What they're (really) reading: October 2017

By keeping a pulse on what our students are checking out at our middle school library and keeping a close eye on which books are circulating heavily, I feel that I can spend the small budget I have more wisely by choosing books I know will have a greater likelihood of circulating widely.

Each month I'll feature some books that are on the "heavy rotation" list in our library. They're not necessarily new, shiny, or covered with awards -- they're just what the kids want. 

Ripley's Believe It Or Not 2018
Nonfiction

A collection of bizarre facts, stories, and photographs featuring unusual creatures, people, places, and adventures from around the world. Can't go wrong with Ripley's...

Fullmetal Alchemist
by Hiromu Arakawa
Manga/Anime

Manga and anime are white hot in our library! I'm building a collection as quickly as possible. 
Edward Elric, having lost his arm and leg in a botched alchemical ritual that left his brother Alphonse a soul in a suit of armor, continues his quest for the Philosopher's Stone which will restore their bodies, but the mission is jeopardized when Elric and Prince Lin of Xing are swallowed by the homunculus Gluttony.

Star Wars: Incredible Cross Sections
by David West Reynolds
Nonfiction

Uses cross-section illustrations to reveal the interior layouts of fourteen vehicles and spacecraft featured in the "Star Wars" series of movies. We've seen a slight increase in Star Wars interest due to the upcoming movie release.

The Gathering 
by Dan Poblocki
Horror Fiction

Poppy Caldwell is an orphan who keeps seeing a figure standing behind her in the mirror at the group home where she lives, but she does not associate this ghost with the letter that mysteriously appears in her file, claiming to be from a long-lost aunt, and inviting her to Larkspur House--and she is just one of five children who find themselves gathered in this strange house with a deadly past, and apparently no intention of letting the children escape.

Roller Girl
by Victoria Jamieson
Graphic Novel

When Astrid, about to begin junior high, heads to summer roller derby camp while best friend Nicole opts for ballet camp, their relationship is jeopardized by opposing interests.

What They're Really Reading : August 2017

By keeping a pulse on what our students are checking out at our middle school library and keeping a close eye on which books are circulating heavily, I feel that I can spend the small budget I have more wisely by choosing books I know will have a greater likelihood of circulating widely.

Each month I'll feature some books that are on the "heavy rotation" list in our middle school library. They're not necessarily new, shiny, or covered with awards -- they're just what the kids want. 

Just Listen
by Sarah Dessen
Realistic Fiction

Sixteen-year-old Annabel finds an ally in classmate Owen, whose honestly and passion for music help her to face and share what really happened at the end-of-the-year party that changed her life.

Allegiant (Bk. 3)
by Victoria Roth
Dystopian Fiction

The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered--fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she's known, Tris is ready.

Fablehaven 
by Brandon Mull
Fantasy Fiction

When Kendra and Seth go to stay at their grandparents' estate, they discover that it is a sanctuary for magical creatures and that a battle between good and evil is looming.

Rey Mysterio: High Flying Luchador 
by Raatma
Biography

Describes the life and career of pro wrestler Rey Mysterio.

Project Princess 
by Meg Cabot
Humor/Realistic Fiction

Presents an episode between volumes four and five of The Princess Diaries in which Mia, a New York City teen who is becoming accustomed to being heir to the small European principality of Genovia, sets off with her friends from school to build homes for the less fortunate.

What They're (Really) Reading: April 2017

By keeping a pulse on what our students are checking out at our middle school library and keeping a close eye on which books are circulating heavily, I feel that I can spend the small budget I have more wisely by choosing books I know will have a greater likelihood of circulating widely.

Each month I'll feature some books that are on the "heavy rotation" list in our middle school library. They're not necessarily new, shiny, or covered with awards -- they're just what the kids want. 

A Wrinkle in Time: The Graphic Novel
adapted by Hope Larson

I love that this graphic novel exists! So many students are introduced to a great book they might never pick up otherwise. I always lead them to the original novel when they turn the graphic novel in.

Thirteen Reasons Why
by Jay Asher

Netflix is to thank for bringing this book back into high circulation. There's definitely been some controversy over the series' treatment of the novel, but students are clamoring for it.

Prisoner B-3087
by Alan Gratz

Gratz is wildly popular with our middle schoolers, especially after I did a WWII-themed book talk with one of my classes in February.

Carve the Mark
by Veronica Roth

I just grabbed this one off our book fair in March and it's already moving! Not surprising considering the popularity of the Divergent series.

Series of Unfortunate Events
by Lemony Snicket

Once again, Netflix has come into play and reawakened the love of an "older" book! Series of Unfortunate Events also almost won our March Book Madness school wide tournament in March. I love seeing this series fly off the shelves again thanks to Netflix's new adaptation.

What they're (really) reading: February 2017

By keeping a pulse on what our students are checking out at our middle school library and keeping a close eye on which books are circulating heavily, I feel that I can spend the small budget I have more wisely by choosing books I know will have a greater likelihood of circulating widely.

Each month I'll feature some books that are on the "heavy rotation" list at our middle school library. They're not necessarily new, shiny, or covered with awards -- they're just what the kids want. 

This Month's Selections:

Cupcakes, Cookies, and Pie, Oh, My!
by Karen Tack
Nonfiction

Get ready for another whimsical decorating book from Tack and Richardson (Hello, Cupcake!; What's New, Cupcake?), best-selling authors and culinary MacGyvers who transform store-bought candies, frosting, and baking mixes into stunning cupcake creations. Here, they've expanded their repertoire to include other types of desserts (e.g., a lemon cheesecake that masquerades as nachos). With just one trip to the grocery store, aspiring decorators of all ages can easily re-create treats from this fun book.

Soccer Star Cristiano Ronaldo
by John Albert Torres
Nonfiction

Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the biggest names in all of sports and one of the most iconic figures in international soccer. This biography covers the hardships that Ronaldo faced as a child, and how he overcame them to become the face of the powerhouse soccer club Real Madrid and the Portuguese national team.

Best Foot Forward
by Joan Bauer
Fiction (Realistic)

Taller-than-average shoe salesperson Jenna Boller is back in this gentle, stand-alone sequel to Joan Bauer's lauded Rules of the Road (1998). It's the start of junior year, and new challenges await Jenna, both on the job and at home. Professionally, she is helping Mrs. Gladstone with the merger between Gladstone Shoes and Shoe Warehouse, while training smooth-talking, former juvenile delinquent Tanner Cobb in the fine art of shoe retail. Privately, she is working through her feelings about her father's alcoholism by attending Al-Anon meetings; she's also trying to score a date with cute Charlie Duran, who knows donuts the way she knows shoes. Jenna is so busy that she nearly fails to notice clues leading to Mrs. G's unscrupulous son Elden's embezzlement. But it doesn't take long for sole-ful Jenna to catch on, and, with Mrs. G's support, restore the good name of Gladstone.

The Bully (Bluford High series)
by Paul Langan
Fiction (Realistic/urban)

A new life. An new school. A new bully. That's what Darrell Mercer faces when he and his mother move from Philadelphia to California. After spending months living in fear, Darrell is faced with a big decision. He can either keep running from this bully--or find some way to fight back.

Haunted Houses
by Robert San Souci
Fiction (Short stories/horror)

These 10 spooky stories include a classic Halloween scare: visitors get their admission fee of $25 back if they make it to the top floor of a haunted house-but can they? In another, the primary occupant of a dollhouse is a ghost of a child who needs help moving from one consciousness to another. San Souci also writes about an abandoned teahouse with ghosts, a Ouija board that foretells a confusing yet doomed future, and a mother's spirit who is searching for her missing son. The stories are well paced and satisfyingly startling. While some are better written than others, this book won't stay on the shelves for long. Murphy and Revoy's black-and-white illustrations heighten the fright factor, making San Souci's collection even more riveting.