Yo Bob!

Bob the Alien Discovers the Dewey Decimal System 

Click here to check out this cute YouTube video on the the Dewey Decimal System.

New Books you can find at  the St. Monica School Library

My name is Elizabeth!  by: Annika Dunklee

PreS-Gr 1

Confident, precocious Elizabeth is very proud of her nine-letter name that she shares with a queen, but she is fed up with family, friends, and neighbours using nicknames like Lizzy, Liz, Beth, and Betsy. Finally at her breaking point, she stands in the middle of town and shouts: "My NAME is ELIZABETH Alfreda Roxanne Carmelita Bluebell Jones!!" then adding more calmly, "But you may call me Elizabeth."

Everyone respects her wishes except for her baby brother. His attempt comes out as "Wizabef," which she acknowledges is close enough. The digitally rendered pen-and-ink illustrations in pale blue, bright orange, and black give the book a classic, vintage feel and perfectly complement and expand on the spare text, all contained in speech bubbles. Children who have had similar experiences will certainly relate to Elizabeth and may be inspired by her directness; others might think twice before assigning nicknames to youngsters without asking their preference first.

Source: School Library Journal

 

 

The Emerald Atlas by Stephens, John.          

Gr 4-8

Kate, 14, 12-year-old Michael, and 11-year-old Emma have lived in 12 different orphanages during the decade since their parents' mysterious disappearance. Kate tries to care for her brother and sister as she promised her mother, but this gets harder when they are sent to a new orphanage directed by Dr. Stanislaus Pym and find that they are the only children in his remote mansion. When they explore the home, they discover a magical door that reveals a hidden study, where they find a magic book that allows them to travel through time. The action escalates as the girls try to rescue Michael, who is stranded in the past, and develops after the children learn the history of the Atlas and its connection to their lives.

As they try to find the book in the past, they meet brash and humorous dwarves, a powerful warrior, and a younger Dr. Pym, as well as an evil witch who is also seeking the Atlas. Unfolding magic and secrets deepen the story and build excitement as it reaches its complex and time-bending climax. The siblings have a realistic and appealing relationship, including rivalry and bickering that hides their underlying deep loyalty to one another. Echoes of other popular fantasy series, from "Harry Potter" to the "Narnia" books, are easily found, but debut author Stephens has created a new and appealing read that will leave readers looking forward to the next volumes in this projected trilogy.

Source: School Library Journal

Happy Valentines Day!!!!

ST. MONICA JUNIOR HIGH BOOK CLUB

We've started our first Book Club at St. Monica School and the chosen book is the hugely popular: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Our first book club doesn't have a lot of members, five (four junior high students and myself) of us to be exact, but we're off to a great start with this very exciting book.

Katniss Everdeen

To learn more about The Hunger Games, click here to read an interview with the author of this book that was published in the School Library Journal.

The Library Journal posted this review about the book:

Library Journal Review

In a far-future United States, a cruel Capitol keeps order by demanding an annual tribute for its Hunger Games, in which two contestants, a boy and a girl, are chosen by lottery from each of 12 districts to fight to the death in an event televised from an arena. Katniss Everdeen lives in what used to be Appalachia and is now called the Seam-a dirt-poor district without much hope of success in the games. Katniss volunteers in her sister's place and may just have the smarts to win. Then Peeta, the soft baker's son chosen from her same district, does something surprising. He declares his undying affection for Katniss just before they enter the arena. Is there room for friendship, loyalty, or even love when survival is on the line? Why It Is a Best: Collins's prose is merely serviceable, but she writes compelling characters and spins one terrific yarn. The premise is good to begin with, and the surprises keep coming. Why It Is for Us: In this fight to the death, the book's violence is cringe-worthy by even the most jaded standards. The exploitation of the desperate and impoverished for the entertainment of the wealthy and powerful is a theme reminiscent of Stephen King's The Long Walk or The Running Man. King himself makes the comparison in his Entertainment Weekly review of the book, saying "I couldn't stop reading."

(c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc.   

Our timing is great, because The Hunger Games movie is due out in March! Check out the movie trailer at: The Hunger Games Movie. (for Grade 7 and up)

If you haven't read it yet, give it a shot.  It is an exciting, futuristic read, I would recommend for Grades 7 and up as there are some more complicated issues in this book.

I'll update the "MonaBlog"  after our next book club meeting and publish  some of the comments our students (with their permission of course) in Book Club have made.


Mrs. Meakin
Librarian