The Nest by Kenneth Oppel

For some kids summer is a sun-soaked season of fun. But for Steve, it’s just another season of worries. Worries about his sick newborn baby brother who is fighting to survive, worries about his parents who are struggling to cope, even worries about the wasp’s nest looming ominously from the eaves. So when a mysterious wasp queen invades his dreams, offering to “fix” the baby, Steve thinks his prayers have been answered.

All he has to do is say “Yes.” But “yes” is a powerful word. It is also a dangerous one. And once it is uttered, can it be taken back?

244 pages
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Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls by Meg Cabot

When nine-year-old Allie Finkle's parents announce that they are moving her and her brothers from their suburban split-level into an ancient Victorian in town, Allie's sure her life is over. She's not at all happy about having to give up her pretty pink wall-to-wall carpeting for creaky floorboards and creepy secret passageways-not to mention leaving her modern, state-of-the-art suburban school for a rundown, old-fashioned school just two blocks from her new house.

lexile 850
228 pages

Check out some of her rules at the back of the book.
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The 13-Story Treehouse by Andy Griffiths

Andy and Terry live in a treehouse. But it's not just any old treehouse, it's the most amazing treehouse in the world!

This treehouse has thirteen stories, a bowling alley, a see-through swimming pool, a secret underground laboratory, and a marshmallow machine that follows you around and automatically shoots marshmallows into your mouth whenever you are hungry.

Life would be perfect for Andy and Terry if it wasn't for the fact that they have to write their next book, which is almost impossible because there are just so many distractions, including thirteen flying cats, giant bananas, mermaids, a sea monsters pretending to be mermaids, enormous gorillas, and dangerous burp gas-bubblegum bubbles!

239 pages
Lexile 560

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Zane and the Hurricane: A Story of Katrina by Rodman Philbrick

Zane Dupree is a charismatic 12-year-old boy of mixed race visiting a relative in New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina hits. Unexpectedly separated from all family, Zane and his dog experience the terror of Katrina's wind, rain, and horrific flooding. Facing death, they are rescued from an attic air vent by a kind, elderly musician and a scrappy young girl--both African American. The chaos that ensues as storm water drowns the city, shelter and food vanish, and police contribute to a dangerous, frightening atmosphere, creates a page-turning tale that completely engrosses the reader. Based on the facts of the worst hurricane disaster in U.S. history, Philbrick includes the lawlessness and lack of government support during the disaster as well as the generosity and courage of those who risked their lives and safety to help others. Here is an unforgettable novel of heroism in the face of truly challenging circumstances.

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192 pages

Lexile- 860L

Also Known as Elvis by James Howe

 Seventh grade is over. While his friends scatter on family vacations, Skeezie looks after his clingy, younger sisters. His father’s never paid child support, his mom works two jobs, and now Skeezie needs one too. He’s kept the stress and fighting at home a secret from the gang. Joe, out and proud, and Addie, smart and determined, have intact, supportive families; Bobby and his widowed father live in a trailer park, but they’re doing fine, too. Addie’s sometime friend Becca has a crush on Skeezie—or does she? Skeezie enjoys the job he’s landed at the Candy Kitchen, working with pretty Steffi, who calls him Elvis and has family and boyfriend problems herself. When his dad shows up out of the blue, Skeezie’s life changes again, and he’s torn between the possibility of a new life and loyalty for the one he knows. 

Part 4 of the Misfit's Series-The series that inspired No Name CallingWeek

1. The Misfits
2. Totally Joe
3. Addie on the Inside
4. Also Known as Elvis

288 pages
No Name Calling Week

Author Interview

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

Ivan is an easygoing gorilla. Living at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade, he has grown accustomed to humans watching him through the glass walls of his domain. He rarely misses his life in the jungle. In fact, he hardly ever thinks about it at all.

Instead, Ivan thinks about TV shows he's seen and about his friends Stella, an elderly elephant, and Bob, a stray dog. But mostly Ivan thinks about art and how to capture the taste of a mango or the sound of leaves with color and a well-placed line.

Then he meets Ruby, a baby elephant taken from her family, and she makes Ivan see their home—and his own art—through new eyes. When Ruby arrives, change comes with her, and it's up to Ivan to make it a change for the better.

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The story of the real Ivan

300 pages

Lexile 570

John Newbery Medal

The Lion Who Stole My Arm by Nicola Davies

On his way home from a fishing trip Pedru is attacked by a lion who takes his arm. As Pedru gradually adapts to his altered circumstances, at home and at school, he vows to get his revenge. So when his father, the finest hunter in the village, agrees to hunt the lion with him, Pedru is thrilled. But father and son track and kill the wrong lion – and find it's wearing a collar. Pedru's feelings change when he returns the collar to the Madune Carnivore Research Unit and the scientists there help him see his lion in a different light. With this new understanding he devotes himself to the study of lion behaviour, inspired by the animals' resilience and the possibilities their careful management opens up for his country's future in the form of tourism.

Fortunately, The Milk by Neil Gaiman

"I bought the milk," said my father. "I walked out of the corner shop, and heard a noise like this: T h u m m t h u m m. I looked up and saw a huge silver disc hovering in the air above Marshall Road."

"Hullo," I said to myself. "That's not something you see every day. And then something odd happened."

Find out just how many odd things happen in this hilarious story of time travel and breakfast cereal. 

Neil Gaiman talks about this book

Lexile 680

113 pages

Body of Water by Sarah Dooley

Twelve-year-old Ember’s trailer home has been burned in a fire set most likely by her best friend, a boy whose father believes Ember’s family are witches. Yes, Ember’s mom reads Tarot cards as a business. Ember’s friend set the fire to warn the family before his dad did something worse to them. The friend never intended to do so much damage.

Now the family is homeless, and living in a campground. They have no money. Ember’s beloved dog is missing. School is going to start, and Ember and her sister have no clean clothes, no notebooks. The only place Ember feels at peace is floating in the middle of the lake at the campground. She has to make a fresh start. Can she?

A great book to check out this summer-

Available from the Wonewoc Public Library.

13 Gifts by Wendy Mass

It doesn't take long for Tara Brennan to realize that breaking into school to steal a goat while wielding a can of pepper spray is not a good idea. As punishment for her misdeed, Tara's parents send her to the sleepy little town of Willow Falls to stay with relatives she hardly knows, including her eleven-year-old cousin Emily, who, the last time they were together, ate an entire stick of glue. Tara quickly learns that Emily isn't even remotely the strangest person in town. There's a boy who sings in the bottom of an empty pool, two best friends who use blackboards to Communicate, and a green-eyed girl who may—or may not—be dating the world's hottest teen movie star .

Due to another huge lapse in judgment, Tara finds herself beholden to perhaps the strangest person of all: Angelina D'Angelo. If Tara can't collect thirteen mysterious objects for the old woman in time for her rapidly approaching thirteenth birthday, the consequences will be REALLY BAD. Like losing-her- immortal-soul kind of bad. And that's just for starters! Tara's adventures take her and her new friends to places they'd never thought they'd find, some in the real world, and a lot deep inside themselves.

Author Interview

Crush by Gary Paulsen

Every time Kevin Spencer sees Tina Zabinski, the Most Beautiful Girl in the World, he's in danger of tripping, falling and making a fool of himself. He can hardly say a word to her. But Kev knows he'd be the perfect boyfriend for Tina. He's not bragging. Just pointing out the obvious.

When new kid Cash Devine zeroes in on Tina, Kevin hustles to find the formula that will make her forget all about Cash.

To win Tina's heart, and learn all about romance, Kevin decides to take a scientific approach and create experiments to observe the behaviors of test subjects. By applying the principles of scientific method, he believes he can understand the chemistry between males and females. Afterall, isn't love based on chemistry?

The budding Casanova's experiments begin with his family. His observation of his parents, with the help of his young neighbor Markie, ends dismally. Frequently married and often divorced Auntie Buzz doesn't have the best track record in the lasting romance department. Kevin turns to his sister Sarah for help, but she turns the tables on him, which is an eye-opening experience. Kevin's observations of his hockey-playing brother Daniel and some other skating stars yield promising results. Then there are his experiments with health-nut and best friend JonPaul, along with friends Dash and Wheels. His direct attempt at questioning Connie Shaw gets messy, but he learns an important lesson.

While implementing his scientific approach, Kevin reaffirms Sir Isaac Newton's Third Law of Motion "that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction." He also comes to agree with Francis Bacon that "Truth emerges more readily from error than from confusion." In the end, Kevin discovers that the scientific mind is no match for action.

The rest of the Jan JLG box

These books are great too- just don't have a video book talk right now.

Planet Middle School by Nikki Grimes- Up till now, the math of my life has been pretty simple: friends plus family plus sports. What more could I ask for, right? But lately, my outside has been changing and my inside keeps telling me more is on the way. Trouble is, I'm not sure I'm ready.

The Tanglewood Terror by Kurtis Scaletta-When 13 year old Eric comes across glowing mushrooms in the woods behind his house, he's sure there is a scientific explanation. But when they begin to encroach on the town, covering the football field and popping up from beneath his house's floorboards it doesn't take Eric long to realize something is seriously wrong.

Aftershock by Bernard Ashley-Makis and his mother escape to London after a devastating earthquake in Greece. At first, it is hard, especially at school, but being a gifted footballer means that Makis slowly begins to fit in. But, through, no fault of his own, Makis lets down his team at an important match and the whole school, even the teachers, seem to turn against him.

Without Tess by Marcella Pixley-If you look inside Lizzie Cohen's locker you will see that her world is falling apart. Unfinished homework, papers with failing grades, crushed coffee cups. But look closer and you will find a secret hidden under an old sweater on the top shelf. A journal that belong to her older sister Tess, who died 6 years ago. Now Lizzie is using the journal to come to terms with living.

Dragons of Silk by Laurence Yep-Silk binds the lives of four girls from different generations with the fate of the Weaving Maid. Across a span of 75 years, both in China and in America, each girl shows the strength and courage of a dragon as she fights and sacrifices for the survival of her family and the pursuit of passion.

Wilma Tenderfoot and the Case of the Frozen Hearts by Emma Kennedy-Wilma Tenderfoot, a small but determined 10 year old orphan, dreams of becoming a world-famous detective so she can find out who her parents are. She is very good at finding clues and making deductions, especially with the help of her dog, Pickle. But now the pricesll Katzin Stone has been stolen and anyone with a connection to the stone seems to end up with a frozen heart. Wilma is sure she can solve the mystery if her neighbor, the legendary detective, Theodore P. Goodman, lets her help... and Pickle stops eating all the clues.

Rare Beasts by Charles Ogden

Edgar and Ellen.

Twins.

No parents.

No rules.

Some interesting ideas!

Unique pets are worth a lot of money.

Where can you get unique pets?

Can't find any?

Make some!

Tangerine by Edward Bloor

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