Off the Bookshelf (Jan 2010)

We have passed 1984, 2001, and are now in 2010 (yes, those are literary references!).  With some extra, unexpected (and unwelcome) down time from the daily routine of school, this month’s list of books is a bit longer. It’s good to have a key to the library to be able to replenish my supply “as needed”!

Fiction

• Feed / M.T. Alexander
• Holes / Louis Sachar
• Small steps / Louis Sachar
• The last knight /  Hilari Bell
• Whose voice the waters heard / Robert Vaughn
• Stick & Whittle / Sid Hite
  

Nonfiction

• The man in black / Johnny Cash
  

Off the bookshelf (Dec 2009)

It’s hard to believe that one year ago I was spending two days shoveling 18″ of snow out of my driveway! This December it is (still) 80+ degrees at 10pm at night in the part of Nigeria we are visiting (Cross River State). No roaring fire in the fireplace (just the wildfire that jumped the fire break and came through the compound!) to sit beside while reading a book, but still some relaxing time to enjoy “catching up” on a few books. Is it possible to ever be truly “caught up” reading…I don’t think so, since there are always more good books to read than there is time to read them!

Fiction

• A Treaure Deep / Alton Gansky
• Paradise / Joan Elizabeth Goodman
• Earthquake at dawn / Kristiana Gregor
• The horse hunters / Robert Newton Peck

Nonfiction

• Mistakes that worked: 40 familiar inventions and how they came to be / Charlotte Foltz Jones

Off the bookshelf (Nov 2009)

Fiction

• A year down yonder / Richard Peck
• The legend of Bass Reeves: being the true and fictional account of the most valiant marshal in the West / Gary Paulsen
• Summerland / Michael Chabon
  
• Under the blood-red sun/ Graham Salisbury

Nonfiction

• Animal grossology / Sivlia Branzei

Off the bookshelf (Oct 2009)

Hmmm…October must have been a busy month for doing things other than reading, even with a week off for October Break.  Numerous books started, not so many finished (yet)!

Fiction

• A long way from Chicago: a novel in stories / Richard Peck
• The car / Gary Paulsen
• Eyes of the Emperor / Graham Salisbury
  

Nonfiction

• Three cups of tea: one man’s mission to promote peace — one school at a time / Greg Mortenson and David Relin
• Women daredevils: thrills, chills and frills / Julie Cummins
  

Women daredevils : thrills, chills, and frills

Off the bookshelf (Sep 2009)

Here’s my reading list for September. In spite of being a busy month both in the library and with school events needing sound/light support,  I found (made!) time to read some books off of the new book shelf that have been on my “to read” list, as well as browsing through the stacks for things that look interesting that I can recommend to others. And being sick in bed over the weekend gave me a good start for the October list, too!

Fiction

• Car trouble / Jeanne DuPrau
• The number devil: a mathematical adventure / Hans Enzensberger
  
• A ship possessed / Alton Gansky
• Vanished / Alton Gansky
• Distant Memory / Alton Gansky
• Airborn / Kenneth Oppel
• Skybreaker / Kenneth Oppel
  
• Dancing Carl / Gary Paulsen
• House of the red fish / Graham Salisbury

Nonfiction

• Blizzard: the storm that changed America / Jim Murphy

Off the Bookshelf (August 09)

Summer break is over and school is back in session…processing and shelving new materials; reading time and library instruction with Grades K through 5;  research projects for middle and high school students; bibliographies to update and/or create; helping teachers find books and videos to use in class; staff meetings; high school class meetings; committee meetings; open houses…life is a bit busier this month! But there’s always time at some point during the day for quiet reflection on how throughout it all, God continually calls us to love Him;  remain focused on His plan and purpose of loving those around us; and draw close and rest in Him.

And there’s always a few minutes at the end of the day for some reading…here’s what I’ve managed to read during August, revisiting some favorites (Alistair MacLean), and discovering new treasures.

Fiction

• San Andreas / Alistair MacLean
• South by Java Head  / Alistair MacLean
• Strange objects / Gary Crew
• There is a wideness / Mark McAllister
  

Nonfiction

• Flights of passage: reflections of a WWII aviator / Samuel Hynes
• Where elephants fight / William Ardill
  

Off the Bookshelf (July 09)

Aaaaah…summer break….time to enjoy a few good books! Our two-month break went by entirely too quickly, but I did manage to read a few books that have been on my list for awhile.  And 500+ books (out of 600+ ordered) arrived mid-July,  about 2 weeks before the start of the new school year, so we’ve been busy finishing up the processing for them and making room for them on the shelves. Needless to say, when new books arrive only once a year, it’s a BIG deal for everyone!

Fiction

• The hobbit / J.R.R Tolkien
• The fellowship of the ring / J.R.R. Tolkien
• The two towers / J.R.R. Tolkien
• The return of the king / J.R.R. Tolkien

Nonfiction

• The hot zone / Richard Preston
  
• Fever: the hunt for a new killer virus / John Fuller

Where has May gone?

Ummm…OK…what happened to May?!? I was delegated to be the AP Coordinator, since it has to be A) someone who doesn’t tech an AP course and B) someone who will be here again next year, since there will be quite a few teachers leaving on furlough this year. So it’s been a busy month so far, administering AP Exams in Computer Science, Calculus, English Lit, Biology, Psychology, World History and Studio Art…a total of 39 exams taken by 21 students. And I didn’t see one look of panic among them as they tackled these 3+ hour exams…impressive! And now we’re into the last 2 weeks of school, so, in the words of Calvin, “The days are just packed!” with everything that needs to happen before the end of school…final class projects, volleyball and soccer tournaments, concerts, exams, awards, more exams, graduation, sendoff parties/wakes…whew!

Since all library books are due this week, and we won’t allow more checkouts until the school year is over and we know who will be around for the summer (so we’ll know the books will be returned), I’ve been reading stories to the Grade 4 and 5 classes and finishing up chapter books with Grades 2 and 3. It’s a lot of fun, since I can dig out my favorite picture books and remind the older kids how much fun they (still) are to read and share, and how much fun it is to hear a story!

Two weeks ago I finished up The Littles (John Lawrence Peterson) with Grade 2, so last week I read them one of my all time faves, The true story of the three little pigs (Jon Scieszka)…it’s too funny! Today I read another up-and-coming favorite, A bad case of stripes (Shannon) to Grade 5, along with finishing up the last few chapters of Chocolate fever (Robert Kimmel Smith) with Grade 3.

Off the Bookshelf (April 09)

April’s installment of what I’ve been reading…for whatever it’s worth. It’s not a very long list since I seem to have spent a lot of time playing bass for the HS musical, “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown!” rehearsals and performances…a very worthy and fun distraction! Maybe there’s a few more that I’ve forgotten….if so, I’ll update this post. And May probably won’t be much better with all the activities going on the last four weeks of school, but I have a large stack of books at home with aspirations to read ALL of them!

Fiction

• Solar Flare / Larry Burkett

Nonfiction

• Desert Taxi: the story of an achievement by a veteran London taxi-cab / Michael Marriott
• Betty Greene: wings to serve / Janet Benge
• Damage control: how to stop making Jesus look bad / Dean Merrill

Almost May

May arrives tomorrow, and there are only FOUR more weeks of school! In the meantime, it’s been busier in the library. Today I visited both Grade 8 English classes to tell them about library resources we have that will be useful for the research paper they are starting,and urging them to visit the library FIRST, rather than when they are desperately seeking information the day before their paper is due. I also gave their teacher copies of a a Bibliography Basics handout I created back in February for all classes to help them format their references. Hopefully, I’ll get a chance to see their papers when they are completed to see what sort of resources they actually used!

Among “other related duties,” I have been designated the AP Coordinator. Luckily there are others who are experienced w/ the AP Exam process that have been guiding me, but now we’re down to the wire…AP Exams commence next week and run through May 14th. We have 23 students taking a total of 42 exams including Biology, Calculus, Computer Science, Englkish Literature, Psychology, World History and Studio Art. Wow…the next couple of weeks will be intense for these students!

Tomorrow is Worker’s Day, which is basically the equivalent of Labor Day in the US. So no school, although I will be traveling w/ the Grade 9 class (39 students) down to Abuja for an overnight class trip. It’s a 3+ hour bus ride each way…should be an adventure! We will leave @ 7:45am tomorrow and return Saturday afternoon.

And here are a couple of pix of the Grade 4 class from last week showing off the books they have selected to read. They have also been working on finding books in the library the past couple of weeks using a slips of paper that I print for them w/ the call number, author and title, and they have been doing a good job of it.

Grade 4

Grade 4