NEW BOOKS IN THE LIBRARY November 4, 2009
Posted by Ms. Klemundt in New books in the Library, Reading Recommendations.add a comment
We’ve added some new books to the library’s collection in the last several weeks. Stop by and take a look at these and others.
April & Oliver; by Tess Callahan (find it on our shelves at FIC CAL)
The story of April and Oliver, two inseparable childhood friends whose existences again collide with the sudden death of April’s younger brother.
Tess Callahan’s website (http://tesscallahan.com)
Fire; by Kristin Cashore (find it on our shelves at FIC CAS)
In a kingdom called The Dells, Fire is the last human-shaped monster, with unimaginable beauty and the ability to control the minds of those around her. But even with these gifts, she cannot escape the strife that overcomes her world. This is a kind of prequel to Cashore’s Graceling.
Kristin Cashore’s blog and website (http://kristincashore.blogspot.com)
Catching Fire; by Suzanne Collins (find it on our shelves at FIC COL)
By winning the annual Hunger Games, District 12 tributes Katniss and Peeta have secured a life of safety and plenty for themselves and their families. But because they won by defying the rules, they unwittingly become the faces of an impending rebellion. This is a sequel to The Hunger Games.
Suzanne Collins’ website (http://www.suzannecollinsbooks.com)
I Can’t Keep My Own Secrets : Six-Word Memoirs by Teens Famous and Obscure : From Smith Magazine; edited by Rachel Fershleiser and Larry Smith (find it on our shelves at 920 ICA)
Smith Magazine sought memoirs that could only be 6 words long and then chose some of the best for this collection. Creative and thought-provoking. How would you sum up your life in 6 words?
Smith Magazine ( http://www.smithteens.com)
The Plan of Chicago : Daniel Burnham and the Remaking of the American City; by Carl S. Smith (find it on our shelves at 977.311 SMI)
This was the Chicago Public Library’s “One Book, One Chicago” pick for Fall 2009. Burnham’s plan proposed many of the city’s most distinctive features and it remains a living document that continues to inspire discussion and, well, plans!
Burnham Plan Centennial website (http://burnhamplan100.uchicago.edu)
Charles and Emma : The Darwins’ Leap of Faith; by Deborah Heiligman (find it on our shelves at 921 DAR)
Find out how the tension between the theory of evolution and the tenets of religion, a tension that remains to this day, played out in the marriage of Charles Darwin and his wife, Emma.
Deborah Heiligman’s website (http://www.deborahheiligman.com)
TEEN READ WEEK October 19, 2009
Posted by Ms. Klemundt in Reading Recommendations.add a comment
Teen Read Week, which is sponsored by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) started yesterday. TRW is a celebration of, you guessed it, teen reading! I hope you’ll check out the programs and events at your local public library. The Library Club here at Res has invited librarians from the Niles and Park Ridge public libraries to come and talk about some new books they are recommending.
This year’s theme for TRW is “Read Beyond Reality” and I thought I’d share a couple of books I’ve read recently that I thoroughly enjoyed and that fit with this theme.
Singing the Dogstar Blues by Alison Goodman. This book is set in a future Australia where time-travel student Joss Aronson is teamed up with Makvel, an alien who has come to earth to study. It’s a kind of sci-fi thriller that works because Joss is such a great character. She’s smart and sarcastic and about to be expelled from yet another school, but she’s also courageous and kind-hearted and willing to risk everything for what is right.
The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner. Although this is the 3rd book in the series (following The Thief and The Queen of Attolia), you don’t need to have read the first two to enjoy this one. Eugenides, the Thief of Eddis, having married the Queen of Attolia, is now installed as the King. But some in the Queen’s court and some neighbors and rivals of Attolia, are doing their best to get rid of him. I thoroughly enjoyed the humor in the interactions between the King and Queen and how that humor was a sign of the strength of their relationship. I also identified with Costis, a good and loyal foot soldier whose determination to do the right thing played a crucial role in support of his Queen and King against those who would sacrifice others for their own self-interest.
Feed by M.T. Anderson. Like Singing the Dogstar Blues, this book is set in the near future, a future where most people have computer implants in their brains — “The Feed.” Titus meets Violet at a party on the moon and the book traces their relationship as Violet’s “feed” begins to malfunction. It’s an intriguing, yet discomforting, story as you see how easily people give up thinking for themselves.
One that I haven’t read yet, but is on my list, is Terrier by Tamora Pierce. This is the first book in a new series that connects with Pierce’s character, Alanna. School Library Journal summarizes the plot as follows:
“Orphaned Beka Cooper, 16, is a trainee-a “Puppy”-in the Provost’s Guard. Having spent the first half of her life in Tortall’s slums, she is driven by the need to do what is right and see justice done. Paired with two of the best Guards, or “Dogs,” in the organization and aided by her own gifts of magic, Beka learns her job, makes friends with two mages and a thief, and uncovers two serial killers who prey on the poor and unnoticed.”
I’ve not read any Tamora Pierce and I’m looking forward to “reading beyond reality” in her new book!
NEW BOOKS IN THE LIBRARY September 8, 2009
Posted by Ms. Klemundt in New books in the Library, Reading Recommendations.add a comment
The Rock and the River; by Kekla Magoon
(Find it on our shelves at FIC MAG)
In 1968, 14-year-old Sam Childs is caught in a conflict between his father’s nonviolent approach to seeking civil rights for African Americans, and his older brother who has joined the Black Panther Party.
SOME OTHERS YOU MIGHT LIKE:
All My Patients have Tales : Favorite Stories From a Vet’s Practice; by Jeff Wells (636.089 WEL)
Paper Towns; by John Green (FIC GRE)
The Woman Behind the New Deal : The Life of Frances Perkins, FDR’s Secretary of Labor and His Moral Conscience; by Kristin Downey (921 PER)
Secret Keeper; by Mitali Perkins (FIC PER)
What Paul Meant; by Garry Wills (225.92 WIL)
Lock and Key : A Novel; by Sarah Dessen (FIC DES)
The Voice That Challenged a Nation : Marian Anderson and the Struggle for Equal Rights; by Russell Freedman (921 AND)
Same Difference; by Siobhan Vivian (FIC VIV)
Why We Make Mistakes : How We Look Without Seeing, Forget Things in Seconds, and Are All Pretty Sure We Are Way Above Average; by Joseph T. Hallian (153 HAL)
Stravaganza : City of Secrets; by Mary Hoffman (FIC HOF)
Acts of Light : Martha Graham in the Twenty-First Century; by John Deane (792.8 DEA)
NUMEROUS NEW POPULAR FICTION BOOKS April 1, 2009
Posted by Mrs. Roy in New books in the Library, Reading Recommendations.add a comment
At the library we have, for your reading enjoyment, NUMEROUS NEW POPULAR FICTION books. Some of the authors are new to our library. Spring Break is a week away so come in and select a few books with which to veg away your days.
- Returnable Girl
- A Grave In Gaza
- Ghostgirls
- The Looking Glass Wars
- The Silver Kiss
- Feed
- Seeing Redd
- Shadow Summer
- Specials
- Ransom My Heart
- The Good Neighbor, Book One : Kin
- Tales From Outer Suburbia
- Need
- The Queen of Attolia
- Paper Towns
- Love Is Hell
They’re all waiting for you. Come in and find your best ever book!
AUTHOR VISIT April 1, 2009
Posted by Mrs. Roy in Announcements, Reading Recommendations.add a comment
This coming Tuesday evening, April 7th, author Gary Soto will visit the Des Plaines Public Library from 7:30pm to 9pm. Mr. Soto writes poetry, picture books, chapter books and books for teens. An autographing session follows Mr. Soto’s presentation. We have three of Mr. Soto’s books in our school’s library: Afterlife, Pacific Crossing and Accidental Love. Check them out.
The Des Plaines Public Library is located at 1501 Ellinwood St., Des Plaines, IL 60016. The library’s phone number is 847-827-5551
NEW BOOKS IN THE LIBRARY March 11, 2009
Posted by Ms. Klemundt in New books in the Library, Reading Recommendations.add a comment
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas : A Fable by John Boyne
Bored and lonely after his family moves from Berlin to a place called “Out-With” in 1942, Bruno, the son of a Nazi officer, befriends a boy in striped pajamas who lives behind a wire fence. Find it on our shelves at FIC BOY.
The Rhino with Glue-On Shoes : And Other Surprising True Stories of Zoo Vets and Their Patients edited by Lucy H. Spelman and Ted Y. Mashima
From a root canal on a 3000-pound hippo to one doctor’s heartbreaking efforts to save a critically ill lemur, here are acts of rescue, kindness, and cross-disciplinary cooperation between zoo vets and other top scientists. If you’re addicted to Animal Planet, this is the book for you! Find it on our shelves at 636.089 RHI.
The Possibilities of Sainthood by Donna Freitas
While regularly petitioning the Vatican to make her the first living saint, 15-year-old Antonia Labella prays to assorted patron saints for everything from help with preparing the family’s fig tree for a Rhode Island winter to getting her first kiss from the right boy. Find it on our shelves at FIC FRE.
All the People in the Bible : An A-Z Guide to the Saints, Scoundrels, and Other Characters in Scripture by Richard Losch
A comprehensive and fascinating reference work focusing on the lesser characters in the Bible. Not only for assignments, this book is just fun to browse. Find it on our shelves at 220.9 LOS
WHO AM I? March 2, 2009
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Although it was dumb luck, I happen to be reading 3 novels that each have, at their heart, a young woman trying to navigate two cultures while developing her own identity at the same time. They are all very different stories — and worth picking up.
The first one I read was Born Confused by Tanjua Desai Hidier, which follows Indian-American Dimple Lala as she turns 17, negotiates her often hilarious (to the reader) relationship with her parents, and finds her best friend trying to hijack her cultural heritage. Find it on our shelves at FIC DES.
The second novel was A Step from Heaven by An Na. Young Ju emigrates to America from Korea as a little girl. As she grows up, she experiences how the stress and struggle of establishing themselves in a new culture can take its toll on the entire family. Find it on our shelves at FIC NA.
I’m just about to start the 3rd novel, Sofi Mendoza’s Guide to Getting Lost in Mexico by Malin Alegria. In this novel, quintessential American teen, Sofi Mendoza, crosses the border to Mexico to party in Tijuana and then can’t get back. She ends up stuck in a little Mexican village with family she’s never met. Find it on our shelves at FIC ALE.
NEW BOOKS February 23, 2009
Posted by Ms. Klemundt in New books in the Library, Reading Recommendations.add a comment
We’ve had a steady stream of new books come into the library over the last couple of weeks. Here are a few that might interest you.
What I Saw and How I Lied; by Judy Blundell
The buzz around this book just keeps growing and growing! In 1947, with her jovial stepfather Joe back from the war and family life returning to normal, teenaged Evie, smitten by the handsome young ex-GI who seems to have a secret hold on Joe, finds herself caught in a complicated web of lies whose devastating outcome changes her life and that of her family forever. Find it on our shelves at: FIC BLU.
Isadora Duncan : A Graphic Biography; written and illustrated by Sabrina Jones
In graphic novel format, this biography traces the life of the pioneering modern dancer from her unconventional California childhood to her triumphs in Europe. It’s an innovative way to tell the story of a great innovator. Find it on our shelves at: 921 DUN.
Promised Land : Thirteen Books That Changed America; by Jay Parini
Need a little context for the works you read in your American Lit or U.S. History classes? Take this chronological tour of Parini’s choices for books that, as Pat Schroeder put it, “reveal the DNA of a nation’s culture.” In spite of Americans’ view of themselves as a “practical” rather than an “intellectual” people, ideas have shaped and transformed our history and culture in profound ways. Follow Parini as he makes his case for the powerful influence of books. Find it on our shelves at: 810.9 PAR.
My Lost and Found Life; by Melodie Bowsher
When her mother is accused of embezzling a million dollars and vanishes, spoiled, selfish Ashley must fend for herself by finding a job and a place to live. Booklist called this novel, “part sexy romance, part urban survival adventure.” It’s a quick and easy read that lets you imagine what it would be like to be completely on your own just as you graduate from high school. Find it on our shelves at: FIC BOW.
NEW AT YOUR LIBRARY TODAY January 22, 2009
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For those of you devoted Jodi Picoult fans, and there are many, we have added four of her books to the RESHS library collection. As you know, Ms. Picoult’s stories deal with contemporary issues that tug and pull at you from the first page to the very last page, sometimes beyond. Hurry in for your copy of The Pact: a love story, Keeping Faith, Nineteen Minutes: a novel, and Plain Truth:a novel.
Mom, no! I don’t want a Quinceanera; at least not a traditional quinceanera. What do you do when your Mom has been planning your quinceanera since your birth? Then there are your friends, whom you’ve told, “Oh, I’m not having a celebration” and they plan one for you. YIKES!!! How are you going to resolve this dilemma? Curious how this crisis will end? Estrella’s Quinceanera by Malin Alegria is the book for you.
“When the simmering tensions of the present mingle with the dark secrets of the past, it is kindly Bliss who becomes the focus of a deadly struggle for power.” Are you intrigued? Read Bliss by Lauren Myracle……maybe not on a dark and dreary night.
SOME NEW BOOKS January 7, 2009
Posted by Ms. Klemundt in New books in the Library, Reading Recommendations.add a comment
There are a number of new books in the library. Here are a few you might want to know about.
First off, we purchased all 3 books in Michael Lawrence’s Withern Rise trilogy: A Crack in the Line (vol.1), Small Eternities (vol. 2), and The Underwood See (vol. 3). One of the seniors recommended the series to Mr. Longo (Tolkien-lover that he is) and he passed the recommendation on to us. The series follows Alaric and Naia, both 16-years-old in the first volume, who live in parallel worlds but are able to cross into alternate realities. There is adventure for sure, but the books also deal with some important themes and raise interesting questions to ponder and discuss. (Find them on our shelves at FIC LAW.)
We also have What You Should Know About Politics — But Don’t : A Nonpartisan Guide to the Issues by Jessamyn Conrad (320.6 CON). Just because the elections are over, it doesn’t mean we should go back to being politically oblivious. The issues that were important in the election continue to be important now.
You don’t have to be a scientist to enjoy Neil Shubin’s Your Inner Fish : A Journey into the 3.5-Billion-Year History of the Human Body (611 SHU), a fascinating look at the evolution of the human body through examining the fossil record. And it’s short, too!
In addition to the books listed above, we’ve added travel guides that cover all the regions of Italy, biographies of Charlemagne and Eleanor of Aquitaine, and 3 books in a series about life in Elizabethan England. Feel free to stop by and check out any of these books — or browse our shelves and discover some treasures on your own!
