Lone Star List 2015

It is finally here! And I know my students are excited! Without further ado... the 2015 Lone Star List:

A BLIND SPOT FOR BOYS, by Justina Chen

THE BOUNDLESS, by Kenneth Oppel

BUZZ KILL, by Beth Fantaskey

THE CROSSOVER,  by Kwame Alexander

THE FIRE WISH, by Amber Lough

FORGET ME, by K.A. Harrington

THE GREAT GREENE HEIST, by Varian Johnson 

THE GREAT TROUBLE: A MYSTERY OF LONDON, THE BLUE DEATH, AND A BOY CALLED EEL, by Deborah Hopkinson

THE HAUNTING OF GABRIEL ASHE,  

by Dan Poblocki

IN THE AFTER,  by Demitria Lunetta

THE KISS OF DECEPTION,  by Mary E. Pearson 

THE NETHERGRIM,  by Jobin Matthew

POPULAR: VINTAGE WISDOM FOR A MODERN GEEK,  by Maya Van Wagenen

THE PORT CHICAGO 50: DISASTER, MUTINY, AND THE FIGHT FOR CIVIL RIGHTS,  by Steve Sheinkin

Proxy,  by Alex London

STEELHEART, by Brandon Sanderson

THERE WILL BE BEARS,  by Ryan Gebhart

THE THICKETY,  by J.A. White

TUT: THE STORY OF MY IMMORTAL LIFE,  by P.J. Hoover

UNBREAKABLE,  by Kami Garcia

The Heir by Kiera Cass

So, The Selection series has become quite popular at Stafford. I have read the whole series plus the novellas, and I am totally taken by this also. Back in August, the author revealed that there would be two more books, and the cover just came out for the first one...check it out!

Here’s the official description for The Heir: “Twenty years ago, America Singer entered the Selection and won Prince Maxon’s heart. Now the time has come for Princess Eadlyn to hold a Selection of her own. Eadlyn doesn’t expect her Selection to be anything like her parents’ fairy-tale love story. But as the competition begins, she may discover that finding her own happily ever after isn’t as impossible as she always thought.”

Maze Runner...how did the movie stack up?

 Yesterday I finally had a chance to see The Maze Runner in the theater. Final verdict = blown away. You always go int the theater with a little worry that they changed it too much. To start...the maze was exactly how I pictured it...almost every detail. Then the character and movie choices...loves it. And of course, Newt was my favorite.

But the bottom line is that I am so happy that they made a boy centered book into a movie. Guys love Hunger Games and Divergent, but to have a character like Thomas who stands up for what he believes is right is awesome!

So now...who is ready for Scorch Trials??

Mockingjay Part 1 Trailer

Just to make for a fun Thursday!

Inspiring Message

For me, this week has been about inspiration...Richard Paul Evans, author of the Michael Vey series came and talked with our students about finding your super power. Today, someone sent this link to me about a football player who is proud to be a reader! Talk about inspiring! (http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/college-football-stars-novel-story/) 

Welcome Back!

I cannot believe it is that time of year again. The 8th graders are all grown up, the 7th graders are excited to know what is going on, and we have a new batch of 6th graders. I love when they come in so excited to get books. As of today, I have seen all of the 7th graders, and I am just starting to see the 8th graders. The 6th graders are coming in next week full of excitement in getting Hunger Games, Twilight, and many others. I LOVE this time of year!

I also love hearing about their summers and what they read! I read quiet a bit this summer, but a lot of was rereading. It was also all about the ending of series. On the left side you will see my Goodreads account that is just for my students. You can see there what I have been reading.

I have also issued a challenge to my students this year. I want them to set a goal of how many books to read. This is not a contest. It is more a personal goal that you want to try and achieve. I am excited by the numbers I see on here!

Lots of things are happening in the library also. I am so excited to have Richard Paul Evans, author of the Michael Vey series, coming here on September 15th. The students are also thrilled!

So here is to a fabulous school year with tons of great books!!!

Mockingjay Part 1- Hmmm....

Not quite sure what I think of this. Kinda creepy with Peeta just standing in the background. (Love it though because this is what I pictured!)

Summer 2014

Whose summer is going to consist of what is above?? If only, right!? For me this is the summer of finishing some series. I have been holding off on finishing a few series for awhile. But, my goal is to get a few of them done and start a few more.

What series you may ask? Here are just a few:

• The Mortal Instruments 
• Shadow and Bone
• Everneath
• The Lunar Chronicles
• Blood Red Road
• The False Prince

And that is just the ones I can think of off the top of my head. Not to mention the Lone Star books I am taking home. 

Want to talk book with me over the summer and keep up with what I am reading? Check out Goodreads! I am always using this for new suggestions and I log my books on there. You can friends me and get some great books to read! 

Last but not least, my summer goals:

1. I want to read half of the books I am bringing home with me. I brought home 60, so I want to finish 30 of them. 

2. I want to blog once every 2 weeks. 

3. I want to read 5 Lone Star books. 

I hope that you all have a fabulous summer...and remember....READ! 

End of the Year Video

Just in case you did not see it!

The One by Kiera Cass

In preparation of the release of The One, Kiera Cass is releasing chapters this weekend based on how many people Share the following link. Let's work together to get all 10 released!!!

Go to unlocktheone.com!!! 

6th 6 weeks Newsletter

The One by Kiera Cass

Cannot wait to get my hands on this book!!!!!

What has Mrs. Lassley been reading??

So I was look on the blog and I noticed that I have not been posting anything about what I have been reading lately. All I have been posting is movie trailers about the books that I have.

To fix that, I am going to give you a list of books of I read since the beginning of the year. Now remember, I read books that range from 6th- 8th grades. Just because it is right for some, does not make it right for all.

1.  Compound by SA Bodeen: LOVED IT! Everyone must read this! 
2. Fallout by SA Bodeen: I enjoyed the sequel to Compound but it was not as good. 
3. Tesla's Attic by Neal Shusterman and Eric Elfman: LOVED IT! I read this before the authors visited and I am dying for the next one!
4. The Distance Between Us by Kasie West: LOVED IT! I have been on a chick lit kick lately and this is exactly what I wanted!
5. The Selection by Kiera Cass: LOVED IT!!!! (I added exclamation points just so you knew how much!) Must read!
6. The Elite by Kiera Cass: LOVED IT!!! I finished it the same day I finished The Selection. (Yes, I was up very late that night!) Dying for book 3!
7. Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi: LOVED THIS FINAL BOOK! This was the last book in the series that started with Under the Never Sky. One of my favorite series!
8. The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud: Very scared to read this at night but I did not want to put it down. 
9. We Were Liars by E. Lockhart: I got this book as an ARC (Advanced Readers Copy). It does not come out until May. This blew my mind. Could not put the book down! 
10. Ask My Mood Ring How I Feel by Diana Lopez: This book took me a little bit to get into and the little sister is annoying, but a great story overall. 
11. Sasquatch in the Paint by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: I was really excited about this one. Basketball is my favorite sport, but I was surprised how little of the book focused on basketball. Not my favorite. 
12. The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau: This will be the next trilogy turned into a movie...enough said. (LOVED IT!)
13. Poison by Bridget Zinn: Took me a couple of weeks to pick this one up on account of the pig. I loved every minute of it. Sad that there is not going to be more from this author due to her death in 2011. 
14. The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith: I love everything from this author. She can do no wrong in my book! 
15. Independent Study by Joelle Charbonneau: This was book two of The Testing. Stayed up there with book 1 and I am dying to get my hands on the 3rd book! 
16. Our Song by Jordanna Fraiberg: Good Book. Character was frustrating because she was not sticking up for herself. 

What I am about to start reading or I am already reading:

1. Linked by Imogen Howson
2. Looks Like Daylight by Deborah Ellis
3. Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson
4. A Corner of White by Jaclyn Moriarty
5. Beautiful Decay by Sylvia Lewis

Happy Reading! 

The Giver movie trailer

This is one of the first books that I read for my degree in college. In addition, this was my first taste of a dystopian book. I am very interested to see this. I know that all of my 8th graders have read it and it made many of them think about our world. Enjoy!

Maze Runner: The Movie

Cannot wait for this one to come out! If you have not read the book, YOU MUST!

Book Fair

This is another creation from my amazing book fair publicity team! FABULOUS!!

Book Fair

One of the crew members from the Publicity Team made this amazing Prezi to promote the book fair. Enjoy!!!

Lone Star Book: Sasquatch in the Paint by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

So I come from a huge sports family. My dad was a basketball and baseball player. He actually went pro in baseball for a little while before having a family. So it was natural for me to start playing basketball. It became my world from the time I was in second grade until my freshman year of college when they said I could not play anymore. But to this day, I still dream about playing.

One of the newest Lone Star books is about a boy who grows really tall in one summer and he is expected to be good at basketball. Check out this video...

P.S. I have not read this book yet because it is always checked out! 

Tesla's Attic by Neal Shusterman and Eric Elfman

Yesterday's visit with Neal Shusterman and Eric Elfman was amazing. The student audience was perfect, their presentation with very interesting, and the questions were thought probing. All in all...best visit.

My students all got their copies of Tesla's Attic a day early...and I already have most of them almost done with it. I had to tell them to slow down since the next one does not come out for another year.

But it all seriousness, this is an amazing book that readers are going to fly through! You must get a copy!!!

4th 6 weeks Newsletter

New Year

Each year I try and make some goals for myself both as a librarian and in my personal life. For the past two years, I have not quite met the goals and I always get so frustrated. So instead I am going to make some statements..these are things that I will strive for here at Stafford.

1. I will work to find you a book that you WANT to read. I know that we all of books we have to read, but I want to help you find one that makes you want to read. 
2. I will work to keep up with the best books in  the Young Adult genre. I will read journals, blogs, and author websites to try and get all the best information to you guys. 
3. I will work on making the Stafford Library some place that you want to come. I will work on making it available as much as possible. 

These might sound like small goals, but I wanted to make goals that I feel like I need to work on and/or keep up with. 

Happy New Year and Happy Reading! 

The Boy on the Wooden Box and A Matter of Days

Over the break I was able to read two of the Lonestar Books. They were on two different ends of the genre spectrum, but both were very good.

Summary

Leon Leyson (born Leib Lezjon) was only ten years old when the Nazis invaded Poland and his family was forced to relocate to the Krakow ghetto. With incredible luck, perseverance, and grit, Leyson was able to survive the sadism of the Nazis, including that of the demonic Amon Goeth, commandant of Plaszow, the concentration camp outside Krakow. Ultimately, it was the generosity and cunning of one man, a man named Oskar Schindler, who saved Leon Leyson's life, and the lives of his mother, his father, and two of his four siblings, by adding their names to his list of workers in his factory—a list that became world renowned: Schindler's List.

Mrs. Lassley's Thoughts

AMAZING! Leon Lyeson takes you to the heart of World War II and everything that happened. We always hear the stories about what it was like and how whole families were gone. This is a story about hope and what it looked like when a Nazi actually helped instead of blindly going along with Hitler. A must read!! 

Summary

On Day 56 of the pandemic called BluStar, sixteen-year-old Nadia's mother dies, leaving her responsible for her younger brother Rabbit. They secretly received antivirus vaccines from their uncle, but most people weren't as lucky. Their deceased father taught them to adapt and survive whatever comes their way. That's their plan as they trek from Seattle to their grandfather's survivalist compound in West Virginia. Using practical survival techniques, they make their way through a world of death and destruction until they encounter an injured dog; Zack, a street kid from Los Angeles; and other survivors who are seldom what they seem. Illness, infections, fatigue, and meager supplies have become a way of life. Still, it will be worth it once they arrive at the designated place on the map they have memorized. But what if no one is there to meet them?

Mrs. Lassley's Thoughts

Books about a super virus are very popular right now. Amber Kizer did a great job of making this story very real for the age of our readers. This is something that could potentially happen, so for the students they are going to relate and ask themselves..."what if?".  I originally started reading this as an audio book, which I do not recommend. It has a lot of flashbacks and without looking at the way it is written in the book, it can get confusing. I would recommend this to students who like a survival story.