Our First Music Video

Do you have Overdue Books?  Here's a quick reminder to turn them in!  Please share and see if we can make it go viral!!

Click here to check it out!!

Book Fair Day 2 ~ Zanele's Book Fair Picks

Day 2 of Book Fair!  Here's Zanele's Flipagram with her

Book Fair picks!

Book Fair Day 1 ~ Sam's Recommendations!

Hi Gators!  It's Day One of Book Fair?  Have you stopped by for a visit?  Here are some recommendations from our wonderful 3rd period library aide Sam (he made the Flipagram too)!

Library Lunch Bunch Drawing Winners

Congrats to the students who won $10 gift certificates to Book Fair during Library Lunch Bunch!

Gator Reads (Book Review)

The Detour
By S.A. Bodeen

• Seventeen-year-old Livvy Flynn, a bestselling author of YA fiction, is kidnapped by a woman and her apparently manic daughter who have no intention of letting her go. ~From the Catalog

What I thought:  Have you ever heard of the book or movie Misery by Stephen King?  It's the story of an author who is held against his will by an obsessed fan of his book.  Well S.A. Bodeen's book The Detour is pretty much Misery for a Young Adult audience.  In fact, Bodeen references Misery a couple of times throughout the book.  I'm not sure how I feel about this book.  Livvy was not a likeable character.  You kind of didn't care that she was being held and, honestly, hoped she would learn something in the process.  It's kind of weird when you feel empathy for your the kidnapper instead of the person who has been kidnapped.  There are some interesting twist and points that are very relevant for YA audiences.  I would recommend this book to fans of S.A. Bodeen (she wrote The Compound and Fallout), thrillers, and stories with a twist.

~Mrs. Leffel

Goosebumps Get Together Drama

Hi Everyone!

I'd like to issue an apology and give an explanation for all the confusion on our Goosebumps movie get together.  At the beginning of last week, I called the movie theater and they assured me that there would be a 2:20pm movie.  I then confirmed the time by looking online. Well...the morning of October 24th, a parent emailed me saying that there was no movie at 2:20pm.  I did not see this email until almost 1pm and immediately tried to think of ways to get the word out. In retrospect, I should have remembered to post on my blog... Instead, I posted on the library Twitter account and my WONDERFUL library aide Mrs. Powell and I devised a plan.  I contacted the theater and left a note at the box office explaining the situation and they assured me that if any students came asking about a 2:20pm movie, they would let them know.  I then proceeded to see the 1:35pm movie with a student who had arrived and Mrs. Powell came back for the 4:30pm movie for any students who received the message at the box office.  Well...unfortunately, students did arrive for the 2:20pm movie, and the box office did not deliver the message.  I am beyond sorry for how this all turned out.  I want you to know that I did everything in my power to try and fix the situation.  I hope in the future we can have an event and everything works out better.  Thank you to those of you who braved the weather to come and try to see the movie with me.  I'm sorry for the situation.

Keep reading!

~Mrs. Leffel

Gator Read (Book Review)

Orbiting Jupiter
By Gary D. Schmidt

The two-time Newbery Honor winner Gary D. Schmidt delivers the shattering story of Joseph, a father at thirteen, who has never seen his daughter, Jupiter. After spending time in a juvenile facility, he's placed with a foster family on a farm in rural Maine. Here Joseph, damaged and withdrawn, meets twelve-year-old Jack, who narrates the account of the troubled, passionate teen who wants to find his baby at any cost. In this riveting novel, two boys discover the true meaning of family and the sacrifices it requires. ~From the library catalog

What I thought: This book was devastating.  If you are looking for a book to make you sad, this one's for you.  It was incredibly well written and a quick read.  Several times while reading the end, I gasped.  I recommend this to fans of realistic fiction, quick reads, and those wanting a book that makes them sad.

~Mrs. Leffel

This Week in Library History...

This has been a busy week in the library!  We had 3 days of library lunch bunch and then the teacher preview for 

Book Fair!

This month's theme was "Books that Will Give You Goosebumps".  During library lunch bunch we made edible slime, ate cookies, and watched scary book trailers.  Here's a couple of pictures from our spooky good time!

We also had our teacher preview of book fair!  Be sure and check out your favorite teacher's wish list.  Here's a sneak peek of all the goodies we will have next week at Book Fair!

Readalike Wednesday-Dystopia

Dystopian reads are very popular right now with movies such as The Hunger Games and Divergent coming out.  Here's a tribute to some of the lesser known Dystopian reads you can find in our library!

Among the Hidden
By Margaret Peterson Haddix
In a future where the Population Police enforce the law limiting a family to only two children, Luke has lived all his twelve years in isolation and fear on his family's farm, until another "third" convinces him that the government is wrong.
Find it @ Popular Series: F HAD

The Roar
By Emma Clayton
A futuristic eco-thriller about Ellie, a kidnapped child warrior determined to free herself--and free the planet. Listen: Can you hear THE ROAR? Answer the call of the wild!

Mika and Ellie live in a future behind a wall: Solid concrete topped with high-voltage razor wire and guarded by a battalion of Ghengis Borgs, it was built to keep out the animals, because animals carry the plague. At least that's what Ellie, who was kidnapped as a child, has always been taught. But when she comes to suspect the truth behind her captivity, she's ready to risk exposure to the elements and answer the call of the wild. Listen. Can you hear it? She's strapping on her headset, jumpstarting her Pod Fighter, and--with her capuchin monkey at her back--she's breaking out!
Find it @ F CLA

The Limit
By Kristen Landon
In a world eerily similar to our own, the government imposes debt limits on families. Exceed the limit, and the family’s oldest child will be taken away to a special workhouse. Thirteen-year-old Matt doesn’t think he has anything to worry about. After all, his parents are financially responsible, unlike the parents of those other kids. But after Matt’s family unexpectedly surpasses their limit, Matt’s whisked away to a workhouse where far more serious dangers exist than anyone on the outside realizes. Highly relevant to modern financial challenges and sure to captivate readers, The Limit is a fast-paced thriller that never lets up.
Find it @ F LAN

The One Safe Place
By Tania Unsworth
In this near-future dystopia with echoes of The Giver and Among the Hidden, Tania Unsworth has created an unsettling page-turner--fast-paced, smooth, filled with dread--that's wholly satisfying and startlingly original.

Devin doesn't remember life before the world got hot; he has grown up farming the scorched earth with his grandfather in their remote valley. When his grandfather dies, Devin heads for the city. Once there, among the stark glass buildings, he finds scores of children, just like him, living alone on the streets. They tell him rumors of a place for abandoned children, with unlimited food and toys and the hope of finding a new family. But only the luckiest get there.

An act of kindness earns Devin an invitation to the home, but it's soon clear that it's no paradise. As Devin investigates the intimidating administrator and the zombie-like sickness that afflicts some children, he discovers the home's horrific true mission. The only real hope is escape, but the place is as secure as a fortress.
Find it @ F UNS

The House of the Scorpion
By Nancy Farmer

Matteo Alacrán was not born; he was harvested. His DNA came from El Patrón, lord of a country called Opium—a strip of poppy fields lying between the United States and what was once called Mexico. Matt’s first cell split and divided inside a petri dish. Then he was placed in the womb of a cow, where he continued the miraculous journey from embryo to fetus to baby. He is a boy now, but most consider him a monster—except for El Patrón. El Patrón loves Matt as he loves himself, because Matt is himself.

As Matt struggles to understand his existence, he is threatened by a sinister cast of characters, including El Patrón’s power-hungry family, and he is surrounded by a dangerous army of bodyguards. Escape is the only chance Matt has to survive. But escape from the Alacrán Estate is no guarantee of freedom, because Matt is marked by his difference in ways he doesn’t even suspect. Find it @ F FAR

The Neptune Project

By Polly Holyoke
Nere has never understood why she feels so much more comfortable and confident in water than on land, but everything falls into place when Nere learns that she is one of a group of kids who-unbeknownst to them-have been genetically altered to survive in the ocean. These products of "The Neptune Project" will be able to build a better future under the sea, safe from the barren countrys famine, wars, and harsh laws. 
But there are some very big problems: no one asked Nere if she "wanted "to be a science experiment, the other Neptune kids arent exactly the friendliest bunch, and in order to reach the safe haven of the Neptune colony, Nere and her fellow mutates must swim through hundreds of miles of dangerous waters, relying only on their wits, dolphins, and each other to evade terrifying undersea creatures and a government that will stop at nothing to capture the Neptune kids...dead or alive.
Fierce battles and daring escapes abound as Nere and her friends race to safety in this action-packed aquatic adventure.
Find it @ F HOL

Atlantia
By Ally Condie
Can you hear Atlantia breathing?

For as long as she can remember, Rio has dreamt of the sand and sky Above—of life beyond her underwater city of Atlantia. But in a single moment, all her plans for the future are thwarted when her twin sister, Bay, makes an unexpected decision, stranding Rio Below. Alone, ripped away from the last person who knew Rio’s true self—and the powerful siren voice she has long hidden—she has nothing left to lose.

Guided by a dangerous and unlikely mentor, Rio formulates a plan that leads to increasingly treacherous questions about her mother’s death, her own destiny, and the complex system constructed to govern the divide between land and sea. Her life and her city depend on Rio to listen to the voices of the past and to speak long-hidden truths.
Find it @ F CON

The Unwanteds
By Lisa McMann

When Alex finds out he is Unwanted, he expects to die. That is the way of the people of Quill. Each year, all the thirteen-year-olds are labeled as Wanted, Necessary, or Unwanted. Wanteds get more schooling and train to join the Quillitary. Necessaries keep the farms running. Unwanteds are set for elimination.

     It’s hard for Alex to leave behind his twin, Aaron, a Wanted, but he makes peace with his fate—until he discovers that instead of a “death farm,” what awaits him is a magical place called Artimé. There, Alex and his fellow Unwanteds are encouraged to cultivate their creative abilities and use them magically. Everything Alex has ever known changes before his eyes, and it’s a wondrous transformation. 

     But it’s a rare, unique occurrence for twins to be divided between Wanted and Unwanted, and as Alex and Aaron’s bond stretches across their separation, a threat arises for the survival of Artimé that will pit brother against brother in an ultimate magical battle.           Find it @ F MCM

Epic
By Conor Kostick
Generations ago, violence was banned on New Earth. Society is governed and conflicts are resolved in the arena of a fantasy computer game, Epic. Everyone plays. If you win, you have the chance to go to university, get more supplies for your community, and fulfill your dreams; if you lose, your life both in and out of the game is worth nothing.

When Erik, seeking revenge for the unjust treatment of his parents, dares to subvert the rules of Epic, he and his friends find themselves up against with the ultimate masters of the game: the Committee. If Erik and his friends win, they may have the key to destroying Epic’s tyranny over New Earth. But if they lose . . . Find it @ Lone Star Books: F KOS

Insignia
By S. J. Kincaid

More than anything, Tom Raines wants to be important, though his shadowy life is anything but that. For years, Tom’s drifted from casino to casino with his unlucky gambler of a dad, gaming for their survival. Keeping a roof over their heads depends on a careful combination of skill, luck, con artistry, and staying invisible.

Then one day, Tom stops being invisible. Someone’s been watching his virtual-reality prowess, and he’s offered the incredible—a place at the Pentagonal Spire, an elite military academy. There, Tom’s instincts for combat will be put to the test and if he passes, he’ll become a member of the Intrasolar Forces, helping to lead his country to victory in World War III. Finally, he’ll be someone important: a superhuman war machine with the tech skills that every virtual-reality warrior dreams of. Life at the Spire holds everything that Tom’s always wanted—friends, the possibility of a girlfriend, and a life where his every action matters—but what will it cost him?

Gripping and provocative, S. J. Kincaid’s futuristic thrill ride of a debut crackles with memorable characters, tremendous wit, and a vision of the future that asks startling, timely questions about the melding of humanity and technology. Find it @ Lone Star Books: F KIN

Gators Read-Book Review

Game Over, Pete Watson
By Joe Schreiber

When video game obsessed Pete Watson discovers his dad is not only a super-spy but has been kidnapped and is now trapped inside a video game, he has to use his super gaming skills and enter the game to rescue him. Will he be able to save his friends and family and the entire world from giant mechanical cockroaches and a massive cyber attack set to take down the world's network? And if he succeeds, who will save Pete from his massive crush on Callie Midwood?-From the Publisher

What I Thought:  This is a book I have been recommending since last year because several librarians and library websites have recommended it.  I finally had the chance to sit down and read it.  If you're a fan of Diary of a Wimpy Kid or the James Patterson Middle School or I Funny series, then this is the book for you.  Filled with action, cliffhanger chapter endings and tons of humor, it's a great read!  Find it @ F SCH

But Mrs. Leffel... I need it right now!!

Remember the day a book you desperately wanted wasn't here and you had to place it on hold?

Well...THEY'RE HERE!!

Remember... We only hold books for 5 days.  Then it goes back on the shelves.

So please help the library out and get your holds quickly!

That is all.

~Mrs. Leffel

Library Lunch Bunch Fun!

September 16th was the first meeting of The Library Lunch Bunch!  We had a great time watching book trailers for some of the great reads in the Griffin Library.  We also previewed movie trailers for James Dashner's The Scorch Trials and Rick Yancey's The 5th Wave.  Here are some pictures from our first meeting:

Our next meeting is October 21st and our theme is "Books that will Give You Goosebumps"!

Gators Read (Book Review)

Undertow
By Michael Buckley

Sixteen-year-old Lyric Walker's life is forever changed when she witnesses the arrival of 30,000 Alpha, a five-nation race of ocean-dwelling warriors, on her beach in Coney Island. The world's initial wonder and awe over the Alpha quickly turns ugly and paranoid and violent, and Lyric's small town transforms into a military zone with humans on one side and Alpha on the other. When Lyric is recruited to help the crown prince, a boy named Fathom, assimilate, she begins to fall for him. But their love is a dangerous one, and there are forces on both sides working to keep them apart. Only, what if the Alpha are not actually the enemy? What if they are in fact humanity's only hope of survival? Because the real enemy is coming. And it's more terrifying than anything the world has ever seen.

Action, suspense, and romance whirlpool dangerously in this cinematic saga, a blend of "District 9" and "The Outsiders." ~from the Catalog

What I thought: The marketing campaign for Undertow says it will be the next big trilogy.  It claims it will be as popular as The Hunger Games.  I have to agree.  After being in a bit of a book slump (yes, librarians go through those too), this book held my attention and I finished it in a day.  Undertow is a great mix of action, politics, dystopian-esque elements, interesting characters, and romance.  It is especially interesting when you compare it to immigration reforms that are being discussed in the news.  Fans of Maze Runner, Hunger Games, and Matched will not be disappointed.  My only complaint...that I have to wait for the next book in the series.

Happy reading! ~Mrs. Leffel

Gator Reads (Book Review)

Dumplin'
By Julie Murphy

"Dubbed “Dumplin’” by her former beauty queen mom, Willowdean has always been at home in her own skin. Her thoughts on having the ultimate bikini body? Put a bikini on your body. With her all-American-beauty best friend, Ellen, by her side, things have always worked . . .  until Will takes a job at Harpy’s, the local fast-food joint. There she meets Private School Bo, a hot former jock. Will isn’t surprised to find herself attracted to Bo. But she is surprised when he seems to like her back.  

Instead of finding new heights of self-assurance in her relationship with Bo, Will starts to doubt herself. So she sets out to take back her confidence by doing the most horrifying thing she can imagine: entering the Miss Teen Blue Bonnet Pageant—along with several other unlikely candidates—to show the world that she deserves to be up there as much as any twiggy girl does. Along the way, she’ll shock the hell out of Clover City—and maybe herself most of all." ~From the publisher

What I thought: I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED, LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this book!! Did I mention I loved this book?  Have you ever felt different?  How you ever felt you weren't living up to your parents expectations?  Have you ever wanted to be bold and go for something completely out of your comfort level?  Then this book is for you!  Willowdean is an incredibly likeable character and it is so easy to relate to her struggles with body image, crushes, loss, and parents.  This was one of my top reads of the year.  I highly recommend this book!!  Find it @ J MUR

Reviewed by LibraryLef (aka Mrs. Leffel)

Lindsay Cummings Author Visit!

Lindsay Cummings, author of the Balance Keepers series, is coming to Griffin on September 23rd!  If you would like to purchase a copy of her book to get autographed, order forms can be picked up in the library.  Order forms must be returned by September 18th to Mrs. Leffel.  Don't forget, we will be reading Balance Keepers for our December lunch bunch meeting so here's your chance to buy and autographed copy!

Which Divergent Faction Are You?

As promised Gators, here is some more fun with GIFs!!

This week:

WHICH DIVERGENT FACTION ARE YOU?

First, some definitions (taken from Divergent author Veronica Roth's website):

DAUNTLESS: Fearless, undaunted

ABNEGATION: To refuse or deny oneself; to relinquish or give up

ERUDITE: Characterized by great knowledge; learned or scholarly

CANDOR: The state of quality of being frank, open, and sincere in speech or expression; candidness

AMITY: Friendship; peaceful harmony; mutual understanding and a peaceful relationship

DIVERGENT; Diverging ; differing; deviating; to differ in opinion, character, form, etc.

FACTION: A group or clique within a larger group, party, government, organization, or the like.

Now, it's your turn!  Follow the flow to find your faction:

*All GIFs found through Google Images

And just because...

Happy Reading! ~Mrs. Leffel