A very big “THANK YOU” to all the students, families, and staff that supported this year’s Scholastic Book Fair. We raised an astounding amount of money for the Gilmore Library, and I am so very grateful to everyone who purchased books. I also would like to acknowledge the staff and parents who helped with both set-up and clean-up of the book fair, “THANK YOU”! I’d like to thank Mr. Greenwood and Ms. Macera for helping me run the actual book fair, “THANK YOU”, and lastly to all the staff who worked to get the word out to families, “THANK YOU”! 

This money will go towards buying more books for our school library. Books our students love to read, which keep them learning, thinking, creating and dreaming!

Here are some of the books that have already been purchased for the library from the Scholastic Book Fair this week:

The Scholastic Book Fair is fast approaching….but for those who would like a sneak peek at some of the titles featured at this year’s fair, here is the link.

http://scholastic.ca/bookfairs/resources/parents

The Book Fair will be open from Monday Nov. 20 to Thurs Nov. 23, 8:15 – 3:30, closed at recess and lunch. Students will visit the fair with their class during a scheduled time during the day. For students wanting to purchase items before or after school, they must be accompanied by an adult. There will be a last call for all students on Thursday, Nov. 23 at 2:30. Cash or Credit only.

This is a huge fundraiser for our school library and really makes a big difference in being able to purchase a variety of books to support both student learning and student enjoyment. A very big thank you in advance for your support of the Gilmore Community School Library. Happy Shopping!

Monday, November 20 to Thursday, November 23!

Please note: There is NO VIRTUAL FAIR being offered by Scholastic this year.

All purchases need to be done in person. Students will visit the fair with their classes during the week. The fair will be open outside of school hours….those details to come in the days ahead.

 

Renegades Trilogy By Marissa Meyer

Book 1: RENEGADES (TEEN READ, F MEY)

Nova lives underground in the abandoned subway tunnels with the other Anarchists. Their mission, to regain control of Gatlon, the city which they lost after the last war, from the Renegades. The plan…have Nova get inside the organization as an undercover spy to gather information needed to take them down. Nova is determined to avenge the death of her family, but the more Nova works alongside the enemy, the more she starts to question who the enemy really is. Full of conflict, battles, and mysterious twists, this book is a page turner. I wasn’t a fan of the ending though, but I encourage you to read it and let me know your thoughts.

 

Mixed Up by Gordon Korman (F KOR) 

Reef is struggling to make it day to day since his mom died. He now lives with his mom’s best friend and her family, and none of the kids are happy to have him there. Declan, who now has to share his bedroom with Reef, dislikes him the most and goes out of his way to make Reef’s life miserable. His friends are giving him space and his teachers are giving him some leeway, which makes for a very lonely life. Also, Reef is finding it harder each day to remember his mom. His memories of her are fading, which frustrates and angers him. But, what is really absurd is that he is remembering things that seem strangely out of place, but grief and loss can make the mind do funny things, right? Read this new book by Gordon Korman to find out what is really happening to Reef’s memories, where they are going, and the extreme measures he is willing to go to, to get them back. This was an interesting book, as I wasn’t sure exactly how this problem was going to be solved….and to be honest, the ending wasn’t very realistic. The idea for the book was clever, but the ending seemed too far-fetched and unsafe for a realistic fiction novel. But, you should read it and decide for yourself. 

There are 3 events happening soon where you can meet an author, maybe the author of one of your favourite books!

Jon Klassen & Graham Annable – Monday Oct. 16

2 authors promoting their newest books just in time for Hallowe’en.

Stuart Gibbs – Monday, Oct.23 & Tuesday, Oct. 24

Author of the Spy School Series (now becoming graphic novels), Funjungle Series, and Moon Base Alpha Series.

Kenneth Oppel – Monday, Oct. 23 

Author of the Silverwing Saga (now becoming graphic novels) and other books.

Click here for more details!

 

Young Sherlock Holmes – Death Cloud  By Andrew Lane (F LAN)

Image from amazon.com

If you like murder mysteries, this is a series to try. It is the story of Sherlock Holmes as a young boy and how he realizes and strengthens his detective skills as mysteries present themselves and his curiosity and questioning keeps drawing him towards suspects, evidence and clues. In Death Cloud, young Sherlock is unable to go home for summer break and is dropped off to live with family he barely knows in a strange town. He stumbles on a dead body at the back of the property and Sherlock is not convinced that the cause of death is a new plague. The mysterious dark cloud that rises from the body is consistent with the story of another body found days before. Before he know it, Sherlock is wrapped up in this mystery that gets more confusing the deeper in he gets; he gets so deep that he soon knows too much and is hunted to be silenced. I really liked this book as the action and adventure is consistent through the whole story. Sherlock’s personality is also well described and you really get a taste of the how he becomes the well known detective grows up to be.

 

A Duet for Home By Karina Yan Glaser (F GLA)

Image from diversebooks.org

Huey House is a homeless shelter where June and her family are placed when they stumble on hard times. 11 year old June does not have a good first impression of this place that is now her home. It looks like a jail, has too many rules, and Ms. McMillan is the meanest person she has ever met. Her viola is confiscated, she is sprayed with soda her first night and she has to be ready at 5:30 in the morning for the bus to take them to school. On top of it all, her father has died and her mother won’t get out of bed, leaving her with the sole responsibility to care for her younger sister. Life for June sucks, until she meets other children at Huey House, Ms. G the social worker, and Marcus the “head of security”. June begins to build a life at Huey House as time goes by, only to have the government decide to close the shelter and force all the residents to move out. June and her friends want to help save their home, but what can they do? Find out in this story about friendship, healing and love for music. I really liked this story as it shows the real life struggles families can face, and the kindness of others who truly care. Definitely a must read if you like realistic fiction.

 

Hear about what books Mrs. Papapanagiotou is reading! The goal is to post a book or two each month, so keep checking back! Some will be “Oldies, but Goodies”, so don’t let the cover deceive you! And of course, some will be brand new to the Gilmore shelves. Books that have been reviewed will also be displayed in the library for your convenience. Please feel free to leave your own comments on the books as you read them and maybe challenge yourself by trying something new. This is a school forum, so please remember your digital citizenship and polite language is a must, even if you have a contrary opinion!

Image retrieved from FAVPNG.com

 

Odder by Katherine Applegate (F APP)

 

Image retrieved from SLS.com

This story was a surprise; it wasn’t what I expected based on the picture. The story centers on an otter who takes a risk and the result is an encounter with a great white shark. Odder is rescued and nursed back to health by humans who are trying different ways to ensure she can be returned to the wild. Unique in the way it’s told from an animal’s perspective and in the form of free verse poetry, this story was inspired by the true story of a Monterey Bay Aquarium program that pairs orphaned otter pups with surrogate otter mothers. I learned a lot about otters by reading this story and was impressed by the strategies that were used to help Odder return to the wild. This book also has a glossary of terms, a map, and notes at the end about the overlap between true events and the fictional writings of the book.  

 

MasterMinds Trilogy by Gordon Korman (F KOR)

Image retrieved from Amazon.ca

I read the first book of this trilogy and quite liked the mystery behind it. Without giving away too much and spoiling the ending, this story is about a boy who lives in the best town on Earth. Everyone gets along, everyone has what they need, everything is picture perfect. Eli has nothing to complain about. He has a best friend, a pool, a treehouse, ipad, computer, video games, basketball court and a bike. He has never been outside the town limits because he has never had any need – what he wants, he gets. Until one day boredom takes hold and he is convinced by his friend Randy to ride their bikes to check out an old sports car, an Italian Alfa Romeo, a few miles out of town. Eli makes it just past the “Welcome to Serenity” sign when he gets very nauseous and is hit by an excruciating headache that causes him to fall off his bike and is unable to move or respond. He does remember being loaded in a military helicopter by the town guard though. It is all very suspicious, especially when Randy is quickly sent away. Eli is determined to find out what is going on…and what he discovers is unbelievable. I really liked this book because the premise on which this mystery is based is an interesting concept, which really makes you think about the nature vs. nurture argument. I can’t wait to have some time to read the rest of the series.  

Happy Fall Gilmore Community,

I look forward to seeing you all, hearing about your summer adventures, and sharing new books I’ve already purchased…..and yes, I will definitely get the new Diary of a Wimpy Kid book when it comes out on October 24!!!

I would also love to hear about the great books you read over the summer. Be sure to find me and share any awesome titles that should be on our library shelves.

See you soon,

Mrs. Papapanagiotou