Tag archives for School
Posted by BOOK NAME: Dweeb
AUTHOR:
By Aaron Starmer
Five 8th grade students, all geniuses in some kind of way, are accused by their school’s mean assistant principal, Snodgrass, of stealing money from a bake sale. The book is all about how they get out of this problem, and it’s quite amazing. The students are Denton, the negotiator; Wendell, the computer whiz; Eddie, the athlete; Elijah, the writer; and Bijay, the performer. Snodgrass locks them in a room under the school and forces them to study for the hardest test on Earth. To escape, they use a hole in the wall full of toilet pipes, a pile of computer scraps, and a Sudoku puzzle that is impossible to solve. (Don’t ask. You’ll have to read the book to believe it.) It ends with a maniac nurse on the loose trying to take over all students’ minds.
This book was so exciting at times that I read it for hours before my Mom would tell me to so I could get other things done. If it didn’t end with a such a cliff hanger, this would be a perfect book. It would make a great movie. I can only explain it as a book full of untold mysteries that are constantly being solved and created. You should read it.
Posted by BOOK NAME: The Landry News
AUTHOR: Andrew Clements
Cara Landry was barely noticed. She liked it that way. She was a quiet, but very intelligent girl. She was very unlucky to end up in the worst teacher’s class, Mr. Larson’s class. Mr. Larson never taught. He just sat at his desk, every day, reading the newspaper and drinking coffee from his big, red thermos. Every parent hoped that their children wouldn’t end up in his class.
One day, Cara decided to put up her own newspaper, The Landry News, on the bulletin board. In it, she put an article stating that “there has been learning, but there has been no teaching” in Mr. Larson’s class. Mr. Larson banned the newspaper from the classroom. Cara then decided to work on her own project.
In this book, you will join Cara and Mr. Larson as they begin hating each other at first in the story, and end up being very close at the end. You’ll even accompany them as they try to save Mr. Larson’s job!
I really liked this book. I feel it is a great book for all ages. It was fun, cute, and very good. I kept on wanting to know what would happen next! I think I am the complete opposite of Cara, though. She’s quiet, while I am loud and outgoing. But even though she is so different from me, she’s my favorite character in the book. Reading The Landry News won’t be a waste of your time! You should read it!
Posted by BOOK NAME: All Shook Up
AUTHOR: Shelley Pearsall
After his grandmother is in the hospital and is in need of the care of Josh’s mother, he finds he has to stay with his father for a few months. When he meets his father at the airport, he is surprised to see the sudden change in his father’s appearance and attitude. Elvis Presley. Elvis hair, Elvis clothes, Elvis voice. Not only does his dad LOOK like Elvis Presley, but his job is to impersonate Elvis! Dreading the stay with his father, Josh gets mad and it shows in his every move.
When Josh goes to a new school and becomes popular, he decides it’s not too bad living there. Until his father plans to be impersonating Elvis at his school concert. Josh makes up a plan. A plan to save him the embarrassment and get him back to being the popular guy he originally was.
All Shook Up was an okay book. I didn’t enjoy it as much as I have with the other books I’ve reviewed, but it wasn’t a bad book in general. I have always loved Elvis Presley so the fact that Josh’s dad was an Elvis Presley impersonator thrilled me. I laughed at the quotes the author put in between the chapters. The quotes tickled my funny-bone and sent me into a fit of overwhelming giggles.
I’d suggest this to anyone of any age, but I must say this book revolves around the divorced issue of the family and although the problem isn’t resolved–it contains a lot on how Josh feels. Overall, it’s a great book for anyone who is interested!
Posted by BOOK NAME: H.I.V.E. Higher Institute of Villainous Education
AUTHOR: Mark Walden
School can definitely be scary, but imagine if your school specialized in training young super villains! That is exactly what H.I.V.E. does! The Higher Institute of Villainous Education (aka H.I.V.E.) trains the criminal masterminds of tomorrow. Just a few of the courses available at H.I.V.E. are Villainy Studies, Stealth and Evasion, and Tactical Education. Otto Malpense, however, isn’t interested in staying at H.I.V.E. for six years of training. Kidnapped and transported to H.I.V.E., Otto simply wants to get out. Easier said than done! No one has ever escaped from H.I.V.E. before. An immense techno-security system, squadron after squadron of armed guards, and a labyrinthine system of passageways are all standing in the way of Otto’s escape. Can he and his friends Wing, Laura, and Shelby beat the odds and escape from H.I.V.E.?
This book was an awesome read! It was one of the best science-fiction books I’ve ever read! One thing I like about this book is that it is mysterious and leaves you with some questions. For example, a dangerous super villain has some sinister intentions for Otto, but the book leaves those intentions a mystery, and it makes you want to read the next book in the series. The book is fast paced, and each page has a new situation. On one page it might be bullies, on another it might be a man-eating plant. Students can somewhat relate to this book because H.I.V.E. has all of the elements of a regular school; classes, homework, grades, tests, and even bullies, but the major difference is that the education provided at H.I.V. E. is strictly for evil purposes only.
Posted by What’s in your school’s vending machines? Chances are, the contents determine if your eating habits get a passing or failing grade. A recent study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health reports that students eat more unhealthy foods (like candy and soda) overall if their school has vending machines that sell them. However, in schools that sell fruits and vegetables, the students eat more fruits and vegetables overall.
Do you have vending machines at your school? If you do, what is for sale inside them?
Read more about the study on the USA Today website.
Start your day with a nutritious breakfast! Try this oatmeal recipe from National Geographic Kids.
Posted by BOOK NAME: The Reinvention of Edison Thomas
AUTHOR: Jacqueline Houtman
The Reinvention of Edison Thomas, by Jacqueline Houtman, is the story of a very smart boy named Edison Thomas. Edison, also known as Eddy, hates the name his parents gave him–it makes him sound too much like Thomas Edison. Eddy loves to invent things, and he is confident that he will win the science fair he is competing in. But when he gets 3rd place, he is devastated. Back at school, he suspects that his (former) best friend Mitch is bullying him, and confirms it after a few incidents. You see, Eddy has Asperger’s syndrome, making him very smart but somewhat inept at social interactions. His lack of skill in the social department is what makes him have trouble detecting simple emotions and feelings of others, as well as explaining his lack of friends. Sure, Eddy has a couple of friends, but he has nowhere near as many friends as an average middle-schooler would. One of his friends was the crossing guard at the street leading to the school. After budget cuts, the crossing guard got laid off, and Eddy was concerned about the children crossing the street. Because of his concern and his love for inventing things, Eddy created a machine that would help keep the children safe. Most of the story revolves around this invention and its importance to the storyline.
My favorite part of this novel was Eddy’s personality. People with Asperger’s syndrome have always interested me because of their mental ability, but the way the story was told really let you get inside his head. Eddy doesn’t like loud noises or change. Whenever he gets angry, he says the periodic table of the elements in his head to calm him down, and he refers to all living things by their scientific names in Latin. Sprinkled throughout the book are random facts from Eddy’s brain that give interesting tidbits of information to think about while reading the captivating story. All in all, I recommend this book to kids of all ages, especially those who enjoy math and science.
BOOK NAME: Roy Morelli Steps Up to the Plate
AUTHOR: Thatcher Heldring
Roy Morelli is a youth baseball All-Star. He’s good at baseball, but not so good at history. Since he got a bad grade on a history test, he had to move from the All-Star baseball league to the Rec League so he could focus more on school. The team he joins is the worst ever, but his two best friends, Fish and Kenny, play on it. They’ve never beaten a team before-any team. The only “win” they’ve ever had was when a team didn’t show up for a game and had to forfeit.
This book is about the crazy happenings for Roy, an eighth-grader, in both baseball and school. I like how much Roy helps his team get better and, midway through the season, the team comes up with the motto: “Let’s Win One.” And that’s what happens. They win their last game of the season on a bunt that ends up being an inside-the-park home run.
I liked the book, but I also like baseball. I’m not sure someone who doesn’t like baseball would like it that much since the book is mostly about that sport.
BOOK NAME: Scarlett
AUTHOR: Cathy Cassidy
Trying to figure out who she was suppose to be wasn’t Scarlett’s strength. She struggled with life and her parent’s separation didn’t give her much encouragement. In response, Scarlett became rather rebellious. She was suspended from several schools until her mother could not take it anymore. Scarlett’s mother sent her away to stay with her father–a man hated by both Scarlett and her mother.
When Scarlett returned to her father’s presence, he was already remarried and had another child. Scarlett’s anger burned towards the young girl while she did everything in her power to get back at her father. The family started opening up to Scarlett and she slowly gave into their loving kindness.
Meeting new people and learning a new way of life started to have positive effects on Scarlett, as she turned into someone everyone respected.
This author wrote my all-time favorite book so I tend to view her books in a positive light from the start. It is impressive how Cathy Cassidy take a common story line and “refurnishes” it–making it new all over again.
I would suggest this book for ages 10 and up. The characters are so real, and although it’s somewhat predictable, the book keeps you reading for more. After reading Dizzy by Cathy Cassidy I didn’t think it could get any better, but then I read Scarlett.
Is your class looking for a green project to do together? Tell your teacher about the Find Your Footprint contest! Your classroom can choose one of three categories: Save Water, Reduce Waste, or Save Energy. Your class must think of a way to reduce your school’s footprint in one of these areas, and create a description of your proposal. The winning classroom or school will get some pretty cool prizes, including five Promethean ActivBoards and $1000 worth of National Geographic books.
All entries must be received by December 3, 2010, so go green and get going!
Send your teacher to the Find Your Footprint page for more information on the contest.
Want to find out how big your family’s water footprint is? Grab Mom or Dad and check out the Water Footprint Calculator.
Image Source / Getty Images
BOOK NAME: I am a Genius of Unspeakable Evil and I Want to be Your Class President
AUTHOR: Josh Lieb
Hi, it’s Mairen again and yes, that is a very long title. However, don’t let it deter you from picking up this book. I started to read it a little skeptically, but was drawn in from the first page. The story is about a young boy, Oliver Watson, who has two identities: a less-than-smart overweight boy who loves his parents and an international business magnate who has absolute control over thousands of people. The book follows his double-life as he tries to integrate his evil genius personality and his normal kid personality to try to win a school election. Because he has so much control, he bribes, threatens, and steals his way to be a contender in the competition without anyone knowing what is going on.
The plotline is intriguing and the dialogue and narrative are absolutely hilarious, so much so that I was laughing out loud while reading on a few occasions! That garnered me a couple of weird looks from the bystanders (I was reading in my local library), but I just couldn’t stop laughing! Anyway, this book is amazing. It’s charming yet nerve-racking. We can all relate to Oliver’s yearning for his father’s pride, and these kinds of books are the kinds that will always stick in the reader’s mind, no matter how many other books they read. I would recommend this book to all readers, no matter how young or old.
BOOK NAME: Noonie’s Masterpiece
AUTHOR:
Noonie Norton always had an odd view of art; she went through phases. Blue phases, purple phases, even polka dot phases! Unlike others, she painted everything as she saw it. Noonie painted for only two reasons: first, Noonie wanted to be like her artistic mother; second, she desperately wanted her father to come back for her from his travels. Noonie believed that if her father was impressed by her art, he’d come back to her! When Noonie’s school had an art contest, she saw it as an opportunity to make her father come for her. Would she win?
At age 10, Noonie is younger than me, but a lot like me. She is different from the other people in her school and doesn’t really care what they think of her. She’s artistic, but nobody seems to care. Her best friend, Reno is a math and science geek who assists her with her art; she bosses him and he willingly obeys her. Even though her family really loves her, they don’t always respect her artistic ways.
This book is one I’d pick up for a quick read, but it wouldn’t make it into my list of favorites. The characters are interesting and each has a weird personality. Every page of this book is illustrated with drawings, by the main character, Noonie Norton. The illustrations are just as amusing as the book itself. It’s great if you are interested in a quick and easy read. Being the author’s first book, I think it was impressive.
BOOK NAME: Andrew North Blows Up the World
AUTHOR: Adam Selzer
When I was in 3rd grade, I LOVED sneaking around my house and spying on my parents and brothers, but Andrew North takes spying to a new level. Andrew gets into spy gadgets, enemy spies, and a lot more in this book. At school, he loses his brother Jack’s spy gadget in Storage Room B without Jack knowing. The gadget looks kind of like a calculator and potentially could blow up the world. Storage Room B is a mysterious place at the school that Mr. Gormulka, a Russian spy who works at the school as a janitor, guards with his life.
The book is about how Andrew North gets back the spy gadget. You would have never guessed this is a spy book just by looking at the cover, or even reading the title. The cover makes it seem like an extremely boring book to me, but when I read it, it ended up being one of my favorites! My favorite part of the book is when Ryan, the class troublemaker, helps Andrew with his mission in the end. If you like spying and lots of excitement, you’ll love this book.
Posted by BOOK NAME: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
AUTHOR: J.K. Rowling
For all of Harry’s life he has been treated unfairly by his aunt, uncle and cousin. They put him in a cupboard to sleep in for the past eleven years he has lived there. One day Harry gets a suspicious letter that reveals a secret that has been kept from him. Harry is a wizard.
He goes to a wizarding school, Hogwarts, where he learns all kinds of magic and learns about his past too. Harry and his two best friends Ron and Hermione end up dealing with Centaurs, plants that kill, and teachers with two heads! Can Harry survive his first year with out getting eaten by trolls?
This is one of my favorite books EVER!! J.K. Rowling is and amazing writer because she always keeps you into the book. There are seven books in the Harry Potter series and six movies have been made. The seventh movies comes out late fall and part two comes out mid winter! I know I’ll be there opening night. The genre of the series is fantasy because of all the mythical and made up creatures that are invented in it. Make sure when you are reading this that you don’t skip around pages because crucial information that will come up in later books are found in this one. There are a lot of loose ends at the end of the book meaning you will have LOTS of questions but just keep reading and you will find out more, meet new people, and continue on this great magical adventure!
If you like the Harry Potter series, you should check out The Tales of Beedle the Bard, also by J.K. Rowling and it takes place in the world of Harry Potter.
Posted by BOOK NAME: Viola in Reel Life
AUTHOR: Adriana Trigiani
I just finished the book Viola in Reel Life by Adriana Trigiani. This book is a realistic fiction book. It’s about a girl named Viola who has to move from her beloved home in Brooklyn to an all-girls boarding school in Indiana. She has to leave her BFFAA (best friend forever and always) Andrew, and replace him with three new roommates, Romy, Marisol, and Suzanne. They actually seem to want to be there. At first she hates it but then she realizes this could be a good change. She also gets a boyfriend. Viola loves filming, that’s what her life is around. She keeps a video diary and everything. So she begins filming for the school and enters a video contest. This year might be the best for her.
This book was not the worst but not the best. I would not recommend it. For about a day she hates school and then she likes it, but she mentions it throughout the book. She keeps saying that I can’t believe I was so mean in the beginning but she was only grumpy for one day. Also I get it if someone kind of obsesses over her first boyfriend but she counts how many times she sees him. She will say like two kisses, one dance, and three hugs. I mean that seems just a little weird, doesn’t it?
Thank you for reading this review!
BOOK NAME: Jellicoe Road
AUTHOR:
Melina Marchetta
Taylor is now confronted with her past. Memories haunt her as little things remind her of when her mother abandoned her at age 11. At the age of 17, Taylor is in the care of a friendly woman named Hannah, and lives at a boarding school. She is the leader of a junior high girls’ dorm, leaving her no time to deal with her emotions.
The same young, cute boy appears in all her dreams offering her comfort and advice. Small memories and dreams come together in her mind, tempting her to go and find her mother. When Hannah disappears without explanation, Taylor goes searching for the missing pieces in her life.
I purchased this book in the teen section of Barnes & Noble, but disagree where it was placed for many reasons. I do like that Taylor is a bold and brave girl with a deep concern for others. My favorite character is Taylor’s boyfriend, Jonah; rough and mean on the outside, he’s really caring on the inside. I am disappointed about some parts of this book and because of this, I honestly don’t plan on reading any of the author’s other books. I don’t recommend it, but if you do have interest in this book I suggest having your parents take a look at it before you buy it or check it out.
Posted by BOOK NAME: Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute
AUTHOR: Jarret J. Krosoczka
This is a book called Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute. It’s about a lunch lady who’s a secret fighter and about some kids who are trying to figure what she does. It’s book #1 and that means there’s going to be more. And I like it so I really want to get #2.
The Lunch Lady is trying to find out the secret of Mr. Pasteur who is a half-human, half-robot substitute teacher.
The Lunch Lady has a secret lab and her helper makes her cool stuff like a cool scooter that can spill sloppy joes that can stop cars. She also made a spatula called the Spatu-Copter that spins around and can make the Lunch Lady fly. She also made her suction cups so she could walk on the ceiling and a secret mole that’s a walkie-talkie thing.
The book was really good and really funny and really cool. This style book is like a comic book with lots of fighting and pictures and words.
Photograph by Gerald Herbert/AP
This morning, President Barack Obama welcomed kids across the country back to school. He stressed the importance of getting an education in his remarks, saying “…no matter what you want to do with your life – I guarantee that you’ll need an education to do it.” He also challenged students to take charge of their own educations by setting goals for themselves and working hard to achieve them.
Was today your first day of school? Did you set new goals for this school year?
Read President Obama’s speech on the White House website.
Get tips on how to go green and stay germ-free at school this year.
BOOK NAME: Eleven
AUTHOR: Lauren Myracle
Winnie is turning eleven and realizes that things are changing in the world and in herself. First of all, her best friend Amanda is dumping Winnie for another girl who is just a snob. Then, her older sister is moody all the time. Next a dork in the class wants to hang out all the time with Winnie and that does not help Winnie’s coolness factor. Lastly all of the girls in her class have a boyfriend except for her. Winnie will find a way to make things better but that might mean giving up something.
I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My friends had been telling me that it was such a good read and I needed to buy it. It has many sequels which I will surely get and blog on. It is very interesting because there’s love, competition, friendship and fighting. It’s neat because the story is told in each month of the year so that means that there are twelve chapters. It never EVER got boring and it was a learning adventure.
I would definitely not miss reading this book especially if your are a girl who likes some fun fiction. Post a comment if you have ever been dumped by a friend like Winnie.
Posted by BOOK NAME: Sideways Stories from Wayside School
AUTHOR: Louis Sachar
Seriously!
This book is hilarious. It’s all about the kids in Ms. Jewel’s class at
Wayside School. The reason it’s called “wayside” school is because it
was built sideways. The school was supposed to be 1 story tall with 30
classrooms. But the builder made a mistake and built the school 30
stories high with each story only containing a single classroom. There
are a lot of crazy things that go on at Wayside.
Ms. Jewel’s
classroom is on the 30th floor of Wayside. At the beginning of the
year, Ms. Jewel has a substitute teacher named Ms. Gorf. She is mean
and can turn kids into apples. I know it sounds weird, but it’s true.
If you do anything wrong or give an incorrect answer, Ms. Gorf wiggles
her ears, sticks out her tongue and then…poof!…you are turned into
an apple. Pretty soon, all the students had been turned into applies
by Ms. Gorf. All of the “apples” demand to be turned back into kids
and they plan an “apple attack” on Ms. Gorf until she gives and turns
them back into kids again! After that, Ms. Gorf leaves the school and
never comes back and Ms. Jewel comes back to teach her class.
This
is only one of the stories from the book. There are 29 more chapters in
the book that talk about each kid in Ms. Jewel’s class. Once they get
passed Ms. Gorf and her apple turning magic meanness, Ms. Jewel’s class
has a pretty crazy rest of the year. There are 3 books about the
Wayside School. I liked them because they were all funny and
silly…and made me want to read the others.
BOOK NAME: Hoot
AUTHOR: Carl Hiaasen
I just finished the book Hoot. It’s by Carl Hiaasen. It is one of the best books I have read this year. It’s about a middle-school kid named Roy. He is the “new kid” at school, so the bully, Dana, picks on him all the time. One day on the bus, Dana digs his fingers into Roy’s temples and makes him look out of the window. Roy sees a tan, blond-haired kid running past the bus stop who is not wearing any shoes. Roy wonders why he is not getting on the school bus.
When Roy sees the same kid the next day, he runs off the bus to chase him. While he’s trying to catch the kid, Roy knocks down a girl named Beatrice who is the running kid’s stepsister. The running kid has found out that there is going to be a pancake house in an empty lot where there are owl dens. He has many different ways to keep the owls from being bulldozed. The pancake company says that there are no owls and that they are wild chickens, how bizarre! Though those “wild chickens” definitely look like owls.
So Roy gets involved with the running kid, whose nickname is “Mullet Fingers” and his owl plan. “Mullet Fingers” plan is to try and save the owls. He even gets poisonous snakes involved! If you want to know how, read the story. “Mullet Fingers” is called that because he can catch a mullet (a type of very fast fish) with just his bare hands. Roy also has to deal with Dana and he finds out things about Beatrice’s life. Dana tries to strangle Roy, punch him and kick him, but things turn out good for Roy (Read the book!!!). Beatrice’s stepmom is really mean to Beatrice. She yells at her all the time and doesn’t care for her. “Mullet Fingers” doesn’t even live with his mom; He ran away and never came back.
I loved this book! I liked how Roy actually cared about the owls instead of just doing nothing. I also liked how the author didn’t just pay attention to the owls. He made chapters just about Roy, too. I would recommend this book. I think anybody would like it because it’s not just about a girl or just about a guy. It’s about a girl and a guy, and owls.
