Holiday Reads

Since October holidays are almost near, we've gathered together a few books we think you might enjoy reading on your week-long break. 


For Younger Readers...

Horrible Harry's Secret by Suzy Kline

When Song Lee brings her water frog to school and feeds it liver in front of Room 2B, Harry falls in love. His best friend, Doug, can't stand all the mush - love notes in class, secret glances across the room, and even a gift wrapped in red foil. Doug wants Harry to be his old, horrible self again. Harry is even being nice to Sidney! But something is bothering Harry. Is it love or is it something horrible? (Be sure to check out the other wonderful books in the Horrible Harry series)

Pony Pals: A Pony for Keeps by Jeanne Betancourt

Anna loves her pony, Acorn. But her parents think Acorn is the reason that she's doing badly at school. If she doesn't get better marks, they'll take him away. Pam, Lulu, her Pony Pals, want to help. Can they find a way to make sure Acorn is a pony for keeps? (Be sure to check out the other wonderful books in the Pony Pals series)

Jack Stalwart - The Escape of the Deadly Dinosaur: USA

by Elizabeth Singer Hunt

An eager young scientist has brought to life a dangerous flesh eating dinosaur by crossing its DNA with that of his pet dog, Freddie. Can Secret Agent Jack Stalwart capture the dinosaur before it destroys New York City? (Be sure to check out the other wonderful books in the Secret Agent Jack Stalwart series)

Let's Do the Pharaoh by Jeremy Strong

Ben and Carrie live at 27 Templeton Drive with their mum, dad and a 4,00-year-old pharaoh! That's right - an ancient Egyptian ruler who wears make up (WEIRD!) and dances! And when he struts his stuff at a modelling competition and WINS, Ben and Carrie can't believe it! Suddenly everyone's wearing designer mummy bandages and doing the strangest dance.

Judy Moody - Girl Detective by Megan McDonald
Judy Moody is in a mood. A sleuthing, Nancy Drew kind of mood. So what's a WBMS (world's best mystery solver) to do? Go find a mystery, that's what! And she doesn't have to snoop for long: when Mr. Chips, a beloved crime-dog-in-training, goes missing, Judy Drewdy and her chums, Agents Dills Pickle (Frank), Spuds Houdini (Rocky) and James Madagascar (Stink) find themselves smack-dab in the middle of a real-life, scare-your-pants-off whodunit. Was Mr Chips stolen by dirty dognappers? And why are chocolate chip cookies disappearing all over town? 




For Older Readers




The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
In a dark vision of the near future, a terrifying reality TV show is taking place. Twelve boys and twelve girls are forced to appear in a live event called the Hunger Games. There is only one rule: kill or be killed. When sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen steps forward to take her sister's place in the games, she sees it as a death sentence. But Katniss has been close to death before. For her, survival is a second nature.

My Sister Jodie by Jacqueline Wilson
When their parents get new jobs at the Melchester College, Pearl and Jodie are suddenly thrust into a new life. In their new home things seems different. Jodie has always been the leader but now it's Pearl who's making new friends. Jodie doesn't fit in with the snooty teenagers in her class and just seems to be getting into more and more trouble...Maybe Pearl doesn't need Jodie anymore but Jodie needs her. And when the school Fireworks night comes around and a tragic event occurs, Pearl realizes how much she does need her big sister.





I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

Nine of us came here. We look like you. We talk like you. We live among you. But we are not you. We can do things you dream of doing. We have powers you dream of having. We are stronger and faster than anything you have ever seen. We are the superheroes you worship in movies and comic books--but we are real. Our plan was to grow, and train, and become strong, and become one, and fight them. But they found us and started hunting us first. Now all of us are running. Spending our lives in shadows, in places where no one would look, blending in. we have lived among you without you knowing. But "they" know. They caught Number One in Malaysia. Number Two in England. And Number Three in Kenya. They killed them all. I am Number Four. I am next. 


How To Be Popular by Meg Cabot

Steph's been the least popular girl in her class since a certain cherry Super Big Gulp catastrophe five years earlier. Does being popular matter? It matters a lot--to Steph. That's why this year, she has a plan to get in with the It Crowd in no time flat. She's got a secret weapon: an old book called--what else?--"How to Be Popular." All Steph has to do is follow the instructions in The Book, and soon she'll be partying with the popular kids. But don't forget the most important thing about popularity! It's easy to become popular. What isn't so easy? Staying that way.

The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan
'I guess it started the night our dad blew up the british museum...' Carter and Sadie Kane's dad is a brilliant Egyptologist with a secret plan that goes horribly wrong. An explosion shatters the ancient Rosetta stone and unleashes Set, the evil god of chaos ...Set imprisons Dr Kane in a golden coffin and Carter and Sadie must run for their lives. To save their dad, they embark on a terrifying quest from Cairo to Paris to the American South-west and discover the truth about their family's connection to the House of Life: an Egyptian temple of magic that has existed for thousands of years. The pharaohs of ancient Egypt are far from dead and buried. And so, unfortunately, are their gods ...

The Hunger Games

Here is a sneak peek of what we can expect from The Hunger Games movie, based on the thrilling trilogy of books written by Suzanne Collins. The movie will be released early next year but the good news is that these books have just been added to our senior fiction shelves! Miss Saaiman has just finished reading the first book and was hooked from page one. Come in and ask if you'd like to take them out. If you'd like to know a bit more about The Hunger Games, read  this.

Peach Party Pictures

Much fun was to be had in the library on Roald Dahl Day! Everyone who came had so much fun but the highlight was definitely seeing Mr Minye dressed up as Aunt Sponge. Below are a few pictures from the day. If you would like to see more got to the gallery on our schools website here.

50 Scrumdiddlyumptious Ways To Celebrate Roald Dahl Day

It's Roald Dahl day tomorrow and we can't wait to celebrate it in the library tomorrow! We're having a Peach Party filled with fun and games (and sweets!) for 32 lucky boys and girls whose names were drawn out of our peach.

If you're not coming to the library's party tomorrow then here are some other ways in which you can celebrate Roald Dahl Day....Which way is your favourite?

(Click this link to see a larger version)

Book Club Reviews #3

The Dork Diaries by Rachel Renee Russell
Reviewed by Gina T

Nikky Maxwell is a new student at WCD Middle School. Nikky has  been  dying  for  a  new  iphone but  instead  her  mom  gets  her  a  new  diary. Nikky  said  she  would  not  write  in  her  diary. But  the  next  day  she  writes  everything. Nikky  has  just  found  out  that  she  has  a  locker  right  next  to  the  most  popular  girl  in  school. Her  name  is Mackenzie she  is  the  meanest  girl  in  school  but  only  to  Nikky. Will things  look  up  for  Nikky  or  will  everything  stay  the  same?

Gina says: "I really  loved  this  book  and I really think all girls would love it as well. But I think all boys would hate it."

Melly, Mrs Ho and Me by Edith Bulbring
Reviewed by Caitlin L

April-May February lives with her dad, Fluffy in Josi . All of a sudden she is given a scholarship to a 'good school' called Trinity College. There she has to deal with her horrible teacher Mrs Ho. She also meets a crazy down to earth girl, Melly,  who is trying very hard to be April's best friend. But as hard as she tried April falls into a bad crowd. But does it really have to take a horrific accident to show April that her best friend is the one who is going to help April survive this uninviting school?

Caitlin says: This book is a fairly comprehensible book. I don't recommend this book to younger readers. But I really enjoyed it.



Lily Alone by Jacqueline Wilson
Reviewed by Siobhan C
 
Lily is an 11 year old girl who has 2 sisters and one brother. The youngest sibling is Pixie and she is 3 years old and there are twins, Bliss and Baxter, who are 6 years old. Their mother is very depressed because all the children have different fathers and all of them have abused her so she left them. Baxter is the only boy in the house and always talks about how much he is like his dad, Mikey. Kate, the mother, found a kind man whose name is Gordon. He works in Spain and took Kate with him for a while and Kate left a message on Mikey's answering machine. Kate leaves the children alone until Mikey comes to look after them. Lily phones Mikey to ask where he is and he says he is on a buisness trip and can't come and look after them which leaves Lily and her siblings alone. Lily could not find anything to do with her siblings so she decided to take them to the park. Bliss found a big hollow tree and they stayed in the tree until something happened to Bliss. Find out what happens in the book...
 
Siobhan says: It was an adventure.

Book Club Reviews #2

Every Wednesday the Bloggers Book Club get together to talk books in the library. Miss Saaiman thinks they have great taste in books and write stunning reviews! If you're interested in joining, be sure to come to the library straight after school on a Wednesday. Bloggers are allowed to take out six books! Plus, they get  first choice if any new books come into the library. And every so often they snacks (yes, that's right they get to eat in the library!) Here are the latest reviews by some of our blogging team....

A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket

Reviewed by Courtney B in Grade 7

This book is about three children. Violet Baudelair,  the oldest of the three,  liked inventing things. Anyone who knew Violet knew that she was thinking about inventing something when she tied her hair up with a long ribbon. Klaus Baudelair, who loved reading books, had nearly read ever book in their parents' library. Last but not least Sunny, the youngest child, found biting things with her four sharp teeth very amusing. In this series many bad things happen to the Baudelair children but their misfortune began on Berny Beach when they were told that their loving parents had perish in a terrible fire that also destroyed their home. Seeing that their parents were dead they were sent to live with their distant relative, Count Olaf, a greedy man that wants to steal their enormous fortune that their parents left behind.The fortune was to go to Violet when she came of age, but Count Olaf was such a bad and evil person that he found a way to steal the Baudelair fortune. Will the Baudelair children find a way to outsmart Count Olaf, or will their hope be lost forever?

Courtney says: I like this book because it is full of mystery and always takes an unexpected turn. When I finished this book I could not wait to read the next book. I recommend this book to people that have a love for mysteries and like the thrill of a good book. 

Clean Break by Jacqueline Wilson

Reviewed by Caitlin L in Grade 7

  

Em, the main character of this book  is an overweight young girl trying to deal with the laughing and teasing of her fellow classmates but everything's OK because she has the best dad in world who she unfortunately has to share with her winning brother and bossy little sister. But when Christmas arrives everyone is certain it's going to be the best Christmas ever...until dad decided to clear off for another women. Nobody in the household ever expected that and they are all heart broken, all except gran that is. Maybe Gran is right. Could this really be a chance for a clean break? Surely not! 

 

Caitlin says: This book is truly magnificent. It brings out a lot of issues that many young girls have to deal with. It's not a heavy story so its perfect for all readers.

Beast Quest: Trillion the Three Headed Lion by Adam Blade

Reviewed by Theo C in Grade 2

The story is about a boy named Tom who has to fight a beast called Trillion,the three headed lion. Another beast named Tagus, the horse man, helped Tom with the fight. When Tom killed Trillion he got golden boots that gave him strength and power.

Theo says: I liked the part when Tagus joined in the battle. I also liked the story. It is so great. I wish I was in the story.

Book Club Reviews

Our Book Club Reviewers have been hard at work reading interesting books to share with you. Here are a few books that they enjoyed...

Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett
Reviewed by Caitlin in Grade 7

Calder and Petra are two people brought together by the love of puzzles and the fascination of questions without answers. But when a priceless Vermeer painting mysteriously  disappears and the thief is constantly writing letters to the the public threatening to destroy the painting unless  Vermeer's secret life is uncovered. Calder and Petra have too do everything they can to rescue the painting even if it means putting their lives in danger.

Caitlin says: I loved this book.It left me in anticipation right till the end.I recommend this book to those who are interested in misterys and questions with so many never ending,unknown answers.

The Two Princessess of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine

Reviewed by Tanaka in Grade 6

Princess Addie's sister Princess Meryl gets sick with the Grey Death.  Princess Addie decides to go out and find a cure.  But her adventure isn't as easy as she thought it would be...

Tanaka says: "I liked that the book wasn't all about war and killing.  It had a really good message overall."

The Adventure of Super Diaper Baby by Dav Pilkey

Reviewed by Theo in Grade 2

Super Diaper Baby was created when a baby fell into Super Power juice extracted from Captain Underpants. Deputy Dangerous and Danger Dog made inventions to try and steal Captain Underpants' super powers. Danger Dog saves Super Diaper Baby. Diaper Dog and Super Diaper Baby defeat Deputy Dangerous and restore Captain Underpants' powers.

Theo says: "I liked it when Super Diaper Baby and Diaper Dog defeated Deputy Dangerous. I liked that part because Deputy Dangerous went like "Ohhh and eehhhhh and aaahh".