Latest 39 Clues entry is worth the wait!!

Gordon Korman is back again with installment #8 of 10 of the 39 Clues and really delivers with non-stop action. The Emperor's Code takes Amy and Dan, our entrepid brother/sister duo, to China. No sooner do they arrive that a huge argument results in their separating and then not being able to reconnect for a variety of incredible mishaps. Dan actually ends up with his rock star relative Jonah and begins to see another side of this young man. Amy, distraught and frantic, makes every effort to find her brother in several remote locations of China including the Great Wall. More clues are uncovered as the siblings end up on a collision course on Mount Everest!! Gordon Korman adds a nice touch to the general mystery by clues throughout the novel that when jotted down leave you with three very interesting sentences. Don't miss #8 - it is one of the best in the series so far (of course I am biased because I like Gordon Korman so much!)

oh.my.gods and goddess boot camp by Childs

If you can imagine Percy Jackson mixed up with the southern California high school scene, you can get a sense of Tera Childs' two part series. Phoebe Castro, happy high school senior, pretty, unpretentious, serious athletic runner, is sure she has a cross country scholarship to USC all wrapped up until her widowed mom surprises her with an engagement and a move to Greece. The surprises just keep coming when Phoebe finds out that her soon to be step-father is the head master for a high school for the descendants of the Greek gods, complete with special powers. Adjusting takes on a whole new meaning for Phoebe as she leaves behind her dreams, best friends and senior year. New friendships, new step-sister, new country, new school, new romance - could it get any tougher for Phoebe? Yes, it will. In this fast paced, realistic fantasy full of believable characters and emotions, you will experience Phoebe's ups and downs, laughs and tears as she navigates a whole new world with help from her California pals, her mom and some unlikely allies. (Looks set up for Part 3 BTW)

Jordan Sonnenblick does it again!!

There I was trying to make my way through Cosmic which is by the same author as Millions and should have been just flying along but I wasn't. There across the room sat Jordan Sonnenblick's new novel, the sequel to Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie, saying "Read me!! No, read me, now!!" like some young Labrador with a tennis ball. Well, Mr. Sonnenblick did it again. I could not put this book down until I finished it.

DGADP was mostly Steven's story and now seven plot years later we get Jeff's story. Told in the classic Sonnenblick first person narrative, the reader will travel through Jeff's 8th grade year in his head.

It wasn't enough to survive cancer as a seven year old now Jeff has to survive being a survivor. With his best friend Tad, a two time cancer survivor himself, and Lindsey the new girl from LA, Jeff has loads to contend with not the least of which is passing the new all or nothing state standardized test that could keep him out of high school. A fast paced blend of narrative, IM's and emails, Jeff's realistic voice will carry you through an important story full of laughs and some tears. This is realistic/contemporary fiction at its best. A genderless story for anyone looking for a well written novel. If you have not read DGADP you might want to do that since it really adds to the whole experience but it's not absolutely required.

State Results for 2010 Caudill!

Congratulations again to all the students (4th-8th) who qualified to vote and all the teachers who supported their students in this year's program. This is Sears School's 22nd year of participation through the LTC.

The results are in for the state on the 2010 Rebecca Caudill Award.

The 2010 winner: All the Lovely Bad Ones by Mary Downing Hahn

2nd Place Someone Named Eva by Joan Wolf

3rd Place Elephant Run by Roland Smith (our 1st place winner)

For additional details see the Caudill link on the LTC web page of the school website or go directly to http://www.rcyrba.org

The total voting results for each title at Sears and for the state are posted in the LTC on the Caudill wall across from the circulation desk.

2010 Caudill Award Results

The in-school results are now in. Congratulations to all our 4th - 8th graders who qualified to vote!!

In first place: Elephant Run by Roland Smith

In second place: Shark Girl by Kelly Bingham

In third place: Crossing the Wire by Will Hobbs

All votes are recorded online. Every vote counts. We will have the state results very soon so stay tuned.

You can also see the results and additional information on the Caudill link on the LTC webpage of the school website. http://www.kenilworth38.org