Chip's Chapter: March 2012

Harris and Me by Gary Paulsen

This summer will be different... that's for sure.

When an eleven-year-old city boy is dropped off to stay on a farm with relatives, he doesn't know what to expect. His cousin Harris soon takes care of that. Harris is rude and crude and finds trouble at every turn. He leads his city cousin into everything from wrestling slippery pigs to catching mice to a daredevil jump our a barn loft.

Farm life is hard, but never lonely. If only summer could last forever.

Video book talk

Bloomability by Sharon Creech

Check our Sharon Creech's website to learn more about this book.

You can also take a look at this video book talk.

The Eleventh Plague

The Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsch

America is a vast, desolate landscape left ravaged after a brutal war. Two-thirds of the population are dead from a vicious strain of influenza. People called the sickness the eleventh plague.

15 year old Stephen Quinn was born after the war and only knows the life of a salvager. His family was among the few who survived and took to roaming the country in search of material to trade. But when Stephen's grandfather dies and his father falls into a coma after an accident, Stephen finds his way to Settler's Landing, a community that seems too good to be true. There Stephen meets strong, defiant, mischievous Jenny, who refuses to accept things as they are. When they play a prank that goes horribly wrong, chaos erupts and they find themselves in the midst of a battle that will change Settler's Landing- and their lives- forever!

Video Book Talk

The Perfect Hamburger and Other Delicious Stories by Alexander McCall Smith

The Appetizer: The Perfect Hamburger
When a snazzy fast-food chain moves into town, business at Joe's favorite hamburger restaurant begins to suffer. He gets an idea that's sure to bring back the diners, but there's jsut one problem: the secret recipe for the burgers is missing! Can Joe figure out the ingredients to recreate the perfect hamburger before it is too late.

The Entree: The Spaghetti Tangle John and Nicky, forced to live with their vegetable-loving Aunt Rebecca, dream of eating spaghetti for every meal. So when they enter a recipe contest and win a trip to Mr. Pipelli's spaghetti factory, they couldn't be happier! But are they prepared for an encounter with the spaghetti spinner?

The Dessert: The Doughnut Ring Jim thinks a doughnut sale is the perfect fund-raiser to help his friend, Mr. Pride. And it is- at first. But when an email chain asking for donations gets out of control, Jim finds himself up to his ears in doughnuts! Will he ever be able to see all the stock and stop the doughnut ring for good?

Eight Keys

Eight Keys by Suzanne LaFleur

Elise discovers a secret: a mysterious key labeled with her name. Could it open one of the 8 doors in the barn above Uncle Hugh's workshop, the ones that have been locked as long as she can remember? Could whatever's behind those doors be for her?

On a quest to make sense of a complex gift left for her by her father before he died, Elise discovers the heart of family and friendship, and begins to unlock the biggest mystery of all: Herself.

Video:

A Dog's Life

A Dog's Life: The Autobiography of a Stray by Ann M. Martin.
Squirrel is not like most dogs. At first she has companions on her journey- her mother and her brother, Bone. But when they are seperated, Squirrel must experience the world in a different way. As a stray she faces busy highways, changing seasons, and humans who can be both friendly and cruel. It's a hard life.
This is Squirrel's story, told in her own words.
Video