Thursday, September 27, 2012

Book 25: Soccerland

Soccerland by Beth Choat

When she's not helping out on her family's Maine potato farm, Flora Dupre lives, eats, and breathes soccer.  Before her mom died, Flora promised her that she would play for a national team.  Then she gets the opportunity of a lifetime:  to train at the International Sports Academy in Colorado.  It's everything Flora has ever wanted--the first step to making it on a national team.  But camp is tough, and Flora's not used to the level of talent or the attitudes of other players.  She has to deal with a coach who seems to hate her, a group of girls who want nothing more than to see her fail, and then a phone call from home with tragic news.  Can Flora overcome everything to make the team, or will she return to the potato farm and her family?   

**A Truman Nominee for 2012-2013 

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Book 24: Wonder

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

August Pullman is like most middle school boys.  He has an older, moody sister starting high school, a dog named Daisy whom he adores, and a love for all things Star Wars.  The only difference is that Auggie has been home-schooled his entire life--he's never attended a "real" school.  Until now.  It's hard enough to fit in, to figure out the "right" lunch table, to know who to trust in class.  But there's one more difference that makes middle school tough for him.  August Pullman was born with multiple birth defects that have left his face severely deformed. What's it really like to see the world through Auggie's eyes?  And what happens when his world suddenly collides with others'?        

Monday, September 10, 2012

Book 23: The Grimm Legacy

The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman

Elizabeth Rew has a new part-time job.  But just not any job.  After a referral from her social studies teacher, Elizabeth is a library page at the New York Circulating Material Repository where patrons can check out a variety of objects and collections.  As if that's not strange enough (Elizabeth was expecting a library to check out books), a giant bird creature has been seen hovering around the repository, a former page has disappeared, Elizabeth can see her boss's freckles dance around on his face, and there are a lot of secrets regarding the repository's most special collection:  The Grimm Collection.  When Grimm objects start disappearing, it's up to Elizabeth and the other pages to figure out what's going on.  Will she survive to live "happily ever after?"

**A Truman Nominee for 2012-2013