Friday, May 17, 2024

A Thousand Steps Into Night by Traci Chee


 










This is a great book to add to your high school library.  It's a good read and is set in a medieval Asian culture.  Add this one to your library collection.  The audio book also very good.  Enjoy.










Wednesday, May 15, 2024

The Frugal Wizard's Handbook for Surviving Medieval England by Brandon Sanderson





















 

The Final Gambit by Jennifer Lynn Barnees



I am enjoying this series and will add to my school library.  It's a great read but also a great audio book.  There are no straight answers, just clues to work on via games/mysteries.  The brothers have different fathers but have a strong caring relationship.  Each character has their own strenghts.  A good read.

 

Friday, May 10, 2024

My Lost Freedom by George Takei


 Camp Tule Lake is ultimately where George Takei and his family ended up.  My father was a music teacher at Tule Lake during this time so I have a tiny personal connection to the book.  This is a good picture book to have in the school library.  It teaches about history from the perspective of a child who lived through it.  I am grateful that we have a book that shows what life was like for a family in a very challenging situation.  They may not have had control of situations but they knew how to make the best of a situation.  A good read.  

Cougar Crossing by Meeg Pincus and Alexander Vidal


 


This is a good book about humans and the environment as it tells the story of a mountain lion in the Los Angeles area.  True story and still on going.  It's up for a California Young Readers Medal Award.

Add this one to your school library.  


Here are some links to tie into the story with news articles


Article 1 


Article 2



The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins


 













Wow, what a great prequel to the Hunger Games series.  Suzanne Collins is a talented writer.  The audio book was also very good.  The characters are strong as well as the story line.  I am going to have to get this one for my school library.  Enjoy.

Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood


 












I did like this book. The voice actors did a great job on the audio book.  I would say read this book before you put it on the shelves at high school.  There is some off page mention of sex.  Just to give a heads up.  

The Shattered Castle by Jennifer A Nielsen

 














I love this series.  King Jaron is always in trouble and in danger.  He has to outlast, out smart and out do his enemies and save the day.  Read this book /series and enjoy.  Great for any school library.  And also kudos to the voice actor reading the book.  It really comes alive under his voice talent.  Enjoy.

The Blackbird Girls by Anne Blankman


 


This is a book that will be on the list for California Young Reader Medal.  It's a great story that uses two time lines at the same time.  The nuclear reactor accident of the 1980s and World War II escaping the Germans.  Its about friendship, surviving dangerous and what really is family.  I liked this book a lot and even though it is middle school level, it's great to teach about history as well.  Add this to your school library.  It's a good read.  The audio book is also well done.  Good voice actor.

Monday, May 6, 2024

The Oracle Code by Marieke Nijkamp & Preitano

I liked this graphic novel.  Angry injured soul who feels like she lost everything, rebuilds her world and solves a mystery.  Fine for any school library.

 












Under the Moon by Lauren Myracle


I thought it was a good graphic novel but I wouldn't put it in the library. There is some f*bombs and a few sexual references.  It would be best in a public library.

 

The Okay Witch by Emma Steinkellner


 I really wasn't wowed by this story line.  I guess it was okay.  It's fine for school libraries.  I just wasn't impressed with the book.