Lone Star Book of the week

An Elephant in the Garden

by Michael Morpurgo, Fiewel and Friends, 2011

Lizzie and Karl's mother is a zoo keeper; the family has become attached to an orphaned elephant named Marlene, who will be destroyed as a precautionary measure so she and the other animals don't run wild should the zoo be hit by bombs. The family persuades the zoo director to let Marlene stay in their garden instead. When the city is bombed, the family flees with thousands of others, but how can they walk the same route when they have an elephant in tow, and keep themselves safe? Along the way, they meet Peter, a Canadian navigator who risks his own capture to save the family. Suggested for grades 4-8.

More about the book/activities
More about author Michael Morpurgo



Preview on Google Books:

This book is shelved in the fiction section at call number F MOR.

Good Book: Dear America Series

Dear America Series:
With the Might of Angels

by Andrea Davis Pinkney, Scholastic, 2011

A brand-new Dear America diary about the Civil Rights Movement, in the fall of 1955, twelve-year-old Dawn Rae Johnson's life turns upside down. After the Supreme Court ruling in Brown v. Board of Education, Dawnie learns she will be attending a previously all-white school. She's the only one of her friends to go to this new school and to leave the comfort of all that is familiar to face great uncertainty in the school year ahead. But the backlash against Dawnie's attendance of an all-white school is more than she's prepared for. When her father loses his job as a result, and her little brother is constantly bullied, Dawnie has to wonder if it's worth it. Suggested for grades 6-8.

Visit the Dear America website

Preview on Google Books:

Find this series in the fiction section at call number F DEA.

READ...READ...READ

Barnes and Noble Book Fair

Last weekend, GMS had a book fair at Barnes and Noble.  The highlight was the Divergent scavenger hunt. We had so much fun!  Congratulations to the winners, and thanks to everyone who showed up!

Do you know about SYNC?

Sync is a website that offers 2 free young adult audiobooks every week of the summer.  Click here to find out which books you can get when.  I am very excited that several of the books I have been wanting to read are on the list, such as...


and several of my favorites like...



It starts May 30, so make sure you check it out soon!

Student Review - The Great and Only Barnum

 Reviewer: J. Maness

(This is a tab:))"The Great and Only Barnum: The Tremendous, Stupendous Life of Showman P. T. Barnum" was a fantastic book! This book really showed me that biographies don't have to be boring. I really enjoyed reading this because I was marveled at the genius of this man! Mr. Barnum had many roadblocks in his life, a drinking problem and many, many, MANY fires destroying his life, but he still managed to get back on his feet every single time. He had a strong faith that worked a miracle to bring him off his deathbed.

(This is a tab:))The main thing that kept me reading was that it was a biography in the form of a fiction book. They also had pictures with captions that were informational and really drew me into the story. When it showed the Fourth hall in Barnum’s museum, I was on the fourth floor of his museum, looking over at Tom Thumb feeling the push of the crowds. This kept the book much more interesting.

(This is a tab:))P.T. Barnum was the perfect person to right a biography on. He was the best character for the role. His life had struggle and strife but he learned to overcome that. In doing so, He demonstrated a great inner moral and resolve. His life was very captivating when played on a screen before your eyes.

(This is a tab:)) In conclusion, learning about P.T. Barnum’s life was both informational and incredible. He was a phenomenal man with a phenomenal life. In The Words of the great Barnum himself (this is when he makes a statement about his circus life)" Whatever you do, do it with all your might. Work at it, early and late, in season and out of season, not leaving a stone unturned, and never deferring for a single hour that which can be done just as well now." Going forth, I will try to live my life in this light.

Veronica Roth is on the Today Show!

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

How exciting that Veronica Roth released the cover for the third book in the Divergent series, Allegient, this morning on the Today Show.  Are you excited for the new book and the movie?  

Student Review - Out Of The Dust

Book Title: Out of the Dust

Book Author: Karen Hesse

Reviewer: nataly

Why would you recommend this book? I would recommend this book because it's an interesting, sad, and heart-breaking.

What did you like about the book? What I liked about the book was that it wasn't boring as I thought it would be, but I was really into it.

What did you dislike about the book? What I didn't like about it was that in some parts it just stopped and it didn't continue on.

Final thoughts about the book? When you first see the cover of the book your first thought would be, what a boring book, but as you read it, you would correct yourself and say, 'Wow, what a great book this is'.

Rock the Drop

Thursday, April 18, is Support Teen Lit Day.  You can celebrate via Rock the Drop.  Get the info here: 

National Library Week

Did you know that this week (April 15-19) is National Library Week?  Make sure to pick up a new bookmark when you come into the library this week!

March Madness Winner is...

Is is really any surprise?   I guess not.  However, I was surprised that my beloved Harry Potter got knocked out in the first round, and I had several students surprised that Pretty Little Liars did not make it to the finals. Thanks for voting, and I will be delivering prizes to all of you who guessed HG to take it all!

March Madness

Have you voted yet for the March Madness: Tournament of Books?  When your ILA class comes to the library this week, make sure you vote for an overall winner and for this week's bracket.  Good Luck!

To Read List

I have so many books that I want to read right now. I was talking one of the students here at GMS this morning, and she added one more to my list:  The Summoning, by Kelley Armstrong.  I thought I would give you a glimpse of what is on my to read list (in no particular order) right now.  What is on your To Read List?

Who is your favorite hero/heroine and why?

Compare two of your favorite heros or heroines.  Email or bring it in to the library, and win a prize!
Thanks to Taylor R. for making the one above!

Harlem Shake - Library Edition

Newest Trailers Made by Library Aides

Like what you see?  Stop on by the library and we can help you find any of these books!

Research and Valentines Day

As I was showing teachers how to use the Gale Databases today, I came across an article that was describing the origin of Valentine's Day.  I was amazed to learn that it may have stemmed from Geoffrey Chaucer "in his work The Parliament of Foules, ... 'For this was Seynt Valentyne's Day. When every foul cometh ther to choose his mate'" (Bowler). Isn't that language great?  Can you believe that is English?  The article went on to say that in the Middle Ages, St. Valentine's Day was celebrated by making proclamations of love or trying to figure out who one's true love is.  Do we still celebrate that way?

For those romantically minded this holiday, I wish to share with you some titles of books that may feed the lovebug! Stop by the library, and I will be glad to help you find any of these!

*	Beautiful Creatures Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl In a small South Carolina town, where it seems little has changed since the Civil War, sixteen-year-old Ethan is powerfully drawn to Lena, a new classmate with whom he shares a psychic connection and whose family hides a dark secret that may be revealed on her sixteenth birthday.
*	The Big Crunch Pete Hautman June is starting at her sixth school in four years when she meets Wes, who has just broken up with a girlfriend, and although they do not share an instant or intense connection, attraction turns to love and they wonder where it will lead.
*	Cyrano Geraldine McCaughrean Ashamed of his ugliness, long-nosed Cyrano de Bergerac, a brilliant seventeenth-century poet and expert swordsman in the French army, helps a rival woo and win Roxane, the beautiful cousin Cyrano loves in silence.
*	Fallen Lauren Kate Lena looks forward to receiving the government-mandated cure that prevents the delirium of love and leads to a safe, predictable, and happy life, until ninety-five days before her eighteenth birthday and her treatment, when she falls in love.
*	Delirium Lauren Oliver Suspected in the death of her boyfriend, seventeen-year-old Luce is sent to a Savannah, Georgia, reform school where she meets two intriguing boys and learns the truth about the strange shadows that have always haunted her.
*	Flavor of the Week Tucker Shaw Cyril, an overweight boy who is good friends with Rose but wishes he could be more, helps his best friend Nick woo her with culinary masterpieces which Cyril himself secretly creates. Includes recipes from the story.
*	Girlfriend Material Melissa Kantor Kate's hopes for a summer romance are dashed when her mother announces plans to stay with wealthy friends in Cape Cod as a ploy to make Kate's father jealous, but when Kate is introduced to Adam things begin to look brighter.

Bowler, Gerry. "Valentine's Day." St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture. Ed. Sara Pendergast and Tom     Pendergast. Vol. 5. Detroit: St. James Press, 2000. 16-17. Gale Student Resources In Context. Web. 14 Feb. 2013.

Student Review - Dairy Queen

Book Title: Dairy Queen

Book Author: Catherine Gilbert Murdock

Reviewer: Maranda Mustaca

Why would you recommend this book? I would recommend this book because it really reaches out to all different types of readers. Like if you are a girl it has stuff about like boys and how much trouble you go through with the boyfriend situation. And for boys it has football and alot of hard work into training .So it’s good for many reader like people who like sports, mystery, fantasy sorta and many other. It interest all types of people and even if you can't relate to the book you can find things that are different and see if there are anything that relate to another character. It is one of those book that is really hard to put down. And to sum this up its good for all types of reader and there’s a little shock at the end but you have to get there to find out. HAPPY READING!

What did you like about the book? I liked that it was relatable to my life and the whole boy friend situation and problems along the way. And I could not put it down the book it was so good. I LIKED EVERY SINGLE PAGE IN THE BOOK!

What did you dislike about the book? I disliked some of the words but overall it was a really good book.

Final thoughts about the book? My final thoughts on the book is its great and you should read it. It is really hard to put down. I wouldn't change a thing at all.

Student Review - Avalon

Book Title: Avalon High

Book Author: Meg Cabot

Reviewer: Anjali Venna

Why would you recommend this book? This book is not a typical Meg Cabot book. Usually she writes about "girly" stuff. Boyfriends, Popular crowd,etc,etc. This really stunned me. I like suspense, action, and a little bit of romance. This book gave me all I want. It's about new girl, Elaine Harrison, who moves to Maryland. She starts at a new school called Avalon High home of the Excalibers. It's like any typical high school. There's Mr. Popular, Will . Little Miss. Perfect, Jennifer. And Mr. Popular's Wing-man, Lance. But no sooner than she arrives does she realize that if you look close enough, the place is like a modern day Camelot! So with parents who are professors, and a group called the Order of the Bear, could King Arthur be reborn? Or will the forces of evil get him? Elaine Harrison's life will never be the same. If that sparks something then you should read Avalon High.

What did you like about the book? This book gave me amazing facts about Camelot and King Arthur in an entertaining way. It also shows how to deal with high school as "The New Girl".It was also interesting to see how each character had things in common with the mythical characters of Camelot. Plus, I had to know how Arthur defeats Mordrad, or even who King Arthur was. It also had a love triangle and any book with a love triangle is worth reading in my opinion. Or was it a ... how do say it... a quadruple triangle?

What did you dislike about the book? This was a great book, although at certain points, the story seemed to drag and the author kept repeating what the main character was feeling over and over again.

Final thoughts about the book? Like I said earlier this was a great book and I recommend you read it. This also might get you interested in Medieval times, cause I know I did.

Beautiful Creatures Movie

The book, Beautiful Creatures, by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, will soon be a movie.  I am about two thirds of the way finished, and I am loving it.  I love the Southern setting, the paranormal characters, the flashbacks to the Civil War, and the mystery.  Have you read the book? What did you think?  If you haven't read it, do you plan to read it before the movie comes out on Feb. 14? Come by the library, and I will help you check it out!

Student Review - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Book Title: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Book Author: J.K. Rowling

Reviewer: Camryn Cartwright

Why would you recommend this book? This book was super interesting, and I loved every second of it. The ending was kinda sad, but it was happy at the same time. I would recommend this book because it was action-packed, adventurous, and everything you could wish for in a book.

What did you like about the book? I liked the fast-paced scenery and the way the book flowed together.

What did you dislike about the book? I disliked the sad scenes like when someone (I'm not telling who) died. That person was one of my favorite characters.

Final thoughts about the book? READ THIS BOOK, and the entire series with it because after you're done you will want to read it over again!

Mrs. Chetty's Year in Review: 2012

 As many of you know, my goal for 2012 was 50 books.  I came very close with 48.  I blame baby Eliza for not letting me get to the last 2.  Many of you have asked, so here are the books that I read.  My favorite book of the year was either Divergent, by Veronica Roth, or Wonder, by R.J. Palacio.   You will notice most of them are in the GMS library, but not all.  If you have any questions about books I read, just ask!  I would love to know what books you read in 2012 and what your favorite was.  Do you have a goal for 2013?  I am going to try for 50 again.  I will let you know how I do.  Just leave a comment below with your list of books, favorites, or goals and I might just deliver a scratch-and-sniff bookmark to you.

Ready to review the books in your gift?

You checked out a gift before Winter Break? You read all three books in the gift? You are now ready to review the books? Well, here is your link!