Ghost Beach By: R.L.Stine

Jerry can't wait to explore the dark, spooky old cave he found down by the beach. Then the other kids tell him a story. A story about a ghost who lives deep inside the cave. A ghost who is three hundred years old. A ghost who comes out when the moon is full. A ghost who is haunting the beach. Just another stupid story right?

World War Z by Max Brooks

The Zombie War came unthinkably close to eradicating humanity. Max Brooks, driven by the urgency of preserving the acid-etched first-hand experiences of the survivors from those apocalyptic years, traveled across the United States of America and throughout the world, from decimated cities that once teemed with upwards of thirty million souls to the most remote and inhospitable areas of the planet. He recorded the testimony of men, women, and sometimes children who came face-to-face with the living, or at least the undead, hell of that dreadful time.World War Z is the result. Never before have we had access to a document that so powerfully conveys the depth of fear and horror, and also the ineradicable spirit of resistance, that gripped human society through the plague years.

Tamar By Mal Peet

In the "Hunger Winter" of 1944, two undercover operatives parachute into Nazi-occupied Holland. They are spies of the Allied forces, sent to provide support for the Dutch resistance movement.

Half a century later, a fifteen-year-old girl named Tamar inherits a box from her grandfather containing a series of clues and coded messages. out of the past, another Tamar emerges--a man involved in the terrifying world of resistance fighter-- and she is his namesake. His is a complex one of passionate love,jealousy, and tragedy set against the daily fear and casual horror of the Second World War. Unraveling it will transform Tamer's life.

Welcome back!

School is back in session!  What was your favorite book you read over the summer?  Let us know here (and of course, tell us why you enjoyed it).

The Call of The Wild By Jack London

The Call of The Wild is Jack London's most popular novel. Set in the frozen wastelands of the Yukon, it tells of the magnificent dog buck, who is a loyal pet until cruel men make him a pawn in their feverish search for the gold of the Klondike.Brutally clubbed and beaten into serving as a sled dog, Buck finds the blood of his wolf ancestors rising within him until he breaks free to roam the Alaskan wilderness as leader of a ferocious wolf pack.

The Cat Who Knew Shakspeare

There's something rotten in the small town of Pickax--at least to the sensitive noses of newspaperman Jim Qwilleran and his Siamese cats Koko and Yum Yum. An accident has claimed the life of the local paper's eccentric publisher, but to Qwilleran and his feline friends it smells like murder. They soon sniff out a shocking secret, but Koko's snooping into an unusual edition of Shakespeare may prove CATastrophic...because somewhere in Pickax a lady loves not wisely but too well, a widow is scandalously merry, and a stranger has a lean and hungry look. The stage is set for Qwilleran, Koko, Yum Yum, and the second act of murder most meow...

The Complete Guide Manga by Jason Thompson

The Complete Guide Manga by Jason Thompson is filled with information about manga: When it first started to be popular in the U.S., the differences between manga and American comics, different styles, and reviews on all American translated manga up to 2007. This book has plenty of good, concrete information. If you are interested in anime or manga, I recommend this book. Or, If you have never read manga before and wish to find a good one, this book will help lead you in the right direction. Although, I do not recommend the book to younger children for it gives images of manga and some of them are not appropriate for ages under 13.
                   I really enjoy the way the book is formatted, and the way it is written.It is easy to find the information I am looking for, and it is easy to understand.

Little House in the Big Woods by: Laura Ingalls Wilder

Wolves and panthers and bears roamed the deep Wisconsin woods in the 1860's. Still, Laura Ingalls' father preferred to live miles away from the nearest neighbors so Pa built a snug cabin for Ma, Laura, Mary and Baby Carrie. He hunted and trapped and farmed. Ma made her own cheese and sugar. All night long, the wind howled lonesomely, but Pa played his fiddle and sang, keeping the family safe and sound.

This is an extraordinary book to me. It seems fun to live with Laura, Ma, Pa, Mary and Baby Carrie. It seems like they had a feast back then. Did they have more than us? Or is it the way that Laura wrote the book?

The Princess Bride by William Goldman

The princess bride has always been a favorite in my family. I personally have seen it at least five times. I always sort of knew there was a book but never really considered reading it. Recently as I was skimming the shelves of the ATA library looking for a new reading expedition I noticed the three words in gold colored print "the Princess Bride". I immediately picked it up and began reading. At first I was surprised by the book. It started out as more of a quick life summary of William Goldman, in Goldman's own words. When I finally reached the begging of the book (William Goldman's life was fairly interesting so I continued reading) I realized how superbly they made the movie. Quite frequently I hear people complain the movie is so much worse than the book. I myself have used the same rant on occasion. With the Princess Bride there is not much to complain about between the book and the movie.

Alex Rider:Ark Angel by Anthony Horowitz

The sniper’s bullet nearly killed him. But Alex Rider managed to survive . . . just in time for more trouble to come his way. When kidnappers attempt to snatch a fellow patient from the exclusive hospital where Alex is recovering, he knows he has to stop him. But the boy he saves is no ordinary patient: He is the son of Nikolai Drevin, one of the richest men in the world. The eccentric billionaire has been targeted by Force Three, a group of eco-terrorists who claim his project Ark Angel—the first luxury hotel in outer space—is a danger to the environment. Soon Alex discovers that Force Three will stop at nothing to destroy Ark Angel, even if it means sending four hundred tons of molten glass and steel hurtling down to Earth and killing millions . . . unless Alex can stop them.

Star Trek Gods of Night

Half a decade after the Dominion War and more than a year after the rise and fall of Praetor Shinzon, the galaxy's greatest scourge returns to wreak havoc upon the federation with only one thing in mind total annihilation.

Elsewhere, deep in the Gamma Quadrant, an ancient mystery is solved. One of Earth's first generation of starships has been found dead and empty on a desolate planet. But its discovery so far from home has reopened some disturbing questions. 

The answer for these questions will define the future and show three Federation captains that some destinies are inescapable.

The Lotus Eaters by Tatjana Soli

The Lotus Eaters by Tatjana Soli follows the story of a lady named Helen Adams. They are in the middle of the war, and her being a photographer wanted to stay and see the end result; hoping to get pictures of the way it turns out for good money. However, her plans soon change when her boyfriend, Lihn, gets shot. Having bought medicine at the black market, she knows she wont be able to get any more medicine soon. Changing her mind, and her goal for the man she loves, she decides to escape with Lihn. But an obstacle stands in their way: men stand at all points of evacuation, shooting people who try to escape the town. Will they be able to make it out alive?

The Worthing Saga by Orson Scott Card

       It was a miracle of science that permitted human beings to live, if not forever, then for a long, long time.  Some people, anyway.  The rich, the powerful- they lived their lives at the rate of one year every ten.  Somec created two societies: that of people who lived out their normal span and died, and those who slept away the decades, skipping over the intervening years and events.  It allowed interstellar Empires to be built.
       It came near to destroying humanity.
       After a long. long time of decadence and stagnation, a few seed ships were sent out to save out species.  They carried human embryos and supplies, and teaching robots, and one man.  The Worthing Saga is the story of one of these men, Jason Worthing, and the world he found for the seed he carried.

Last Command: The Thrawn trilogy

The embattled Republic reels from the attacks of Grand Admiral Thrawn, who has marshaled the remnants of the Imperial forces and driven the Rebels back with an abominable technology recovered from the Emperor's secret fortress: clone soldiers. As Thrawn mounts his final siege, Han and Chewbacca struggle to form a coalition of smugglers for a last-ditch attack against the empire, while Leia holds the Alliance together and prepares for the birth of her Jedi twins. Overwhelmed by the ships and clones at Thrawn's command, the Republic has one last hope--sending a small force, led by Luke Skywalker, into the very stronghold that houses Thrawn's terrible cloning machines. There a final danger awaits, as the Dark Jedi C'baoth directs the battle against the Rebels and builds his strength to finish what he had already started: the destruction of Luke Skywalker.

Dracula by Bram Stoker

Jonathan Harker travels to Transylvania for a business deal with a Romanian nobleman, only to find himself ensnared in the horrific world of Count Dracula, a mysterious man with an evil secret. Worst of all, the Count is now headed toward London-and Jonathan's beloved Mina. Can this monster be destroyed? 

This is an exciting book! First Jonathan is doing business with Count Dracula then he’s a prisoner, killing vampires in London!  I really like this book because, vampires, detail and horror. I love horror and scare. If this book was longer, I would be reading it now! This book is part horror and part mystery. 

Prince Caspian By C.S Lewis

Sequel to the Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, Prince caspian tells the story of a young prince born into an empire where fairy tails and storys of the past are strictly forbidden. The young prince is then guided on a journey to reveal the past in the most exciting and and suspensefull stories you'll ever read.

Gregor And The Curse Of Warmbloods

WITH TWO PROPHECIES FULFILLED,

Gregor is now focused on the prophecy of Blood, which calls for Gregor and the " Princess," Boots, to return to the Underland to help ward off a plauge. His mom agrees to let them go- on the condition that she travel with them.

When they arrive in the subterranean city, the plauge is spreading- one of Gregor's family is stricken. Only then does he  understand his role in the prophecy. He must summon all his power to the end of biological warfare, or the warmblood creatures of the underland will die.

Ranger's Apprentice The Lost Stories By John Flanagan

This book is the eleventh in the series and is comprised of multiple stories. These stories are answers to questions that fans have asked throughout reading the entire series. This book has answered some questions that I have had since starting the series more than 5 years ago. This book is all about filling in details that the author couldn't add into his previous books. the stories don't exactly go in order though, there are ones from before the series began and after it had ended and it really shed light on so many inquiries that I had had. This  is Young Adult fiction so its really a breeze to read yet I still enjoy this novel very much.

Seven Wonders: The Colossus Risesby Peter Lerangis

Just one boy . . .

Jack McKinley is an ordinary kid with an extraordinary problem. In six months, Jack is going to die.

Just one mission . . .

After Jack collapses in the middle of a busy street, he's whisked off to a strange hospital in a strange place. There are armed guards and weird kids and fantastic creatures, not to mention no parents, no phones, and no possibility of escape. The place is run by an odd professor named Bhegad, who tells Jack that what's killing him is a genetic trait inherited from the prince of a long-lost civilization. It's destroying Jack by making him too strong too fast. He'll need to stay strong, though—because it's up to him to save the world.

Just one problem . . .

That long-lost civilization sank when seven magic Loculi were stolen and hidden around the world. Now Jack and his friends must find the Loculi before they fall into the wrong hands. If they don't, they'll never be cured, that lost world will rise, oceans will be displaced, and life as we know it will pretty much end.

Seven wonders

No one ever asked Jack if he wanted to be a hero. He just has to be one. One kid. One mission. One big problem. 

The Mzungu Boy by Meja Mwangi

Kariuki knows the land around his African village well -- the forest, the rivers, the grassy plateu where Zebra, Gazelles and Wildebeasts live. Thats where he and his new freind Nigel go hunting for Old Moses, the ugliest, oldest and meanest warthog in the whole world.

But it turns out that Old Moses is not the biggest danger that awaits the two boys. There are dangerous men in the forest, and Nigel is the mzungu boy, the grandson of the ruthless and powerfull local  landowner.

A story about freindship and adventure set in Kenya before independance, at a time when people were rising up against British rule.

The False Prince

In a discontent kingdom, civil war is brewing. To unify the divided people, Conner, a nobleman of the court, devises a cunning plan to find an impersonator of the king's long-lost son and install him as a puppet prince. Four orphans are recruited to compete for the role, including a defiant boy named Sage. Sage knows that his life balances on a sword's point -- he must be chosen to play the prince or he will certainly be killed. But Sage's rivals have their own agendas as well.

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

Things Fall Apart tells two intertwining stories, both centering on Okwonko, a "strong man" of an Ibo village in Nigeria. The first, a powerful fable of the immemorial conflict between the individual and society, traces Okonkwo's fall from grace with the tribal world. The second, as modern as the first is ancient, concerns the clash of cultures and the destruction of Okonkwo's world with the arrival of aggressive European missionaries.

The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe by C.S Lewis

During the war for Britain, four children were sent to another part of England to escape the continuous air strikes. During their stay, they discoverd a wardrobe in a spare and so their adventures began. This is a wonderfull story, combining a White Whitch, a lion called Aslan and the recovery of Narnia from the never-ending winter.

Beyonders part one: A World Without Heros

Jason Walker lives a predictable life: going to school, playing baseball, volunteering at the local zoo—until one day he falls through a tunnel near the hippo tank and ends up in a new, utterly foreign world. In Lyrian, the people dress differently, behave differently, and all live in fear of their malicious Emperor, Surroth. But in Jason’s search for a way home, he learns of a magical, ancient word that could destroy the terrifying Surroth.

With his accidental knowledge of one of the word’s six syllables, Jason finds himself in great danger and must embark on an epic quest to discover the remaining syllables and take down his powerful new enemy. Jason and his companion, Rachel—a fellow Beyonder who also arrived in Lyrian suddenly and without understanding why—must face challenges to their bodies, minds, and hearts and encounter places and people they can barely believe are real.

how good riders get GOOD by Denny Emerson

This book is exactly what you need to become a better rider. It's a smart, honest, on-target kick-in-the-pants, guaranteed to rev your engines as you see how a few changes in your life, a few smart choices and strategic moves, can transform you from a run-of-the-mill rider into a GOOD one.

How does Denny Emerson know what makes a good rider? For one thing, he IS one--he is the only rider in the world to have won both a gold medal in international eventing and a Tevis Cup buckle in endurance.Plus, he's been around great riders, and taught those on their way to becoming great, for over 40 years.

How will what Denny knows help YOU become a good rider? Its simple, really. He's boiled the whole thing down into seven broad "areas of choice" that collectively determine whether you are a "gonnabe"--you're going to get it done--or whether you'll be stuck into the "wannabe" category for decades.

You'll examine how your choices of riding sport may or may not be the best for who you are and where you live, and how those frustrating hurdles known as "life circumstances" don't necessarily hold you back like you think they do. Plus, find out how to build a strong support team by winning people to your cause and choosing the right teachers and mentors.

Analyze your physical self (your body, how it is formed and how you care for it.) and your intellectual self (your "horse smarts" and how you are adding to them.. or not) and apply the results to your "gunnabe-good" equation. Learn to take a good hard look at your partner--your horse-- and think critically about his ability to help you attain your riding goals. In addition, discover the nine key character traits of successful riders and how you can learn to call each one of them your own.

Of Mice and Men

Of Mice and Men is a revered classic written by Nobel- prize winning author John Steinbeck in 1937. It portrays the tragic story of George Milton and Lennie Small, two companions trying to make a living. Their goal is to raise enough money to buy their own plot and settle down on a small farm. Of Mice and Men takes place during the great depression in Soledad, California.

Vermont Wild: Adventures of Fish and Game Wardens Volume three by Megan Price

 Wacky, true stories of a cagey cougar, Battlin' beavers, wily woodchuck, jinxed snowmobile, hapless poachers, legendary warden, Red Hooper, and his dog, Smokey and many more...

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

This classic story of a pair of unlikely friends is probably the most moving of Steinbeck's novels. A discerning comment on the loneliness and alienation of California's farm laborers in the 1930's. Of Mice and Men is also a gripping tale of a man's selfless love for another.
lennie,a lumbering hulk of a man with the mind of a child, and his caretaker and good friend, George, dreaming of owning a farm together. Now the boss' son has a flirtatious wife, and guileless lennie is no match for her. And as friends George and lennie has to make the most difficult decision of their lives.

Safe Haven By: Nicholas Sparks

When a mysterious young women named Katie appears in the small North Carolina town of Southport, her sudden arrival raises questions about her past. Beautiful yet self-effacing, Katie seems determined to avoid forming personal ties until a series of events draws her into two reluctant relationships: one with her plainspoken neighbor, Ho; and another with Alex, a widowed store owner with two young children. Despite her reservations, Katie slowly begins to relax her guard, putting down roots in the community and becoming increasingly attached to Alex and his family. But even as Katie begins to fall in love, she struggles with the dark secret that still haunts and terrifies her... a past that set her on a fearful journey across the country, to the oasis of Southport. With Jo's support, Katie eventually realizes that she must choose between a life of transient safety and one of riskier rewards...and that in the darkest hour, love is the only true safe haven.

A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Doyle

Legend

What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.
From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths - until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias's death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely traveling any farther than his pantry or cellar. But his contentment is disturbed when the wizard Gandalf and a company of dwarves arrive on his doorstep one day to whisk him away on an adventure. They have launched a plot to raid the treasure hoard guarded by Smaug the Magnificent, a large and very dangerous dragon. Bilbo reluctantly joins their quest, unaware that on his journey to the Lonely Mountain he will encounter both a magic ring and a frightening creature known as Gollum.

The Clan Corporate by: Charles Stross

Miriam Beckstein has gotten in touch with her roots in The Family Trade and The Hidden Family, and they have nearly strangled her.

A young, hip business journalist from Boston, she discovered that her family comes from an alternate reality, that she is very well connected, and that family is too much like the mafia for comfort. In addition, women are family property and are required to breed more family members with a unique talent to walk between worlds; however, she has tried to remain an outsider and her own woman. And start a profitable business in a third world that she has discovered, outside the family reach.

She fell in love with a distant relative, but he's dead, killed saving her life. There have been murders and betrayals. Now, however, she may be overreaching. And if she gets caught, death or a fate worse is around the bend. There is, for instance, the brain-damaged son of the local king who needs a wife. But they'd never make her do that, would they?

Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe

A storm at sea... a doomed ship... a sole survivor... here is Daniel Defoe's immortal tale of a young merchant seaman cast ashore on an uninhabited tropical island, destined to spend twenty-four years in isolated loneliness. But more than a story of man against nature, Robinson Crusoe is a penetrating study of a universal problem--man against himself. In this great work Defoe introduces us to an immature Crusoe, floundering as aimlessly through life as he later is to flounder helplessly in the grip of a savage sea. We share his struggle for survival; feel his despondence at hearing no human sound but the echo of his own despairing prayers;suffer his hostility toward a god he fells has unjustly forsaken him. And at the end of his long ordeal we witness a rebirth: We see a mature Robinson Crusoe who has doggedly conquered his environment and rekindled his faith in his Savior... a Robinson Crusoe who has finally master himself.

Avalon Web of Magic By: Rachel Roberts

Deep in the woods, a secret place beckons...What if you found it - and it changed your life forever?
Emily: She's the shy one, the new girl in town. She doesn't believe in magic.

Deep in the woods, magical animals are living - and dying. What if only you could save them?
Adriane: She's the strange girl, the outsider. She doesn't believe in friends.

Deep in the woods, magic is gathering... What if only you could use it - or misuse it?
Kara: She's the spoiled, snobby, and popular one. The magic believes in her. And two girls who can't stand her need her desperately.

Welcome to a world where magic is real and friendship is everything.

Kara, Adriane, and Emily are mages but they don't know it. Emily's the healer, Adriane is the warrior and Kara is the blazing star. Ozzie is looking for these three girls! All the animals from Phel's and Ozzie's world came to Phel to be healed from the "Black Fire." The Black Fire comes from the Manticore, an evil monster who follows magic and destroys it with the black fire.  Kara, Adriane, and Emily are all my favorite characters but my two real favorite characters are Ozzie and Phel. Ozzie is an elf who fell through a portal and is turned to a talking ferret! Phel is a purple bear that is made of magic.

Universe by DK

This book talks about how the Universe was formed based on scientific facts and lots of research. This book has three main parts: an introduction a guide to the universe and a section based on the night sky. It was a very long and intense book to read/study. I liked it because it has lots of pictures and really good visual imaging. It can tell you about a scene and I can see it in my minds eye. It is really informative and has lots of detail.

Life Without Limits

Born without arms or legs, Nick Vujicic overcame his disabilities to live an independent, rich, fulfilling, and "ridiculously good" life while serving as a role model for anyone seeking true happiness. Now an internationally successful motivational speaker, Nick eagerly spreads his central message: The most important goal is to find your life's purpose and to never give up, despite whatever difficulties or seemingly impossible odds stand in your way. Nick tells the story of his physical disabilities and the emotional battle he endured while learning to deal with them as a child, teen, and young adult. "For the longest, loneliest time, I wondered if there was anyone on earth like me, and whether there was any purpose to my life other than pain and humiliation." Nick shares how his faith in God has been his major source of strength, and he explains that once he found a sense of purpose -- inspiring others to better their lives and the world around them -- he found the confidence to build a regarding and productive life without limits. Let Nick inspire you to start living your own life without limits.

Tamer By Mal Peet

In the "Hunger Winter" of 1944, two undercover operatives parachute into Nazi-occupied Holland. They are spies of the Allied forces, sent to provide support for the Dutch resistance movement.

Half a century later, a fifteen-year-old girl named Tamar inherits a box from her grandfather containing a series of clues and coded messages. out of the past, another Tamar emerges--a man involved in the terrifying world of resistance fighter-- and she is his namesake. His is a complex one of passionate love,jealousy, and tragedy set against the daily fear and casual horror of the Second World War. Unraveling it will transform Tamer's life.

Dark force Rising

The dying Empire's most cunning and ruthless warlord--Grand Admiral Thrawn--has taken command of the remnants of the Imperial fleet and launched a massive campaign aimed at the New Republic's destruction. With the aid of unimaginable weapons long hidden away by the Emperor on a backwater planet, Thrawn plans to turn the tide of battle, overwhelm the New Republic, and impose his iron rule throughout the galaxy. Meanwhile, Han and Lando Calrissian race against time to find proof of treason inside the highest Republican Council--only to discover instead a ghostly fleet of warships that could bring doom to their friends and victory to their enemies. Yet most dangerous of all is a new Dark Jedi, risen from the ashes of a shrouded past, consumed by bitterness... and scheming to corrupt Luke Skywalker to the Dark Side.

the Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

The Picture of Dorian Gray is a masterpiece of literature that has survived the trials of time again and again. Originally Oscar WIlde underwent much controversy over his explicit scenes and homoerotic content. Finally the book gained fame and is now used in comprehensive English classes all over the world. It shows the life of a young and stunningly handsome man by the name of Dorian Gray. Gray is susceptible to influence and Lord Henry Wotton take advantage of this. Lord Wotton turns Dorian Gray into the young, lively, and beautiful person he always dreamed of being.

Field&Stream THE TOTAL OUTDOORSMAN MANUEL BY T. Edward Nickens

Hunt Better: How to track a buck, make the toughest shots and master bow hunting and knife skills.
Fish Smarter: Advice on the best techniques for fly fishing  bait casting  and spinning, as well as surefire ways to get the most out of your motorboat, canoe, or kayak.
Survive Anything: Whether you fall through thick ice  are swept away by a raging river, or have a stare down with an angry bear, these skills mean the difference between life and death.
Camp Anywhere: Tested and proven expert tips to help you stay warm, eat well, and build a fire in any situation in record time.

Secret Soldiers by Philip Gerard

They were Eisenhower's secret weapon-an elite troupe of 1,100 artists, actors, electronic wizards, designers, and writers drawn from the New York art world and colleges like the University of Chicago  These men created dazzling theatrical battlefield ruses, fooling the German High command into attacking the wrong place, defending the wrong bridgehead, even retreating from phantom attackers conjured by radio scripts, sound effects, a handful of convincing actors, and inflatable armored divisions. Douglas Fairbanks Jr. helped pioneer the tactics of this unlikely band of heroes, which included future fashion king Bill Blass, abstract painter Ellsworth Kelly, and artist Hal Laynor. Drawing on recently declassified records, interview, diaries, and letters.

Star Wars: Heir to the Empire by Timothy Zahn

It's five years after Return of the Jedi: the Rebel Alliance has destroyed the Death Star, defeated Darth Vader and the Emperor, and driven out the remnants of the old Imperial Starfleet to a distant corner of the galaxy. Princess Leia and Han Solo are married and expecting Jedi Twins. And Luke Skywalker has become the first in a long-awaited line of Jedi Knights. But thousand of light-years away, the last of the emperor's warlords has taken command of the shattered Imperial Fleet, readied it for war, and pointed it at the fragile heart of the new Republic. For this dark warrior has made two vital discoveries that could destroy everything the courageous men and women of the Rebel Alliance fought so hard to build. The explosive confrontation that results is a towering epic of action, invention, mystery, and spectacle on a galactic scale--in short, a story worthy of the nameStar Wars.

Dracula by Bram Stoker

Jonathon Harker travels to Transylvania for a business deal with a Romanian nobleman, only to find himself ensnared in the horrific world of Count Dracula, a mysterious man with an evil secret. Worst of All, the Count is now headed toward London-and Jonathan's beloved Mina. Can this monster be destroyed?

So far this is a great book. It is exciting and I can't put it down! Anybody who likes vampires should read it. There is a small book that tells the story. So far my favorite character is the Count. A vampire. In the other book Lucy got bit. (A friend of Mina's) If that part comes, I can't wait.

Gregor and the marks of secret

My favorite things are the comedy and adventure of  the series, like  the children learning the  underland creature's language, and Gregor and Luxas friendship.



 My favorite character is Luxa. she is my favorite because  she is protective and because of  her common sense and her sometimes loving behavior and when she is tired. She is also pretty, and Luxas hair in the book it says its soft.





Why I followed the series so far is because  it is awesome,  funny and you always want to know about whats next. You won't ever regret reading the series of Gregor the over lander books.



 The book is also funny  because you never know when the comedy will spit out of their mouths.The jokes, the words, even the way the're doing stuff is funny, like Boots being silly with  Hazard and Temp and how Boots is not afraid of  any underland animals like Butterflies,Lizards, Ants, Rats, Spiders, scorpions, fireflies. Boots loves them all. Because Boots thinks the're funny, cute and silly it's dangerous for all of them protecting Boots.

The Lord of the Rings part II: The Two Towers By: J.R.R. Tolkien

          The Two Towers, the second book of J.R.R. Tolkien's three volume epic, The Lord of the Rings, continues the story of Frodo Baggins- the brave and gentle hobbit upon whom the fate of Middle-earth depends. We pick up where The Fellowship of the Ring left off:: with Frodo alone responsible for ridding the world of the dangerous ring he inherited from his cousin Bilbo-- a ring for which Sauron, the Dark Lord, is restlessly searching. The first part of The Two Towers traces the deeds and perils of each member of the Fellowship after Frodo has gone his way-- from Pippin and Merry's kidnapping by Orcs to the adventures of the noble Aragorn and the wizard Gandalf, which bring them to Orthanc, the indomitable tower of the greedy Saruman.
            The book's second part follows Frodo's terror-fraught travels through the hills of Emyn Muil and the Dead Marshes to Mordor, Sauron's hellish stronghold,where Frodo must try yo destroy his burden at last. On the journey he is accompanied by his intrepid servant Sam, and he seemingly tames the slithery, unscrupulous spy-turned-guide, Gollum. Approaching the Dark Lord's realm, things look less gloomy as he briefly joins forces with the Men of Gondor and learns of a secret passage into Mordor. But Frodo enters what he hopes will be the last phase of his odyssey only to be attacked by the voracious giant spider, Shelob; he loses the ring and is captured by the enemy-- just as the looming war between good and evil, a long-expected contest of epic proportions, is beginning. The Two Towers is the stuff not only of classic myth, but also of modern fairy tale-- delivering the profound impact of both. As the Times literary Supplement wrote after the book was first published in England in 1954, "Such a timeless story must be told in timeless prose. Dr. Tolkien manages this difficult feat very well. . . . Even a single read will not be quickly forgotten."

The Color Purple by Alice Walker

Life wasn't easy for Celie. But she knew how to survive, needing to get by.
Then her husband's lover, a flamboyant blues singer barreled into her world and gave Celie the courage to ask for more-- to laugh, to play, and finally-- to love.

Thin Air by Robert Parker

I haven't started reading this book yet but it was suggested to me by another mystery lover. Previously I have read Sherlock Holmes novel called  A study in scarlet which I found very intriguing but I needed a break from that style of writing so I decided to pick a more modern mystery. I did like the Sherlock Holmes book that I read but I wanted something that was less complicated like this Robert Parker book.

Gregor the Overlander, Gregor and The Prophecy of Bane, The Curse of the Warmbloods, and Gregor and the Marks of Secret by Susanne Collins

Why I recommend it: it's funny, it's full with adventure, and survival skills, and it never seems to get old. It's a great book to read to someone  or to read alone. and it's for all different ages.

What book I'm on: the 4th book of the series.

Why I like it: It's hands down interesting.  You always want to know what's next, and it makes no sense.  That's why it's funny.

What I dislike about it: when the people cry or get killed.

Main characters: Gregor, Boots, Ripred , Luxa, Hazard, Ares, Thalia.

 

The Prophet of Yonwood by Jeanne DuPrua

It’s 50 years before the settlement of the city of Ember, and the world is in crisis. War looms on the horizon as 11-year-old Nickie and her aunt travel to the small town of Yonwood, North Carolina. There, one of the town’s respected citizens has had a terrible vision of fire and destruction. Her garbled words are taken as prophetic instruction on how to avoid the coming disaster. If only they can be interpreted correctly. . . .

As the people of Yonwood scramble to make sense of the woman’s mysterious utterances, Nickie explores the oddities she finds around town—her great-grandfather’s peculiar journals and papers, a reclusive neighbor who studies the heavens, a strange boy who is fascinated with snakes—all while keeping an eye out for ways to help the world. Is this vision her chance? Or is it already too late to avoid a devastating war?

The People of Sparks by Jeanne DuPrau

When teenagers Lina Mayfleet and Doon Harrow lead their people up out of the Earth, fleeing their dying underground city of Ember, everything is new and a little frightening to the refugees--the sun and the moon, birds, trees, fire…and the people of Ember are strange to the 322 citizens of Sparks, one of the few towns on Earth to survive the time of The Disaster. How can they feed and house the 400 Emberites, the leaders of Sparks wonder, when they have just begun to be able to feed themselves comfortably? But if they don’t, these underground people with no survival skills will surely die in the wastelands. They take them in as best they can, but grumbling and bad feeling grows on both sides.

The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau

It is always night in the city of Ember. But there is no moon, no stars. The only light during the regular twelve hours of "day" comes from floodlamps that cast a yellowish glow over the streets of the city. Beyond are the pitch-black Unknown Regions, which no one has ever explored because an understanding of fire and electricity has been lost, and with it the idea of a Moveable Light. "Besides," they tell each other, "there is nowhere but here" Among the many other things the people of Ember have forgotten is their past and a direction for their future. For 250 years they have lived pleasantly, because there has been plenty of everything in the vast storerooms. But now there are more and more empty shelves--and more and more times when the lights flicker and go out, leaving them in terrifying blackness for long minutes. What will happen when the generator finally fails? Twelve-year-old Doon Harrow and Lina Mayfleet seem to be the only people who are worried. They have just been assigned their life jobs--Lina as a messenger, which leads her to knowledge of some unsettling secrets, and Doon as a Pipeworker, repairing the plumbing in the tunnels under the city where a river roars through the darkness. But when Lina finds a very old paper with enigmatic "Instructions for Egress," they use the advantages of their jobs to begin to puzzle out the frightening and dangerous way to the city of light of which Lina has dreamed.

Mossflower A Tale From Redwall By: Brian Jacques

When the clever and greedy wildcat Tsarmina becomes Queen of the Thousand Eyes and ruler of the peaceful woodlanders with an iron claw, bringing every otter and hedgehog, every mouse and squirrel to its whimpering knees.

But then the brave mouse Martin and the quick-talking mousethief Gonff meet in the dungeon of Kotir Castle. With the aid of all the woodlanders, the two escape and resolve to end Tsarmina's tyrannical rule. Joind by Dinny the mole, Martin and Gonff set off on a dangerous quest for Salamandastron, mountain of dragons, where they are convinced that their only hope, Boar the FIghter, still lives. . . .

This is our test blog to be sure that Morgan and I have properly added ourselves to the blog site.
Here we go.

Red Scarf Girl

In 1966, twelve year old Ji li Jiang had everything: brains, the admiration of her classmates, and a bright future in  Communist China. But that year China's leader, Mao Zedong, launched the cultural revolution, and Ji li's world began to fall apart. Over the next few years, he family was humiliated by former friends and neighbors. They lived in constant terror of arrest, and when he father was finally detained, Ji li faced the most difficult dilemma of her life. This is the true story of one family's courage and determination during one of the most terrifying eras of the twentieth century.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

An orphan who endures a harsh childhood, Jane Eyre becomes governess at Thornfield Hall in the employment of the mysterious Mr Rochester.

The Hobbit

Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely traveling any farther than his pantry or cellar. But his contentment is disturbed when the wizard Gandalf and a company of dwarves arrive on his doorstep one day to whisk him away on an adventure. They have launched a plot to raid the treasure hoard guarded by Smaug the Magnificent, a large and very dangerous dragon. Bilbo reluctantly joins their quest, unaware that on his journey to the Lonely Mountain he will encounter both a magic ring and a frightening creature known as Gollum.

STAR WARS X-WING ROGUE SQUADRON By Michael A. Stackpole

Its very name strike fear into enemy hearts.So when rebel hero Wedge Antilles rebuilds the legendary Rogue Squadron, he seeks out only the best-the most skilled, the most daring x-wing pilots. Through arduous training and dangerous missions, he weeds out the weak from the strong, assembling a group of hard-bitten warriors willing to fight, ready to die Antilles knows the grim truth: that even with the best x-wing jockeys in the galaxy, many will not survive their near-suicidal missions. But when Rogue Squadron is ordered to assist in the assault on the heavily fortified imperial stronghold of Black Moon, even the bravest must wonder if any at all will survive….

Arthur Spiderwicks Field Guide to the Fantastical world Around You

In the book Arthur Spiderwicks Field Guide to the Fantastical world Around You by Tony Diterlizzi and Holly Black it gives lots of information about several different types of mythical creatures. It not only gives the habitats, but the social groupings, and sometimes food, and the appearances. I really like this book because it not only gives me great ideas for my stories, but it gives fresh new take son mythical creatures that seem perfectly plausible. Also the illustrations add to the interesting things about the book.

Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Wolves and panthers and bears roamed the deep Wisconsin woods in the 1860's. Still Laura Ingalls' father preferred to live miles away from the nearest neighbors. So Pa built a snug cabin for Ma, Laura, Marry and Baby Carrie. Pa hunted and trapped and farmed. Ma made her own cheese and sugar. All night long,l the wind howled lonesomely, but Pa played his fiddle and safe, keeping the family safe and cozy.

This is a great book so far. It is interesting and detailed!

Vermont Wild written by Megan Price

This series is a collection of real life stories told to Megan Price by Vermont Fish and Game Wardens. This is a fun collection of entertaining stories that are even written in the same dialog as they were told. I like these because some day I want to become a game warden and I am hoping to learn from their mistakes instead of mine. I can also relate to most of the stories in stupid thing that I have attempted so that also makes me laugh. I recommend this book to anyone who appreciates the outdoors. 

White Fang by Jack London

White Fang is the titular character and a novel by American author Jack London. First serialized in a magazine, it was published in 1906. The story takes place in Yukon Territory, Canada, during the Klondike Gold Rush at the end of the 19th-century, and details a wild wolfdog's journey to domestication.

The Simarillion by J.R.R Tolkien

In this epic saga by Tolkien it shows the early history of middle-earth and tying in characters like Galadriel, Elrond, Isulder, and Sauron.
Known as the the "Bible of Middle Earth"; it tells of things such as: The Songs of Eru and Melkor, of the creation of Middle-Earth, and of Feoner the Elf, Morgoth the Destroyer, and Illuvatar the Creator, Turin the Tall, and of course of Simarils the jewels the hold the light of the two threes of Valinor.

The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien

Bilbo Baggins was a hobbit who wanted to be left alone in quiet comfort.  But the wizard Gandalf came along with a band of homeless dwarves.  Soon Bilbo was drawn into their quest, facing evil orcs, savage wolves, giant spiders, and worse unknown dangers.  Finally, it was Bilbo-alone and unaided-who had to confront the great dragon Smaug, the terror of an entire countryside!

The lotus Eaters

In the Book The Lotus Eaters By Tatjana Soli, the main character Helen is walking down through a desert town when she noticed a starved child crying. Having a photographers eye; she is about to take advantage of this opportunity and snap a shot when a bicyclist speeds towards the girl. Running up to her and pulling her out of the way, Helen then can not seem to get a word out of the starved child about where her momma is. Picking up the girl covered in urine, with nothing to cloth her but a shirt, she stands there for 15 minutes until an angry mother finally comes to retrieve the child. I really like this book even though I am not very far in it. From the first sentence it grabs at the readers attention, with words of death and time running out. I cannot wait to see what happens next.

Unsolved Mysteries in Science by John Malone

Despite all the advances by science in the twentieth century, as the twenty-first century begins we face a universe of unanswered questions. Join John Malone as he leads us on an entertaining and enlightening excursion into such mysteries as:


What's inside the earth?
How do we learn languages?
How did the universe begin?
How many dimensions are there?

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

The adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a great story of adventure written by Mark Twain during the time of slavery. It takes place in the South on the Mississippi and really gives the reader a good feeling of what life was like. Along with it's counter part the Adventures of Tom Sawyer, this book is one of my personal favorites in literature.

Ghost Rider by Neil Peart

Ghost Rider is not about a real ghost at all and it is NOT a horror book at all. It is about this family Neil, Jakie and Selena. Neil an Jakie kissed there nineteen year old daughter goodbye beacuse she was heading to a University for three years. They soon found out Selena was in a horrible car crash and died. Jakie and Niel were filled with emotions as soon as they got the news. Neil was doing his best to comfort his wife. After having her heart broken for months, Jakie had horrible back pains and had a horrible noctunal coughing, months later, Jakie was still sick and had back pains. Niel took her to the doctor and Jakie was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Can't wait to get to the next chapter!

MAUS 2 By Art Spiegelman

A memoir of Vladek Spiegleman, a Jewish survivor of Hitler's Europe, and about his son, a cartoonist who tries to come to terms with his father, his story, and history. Cartoon format portrays Jews as mice, Nazis as cats. Using a unique comic-strip-as-graphic-art format, the story of Vladek Spiegelman's passage through the Nazi Holocaust is told in his own words. Acclaimed as a "quiet triumph" and a "brutally moving work of art," the first volume of Art Spiegelman's Maus introduced readers to Vladek Spiegelman. The story succeeds perfectly in shocking us out of any lingering sense of familiarity with the events described, approaching, as it does, the unspeakable through the diminutive. As the New York Times Book Review commented, "[it is] a remarkable feat of documentary detail and novelistic vividness...an unfolding literary event." This long-awaited sequel, subtitled And Here My Troubles Began, moves us from the barracks of Auschwitz to the bungalows of the Catskills. Genuinely tragic and comic by turns, it attains a complexity of theme and a precision of thought new to comics and rare in any medium. Maus ties together two powerful stories: Vladek's harrowing tale of survival against all odds, delineating the paradox of daily life in the death camps, and the author's account of his tortured relationship with his aging father. Vladek's troubled remarriage, minor arguments between father and son, and life's everyday disappointments are all set against a backdrop of history too large to pacify. At every level this is the ultimate survivor's tale--and that too of the children who somehow survive even the survivors.

The Shack by Wm. Paul Young

Makenzie Allen Philips' youngest daughter, Missy, has been abducted during a family vacation and evidence that she may have been brutally murdered is found in an abandoned shack deep i the Oregon wilderness. Four years later in the midst of his Great Sadness, Mack receives a suspicious note, apparently from God inviting him back to that shack for a weekend.

Against his better judgment he arrives at the shack on a wintry afternoon and walks back into his darkest nightmare. What he finds there will change Mack's world forever.

In a world where religion seems to grow increasingly irrelevant The Shack wrestles with the timeless question, "Where is God in a world so filled with unspeakable pain?" The answers Mack gets will astound you and perhaps transform you as much as it did him.

Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder

While Laura Ingalls grows up in a little house on the western prairie, Almanzo Wilder is living on a big farm in New York State, where he and his brother and sisters work at their chores from dawn to dinner most days-no matter what the weather. There is still time fro fun, though, especially with horses, witch Almanzo loves more than anything.

I like this book because it has great detail and I just can't put the book down! I think Laura did an excellent job writing this book.

Let the Mountains Talk, Let the Rivers Run by David Brower

As a climber, David Brower scaled many previously "insurmountable" mountains. As a conservationist, Brower has bought a mountaineer's determination and reverence for nature to his efforts to protect the earth and educate its human’s inhabitants. He has kept dams out of Grand Canyon and loggers out of Olympic National Park, established the National Wilderness Preservation System, added seven new regions to the National Park System, and helped to foster a mind-set that questions careless growth. 

In Let the Mountains Talk, Let the Rivers Run, the "archdruid" of modern environmentalism, the man The New York Times designated the most effective conservation activist in the world, offers a tough, witty, and impassioned game plan "for those who would save the earth." Now eighty-two years old, Brower also recounts the highs and lows of his controversial career, sparing no politician or public figure, least of all himself. He frankly discusses his mistakes, such as compromising on the construction of Glen Canyon Dam, and the strategic flourishes that have earned him both fans and foes, including  the full-page, in-your-face national newspaper ads that helped save the Grand Canyon by asking "Should we also flood the Sistine Chapel so that tourists can get a better look at the ceiling?"

Ranger's Apprentice:The Emperor of Nihon-Ja by John Flanagan

Months have passed since Horace departed for the eastern nation of Nihon-Ja on a vital mission. Having received no communication from him, his friends fear the worst. Unwilling to wait a second longer, Alyss, Evanlyn, and Will leave their homeland behind and venture into an exotic land in search of their missing friend.

When they finally catch up with him, they find Horace entangled in a military coup. Determined to protect the imperial throne, Will and his band of Araluens must piece together and train a force in order to fend off the master Senji warriors intent on overthrowing the emperor.

Ranger's Apprentice: Halts Peril by John Flanagan

The renegade outlaw group known as the Outsiders may have been chased from Clonmel, but not before killing Halt's only brother. Now Rangers Halt and Will, along with the young warrior Horace, are in pursuit. The Outsiders have done an effective job of dividing the kingdom into factions and are looking to overtake Araluen. It will take every bit of skill and cunning for the Rangers to survive. Some may not be so lucky.

The international bestselling Ranger's Apprentice series turns up the tension in John Flanagan's latest epic of battles and bravery.

ERAGON

One boy..... one dragon.....A world of adventure. When Eragon finds a polished blue stone in the forest, he thinks it is lucky discover of a poor farm boy; perhaps it will buy his family meat for the winter. but when the stone brings a dragon hatchling, Eragon soon realizes he has stumbled upon a legacy neary as old as the Empire itself. Overnight his has simple life is shattered, and he is thrust into a perilous the new world of destiny, magic, and power. with only an ancient sword and the advice of an old storyteller for guidance, Eragon and the fledging dragon must navagat the dangerous terrain and dark enemies of an Empire ruled by a king whose evil knows no bonds. can Eragon take up the mantle of the legendary Dragon Riders? The fate of the Empire may rest in his hands.

Brian's Winter by Gary Paulsen

This book is an alternate ending to Paulsen's Hatchet. In Hatchet Brian is rescued before winter. In this alternate ending story Brian is not rescued, and begins realizing he must survive the winter.

The Fall Of Atlantis

A Atlantean prince is the leader of the light and they fight against the dark. The battle of dark and light take place at Atlantis. There are two sisters in this story Deoris and Domaris. There lives are changing from the powerful magic of Atlantis. The dark wants to crash a big and powerful wave over Atlantis to kill everyone and drown the light city of Atlantis.

Outcast of Redwall By: Brian Jaques

Veil, The Outcast

         Abandoned as an infant by his father, the evil warlord Swartt Sixclaw, Veil is raised by the kindhearted Bryony.  Despite concerns from everyone as Redwall, Bryony is convinced that Veil's goodness will prevail. But when Veil commits a crime that is unforgivable, he is banished from the abbey forever. Then Swartt and his hordes of searats and vermin. attack Redwall, and Veil has to decide: Should he join Swartt in battle against the only creature who has ever loved him? Or should he turn his back on his true father?

The River by Gary Paulsen

Two years ago, Brian Robeson was stranded alone in the wilderness for fifty-four days with nothing but a small hatchet. He survived. Now the government wants him to do it again-to go back to the wilderness so that  astronauts and the military can learn the survival techniques that kept him alive. But this time he won't be alone a your government psychologist will be coming with him. But who knows if the will come back alive.

Tucker Peak by Archer Mayor

To its visitors, the resort area Tucker Peak is Vermont personified: small, thinly populated, a fun place to ski all day and party all night. To its beleaguered owners, it is a resort on the ropes, undersized, underdeveloped, and hemorrhaging money. Their plan: expand and spend a fortune on the gamble. But two problems quickly arise when environmentalists rally to protest the development and the slope-side condo owners suffer a rash of seemingly unsolvable burglaries. Enter Joe Gunther and the newly minter Vermont Bureau of Investigation. Summoned by the embattled local sheriff, Joe doesn't take long to find out that the most likely thief has mysteriously vanished- leaving behind his dead girlfriend- or to discover that some of the protesters may have more on their agenda than protecting the environment.

The Mark of Athena By: Rick Riordan

      Annabeth is terrified. just when she is about to be reunited with Percy after six months of being apart, thanks to Hera- it looks like Camp Jupiter is preparing for war. As Annabeth and her friends Jason, Piper, and Leo fly in on the Argo II, she can't blame the Roman demigods for thinking the ship is a Greek weapon. With its steaming bronze dragon masthead, Leo's fantastical creation doesn't appear friendly. Annabeth hopes that the sight of their praetor Jason on deck will reassure the Romans that the visitors from Camp Half-Blood are coming in peace.

       That's only one of her worries. In her pocket Annabeth carries a gift from her mother with an unnerving demand: Follow the Mark of Athena. Avenge me. Annabeth already feels weighed down by the prophecy that will send seven demigods to find- and close- the Doors of Death. What more does Athena want from her?

       Annabeth's biggest fear, though, is that Percy might have changed. What if he's now attached to Roman ways? Does he still need his old friends? As the daughter of the goddess of war and wisdom, Annabeth knows she was born to be a leader, but never again does she want to be without Seaweed Brain by her side.

       Narrated by four different demigods, The Mark of Athena is an unforgettable journey across land and sea to Rome, where important discoveries, surprising, and unspeakable horrors await. Climb Aboard the Argo II, if you dare...

Werewolves Dead Moon Rising

In the book there are several short stories written by all different authors,; but they all revolve around werewolves. In one of the short stories called skin belt by William R. Halliar, the main character has been changing into a werewolf on the full moon. He decides to get help and finds an old man. The old man gives him something that will stop his changes, and it works! But the old an wants it back, and is willing to do almost anything to get back his creation. What will the main character do?! I really like this book because of all the different writing styles put together into one book. All of the writing styles gives new side or idea to the werewolf legends, and the fresh new takes makes me want to read more. Also most of them go really far into characters like their looks and feelings, especially when they transform, which gives it really good imagery. I recommend this book highly; but not to younger kids. It has some inappropriate references and some foul language.

The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

Violet Amberose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her bet friend since childhood, she is more disturbed by her "power" to sense dead bodies--or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes the dead leave behind in the world... and the imprints that attach to their killers.

Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find dead birds her cat left for her. But now that a serial killer is terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he's claimed haunt her daily, Violet realizes she might be the only person who can stop him.

Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet find the murderer--and Violet is unnerved by her hope that Jay's intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she's falling intensely in love, Violet is getting closer and closer to discovering a killer... and becoming his prey herself.

The Complete Compilment of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galexy Chronicles by Douglas Adams

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the GalaxySeconds before the Earth is demolished for a galactic freeway, Arthur Dent is saved by Ford Prefect, a researcher for the revised Guide. Together they stick out their thumbs to the stars and begin a wild journey through time and space.

The Restaurant at the End of the UniverseFacing annihilation at the hands of warmongers is a curious time to crave tea. It could only happen to the cosmically displaced Arthur Dent and his comrades as they hurtle across the galaxy in a desperate search for a place to eat.

Life, the Universe and EverythingThe unhappy inhabitants of planet Krikkit are sick of looking at the night sky– so they plan to destroy it. The universe, that is. Now only five individuals can avert Armageddon: mild-mannered Arthur Dent and his stalwart crew.

So Long, and Thanks for All the FishBack on Earth, Arthur Dent is ready to believe that the past eight years were all just a figment of his stressed-out imagination. But a gift-wrapped fishbowl with a cryptic inscription conspires to thrust him back to reality. So to speak.

Mostly HarmlessJust when Arthur Dent makes the terrible mistake of starting to enjoy life, all hell breaks loose. Can he save the Earth from total obliteration? Can he save the Guide from a hostile alien takeover? Can he save his daughter from herself?

How to train your dragon by: Cressida Cowell

How to train your dragon is a great book. I love it. Its very exciting and thrilling and i cant take my eyes off of it. my favorite part is when hiccup (thew main character) gets thrown into the mouth of a dragon. the setting is in viking time with dragons. My favorite character is hiccup and his dragon toothless. The whole reason Hiccup, Fishlegs, Dogsbreath the duh brain, and Snotlout, get a dragon is because they have to or they will get shipped off to cannibal island. I like Hiccup and his dragon because they both are extraordinary and have fun adventures, while toothless is just adorable.

StarWars Assault At Selonia by Roger Macbride Allen

Imprisoned on the planet Corella, Han Solo finds himself at the mercy of his evil cousin, Thracken Sal-Solo. Thracken plans to restore the imperial system and seize total power no matter what the cost. Han has one chance to stop him. But to do so he must turn his back on his human cousin and join forces with a female alien. Dracmus was arrested as a  ringleader in a plot against the corrupt Human League. Now she and Han  will attempt a daring escape to selonia in time to warn Leia, Luke Skywalker, and Lando of Thracken's plan. But can Han trust the alien to keep her word?

The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien

A classic work of American literature that has not stopped changing minds and lives since it burst onto the literary scene, The Things They Carried is a ground-breaking meditation on war, memory, imagination, and the redemptive power of storytelling. 

The Things They Carried depicts the men of Alpha Company: Jimmy Cross, Henry Dobbins, Rat Kiley, Mitchell Sanders, Norman Bowker, Kiowa, and the character Tim O’Brien, who has survived his tour in Vietnam to become a father and writer at the age of forty-three.

Taught everywhere—from high school classrooms to graduate seminars in creative writing—it has become required reading for any American and continues to challenge readers in their perceptions of fact and fiction, war and peace, courage and fear and longing. 

Here There Be Dragons by James A. Owens

An unusual murder brings together three strangers, John, Jack, and Charles, on a rainy night in London during the first World War. An eccentric little man called Bert tells them that they are now the caretakers of the Imaginarium Geographica -- an atlas of all the lands that have ever existed in myth and legend, fable and fairy tale. These lands, Bert claims, can be traveled to in his ship the Indigo Dragon, one of only seven vessels that is able to cross the Frontier between worlds into the Archipelago of Dreams.

Pursued by strange and terrifying creatures, the companions flee London aboard the Dragonship. Traveling to the very realm of the imagination itself, they must learn to overcome their fears and trust in one another if they are to defeat the dark forces that threaten the destiny of two worlds. And in the process, they will share a great adventure filled with clues that lead readers to the surprise revelation of the legendary storytellers these men will one day become.

Wild Magic by Tamora Pierce

Young Daine's knack with horses gets her a job helping the royal horsemistress drive a herd of ponies to tortall. It soon becomes clear that Daine's talent, despite her struggles to hide it, its downright magical. Horses and other animals not only obey the mysterious girl, they come to her and seem to listen to her words. But Daine will have to learn to trust humans before she can come to terms with her powers, her past, and herself.

Set in Tortall during the reign of King Jonathan III and Queen Thayet, Wild Magic is the first book of the immortals series, which chronicles the time when the world is invaded by immortal creatures and a girl is born with a magical power that could restore the very balance of nature.

Time Cat by Lloyd Alexander

Jason's cat has nine fantastic lives--and he's taking Jason along for the ride!
Gareth is definitely not an ordinary cat. For one thing, he can talk.  For another, he's got the power to travel through time. And the instant he tells this to Jason, the two of them are in ancient Egypt, on the first  of nine amazing adventures Jason will never forget.

Know it all, The Little Book of Essential Knowledge

Know it all will give you the edge  you need, providing general knowledge that covers all the bases in a nutshell---intriguing, useful facts about the universe, Planet Earth, life in all forms... the birth of agriculture and rise of civilizations ... invention and discoveries and artistic endeavors. For example did  you know...

• Alfred Nobel became famous not as a giver of prizes but as the inventor of dynamite?
•  The spices in your recipes once caused nations to go to war?
• That Alexander the great never lost a battle?
• The inner atmosphere is 78.08 percent nitrogen 

All these facts facts and more are available in KNOW IT ALL.

Mattimeo by Brian Jacques

Slagar the fox hated Redwall Abbey- it's peaceable creatures, it's fearless mouse warrior Matthias.  He blamed Matthias for the injuries he'd suffered . . . but his quest for vengeance would have to be a cunning one, for he knew the power of the legendary Redwall sword.

Above all, he knew, the Redwallers cherished their young.  So Slagar would steal them from under their very noses- and the greatest prize of all would be Matthias's headstrong son, Mattimeo . . .

The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane

Young Henry Fleming had always dreamt of performing heroic deeds in battle. But as a raw recruit in the american civil war, the  reality is one of mental and physical torment. Throughout his first ordeal in action, Henry experiences both rear ans self-doubt, and has no idea whether war will make him a coward - or a hero.

Amazonia by James Rollins

The Rand scientific expedition enter the lush wilderness of the Amazon and Never returned. Years later, one of its members has stumbled out of the world's most inhospitable rain forest-a former Special Forces soldier, scarred, mutilated terrified, and mere hours from death, who went in with one arm missing... and came out with both intact. Unable to comprehend this inexplicable event, the government sends Nathan Rand into this impenetrable secret world of undreamed-perils, to follow the trail of his vanished father...toward mysteries that must be solved at any cost. But the nightmare that is awaiting Nate and his team of scientists and seasoned U.S Rangers dwarfs any danger the anticipated; an ancient, unspoken terror-a power beyond human imagining-that can forever alter the world beyond the dark, lethal confines of... Amazonia

Farmer Boy by: Laura Ingalls Wilder

This book is about a boy named Almanzo Wilder. The part i like in this book is when Almanzo gets the colt of his dreams. This is the most surprising part to me is because i would not think that he would actually get a colt at the age of 11. My favorite character is Almanzo because he is always doing something interesting in the book.

Serpent's Shawdow by Rick Riordan

I almost done with the book but a lot is happening.Carter, Sadie and there dad hoped on a boat and started paddeling away from the Serpent. Suddenly they found themselvs in the middle of danger. They saw the Serpent's Shadow. It was right in front of them.

The Shadow in the North

The year is 1878, and the spirited Sally Lockhart, once again defying Victorian sensibilities, has gone into business herself. When one of her clients loses a large sum of money in the unexpected collapse of a British shipping firm, Sally sets out to investigate. But as she delves deeper into the identity of  the wealthy and elusive industrialist who owns the doomed company, she uncovers a plot so diabolical that it could eventually subvert the entire civilized world--and if Sally's enemies have their way, she won't live long enough to see it happen.

Alex Rider: Scorpia Rising by Anthony Horowitz

Scorpia has dogged Alex Rider for most of his life. They killed his parent, they did their best to con Alex into turning traitor, and they just keep coming back with more power. Now the world's most dangerous terrorist organization is playing with fire in the world's most combustible land: the Middle East. No one knows Scorpia like Alex. And no one knows how to get to Alex like Scorpia. Until now.

This is the latest book in the Alex Rider series, but I've only read this one and the first one in the series but I'm looking forward to reading the other ones.

Continuity of the ATA Literature blog

Good morning,

I would like to let you all know why I keep sticking my nose into Missy's class 'business' i.e. the Lit Blog. A blog, like anything else on the Internet, is permanent and lasting.

I do encourage every Instructor to customize their class, and make it all their own, we do have guidelines for assignments, and assessment, etc., but they are actually really just guidelines!

I've noticed how proprietary I feel about the blog.  (Should that be proprietorially?)  I want to leave this behind us, much like our Legacy projects.  That is why I keep going back to the "rules".  

Now, I also have to remember, that like any other good piece of writing, or tangible item, our blog needs to be "living" to stay relevant while it lasts.  Constitutional Scholars say that the United States Constitution is a "living document", it changes as the needs of the people change and the law allows for such changes under very specific circumstances.  Sometimes those changes are not as great in hindsight as they were up front!  (The 18th Amendment for example!)

It is for the everlasting-ness that I am constantly referring to the rules of posting (and have now put that up as part of the header).  Since this blog has been through 5 different ATA English Instructors, if it is going to be continuous, I feel the format needs to remain consistent.

So, if we as a group decide the format of the blog needs to be changed, we certainly will address that.  However, until we decide that as a group (and ATA Instructors get veto power like the President, and I get the power of the Judiciary!), the format will remain.

Thank you, and please take pride in what you leave behind!  I know that I take pride in this blog and what you all leave behind.

Amanda

STARWARS THE PHANTOMMENACE

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, an evil legacy long believe dead is stirring. Even the jedi are caught by surprise, thare attention focused on the political unrest between the trade focused and republic. now the dark side of thr force threatens to overwhelm the light, and only an ancirent jedi prophecy stands between hope and doom for the entire galaxy. on the desert world of tatoonine, far from the concerns of the republic, a slave boy works by day and drams by night-of being a jedi khight and one day traveling the stars to worlds he's only heard of in stories...of finding a way to win freedoom from enslavement for himself and hi's beloved mother. His only hope lies in his extraordinary instincts and his strange gift for understanding the ''rightness'' of things, talents that allow him to be one of the best podracers on the planet.