Parker Book Blog

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger

2011-08-02T18:21:00.005-04:00

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda is on several "Best Books of 2011" lists (including this one from the International Reading Association) for good reason - it is a very fun (and funny), enjoyable book. Tom Angleberger does a great job telling the story of "loser" Dwight and his finger-puppet Origami Yoda using various student's voices and cartoon-like drawings in the form of classmate Tommy's mystery casebook.

Description: Sixth-grader Tommy and his friends describe their interactions with a paper finger puppet of Yoda, worn by their weird classmate Dwight, as they try to figure out whether or not the puppet can really predict the future. Includes instructions for making Origami Yoda.

So, what happens with Dwight and Origami Yoda? Can Origami Yoda really foretell the future? You'll have to read this quirky, humorous book to find out.

You can see a video with author Tom Angleberger showing how to make your own Origami Yoda here.

A sequel, Darth Paper Strikes Back, is scheduled to be released later this month. I'm looking forward to it and will have it at the Parker Library this fall!

The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan

2011-07-26T08:26:00.011-04:00

"Even before he got electrocuted, Jason was having a rotten day."

Wow! That is the first line of the book The Lost Hero. This book was one that grabbed my attention from that first line and kept it through the entire fast-paced, adventure. If you loved the Percy Jackson series, I think you will love this new Heroes of Olympus series by Rick Riordan. If you haven't read Percy Jackson - you should! (In any case, you don't have to read the Percy Jackson series to enjoy this new book).

Description: Jason, Piper, and Leo, three students from a school for "bad kids," find themselves at Camp Half-Blood, where they learn that they are demigods and begin a quest to free Hera, who has been imprisoned by Mother Earth herself.

Rick Riordan uses humor, a tone of urgency and imminent danger, great characters, action scenes with teenage heroes fighting monsters, and authentic classic mythology mixed with modern day life to create a great story! I'm already looking forward to the next book in the series, The Son of Neptune, which is expected to be released in October 2011. Look for it in the new Parker Middle School Library this fall!!

You can find out more about The Heroes of Olympus series and Rick Riordan at his website which you can find here.

One Crazy Summer by Rita William-Garcia

2011-07-20T07:52:00.003-04:00

One Crazy Summer is the winner of the 2011 Coretta Scott King author award and the Scott O'Dell Prize for Historical Fiction, a Newbery Honor book, and a National Book Award finalist. Whew! That is a lot of praise ... and it is well deserved. I really enjoyed this powerful historical fiction novel with its vividly drawn characters and setting, wry wit, and memorable story.

Description: In the summer of 1968, after traveling from Brooklyn to Oakland, California, to spend a month with the mother they barely know, eleven-year-old Delphine and her two younger sisters arrive to a cold welcome as they discover that their mother, a dedicated poet and printer, is resentful of the intrusion of their visit and wants them to attend a nearby Black Panther summer camp.

Intelligent and ultra-responsible oldest sister Delphine narrates the story of her trip with her sisters: show-off, Vonetta, and stubborn, Fern in an unforgettable voice. The story of their relationship with their mother and their summer with the Black Panthers flows smoothly and poetically to its moving, satisfying conclusion. Whether you enjoy modern or historical novels, I believe that you'll really enjoy this book.

Listen to the author talk about the book and read a small section from One Crazy Summer here.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

2011-07-13T14:53:00.014-04:00

With the release of the last Harry Potter movie this Friday, I hurried to re-read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling. It's hard to believe that I first read this pariticular book four years ago in July 2007, when this seventh and last book in the series was first released. I really enjoyed the Harry Potter series including the fantastical world of Hogwarts, the great characters including Harry himself, and the multi-layered good versus evil story.

Description: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows follows the journey of the series' protagonist Harry Potter as he attemps to bring an end to his archenemy, Lord Voldemort.

Although not my favorite book in the series (I probably enjoyed The Chamber of Secrets (#2) and The Prisoner of Azkaban (#3) the best), Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, was still a great read. Harry has really grown up through the series and has his final show down with Lord Voldemort which bring the series to a satisfying ending. If you have not yet read any of the Harry Potter series; I would definitely recommend reading this series and reading the books in order as follows:
Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Baseball Great by Tim Green

2011-07-11T08:33:00.018-04:00

This is another book that I read based on the recommendation of a TFMS student. He had read all of Tim Green's novels and told me this was "the best!" I had to wait until the summer to read it because students at TFMS always had it checked out from the library. Well, I loved it! Baseball Great is a fast-paced story with great characters, lots of action, and mystery too! Tim Green is a former NFL player and shows us in this novel that he knows baseball as well as football.

Description: All twelve-year-old Josh wants to do is play baseball but when his father, a minor league pitcher, signs him up for a youth championship team, Josh finds himself embroiled in a situation with potentionally illegal consequences.

Find out how talented baseball player, Josh, and his friend, aspiring journalist, Jaden, solve a mystery about Josh's baseball travel team, the Titans and its sponsor Rocky Valentine by reading the inspiring action-packed novel, Baseball Great.

Other books about Josh and baseball by Tim Green include:
Rivals and Best of the Best.

Tim Green's novels about football include:
Football Genius, Football Hero, Football Champ, and The Big Time.

The Tail of Emily Windsnap by Liz Kessler

2011-06-25T10:52:00.006-04:00

I read The Tail of Emily Windsnap because of a recommendation by a TFMS student...and I'm grateful that I followed their recommendation. As another reviewer puts it: "Mystery, Magic, and Mermaids all in one book!"... how can you go wrong!

Description: After finally convincing her mother that she should take swimming lessons, twelve-year-old Emily discovers a terrible and wonderful secret about herself that opens up a whole new world.

This is a light, imaginative fantasy. Once Emily finds out that she is a mermaid, she along with her new mermaid friend, Shona, try to discover the mystery of Shona's father. Emily encounters fun, danger, and a trial before the Ruler of the Seas, Neptune, while searching. Why can't Emily's mother remember details of her marriage? Why did Emily's father leave when she was a baby? Will Emily find her father? You'll have to read The Tail of Emily Windsnap to find out.

Other books in the series include: Emily Windsnap and the Monster from the Deep, Emily Windsnap and the Castle in the Mist, and Emily Windsnap and the Siren's Secret.

Cosmic by Frank Cottrell Boyce

2011-06-20T10:12:00.006-04:00

Cosmic by Frank Cottrell Boyce was on many of the "Best Books" lists and after reading it, I know why: Cosmic is a zany adventure with lots of surprises and cosmic fun! It is a hilarious and heartfelt examination of what "dadliness" means.

Description: Twelve-year-old Liam, a typical kid who loves video games and theme-park rides, is often mistaken for an adult. He is tired of being treated older than he is; but, has some fun when he decides to pose as an adult with his daughter, Florida (who is really a classmate). However, things spin out of control when dad and daughter win a trip to a new theme park where the new thrill ride "The Rocket" turns out to be a real rocket heading to space.

Find out how Liam, as the "adult" chaperone, along with four other kids on "The Rocket" make their way back to earth by reading Cosmic.

Every Soul a Star by Wendy Mass

2010-04-22T18:29:00.005-04:00

Every Soul a Star is a humorous and touching novel of friendship. It is about three very different teenagers finding their place in the universe.

Description: Ally, Bree, and Jack meet at the one place the Great Eclipse can be seen in totality, each carrying the burden of their own problems, which become dim when compared to the task they embark upon and the friendship they find.

Three distinct teenagers alternate telling the story: Ally, who lives at the Moon Shadow Campground and loves nature and especially the stars; glamour-loving Bree, who thinks she was "switched at birth" because of her geeky physicist parents; and Jack who is helping his science teacher lead a solar eclipse tour to avoid summer school. I love these three distinct voices and how their stories converge and their lives are forever changed when they witness a total eclipse of the sun.

You can hear the author read the first chapter of this novel here.

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly

2010-03-24T15:11:00.007-04:00

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate is a 2010 Newbery Honor Book and a wonderful historical fiction novel with an active, interesting, and inquisitive heroine, Callie Vee.

Book Description:
In central Texas in 1899, eleven-year-old Callie Vee Tate learns about love from the older three of her six brothers and studies the natural world with her grandfather which leads to an important discovery.

I really loved this book and its believable characters: Callie's six brothers, her mother and father, and her cantankerous grandfather who does science experiments and loves nature. Callie shares this love and is happy to borrow her grandfather's copy of Darwin's Evolution of the Species. On the other hand, Callie's parents find her to be independent and stubborn and would like her to learn to darn socks and cook like a lady. Callie's uncertainty about her own interests and the expections placed upon her by her parents and society will certainly resonate with all readers.

Go to this link to get a great visual picture of Callie Vee's world:
http://www.jacquelinekelly.com/world.html

Gotta Keep Reading by Ocoee Middle School

2010-03-09T21:58:00.005-05:00

I loved this video by Ocoee Middle School! Let me know what you think and what books are "good, good books." Do you recognize any of the titles shown in the video?
Also, you can see the lyrics here:
Gotta Keep Reading Lyrics

Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg by Rodman Philbrick

2010-03-09T21:10:00.004-05:00

The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg is a new book by the author of Freak the Mighty. It is a 2010 Newbery Honor Book and a rip-roaring adventure set during the Civil War.

Description: Twelve-year-old Homer, a poor but clever orphan, has extraordinary adventures after running away from his evil uncle to rescue his brother, who has been sold into service in the Civil War.

These are the "mostly true" adventures of Homer P. Figg because Homer has a way of stretching the truth. As he travels to find his brother, he comes across two tricksters who steal his money, a traveling medicine show, a balloonist, and Civil War soldiers.

I found this book to be funny and entertaining, yet also moving and at times serious. At the end of the book, I realized that I had learned a lot about the background of the Civil War. Imagine -- learning that is a painless, fun adventure!! I recommend this exceptional novel to all.

Hear Rodman Philbrick talking about this novel here:
Scholastic Interview with Rodman Philbrick.

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

2010-02-22T16:37:00.004-05:00

When You Reach Me is the 2010 Newbery Medal winner!! The novel is a thrilling puzzle that weaves reality and fantasy, time travel and mystery.

Description: As her mother prepares to be a contestant on the 1970s television game show, "The $20,000 Pyramid," a twelve-year-old New York City girl, Miranda, tries to make sense of a series of mysterious notes received from an anonymous source that seems to defy the laws of time and space.

This interesting story kept me reading as I wanted to find out: who is sending Miranda the mysterious notes & what do they mean? I don't want to give away the ending; so I'll just say that I loved the twisty ending that had all the elements in Miranda's world converge.

Listening for Lions by Gloria Whelan

2010-02-04T14:47:00.011-05:00

Listening for Lions is a wonderful story of tragedy, deception, and triumph against all odds.

Description:

Left an orphan after the influenza epidemic in British East Africa in 1918, thirteen-year-old Rachel is tricked into assuming a deceased neighbor's identity to travel to England, where her only dream is to return to Africa and rebuild her parents' mission hospital.

I really enjoyed reading this empowering tale and was really drawn to Rachel Sheridan's character and story. Rachel has extraoridinary wit. She is also brave and full of spirit. Most of all, Rachel has a tremendous love for Africa - the land, the animals, and the people. I highly recommend this novel!

Be sure to check out some of Gloria Whelan's other multi-cultural novels including Homeless Bird (India) and Chu Ju's House (China).

Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson

2009-12-18T13:57:00.007-05:00

This National Book Award Finalist and compelling novel is set in New York City during the Revolutionary War.

Description:
If an entire nation could seek its freedom, why not a girl?
After being sold to a cruel couple in New York City, a slave named Isabel spies for the rebels during the Revolutionary War.

This thought-provoking and gripping novel gives a different view of the Revolutionary War. Isabel along with her younger sister Ruth expect to be freed when their owner dies. Instead, they are sold to a cruel and unscrupulous Loyalist couple who live in New York City where tension between Patriots and Loyalists is strong. This story drew me in from the very first page and kept my attention to the last! Laurie Halse Anderson accurately depicts the ruthlessness of slave masters and gives insight into the experiences and opinions of slaves. A must read!

Another must read by Laurie Halse Anderson: Fever, 1793

Al Capone Shines My Shoes by Gennifer Choldenko

2009-10-20T11:40:00.006-04:00

This pleasing stand-alone sequel to the Newbery Honor winning Al Capone Does My Shirts has adventure, mystery, and fun while also dealing with some important issues.

Description: Moose Flanagan, who lives on Alcatraz along with his family and the families of the other prison guards, is frightened when he discovers that noted gangster Al Capone, a prisoner there, wants a favor in return for the help that he secretly gave Moose.

I loved reading about Moose and his friends and his autistic sister, Natalie (maybe even more than the 1st Al Capone book)! Moose and his friends get into some normal adolescent mischief, but the fact that they live on an island with a prison and "cons" including the infamous Al Capone, adds some extra twists to their adventures. I highly recommend this book for both boys and girls.

Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson & David Oliver Relin

2009-09-08T21:57:00.009-04:00

The young readers' version of Three Cups of Tea was adapted by Sarah Thomson from the worldwide bestselling novel of the same name.

Description: For over a decade, Greg Mortenson has been on a mission to build schools in the region that gave rise to the Taliban and provided safety for Al Qaeda. The challenges he has faced on his mission, including death threats and a kidnapping, are chronicled in one amazing true life adventure.

When I first read the adult-version of this novel, I found myself drawn into Greg Mortenson's story and adventure. What inspired this man to basically dedicate and risk his life to building schools in foreign countries? After setting a goal to build a school in Pakistan, he lived out of his car in poverty while saving his own money and trying to raise money for the school. Why? What obstacles did he have to overcome to accomplish this? Read this truly remarkable and inspiring story about Greg Mortenson and his humanitarism to find out.

To read more about the book and Greg Mortenson's story go to: http://www.threecupsoftea.com

True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex

2009-08-31T13:27:00.010-04:00

A laugh-out-loud science fiction novel by Adam Rex.

Description:

When her mother is abducted by aliens on Christmas Eve (or "Smekday" Eve since the Boov invasion), 11 year-old Tip hops in the family car and heads south to find her and meets a renegade alien Boov mechanic named J.Lo who agrees to help her and save the planet from disaster.

What? How can the end of the world be funny? You have to read this fun, fast-paced, adventure (with plenty of social commentary) to find out. I loved the characters and the great illustrations included throughout.

How do the alien Boov move with their multitude of legs? Check it out at: http://www.smekday.com.

Nation by Terry Pratchett

2009-07-31T10:14:00.007-04:00

Nation is a 2009 Michael L. Printz Honor Book and a great fantasy adventure by Terry Pratchett.

Description:
Mau is the only one left after a giant wave sweeps his island village away. Daphne—a girl from the other side of the globe—is the sole survivor of a ship destroyed by the same wave and thrown onto his island.

Together the two confront the aftermath of catastrophe. Drawn by the smoke of Mau and Daphne's sheltering fire, other refugees slowly arrive: children without parents, mothers without babies, husbands without wives—all of them hungry and all of them frightened. As Mau and Daphne struggle to keep the small band safe and fed, they defy ancestral spirits, challenge death himself, and uncover a long-hidden secret that literally turns the world upside down. . . .

I loved this thought provoking, yet humorous adventure and survival story. I especially liked how characters from two vastly different cultures had to work together to survive.

You can watch a video of Terry Pratchett talking about Nation here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqxc4H6UX5U

Seer of Shadows by Avi

2009-03-13T14:03:00.005-04:00

Seer of Shadows is a great historical mystery from Newbery Award winning author Avi.

Description:
In New York City in 1872, fourteen-year-old Horace, a photographer's apprentice, becomes entangled in a plot to create fraudulent spirit photographs, but when Horace accidentally frees the real ghost of a dead girl bent on revenge, his life takes a frightening turn.

I went to see author Avi speak yesterday and enjoyed his presentation immensely! I take his words about reading novels and not just textbooks in order to enjoy and appreciate literature to heart. Avi writes a wide variety of books. Seer of Shadows is one that might be called fantastical realism. It is historical fiction with elements of the supernatural. I really enjoyed this suspenseful gothic-style tale. Let me know what you think.

Also, be sure to check out some of Avi's other great novels from the TFMS library including:
Crispin: Cross of Lead (which won the Newbery Medal!)
Crispin: At the Edge of the World
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle (Newbery Honor)
Nothing But the Truth (Newbery Honor)
Poppy
..and others too numerous to list

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

2009-02-24T09:10:00.013-05:00

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman is the 2009 Newbery Medal winner!

Description: Nobody Owens, known to his friends as Bod, is a normal boy. He would be completely normal if he didn't live in a sprawling graveyard, being raised and educated by ghosts, with a solitary guardian who belongs to neither the world of the living nor of the dead. There are dangers and adventures in the graveyard for a boy. But if Bod leaves the graveyard, then he will come under attack from the man Jack—who has already killed Bod's family . . .

I thoroughly enjoyed this magical, witty, and sinister tale. While not as scary for me as Neil Gaiman's Coraline, I loved Bod's adventures and the characters both fantastical and from different historical periods. You must read this inventive novel and tell me what you think!

To see a trailer for the book narrated by Neil Gaiman, go to:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_UUVwTaemk.

To watch Neil Gaiman read chapters from the book, go to:

http://www.mousecircus.com/videotour.aspx

When My Name Was Keoko by Linda Sue Park

2009-02-10T22:04:00.005-05:00

When My Name Was Keoko is a wonderful historical fiction novel by Newbery Award winning author, Linda Sue Park.

Description: With national pride and occasional fear, a brother and sister face the increasingly oppressive occupation of Korea by Japan during World War II, which threatens to suppress Korean culture entirely.

This is the second book that the "Read Around the World" Book Club at Three Fires is reading. Sun-hee and her brother, Tae-yul, alternate narrating the chapters of the novel. Each sees events in their own way which allows us, as readers, to better understand their lives and the effects of the Japanese occupation. This is a powerful and moving novel which should not be missed.

Other great novels by Linda Sue Park include:
A Single Shard
Kite Fighters
Project Mulberry

The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis

2009-01-09T11:09:00.008-05:00

The Breadwinner is the first book in a trilogy about a young Afghan girl, Parvana.

Description: Because the Taliban rulers of Kabul, Afghanistan, impose strict limitations on women's freedom and behavior, eleven-year-old Parvana must disguise herself as a boy so that her family can survive after her father's arrest.

This is the first book that the "Read Around the World" Book Club at Three Fires is reading. It is a very interesting and moving novel. In it, we learn a little bit about life under the Taliban in Afghanistan. I really enjoyed this book and while I was reading it, I came to admire Parvana's courage, resourcefulness, and wit.

Other books in the series include:
Parvana's Journey
Mud City

Peak by Roland Smith

2008-12-05T10:14:00.011-05:00

Peak is a great adventure novel by Roland Smith.

Description: A fourteen-year-old boy attempts to be the youngest person to reach the top of Mount Everest.

I read this book after a student recommended it to me and told me it was their favorite book!! After reading it, I can see why. Peak (yes, that's his real name - his parents are famous mountain climbers) narrates his own story of being arrested while scaling a skyscraper in New York and then being shipped off to join his long-absent father on an expedition to climb Mount Everest. Will Peak make it to the top? Will he become the youngest person to reach the summit? You'll have to read this riveting, suspenseful book in order to find out.

Roland Smith is a great author and has written some other highly-recommended adventure novels including Elephant Run, Cryptid Hunters, Zach's Lie, and Jack's Run. You can read more about Roland and watch some video clips about his novels at:
http://www.rolandsmith.com/

Have you read this book? Have you read some other great adventure novels? Post a comment and let me know.

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

2008-10-29T15:49:00.007-04:00

The Lightning Thief is the first book in the series Percy Jackson and the Olympians.

Description:
After learning that he is the son of a mortal woman and Poseidon, god of the sea, twelve-year-old Percy is sent to a summer camp for demigods like himself, and joins his new friends on a quest to prevent a war between the gods.

I love The Lightning Thief and the other books in this series because of the non-stop adventure, humor, and suspense. I also love the Greek mythology included in the series. Other books in the series include:
The Sea of Monsters
The Titan's Curse
The Battle of the Labrynth

You can read more about the Percy Jackson books at: http://www.percyjacksonbooks.com/.

Post a comment and let me know what you think.