And if you like Gym Candy, you should also check out Pop by Gordon Korman, another football themed book with quality writing, great characters, and a good message.
Monday, October 31, 2011
BoTW: Gym Candy
Gym Candy by Carl Deuker is a 2009 Lone Star award winner. It's about a young high school football player who feels so much pressure to excel, he turns to steroids to improve his game. The book paints a pretty bleak picture of steroid use, and doesn't pull any punches in describing the drug's many side effects. The ending is especially intense and hard hitting. Gym Candy is a must-read for any sports fan, but also has broad appeal for any reader that likes a good book.
And if you like Gym Candy, you should also check out Pop by Gordon Korman, another football themed book with quality writing, great characters, and a good message.
And if you like Gym Candy, you should also check out Pop by Gordon Korman, another football themed book with quality writing, great characters, and a good message.
Friday, October 28, 2011
New Arrival! Guinness World Recrods 2012
The annual favorite is back! Guinness World Records 2012 is crammed full of the crazy records you love to browse through. Stop by the library and check it out today!
Monday, October 24, 2011
BoTW: When You Reach Me
An event by itself often doesn't mean much in the grand scheme of a person's life. But when you string them together, can they divine a grander meaning? When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead takes a stab at answering that question within a suspenseful, mysterious novel.
Miranda, a twelve-year old of a single parent, witnesses a series of seemingly random events that eventually converge into a mission of life and death. Her mom is preparing as a contestent on the game show The $20,000 Pyramid. Miranda's best friend Sal is inexpicably punched by a new student. Miranda's apartment key goes missing. And then Miranda's received the first of many letters that says:
I am coming to save your friend's life, and my own.
I must ask two favors. First, you must write me a letter.
The notes keep coming and very often describe events that haven't even happened yet, leading Miranda to the conclusion that only she can prevent someone's premature death.
When You Reach me is the 2010 John Newbery Award Winner and features prominately on the 2010 Lone Star list as well. The American Library Association describes the book as having a "brilliantly constructed plot." Stop by the library and check it out for yourself!
Friday, October 21, 2011
New Arrival! The Berlin Boxing Club
We've got a new arrival here at Smith, The Berlin Boxing Club by Robert Sharenow. If you like historical fiction about World War II and the holocaust, then this is the book for you! Here's what Destiny says about The Berlin Boxing Club:
"In 1936 Berlin, fourteen-year-old Karl Stern, considered Jewish despite a non-religious upbringing, learns to box from the legendary Max Schmeling while struggling with the realities of the Holocaust."
"In 1936 Berlin, fourteen-year-old Karl Stern, considered Jewish despite a non-religious upbringing, learns to box from the legendary Max Schmeling while struggling with the realities of the Holocaust."
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Library Tip of the Week
Did you know that you can check the status of your library account anytime you want? Want to know what you have checked out? Need to check if you still have that book on hold? Want to find out when your books are due? You can do all of that with the "My Info" button in Destiny. Here's how:
1) Go to Destiny
2) Log in using your Novell usernames and password
3) Click on the My Info tab
4) That's it! You're now looking at a summary of everything you have checked out and on hold.
1) Go to Destiny
2) Log in using your Novell usernames and password
3) Click on the My Info tab
4) That's it! You're now looking at a summary of everything you have checked out and on hold.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Monday, October 17, 2011
BoTW: Leviathan
I raved about Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld last January (you can check the archive to read what I had to say about this new series) and I'm highlighting the book again because it's just that good!
Leviathan is a steam-punk re-imagining of World War I, full of genetically modified animals and clanker metal war machines. The plot revolves around young prince Aleksander Ferdinand, son of the Archduke Ferdinand and leader of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. When the Archduke is brutally assassinated, Alek must flee for his life and muster a plan to fight the men behind his father's death.
You need to read this book now because Behemoth is already out and the third book in the series, Goliath, came out just last month!
Friday, October 14, 2011
New Arrival! Lego Harry Potter
Check out this awesome Lego Harry Potter book! Fans of Legos or Harry Potter or both are going to love this book! Here's what Destiny says about it:
"A guide to the LEGO Harry Potter series that covers the minifigures, creatures, vehicles, buildings, and more, explaining how the LEGO Harry Potter sets get created, examining the details on Hogwarts Castle, Hagrid's Hut, the Burrow, and other sets, and providing an illustrated time line of the production of every LEGO Harry Potter set through the beginning of 2011."
"A guide to the LEGO Harry Potter series that covers the minifigures, creatures, vehicles, buildings, and more, explaining how the LEGO Harry Potter sets get created, examining the details on Hogwarts Castle, Hagrid's Hut, the Burrow, and other sets, and providing an illustrated time line of the production of every LEGO Harry Potter set through the beginning of 2011."
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
BoTW: Uglies
This Monday's book is Uglies by Scott Westerfeld.
First and foremost, Uglies is a science fiction book. It's about a society in the future that surgically modifies its teenage children to look beautiful. Before the surgery, a child is called an Ugly. After the surgery, they are a Pretty.
So the book is about a civilization of gorgeous models? Not even close. A minority of kids refuse to have the surgery. Instead, they flee New Pretty Town and form their own community. The government that runs New Pretty Town and conducts the transformations of Uglies to Pretties seeks to crush this rebellion and actively pursues any Ugly that chooses to think for themselves.
Looking for a great sci-fi story with a thought-provoking message about conformity and self-worth? Then look no farther than Uglies by Scott Westerfeld.
Friday, October 7, 2011
New Arrival! Halt's Peril
Are you following the Ranger's Apprentice series by John Flanagan? If so, we've got the ninth book in the popular fantasy series! Here's the Destiny summary:
"Tennyson, the false prophet of the Outsider cult, has escaped and Halt is determined to stop him before he crosses the border into Araluen, but Genovesan assassins put Will and Halt's extraordinary archery skills to the test."
"Tennyson, the false prophet of the Outsider cult, has escaped and Halt is determined to stop him before he crosses the border into Araluen, but Genovesan assassins put Will and Halt's extraordinary archery skills to the test."
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Monday, October 3, 2011
BoTW: The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate
When I first saw the cover of The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly, my immediate thought was, "I don't want to read this book." I'll be the first to admit, I was once again judging a book by its cover. In my defense, the cover does depict the silhouette of a girl holding her hand out for a hovering dragonfly, a butterfly net slack at her side. At first glance, I thought the book was about frolicking in meadows and sewing pretty dresses, and as a dude accustomed to reading manly books like Leviathan, I had no inclination to read about a girl and her butterfly net.
You'd think I'd learn.
On a whim, I decided to give Calpurnia Tate a chance. I'm glad I did. Inside, I found an engrossing book about a young girl growing up in central Texas more than one hundred years ago. I love historical fiction and Calpurnia Tate does an exceptional job of painting a picture of what life must have been like in turn-of-the-20th century Texas.
Each chapter of the book begins with a quote from Charles Darwin's The Origin of Species and depicts one in a series of typical events in the life of Calpurnia Tate, the book's main character. Calpurnia is eleven years old, the only daughter of a family of six boys! She lives on a pecan farm not far from Austin and loves more than anything to spend time with her grandfather exploring the countryside studying the local flora and fauna.
What Calpurnia doesn't enjoy doing is everything expected of a girl growing up in 19th century Texas: sewing, cooking, knitting, piano playing, and behaving like a lady. Calpurnia struggles with the weight of these expectations throughout the entire book because deep down she knows she wants nothing more than to go to college and become a natural scientist, a life-long dream that runs counter to her mother and the community in general.
In the middle of Calpurnia's struggle to be a scientist instead of a housewife, Jacqueline Kelly masterfully describes life in the post-Civil War era. One of my favorite chapters entitled "Thanksgiving" tells the story of how Calpurnia's little brother Travis gets the responsibility of caring for the family's three turkeys, all destined for the holiday plate. Travis, a softy for all critters, wastes no time naming all three turkeys and they soon become his very own pets to the point where the turkey trio come running up to greet him whenever he approaches. When Travis discovers the family means to eat the turkeys come Thanksgiving, he does everything he can to "accidentally" allow the birds to escape. It's a hilarious and insightful chapter, but not one that ends happily for Reggie, Tom Turkey, and Lavania.
In some ways, the book's series of anecdotal stories reminds me of the 70s show Little House on the Praire. Calpurnia Tate bears a passing resemblance to the spunky Laura Ingalls. However, Calpurnia Tate is not nearly as full of homespun goodness as Little House. Unlike the TV show, which very often preached a moral code, Calpurnia Tate very much feels like a real person growing up in a unique period of U.S. history.
As you can tell by now, I highly recommend the book. It's smartly written, contains interesting, admirable characters, and is an invaluable prism for gazing into life in Texas a century ago, and yet another example of giving a book a try despite its butterfly girl cover.
You'd think I'd learn.
On a whim, I decided to give Calpurnia Tate a chance. I'm glad I did. Inside, I found an engrossing book about a young girl growing up in central Texas more than one hundred years ago. I love historical fiction and Calpurnia Tate does an exceptional job of painting a picture of what life must have been like in turn-of-the-20th century Texas.
Each chapter of the book begins with a quote from Charles Darwin's The Origin of Species and depicts one in a series of typical events in the life of Calpurnia Tate, the book's main character. Calpurnia is eleven years old, the only daughter of a family of six boys! She lives on a pecan farm not far from Austin and loves more than anything to spend time with her grandfather exploring the countryside studying the local flora and fauna.
What Calpurnia doesn't enjoy doing is everything expected of a girl growing up in 19th century Texas: sewing, cooking, knitting, piano playing, and behaving like a lady. Calpurnia struggles with the weight of these expectations throughout the entire book because deep down she knows she wants nothing more than to go to college and become a natural scientist, a life-long dream that runs counter to her mother and the community in general.
In the middle of Calpurnia's struggle to be a scientist instead of a housewife, Jacqueline Kelly masterfully describes life in the post-Civil War era. One of my favorite chapters entitled "Thanksgiving" tells the story of how Calpurnia's little brother Travis gets the responsibility of caring for the family's three turkeys, all destined for the holiday plate. Travis, a softy for all critters, wastes no time naming all three turkeys and they soon become his very own pets to the point where the turkey trio come running up to greet him whenever he approaches. When Travis discovers the family means to eat the turkeys come Thanksgiving, he does everything he can to "accidentally" allow the birds to escape. It's a hilarious and insightful chapter, but not one that ends happily for Reggie, Tom Turkey, and Lavania.
In some ways, the book's series of anecdotal stories reminds me of the 70s show Little House on the Praire. Calpurnia Tate bears a passing resemblance to the spunky Laura Ingalls. However, Calpurnia Tate is not nearly as full of homespun goodness as Little House. Unlike the TV show, which very often preached a moral code, Calpurnia Tate very much feels like a real person growing up in a unique period of U.S. history.
As you can tell by now, I highly recommend the book. It's smartly written, contains interesting, admirable characters, and is an invaluable prism for gazing into life in Texas a century ago, and yet another example of giving a book a try despite its butterfly girl cover.
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