Doss Library

Umbrella Summer is the second book that author, Lisa Graff has had nominated for the Bluebonnet award. Her first was The Thing About Georgie. (Did you read it?) I found Umbrella Summer be a pretty quick and easy read about a very difficult topic. The main character, Annie, is a very cautious eleven year old. Her older brother died about one year ago and this story looks at how Annie relates to her world after the tragedy. I had saved this book for last since I am usually hesitant to read sad stories. While Umbrella Summer is a sad book, it is also hopeful and uplifting. It always surprises me when students ask me to help them find a sad book... but it actually does happen and I would add this book to the list of my recommendations. In fact, I would also suggest it to those who like to read realistic fiction and stories about friendship. There are several story lines in Umbrella Summer that revolve around a variety of characters and their relationships. I especially like the ending of this book... but I'm not going to tell you what happens... you'll have to read for yourself!

I just finished my 19th bluebonnet book! The Cabinet of Wonders is the first book in The Kronus Chronicles trilogy and was written by Marie Rutkoski. I am going to come clean here... I try so hard to keep up with all of the books that the Doss Owls are reading that I rarely read the second book in a series. However, this is one of the exceptions. I just placed a hold on The Celestial Globe so that I can pick up this second book of the planned trilogy at the Old Quarry Branch of the Austin Public Library (APL). If you've never put a book on hold and want to learn how to do that, ask the public librarian to show you how to set up an account. I put books on hold all the time and receive an email from APL when my book is ready to be picked up... it is so convenient! Anyways, back to the book... I think that it would be a great read-a-loud for a family. It has a little bit of something for everyone... magic, mystery, history, and suspense! The characters are interesting and though several people have told me that they found the book difficult to get into... DON'T give up!!! I found that the excitement builds and wish that I had The Celestial Globe now! Bummer!!! Check out the mini book trailer on amazon.com. You can see it if you scroll down a bit and look for the Amazon video in the box where it says "Check Out Related Media". Cool!!!

14 Cows for America is a nonfiction picture book and a bluebonnet nominee. It tells the story of the Maasai people and their gift to America after 9/11. I think that after reading the book it would be worthwhile to discuss the facts surrounding the story... great information can be found at the publisher's website.

If you do not have access to the book, you can watch a video of it being read on vimeo. Don't forget- Read 5, then decide. All students who read 5 or more bluebonnet books and turn in the appropriate paperwork, qualify to vote in January and to come to the breakfast.

Well, I went to the link that I gave in an earlier post and found that is is no longer correct. The new link for bluebonnet books and the Texas Library Association can be found here. I apologize for any confusion or frustration that the broken link may have caused! The reason that I went there was so that I could talk about another bluebonnet book. I am currently reading The Cabinet of Wonders and thought that I better share some information about the other books that I have read since this one is going to take a little bit longer to read.

I read Home of the Brave a few months ago. I was worried when I first saw this book because though we all know that we are not supposed to "judge a book by its cover", we do this anyways. I was concerned that students might not want to try this book because of the cover... Don't let that happen! This book is written in free verse (like a poem) and is a wonderful read! I am always amazed that authors can write a book in this way. Though Katherine Applegate does not use many words to tell this story; she is able to convey intense emotions and creates a thought provoking story. I hope that both students and parents take time to read Home of the Brave. This book would be a wonderful book club selection. If you want some information about starting a book club, let me know. I have some ideas that I'd be happy to share. I have been in adult book clubs and a mother-daughter book club, and know that some of you are doing this too. Check out the kidsreads.com ideas for bookclubs... Awesome! This site also has links to authors, book reviews, and different booklists. Stay cool & keep reading!

Me again... I read 11 Birthdays on the way to Chicago and really enjoyed it! The cover of this book might appeal to girls more than boys, but everyone should check it out. It is about two former friends named Amanda and Leo. The story begins at the hospital on the day they were born. They are birthday twins-- they share the same birthday, but are from different families. I think that Miss Murr and Mrs. Means are birthday twins. Do you have a birthday twin? I don't want to give too much away, but after ten years of celebrating their birthdays together, something goes wrong and the day of their 11th birthday is well, VERY interesting! Read 11 Birthdays to find out what happens to Amanda and how she solves her dilemma.

Sorry it's taken me so long to post... I was in Chicago for a few nights for a quick trip. I know that lots of you have already read Dying to Meet You and I hope that you'll post a comment about it. It is the first book in the 43 Old Cemetery Road series. For those of you who haven't read it yet, you should definitely check it out. The story is told through a series of letters and the layout makes it really fun to read. There are some fun sketches and a few pages of the story are told through newspaper articles... cool! The characters are very likable and interesting! Which character did you like best? I am really looking forward to the next installment in this series! What do you think?

I am making good use of my first official day of summer vacation. I finished Calvin Coconut Trouble Magnet this morning (and started... and finished, Dying to Meet You- more on that later). Calvin Coconut was a quick read and lots of fun. The story takes place in Hawaii at the beginning of the school year. It is the first in a series and we have the second and third book in the library already. Has anyone read it yet? If you like realistic fiction and enjoy funny books, this would be a good choice for you! Check it out and let me know what you think.