]]> Ms. Crissinger Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:57:20 GMT http://engagedpatrons.org/Blogs.cfm?SiteID=4725&BlogID=61&BlogPostID=13148 “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead
 
 
Pamela S. Turner brilliantly captures the dedication and work of scientist and conservationist George Schaller in A Life in the Wild: George Schaller’s Struggle to Save the Last Great Beasts. It proves to be a difficult feat; Schaller did not dedicate his life to one animal, location, or even species. He truly traveled the world in search of solutions to some of the most challenging issues facing our world. He tracked the eating, mating, and roaming habits of some of the world’s greatest beasts in an effort to understand their faltering numbers and their role in the larger ecosystems they were at the top of. From tracking poachers to changing government policies, Schaller led a remarkable life filled with understanding and devotion.  Turner utilizes each chapter to represent almost a decade of Schaller’s life and his research in a particular area—from Alaska to India. The chapter is also usually dedicated to one animal in that region that Schaller research intensively, ranging from panda bears to snow leopards. Some of my favorite parts of the books were the pictures of some of the beautiful animals that became Schaller’s comrades, as well as the direct quotes and words of wisdom from Schaller and his wife, Kay. I also enjoyed the hard statistics at the end of the book, including the 190,000 square miles of wilderness that Schaller helped protect and the 36,600 journal pages he filled with data observations. It added factual evidence to the heartwarming—but sometimes subjective—work that was described throughout the book. The best part about the book, though, is the end. Turner devotes four or five pages to updating readers about the successes of Schaller’s work and the population size of the animals he studied. She also leaves the reader with a multitude of resources and opportunities to get involved in wildlife conservation. A Life in the Wild: George Schaller’s Struggle to Save the Last Great Beasts is a great read for students that have to choose a biography of someone that made a difference in the world. It has an AR of 7.2 but could easily be shelved in the YA Non-fiction so it offers readers that are stuck in between juvenile and teen an opportunity to explore exciting non-fiction. Watch out for this book as a prize book for our Summer Reading Club. It’s even autographed by Pamela Turner!
 

]]> Ms. Crissinger Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:31:40 GMT http://engagedpatrons.org/Blogs.cfm?SiteID=4725&BlogID=61&BlogPostID=13085 Horrible Harry and the Secret Treasure is the perfect story for a new or reluctant reader who loves to solve mysteries. This story has an AR level of 3.5, and is appropriate for children 6-8 years old.

]]> Mrs. Mills Sun, 26 May 2013 15:56:40 GMT http://engagedpatrons.org/Blogs.cfm?SiteID=4725&BlogID=61&BlogPostID=13084 Hold Fast, experiences exactly this scenario. Early is the oldest daughter of Dashel (Dash) and Summer (Sum) Pearl, and the older sister of brother Jubilation (Jubie). Before Dash disappeared, the Pearls had a happy life together, planning to buy their own home, and reading poetry by Langston Hughes. Days after Dash disappears, strange men break into and ransack their apartment, looking for something, though they will not tell Sum, Early, or Jubie what that something is. After the men leave, the family decides they will not be safe in their apartment, and go to the police station to report the crime. The Pearls end up at the Helping Hand shelter, where Sum and Pearl work tirelessly to try to piece together the few clues that they have. They know that while Dash was working at a Chicago library, he also took on a second job buying and selling old books. They slowly discover that the buying and selling of old books was not what it seemed. The Pearls go to the library where Dash works to try to find out anything they can from Dash’s boss and co-workers. While some are sympathetic, Dash’s boss, Mr. Pincer, is not, and he refuses to help Sum and Early. All hope seems lost that Dash will ever be found alive.

Though it is a dark time in Early’s life, she does not give up on her dreams, which is a theme woven throughout the book using Langston Hughes’ poetry. The Pearls were always lucky enough to have a place to call their own before Dash disappeared, and had to adjust quickly to living life in the shelter: always having to wait in line for meals and to use the telephone, and never having any privacy. Early imagines a program where children living in shelters can write letters about what their family would be able to do in a home if they had one. Once written, the letters would be sent to powerful and wealthy people who might be able to do something to make the children’s dreams come true. She is able to start such a program with the help of a volunteer at the Helping Hand shelter and bring hope to seemingly hopeless situations. Hold Fast by Blue Balliett is a heart-wrenching, beautifully told story about the power of perseverance and never giving up on one’s dreams. It has an AR level of 5.2, and is recommended for children eight years old and up.

]]> Mrs. Mills Sun, 26 May 2013 15:14:52 GMT http://engagedpatrons.org/Blogs.cfm?SiteID=4725&BlogID=61&BlogPostID=13070 ]]> Mrs. G Tue, 21 May 2013 10:26:59 GMT http://engagedpatrons.org/Blogs.cfm?SiteID=4725&BlogID=61&BlogPostID=13069 Violet finds the purple lozenges interesting and on the way home, develops “The Theory of Giving Small Things.”  This means giving small things might help people in extraordinary ways, as Violet thinks of it.  The next few days Violet tells everyone about her upcoming tonsillectomy.   People say they are jealous of all the ice cream Violet will be eating.  The morning Violet is to go to the hospital, she awakes with not butterflies in her stomach but what feels like rhinoceroses.  She has second thoughts.  Mother asks Violet, “What will we do with all the ice cream?”  You must read this story to see how the rest of things go for Violet.
Find out what extraordinary events occur for Violet.  You can decide if you think her theory is true.
This book is a delightful story particularly for those who have had problems with their tonsils. It is best suited for readers in grades 1-3 with an A.R. reading level of 5.3.

]]> Mrs. G Tue, 21 May 2013 09:59:11 GMT http://engagedpatrons.org/Blogs.cfm?SiteID=4725&BlogID=61&BlogPostID=13060 The Absolute Value of Mike is a witty and comical book that introduces the topic of understanding. Mike is sent to his great aunt and uncle’s house for the summer while his Dad, an engineering professor, travels to Romania for work. His mission to help his great-uncle, Poppy, build an artesian screw. This is an important mission because if Mike succeeds, he will finally be able to overcome his math disability and impress his dad. When he gets to Poppy and Moo’s, though, it isn’t anything like he expected. He finds out that Poppy and Moo recently lost their son and that Poppy is having a difficult time dealing. Instead of working on the artesian screw, Poppy spends most of his day sitting in his chair mourning. Mike can relate to Poppy’s grieving, as he lost his mother, but at the same time has no patience for his laziness and lack of responsibility. To top everything off, Moo is behind on the bill payments and Mike’s dad won’t forward him any money or even respond to his IMs. Mike quickly discovers that there is a bigger mission at Poppy and Moo’s. Karen, a local pastor, is attempting to adopt a young boy named Misha (which can also mean Mike) from Romania before their adoption restrictions change. The catch is that she has to raise $40,000 in three weeks! Through the midst of meeting some crazy (and entertaining) characters, Mike takes charge of the adoption project and starts to commercialize all of the townspeople’s talents in an effort to raise the money. Through it all, Mike learns to accept that he just isn’t an engineer (but that he has other strengths) and Poppy learns to let go. Erskine is a great writer who knows how to capture character’s personalities while still tackling huge issues like acceptance and mourning. I still enjoyed one of her earlier works, Mockingbird, more though. The Absolute Value of Mike has an AR of 3.9 and is most suited for third and fourth graders.
 

]]> Ms. Crissinger Wed, 15 May 2013 17:08:59 GMT http://engagedpatrons.org/Blogs.cfm?SiteID=4725&BlogID=61&BlogPostID=13053 ]]> Mrs. Sommer Tue, 14 May 2013 14:04:22 GMT