Maximum Ride: School's Out Forever (Book 2)

If you like series books, these are perfect!  They follow the same 6 kids on their flight through life as they try to save the world or not...and as they try to find their real parents or not...  In this book, Max is duplicated as part of the ploy to catch the flock.  The real Max is put in a chamber that deadens her awareness, her senses.  Will she escape?  Will the flock figure out that their leader, Max, is an impostor?  There is also some progress made on the parent-finding side of the story.

Crossed

A  sequel to Ally Condie's Matched, it picks up right where Matched left off.  As Cassia is deciding who she will spend her life with; Xander, as the Society has matched her with and who has been her best friend, or Ky, who she is falling for.  Unexpectedly, Ky gets taken in the middle of the night and Cassia decides she must make it to the Outer Provinces if there is any chance of saving Ky before his certain death.  Will she find him in time?  Will she find the rebels?  Will they ever gain freedom back? What about Xander, will he turn up once again?

I am now going to have a really tough time waiting for Ally Condie's third book!  I don't think it comes out until November, 2012!  Yikes!!


Here is the book trailer, thanks to Penguin Young Readers.

Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment (Book 1)

This was the choice that my 15 year old son and I compromised on as our audiobook pick for our road trip to Marble Falls for Christmas.  It was about 4 hours long, so it was the perfect length.  This is a series that I have heard so much about, I am glad I finally know what it is about too.  Who hasn't ever wondered what it would be like to fly?  There are six kids in this book who have wings, yes wings, and they can fly!  There is a lot of mystery going on and I don't want to spoil any of it.  Let me just say that these six kids, are led by 14 year old Max, are on their own, and have super-human powers.  There are others who have super-human powers too...and they are after the kids, known as "the flock".  A whole lot of action is around every corner and the flock fights or takes flight!  Turns out that there are 7 titles in this series, as of this posting.

Wonderstruck

Another fantastic novel in words and pictures by Brian Selznick (author of The Invention of Hugo Cabret)! I was wonderstruck by this story just as Mr. Selznick said he was when he went on a backstage tour of the American Museum of Natural History in New York.  He said he knew then that he would have to write a book set there (p. 630).

This book takes you on two adventures, one through words and the other through pictures.  They are set 50 years apart but run parallel until they intersect paths.  This is what had me in such awe.  What a creative genius!   It is full of mystery as Ben, who lives in Minnesota and dreams of wolves, but longs to find his father, and Rose, who lives just outside of New York City and dreams of a mysterious actress who she keeps a scrapbook about.

It is also a story of family, love, and special objects for collecting, not for their monetary value, but their sentimental value.  We learn about museums, curators, and cabinets of wonders.  What would you put in your cabinet?  It would be a fun activity to make your own cabinet of wonders or your own museum box, like Ben's.  You could either plan it on paper or actually make one.  You could even make a model of something which includes hidden objects from your life, like the New York City model. 

A Cabinet of Wonders

Brian Selznick's illustration of a Cabinet of Wonders

What a Way to Start the New Year!

I am so very excited!  I won the drawing for the January 1st Grand Prize over on Edifying and Edgy and their Holiday Break Reading Challenge.  My blog has not been working for the last two days, so I didn't get to say a big THANK YOU!! 

I really enjoyed looking at everyone elses daily entries.  You all have wonderful blogs and I love reading all the great things you say about so many books.  Enjoy another great year of reading!!

#1 Book of 2011 - Book Trailer - Day 17

My #1 book of the year is a sweet little book that I just connected with.  I grew up in Florida and this story found a special place in my heart.  I used the free version of Animoto to create my book trailer (which makes it quite short).

1.  Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer Holm


Try our slideshow creator at Animoto.

Top 11 of 2011 - Day 16

My list of favorite books that I read in 2011.  I have always taught younger kids, so I have been trying to read some old classics too.  Not all of these books were printed in 2011, just that I read them in 2011.

11.  Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis

  This is an old one that I just read this year.  I loved it.  It is historical fiction and Bud is such a sweet main character.

10.  The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

  I listened to this book on audio twice.  The author reads it himself with his wonderful British accent.  It just fit the book so perfectly.  Nobody Owens must learn to live among the living and the dead.  Wonderfully spooky with lots of action for the younger end of young adults.

9.  The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

  This book was just plain fun!  A young boy who doesn't really fit in anywhere makes it through a series of strange tests to make it into this society of really gifted kids who go on a mysterious adventure.  This is book one of a trilogy and I would love to read the other two.

8.  The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

  I put this one here in my list because I know I loved it, but I read it back at the beginning of the year.  This is one that I want to reread.  I thought the characters were very well developed.  Even with the horrific subject matter, it was such an endearing book.

7.  Home of the Brave by Katherine Applegate

  This little book was a very good surprise.  It is written in free verse and is a historical fiction book about a boy who comes to America without speaking the language, doesn't know what a store is, or anything.  I found a movie trailer for this book that I included on my blog post on this which brought tears to my eyes.  (link found on my book reviews page)

6.  Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine

  This is a book that I think every teacher should read.  It gives such a clear voice to a student who struggles with an autistic/asperger's-like diagnosis.  I fell in love with Caitlyn.

5.  The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

 I am not a fan of sci-fi, but this one I truly enjoyed.  It was thought provoking and quite realistic on the science/medicine front.  How far would you go to saved a loved one, how far would the government let you go, how far would the loved one want you to go?

4.  Matched by Ally Condie

  This cover pulled me in.  I ended up listening to the audio version and loved it.  The reader did an excellent job with her voice and interpretation.  As soon as I finished it, I had to go find the second in the series, Crossed.  Problem:  I have to wait to read the third until November 2012.

3.  Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

  I had heard so much about this book and its banning from school reading lists that I didn't want to read it.  Once I learned more about these lists through my MLS program, I couldn't wait to read it.  I think that Laurie Halse Anderson did a fantastic job of taking such a sensitive subject as rape and treating it with respect, dignity, and grace.  The book is not focused on that one event, but on Melinda slowly finding her voice again afterwards.  I think it is a truly remarkable book.

2.  The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

  What can I say...the whole trilogy...I couldn't put them down!! 

1.  ??? by ???

Tune in tomorrow...

Reading & Blogging Goals - Day 15

My 2012 Reading Goals:

1.  To keep track of my reading on Goodreads for the enitre year. 
2.  Last year, I met my goal of 100 books read, but I counted picture books.  This year, I want to read 100 books, not counting picture books.

My 2012 Blogging Goals:

1.  To write a review for every book that I read.
2. Frequently add informational links to my book review posts so that they are also learning tools for students.
3.  Add the books that I read, not only to Goodreads, but also to my blog's 2012 Reading List.
4.  Do a more thorough job of linking the titles and reviews of the books I read on my Book Reviews Page.