Booktalks -- Quick and Simple blog: September 2010

Thursday, September 30, 2010

Stead, Rebecca. WHEN YOU REACH ME
Stead, Rebecca. WHEN YOU REACH MENew York : Wendy Lamb Books, 2009IL 5-8, RL 4.6ISBN 0385906641Sixth grade is a year Miranda will never forget. It is the year she witnesses her best friend Sal get punched in the stomach on their way home from school and their friendship begins to unravel. Someone steals the key to her apartment and Miranda begins to receive a series of strange notes… starting with the first one: I am coming to save your friend’s life, and my own. I must ask two favors. First, you must write me a letter. Miranda puzzles about the identity of the note writer as she makes new friends and works during her lunch in a local deli nearby. Gradually all the pieces come together just as Miranda is beginning to wonder if she is too late to save the mysterious note writer. (Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award nominee, 2011)

tags: podcasts stateawards pennsylvania

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

Carman, Patrick. SKELETON CREEK
Carman, Patrick. SKELETON CREEKNew York : Scholastic, 2009IL 5-8, RL 5.2ISBN 0545075661Another story told in two points of view, but not just another story. Ryan McCray, recovering from a nearly fatal accident, writes in his journal. Sarah Fincher boldly uses video and e-mail. Skeleton Creek, a small town in Oregon, has a mysterious past –something to do with the derelict, dilapidated dredge outside of town that was used by the New York Gold and Silver Company. Is it haunted? Ryan tells about Joe who died or was he murdered? Sarah in her video shows us his ghost. Something is not right even today. What is being covered up by the mysterious Crossbones Society? Ryan’s dad has secrets. Reading and watching this tale unfoldgives one chills. . (Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award nominee, 2011)

tags: podcasts stateawards pennsylvania

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

Myers, Edward. STORYTELLER
Myers, Edward. STORYTELLERNew York : Clarion Books, 2008IL 5-8, RL 5.3ISBN 0618695419Everyone loves a good story! So begins the story of Jack, the storyteller whose life was one great adventure after another. Each chapter in his story is filled with unusual characters and surprising twists and turns; a greedy king, an angry prince, a sad princess and a talking bird. “The book's messages are clear: stories are powerful for good or evil, and we must each live our own to the fullest.”(Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award nominee, 2011)

tags: podcasts stateawards pennsylvania

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

Mebus, Scott. THE GODS OF MANHATTAN
Mebus, Scott. THE GODS OF MANHATTANNew York : Dutton Children's Books, 2008IL 5-8, RL 5.0ISBN 0525479554When you walk down the streets of New York, what do you see? Skyscrapers, sidewalks, pigeons? Are you sure? Rory has lived in Manhattan his whole life, but when a magician does a trick that is impossible, Rory’s eyes are opened to a new world – Manhattan: a spirit city that exists alongside Rory’s Manhattan. This is a city built by history and legend, ruled by those immortal gods of Manhattan – including Babe Ruth, Alexander Hamilton, and Peter Stuyvesant. If something or someone was important enough, loved enough, feared enough, or remembered enough, they are reborn in Manhattan. Only Rory has the power to see Manhattan and reveal it to others. But that power may destroy him as he fights to right a terrible wrong. (Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award nominee, 2011)

tags: podcasts stateawards pennsylvania

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

Frazier, Sundee T. BRENDAN BUCKLEY'S UNIVERSE AND EVERYTHING IN IT
Frazier, Sundee T. BRENDAN BUCKLEY'S UNIVERSE AND EVERYTHING IN ITNew York : Delacorte, 2007IL 3-6, RL 4.0ISBN 0385734395Brendan Buckley is 10 years old and loves science. He even has a “confidential” notebook to keep track of his top secret scientific discoveries. Some of his other interests are Tae Kwan Do and rock collecting. His interest in rocks and minerals leads him to discover that he has a grandfather he never heard about. Brendan starts to meet secretly with him, but his mom finds out and gets angry. She refuses to answer any of Brendan’s questions about Grandpa DeBose. Why hasn't his grandpa been around? Why won’t his mom talk about him or even see him? Will Brendan’s investigative skills help him find answers to his questions? (Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award nominee, 2011)

tags: podcasts stateawards pennsylvania

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

Broach, Elise. MASTERPIECE
Broach, Elise. MASTERPIECENew York : Holt/Christy Ottaviano Books, 2008IL 4-8. RL 5.3ISBN 0805082700A boy (James) – a beetle (Marvin) and an art theft. These ingredients combine to produce a masterpiece of mystery. James and Marvin become friends and when Marvin uses James’ ink set to create a miniature masterpiece in the style of Dürer for James birthday, the two friends become embroiled in an art mystery. James, wanting to impress his father, claims he created Marvin’s art work. Excited, James’ Dad then wants James to create a forgery to trap an art thief. Will the beetle help the boy? Will the thief be trapped? Will James win his father’s approval? Read the Masterpiece to discover the answers to these questions! (Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award nominee, 2011)

tags: podcasts stateawards pennsylvania

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