Stephenie Meyer books

I am the kind of person who reads and loves almost everything I read, but I was never a reader of horror fiction- vampires in particular. But students kept asking for the books after Twilight in the spring and since Twilight was on the Reading Olympic list for '08 I decided to take it home for the summer, read it and make up questions. Well, I am hooked! I read Twilight in July and I couldn't put it down, Meyer has a unique way of writing seductively and from the teen perspective. There is so much angst with Bella and Edward Cullen, you just have to keep reading to learn more about their very different, yet alluring love. My students never minded that the books were 400-500 pages long- they were clamoring for the next one and the next one! I am now halfway through New Moon and once again, the suspense, fear and unrequited love keep me reading! Now I am learning more about Bella and Jacob's friendship/realtionship and boy is this different. When I went to Borders last week to purchase New Moon, my neice told me I just had to buy the 3rd one because it was 30% off and I would be saving money so I purchased Eclipse as well. I don't really booktalk these books (because reluctant readers would see the size and not touch them), the students who are readers come and ask for them in groups so I am more than happy to get these vampire books for our library because they are very read-worthy! So if you have become an ardent fan of Stephenie Meyer, pick up Twilight and I guarantee you will be seduced!

Behind the Mountains by Edwidge Danticat

What a wonderful, poignant story about a Haitian family whose father, Papa, now lives in New York, toiling for years to bring his family to live with him. Told in first person by Celiane in entries to her notebook, we meet her family who has remained in Haiti, Celiane's mother, Manman, her older, artistic brother, Moy and the many relatives who provide support as they wait for approval to make the move. There is government turmoil and Celiane and her mother are injured in a pipe bomb attack in Haiti. It is a wonderful Christmas present to move to New York to finally be with their father. Once there, Moy and Celiane go to school, which is difficult because of the language barrier, strange surroundings and no friends. We see through Celiane's eyes the joy, sorrow and harshness of being in a new land. We see the beauty of Celiane's house on a mountain and New York through a child's eyes. This is a great multicultural story of how families remain close during separation and make a new life in a new land.

Back to School

My library partner and I host 10th grade orientations to the library each fall. We use a trifold handout and we go over the expectations, databases, hours, policies with a tour of the library and a discussion of opportunities in the library such as library aides, Reading Olympics or Graphic Novel Club. This year I think we should use the new, available technology and do an eye-catching slideshow to add a new dimension. I hate to waste the paper and some brochures get thrown out or left behind. What do you do when you return for the new year with your students?

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