Veterans Day Salute in the Library

Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life by James Patterson

From the first day of 6th grade, Rafe Katchedorian knows middle school is going to be terrible, but as he and his best friend, Leo the Silent, sit in the code of conduct assembly, genius strikes.  Rafe will break every rule in the code of conduct, and Leo will set up a point system. 

Now, if Rafe could just get Jeanne Galletta to notice him and his mom's loser boyfriend to leave, life would be good.

Will Rafe break all the rules and rule the school, or will it be permanent detention?  Read his story with Leo's illustrations to find out.

If you are a Wimpy Kid fan, you'll love this one!

Cosmic by Frank Cottrell Boyce

Liam has always been tall for his age, but now that he is twelve and shaving twice a day, he doesn't really look like the other kids.  His parents want him to fit in with the other kids, but Liam just wants to get out of his home town and see the world. 

One day Liam decided to take advantage of his height.  Everyone always thinks he's an adult, so why shouldn't he get the benefits of being an adult?  He teams up with a classmate named Florida, and they pretend to be father and daughter. 

Everything is great until Liam gets the opportunity to take his daughter on an adventure.  The adventure is more than either one of them bargained for.  Can Liam keep up the pretense that he is Florida's father?  Should he?  As Liam strives to be more "dadly," he and Florida get to know each other better, and they learn to appreciate each other and the importance of a good dad when you're in a tough situation.

I loved this book!  It was funny and touching.  Think Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, but the chocolate factory is a trip to outer space.

Ashes by Kathryn Lasky

The year is 1932.  They place is Berlin, Germany.  Gabby Schram is a normal 13 year old girl, but life in Berlin is definitely not normal.  There is a new man rising to political power in an obscure part of the country, but he some people, including Gabby's parents, worried.  Others think Hitler will restore pride and prosperity to Germany.  Gabby isn't sure about Hitler, but she knows she doesn't like the brown shirts, Hitler's private army who are crowding the streets of Berlin. 

Life is changing for Gabby and everyone else in Berlin, and Hitler's new army makes her feel ashamed of many things, even her long blonde braids.  Gabby doesn't trust her sister's new boyfriend, and she worries for Mr. Einstein who is a colleague of her father's at the university.  Even her beloved teacher turns into someone Gabby doesn't recognize. 

Is Germany changing for the better, or will Gabby's beloved Germany be turned to ashes?

The Sixty-Eight Rooms

On a school trip to the Chicago Museum of Art, Ruthie and Jack fall in love with an exhibit of miniature and highly detailed rooms.  Ruthie is content to gaze for hours into the tiny rooms, but Jack is little more active.  When he finds a door to a back room open, he quickly darts inside and finds a beautiful key. 

He and Ruthie soon discover that the key has special powers that will allow them to get a closer look at the rooms than they ever imagined.  They will discover the magic of the rooms and their secret history.  The key might also give them the ability to help some people in the process.

If you like stories with a touch of history and magic, this is the book for you.  The best thing about this book is that the sixty eight rooms are real, and you can visit them if you go to Chicago.  Watch the video below for more about the Thorne Rooms and images of all the rooms!

Lincoln Through the Lens

This is an intersting photo biography of Abraham Lincoln who didn't have his first photograph taken until the age of 37.  It's a perspective on Lincoln's life that includes photographs of the president and the people who impacted him.  The narrative also features Matthew Brady, the Civil War photographer who took the portrait Lincoln credited with winning him the presidency. 

Each layout includes a photo or photographic spread on one page and text in large readable font on the other.  Each layout is also a separate piece of the story that you can read in a few minutes.  This is a great introduction to one of our greatest presidents.  You might want to pair it with Russell Freedman's Newberry Award winning Lincoln:  A Photobiography.

Get the Chills This Month in the Library!

Check out these spooky reads!