A Tiger's Tale

Thank You PG&E - Our students...our future...

2011-06-09T15:14:00.000-07:00

GETA, the Edison High School green energy academy sponsored by PG&E celebrated it's first year and plans for the future. Our students worked in teams to research different types of energy and then built models based on what they had learned. I had the pleasure of working with the students, introducing them to academic research. The students utilized the BIg 6 model, while using Gale's GREENR database as a lauchpad. Once the teams gathered their information, they went to work on both the written aspects to the project as well as the physical model of the energy method researched. With the collaboration of the English, Science, Social Science, Library teachers, as well as, our administration, Superindent Michael Hansen and the parnership between PG&E our students are on their way to reaching new academic accomplishments. View the video here.

Colleges and Social Media

2011-06-06T14:02:00.000-07:00

So you think we are making the whole "Colleges are watching you on Facebook" thing up? Check this out!
Courtesy of: Schools.com

Student Competition Under Way....

2010-04-12T15:14:00.000-07:00

Late News Breaking! This just in…

Video Competition – Win an Xbox 360!
Students in grades 7 through 12 are invited to create a video that communicates the key concepts of the Fresno Unified AUP (Acceptable Use Policy). The winning team will receive an Xbox 360 for their classroom or school. The winning video will be shown annually to Fresno Unified students in a effort to help them better understand the AUP. See the attached flyer for details and contest guidelines.

Deadline to submit a video is May 25th, 2010, so please share with your students right away.

Here are some example clips to show interested students:

Cell Phone Use
Using a Proxy
Edmonds School District AUP

Make sure participating students carefully read the FUSD AUP found here: http://www.fresnounified.org/aup

CAHSEE - Research - New Books

2010-03-10T16:58:00.000-08:00

The CAHSEE administration dates are quickly approaching! Next Tuesday and Wednesday, 10th graders campus-wide will hunker down for 2 days of testing. Teachers have been focusing content lessons and students have been given additional training tools to help with both Math and English. Many students have been given access to CAHSEE Revolution Prep, an online tutorial that works on each students individual needs. Teachers are using the library computer lab to help students access reading materials that are engaging for students and provoke critical thinking and writing opportunities. One site being used to allow students to blog responses to current events is TweenTribune. Finally checkout our Library Thing widget for new additions to our library collection.

An easy way to support our library

2010-02-23T15:01:00.000-08:00

Add the Edison High School toolbar to IE or Firefox. Once you add the Edison High School toolbar for IE or Firefox, each time you shop at one of the more than 1,300 participating stores, a percentage of what you spend will be donated to us at no extra cost to you! (you could even save money as the toolbar provides coupons and deals). The toolbar also has a search box and each time you search the Internet, about a penny is donated to us. No registration is required! Download the Toolbar by clicking this link!

Extended Hours and After School Tutorial in the Library

2009-10-11T15:01:00.000-07:00

With the help of a large grant to expand after school opportunities,the library is now the home of the after school tutorial program at Edison High School. Also, students can earn 5 credits toward high school graduation just for attending tutorial. Information is available both in the north administrative office by contacting our new program director, Ellie Honordoost. Or, by coming to tutorial and talking to one of the tutors for CSU Fresno. See you at the library!

Back To School!~

2009-09-21T18:16:00.000-07:00

Tonight is Back to School night at Edison High School. Come by the library to find out your students grades, your login to PowerSchool, or how you can help the Library with time or donations. See you there!

2009-08-25T14:12:00.000-07:00

As school starts, so to does the first year of the library checking out the text books. Although it has been an extremely physically demanding job, I know that we will save student, the district and ultimately ourselves a great deal of time and money. If you have textbooks from other schools, you can bring them to our library and we will help to clear your account and get the books back to where they belong. We have some new books that will be available as soon as we can open, which we hope will be soon. Tiger Peace....Tiger Love...and have a great school year!

"The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins

2009-03-12T12:47:00.000-07:00

I really enjoyed this book! I can not wait for book 2 to come out! If I were a betting person, I would bet that the website and games associated with the book and eventually the movie will be a hit! Book reviews and links to cites can be found on the Edison High wiki.

New Books Arriving Daily...

2008-11-16T19:36:00.000-08:00

We have been adding new books to the collection, mostly new Fiction, but also highly requested titles from the past. "In Cold Blood," by Truman Capote has finally arrived. "Lost Boy," the sequel the the highly popular "A Child Called It," has also arrived. A batch of the latest award winner books and the latest shipment of Junior Library Guild picks are also finding their way to our shelves. Come on in and check out the new additions!

New Books to Read...

2008-11-05T16:12:00.000-08:00

Yes, we have new books slowing making their way into the collection. It is very easy to locate these books when you search the library catalog. Instead of a "Basic" search, choose Copy Catagories, scroll down to New Books Fall 2008. Choose to "view" the list. You can then sort by title, author, and date. Use the link to view a video to see how it's done: http://www.screencast.com/t/FpQbUlf1

More books are on there way...I tried to get a copy of everything that was in the "Book Request" box, and a few new "hot" titles I thought you all would enjoy. Happy Reading!!!!

It's a New School Year and Things are A Changn'

2008-08-30T23:22:00.000-07:00

The Library at Edison High School has been a very busy place, despite the fact that we have not "officially" opened to the students. We have a new Library Technician that comes to us from Fresno High School and has 15 years of experience. Please come in and welcome Mrs. Driver to Tiger Town. Other changes this year include full conversion to our new catalog system Destiny. The catalog is now assessable from the Internet while on any FUSD site. It is our goal to open the catalog for full Internet access in the future. New too this year is textbook check out. Soon all textbooks on campus will be bar coded and checked out through the Destiny system. It should allow students to more easily turn in and check out material. Expanding research opportunities have been provided to everyone with the purchase of three exceptional research databases giving students and staff access to national and international periodicals, newspapers, encyclopedic entries, essays, transcripts and books unparalleled to previous years offerings. Students can now access Gale's InfoTrac and Opposing Viewpoints Research Center from any internet connection. The necessary user name and passwords are provided to you on our wiki with direct links to the site. In addition to Gale, we were pleased to be able to also obtain most ABC Clio's History Social Science electronic sources and several of Marshall Cavendish's Science offerings

Getting my head around SharePoint

2008-07-21T20:19:00.001-07:00

Wow! After spending the day working in a 21^st Century Classroom technology class centered around Fresno Unified School District's new website and collaboration tool, my head is spinning! SharePoint is a Microsoft product, and works like most Microsoft products…a bit more difficult than needs to be. Maybe it's just me, but I can't seem to separate the idea of "sites" and I can't seem to get my links and site permissions to show what I would like to be shown…oh well, if not for trial and error, progress would not be made. I hope to absorb more tomorrow and be ready with some pointed questions in order to "calm down a bit" and begin to use the tool for what it is designed to be, a collaboration and integration of all you do. Starting with this post, which I am using a Word blogging tool and I set both my MySite and Blogger account up. This should show up on my MySite RSS feed of this library blog. For any teachers that wish to use the new MySite, I suggest they sign up for some training. Go to: FUSD Instructional Technology Calendar

New Research Databases Available Now!

2008-07-10T10:47:00.000-07:00

We have been able to purchase 3 new research databases for teachers, students, staff and parents to use. While we used EBSCO's Student Research Center last year, and it is a very good product; we will no longer use it this year. In place of this, the Library Media Center has purchased InfoTrac K-12 Student and Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center from Gale. This product will allow students access to the same type of content the EBSCO product offered, and the interface is similar so students should not have that hard of time adjusting. In addition to the Gale product, we have purchased the following digital databases from ABC-CLIO Social Science: American History, Issues, U.S. at War, World Geography, Ancient World History, and Modern World History. Finally, we are pleased to offer access to 7 of Marshall Cavendish's Digital databases that will give patrons access to up-to-date topics in Science, Medicine, Technology, and Social Issues. You can access all of these databases from any internet connection in the world using a user name and password. This information and direct links to each database are available on the Edison High School Library wiki. All links on this page will direct you to the EHS Library wiki. On a more personal note...summer is flying by! Take this time to look at the new resources available to you, and read up on things that interest you! Before you know it, a teacher is going to assign a "research project" and your choices may not be your own. Use this time to investigate those issues that you want to know more about, and you may be able to use it in the future!

Summertime Reading Suggestions for Teens

2008-06-19T15:44:00.001-07:00

I just got notice of this online posting that gives a good list of "good summer reads for teens." If anyone reads any of these titles that are suggested (or anything else for that matter), reply to this post and give us your opinion. Titles can be found at: http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6567602.html~

New Titles In May...

2008-04-10T08:40:00.000-07:00

I've gotten away from the books a bit in the blog, so I thought I would try to start posting titles I know we will be getting via our subscription to the Jr. Library Guild and the generous support of the Edison High School School Site Council and our Principal, Rick Lopez. We are currently getting 6 titles monthly, and next year will be adding to the monthly subscption so that we will have a guaranteed 8 new titles every month next year. The subscription uses "Levels" to describe the books, so I will post links to the next months titles here in the blog. The Levels are as follows:
Level:

YM
Realease Date: May

Level:

Y+
Release Date: May

Level:

Y
Relealse Date: May

Level:

SM
Release Date: May

Level:
MM
Release Date: May

Level:

GM
Release Date: May

You can go to the Jr. Library Guild website to read reviews or see what is coming in June and beyond!~

Having Fun with Outlook!

2008-04-09T15:27:00.000-07:00

As we go through the conversion process here at Edison High School, many are just a bit frustrated with the "new" district email system. Microsoft Outlook is hardly new, but to those of us that have been on GroupWise...well, let's just say we are a bit FRUSTRATED! But never fear...I understand good things are coming! One thing you can do is to download the new Microsoft Office suite from the District web site. The computer based Outlook (referred to as Outlook Client) as many more of the user friendly functions that we have become used to. I hear that we are using the 2003 web version, and that that will be upgraded to the 2007 version in the near future...but who knows! What I do know is that if you download the software and sync the two...your life gets better! Good luck to us all!

EHS Welcomes the WASC visiting committee

2008-02-12T12:22:00.001-08:00

February is the month of:

National Library Lovers Month

National African-American History Month

National Black History Month

American Heart Month

...and we here at Edison High have the privilege of hosting the visiting committee from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). The visiting committee will meet in our Library Media Center and use it as it's "home base" while observing and assessing our school. Unfortunately, this will close the library to students during this time, but teachers will continue to utilize the L2 computer lab during the visit. For an updated look at the happenings in the library, you can check the calendar at: Google Calendar

Books, Books, Books...& Research

2008-01-31T08:39:00.000-08:00

Oh, boy...did it get crazy during the holidays! Too little time to blog, but everyone should know that there are new books, books, books in our library! Thanks to our School Site Council, one-time grant money has been used to update the collection and purchase research datbases for student research. Over 300 new fiction and 150 new non-fiction books are ready for check out. You can find them in the "New" section located at the front of the library. Additionally, the purchase of EBSCO's Student Research Center now gives our students instance access to online reference books, biographnies, prinary source documents, images, video, maps,and flags; as well as, access to articles from over 25 U.S. and international newspapers and articles from over 4,800 resources! The EBSCO's service allows students to choose from 4 interfaces: Student Research Center, Point of View Reference center, History Research Center, and finally an option to choose which databases are accessed thourgh EBSCOhost Interface. Students can access this from anywhere there is an Internet connection! There is a direct link in this blog, as well as on the Edison High School Library wiki.

November Dates...and a Great Read!

2007-11-06T09:37:00.000-08:00

The library will be closed on the following dates for CAHSEE Testing: November 6 & 7

The library will be closed on the following dates for Hearing and Vision Screening: November 15 & 16

No School...Library Closed November 12....Veteran's Day (go to the parade downtown...it's really fun!)

And finally we will be closed for the...Thanksgiving Holiday: November 19th-23rd...

New Book....Great Read...

from...Booklist (August 2007 (Vol. 103, No. 22))

First Daughter Jenna Bush worked as an intern with UNICEF throughout Latin America, and in her first book, she focuses on the life of a young woman she befriended during her travels. Infected with HIV/AIDS at birth, Ana loses both parents to the disease. After suffering abuse at relatives’ homes, she finds a caring center for those living with HIV/AIDS, where she falls in love and eventually gets pregnant. Her child is born without the virus, and at the story’s close, Ana has found a peaceful home where she can plan a new life for herself and her baby. The pace is brisk: chapters are only a few pages long, and the accessible language and simple sentences will pull reluctant readers. A few jarring passages point to Bush’s outsider’s view (a comparison between Ana and “the exotic subjects in Gaugin's Tahiti paintings” stands out), but the wrenching story, illustrated with a few photos, effectively sends an urgent message: too many children are unsafe and burdened by secrets. Classroom-ready resources include discussion questions and suggestions for volunteering.

Enough about the books....!What's going in in the LMC...?

2007-10-03T16:09:00.000-07:00

The month of October brings many activities to the Library Media Center...

Battle of the Books: All interested students...join us for lunch on October 17!

College Rep.'s: Yes, they are already starting to arrive! Fresno State and UC Merced have rep.'s here weekly. Sign up with Mrs. Lopez in the Resource Center to meet with the rep. of your choice one-on-one.

October 3: Brown University
October 25: Mills College

Parent Support: Come on in to the Parent center to access PowerSchool, or use the Internet.

Hmong Parent Group is meeting Friday, October 5 at 9am in the Library

The Spanish Parent Club is meeting Thursday, October 11 at 9am in the Library

Unfortunately we will be closed to students 1st through 7th periods due to CELDT Testing the entire week of October 15th.

Come on in and find a New Book!!

2007-10-03T15:28:00.001-07:00

The books continue to arrive...come on in and look for the New selections when y0u walk in...

Dare to Succeed -The creator of reality TV, Burnett reveals the secrets to success he developed over his checkered career as a soldier, nanny/errand boy, professional adventure-tour operator and now producer of the now oft-imitated Survivor, an enormous financial triumph. His simple principles are familiar self-help truisms "only results count," "have the courage to fail," "be right or be wrong, but make a decision." He catalogues his professional ups and downs, including having to master mountain climbing when his partner/ guide left him, and mishandling his team for a major eco-challenge competition, and he undertakes a brief self-examination for each experience. For example, he concludes that the disappointing eco-challenge "was a blessing in disguise.... Through the devastating act of quitting I gained an incentive to persevere, if only so I would never know that awful sensation.... Babe Ruth failed 70% of the time when he stepped to the plate. That never stopped him from swinging for fences." After several such platitudes and unoriginal insights delivered in a cocksure manner, readers may have had enough. On the other hand, his unflagging, unabashed insistence on banal principles and his resulting physical and material successes may keep readers soldiering on in spite of themselves, not unlike his TV audience. (Sept. 12)Forecast: This unremarkable addition to motivational literature may garner an early sales spike due to Burnett's visibility and the fall debut of Survivor III. From Publishers Weekly

Who Knew? is a collection of tidbits and trivia about well-known personalities and products that we all are familiar with-or at least think we're familiar with. For example, did you know that the VW Beetle was commissioned by Adolph Hitler (and designed by Ferdinand Porsche)? Or that the name "Oz" came to author L. Frank Baum when he noticed the drawers of his filing cabinet were marked A - G, H - N, and O - Z? From Twinkies to Tupperware to toys and television, these offbeat informational nuggets are guaranteed to entertain and enthrall. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Poetry for Young People - *Starred Review* Gr. 7-10. Hughes' stirring poetry continues to have enormous appeal for young people. In this illustrated collection of 26 poems, Andrews' beautiful collage-and-watercolor illustrations extend the rhythm, exuberance, and longing of the words--not with literal images, but with tall, angular figures that express a strong sense of African American music, dreams, and daily life--while leaving lots of space for the words to "sing America." The picture-book format makes Hughes' work accessible to some grade-school children, especially for reading aloud and sharing, but the main audience will be older readers, who can appreciate the insightful, detailed introduction and biography, as well as the brief notes accompanying each poem, contributed by Hughes scholars Roessel and Rampersol. Their comments, together with the quotes from the poet himself, will encourage readers to return to the book to see how Hughes made poetry of his personal life, black oral and musical traditions, urban experience, and the speech of ordinary people. Whether the focus is the Harlem Renaissance, the political struggle, Hughes' African heritage, or the weary blues, this book will find great use in many libraries. Hazel Rochman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved -from Booklist

Polar - Acclaimed for his idiosyncratic prose and picaresque colloquialisms and his irreverent but brilliantly insightful portrayals of the smalltown denizens of backwater North Carolina and Virginia Pearson revisits sad but savvy deputy sheriff Ray Tatum and Kit Carson, his off-again, on-again African-American park ranger girlfriend from his seventh novel, Blue Ridge. Wildly and delightfully digressive, the yarn is narrated in the omniscient voice of the collective townsfolk in Pearson's signature run-on gnarly sentences. Possessing the annoying habit of regaling locals and strangers alike with the plots of the latest porno flicks beamed in on his TV satellite dish, Clayton, the town recluse, undergoes a sudden personality change at the checkout counter of the local grocery mart and adopts the name Titus. Retiring to his rundown residence, he begins to sketch an outline of Antarctica on his fireplace chimney and demonstrates surprising abilities as a seer after ostensibly foretelling the death of a pet pooch. After the toddler daughter of a transplanted Ohio lawyer vanishes into thin air, the citizenry seek the help of the newfound prophet, but to no avail. A veterinarian couple who like to indulge in sex smeared with wallpaper paste, a llama crossbred with wild deer, a slicker running a septic-tank scam, a clan of ne'er-do-wells operating a produce stand with fruit stolen from nearby orchards, and enough oddballs to cast a Coen brothers' film enliven the road to denouement. Aptly compared to Faulkner and Mark Twain, Pearson always focuses his satire on some aspect of our national character; here, it's what he sees as our hypocritical attitude toward porn. As usual, a subtle sadness counterpoints his marvelously whimsical meanderings, giving substance to this wholly enjoyable tale. 5-city author tour.Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Dogs of Babel -It's a terrific high concept: a woman falls from a backyard tree and dies; the only witness is the family dog, a Rhodesian Ridgeback. To find out what happened-accident? suicide?-her grieving husband tries to teach the dog to talk. Parkhurst's debut novel has been getting a lot of pre-pub attention, probably mostly for this concept, because the execution of this first novel is flawed. The tantalizing prospect of linguistics professor Paul Iverson attempting to teach Lorelei to talk is given short, and erratically plotted, shrift. Paul's narration oscillates between his present-day experiences and the backstory of his romance with Lexy Ransome, a mask maker. The two meet when Paul drops by Lexy's yard sale, buys a device for shaping hard-boiled eggs into squares, then returns with a bunch of square eggs ("And we stood there smiling, with the plate between us, the egg-cubes glowing palely in the growing dark"). This incident, a maxi-combo of cute and sentimental, defines much of the couple's love story (on their first date, Lexy whisks them off to DisneyWorld), marking much of this novel as a sentimental, manipulative romance not unlike James Patterson's Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas; some readers will adore it, while others will gag even as the pages darken toward tragedy. Few will relish the sketchy account of Paul's work with the dog, which goes nowhere until it veers, bizarrely and unbelievably, toward an underground group performing illegal surgical experiments on dogs. Parkhurst is a fluid stylist, and there are memorable moments here, as well as some terrific characters (particularly the enigmatic Lexy), but one gets the sense of an author trying to stuff every notion she's ever had into her first book, with less than splendid results.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From Publishers Weekly

New Non-Fiction Too...

2007-10-02T08:36:00.000-07:00

We are also getting a few non-fiction books as well...a short description of them:

Life In Prison

A cofounder of the notorious Crips gang in California recounts his life on death row. Chapters with titles such as "the hole," "rules," and "the strip search" include graphic, disturbing descriptions of prison life and this inmate's reaction to his incarceration. At the end of each chapter, Williams encourages readers to think about aspects of their lives that bother them, or that they take for granted, and consider what these issues are like for a death-row inmate. The author is straightforward about details of his life, and the book is written in a conversational, approachable tone. Black-and-white photos of Williams and fellow San Quentin prisoners are painful reminders of the life he is trying to steer kids away from. The book may leave readers wanting to know more about this man's work with violence prevention. However, it is a sobering personal view of life behind bars.Carol Fazioli, The Brearley School, New York City, NYCopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. (from Library Journal)

Now, let me tell you What I Really Think

Here is another celebrity journalist who believes that the public needs to know more about his opinions on current events. Matthews (Hardball), host of the MSNBC and CNBC weeknight program, Hardball with Chris Matthews, also serves as a substitute weekend news anchor for NBC, offers commentary for the Today show, and is a nationally syndicated columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle. In this engaging account, he explores his personal history, including his middle-class Republican Catholic upbringing and his two years of Peace Corps service, to analyze his current political positions on contemporary culture. Although his experiences as a presidential speechwriter for Jimmy Carter and top aide to House Speaker Thomas P. "Tip" O'Neill gave him an insider's view of politics, Matthews sees himself as a spokesperson for the ordinary citizen. The opening segment on George Bush was rewritten at the last minute to portray the President's leadership style positively in light of the events of September 11. Those interested in Matthews's views will enjoy his appealing writing style, and public libraries where works by journalists circulate well should consider ordering. Judy Solberg, George Washington Univ. Lib., Washington, DC Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. (from Library Journal)

Bird Watching : On Playing and Coaching the Game I Love
Fans expecting the literary highlight reel of the NBA legend's championship years with the Boston Celtics may be initially put off by this loosely organized collection of opinions and reminiscences. They should stick with it, however, because ultimately the book is an endearingly honest self-portrait of a humble man who has made the most of his opportunities. Celtic fans will be titillated by the frank reports of just how Larry Legend wound up leaving Boston. Being a give-it-to-me-straight kind of guy, he was disgusted with the disingenuous ways of the Celtic front office, where he briefly worked after his playing days. Bird, now the head coach of the Indiana Pacers, also explains, quite briskly, how his relationship with fellow Celtic Kevin McHale went sour: as their careers wound down, McHale and another teammate went behind Bird's back to reporters with complaints that his play had become selfish. But Bird's refusal to pull punches doesn't hit only his adversaries: he admits that he was lucky that his good friend Rick Robey was traded away from the Celtics, because the good times they had together got in the way of Bird's career. He also writes that not he, but Jerry Sloan of the Utah Jazz should have been named Coach of the Year in 1998. The Hick from French Lick solidifies his reputation as a straight-talker unimpressed with his own legend. (Sept.) Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From Publishers Weekly

As Promised...New Books Trickling In

2007-09-24T14:17:00.000-07:00

Our library is about to receive over 300 new fiction books! On top of YA fiction books...new biographies, and non-fiction books will start to fill the shelves. And so, as promised, I will post the new titles and, if possible, a short description of the each of them on this blog.

The Higher Power of Lucky
From School Library Journal: When Lucky's mother is electrocuted and dies after a storm, Lucky's absentee father calls his ex-wife, Brigitte, to fly over from France to take care of the child. Two years later, the 10-year-old worries that Brigitte is tired of being her guardian and of their life in Hard Pan (pop. 42) in the middle of the California desert. While Lucky's best friend ties intricate knots and the little boy down the road cries for attention, she tries to get some control over her life by restocking her survival kit backpack and searching for her Higher Power. This character-driven novel has an unusually complicated backstory, and a fair amount of exposition. Yet, its quirky cast and local color help to balance this fact, and the desert setting is fascinating. Lucky's tendency to jump to conclusions is frustrating, but her struggle to come to terms with her mother's death and with her new life ring true. Phelan's cover and line drawings are simple and evocative, a perfect complement to the text. Fans of novels by Deborah Wiles and Katherine Hannigan will be happy to meet Lucky.–Adrienne Furness, Webster Public Library, NY

Each Little Bird That Sings
I come from a family with a lot of dead people." So begins this narrative by 10-year-old Comfort Snowberger, who prides herself on taking death in stride–after all, her family owns and operates the funeral parlor in the small town of Snapfinger, MS. Then loss hits closer to home, first with the death of Great-uncle Edisto and, a few months later, with Great-great-aunt Florentine. During a storm on the way to the cemetery, flooding causes an accident involving Comfort; her irritating, emotional cousin, Peach; and her beloved dog, Dismay, who drowns. Interspersed throughout is the story of the girl's changing relationship with her friend Declaration Johnson, who seems to be dropping her. Comfort writes and submits "Life Notices" (as opposed to Death Notices) to the Aurora County News, along with such items as her "Top Ten Tips for First-rate Funeral Behavior" ("This is not a good time to remind the family that the deceased owes you money"), and, for friends, a recipe or two. Sensitive, funny, and occasionally impatient, Comfort is a wholly sympathetic protagonist who learns that emotions may not be as easy to control as she had assumed. While the book is a bit too long and some of the Southern eccentricity wears thin, this is a deeply felt novel.–Lauralyn Persson, Wilmette Public Library, IL

New Fiction:
Chicken Boy
*Starred Review* Since Tobin McCauley's mom died of cancer, his family has fallen apart. Nobody talks about grief at home, a dirty "old brick shoe box" off a highway near Raleigh, North Carolina, where Tobin lives with his dad and his older, delinquent siblings. Granny is sometimes kind to Tobin, but she's always feuding with Dad. Then in seventh grade, Tobin meets Henry, who helps him raise chickens and supports him so he can stand up for himself. The friend as savior character is too good to be true, as are the therapy sessions where Tobin's family finally talks. What will grab readers are Tobin's wry, sad, immediate voice as he discovers how to nurture chickens, and Dowell's depiction of adults, from Tobin's kind decent teacher to his flawed granny and dad, both of whom let Tobin down. There is no glib resolution, here. But the strong narration and the child's struggle with forgiveness make for poignant, aching drama. Hazel Rochman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Day of Tears
From School Library Journal:
Starred Review. This powerful and engaging historical novel is told in dialogue and through monologues. It also moves around in time, from the period when the story takes place to "interludes," in which the various characters look back on these events years later. It begins with a factual event–the largest slave auction in United States history that
took place in 1859 on Pierce Butler's plantation in Georgia. The book introduces Butler, his abolitionist ex-wife Fanny Kemble, their two daughters, the auctioneer, and a number of slaves sold to pay off Butler's gambling debts. Emma, a fictional house slave, is the centerpiece of the novel. She cares for the master's daughters and has been promised that she will never be sold. On the last day of the auction, Butler impulsively sells her to a woman from Kentucky. There she marries, runs away, and eventually gains her freedom in Canada. Lester has done an admirable job of portraying the simmering anger and aching sadness that the slaves must have felt. Each character is well drawn and believable. Both blacks and whites liberally use the word "nigger," which will be jarring to modern-day students. The text itself is easy to read and flows nicely. Different typefaces distinguish the characters' monologues, their dialogues with one another, and their memories. Still, middle school readers may have some difficulty following the plot until they get used to the unusual format. Altogether this novel does a superb job of showing the inhumanity of slavery. It begs to be read aloud, and it could be used in sections to produce some stunning reader's theatre.–Bruce Anne Shook, Mendenhall Middle School, Greensboro, NC

Vampire High

From Booklist
There's barely a false note in this rollicking tale of horror, humor, and light romance that will appeal to both girls and boys. Transplanted from California to an archetypal New England town, ninth-grader Cody Elliot flunks out of the local public school; but he's accepted at Vlad Dracul Magnet School, where most of the students are tall, pale, and prone to Edwardian mannerisms. The school timber wolf accompanies Cody to his first day of classes, and it doesn't take the new kid long to figure out that the school is populated by--and organized to continue the traditional social life of--vampires. Rees keeps things moving and delightfully off-balance as Cody rescues a classmate from bullies, falls in love with a vampire princess, and designs a way to save the school. The parody of New England society adds yet another level of hilarity, but at the center are Cody and his toothsome friends, inspired and inspirational teens discovering the world as it is and making it renew for themselves. Francisca Goldsmith

Elsewhere
From School Library Journal
This coming-of-age novel by Gabrielle Zavin (Farrar, 2005) has a unique twist. Although Liz is maturing, coping with disappointments, and controlling her anger, she is getting younger. Having been killed by a hit and run driver, she now lives in Elsewhere with the grandmother who died before she was born. After death, the residents get younger until they become babies and are reborn onto Earth again. Initially mad at the driver and sad that she will not have a boyfriend and attend the prom, Liz misses her family and is sullen and depressed. Gradually, she begins to realize that life is not so bad in the hereafter. Although written in the second person, the text and the narration by Cassandra Morris draws listeners into this new world, giving them a sense of immediacy. Morris's youthful, gentle, slightly nasal voice clearly brings out Lizzie's life and frustrations, and her tone becomes harsh to show anger. For the most part, she reads quickly, almost sprightly, but at dramatic moments she slows to heighten suspense. There is no significant voice changes to differentiate between male and female characters. An excellent choice to motivate reluctant readers or just for enjoyment.-Claudia Moore, W.T. Woodson High School, Fairfax, VA

All In

by Pete Hautman

Denn has been on a hot streak: playing poker with Vegas's highest rollers and winning every time. But that all changes when he gets involved with a redheaded card dealer named Cattie. Soon, his bankroll's down to almost nothing, he's playing in games with little old ladies, and a powerful rival has shown up. Denn is left with doubts about just whose side Cattie is on. He'll bet everything on one final game to learn the truth.

New titles in Tiger Town... for your reading pleasure

2007-08-16T15:35:00.000-07:00

Welcome back Tigers! The Library Media Center will be closed in order to process textbooks and new reading materials until September 4. That's the bad news. But...did I say new reading materials...Yes I did! My next post will list and give a short review of some of the new fiction that will be available. Let's get ready to ROAR!

Help Our Library...Donate Using Amazon Wish List

2007-05-20T09:38:00.000-07:00

Well, by popular demand, a wish list of desired reading material for our school library is being posted on our blog, our wiki, and hopefully the school website (in the future). If any of you has suggestions for the wish list, I truly welcome them. Email us at: ehslmc@gmail.com

Poetry Day @ EHS

2007-04-12T11:53:00.000-07:00

The Poetry Society of Edison High School will sponsor Poetry Day @ EHS on April 18th, 2007. Take look at the library wiki for information about our guest speakers. Also posted on the wiki are teacher resources related to poetry.