Booktalk

Knifepoint by Alex Van Tol

2011-01-25T14:47:00.001-05:00

Rot and Ruin by Jonathan Maberry

2011-01-25T14:44:00.000-05:00

Hunger by Kessler

2010-11-29T11:51:00.002-05:00

Three Black Swans

2010-11-29T10:55:00.000-05:00

Zombie Chasers

2010-11-29T10:54:00.002-05:00

The Devil's Sword by Douglas Richards

2010-11-22T12:30:00.001-05:00

The Good, The Bad and the Barbie; A Doll's History and the Impact on US

2010-11-15T10:14:00.000-05:00

The Galahad Series by Dom Testa

2010-11-15T09:38:00.000-05:00

Poop Happened

2010-11-10T13:09:00.002-05:00

Prairie Whispers

2010-11-10T13:08:00.000-05:00

The Sacrifice

2010-11-10T13:06:00.001-05:00

The Eyes of the Emperor

2010-11-10T13:04:00.001-05:00

Get Real - What Kind or World are we buying?

2010-11-10T12:58:00.001-05:00

Almost Astronauts; 13 WOMEN WHO DARED TO DREAM

2010-11-10T10:47:00.002-05:00

Half Minute Horrors

2010-09-22T21:22:00.000-04:00

Hunger Games

2010-09-21T22:02:00.001-04:00

Stuck in Neutral

2010-09-21T22:00:00.001-04:00

REEL CULTURE 50 Classic Movies You Should Know by O'Connor

2010-09-01T21:58:00.001-04:00

Lies by Michael Grant

2010-08-15T12:21:00.001-04:00

Dark Life by Kat Falls

2010-08-11T19:33:00.000-04:00

Disasters - Man made and Natural

2010-08-05T14:11:00.001-04:00

They Never Came Back by Caroline Cooney

2010-07-30T21:31:00.000-04:00

Birmingham Sunday

2010-07-28T16:48:00.001-04:00

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner

2010-07-28T15:25:00.002-04:00

Zombie Blondes

2010-07-28T10:33:00.001-04:00

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Epitaph road by David Patneaude

2010-06-07T13:29:00.004-04:00

"Nocturne" by Zero Project

Once by Morris Gleitzman

2010-06-04T06:08:00.002-04:00

Fans of Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli and The Boy in the Striped
Pajamas by John Boyne will find Once a compelling read.

Music - "Oldtime" by Galdson

Boys that Bite by Marianne Mancusi

2010-06-01T21:12:00.001-04:00

Music by Pharoas

By the time you read this I'll be dead by Ryan

2010-06-01T06:17:00.002-04:00

By the time you read this I'll be dead.

Music by Zero Project

A Small Free Kiss in the Dark by Glenda Millard

2010-05-31T09:06:00.000-04:00

Music by Anitek.

Dictators and Tyrants by Michael Burgan

2010-05-18T08:15:00.000-04:00

Dictators, tyrants and evil leaders oh my!

Thirteen leaders that have taken control of their countries through ruthless measures.

Vlad Dracula actually impaled his enemies with sharp sticks. Bram Stoker used his name for his famous book Dracula.
Stalin had over 40,000 people killed in less than a year!
Mao Zedong's plan of moving all the farmers into factories actually caused 40 million Chinese to starve.

This short book is packed with information about these leaders.

The Dreadful, Smelly Colonies - The Disgusting Details About Life in Colonial America

2010-05-18T07:53:00.000-04:00

The 13 American Colonies the forefathers of our country had it rough. Not only were they trying to settle in a harsh new land but they did not understand basic hygiene.

Did you know that people didn't bathe? They thought it was unhealthy? Or that corncobs were used because there was no toilet paper? Even better the colonist had lice...

Disgusted yet? Pick up The Dreadful, Smelly Colonies by Elizabeth Raum.

Bus 2 Podcast

2010-05-14T12:58:00.007-04:00

Bus 2 -

Bus 2, Day 3 -

National Geographic Presents Weird but True!

2010-04-28T08:40:00.002-04:00

Tons of reading over break

2010-04-22T20:35:00.002-04:00

I enjoy when we have breaks. I have been doing tons of reading. Stay tuned for booktalks about what I have read.

Also, I have bought some new books for the library. I cannot wait to share with everyone....

Percy Jackson the Ultimate Guide by Mary Jane Knight

2010-04-15T09:05:00.000-04:00

Cryptids and other Creepy Creatures by John D. Wright

2010-04-15T08:52:00.003-04:00

Disgusting Bugs by Connie Colwell Miller

2010-04-13T12:38:00.002-04:00

Fake ID - Hunted Series by Walter Sorrells

2010-04-13T12:34:00.001-04:00

Mythlopedia - Oh My Gods

2010-04-13T12:30:00.001-04:00

Wuthering Heights

2010-03-31T09:25:00.002-04:00

After the Death of Anna Gonzales by Terri Fields

2010-02-11T11:31:00.005-05:00

Hunger by Michael Grant

2010-02-11T11:02:00.001-05:00

Hunger by Michael Grant

2010-01-30T17:26:00.002-05:00

Just started reading Hunger by Michael Grant the second book in his Gone Series. It picked up where Gone left off and is action packed. The children in the FAYZ are starving and the animals are mutating at an alarming rate...

When you Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

2010-01-25T09:07:00.000-05:00

The Compound by S. A. Bodeen

2010-01-19T14:29:00.003-05:00

White-Out by Walter Sorrells

2010-01-13T16:25:00.001-05:00

Wish you were dead by Todd Strasser

2010-01-11T10:24:00.001-05:00

Gone by Michael Grant

2010-01-11T09:53:00.006-05:00

First Shot by Walter Sorrells

2010-01-02T13:56:00.005-05:00

I couldn't put the book down. Just when you think you know who the killer is another twist is thrown in.

David Crandall is a senior at a military prep school where his dad is the headmaster. David isn't a great student or popular but he is good with a gun. (Shooting is a sport at the school.) David's Dad is a hard man and is extremely tough on Dave. He wasn't always that way though, he changed when David's mother was killed on school grounds. The murder has never been solved...

David runs into an old friends, someone from the wrong side of the tracks, that gives him a key. This key could unlock the truth...

First Shot is an action packed mystery that will keep you reading until late into the night.

the Yggyssey by Daniel Pinkwater

2010-01-01T12:02:00.002-05:00

The Yggyssey; How Iggy Wondered What Happened to All the Ghosts, Found out Where they Went, and Went There, an interesting title for an interesting book...

Yggyssey, Iggy for short, lives in 1950's Hollywood among the movies stars both living and dead. She lives in the Hermione Hotel which is the home to both people and ghosts. The ghosts include Rudolph Valentino, La Brea Woman and a rabbit named Chase. Iggy is friends with them all and then one day they begin to disappear. With the help of her human friends, Seamus and Martin she begins to investigate where the ghost have gone and starts a journey to Old New Hackensack. The journey is interesting to say the least.

Let me know what you think.

Blue Lipstick - Concrete Poems

2009-12-17T10:49:00.003-05:00

(page 21 from Blue Lipstick)

Blue Lipstick is a book of poems like the one above. It tells the story of Jessie as she is going through her life...fun read. Each poem takes a different shape to reflect how she is feeling and thinking.

The Complete Horowitz Horror

2009-12-06T18:40:00.002-05:00

Hororwitz should be Horrorwitz in these short stories that are sure to keep the reader up at night. Possessed bath tubs, cameras that change the future and cottages with vendettas against women are just a few stories that will send shivers down your spine.

Don't miss the Complete Horowitz Horror!

2009-12-03T21:43:00.001-05:00

Mysterious Monsters by John Townsend

2009-12-03T14:50:00.003-05:00

Do monsters exist? How are the sightings of Loch Ness and the Big Foot explained?

Did you know that people have reported seeing hairy, human like beasts in North America for over 400 years?

That the Komodo Dragon wasn't discovered until 1912?

What about sea monsters? What did those sailors really see?

Mysterious Monsters is sure to intrigue even the most reluctant reader.

The Wicked History of the World by Terry Deary and Maritin Brown

2009-12-03T14:40:00.003-05:00

This is the history they have left out of the textbooks!

Did you know the Inca gave their babies pointy heads while the Native Americans of Oregon preferred to give their babies flat heads?

In some ancient civilizations human sacrifices were made and the sacrifices saw it as an honor! In ancient Egypt, slaves would be buried alive with their dead masters...

Don't forget to check out the fifty most Vicious Villains of all times at the back of the book.

Sure to make the reader gasp and cringe.

Trying to catch up with technology

2009-12-02T05:36:00.001-05:00

Good morning everyone,

Yes, I am trying to hone my technology skills. As many of you may know the library now has a facebook page to promote the great things going on at Merton Williams. It has been an interesting journey. To help me learn how to best use facebook I am currently reading, Facebook for Dummies on my Kindle.

As I learn some new tricks, I will share them.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid - The Last Straw

2009-12-01T12:29:00.002-05:00

The Diary of a Wimpy Kid - the Last Straw will not disappoint fans of the Wimpy Kid series. Greg is up to his antics again while navigating his way through adolescence. The third book will surely have fans laughing out loud while waiting for the 4th installment.

2009-12-01T05:55:00.001-05:00

My Father's Son by Teri Fields

2009-11-29T16:58:00.002-05:00

Wow, I couldn't put My Father's Son down!

Kevin Windor is your typical high school kid. He has friends, does well in school and is looking forward to college. This all changes t when he is watching the evening news, and he sees a face similar to his own but older. His dad was caught by police in connection to the DB25 murders. DB25 is the name given to a serial killer that has been stalking and killing women in the tri-state area.

Kevin cannot believe his father is capable of such horrific crimes. Unfortunately, his father won't speak to him and things are starting to look bleak. Kevin begins to uncover family secrets that will change his life forever.

Full of twists and turns, My Father's Son will keep you reading until late in the night.

The Google Guys - Larry Page and Sergey Brin

2009-11-29T16:46:00.002-05:00

We have all "googled." Google began as a graduate school project to make sense out of the web. Two graduate students, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, wanted to create a search engine that ranked pages in terms of the number of times they had been linked by other sites.

With creativity, innovation andf hard work the two men created google. In 1997, after failed attempts to sell it to Alta Vista and Yahoo, Larry and Sergey opened Google.

Today, Google is worth more than 150 BILLION DOLLARS, more than McDonalds, General Motors and Disney combined.

Interested in finding out more? Read Larry Page and Sergey Brin the Google Guys by Gail B. Stewart, now available at the Dr. Lorraine A. Sherwood Library.

Books about toilets and water

2009-11-25T22:27:00.002-05:00

Yes, you read the title of this posting correctly. It sure did get your attention...

Edge Books has a series that deals with things that are better off not talking about. Two titles that we have in our collection are Getting to Know Your Toilet and Do you Know where Your Water Has Been.?

Did you know that World Toilet Day is celebrated on November 19? Or that in many places in the world people have to drink water with garbage floating in it?

Have I gotten your interest yet? The books are available for check out today!

Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, Jawed Karim: You Tube Creators

2009-11-25T09:21:00.002-05:00

How did a dinner party, a video, 3 friends and an idea change the world?

Steve Chen and Chad Hurley went to a dinner and took video. They wanted to send the video to friends and were unable to - so an idea was formed. With the help of Jawed Karim the three friends created YouTube in 2005 and it instantly became a hit. In 2006 it was sold for 1.65 billion dollars to Google.

Great biography about the three guys - shows you what innovation and imagination can do!

Why is Snot Green? by Glenn Murphy

2009-11-23T14:52:00.002-05:00

Ever wonder why snot is green or which animal passes the most gas? Did you know that spiders don't have ears and use their legs to hear?

How about the most dangerous animal in the world. I bet you think it is the shark? Lion? Well guess what? They didn't make the list top 10 list! Here they are with #1 being the deadliest

Mosquito
Cone Shell
Sea Wasp
Spitting Cobra
Taipan (Australian Snake)
The funnel web spider
The Hippo
Killer Bee
Elephant
The poison dart frog

(page 114)

the watcher by james howe

2009-11-23T10:25:00.003-05:00

Three strangers with nothing in common except the beach. A lonely girl that sits and watches, a boy and his family and the lifeguard.

Circumstances bring the three together with an unexpected twist.

the watcher by james howe hooks you quickly and it is hard to put down.

Graphic Novels at Dr. Lorraine A. Sherwood LIbrary

2009-11-18T14:22:00.001-05:00

The Great and only Barnum by Candace Fleming

2009-11-13T09:03:00.004-05:00

"When entertaining the public, it is best to have an elephant." PT Barnum

PT Barnum show man extraordinaire made his fame and fortune by wowing the public with oddities from around the world, some of them real and some of the fabricated.

The book is hard to put down and reads like the best of fiction when in reality it is non-fiction.

Check out the new Non-fiction at MW!

2009-11-06T21:38:00.002-05:00

Deep and Dark and Dangerous by Hahn

2009-10-17T21:23:00.002-04:00

Looking for a ghost story to get in the mood for Halloween? Deep and Dark and Dangerous by Mary Downing Hahn is just the story for you.

It has been thirty years since sisters Dulcie and Claire have visited the cottage on the lake. Something happened at the lake thirty years ago, Claire and Dulcie refuse to talk about it. Returning to the lake for the summer, Dulcie takes her daughter Ema and her niece Ali. It should be a great summer, until the girls meet Sissy. Sissy seems to know too much about Dulcie and Claire and the incident that occurred thirty years ago. She wants revenge and until the truth is told Ali and Ema are in mortal danger...

You can run from the past but you cannot hide...

2009-10-07T21:42:00.002-04:00

Can you figure out what books I read? Take a look at the list of names created with Wordle.

School has started!

2009-09-29T21:38:00.003-04:00

Wow, the Dr. Lorraine Sherwood Library is busy. We started off the year by introducing recreation reading to all the study halls. Imagine, being able to read ANYTHING you want for the first 20 minutes of study hall. We have create book bags with books and magazines. Enjoy!

The bookfair is also running until October 5, 2009. We have started off slowly but with the great selection we are hoping it will pick up.

The 10 Most...

2009-09-03T21:23:00.002-04:00

Looking for some non-fiction that is hard to put down? Then check out The 10 Most Revolting Parasites and The 10 Deadliest Plants.

Have you ever heard of the Titan Arum? It is a plant that smells so bad that its aroma can be detected from over a mile away! Did you know that leeches are used by some doctors to treat patients?

Intrigued? Disgusted? Come take a look at The 10 Most Revolting....

Jellico Road by Melina Marchetta

2009-09-03T21:16:00.003-04:00

"What is the difference between a trip and journey?"

Taylor Markham is seventeen years old. Her mother abandoned her on Jellicoe Road when she was eleven. Hannah the adult closest to her has disappeared and Jonah Griggs the boy from her past is back in town. Add in the Brigadier and the mystery deepens.

Taylor's story is intertwined with a manuscript that Narnie is writing about 5 kids that met on Jellico Road. Like the book Holes the past and present are intertwined to tell a story of friendship, love, loss and forgiveness.

What is the difference between a trip and journey? Read Jellicoe Road to discover a journey that you will not want to miss.

Yellow Star by Jennifer Roy

2009-08-26T13:59:00.002-04:00

In 1939 the Nazi's relocate four year old Syvia and her family to the Lodz Ghetto. Everyday is a struggle for survival and death is everywhere. Of the quarter of a million Jews that were relocated to Lodz only 800 survive. Of those 800 only 12 were children. Syvia is one those children and this is her story.

Written by Syvia's niece, Yellow Star, beautifully portrays family, survival and hope during one of the darkest chapters of the 2oth century.

Sent by Margaret Peterson Haddix

2009-08-25T12:38:00.002-04:00

Sent begins where Found left off. Chip, Alex, Jonah and Katherine are transported back in time to fifteenth century England where the identity of Chip and Alex is revealed. Will Jonah and Katherine be able to save Chip and Alex without changing history?

Haddix fans will not be disappointed with the new Missing Series.

Savvy by Ingrid law

2009-08-14T22:46:00.002-04:00

Mississippi Beaumont, Mibs for short, is turning thirteen years old. In the Beaumont family thirteen is special but not for the reasons one would think. At thirteen their savvy is revealed, Mibs has one brother that can cause hurricanes and another that can create electricity, the excitement of finding out her savvy is intoxicating.

Mib's birthday is forgotten when Poppa is in a serious accident. Her mother and older brother are now at a vigil at Poppa's bedside at a hospital that is hours away. Mibs hopes her savvy is powerful and will save her Poppa. She sneaks on a rickety pink bus with her siblings and the preachers children to get to hitch a ride to her Poppa's bedside. Unfortunately, the bus turns in the opposite direction of the hospital and the kids begin a journey that is sure to change everyone.

This Newbery honor book is reminiscent of Kate DiCamillo's Because of Winn Dixie, where an unlikely group of people come together as friends to create a coming of age story that is difficult to put down.

Enjoy!

Anything but Typical by Nora Raleigh Baskin

2009-08-13T22:25:00.003-04:00

Anything but Typical is told from Jason, a sixth grade boy with autism, point of view. Jason excels in writing but had difficulty with social relationships. His story is told honestly and his voice rings true. Jason deals with issues that all boy's age come up against but with a little more difficulty.

The book was difficult to put down and the voice rings true.

The London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd

2009-08-13T22:18:00.005-04:00

On May 24, Ted and Kat watch their cousin Salim get on board the London Eye. They watch the pod circle around. A half an hour later the pod lands, people exit but Salim has does not get off and is no where to be found. What has happened to him?

Ted, whose brain runs on "its own unique operating system" with the help of his sister Kat begin to investigate Salim's disappearance.

Ted's unique personality and thought processes begins to put the pieces together. Will he and Kat be able to solve the mystery before it is too late?

Eleven by Patricia Reilly Giff

2009-08-13T22:12:00.002-04:00

Sam Mackenzie's eleventh birthday is coming up and he is wondering where his grandfather has hidden his birthday presents. After searching the house he sneaks into the attic. In a locked box Sam finds a newspaper article with a picture of a little boy that looks like Sam. He is able to read one word Missing...

Sam begins to wonder - was he kidnapped? Is Mack really his grandfather? Why does he keep dreaming about water and a castle?

Intrigued? Pick up Eleven by Patricia Reilly Giff

Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson - Part 2

2009-07-31T17:19:00.003-04:00

Chains, great historical fiction! There is going to be a sequel called Forge. I would recommend the book to historical fiction fans. Fans of Sharon Draper's, Copper Sun, won't want to miss this book.

Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson

2009-07-29T07:56:00.002-04:00

Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson takes place on the eve of the American Revolution in New York City. Isabel and her five year old sister are slaves, they were promised freedom but when their master died they were sold to the Locktons.

The story weaves a historical facts and people into this story of survival, betrayal and strength.

The branding scene was harrowing and I kept rubbing my cheek to make sure there was nothing there!

The book is impossible to put down - I am almost done...

So many books so little time

2009-07-28T21:04:00.003-04:00

I have been busy reading. Many of the titles I have read are realistic fiction which is not my usual genre. I tend to like fantasy and sci fi - I figure I live in the real world why read about it?

Blade Playing Dead by tim bowler is a book I received from the Junior Library Guild. It is the first book in a series that is already out in England. The main character, Blade is a 14 year old boy that has been in hiding to stay away from the police and his enemies. Blade never divulges why he is running or who his enemies are but does leave clues and snippets of information to leave the reader guessing what may have happened to him along the way.

Blade's life is violent and he must use all his wits to survive the streets. Non-stop action will pull the reader in and the ending will leave them clamoring for more.

(Image from Amazon.com)

Wow books I cannot wait to read

2009-07-15T21:45:00.004-04:00

Yesterday I went to a workshop entitled "What's New in Children's Literature" presented by Dr. Sharp. Not only did I get many new ideas but I also came away with a list of books I cannot wait to read. The books include

The Underneath (supposed to be sad)
Anything but Typical (our library has this one)
London Eye Mystery (our library has this one too, supposed to be a great mystery)
Eleven
Chains
Savvy

I am hoping to get all these read by the end of the summer...

This Full House

2009-07-15T21:38:00.002-04:00

This Full House by Virginia Euwer Wolff is the conclusion of the Make Lemonade Trilogy that follows LaVaughn's life as she struggles to stay true to herself and make it to college despite the obstacles of growing up poor and in a ghetto.

This Full House is told through poems and follows LaVaughn's senior year while she is accepted to the Women in Science Program, stands by Annie's side during her pregnancy and birth and continues her friendship with Jolly. While the book captures the struggles and emotions of a 17 year old some of the science is overwhelming and the scene with the DNA test...well I found that a little unbelievable.

Lavaughn is put into a situation where she makes a decision that may ruin her friendship with Jolly and her chances of going to college forever..

While it was not my favorite of the three it did bring LaVaughn's journey to an end and one does find out if she obtains her dream of going to college.

Into the Volcano

2009-07-15T21:35:00.002-04:00

Into the Volcano a graphic novel by Don Wood is a story of two brothers; Sumo and Duffy and their adventures in a volcano. Yes, you read that right - a volcano.

The graphics and story line are compelling and keep you on the edge of your seat with its adventure and mystery.

Summer reading

2009-07-11T10:05:00.003-04:00

Hope everyone has been enjoying the fleeting sunshine.

Just want to touch base with everyone. Summer is my time for guilty pleasures of catching up on novels written for adults. In between young adult novels I have been reading some murder mysteries and horror novels.

Keep on reading...

all the broken pieces by burg

2009-06-28T21:37:00.003-04:00

all the broken pieces is a beautifully written story of love, forgiveness and the impact of war written in verse.

Matt Pin is the son of an American solider and a Vietnamese woman who was air lifted out of Vietnam amongst bombs and destruction. He lives in America with his adopted family that cherish and love him. Matt is haunted by the memories of the war torn country of his birth and the mother and baby brother he left behind in Vietnam.

When Matt enters the seventh grade evens in his life force him to make choices that will effect the course of his life. With the help of the adults that surround him, Matt begins to learn about love and forgiveness.

Pretties by Westerfield

2009-06-28T21:31:00.005-04:00

Fans of the UGLIES, will not be disappointed with the sequel the Pretties. After finding out the truth about the operation and betraying the Smoke, Tally goes back to the city to become pretty. She does this in order to test the cure and to redeem herself for her betrayal.

The Pretties like the Uglies is full of adventure and has many twists and turns.

Tally must make many decisions that will not only affect her life but the lives of the ones she cares about.

The Chosen One

2009-06-18T21:29:00.002-04:00

Kyra lives in a community where choices are made for her - what she can read, the clothes she wears and the man she will marry. Kyra's has twenty brothers and sisters and her father has three wives. Girls must follow the rules set by their fathers.

Kyra has two secrets, she visits the mobile library and reads fiction and she is in love with a boy in her village. Both secrets can tear her life a part.

Will she choose freedom or the life ordained to her by the village prophet?

Read the Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

2009-06-14T18:48:00.003-04:00

Combine a classic with zombies with a dash of romance, adventure and ninjas and you have a twist on Jane Austin's Pride and Prejudice.

The characters are the same and Mrs. Bennett is still trying to marry off her five daughters against a backdrop that include zombies that are determined to kill and eat all around them....

Epic by Conor Kostick

2009-05-25T19:19:00.003-04:00

In the future violence is no longer a part of life. Conflicts are settled by playing the computer game Epic. Everyone plays, winning brings you a spot at the university and supplies for your village. Losing is not an option...

Erik and his friends seek revenge against he government that has treated Erik's family unjustly. They begin a journey that not only puts their computer life at risk but everything that they hold dear to in the real world.

Epic is full of adventure, mystery and unexpected twists and turns...

2009-05-25T19:15:00.004-04:00

Zombies, adventure, survival and a love story? The Forest of Hands and Teeth provides it all. Towns are surrounded by fences to keep the zombies out. A bite from a zombie leads to death and then a rebirth as one of the undead...

Mary's parents are zombies she is destined to become one of the sisterhood they hold the secrets to the pass and the future. Her world changes when a stranger comes from another town proving there is live beyond the fences...

2009-05-11T12:11:00.002-04:00

Image by wordle.net

Summer is coming

2009-05-11T09:16:00.002-04:00

Summer is right around the corner. This means relaxation and of course time to READ! Is there a book you are looking forward to reading this summer? Better yet, are there magazines, blogs, etc. that you want to catch up with?

Let Mrs. Boccuzzi-Reichert know. She would love to hear about what you are reading and if you have any suggestions for new books or magazines in the library.