Banished by Sophie Littlefield

Description from the author's website:

Sixteen-year-old Hailey Tarbell can't wait for the day she'll leave Gypsum, Missouri, far behind, taking only four-year-old Chub, the developmentally-delayed little boy her cruel drug-dealing grandmother fosters for the state money. But when a freak accident in gym class leaves a girl in critical condition, Hailey feels drawn to lay her hands on the injured girl and an astonishing healing takes place. Before Hailey can understand her new powers, a beautiful stranger shows up...just in time to save her and Chub from hired killers. A desperate race begins, with Hailey as the ultimate prize: there are those who will stop at nothing to harness her gifts to create an undefeatable army of the undead. Now it is up to Hailey and a small but determined family of healers to stand up to the unbelievable and face the unthinkable. 

Check out other books by this author. 

From Mrs. Coyle:

I usually listen to audiobooks, but I wanted to make sure this was a good book for our shelves, so I picked it up with the intention of reading the back and skimming through a few pages, only I couldn't put it down! From the first page, I was drawn in, wanting to know what would happen to Hailey and her little brother.  It reminded me of a suspenseful movie, not quite like a horror movie, but  very intense. There were some gruesome zombie descriptions, that made me cringe, but that just shows the author's ability to create an image in your head. I think this is a good book for middle school readers, especially those that like to read about supernatural and magic abilities.

I have already requested the next book "Unforsaken" from the public library, and I can't wait to read it and tell you about it.

Happy Reading! 

Spring is Here!!!

Yay! Spring is here and one of my favorite things to do is find a nice place, under a big tree and read a good book.

 I have started reading YA books again after my winter of mostly knitting hats. I just started reading What my Mother Doesn't Know by Sonya Sones. I haven't gotten that far into it yet, but the similarities between the book and my life are too weird. The girl's name is Sophie and they call her Soph Doph. That is what I call my daughter. There are many other similarities and I can't wait to be able to read even more.

Conversation Heart Raffle WInner!

Congratulations to N. Delgado, winner of our February Raffle. .  For the month of February, we asked students to write the Title of each book they read on a small heart and we hung them up on Giant hearts on the door. For each one they filled out, they received a raffle ticket. The photo is just one of the hearts that we filled with book titles! Our lucky winner received a free ice cream at lunch, and will be able to choose a book from our book fair in April, for free! We are brainstorming more raffle/promotions for our spring Book Fair, which will be held here starting April 26, 2012, so we will keep you posted on that!

Have a great Monday, and Happy Reading!

What's new?

Back in September, a student, M. Gaskell, who is also this weeks reader of the week, gave us a cactus plant. We were so excited when we came back from February Vacation to find it had grown a flower!
It inspired us to learn more about Cactus flowers! What inspires you to find out more about something? Sometimes a book, movie, and especially a lesson in class, can spark your interest, and you will want to know everything you can about that subject.  The students learning about the Holocaust in 8th Grade have been coming in looking for more information and survivor stories, for example.

It is always a good thing to fill your brain with knowledge, no matter what the subject.

In other news, the book that has gone "viral" here at Calcutt, is The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins! Unfortunately, we only have 1 copy of each book in the series, so they are hard to come by.  So, Mrs. Coyle has set up a section of books that are similar to The Hunger Games.  But, we have learned that the  Central Falls Public Library is back to using the Ocean State Libraries Network system, so you are now able to use your library card to request books from other libraries! Remember, Use your public library, it will save you money!!!

Our last few readers of the week have been D.Jiminez, N. Delgado, and  W. Chinchilla.Great Job, keep up the good reading!

We will be announcing our winner of the "Conversation Heart" Raffle soon .  For the month of February, we asked students to write the Title of each book they read on a small heart and we hung them up on Giant hearts on the door. For each one they filled out, they received a raffle ticket.
Thanks for visiting!

Review: Million Dollar Throw by Mike Lupica

In honor of the Super Bowl, here is a review on Million Dollar Throw by Mike Lupica

 To learn more click here.

Nate Brodie is nicknamed "Brady" not only for his arm, but also because he's the biggest Tom Brady fan. He's even saved up to buy an autographed football. And when he does, he wins the chance for something he's never dreamed of - to throw a pass through a target at a Patriots game for one million dollars.

Nate should be excited. But things have been tough lately. His dad lost his job and his family is losing their home. It's no secret that a million dollars would go a long way. So all Nate feels is pressure, and just when he needs it most, his golden arm begins to fail him. Even worse, his best friend Abby is going blind, slowly losing her ability to do the one thing she loves most - paint. Yet Abby never complains, and she is Nate's inspiration. He knows she'll be there when he makes the throw of a lifetime.

From School Library Journal

Grade 6–8—Lupica delivers another smooth, well-paced, character-driven novel.  With the support of his family and friends, he fights his way back and regains the confidence he needs to face the challenges in his life. While the serious issues raised about the effects of economic uncertainty on families are resolved a tad too easily, youngsters are likely to accept this as just a good, entertaining read.—Richard Luzer, Fair Haven Union High School, VT

So have you read this book? Tell us what you think!
-Mrs Coyle 

Review of Crossed by Ally Condie and Reader of the week!

Happy Friday! 1st, Our Reader of the week for the past week and a half was T. Galvin, Great Job! Next week will be D. Jiminez, but she doesn't know it yet!
For the month of February (Library Lovers Month?) we are trying to see how many small conversation hearts with book titles as their "conversations" that we can fit into a GIANT conversation heart! We will have heart related prizes, also, so come in and tell us what your reading!

As for the book Crossed, by Ally Condie which is the sequel to Matched.
I just finished listening to this book yesterday, and I have mixed feelings about whether I thoroughly enjoyed it or not.I like for endings to tie up loose ends, but of course when there is yet another book in the trilogy, you have to be left hanging a little.  I will say that if you didn't read Matched, you might be a little lost, but Crossed introduces new characters and takes on a story all it's own, so you do get caught up in that. Overall a good read if you like dystopian adventure!
From the jacket:
In search of a future that may not exist and faced with the decision of who to share it with, Cassia journeys to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky - taken by the Society to his certain death - only to find that he has escaped, leaving a series of clues in his wake.
Cassia's quest leads her to question much of what she holds dear, even as she finds glimmers of a different life across the border. But as Cassia nears resolve and certainty about her future with Ky, an invitation for rebellion, an unexpected betrayal, and a surprise visit from Xander - who may hold the key to the uprising and, still, to Cassia's heart - change the game once again. Nothing is as expected on the edge of Society, where crosses and double crosses make the path more twisted than ever.
 Thanks for reading, feel free to leave comments or questions!---Mrs Coyle

Reader of the Week update

Seventh Graders are still our top readers!!
For the Week
12/11 S. Vega
1/9     S. Toro
Great job! Keep up the good work, and if anyone needs suggestions for what to read, ask someone who's been reader of the week, chances are they'll name a few books for you!
Happy Reading
Mrs. Coyle

Review on Smile by Raina Telgemeier

This book isn't new, (February 2010), but it's so fun, it's worthy of a review!

From the Jacket:
Raina just wants to be a normal sixth grader. But one night after Girl Scouts she trips and falls, severely injuring her two front teeth, and what follows is a long and frustrating journey with on-again, off-again braces, surgery, embarrassing headgear, and even a retainer with fake teeth attached. And on top of all that, there's still more to deal with: a major earthquake, boy confusion, and friends who turn out to be not so friendly. This coming-of-age true story is sure to resonate with anyone who has ever been in middle school, and especially those who have ever had a bit of their own dental drama.

From Mrs. Coyle,

I won't tell you my age, but having grown up in the same time frame as the author, I can relate to the culture at the time, including the fashion. It doesn't matter what age you are, though, because this book is really popular here.   Both my daughter and Ms. Weber's daughter, who are in middle school  loved this book, and recommended it to us to read. It's in graphic novel format, but I think it has way more "writing" in it, or the graphics just convey the story really well, because it had more of a novel feel to it.
If you'd like to see the "Book Trailer" click here.  Check out the author's website and other reviews at http://goraina.com/.
Come into the library today and check this book out!

Happy New Year!

2012 is here and we, at the library, are looking forward to a happy and successful new year. Please let us know what you have been reading. I read an adult book about animals during vacation, but now I am reading Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson. It is about slavery in Rhode Island. Yes! Rhode Island had slaves. I will let you know how it is.

Counting Down to "Winter Break".....

Although it doesn't feel much like winter at 55 degrees! Ms Weber and Mrs Coyle would like to wish you a Happy Holiday Season! Remember to read over the break, and if you read an awesome book and just can't wait until January to tell us about it, send us a message or comment here! Ms Weber plans to finish The Dead and The Gone, and start Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson, while Mrs. Coyle is almost finished with Chains and hopes to start the third in the Life As We Knew It Trilogy- This World We Live In-by Susan Beth Pfeffer.

Happy READING!!!

Thank you Yellow Group!!

Thank you for writing comments on our blog and for making them meaningful!

Ms Weber

Review on Catching Fire- #2 in the Hunger Games Series

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.

From School Library Journal:

Starred Review. Gr 7 Up--Every year in Panem, the dystopic nation that exists where the U.S. used to be, the Capitol holds a televised tournament in which two teen "tributes" from each of the surrounding districts fight a gruesome battle to the death. In The Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark, the tributes from impoverished District Twelve, thwarted the Gamemakers, forcing them to let both teens survive. In this sequel, Katniss, again the narrator, returns home to find herself more the center of attention than ever. The sinister President Snow surprises her with a visit, and Katniss’s fear when Snow meets with her alone is both palpable and justified. Catching Fire is divided into three parts: Katniss and Peeta’s mandatory Victory Tour through the districts, preparations for the 75th Annual Hunger Games, and a truncated version of the Games themselves. Slower paced than its predecessor, this sequel explores the nation of Panem: its power structure, rumors of a secret district, and a spreading rebellion, ignited by Katniss and Peeta’s subversive victory. Katniss also deepens as a character. Though initially bewildered by the attention paid to her, she comes almost to embrace her status as the rebels’ symbolic leader. Though more of the story takes place outside the arena than within, this sequel has enough action to please Hunger Games fans and leaves enough questions  unanswered for readers to be desperate for the next installment. 

From Mrs. Coyle

I loved this book! Yes, it starts out slow, but you will  not be disappointed, as the action picks up quickly and you won't want to put this book down!! 

Of course we all want to know what will happen in the Katnis, Peeta, and Gale Love triangle.

And that just gets more complicated and intriguing, So Get to Reading!!!

Calcutt Library Glog

Calcutt Library Glog

Check out the library glog!!

Update on The Dead and the Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Well, this is the second in the series, following Life as We Knew It. I started it last week and was thrilled to find out that it takes place in New York City because in the first book, I had wondered what the big cities were going through. And it is interesting but a little more gruesome. I'm not sure I really like this one because some of the situations Alex finds himself in are a little too hard to take. Some readers may like that and it may keep their attention, but it was a little too gross for my taste.

Someone from Calcutt should read it after me because I would love to talk about it and see what they think.

Ms. Weber

Review Voluteers?

Is there anyone who has read a great book and wants to tell us about it?  Or does anyone have any suggestions of what we should read next? I am hoping to read the sequel to Matched (Crossed) and Ms Weber is currently reading the sequel to Life as We Knew It, (The Dead and the Gone), so we will share those with you soon!
Keep reading, it'll take you places!

Mrs. Coyle

Review on Matched by Ally Condie

From the book Jacket:

In the Society, Officials decide. Who you love. Where you work. When you die.

Cassia has always trusted their choices. It’s hardly any price to pay for a long life, the perfect job, the ideal mate. So when her best friend appears on the Matching screen, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is the one… until she sees another face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black. Now Cassia is faced with impossible choices: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she’s known and a path no one else has ever dared follow — between perfection and passion.

What we think :

Don't judge this book by its thickness, once you pick it up, you will not be able to put it down! You are instantly drawn in to the strange world of The Society, what some would call a  dystopia (an imaginary place where people lead dehumanized and often fearful lives), and are always rooting for Cassia to find her freedom and her true love.  We can't wait to read Crossed-the next book in the series, and let you know what we think.

If you like books like The Giver, The Hunger Games Trilogy, and Wonderstruck, you'll love this series.

 Website for this book

Thanks for visiting,

Mrs. Coyle

Our First Student Book Review by T. Elliott

Shattered Mirror

by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes                                                                                         

The book Shattered Mirror is about a girl named Sarah Tigress Vida who is a witch and vampire hunter and  her family who are on the search for Nickolas, who  killed a Vida years ago  

There's  a boy named Christopher who's a vampire who is romantically interested in Sarah but with Sarah knowing she cant be with she ends their relshonship so it cant go no farther starting in  world of problems. 

I liked this book because it was one of the those page turner books  that you could never put down because as you got more into the story there was more action as you turned the page.

I would recommend this to a friend because this is a book that many pre teens would like. It is  filled with a lot of action and thrilling details.

View more info on this book on Amazon.com 

   

The Seventh Graders are taking over Reader of the week! 11/28 and 12/5

The reader of the week last week was L. Scholz.

This week's reader is T. Elliot

Is there someone you know who is always reading?

Come to the library and tell us about them!

If you think that's YOU, come let us know why!

Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

From the book jacket:       

When Miranda first hears the warnings that a meteor is headed on a collision path with the moon, they just sound like an excuse for extra homework assignments.  But her disbelief turns to fear in a split second as the entire world witnesses a lunar impact that knocks the moon closer in orbit, catastrophically altering the earth’s climate.

Everything else in Miranda’s life fades away as supermarkets run out of food, gas goes up to more than ten dollars a gallon, and school is closed indefinitely.

But what Miranda and her family don’t realize is the worst is yet to come.

Told in Miranda’s diary entries, this is a heart-pounding account of her struggle to hold on to the most important resource of all – hope – in an increasingly desperate and unfamiliar time.

What we thought....

 This book (which is the first of 3 in a Trilogy) is written in such a way that you can see how this type of situation is possible, and it will make you wonder about how we would survive, if this happened to us now.  It really gets you thinking.  Middle School students will love the diary entry format, and can relate to Miranda and other members of her family.

Keep checking back for the reviews on the next two books, The Dead and The Gone, and This World We Live In.......coming soon.

Reader of the week update

I just wanted to post our last two
Readers of the week for 6th and 7th Grade

Y. Velasquez

J. Rose
Keep up the Great Reading!!!! 

To be chosen as Reader of the Week, you must have One or more of  the following:

*According to our checkout statistics, be one of the top patrons

*Show Maturity and Respect around school with Teachers and Fellow students

*Read ALOT of books, and tell us about them

*Be Caught Reading or Helping another student find a good book

ask us how you can write a review to be featured on this blog and posted on the
Library Catalog -a place to find out about books, read reviews and find their location!

Have a Great Day!
Mrs. Coyle