2014 Lone Star Reading List

I am very excited to announce that the new Lone Star list is now out. Stafford will have all of the books out after the break. Happy Reading!

ASK MY MOOD RING HOW I FEEL, by Diana Lopez

THE BOY ON THE WOODEN BOX,, by Leon Leyson

COLIN FISCHER, by Ashley Edward Miller

and Zack Stentz

FOR DARKNESS SHOWS THE STARS,

by Diana Peterfreund

THE LAST DRAGONSLAYER, by Jasper Fforde

LINCOLN’S GRAVE ROBBERS, by Steve Sheinkin

LOCKWOOD & CO: THE SCREAMING STAIRCASE,

by Jonathan Stroud

A MATTER OF DAYS, by Amber Kizer

NAVIGATING EARLY,  by Clare Vanderpool

ONE CAME HOME,  by Amy Timberlake

POISON,  by Bridget Zinn

THE RELUCTANT ASSASSIN,  by Eoin Colfer

THE RITHMATIST,  by Brandon Sanderson

SASQUATCH IN THE PAINT,  by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Raymond Obstfeld

SCHOOL SPIRITS,  by Rachel Hawkins

SUMMER OF THE MARIPOSAS, by Guadalupe

Garcia McCall

THE TESTING,  by Joelle Charbonneau

UNGIFTED,  by Gordon Korman

THE VENGEKEEP PROPHECIES,  by Brian Farrey

A WARRIOR’S HEART,  by Eric Greitens

Final Round for Battle of the Books

We are down to our final round of Battle of the Books. (Insert Jaws music.) Mrs. Lassley will be the final judge. She has already read 4 out of the 5 books, but she want to try and reread the ones it has been awhile for. It will be announced right after the Winter Break!

So the contenders are:

FISD Celebration of Books

Overdrive and the Holidays

Welcome back! As the days are shorter and the weather is colder, many of us are taking to hanging out indoors a lot more. And with the holidays coming up, I wanted to remind you about Overdrive. Overdrive is our online library system where you can check out ebooks and audio books for two weeks at time on your device. This is very helpful during the holidays because it is open 24/7. This way you can check out 3 books from the library right before the break and when you finish them, you can get books from Overdrive.

The wonderful librarian at Maus Middle School, Mrs. Fair, made a how-to video for installing and working with Overdrive! Happy Reading

This is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith

Summary
When teenage movie star Graham Larkin accidentally sends small town girl Ellie O'Neill an email about his pet pig, the two seventeen-year-olds strike up a witty and unforgettable correspondence, discussing everything under the sun, except for their names or backgrounds.

Then Graham finds out that Ellie's Maine hometown is the perfect location for his latest film, and he decides to take their relationship from online to in-person. But can a star as famous as Graham really start a relationship with an ordinary girl like Ellie? And why does Ellie want to avoid the media's spotlight at all costs?

Mrs. Lassley's Thoughts
When I started reading this book, I needed a fun book that was not too heavy. I needed light and fun, and this book gave me just what I needed. There is nothing unrealistic about this book and it blends family and first love with great characters and a great setting. Read this if you enjoy Sarah Dessen! 

Third Six Weeks Newsletter

Another Divergent trailer

There was another Divergent trailer released and it is awesome! I feel that they are sticking with the book and I am so excited to see it all put together!!!
Enjoy!

Catching Fire Video

As we get closer to the release of Catching Fire, I get more and more excited. Subway has teamed up with the movie and release a clip using a song from the soundtrack...total chills.

I cannot plug the video in, but here is the link. Enjoy!
http://insidemovies.ew.com/2013/11/04/catching-fire-tv-spot-christina-aguilera-we-remain/

Goodreads: Here is why it is awesome!

I have had a Goodreads account for many years now, but not until this year have I seen all that it can do. I love that I can connect with so many readers who love books as much as I do.

Here are some of the things I use it for:
-Goodreads will keep an online journal of all the books that I have read and suggest new ones to me.
-I can see what other people who are connected to me are reading and what they have to say about the books they have read.
-I can read reviews about books I plan on reading. (Keep in mind that these are not censored so there might be spoilers OR not appropriate language.
- You can sign up for giveaways for books from some awesome authors.
-You can follow authors and what books THEY are reading and also their blogs.

Right now it is time to vote for the Goodreads Books of the Year. Many of the catagories are not books that we have in the library, but there are four catagories made specifically for Young Adults!

So take a second to go and vote here, https://www.goodreads.com/choiceawards/best-books-2013 , and maybe look to see if Goodreads is for you.

Allegiant interview!

Interview with Veronica Roth from the Today Show. She is so cool!

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Battle of the Books: Round 2

We are done with Round 2 and ready to announce the winners. there are a few surprises with this round. :-) Remember, teachers are the one reading and judging. Do you agree with the winners??

Second Six Weeks Newsletter

What is it about that third book?

After being a librarian for 4 years now, and it amazes me how excited everyone gets about a third book coming out. I think back to Mockingjay, which came out my first year as a librarian. I did not know how to work the book release...how many copies, preorder vs. getting it day of, etc. Now I feel like a veteran.

Allegiant is just one of many endings to amazing trilogies that are coming out, but Allegiant is the most spoken about. Champion, the final book in the Legend triology, comes out on November 5th. Emerald Green, the last of the Ruby Red series, came out last week. I am excited that they are ending so that I can tell students that I have all three in the library. :-)

Now, I have to go read a few endings. I am sure a few tears will fall and I will be sad to see certain stories end, but I am excited about what I have to read in the future.What is great is that my pile of books to read is quite tall right now.

Book Fair Information

It is that time of year again....BOOK FAIR!
Here is some information for you:

A Busy Librarian is a Happy Librarian

If you have walked past me in the library lately, I bet I resembled the picture above. The beginning of the year is always crazy, but for some reason it has seemed extra busy. I know I have not put any reviews on here lately, and I promise to soon, but for now I just want to give you some information:

• Lunch Bunch has started for 6th and 7th grade. I will meet with 8th grade on Wednesday of this week. (This is our book club.)
• I am in charge of the spelling bee this year. If you are interested in trying your hand at spelling, please come to the informational meeting on Friday, October 4th, before and after school. 
• Book Fair is from October 9-16th. We will be open during the parent teacher conferences. 
• All students are working on their second time to check out books. We will send home the first overdue slips next week. 

Any questions??? Please feel free to ask!

Battle of the Books: Brackets C, D, and E

I got a little busy this week and forgot to post the other brackets. Here they are:

Battle of the Books: Brackets A and B

So many times I have students arguing over what books are better than others. So I decided to take a note from SLJ (School Library Journal) and have a BATTLE OF THE BOOKS.

So I choose the books, and asked the Stafford teachers be the judges.I had so many teachers interested in reading this summer! So we have 40 books and round 1 cut that down to 20. Here is A and B and over the rest of the week I will post C, D, and E.

Do you agree with the winners??

Ungifted by Kordon Korman

Summary
The word gifted has never been applied to a kid like Donovan Curtis. It's usually more like Don't try this at home. So when the troublemaker pulls a major prank at his middle school, he thinks he's finally gone too far. But thanks to a mix-up by one of the administrators, instead of getting in trouble, Donovan is sent to the Academy of Scholastic Distinction (ASD), a special program for gifted and talented students. It wasn't exactly what Donovan had intended, but there couldn't be a more perfect hideout for someone like him. That is, if he can manage to fool people whose IQs are above genius level.  (From publisher.)

Mrs. Lassley's Review
I have read many Gordon Korman books, but this one is by far my favorite of his. Not only are you laughing at some of the stuff that happens, but you realize there is more than meets the eye. It is written from different perspectives throughout so you really get to know an array of characters. A must read for everyone! 

1st 6 Weeks Newsletter

Flipping the Library

In an effort to best utilize the library, I have decided to flip it. Instead of classes coming in and listening to me talk for 30 minutes, I made a video for them to watch in class, and then when they come down, they are ready to check out books.

Sixth grade students had 7 videos to watch because there is so much to know, but seventh and eighth graders mostly just need a refresher.

Below you will find the videos that were made.

Divergent Movie Trailer

Happy First Day of School Spartans! It is an awesome trailer!

Divergent - http://www.imdb.com/rg/s/1/title/tt1840309/#lb-vi1847437593

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

So I have known about Shadow and Bone for awhile. But I do not know about you guys but I have been fighting starting new series, especially when all of the books are not out yet. Since the second one is out, I figured I would go ahead and start it. I am loving it so far. I am just about 50 pages in, but I think this is one I will fly through just trying to get to Siege and Storm, the next book. Instead of giving you a summary, I thought I would share with you the trailer that was created by the publishing company. It is very well done!!

Enjoy!

Catching Fire Trailer

Most of you know that I am a Hunger Games fan. I was so excited to see the new trailer for Catching Fire come out at Comic Con. I had to make sure all of you caught it..so here you go!! (I am excited to see how close they are sticking to the book. I love her dress!)

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

It has been awhile since I have been able to blog. For me, this has been a very weird summer. But, good news, I have been reading. At the push from my husband and many students, I finally finished Ender's Game. It was not what I expected at all. I was think it would be more sci-fi, but it ended up being more psychological.

Summary
Once again, the Earth is under attack. An alien species is poised for a final assault. The survival of humanity depends on a military genius who can defeat the aliens. But who? Ender Wiggin. Brilliant. Ruthless. Cunning. A tactical and strategic master. And a child. Recruited for military training by the world government, Ender's childhood ends the moment he enters his new home: Battle School. Among the elite recruits Ender proves himself to be a genius among geniuses. He excels in simulated war games. But is the pressure and loneliness taking its toll on Ender? Simulations are one thing. How will Ender perform in real combat conditions? After all, Battle School is just a game. Isn't it?

And of course, the movie is coming out. I think it looks awesome!!! 

First 3 Books of Summer

From August until the beginning of June, I focus a lot of my attention on school. I am reading, creating, analyzing, and just pushing books into anyone and every one's hands. I talk about books 12 hours a day. I am the librarian who when I am in Barnes and Noble, I go straight to the Young Adult section and see what is new. Then I will talk to teenagers who are looking and suggest books to them. (Yes, I am that crazy.) By the end of the school year, I am in need of a break...from books. This year I decided that I would take the break during May so that come June I was ready to dive right back in.

Since I have already taken my vacation, books have become my passion again, but since I am chasing my two kids around for most of the day, my reading is only happening at night.

Here is what I have been reading so far this summer:

• The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen: This is a truly wonderful summer read. Sarah Dessen is at her finest in this book that captures the question of what happens next. Girls, grab this one!!!
• Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card: I am almost done with this one. I was not really wanting to read it because I thought it was all science fiction. Boy, was I wrong. This is a very interesting book that I cannot wait to see on the big screen. 
• Planet Tad by Tim Carvell: I have just started this one and I am loving it. Part Diary of a Wimpy Kid, this is such a fun boy book that anyone will love. 

As you can see, I still have a lot of reading to do, but these first couple of weeks are always about giving yourself a break, and with that done, look out!

It is SUMMER!!!

From http://cm201u.org/images/pages/N2753/summer%20reading.jpg.

For my students, it has officially summer for almost two days. For this librarian the summer will starting in about 51 minutes. A lot has happened this year, and I have much more planned for next year...but all of that will come out in time. For now, let me share with you my summer goals:

1. Right now I have about 50 books waiting for me. Every summer I take home a crate of books, but this summer I have upgraded to a crate and two bags. My GOAL is too finish at least half of them. (That does not include the rereading I am doing in an effort to prepare for the fall.)
2. Blogging: Every summer I say I am going to blog once a week, but this summer is going to have to be different. With a 2 and 6 year old wanting my attention constantly, it is nearly impossible to blog while they are awake. (This is starting to be come a problem as well, since they think sleeping is optional.)So my GOAL for this summer is to blog on two different days in each month. I could blog two or three times on this day, but it has to be at least twice a month.
3. My GOAL for types of books I read is the same every summer. I plan on reading a classic, a nonfiction, and a book that is way out of my comfort zone. I actually even have these picked. 

• Classic: To Kill a Mockingbird
• Nonfiction: Lincoln's Last  Days
• Out of Comfort Zone: Ender's Game

Other than those, I plan on relaxing, playing with my kids, reading, and in general, just chillin'. Have a great summer!!!

Library Summer Newsletter

The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen

In about 2 weeks, Sarah Dessen's newest book will be published. Today the book trailer for it came out...just in time for summer!!!

Enjoy!!

Get More: Movie Trailers, Movies Blog

The Next and Last Gallagher Girl Book is Revealed!

And the cover is...

If you want to read the article, click here.


SO EXCITED!

Allegiant Cover Reveal

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Enjoy!!!

Last book of the Legend trilogy is...

And it is coming out November 5th!!!

Talk about a great couple of weeks...Allegiant on October 22nd and now this. And it is not even my birthday!!! :-)

Student Art in the Library

For the past three years I have been working with our wonderful art teacher, Mrs. Blocker, in bringing student work into the library. Each year we pick some of our talented artists to recreate a book cover of a book of their choosing. Every year I am blown away by the talent, and this year was no exception. 

So without further ado, I present the artist...

Hannah 

Haylee 

Soo 

Wesley 

Adrian 

Caleb 

Angellik

Devon

Stephanie

Darci

Taryn

Kianna

Irene

Jacob

Delayney

And the title of the third Divergent book is...

Allegiant!!!!

See the full article with the video of Veronica Roth sharing it here.

Coming Soon: The Fall of Five

I have so many students who love the I am Number Four series. The next book, The Fall of Five, now has a cover and a release date, August 27th. So the week we get back to school, this will be my gift to Stafford. If you haven't read them, YOU MUST. This is one of those series that the book is MUCH better than the movie. I really loved the book, and did not like the movie.

For more information on The Fall of Five, click here.

Catching Fire Movie Trailer

One word...CHILLS!!!!

SLJ's Battle of the Kids' Books 2013

From http://battleofthebooks.slj.com/

Every year School Library Journal has a Battle of Books with Young Adult books. Each battle is judged by an author known and loved in the Young Adult realm. Many times these books are either already on the awards list (One and Only Ivan) or will more than likely be on the next year's award list (Seraphina). Some of the books are meant for elementary/middle school (Wonder), and some are strictly for high school (Fault in Our Stars).

In the end this is some of the best books of the year, battling it out, and being judged by people who know good writing.

Want to know everything about this? Check out the website: http://battleofthebooks.slj.com/.

Disclaimer: Check to see if it is in the Stafford Library before reading. If it is, that means I have a review that is for middle school students. 

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Summary

Since she’d been on the outside, she’d survived an Aether storm, she’d had a knife held to her throat, and she’d seen men murdered. This was worse.

Exiled from her home, the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland—known as The Death Shop—are slim. If the cannibals don’t get her, the violent, electrified energy storms will. She’s been taught that the very air she breathes can kill her. Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry. He’s wild—a savage—and her only hope of staying alive.

A hunter for his tribe in a merciless landscape, Perry views Aria as sheltered and fragile—everything he would expect from a Dweller. But he needs Aria’s help too; she alone holds the key to his redemption. Opposites in nearly every way, Aria and Perry must accept each other to survive. Their unlikely alliance forges a bond that will determine the fate of all who live under the never sky.

Mrs. Lassley's Review

I have been having trouble reading lately. I think I got burned out. So I started rereading books. This book was my first new one to read in two weeks, and I am so glad I was able to start off my new reading with it. Aria and Perry are from VERY different worlds, but in the end they both just want to save some one they love. The chapters change points of view so you get to see both sides. I HIGHLY suggest this book if you love dystopian, romance, and action. MUST READ!

*We will have the second book, Through the Ever Night, in the Stafford Library by the end of April.*

Divergent: The Movie

So many of my students here at Stafford are thrilled about Divergent coming to the big screen. So I am sharing with you the fan website.

The link is http://www.divergentfans.com/.

This is a site that updates fairly regularly with news of casting, production, and fan posters with the characters on them.

Enjoy!

Maze Runner Movie

You read that right. The movie for the amazing book, The Maze Runner, is now in pre-production. The author, James Dashner, shared this news recently on his blog. They will start filming in May in Louisiana and the movie will come out next Valentine's day. Forget all those romantic movies...I going to see this.

Read the entire blog at: http://www.jamesdashner.com/blog/

What We Saw at Night by Jacquelyn Mitchard

Summary
Allie Kim suffers from Xeroderma Pigmentosum: a fatal allergy to sunlight that confines her and her two best friends, Rob and Juliet, to the night. When freewheeling Juliet takes up Parkour—the stunt-sport of scaling and leaping off tall buildings—Allie and Rob have no choice but to join her, if only to protect her. Though potentially deadly, Parkour after dark makes Allie feel truly alive, and for the first time equal to the “daytimers.”

On a random summer night, the trio catches a glimpse of what appears to be murder. Allie alone takes it upon herself to investigate, and the truth comes at an unthinkable price. Navigating the shadowy world of specialized XP care, extreme sports, and forbidden love, Allie ultimately uncovers a secret that upends everything she believes about the people she trusts the most.

Mrs. Lassley's Review
This book blew me away. I honestly did not know what to expect, but once I started it, I could not put it down. This is a real disease that people deal with. And yet they live fairly normal lives, just at night instead. You see everything through Allie's eyes and she will take you on a crazy adventure. Just remember, do not try this at home. :-) The one downfall...this book just came out. There is a teaser chapter to the next book at the end, but no date on when it will come out. 

Legend by Marie Lu...what took me so long?

I have known about this book for a long time. I knew it would be the next Hunger Games series, but I kept putting it at the bottom of my stack of to reads. The positive of that is I was able to read Legend and Prodigy together...the negative is that this is such an amazing book and I cannot believe I just now read it. I cannot wait until the movie news starts coming out. 

Summary
In a dark future, when North America has split into two warring nations, 15 year olds, Day, a famous criminal, and prodigy June, the brilliant soldier hired to capture him, discover  that they have a common enemy.

YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK!!

The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder

Summary
Dry, sarcastic, sixteen-year-old Cam Cooper has spent the last seven years in and out hospitals. The last thing she wants to do in the short life she has left is move 1,500 miles away to Promise, Maine-a place known for the miraculous events that occur there. But it's undeniable that strange things happen in Promise: everlasting sunsets; purple dandelions; flamingos in the frigid Atlantic; an elusive boy named Asher; and finally, a mysterious envelope containing a list of things for Cam to do before she dies. As Cam checks each item off the list, she finally learns to believe-in love, in herself, and even in miracles. 

Mrs. Lassley's Review
This book started off slow, but once it got started, I could not put it down. Cam is the type of girl I wish I was when I was a teenager, minus the cancer. She speaks what is on her mind, is daring, and she does not care what others think. Simply put, this is a book that will make you laugh, cry, and hope for a miracle! 

Belles by Jen Calonita

Summary
Fifteen-year-old Isabelle Scott loves her life by the boardwalk on the supposed wrong side of the tracks in North Carolina. But when tragedy strikes, a social worker sends her to live with a long-lost uncle and his preppy privileged family. Isabelle is taken away from everything she's ever known, and, unfortunately, inserting her into the glamorous lifestyle of Emerald Cove doesn't go so well. Her cousin Mirabelle Monroe isn't thrilled to share her life with an outsider, and, in addition to dealing with all the rumors and backstabbing that lurk beneath their classmates' Southern charm, a secret is unfolding that will change both girls' lives forever.

Mrs. Lassley's Review
I have been in a chick lit phase for a couple of weeks now and this totally fit the bill. I love the characters and their voices. The point of view goes from Isabelle to Mirabelle so you really get a feel for how the emotions can affect everything. You also realize how mean some girls can be but how you can redeem yourself. This has been made into a series with Winter White and The Grass is Always Greener. LOVE IT! 

FREE BOOK!

Did that title get your attention?? Here is the deal...Ally Carter who has written books such as Heist Society and I'd Tell You I Love You, but Then I'd Have to Kill You, is bringing these series together...AND IT IS FREE...right now on Amazon.

I just finished Perfect Scoundrels, which is the third in the Heist Society series, and I LOVED it! I have got this on my Kindle now!

Thank you Amazon!

Here is the link: http://www.amazon.com/Double-Crossed-ebook/dp/B00AMQ6U3S/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1360699677&sr=1-1&keywords=ally+carter

Enjoy!

Almost Home by Joan Bauer

Here are some statistics on homelessness:
On an average night in the 23 cities surveyed, 94 percent of people living on the streets were single adults, 4 percent were part of families and 2 percent were unaccompanied minors.  Seventy percent of those in emergency shelters were single adults, 29 percent were part of families and 1 percent were unaccompanied minors.  Of those in transitional housing, 43 percent were single adults, 56 percent were part of families, and 1 percent were unaccompanied minors.  Those who occupied permanent supportive housing were 60 percent single adults, 39.5 percent were part of families, and .5 percent were unaccompanied minors (U.S. Conference of Mayors, 2008). (Taken from http://www.nationalhomeless.org/factsheets/How_Many.html)

When looking at that, those are just numbers. You cannot picture the people involved. Almost Home puts a picture in your head and it is something you will not forget. There are times that I was crying as I read the poems that Sugar has written. They are beautiful and can apply to so many parts of our lives. This is a must read!

Summary
When twelve-year-old Sugar's grandfather dies and her gambling father takes off yet again, Sugar and her mother lose their home in Missouri. They head to Chicago for a fresh start, only to discover that fresh starts aren't so easy to come by for the homeless. Nevertheless, Sugar's mother has taught her to be grateful no matter what, so Sugar does her best. With the help of a rescue dog, Shush; a foster family; a supportive teacher; a love of poetry; and her own grace and good humor, Sugar comes to understand that while she can't control the hand life deals her, she can control how she responds.

Quiet in the library!

Okay, I do not expect you to be this quiet in the library. :-) And I am on the cream side!

What Happens Next??

As a parent, we all want to protect kids from anything bad happening to them or them knowing that there is bad stuff out there. What do you do when it hits your family and there is no hiding it? My best friend dealt with a parent dying in high school, and as her friend I felt helpless. I had no idea what do or what to say.

So many students are going through a parent being sick or they have been sick themselves with something that over the counter medication will not fix. For me, books have always been a place to go to for help.

I wish this book would have been out when she was going through everything. I would have made her a survival kit.

Summary

When Rose's mom dies, she leaves behind a brown paper bag labeled Rose's Survival Kit. Inside the bag, Rose finds an iPod, with a to-be-determined playlist; a picture of peonies, for growing; a crystal heart, for loving; a paper star, for making a wish; and a paper kite, for letting go.
As Rose ponders the meaning of each item, she finds herself returning again and again to an unexpected source of comfort. Will is her family's gardener, the school hockey star, and the only person who really understands what she's going through. Can loss lead to love?
(From Titlewave.com)

P.S. I stayed up until 1:00 a.m. reading this book!

Stafford Going-Ons

So I am clearly already messing up on my goals for this year since I have not blogged six times this year, but if you have been in our library recently you probably know why. Here is what has been going on and is coming up:

• Science Fair was held in the library and was a huge success! Congratulations to all the winners and good luck at Regionals!
• We have had MANY gallery walks in the library! They have been awesome and there are many more to go.
• Stafford is still one of the top schools utilizing Overdrive. This is one of the coolest things for use to use. If you want to know more about it, see Mrs. Lassley.
• On a side note, every time you check out a book or audio book on Overdrive during the month of February, your name is put into a drawing to win a Sony ereader with touch screen and WiFi.
• Spring Book Fair Crew has been announced. We have a great group of students this time and I cannot wait to get started!
• Book Fair will start Feb 28th and go through March 7. We are going to do something really great this time and I will share that with you guys soon!
• Mornings with Mrs. Lassley have changed. See the board for the new schedule.

There is a lot more going on, but I am trying to stick to the big things of the moment. I have been reading, but I will blog about that later!

Books that Touch Your Soul

There are some books that you read that you will never forget. In high school, I read Bridge to Terabithia. I remember finishing the last page, and just sitting there for an hour thinking and absorbing all that I had just read.

The most recent books I have read is Wonder by R.J. Palacio and Stuck in Neutral by Terry Trueman. Each of these really made me think and honestly changed the way I think.

 August Pullman was born with a facial deformity that, up until now, has prevented him from going to a mainstream school. Starting 5th grade at Beecher Prep, he wants nothing more than to be treated as an ordinary kid—but his new classmates can’t get past Auggie’s extraordinary face.Wonder begins from Auggie’s point of view, but soon switches to include his classmates, his sister, her boyfriend, and others. These perspectives converge in a portrait of one community’s struggle with empathy, compassion, and acceptance.

Shawn McDaniel's life is not what it may seem to anyone looking at him. He is glued to his wheelchair, unable to voluntarily move a muscle—he can't even move his eyes. For all Shawn's father knows, his son may be suffering. Shawn may want a release. And as long as he is unable to communicate his true feelings to his father, Shawn's life is in danger.
To the world, Shawn's senses seem dead. Within these pages, however, we meet a side of him that no one else has seen—a spirit that is rich beyond imagining, breathing life.

Is there is book that has changed your soul??

New Year = New Goals

Last year I had the following goals:

• To see as many students as a can each week in the library. (This goal is going to be easy in January because there are lots of big projects coming my way. ;) ) 
• Read at least 2 YA books a week. (I know this does not seem like much but with an 8 month old and 5 year old at home, I will be lucky for this.)
• To blog at least 2 times a week. This will not always be a review of a book, but it will always be library or literature related! 

Let's see if I met any of them. 

• This past year the library has been a pretty happening place. On average I work with at least 6 classes a week which is awesome! 
• I did not read 104 books this year. I read about 75. In my defense, I had to reread a couple of series in order to read the newest one. :-)
• Looking back, I blogged about 64 times last year. So not quite what I had in mind. 

Here are my goals for 2013:

1. To read at least 100 YA books this year. 
2. To blog 6 times a month during the school year and 3 times a month during the summer. 
3. To see every student at least two times a month, whether it be for book check out or a project.

Happy New Year!