11 -- Dirty Little Secrets

Day 13 -- Book 11
Dirty Little Secrets -- C.J. Omololu

Lucy has secrets. She doesn't have friends over. Her older brother couldn't wait to get out of the house. She now has a solid friend in Kaylie and a guy who might, kinda like her. Is it enough to change things?

10 -- The Lost Saint

Day 12 -- Book 10
The Lost Saint -- Bree Despain

The sequel to The Dark Divine. Grace Divine has the curse, but is not a wolf. Daniel is no longer a wolf and is working with her to control her abilities. They are on the lookout for her brother Jude. Gabriel returns the area as the religion teacher at their high school. His project is for the students to complete community service hours. Grace goes to the city where she meets Nathan Talbot and discovers his an Urbat, using his powers for good. While Grace is with Daniel, she seems to be attracted to Talbot. Does she have a choice to make? Will they find Jude?

9 -- Ostrich Boys

Day 11 -- Book 9
Ostrich Boys -- Keith Gray

Ross died in an accident. His friends Kenny, Sim, and Blake decide to steal his ashes and take him to Ross, Scotland for a proper good-bye. Somewhere along the way, they begin to question if Ross's accident was really that.

8 -- You

Day 10 -- Book 8
You -- Charles Benoit

Kyle Chase wonders how he got himself into this situation...He's been suspended from school. There's this girl that he likes. The new kid has taken an interest in him. But where'd all the blood come from?

7 -- Scrawl

Day 9 -- Book 7
Scrawl -- Mark Shulman

Tod Munn is a bully. He's been sentenced to detention with Mrs. Woodrow every afternoon. During his detention, he is required to write in a notebook. The notebook is turned in to Mrs. Woodrow...no judgments. Can she "save" him from his life of bullying?

Christmas Break

Christmas break began last Friday (December 17). Since then, I've read 6 books:

(1) Epitaph Road -- David Patneaude
The year is 2097. Elisha's Bear has killed almost all the men and is threatening to return. Kellen Dent has just discovered that his mother has something to do Elisha's Bear, but what? He starts questioning what happened to the men and what will happen to his father.







(2) Adios, Nirvana -- Conrad Wesselhoeft
Jonathan is dealing with the death of his twin brother. He's given up on school. As a result, he might be forced to repeat his junior year. The principal makes him a deal...attend class everyday and help a WWII vet write his memoirs. (Favorite line, "Float a turd.")







(3) Forgive My Fins -- Tera Lynn Childs
From the author of Oh.My.Gods and Goddess Bootcamp comes a tale about a girl with a tail. Lily is not only a mermaid, but also a princess. When Quince kisses her unexpectedly, things get a bit complicated. The kiss binds them together and they must visit her kingdom underwater to break the bond. Her father the king disagrees and makes them stay together to make sure this is really what Lily wants. As she gets to know Quince, her decision isn't as easy as she thought.





(4) The Half-Life of Planets -- Emily Franklin & Brendan Nalpin
Liana has been called a slut by her classmates and vowed to have a summer of not kissing anymore boys. On the first day of vacation, she meets Hank in the girls' restroom. They continue to meet over coffee and discuss Hank's obsession with music. Later he reveals that he has Asperger's. Liana isn't sure how to take the news. Hank believes that their relationship is ready to go to the next level...kissing. But her mixed signals have him confused.





(5) The Rise of Renegade X -- Chelsea M. Campbell
Damien Locke is the son of a mad scientist. He is sure that when he turns 16 he will follow in her footsteps and receive a V on his thumb to seal the deal. The other option is an H for superhero. Problem? Damien gets the mythical X. He finds out that his father is a superhero and he could go either way. Damien moves in with his father, step mother and half siblings, determined to still become a villain. Throughout the book, Damien is torn between doing what is right and what he knows a villain should do.





(6) Sisters Red -- Jackson Pearce
A modern day Little Red Riding Hood. Scarlett and Rosie take turns telling their story. It begins when they were attacked by a Fenrus, wolf. He killed their grandmother and left Scarlett scarred and missing an eye. This leads to them hunting Fenrus with their friend Silas. The relationship between Silas and Rosie blossom, but where does this leave Scarlett?






I've decided to try to read a book a day. I'm not going to start over on January 1st...HELLO...I've already read 6 books!

Technically, I'm already behind. Maybe I'll catch up over the summer.

6 read...350 to go.

Big Picture

This is my second summer as school librarian.

Last summer, I spent my time up at school weeding through the VERY out of date nonfiction collection. I withdrew about 2,000 books from the system. Everyone of them justifiable. I mean really, who needs computer books from the 1980s?

Before school was out this year, the library received much needed new bookshelves. So, all 11,000+ books had to come off the old shelves. Which means...that all 11,000+ books have to go back on the shelves.

It's not at easy as it sounds. What you'd think would fit, doesn't. Books have been moved three, four, or five times to accommodate the rest of the collection.

I've been up to school at least 5 days this summer. This wouldn't be so bad except for the fact that there's no AC. Have I mentioned that I work in Texas? If you haven't heard, it's hot here.

Today, I finally got all the books that are staying back on the shelves. (Thanks to the help of my mom and my 7 year old daughter.)

I have had to order new book ends and a new barcode scanner.

I refuse to go back up to school until the scanner get here. I'm hoping it won't show up until November. Let you know how that works out for me.

The Quest for a "Good" Book

So, it's summer. I have all this time on my hands to read. Yet, I can't seem to get motivated to do it. I consider myself an avid reader...so, what's the problem?

I have read about 20 books in the past month. None of them have been outstanding. They've been "alright" Not a one that I'd say, "You HAVE to read this" to any of my students.

Again, I ask, what's the problem?

My guess, it's me. I've picked up several books and made it half way through and can't take it anymore, so I quit. I never use to do that. Have I become that picky reader?


Or is there nothing that great out there? --- I seriously doubt that. Maybe I'm not finding those "great" books. Where are they hiding?



Here's what I've read this summer:
Girlfriend Material
The Dark Divine
The Juvie Three
After Ever After
Wanted (Pretty Little Liars #8)
The Sweet Second Life of Bree Tanner
Something Like Fate
Oh. My. Gods.
Dork Diaries #2
The Gardener
Goddess Boot Camp
My Life with the Lincolns
Smile
Hex Hall
The Deathday Letter
Glimpse
Only the Good Spy Young
The Gorgeous Game
Wicked Girls
Once

and currently reading:
The Six Rules of Maybe

I tend to read dark and depressing. I tell my kids that someone almost always dies in the books I read. But, some of my all time favorite books are: Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie and Notes from the Midnight Driver.

Great book, where art thou?

We Shall See What We Shall See

This is a saying that my grandma use to say to me when I would ask what we were going to do.

This is my first blog. My grandma's statement "We shall see what we shall see" seems appropriate for this. I'm not sure how my blogging will go or how long it will last. I am hopeful though.


I guess an introduction is appropriate.

I am a middle school librarian. Before completing my Masters in Library Science from the University of North Texas I taught. In my 8 years of teaching experience, I taught 4th grade, 3rd grade, MS Spanish, 6th grade Art, 6th grade Study Skills, and Texas History. My certification covers me to teach several things, so anything that was without a teacher became mine.

Getting my masters was something I wanted to do since I started teaching. My hurdle...the GRE. I was scared to death of the GRE! Yes, I know, it's just a test. A very important test, that I was certain I wouldn't pass. Obviously I did, but not without studying and a few minor moments of panic.


Unfortunately, I landed into by dream job at the loss of a friend. Our campus librarian was diagnosed with cancer in September of 2008. She passed away in February 2009. There's not a day that goes by that I don't walk in the library and miss her. (I especially miss her when it's time to change the laminator. She was a wiz at it. Me, not so much.)

The 2010-2011 school year will be my 2nd full year in the library. This also fits the title of this post. I don't remember much of last year. Let's see if I do better this year.