If you enjoy reading and would like a way to track what you read, share your books with friends, and read reviews, you should check out Goodreads. Goodreads is a website that free to use and functions as a social network for those of us who read. It can be found at www.goodreads.com, and it is available as an app. Through the website and app you can create and name shelves to organize the books you've read. You can track what page you are on in the book you are currently reading, review books, and join discussion groups.
Goodreads just published their list of the best books of 2012, as voted
by Goodreads users. You can view the whole list on Goodreads. The following winners are of
particular note to us here at the Fairfield MS/HS library:
Best Middle Grade & Children's: The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan
Best Young Adult Fantasy and Sci-Fi: Insurgent by Veronica Roth
Best Goodreads Author: Veronica Roth
Best Young Adult Fiction - The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Are you looking for a book that is worth the time that you'll spend reading it? Of the books I've read recently, here are two that I loved and highly recommend for mature readers only, due to mature content.
We have been so fortunate to have organizations the the PTO support us, and on Monday of this week, we received more support from another library fairy!
At the Veteran's Day breakfast held at the school on Monday, November 12th, the library was presented with a generous donation from the Fairfield AMVETS. We are planning to use the donation to do some much needed updating to our book collection. Students will benefit from these new materials for years to come. I am honored to receive the donation, and want to genuinely thank the AMVETS for not only their donation, but also their service to our country.
Thanks to the PTSO, who held their book fair this week, the library was able to add some new books to our collection. Visit the library today to check out these new books:
Darth Paper Strikes Back by Tom Angleberger
The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger
The Underdogs by Mike Lupica
Something Like Fate by Susane Colasanti
The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks
I Pledge Allegiance (Vietnam 1) by Chris Lynch
Sharpshooter (Vietnam 2) by Chris Lynch
Free-Fire Zone (Vietnam 3) by Chris Lynch
The Fire Ascending by Chris D'Lacey
The Fire by James Patterson
On Monday, October 22nd, I had the opportunity to present about the library to Fairfield's school board. As the framework of my presentation, I made a prezi, which is an extremely neat presenation tool. Go to www.prezi.com to make your own prezi. It is free to make public web-hosted presentations.
Yesterday, the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) announced the winners of the 2012 Teen's Top Ten award, which they do every year during Teen Read Week. Check out list, and congratulations to the winner, Divergent by Veronica Roth, which is a personal favorite of mine!
Next week, October 14th to the 20th is Teen Read Week! During this week, we want all of the teens (and tweens) to visit the library, and dare to read for the fun of it. This year's theme is "It Came from the Library," because the library is full of creepy, spooky, and spine-tingling reads, whether you find them in a book, a graphic novel, or on a kindle!
To celebrate, each day next week a question will be announced. Each day that you come to the library to answer the question you will be entered in a drawing for a prize at the end of the week! What will the prize be? Well, you'll just have to visit the library to find out...if you dare!
September 30th through October 6th is the 30th Anniversary of Banned Books Week. Banned Books Week is an annual celebration of the freedom to read. One event that the American Library Association is sponsoring in conjunction with Banned Book Week is a Virtual Read Out, where you can record a video of you reading a banned book to the dedicated Banned Books Week Virtual Read Out YouTube channel. The video above is Whoopi Goldberg's Banned Books Week video.
The past week brought big news in the technology world. Two of the most prominent technology producers have unveiled new gadgets. Amazon announced its new line of kindles. Check them out on www.amazon.com, or check out this link for a close up analysis of their new e-readers and mini tablets. Apple also had a big announcement this week, revealing the Iphone 5. This article provides a good overview of the new smartphone's features.
Does anyone else feel like their gadgets are suddenly obsolete?
The whirlwind that is the first week of school is wrapping up. The library is back in business, checking out books and providing lessons for middle and high school students. While much of library operation is the same, here is a brief list of things that are new:
In order to obtain a IL library pass, high school students must visit the library before homeroom or between class. No passes will be given at the beginning of IL.
There are new kindle contracts to sign in order to get a kindle. Get one in the library or print one from the district's library website.
Signs can be found at the beginning of the middle school and high school fiction sections that list books available on the kindles.
We have many new kindle books, and we will be getting more at the year progresses! We welcome suggestions for kindle books, so tell us what you want to read!
When a series is suggested to rival the Hunger Games, it better be amazing.
That's what I thought when I began reading Divergent, by Veronica Roth. This book, which is the first in the Divergent Trilogy, has received a large amount of hype. So much that the movie rights have already been purchased, even though the book has only been out for 1 year. Needless to say, I began reading the book last week, ready to pick it apart and criticize it.
Did it live up to the hype?
YES!
The novel started a little slow; It didn't grab me and pull me in from the first page. Also, the beginning is eerily similar to the beginning of the Hunger Games. There is no doubt that Roth was inspired by Suzanne Collin's series. The main character, Beatrice or Tris, is a strong, young female, and, of course, there is a love interest.
That is where the major parallels between the two end. Once I got past the first 100 pages (it is almost a 500 page book), I could not stop reading. The dystopian society that Roth creates is far-fetched, but extremely intriguing. The action is non-stop, and the romance is realistic and mature, without overshadowing the real plot or becoming annoying. The characters are extremely well developed and dynamic.
I highly recommend Divergent to readers who are interested in dystopian science fiction. While there is a female main characters, the gentlemen will enjoy it because of the action, and also because Tris kicks some major behind. The ladies will also enjoy this book for the same reason, but will love the romance, because the love interest of Beatrice will make you swoon.
I've moved on to the second book, Insurgent, and I hoping that it is even better than the first.
Unfortunately, the third book won't be released until 2013. I forsee that I will enjoy the first two so much, that the wait for the third will be excruciating.
Don't blink, or you may miss the remainder of the school year. It is swiftly approaching!
All library materials must be brought back by May 25th, so we can complete inventory by the end of the year. The library will remain open until the end of the year for student computer and resource use.
Open Library will occur from 3-4 on May 16th and May 23rd. These will be the last two Open Library dates for the year.
Bartleby has been perched over in the notable links section since I started my blog. If you haven't taken the plunge and clicked on the link, do so. Bartleby is an amazing freeresource where you can access entire books and collections of poetry, as well as speeches and other pieces of classic literature. You'll find the Oddysey by Homer, the presidential debates of Abraham Lincoln, and haunting works of Edgar Allan Poe. Plus, did I mention it's free?!
Also: If you go to see The Raven, which is based on Edgar Allan Poe's work and new in theaters this weekend, please let me know what you thought of the movie!
For Teen Tech Week, we celebrated by covering the wall with post-its to see what our favorite technology was. For School Library Month, I'm asking, What is your favorite book? Check out the bulletin board in the library to see how the results stack up.
Check out these kids, who are the middle school winners for the "You belong @ your School Library" video contest to celebrate School Library Month.
April is National School Library Month, which is a month to celebrate all school libraries have to offer to students and teachers. The theme for 2012 School Library Month is "You belong @ your library." Stay tuned to hear about special events occurring during April to celebrate school libraries. Until then, check out all the reasons you belong @ your library:
Research anything – for a school assignment or your own personal projects
Get a global perspective – learn about other cultures, global issues and events
Enjoy great programs – authors, speakers, open-mic, special events
Study in a quiet place – study for an exam, write that essay
Hang out with friends – catch up on the latest gossip, compare gaming strategies, make plans for the weekend
Explore new ideas – take the opportunity to investigate topics of interest or importance to you, satisfy your curiosity
Feel safe – spend time where there is always a welcome smile and an offer of support, find a kindred spirit
Lose yourself in a good book – participate in the promotion of reading through book clubs, suggesting titles for inclusion in the library collection, write book reviews
Expand your world online – use it for school-based assignments and explore your personal interests
Find endless opportunities – be a student library aide, meet with your favorite club, see an student work on display, the possibilities are endless
