Beat the Band by Don Calame

(Image from Amazon.com)

Beat the Band is the second book in the Don Calame's series that began with Swim the Fly.

Another hilarious book by Don Calame that made me laugh out loud!  It's the beginning of tenth grade and Coop gets a semester-long project in health class about safe sex.

He's paired with "Hot Dog" Helen for the project and decides the only way to win back his reputation is to win the Battle of the Bands contest at school.

Unfortunately, none of his band members actually play an instrument.  "Will Coop regain his “cool” before it’s too late? Or will the forced one-on-one time with Helen teach him a lesson about social status he never saw coming?" (Amazon.com)

A very funny book that is great for middle and high school boys!  Find Beat the Band, and the rest of this series, in our library at: HUMOR F CAL.

Banned Books Week

It Banned Books Week! Celebrate your freedom to read!

Banned Books Week brings together the entire book community - librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers, and readers of all types- in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular. (ala.org)

Find out more about banned books week here: What is Banned Books Week?

Come to the library to check out a banned book or have a look at the mugshots of our MS/HS teachers who were caught reading banned books.

The Conspiracy of Us by Maggie Hall

(Image from Amazon.com)

This is my new favorite series!

Think a YA version of the Da Vinci Code...

I read all three books in the series this summer.  The third and final book was released in July and I went to Barnes and Nobel on release day and made them go find it in the back; it hadn't even been unpacked yet.  I have never done that before!

After years of moving from place to place with her mother Avery's remaining family has found her.  "It turns out her newfound family can shut down Prada when they want to shop in peace, and can just as easily order a bombing when they want to start a war." (Amazon.com). They are part of a worldwide secret society called the Circle, and believe Avery is the key to an ancient prophecy.


To unravel the mystery , Avery must follow a trail of clues around the world with two "keepers" who work for the Circle, Stellan and Jack. Can they keep the most powerful families in the world from starting World War 3?

Find all three books in the The Conspiracy of Us series in our library at: MYSTERY F HAL

International Dot Day

International Dot Day is celebrated on September 15th.  This day honors the picture book The Dot written by Peter H. Reynolds.  Dot Day encourages people of all ages to celebrate creativity, collaboration and courage.  In the MS/HS library, we observed International Dot Day by exploring the Quiver App, an augmented-reality coloring app, to make dot pictures come to life.  Here are some photos of Grade 6 students making their drawings appear to jump from the page.  

Download the app or stop by the library to try out the Quiver App on our iPads.

Print more Quiver coloring pages here: http://www.quivervision.com/coloring-packs/

The Selection by Kiera Cass

(Image from Amazon.com)

Over the summer, I read the first three books in The Selection series by Kiera Cass.

In this dystopian romance, thirty-five girls are chosen to enter The Selection for the opportunity to escape the caste system in what was formerly the United States. The girls live in a palace and compete in a reality show for the heart of Prince Maxon. 

America Singer did not want to be Selected because she's not interested in being a queen and it means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her.

And as the Amazon summary says so elequently: 

"Then America meets Prince Maxon—and realizes that the life she’s always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined."

If you liked The Hunger Games series, I think you'll like The Selection series.   Find the whole series in our library at: ROMANCE F CAS

There are five books in The Selection series.  I have only read the first three so far.  The last two in the series take place 20 years later.