Where Do Presidents Come From?

Where Do Presidents Come From ?
By Michael Townsends

With election season upon us, this book is a refreshing look at
how government works for middle school to high school. 
Written in graphic novel format, the colorful, cartoonish pictures could
even bring a smile to those who are not history loving fans...like my younger self.

The white spaces on the page are full of facts leading the reader to the pictures depicting other possibilities that may or may not work with government.  I found myself smiling while reading this book, thinking this may lead to learning about the President and government.  An example is Chapter 3, How Does the President Get Elected?  Through facts and pictures we learn that aliens, sea turtles, robots, bunnies, dogs and other various animals can not be elected president because of the 3 requirements to become president of the United States. 

The three requirements are:
1) You must be at least 35 years old (bunnies and dogs don't live to be that old)
2) You must have been born a United States Citizen (This robot was made in Japan)
3) You must have lived in the United States for at least 14 years (Sea Turtles and Aliens are out of luck)

Enjoyable and educational for middle to high school ages. 

The Fault In Our Stars Booktrailer

 Call for Booktrailers

open to tweens and teens in Tipp City, Ohio area

Grades 6-12

 

Win a brand new copy of 

The Fault In Our Stars

by John Green

 

How you ask?

 

1. Create a booktrailer for this amazing book

2. Upload to Tipp City-Library Ohio Facebook

3. The most likes wins a new book

 

 

 

Wait !!!!!

Can't get enough of this wonderful book????

Drop in for a book discussion with your BFF's

Saturday, Oct. 27 12-1pm

 

 

Questions??? Email weaverbe@oplin.org or call 667-3826

 

The Great Hamster Massacre

The Great Hamster Massacre
by Katie Davies

Nine year old Anna and her little brother, Tom,  desperately want a hamster.

Nanna, who lives with the family,  explains the reasons why their mom won't let them have a hamster.
Their mom, in her younger years, accidently "lost" two hamsters of her own.

But after Nanna passes away, Mom decides to let Anna and Tom have two hamsters.
A new hamster chapter has begun. 

What mom didn't expect was hamster babies.
And a hamster massacre.

Anna and Tom put on their private detective hats, using neighborhood connections, to get to the bottom of the story.


When I picked up this story I expected a goofy, light hearted story about hamsters.  What I got was a goofy, light hearted story about hamsters that included the topics of death, loss and adult relationships.   It was realistic in the fuzzy situations that life brings, told from a 9 year old point of view--which made it funny and understandable.

Depending on approach of loss, recommend to lower to middle grades.

The Fault in Our Stars

Add me to the list of thousands who are in love with "The Fault in Our Stars" by John Green.

I should preface this by stating I waited to read this story.  I saw it's popularity ride through blogs, book circulation and friends who loved it also.  I waited, like I wait to read most popular books, because I wanted to read it without the hoopla, without the anticipation of thumbs up or thumbs down.

But really that was a silly notion for this book.  I'm just glad I didn't wait any longer.

The story centers around two teens, Hazel and Augustus, who meet at a Cancer Support Group.  Hazel knows eventually cancer will kill her and Augustus lost his leg before remission.  They are intelligent.  Witty.  And as you watch the two of them fall in love, the reader--or at least myself--fell in love with them too.

On the dramatic side--this book completes itself.  It is a 360* with the characters, the story and the language.  It is how we want to be loved and how we wish we could love, no matter the age.  And the reader accepts what these teens know about life, because we assume if faced with death, we also would live this fully and freely...knowing living tends to get in the way. 

And because people always ask, yes I did cry.

Big Mean Mike by Michelle Knudsen

Big Mean Mike is the meanest, toughest dog in the entire neighborhood.
He has the meanest bark. Mike has big, mean teeth and his black collar has mean, silver spikes. Clearly by the colorful, graphic pictures all the other dogs get out of his way when he comes around.

So when Mean Mike discovers a soft, fuzzy bunny in the trunk of his big, mean car, he sits it down on the sidewalk, speeding away knowing that bunnies and mean dogs don't go together.

As the story continues, the bunnies begin multiplying, not leaving Mike alone.
Like any good, tough guy, Mike eventually learns it is acceptable to be tough and caring. 

I especially loved the large, graphic pictures throughout the entire story.  With details of skullbones and spikes, the reader is not fooled by Mike's mean exterior, especially as the tiny, white bunnies keep popping up.

Picture book pre-k - 3.  Would be a fun read aloud to grades 4-5 when dealing with friendships, bullying, self-image.

Junie B., First Grader Turkeys We have Loved and Eaten (and Other Thankful Stuff)

 


If you haven't met Junie B. you are in for a treat.  Junie B. is in first grade (though if you catch her early books she's a big, bad kindergartner) and the reader learns from Junie B's journal on the first page that "it is the month of Thanksgiving."

I appreciate her ageless language and using words like 'the month of Thanksgiving.'  And I love that Mr. Scary is having Room 1 create a thankful list for a school contest.  The winner of the contest will get a homemade pumpkin pie from their very own lunch lady.  This is not a plus for the kids because they are sure they will vomit. Ha. Ha.

Junie B. is thankful for exploding biscuits. Others are thankful for nipsy doodles and toilet paper.  Classmate May is not thrilled with their thankful list, attempting to use her mom's thankful list.  The class does not approve.  They enjoy their honest list--but will that get them the winning pumpkin pie??

Geared towards young readers, Junie B. can bring a smile to most anyone--and that's something to be thankful about--whether it's Thanksgiving or not.

Waiting by Carol Lynch Williams

From the moment Kelly handed me Waiting by Carol Lynch Williams to read,
I assumed I would enjoy it.  Little did I know, I would sail through it, loving the characters from beginning to end.

Written from London's perspective in a melt of poetry and prose, you are instantly brought into her world of loneliness. Sadly her brother, Zach, died and her once-upon-a-time missionary family is being ripped apart from the seams.  The reader discovers a realistic sibling relationship that creates a certain despair, as London remembers and shares memories about her brothers untimely death.

Inbetween the sadness, I enjoyed the process of London discovering what it means to "like" a boy or two.  She is a teen, learning to live again.  She is processing feelings, friendships and her parents.  Ahhhhh...  her parents.  Thankfully she has one parent that eventually stands up for her, remembering that she is still alive--needing love, affection and attention.  I appreciated that London tried to reconnect with her parents through words, making dinner and when that didn't work--teenage angst.

This story was a reminder that often we don't know what's going on in other peoples lives, whether you're a teen or adult.  I'd highly recommend to middle school through adult.