| Name | Rebecca Schlafer |
| Title | Glacier National Park |
| Author | Maddie Spalding |
| ISBN | 9781680784725 |
| Publisher | ABDO |
| Classification | Non fiction |
| Recommended Level | Middle |
| Rating (1-5 with 5 being the highest) | 5 |
| Summary | This book covers 4 key components of Glacier National Park. The first chapter is an overview of the park and the history of its founding. The first chapter describes what makes the park so special as well as the founding of it. The second chapter is about the geological history of the park. It discusses the movement of the Glacier and how it formed the park. The third chapter addresses the plants and animals in the park. The final chapter is on the history of the founders of the park and the people who have used the park. The book includes sidebars of interesting highlights in each chapter. |
| Would you recommend this title? Why or Why not? | Yes. I really like this book because the language is simple and clear and the pictures, graphs and side bars are informative. I like this book because it can be used to cover math, science and history. It has all of the parts of a non-fiction book, so it could be used to teach library skills as well. |
| Name | Rebecca Schlafer |
| Title | Apollo: the brilliant one |
| Author | George O'Connor |
| ISBN | 9781626720152 |
| Publisher | First Second |
| Classification | Graphic Novel |
| Recommended Level | Middle |
| Rating (1-5 with 5 being the highest) | 3 |
| Summary | This graphic novel tells the story of the birth of Apollo and his twin sister. The book is narrated by the 9 muses. Each of the muses tells a story about Apollo including Apollo defeating Python and the chase of Daphne that resulted in her turning into a tree. The book includes a glossary, author's note and other supplemental materials. |
| Would you recommend this book? Why or why not? | Yes. Students love these books. They are part of a series including gods and goddesses, but they don't just appeal to students who like history. The pictures, the text and the layout resemble a Marvel comic book. The vocabulary in this book is higher, and some of the word choice is antiquated which could be harder for some students. Another reason I like these books is because they cover 7th grade Social Studies standards. It is always good to have books that meet both academic and personal reading needs. |
| Name | Rebecca Schlafer |
| Title | The dumbest idea ever |
| Author | Jimmy Gownley |
| ISBN | 9780545453462 |
| Publisher | Graphix |
| Classification | Graphic Novel |
| Recommended Level | Middle |
| Rating (1-5 with 5 being the highest) | 3 |
| Summary | Jimmy is a high achieving student and the start of the basketball team. Then a series of illnesses causes Jimmy to miss the championship basketball game and his grades to drop. Jimmy struggles to regain his confidence, his academic standing and his social standing. Jimmy begins to regain all of these by creating and selling a comic book he created. Jimmy has to accept his friends not understanding his comic, his own insecurities and the risk of putting himself out there creatively. |
| Would you recommend this book? Why or why not? | Yes. It is great to see Jimmy change throughout the book in a realistic way that male readers can understand. Jimmy has a romantic interest in the book and it is also nice to see romance of young man's point of view. The plot is a little slow paced, but I think that for students who only read graphic novels this could be a nice change of pace. |
| Name | Rebecca Schlafer |
| Title | The seventh most important thing |
| Author | Shelley Pearsall |
| ISBN | 9780553497304 |
| Publisher | Knopf |
| Classification | Fiction |
| Recommended Level | Middle |
| Rating (1-5 with 5 being the highest) | 4 |
| Summary | Arthur is a 13 year old boy living in Washington, D.C. in the early 1960's. His alcoholic father has recently died in a motorcycle accident, and Arthur, his mother and younger sister are grieving. After Arthur sees the man who regularly picks up junk in the neighborhood wearing his father's favorite hat that his mother has thrown in the trash, he becomes so enraged that Arthur throws a brick at the man, James Hampton. James Hampton is badly injured and Arthur ends up in court. Arthur's punishment is to work with Hampton and collect junk for him. On Arthur's first day, Mr. Hampton gives him a list of the seven most important things that Arthur is supposed to collect. Albert works every Saturday, and as time passes he begins to enjoy his job, but is unsure why he is collecting the materials. Mr. Hampton becomes ill and is hospitalized, and it is at this point Arthur discovers the giant sculpture made of all of the materials Arthur has collected. Once Arthur discovers the sculpture he and Mr. Hampton work together to complete the sculpture until Mr. Hampton dies suddenly. After Mr. Hampton's death Arthur works to save Mr. Hampton's sculpture and is successful. |
| Would you recommend this book? Why or why not? | Yes. The book is long for a middle school student at 273 pages, but Arthur is a dynamic character who undergoes a series of changes that will interest students. This would be a good book for a regular reader because the plot is slow moving, but there is pay off in the end. I also think this book would be good for a literature circle or a book club. |
| Name | April Haupt |
| Title | Food-borne Diseases |
| Author | Arthur Gillard |
| ISBN | 9780737752526 |
| Publisher | Greenhaven Press |
| Classification | Non Fiction |
| Recommended Level | Middle |
| Rating (1-5 with 5 being the highest) | 4 |
| Summary | A collection of essays/articles by multiple authors with different perspectives. Some are more biased than others, especially those that are personal stories of people who have been sick from food-borne diseases, but all are articles are prefaced with information about the author. |
| Would you recommend this book why or why not? | Yes. The way it is organized into short essays/articles make it perfect for research. |
| Name | April Haupt |
| Title | How can we reduce manufacturing pollution? |
| Author | Douglas Hustad |
| ISBN | 9781467795180 |
| Publisher | Lerner Publications |
| Classification | Non Fiction |
| Recommended Level | Middle |
| Rating (1-5 with 5 being the highest) | 4 |
| Summary | The text focuses on three primary types of manufacturing pollution: air, water and soil pollution. Each type has it's own chapter about what parts of manufacturing process cause the pollution, changes made by companies to limit the pollution, and government regulations designed to limit the amount of pollution. The final chapter gives suggestions for how individuals can help limit manufacturing pollution by recycling, reusing, and advocacy. |
| Would you recommend this book? Why or why not? | Yes. The subject is easy to understand because chapters are well-organized and do not have some of the bias I have seen in other books about this topic. |
| Name | April Haupt |
| Title | Technology during the Korean War |
| Author | Heather Hudak |
| ISBN | 9781680784121 |
| Publisher | ABDO |
| Classification | Non Fiction |
| Recommended Level | Middle |
| Rating (1-5 with 5 being the highest) | 4 |
| Summary | A brief history of Korea and the causes of the Korean War is given. Special attention is given to the new ways technology was used during the war such as jet fighters for air combat and helicopters used as ambulances. A table of contents, glossary, and index make the book organized and easy to use. |
| Would you recommend this book? Why or why not? | Yes. Students interested in wars or doing research about the Korean War will find this book engaging because of the author's specific focus on different uses of technology. |
| Name | April Haupt |
| Title | The New Jersey Devils |
| Author | Mark Stewart |
| ISBN | 9781599534022 |
| Publisher | 9781599534022 |
| Classification | Non Fiction |
| Recommended Level | Middle |
| Rating (1-5 with 5 being the highest) | 4 |
| Summary | Introduces the history of the hockey team and how they got their name. Details important statistics about the team, players and coaches. Also includes a basic introduction to the sport of hockey and important terms. |
| Would you recommend this book? Why or why not? | Yes. High interest, low level book will appeal to struggling readers. |
| Name | Rebecca Schlafer |
| Title | Your Presidential Fantasy Dream Team |
| Author | Daniel O'Brien |
| ISBN | 9780553537482 |
| Publisher | Random House |
| Classifiction | Non Fiction |
| Recommended Level | Middle |
| Rating (1-5 with 5 being the highest) | 3 |
| Summary | Imagine there is going to be a zombie apocalypse. Which famous presidents would you pick to be on your team to defend the world? That is the premise of this book. Each chapter is contains a biography and a few anecdotes about the president. At the end of the chapter is the presidents rating as a candidate for fighting the zombie apocalypse. |
| Would you recommend this book? Why or why not? | Yes. This title would be best for a true presidential fan. The book has page after page of text with very few graphics, text boxes or other visual features. The book has an index and other features that make it usable for research. The reading is high level, but the tone is very engaging. |
| Name | Rebecca Schlafer |
| Title | Your Presidential Fantasy Dream Team |
| Author | Daniel O'Brien |
| ISBN | 9780553537482 |
| Publisher | Random House |
| Classification | Non Fiction |
| Recommended Level | Middle |
| Rating (1-5 with 5 being the highest) | 3 |
| Summary | Imagine there is going to be a zombie apocalypse. Which famous presidents would you pick to be on your team to defend the world? That is the premise of this book. Each chapter is contains a biography and a few anecdotes about the president. At the end of the chapter is the presidents rating as a candidate for fighting the zombie apocalypse. |
| Would you recommend this book? Why or why not? | Yes. This title would be best for a true presidential fan. The book has page after page of text with very few graphics, text boxes or other visual features. The book has an index and other features that make it usable for research. The reading is high level, but the tone is very engaging. |
| Name | Jennifer Cowan |
| Title | The Losers Club |
| Author | Andrew Clements |
| ISBN | 9780399557552 |
| Publisher | Random House |
| Classification | Fiction |
| Recommended Level | Middle |
| Rating (1-5 with 5 being the highest) | 4 |
| Summary | Alec is an avid reader and it keeps getting him into trouble at school. The kind of trouble where you get sent to the principal's office on the first day of school and threatened with summer school. To make matters worse, he has to join a club or activity in his new after school program and they all sound terrible. All he wants is to be left alone to read, so he starts "The Loser's Club." Instead, he finds himself the leader of the hottest new after school group and juggling more responsibility than he ever imagined. |
| Would you recommend this book? Why or why not? | Yes. |
| Name | Jennifer Cowan |
| Title | Wake up missing |
| Author | Kate Messner |
| ISBN | 9780802723147 |
| Publisher | Walker Books for Young Readers |
| Classification | Fiction |
| Recommended Level | Middle School |
| Rating (1-5 with 5 being the highest) | 5 |
| Summary | Opening Sentence: “If you hit your head hard enough, your brain gets shaken up inside your skull.” This book is about 4 different kids who have nothing in common...except for their brain injuries. They find themselves in a clinic in the Florida Everglades, with no family and no way to have contact without the help of the "good" doctor. When the 4 put their heads together and begin to realize what is in store for them, they try to plan their escape. |
| Would you recommend this book? Why or why not? | Yes. This book was a page turner...I couldn't stop. I was surprised at the amounts of twists and turns, but it was a most enjoyable read. |
| Name | Jennifer Cowan |
| Title | Sticks and stones |
| Author | Abby Cooper |
| ISBN | 9780374302894 |
| Publisher | R.R. Donnelley & Sons |
| Classification | Fiction |
| Recommended Level | Middle School |
| Rating (1-5 with 5 being the highest) | 5 |
| Summary | This book dives into the struggles that girls often face how they view themselves and how words affect of us...focusing on the specific struggles found when entering middle school. Cooper does a great job of pointing out insecurities that girls often have and showcases the comfort that can be found by sharing differences and doubts with others. Such a good read to understand things all people struggle with at some point in life and ways for getting over them. |
| Would you recommend this book? Why or why not? | Yes. This book is all about kindness. It's delivery is funny, character-driven and is a wonderful read. |
| Name | Jennifer Cowan |
| Title | Goldfish |
| Author | Nat Luurtsema |
| ISBN | 9781250089182 |
| Publisher | Feiwel and Friends |
| Classification | Fiction |
| Recommended Level | Middle School |
| Rating (1-5 with 5 being the highest) | 5 |
| Summary | After Lou fails to qualify for the Olympic Training Program that she has been training for her entire life, her entire world changes. Her best friend, Hannah, makes the team and is forced to move away and the rest of her swimming team turns their back on her. When school starts again in the fall, she realizes she doesn't know anyone in her grade even though she had gone to school with them her entire life. While she struggles to find her way through life without swimming, she is asked to coach a secret swimming group for their T.V. audition. It seems like things are headed in the right direction, until Lou's clumsiness lands her in the hospital and threatens to derail the group's T.V. performance. |
| Would you recommend this title? Why or why not? | Yes. This book is highly relatable and had just enough problems, and plot twists to be a a great read. And...it's funny, funny, funny! |
| Name | Jennifer Cowan |
| Title | My seventh-grade life in tights |
| Author | Bemjamin Brooks |
| ISBN | 9780553512502 |
| Publisher | Delacorte Press |
| Classification | Fiction |
| Recommended Level | Middle School |
| Rating (1-5 with 5 being the highest) | 2 |
| Summary | Dillon is being pushed by his dad to play football but all he wants to do is learn to dance. He even joined a dance group hoping to get better. Unfortunately, they refuse to teach him any techniques and he feels silly each time they perform. When an opportunity to win free lessons at the best-known dance studio in town arises, Dillon is forced to choose between his friends and his dreams. |
| Would you recommend this title? Why or why not? | No. This book just had no sparkle...nothing that made it special. It was more of a ho-hum story, pretty slow, and not overly interesting. |
| Name | Rebecca Schlafer |
| Title | Yes, we are Latinos. Poems about the Latin experience. |
| Author | Alma Flor Ada |
| ISBN | 9781580895491 |
| Publisher | Charlesbridge |
| Classification | Fiction |
| Recommended Level | Middle |
| Rating (1-5 with 5 being the highest) | 5 |
| Summary | A collection of stories about young Latino's immigrant experiences in the United States. |
| Would you recommend this book? Why or why not? | Yes. |
| Name | Rebecca Schlafer |
| Title | Dark Hunter: Ship of Death |
| Author | Benjamin Hulme-Cross |
| ISBN | 9781467757270 |
| Publisher | Darby Creek |
| Classification | Fiction |
| Recommended Level | Middle School |
| Rating (1-5 with 5 being the highest) | 3 |
| Summary | The book opens with two kids, Tom and Mary and two adults, Mr. Blood and Edgar looking at a mysterious boat that has appeared in the harbor. This is not the first appearance of the boat. The last time the boar appeared, Pete the harbor master went aboard the boat and never came back. Despite the danger the four characters decide to venture onto the boat to see what is there. The group discovers a room full of human bones. The four soon realize the ship is haunted and wants them dead too, and they must work together in order to survive. |
| Would you recommend this book? Why or why not? | Yes. This would be a great title for very low readers. It isn't the best written book, but it looks like a regular middle school book that any student would enjoy. The illustrations in the book add to the spooky tone and help the reader to visualize what they are reading. |
| Name | Rebecca Schlafer |
| Title | A cut too far |
| Author | Herman Brown |
| ISBN | 978-1-4677-8096-4 |
| Publisher | Darby Creek |
| Classification | Fiction |
| Recommended Level | Middle |
| Rating (1-5) | 4 |
| Summary | Chace is having a hard time. His family has been split apart and his mother has started dating a new man, Tahir, who is Iranian. To make matters worse, there is a bully in Chace's high school who makes fun of his Mom's new boyfriend and the fact that Chace has a medical issue that causes his jaw to be larger than the rest of his face Chace has retaliated against the bully and is now suspended. The story is told in flashback, starting with the end of Chace's parent's marriage, his mother's relationship with an Iranian man and the bullying at the hands of a character named Ivan |
| Would you recommend this book? Why or why not? | Yes. This is a great Hi-Lo book for struggling readers or any other students. I would recommend this book because it shows the thoughts and feelings of a teenage boy, which isn't often seen. I could see this book being used in an advisory class or a group counseling setting because it shows how a person can overcome adversity and make it through a hard time. |
| Name | Rebecca Schlafer |
| Title | A storm too soon |
| Author | Michael J. Tougias |
| ISBN | 9781627792813 |
| Publisher | Henry Holt and Company |
| Classification | Non-Fiction |
| Recommended Level | Middle |
| Rating (1-5) | 3 |
| Summary | Three men went out on a sailboat in order to sail from Florida to France, but they crossed paths with a tropical storm and needed to be rescued.Their boat ended up sinking and the coast guard was called in to rescue the men. The story describes how the coast guard was able to rescue the men in such harrowing circumstances. The book ends with an epilogue that describes the traumatic after effects of the rescue. |
| Would you recommend this book? Why or why not? | Yes. This book would be best for students who like adventure novels. I would recommend it to someone who liked the I Survive series. |
| Name | Rebecca Schlafer |
| Title | Zane and the Hurricane : a story of Katrina |
| Author | Rodman Philbrick |
| ISBN | 9780545342384 |
| Publisher | Blue Sky Press |
| Classification | Fiction |
| Recommended Level | Middle |
| Rating (1-5) | 4 |
| Summary | Zane Dupree is headed from New Hampshire to New Orleans and he is not happy about it at all. His father died when Zane was young and his mother has recently rediscovered Zane's long lost great grandmother. His great grandmother wants to meet him, so Zane and his dog Bandit are sent to New Orleans. Hurricane Katrina hits with Zane is there. Zane is separated from his great grandmother and has to be rescued from an air vent in an attic. After his rescue Zane has to endure some scary situations to survive. The only thing that makes the scary situation manageable is the kindness of the strangers Zane meets along the way. |
| Would you recommend this title? Why or why not? | Yes. I would recommend this book because it is an adventure story with a great theme that could be studied in a class. |
| Name | Rebecca Schlafer |
| Title | The fall |
| Author | James Preller |
| ISBN | 978-0-312-64301-0 |
| Publisher | Feiwel and Friends |
| Classification | Fiction |
| Recommended Level | Middle |
| Rating (1-5) | 5 |
| Summary | Sam's counselor has recommended that he keep a diary after one of his fellow classmates, Morgan commits suicide. Sam was friends with Morgan, but he kept his friendship with Morgan a secret. Morgan had a bad reputation and she was bullied by other students. Some students at the school have accused Sam of bullying Morgan, saying that he posted rude things about her on social media. This book is Sam's diary. It gives the reader a chance to see the story from Sam's point of view as he grapples with the shame and grief he feels over the loss of Morgan |
| Would you recommend this book? Why or why not? | Yes. I work at an all-boys school and because the narrator is a teenage boy who is sharing his emotions, this is a book that I would highly recommend. I would also recommend this book because it shows the impact of cyber bullying, which is something my students have to deal with on a regular basis. |
| Name | Rebecca Schlafer |
| Title | Mothman's Curse |
| Author | Christine Hayes |
| ISBN | 978-1-62672-027-5 |
| Publisher | Roaring Brook Press |
| Classification | Fiction |
| Recommended Level | Middle |
| Rating (1 to 5) | 4 |
| Summary | Josie and her two brothers are being raised by their aunt after the recent death of their mother. Their father is the absent-minded owner of an auction house, which gives Josie and her brothers Fox and Mason time to explore. This comes in handy when the kids uncover a mystery surrounding John Goodman, a recently deceased millionaire recluse who has asked Josie's father to manage his estate. The kids soon discover a connection between Goodman and the mythic Mothman, a ghost who has said to haunt Josie's town for years. |
| Would you recommend this book? Why or why not? | Yes. |
| Name | Rebecca Schlafer |
| Title | Grandmaster |
| Author | David Klass |
| ISBN | 9780374327712 |
| Publisher | Farrar Straus and Giroux |
| Classification | Fiction |
| Recommended Level | Middle |
| Rating (1 to 5 ) | 4 |
| Summary | Daniel is the only Freshman on the highly competitive chess team. Daniel isn't winning many games or fitting in with the other over achievers on the team. Because of his novice status, Daniel is excited when he is invited to be part of a parent-child chess tournament. Daniel thinks his Dad is a chess novice, but it turns out he was once a teenage grand master. Daniel's father worked and practiced so hard and for so long that he became mentally and physically ill. Daniel is afraid that being at the chess tournament will reactive his father's illness. His fear is well-founded and he has to help his father, navigate the problem of being the new guy on the team, and try to win a chess tournament. |
| Would you recommend this title? Why or why not? | Yes. |
| Name | Rebecca Schlafer |
| Title | Arrival (Mars Bound Book 4) |
| Author | Tracy Wolff |
| ISBN | 9781624022005 |
| Publisher | Spellbound |
| Classification | Fiction |
| Recommended Level | Elementary |
| Rating (1 to 5) | 2 |
| Summary | Three astronauts are trapped in a broken down spaceship that they must land. The planet where they want to land doesn't want them to land, so the pilot is faced with the task of doing a forced crash landing in order to dock the ship into the planet. Their plan works, but once they land they are taken captive by the people populating the planet. The three astronauts must figure out a way to survive. |
| Would you recommend this title? Why or why not? | No. I would not recommend this book for a middle school library. It is too short at 48 pages with about 10 words on every page. It might be a nice warm up for a class of struggling readers, but that is about it. |
| Name | Rebecca Ansari |
| Title | Wild bird |
| Author | Wendelin Van Draanen |
| ISBN | 9781101940457 |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf |
| Classification | Fiction |
| Recommended Level | Middle |
| Rating (1 to 5 ) | 4 |
| Summary | From the comforts of home to the harsh world of reality, Wren finds herself having to survive in the wilderness with strangers as messed up as she was making her life. Yet, over time she misses what she thought was so terrible while learning that her parents saved her from making mistakes that may have become unforgivable or never forgotten by herself, her family and/or her friends. |
| Would you recommend this book? Why or why not? | Yes. Students can relate to the content. They may see themselves in the main character and can learn from her mistakes and her redemption. |
| Name | Jennifer Cowan |
| Title | White rabbit |
| Author | Caleb Roehrig |
| ISBN | 9781250085658 |
| Publisher | Feiwel and Friends |
| Classification | Fiction |
| Suggested Level | Middle |
| Rating (1-5) | 5 |
| Summary | A murder...starts it all. One night. Rufus Holt has only one to prove his half-sister's innocence of the crime. The ex. Rufus Holt's ex also shows up on the very same night wanting to talk. Who's guilty? Who's innocent? Can it be figured out in time? |
| Would you suggest this book? Why or why not? | Yes. A fast paced mystery/adventure with broken hearts and secrets along the way that could lead to something dangerous. This is a page turner...it hook you and doesn't let go! |
| Name | Jennifer Cowan |
| Title | Hidden |
| Author | Marianne Curley |
| ISBN | 9781599908403 |
| Publisher | Bloomsbury |
| Classification | Fiction |
| Suggested Level | Middle |
| Rating (1-5) | 5 |
| Summary | In a world where angels and demons live among us in secret, a baby was stolen. Ebony doesn't know who she really is but she's determined to find out. Jordan Blake is tasked to find the lsot angel...his guardian angel. Will he find her or will he continue to suffer? |
| Would you suggest this book? Why or why not? | Yes. This book is a great good vs. evil story with a modern twist of teenage drama. |
| Name | Jennifer Cowan |
| Title | The wandmaker |
| Author | Ed Masessa |
| ISBN | 9780545861748 |
| Publisher | Scholastic |
| Classification | Fiction |
| Suggested Level | Middle |
| Rating (1-5) | 4 |
| Summary | Henry is descended from a long line of magicians...the only problem is, he can't even get his very first want to work. Between that, a bully at school, his family split in a magical war, and a sister who's always in the way; will he ever figure out if he has magic within? |
| Would you suggest this book? Why or why not? | Yes. this book is perfect for any reader who enjoys adventure, magic and good versus evil. The story grabs you and transports you right into Henry's world. |
| Name | Ann Trompeter |
| Title | No not lick this book |
| Author | Idan Ben-Barak |
| ISBN | 9781250175366 |
| Publisher | Neal Porter Books |
| Classification | Nonfiction |
| Suggested Level | Middle |
| Rating (1-5) | 4 |
| Summary | Min is so small that you need a microscope to see her. As she ventures around she picks up many of her friends who are from different environments. |
| Would you suggest this book? Why or why not? | No. This is fine for home use, and a home library, but putting your finger on the book and then putting it on your teeth and later in your belly button is concerning in these germ ridden days. |