Calling all Alex Rider series fans

A 5th grader asked me to start a discussion about the Alex Rider series. I haven't read any of them, but they sure check out fast. Here's a link to the author.

What do you like about the series? Is there any way they could be improved?

Twilight fans! Stephenie Meyer is coming to town!

Can't get enough of Edward and/or Jacob? Want to meet the creator of the Twilight series? Click here for more info.

5th grade recommendations

I just finished two books, The Trouble Begins by Linda Himelblau and Middle School is Worse than Meatloaf by Jennifer Holm. The first one is about Du, a Vietnamese boy who comes to California to join his family. Since English is not his first language, he has a hard time adjusting to American life and his family is not the most helpful. It's a great read about what it's like coming to a new country and the hardships faced. The other book is a quick read about Ginny Davis' 7th grade year. The author tells her story through stuff; for example, one page is her report card, another is instant messages with a friend. Check them out!

What book would you like to recommend to 5th graders? When you respond, be sure to include the author. You can look at amazon.com if you forgot or need help with spelling.

Mrs. K :)

More Movie News

Diary of a Wimpy Kid!(FROM HOLLYWOOD REPORTER) – Fox 2000 is developing a live-actionfamily movie adaptation of Jeff Kinney's Diary of a Wimpy Kid books.The five-book series focuses on the awkward life of middle schoolstudent Greg Heffley. The storytelling alternates between handwrittentext and comicbook illustration. Fox 2000 has started work on a firstmovie with possibly more to follow. Former Buena Vista president NinaJacobson is producing the film, and the search has begun for ascreenwriter and director. Heffley's series started out as a Web bookon Funbrain.com in 2004. The first novel, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, cameout last spring, and the second book, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: RodrickRules, released this month. Both hit No. 1 on the New York Times'best-seller list. The third installment, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: TheLast Straw, is due later this year, with two more to be written.(Hollywood Reporter)

How do you think this will do as a movie?

Mrs. K

What are you reading?

I'm currently reading The White Darkness, the 2007 Printz winner and it is one bizarre book! Sym, the main character, thinks she is going to Paris with her uncle but he manages to kidnap her and go to Antarctica to find Symme's Hole. From there, it's one twist after another!

I just finished listening to A Brief Chapter in My Impossible Life which I really liked. Simone is a teenage girl who reconnects with her biological mother. She is such a normal teenager which made the book seem fairly realistic to me.

What are you reading now?

Mrs. K :)

Upcoming movies

Did you read and like Coraline? I just found out it's going to be released as a movie next year. Click here for more details.

Even more books that will become movies:
The Spiderwick Chronicles (Tony Diterlizzi) Feb. 2008
Penelope (Marilyn Kaye) Feb. 2008
Horton Hears a Who! (Dr. Seuss) March 2008
Inkheart (Cornelia Funke) April 2008
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (C.S. Lewis) May 2008
Iron Man (Comic) (Stan Lee) May 2008
Tale of Despereaux (Kate DiCamillo) Dec. 2008
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 - based on fourth book in series (August)
Twilight - Meyer(December)
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas- 6/08
The City of Ember -10/08

I know I am excited for Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2? Which ones do you want to see?

Mrs. K :)

Colorado Blue Spruce Award

The winner of the 2008 Colorado Blue Spruce Book Award is Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by JK Rowling, with 414 votes. New Moon by Stephenie Meyer, Uglies by Scott Westerfeld, and Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiement by James Patterson were the runners up.

I was sure that New Moon was going to be the winner. What about you?

The 2009 Nominees are up at this link. Which of them have you read?