BOOK OF THE WEEK: Blood Red Horse by K.M. Grant

This adventurous book is about the journey of two brothers, Gavin and Will de Granville, their father, Sir Thomas de Granville of Hartslove, and a horse, Hosanna. It takes place in the third installment of the Crusades. It starts when Gavin and Will are young, and Will (the younger of the two brothers) is finally able to choose his very own stallion. The young men soon fight in the Holy War led by King Richard the Lionheart. The journey to the Holy Land is tough and harsh; knights and horses lose their lives along the way. After a two year Crusade, the two brothers return home to find that things are not how they left them. Gavin finds that the steward who was left in charge was trying to seize control of the estate, so they release him of his duties. Will is made an earl and Gavin becomes a count and marries Ellie, to whom he was betrothed.

Tweens and adults alike can relate to this book in one way or another because at one time or another everyone has felt like an outcast. Hosanna the horse is the unsung hero of the story. Gavin and other trainers consider Hosanna an outcast because he is smaller than other stallions and seems incapable of carrying out a horse's duties, but Will sees something special in Hosanna. It isn't until a jousting tournament that the people realize exactly what Hosanna is capable of accomplishing. Tween, as well as almost anyone, can relate to being underestimated and then proving people wrong when they come through with flying colors.

BOOK OF THE WEEK: Catherine, Called Birdy by Karen Cushman

This is about a girl named Catherine, but her friends and family refer to her as Birdy. She is a strong-willed and determined 14-year-old girl who keeps a journal of her life in England in 1290. In her journal, Birdy writes about her miserable life as a girl in England and how she must learn to be a proper lady and the duties of a wife (embroidery, remedies, cooking, sewing, etc.) when that is the last thing she wants to be and do,and all she wants is to run around outside and avoid being betrothed to any of the suitors that her father keeps bringing to their house. When Birdy finds out that she is betrothed to a less than desirable older suitor, "Shaggy Beard", she runs away only to discover that sheis who she is and no matter how horrible she thinks her situation is, she should always be herself, andshe should use that to her advantage when she is with her future husband. When she returns, Birdy is pleasantly surprised to discover that Shaggy Beard died in a brawl and that his son, Stephen, wants to honor the contract in his father's place. Things are looking up for Birdy, and she seems to accept things as they are and make the best of the situations that you are dealt.

This book is pretty much Birdy's diary and her account of the events of her fourteenth year, so it is completely in her point of view. It is dated for everyday that she writes in it, such at 21st day of February, and then writes the events of her day. Since it is her diary, it shows her feelings and what she really thinks about people and what happens to her and to them. You can completely sympathize with her when things don't go her way and laugh with her when she outsmarts others. Because it's written as a diary, I didn't think it was going to be that interesting, since it's a historical fiction book, and history is not all that interesting to me, but I actually really ended up liking it and found myself laughing out loud on several occasions in the book. I think students will enjoy it as well because I think they will be able to relate to her in one way or another: she is not allowed to do what she wants to do, she is treated unfairly and unkindly by her father, but her mother is caring and loving. She also plays some funny tricks on people and does some interesting things to get out of doing chores and to make herself undesirable to her suitors. After all has been said and done, she learns an important lesson about herself and who she is, and how being herself is the best thing she can do.

http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6301742.html

http://www.karencushman.com/books/books.html

BOOK OF THE WEEK: Mary, Bloody Mary by Carolyn Meyer

Princess Mary Tudor tells her story of riches to rags: one moment she was destined to become the Queen of England and at the next moment she lost everything that was rightfully hers: her title, her elegant clothes and expensive jewelry, and even communication with her mother, Queen Catherine of Aragon. Mary is eventually treated like a servant in her own home. She tells of her father's (King Henry VIII) dramatic change of personality as his relationship with Anne Boleyn grows stronger. With the help of her favorite maid, Salisbury, a few close friends, and letters from her mother, Mary endured the humiliation (even being forced to be the maid of her half sister, Elizabeth) and remained strong and resilient for as long as she could.

When I saw the title of this book, I remembered when I was in elementary school and I thought of the "myth" or "legend" of how saying Bloody Mary a few times in a dark room would make her appear. I was scared to death of this! With that in mind, it was interesting to learn about the life of Bloody Mary from a historical fiction standpoint. I have heard some of my students mention this myth/legend, and I think that the title would grab their attention like it did mine.

BOOK OF THE WEEK: This is What I Did by Ann Dee Ellis

Everything was fine for 13-year-old Logan...last year. This year he is really having a hard time fitting in at his new middle school, especially since there are rumors about him and his role in a heinous crime last year. With the support of his family, an unlikely friend, and his therapist, Logan learns to speak up for people who can't stick up for themselves.

This book is written differently...it's in prose that goes back and forth between different events, but told completely from Logan's point of view. I was hooked immediately and finished it in a day. At the very beginning I had a hard time getting used to the writing. I liked the way it was written because I had never encountered anything like it before. It was also a little suspenseful...I kept asking myself...what happened? Why is he so upset? I'd get clues here and there, but it wasn't until the end that all the pieces of the puzzles fit perfectly in place, and I thought, "Oh wow! That's intense!"

I think students would be able to put themselves in the story, at least as one of Logan's classmates. I think they'll be able to identify with him, especially since fitting in is a top priority for many middle schoolers. Since it's not written like most books, it might take a little bit before they get used to the writing style, and the suspense will keep them interested in the story.

http://www.anndeeellis.com/ (Click on Book Shelf, and then choose This Is What I Did)

MEDIA SPOTLIGHT: "Boom Boom Pow" by Black Eyed Peas

Just last week our middle school had a dance, and this was one of the songs that someone requested. I must admit that I like this song. I've heard it on the radio while driving in my car, and I've turned up the volume. It is very catchy, the lyrics are not complicated (I can understand them!), and it has a good beat. The video is futuristic, and the group mentions that they're the latest and greatest thing in 3008, and that everyone else is sooo 2008.

The students rushed out onto the dance floor when they heard the opening notes. We heard the clean version at the dance (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KnTlrDbcw). I looked up the video on YouTube, and there were a few curse words in it (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUEXT6Pva9o), and I probably would not have noticed them if I hadn't been deliberately looking for them, and I don't think that the students noticed them either, at least not at the dance!

BOOK OF THE WEEK: Holes by Louis Sachar

Stanley Yelnats and his family have never been lucky; they've been cursed, and it's all because of Stanley's no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather. Stanley has always been in the wrong place at the wrong time, and it is no different when he is accused of stealing Clyde Livingston's sneakers from a charity auction for the local homeless shelter. Stanley serves his sentence at Camp Green Lake, where he will dig holes to build his character. As Stanley learns what it takes to survive at Camp Green Lake, he also learns about himself and about being a good friend. Will he also be able to break the Yelnats family curse?

From an English teacher's point of view, I like the book because it is filled with similes and metaphors, which are always part of district and state tests, so it's nice to see the kids recognize them while we read it out loud and see how a published author uses them in writing. It also has flashbacks and the kids get bits and pieces of information and it's awesome to see them say, "OH!" when they put all the pieces together, and then slowly but surely everyone realizes how everyone and everything is connected even thought some of the events happened over a hundred years ago.

From a reader's point of view, I think anyone would be able to relate to the characters in one way or another. Stanley is in middle school, which is an awkward time for people. I think anyone can relate to feeling insecure and wanting to fit in. It's also a good story about learning about who you are and who you want to be. Plus...there's a movie based on it (which I haven't shown my students...there's just no time!)!

http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA287131.html?q=Holes