powerful story about the ethnic conflicts in Sudan. I hope this story will find its way into many of our students hands this year, and they enjoy the story of Salva and Nya as much as I did.
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