Thursday, March 31, 2016

Today's podcast 03/31/2016

  • cover_imageLockhart, E. WE WERE LIARS Delacorte, 2013 Cady has always looked forward to summers on her family’s private island; it’s the only time she sees her cousins Johnny and Mirren and their friend Gat, and the four are an inseparable group, happy being teenagers and unconcerned with inheriting the family’s riches or upholding reputations. The summer they are all fifteen, Cady suffers an accident, leaving her with headaches and memory loss, confused at the strained relationships and secrets everyone seems to be keeping from her when she is able to return to the island at age seventeen. (Booktalk by the Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Committee)
Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Today's podcast 03/30/2016

  • cover_imageHan, Jenny. TO ALL THE BOYS I'VE LOVED BEFORE Simon and Schuster, 2014 Sixteen-year-old Lara Jean Song finds writing therapeutic. In fact, she has gotten over five crushes by writing an unsent love letter in her diary to each boy. When the letters disappear and somehow reach their addressees, one of whom is a close friend of Lara Jean and the ex-boyfriend of her sister, Lara Jean will do anything to show that she no longer has feelings for the boys, including pretending to date one of them, paradoxical though it may seem. (Booktalk by the Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Committee)
Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Today's podcast 03/29/2016

  • cover_imageBrown, Pierce. RED RISING New York : Del Rey, 2014 IL YA ISBN 0345539788 Darrow, a member of the low class Red clan, had always followed the rules, working to prepare Mars for the excess population of Earth. Before his wife was killed by the government, he would never have considered rebellion against the upper classes. Now though, he has been recruited and is prepared to go undercover, working his way to the top of the Gold class in order to overthrow them, no matter what it takes. (Booktalk by the Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Committee)
Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Monday, March 28, 2016

Today's podcast 03/28/2016

  • cover_imageReynolds, Jason. WHEN I WAS THE GREATEST New York : Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2014 IL YA ISBN 1442459476 Ali and his friends, brothers Noodles and Needles, refuse to be defined by the stereotypes in their Brooklyn neighborhood. Ali keeps busy by learning to box, just as Noodles does reading comic books, and Needles gets his name not from any type of injection but from the knitting needles he carries to help control the symptoms of Tourette’s Syndrome. Despite their good intentions, what will happen when the three find themselves in a dangerous situation at an exclusive party? (Booktalk by the Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Committee)
Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Friday, March 25, 2016

Today's podcast 03/25/2016

  • cover_imageCosimano, Elle. NEARLY GONE New York : Kathy Dawson Books, 2014 IL YA ISBN 0803739265 Nearly Boswell has many reasons to keep a low profile; the last thing she wants is to become a target for bullying at school, or worse. Her mom works as an exotic dancer, but Nearly’s strange talent, the ability to experience the emotions of other people when she touches them, has the potential to draw much greater unwanted attention. Though she risks revealing all of this by getting involved, when a series of murders begin to occur, Nearly might be the only one who can solve them. (Booktalk by the Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Committee)
Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Thursday, March 24, 2016

Today's podcast 03/24/2016

  • cover_imageNelson, Jandy. I'LL GIVE YOU THE SUN Dial Books, 2014 Fraternal twins and artists Jude and Noah narrate this story of loss, love, guilt, and family. Noah’s viewpoint reveals the twin’s lives at age thirteen while Jude’s portion is told from three years later. The two narratives slowly reveal the circumstances that shape the twins, driving them apart and ultimately bringing them to a greater understanding of themselves and one another. (Booktalk by the Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Committee)
Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Today's podcast 03/23/2016

  • cover_imageMagoon, Kekla. HOW IT WENT DOWN New York : Henry Holt, 2014 IL YA ISBN 0805098690 African American teen Tariq Johnson has been shot and killed by Jack Franklin, a white man, after exiting a convenience store. This is the only fact known for certain by the media and investigating officials. Community members, friends, family, eyewitnesses, and police all give their accounts of how it went down, each providing pieces of conflicting stories in this complex novel. (Booktalk by the Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Committee)
Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Today's podcast 03/22/2016

  • cover_imageGiles, L. R. FAKE ID New York : Amistad, 2014 IL YA ISBN 0062121847 Nick Pearson, formerly known as Steven and originally called Tony Bordeaux, is a member of the witness protection program. Moving to Stepton as the Pearsons is his family’s last chance at protection after a series of identities are ruined by the chronic criminal involvement of Nick’s father. Even though the whole family is seemingly focused on staying out of the spotlight once and for all, Nick must decide whether or not to risk their safety by investigating a conspiracy and the death of a new friend. (Booktalk by the Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Committee)
Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Monday, March 21, 2016

Today's podcast 03/21/2016

  • Mlynowski, Sarah. DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT New York : Delacorte Press, 2014 IL YA ISBN 0385906625 If sophomore class 10B seems more closely-knit than any other group in the school, it might be because they secretly share telepathic powers. This unexpected side effect of receiving a contaminated batch of flu vaccinations allows each student to hear the thoughts of others. Knowing the secrets, insecurities, test responses, and everything else that passes through the minds of their classmates leads to both hilarious and uncomfortable situations. (Booktalk by the Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Committee)
Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Sunday, March 20, 2016

Today's podcast 03/20/2016

  • cover_imageDanticat, Edwidge. UNTWINE New York : Scholastic, 2015 IL YA ISBN 0545423031 They say that when identical twins Isabelle and Giselle were born, they were holding hands. The doctor needed to untwine their hands. And they have been inseparable ever since. No they don't do the twin thing where they dress alike. And they don't have the same classes in school. They each have their own interests. But they are very close. When a horrible traffic accident separates the twins in a tragic way, can things ever be the same?
Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Saturday, March 19, 2016

Today's podcast 03/19/2016

  • cover_imageSmith, Andrew. 100 SIDEWAYS MILES New York : Simon & Schuster, 2014 IL YA ISBN 1442444959 With the exception of his uncontrollable epileptic episodes, the scars on his back that serve as physical reminders of a childhood tragedy, and the unwanted attention he receives as a result of being the inspiration for his father’s hugely popular science fiction novel, sixteen-year-old Finn Easton is content with his life. Still, when the girl of Finn’s dreams moves across the country, Finn and best friend Cade embark on a wild, hilarious, and unauthorized road trip under the guise of a college visit. (Booktalk by the Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Committee)
Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Friday, March 18, 2016

Today's podcast 03/18/2016

  • cover_imageWoodson, Jacqueline. EACH KINDNESS Nancy Paulsen Books, 2012 Have you ever made fun of someone because of their clothes or the way they looked? Has anyone ever made fun of you? Chloe and her friends won't play with the new girl Maya because her clothes are not the most fashionable and her obvious poverty. When her teacher gives a lesson on kindness, Chloe begins to regret her decisions. But can she undo all the hurtful things she has done?
Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Thursday, March 17, 2016

Today's podcast 03/17/2016

  • cover_imageWeatherford, Carole Boston. VOICE OF FREEDOM : FANNIE LOU HAMER, SPIRIT OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT Somerville : Candlewick, 2015 IL 5-8, RL 5.6 ISBN 0763665312 Fannie Lou Hamer was born in 1917 and was the youngest in a family of 20 children! Her parents were poor sharecroppers in Mississippi who struggled to keep everyone fed. Fannie had to quit school after the 6th grade to help the family. Times were hard as they spent their days picking cotton in the hot sun. It was not easy to be poor but harder still to be African American. Fannie faced discrimination all her life. By the time she was in her 40s, Fannie knew that this was not right and she joined with the civil rights movement to do something about it. When she tried to register to vote, she was viciously beaten. But she would not be stopped. She was more determined than ever to help African Americans get equal rights.
Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Wednesday, March 16, 2016

Today's podcast 03/16/2016

  • cover_imageSchmidt, Gary. ORBITING JUPITER New York : Clarion Books, 2015 IL YA ISBN 054446222X Jackie is 12 years old and living a relatively normal life. Until his family is joined by 14 year old Joseph -- a foster kid who has real issues. He has been in juvie and now his case worker wants him to experience family life. Joseph is pretty quiet and not open to anyone. As the days go by, Jack sees Joseph coming out of his shell and learning to trust again. But Joseph has one goal in mind. He needs to find his baby daughter. Yes, that's right. He is only 14 but he has a baby out there somewhere who he wants to raise. Could that even be possible? How could a 14 year old raise a baby?
Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Tuesday, March 15, 2016

Today's podcast 03/15/2016

  • cover_imageRylant, Cynthia. THE OLD WOMAN WHO NAMED THINGS New York : Harcourt, 2000 IL K-3, RL 3.8 ISBN 0152021027 Getting old can be a lonely thing. In this story, the old woman has outlived all her friends and family and does not want to get attached to anyone or anything ever again. But then a shy brown puppy arrives and seems to want to be with the old woman. She will feed him and let him stay in the yard but she will not name him. What will happen when the dog stops coming to the house?




Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Sunday, March 13, 2016

Today's podcast 03/13/2016

  • cover_imageRaczka, Bob. PRESIDENTIAL MISADVERTURES New York : Roaring Brook, 2015 IL 3-6, RL 6.0 ISBN 1596439807 This book is written in clerihew poetry. Don't know what that is? It is a whimsical, four-line biographical poem. First invented by Edmund Clerihew Bentley, the first line is the name of the biographee. Some of these presidential poems are a bit of a stretch but you are sure to enjoy them. See if you can write some of your own.
Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Saturday, March 12, 2016

Today's podcast 03/12/2016

  • Polacco, Patricia. BULLY New York : G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2012 IL 3-6, RL 4.1 ISBN 0399257047 Have you ever been bullied? Have you ever known someone who was? You probably answered yes to one of these questions. Lyla is new to her school and finds a friend in Jamie who is also new. But when Lyla makes the cheerleading squad, Jamie is left behind. Now Lyla is hanging out with the popular kids. But when they start bullying Jamie, which side will Lyla be on?

    tags: podcasts elementary blueduke

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Friday, March 11, 2016

Today's podcast 03/11/2016

  • Lewis, J. Patrick. HARLEM HELLFIGHTERS Mankato, MN : Creative Editions, 2014 IL 5-8, RL 5.9 ISBN 1568462468 Back in the days of World War I, African Americans were looked down on and discriminated against. But that wasn't going to stop a group of two thousand men from fighting in the war. A regiment of African American soldiers from Harlem risked their lives to fight in France. They fought along side of the French Army but their legend goes beyond their fighting ability. It was their music that made this group of soldiers the legend.

    tags: podcasts blueduke

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Thursday, March 10, 2016

Today's podcast 03/10/2016

  • Jamieson, Victoria. ROLLER GIRL New York : Dial Books for Young Readers, 2015 IL 5-8, RL 3.1 ISBN 0525429670 Middle school is a tough time for kids. Interests are changing and sometimes friendships change as well. When Astrid and her best friend Nicole go to their first roller derby, Astrid has found what she wants to do. She plans to go to roller derby camp in the summer and just assumes that Nicole will too. But Nicole plans to go to dance camp. Astrid loves roller derby and works hard to be the best. But the other girls have a head start on her. But she makes a new friend and finds her passion. Will this mean that Nicole is left behind?

    tags: podcasts blueduke elementary

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Wednesday, March 09, 2016

Today's podcast 03/09/2016

  • Hollingsworth, Tamara. ELEANOR ROOSEVELT : A FRIEND TO ALL New York : Teacher Created Materials, 2011 IL K-3, RL 2.2 ISBN 1433315912 Eleanor Roosevelt was an amazing woman. Born in 1884 to wealthy parents, she would become an unlikely champion of the poor. She married Franklin Roosevelt in 1905 and the two went on to have six children. Many people in the United States didn't have jobs and were very poor. Eleanor went around the country trying to help. When Franklin became President, she used her position as First Lady to work on improving conditions for those who had no power.

    tags: podcasts elementary blueduke

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Tuesday, March 08, 2016

Today's podcast 03/08/2016

  • Gantos, Jack. THE TROUBLE IN ME New York : Farrar Straus Giroux, 2015 IL YA ISBN 0374379955 Jack Gantos has never shied away from using his own life as a basis of his stories. Written as fiction, this is the story of Jack during the summer before eighth grade. When he gets involved with next door neighbor Gary, he gets into all sorts of trouble while trying to impress Gary. This is not a good thing and it is the beginning of Jack's life that led to some very bad choices.

    tags: podcasts blueduke ya

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Monday, March 07, 2016

Today's podcast 03/07/2016

  • De la Pena, Matt. ' LAST STOP ON MARKET STREET New York : G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2015 IL K-3, RL 3.3 ISBN 0399257748 Every Sunday after church, CJ and his grandmother have a routine. CJ isn't sure he wants to do the same thing every week. As they wait in the rain for the bus, he questions why they have to go and why they have to ride the bus and why they can't just get a car. With each of his questions, his grandmother shows him the beauty all around him. Will CJ ever appreciate their weekly routine?

    tags: podcasts blueduke elementary

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Sunday, March 06, 2016

Today's podcast 03/06/2016

  • Brimner, Larry Dane. RAIN WIZARD : THE AMAZING, MYSTERIOUS, TRUE LIFE OF CHARLES MALLORY HATFIELD New York : Calkins Creek, 2015 IL 3-6, RL 6.8 ISBN 1590789903 Way back in December 1915, San Diego was in the midst of a drought. The town's reservoirs were practically dry and the town administrators knew that something had to be done so the town would survive. They decided to hire Charles Mallory Hatfield who was a renowned rain maker. He had a special formula he used to seed the clouds and make rain. Do you believe that? Well, the people of San Diego did and they put their faith in the Rain Wizard. And do you know what happened? You will have to read the book to find out!

    tags: podcasts blueduke elementary

  • Barnett, Mac. SAM AND DAVE DIG A HOLE Candlewick, 2014 Have you ever had one of those days when you just know that you are going to have a great adventure? Sam and Dave are looking for something spectacular and they know they will find it if they just look hard enough. So they decide to dig a hole. And they won't stop until they find it.

    tags: podcasts elementary

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.