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Lockhart, E. WE WERE LIARS Delacorte, 2013 Cady has always looked forward to summers on her family’s private island; it’s the only time she sees her cousins Johnny and Mirren and their friend Gat, and the four are an inseparable group, happy being teenagers and unconcerned with inheriting the family’s riches or upholding reputations. The summer they are all fifteen, Cady suffers an accident, leaving her with headaches and memory loss, confused at the strained relationships and secrets everyone seems to be keeping from her when she is able to return to the island at age seventeen. (Booktalk by the Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Committee)
Thursday, March 31, 2016
Today's book 03/31/2016
Monday, March 28, 2016
Today's book 03/28/2016
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Reynolds, Jason. WHEN I WAS THE GREATEST New York : Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2014 IL YA ISBN 1442459476 Ali and his friends, brothers Noodles and Needles, refuse to be defined by the stereotypes in their Brooklyn neighborhood. Ali keeps busy by learning to box, just as Noodles does reading comic books, and Needles gets his name not from any type of injection but from the knitting needles he carries to help control the symptoms of Tourette’s Syndrome. Despite their good intentions, what will happen when the three find themselves in a dangerous situation at an exclusive party? (Booktalk by the Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Committee)
Wednesday, March 23, 2016
Today's book 03/23/2016
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Magoon, Kekla. HOW IT WENT DOWN New York : Henry Holt, 2014 IL YA ISBN 0805098690 African American teen Tariq Johnson has been shot and killed by Jack Franklin, a white man, after exiting a convenience store. This is the only fact known for certain by the media and investigating officials. Community members, friends, family, eyewitnesses, and police all give their accounts of how it went down, each providing pieces of conflicting stories in this complex novel. (Booktalk by the Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Committee)
Sunday, March 20, 2016
Today's book 03/20/2016
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Danticat, Edwidge. UNTWINE New York : Scholastic, 2015 IL YA ISBN 0545423031 They say that when identical twins Isabelle and Giselle were born, they were holding hands. The doctor needed to untwine their hands. And they have been inseparable ever since. No they don't do the twin thing where they dress alike. And they don't have the same classes in school. They each have their own interests. But they are very close. When a horrible traffic accident separates the twins in a tragic way, can things ever be the same?
Friday, March 18, 2016
Today's book 03/18/2016
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Woodson, Jacqueline. EACH KINDNESS Nancy Paulsen Books, 2012 Have you ever made fun of someone because of their clothes or the way they looked? Has anyone ever made fun of you? Chloe and her friends won't play with the new girl Maya because her clothes are not the most fashionable and her obvious poverty. When her teacher gives a lesson on kindness, Chloe begins to regret her decisions. But can she undo all the hurtful things she has done?
Thursday, March 17, 2016
Today's book 03/17/2016
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Weatherford, Carole Boston. VOICE OF FREEDOM : FANNIE LOU HAMER, SPIRIT OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT Somerville : Candlewick, 2015 IL 5-8, RL 5.6 ISBN 0763665312 Fannie Lou Hamer was born in 1917 and was the youngest in a family of 20 children! Her parents were poor sharecroppers in Mississippi who struggled to keep everyone fed. Fannie had to quit school after the 6th grade to help the family. Times were hard as they spent their days picking cotton in the hot sun. It was not easy to be poor but harder still to be African American. Fannie faced discrimination all her life. By the time she was in her 40s, Fannie knew that this was not right and she joined with the civil rights movement to do something about it. When she tried to register to vote, she was viciously beaten. But she would not be stopped. She was more determined than ever to help African Americans get equal rights.
Wednesday, March 16, 2016
Today's book 03/16/2016
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Orbiting Jupiter by Gary Schmidt
Schmidt, Gary. ORBITING JUPITER New York : Clarion Books, 2015 IL YA ISBN 054446222X Jackie is 12 years old and living a relatively normal life. Until his family is joined by 14 year old Joseph -- a foster kid who has real issues. He has been in juvie and now his case worker wants him to experience family life. Joseph is pretty quiet and not open to anyone. As the days go by, Jack sees Joseph coming out of his shell and learning to trust again. But Joseph has one goal in mind. He needs to find his baby daughter. Yes, that's right. He is only 14 but he has a baby out there somewhere who he wants to raise. Could that even be possible? How could a 14 year old raise a baby?
Tuesday, March 15, 2016
Today's book 03/15/2016
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Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Booktalk by 7th grade student at Rundlett Middle School
Sunday, March 13, 2016
Today's book 03/13/2016
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Raczka, Bob. PRESIDENTIAL MISADVERTURES New York : Roaring Brook, 2015 IL 3-6, RL 6.0 ISBN 1596439807 This book is written in clerihew poetry. Don't know what that is? It is a whimsical, four-line biographical poem. First invented by Edmund Clerihew Bentley, the first line is the name of the biographee. Some of these presidential poems are a bit of a stretch but you are sure to enjoy them. See if you can write some of your own.
Saturday, March 12, 2016
Today's book 03/12/2016
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Polacco, Patricia. BULLY New York : G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2012 IL 3-6, RL 4.1 ISBN 0399257047 Have you ever been bullied? Have you ever known someone who was? You probably answered yes to one of these questions. Lyla is new to her school and finds a friend in Jamie who is also new. But when Lyla makes the cheerleading squad, Jamie is left behind. Now Lyla is hanging out with the popular kids. But when they start bullying Jamie, which side will Lyla be on?
tags: podcasts elementary blueduke
Friday, March 11, 2016
Today's book 03/11/2016
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Harlem Hellfighters by J. Patrick Lewis
Lewis, J. Patrick. HARLEM HELLFIGHTERS Mankato, MN : Creative Editions, 2014 IL 5-8, RL 5.9 ISBN 1568462468 Back in the days of World War I, African Americans were looked down on and discriminated against. But that wasn't going to stop a group of two thousand men from fighting in the war. A regiment of African American soldiers from Harlem risked their lives to fight in France. They fought along side of the French Army but their legend goes beyond their fighting ability. It was their music that made this group of soldiers the legend.
Thursday, March 10, 2016
Today's book 03/10/2016
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Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson
Jamieson, Victoria. ROLLER GIRL New York : Dial Books for Young Readers, 2015 IL 5-8, RL 3.1 ISBN 0525429670 Middle school is a tough time for kids. Interests are changing and sometimes friendships change as well. When Astrid and her best friend Nicole go to their first roller derby, Astrid has found what she wants to do. She plans to go to roller derby camp in the summer and just assumes that Nicole will too. But Nicole plans to go to dance camp. Astrid loves roller derby and works hard to be the best. But the other girls have a head start on her. But she makes a new friend and finds her passion. Will this mean that Nicole is left behind?
tags: podcasts blueduke elementary
Wednesday, March 9, 2016
Today's book 03/09/2016
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Eleanor Roosevelt: A Friend To All by Tamara Hollingsworth
Hollingsworth, Tamara. ELEANOR ROOSEVELT : A FRIEND TO ALL New York : Teacher Created Materials, 2011 IL K-3, RL 2.2 ISBN 1433315912 Eleanor Roosevelt was an amazing woman. Born in 1884 to wealthy parents, she would become an unlikely champion of the poor. She married Franklin Roosevelt in 1905 and the two went on to have six children. Many people in the United States didn't have jobs and were very poor. Eleanor went around the country trying to help. When Franklin became President, she used her position as First Lady to work on improving conditions for those who had no power.
tags: podcasts elementary blueduke
Tuesday, March 8, 2016
Today's book 03/08/2016
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The Trouble In Me by Jack Gantos
Gantos, Jack. THE TROUBLE IN ME New York : Farrar Straus Giroux, 2015 IL YA ISBN 0374379955 Jack Gantos has never shied away from using his own life as a basis of his stories. Written as fiction, this is the story of Jack during the summer before eighth grade. When he gets involved with next door neighbor Gary, he gets into all sorts of trouble while trying to impress Gary. This is not a good thing and it is the beginning of Jack's life that led to some very bad choices.
Monday, March 7, 2016
Today's book 03/07/2016
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Last Stop on Market Street by Matt De La Pena
De la Pena, Matt. ' LAST STOP ON MARKET STREET New York : G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2015 IL K-3, RL 3.3 ISBN 0399257748 Every Sunday after church, CJ and his grandmother have a routine. CJ isn't sure he wants to do the same thing every week. As they wait in the rain for the bus, he questions why they have to go and why they have to ride the bus and why they can't just get a car. With each of his questions, his grandmother shows him the beauty all around him. Will CJ ever appreciate their weekly routine?
tags: podcasts blueduke elementary
Sunday, March 6, 2016
Today's book 03/06/2016
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Rain Wizard by Larry Dane Brimner
Brimner, Larry Dane. RAIN WIZARD : THE AMAZING, MYSTERIOUS, TRUE LIFE OF CHARLES MALLORY HATFIELD New York : Calkins Creek, 2015 IL 3-6, RL 6.8 ISBN 1590789903 Way back in December 1915, San Diego was in the midst of a drought. The town's reservoirs were practically dry and the town administrators knew that something had to be done so the town would survive. They decided to hire Charles Mallory Hatfield who was a renowned rain maker. He had a special formula he used to seed the clouds and make rain. Do you believe that? Well, the people of San Diego did and they put their faith in the Rain Wizard. And do you know what happened? You will have to read the book to find out!
tags: podcasts blueduke elementary