Monday, March 29, 2010

Homeless Bird

by Gloria Whelan
Lexile: 800
Genre: Realistic Fiction

Koly is only 13 and forced into an arranged marriage. At her wedding, she learns that her new husband is also 13 and very sick. The money from her dowry is going to be used to take him on a journey to the Ganges River where he will hopefully be healed. However, Koly soon finds herself as a young widow, bound to a family she doesn't know and whom doesn't seem to want her.

Franny K. Stein: Mad Scientist: The Fran That Time Forgot

by Jim Benton
Lexile: 780
Genre: Science Fiction

Franny Kissypie Stein? Really? That's her middle name? Franny travels back in time to try to remedy the situation, but instead creates a new name that makes kids laugh just as much. Perhaps it's not the name that needs changing, but rather the way Franny responds to other people's reactions to it.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Memory Boy


by Will Weaver
Lexile: 570
Genre: Science Fiction

What would you do if life as you knew it suddenly ended? Life drastically changes for Miles and his family after a volcanic eruption sends showers of ash blowing into their town. They decide to escape the problems in the city and head north on a homemade contraption to wait for life to return to "normal". Along the way they encounter many obstacles that bring them closer together as a family. Will Miles' memory be strong enough to get them to their final destination?

Monday, March 22, 2010

Franny K. Stein: Mad Scientist: Frantasatic Voyage

by Jim Benton
Lexile: 850
Genre: Science Fiction

Franny is back and this time has to save the world by using her own invention the Shrinkerizer to make herself small enough to fit inside the stomach of her dog. Sound crazy? It is...but not if you know Franny!

Monday, March 15, 2010

Franny K. Stein: Mad Scientist

by Jim Benton
Lexile: 710
Genre: Science Fiction

Franny is a mad scientist trying to fit in with the "normal" kids at school. But it's hard to disguise who you are, when you are really, truly a mad scientist. Franny designs an experiment to help her fit in, but when the world is threatened she must reveal her true identity, whatever the consequences!

Diary of a Wimpy Kid - Dog Days

by Jeff Kinney
Lexile:???
Genre: Graphic Novel

Greg is back and this time it's summer vacation. When he isn't annoying his father or trying to get the high school lifeguard at the swimming pool to notice him, he's spending his summer doing all kinds of indoor, wimpy things. His mom is encouraging him to read, patch things up with his friend, and get outside. Who's vision of "summer vacation" will be realized?

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Diary of a Wimpy Kid - The Last Straw

by Jeff Kinney
Lexile: 970
Genre: Graphic Novel

Greg Heffley is back in adventure #3 and he hasn't change one bit, despite the fact that his father would like for him to lose his wimpy ways. Greg's dad threatens him with a summer at a military academy if he doesn't toughen up. Greg tries soccer and Boy Scouts, but if you've read Greg's other two books, you know it's hard to lose those wimpy ways!

Monday, March 1, 2010

Monster

by Walter Dean Myers
Lexile: 670
Genre: Realistic Fiction

16 year old Steve Harmon is in jail and on trial for murder. He his a high school kid active in his school's movie club and has made numerous movies about life in his neighborhood. Now the movie he's making in his mind, his the story of his life. Will he have to spend the rest of it in jail? Is he a "Monster" like the Prosecutor says?