• Diary of a Wimpy Kid-The Ugly Truth

    Overall Rating: ★ Rating:74 Fullstar:3 Star Piece:0.7 Fraction:3.7★ Rating:74 Fullstar:3 Star Piece:0.7 Fraction:3.7★ Rating:74 Fullstar:3 Star Piece:0.7 Fraction:3.7½ Rating:74 Star Piece:0.7 Fraction:3.7☆ Rating:74 Fraction:3.774%
    Diary of a Wimpy Kid – The Ugly Truth (Book 5)
    Jeff Kinney
    Amulet, 2010
    Fiction, Graphic Novel
    ISBN: 0810984911
    224 pages

    Synopsis

    Greg Heffley has always been in a hurry to grow up. But is getting older really all it’s cracked up to be? Greg suddenly finds himself dealing with the pressures of boy-girl parties, increased responsibilities, and even the awkward changes that come with getting older—all without his best friend, Rowley, at his side. Can Greg make it through on his own? Or will he have to face the “ugly truth”?

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    Posted in Art, Best Of, Classroom, Graphic Novels, Recommended, Reviews, Series | No Comments »

    A Nest for Celeste

    Overall Rating: ★ Rating:76 Fullstar:3 Star Piece:0.8 Fraction:3.8★ Rating:76 Fullstar:3 Star Piece:0.8 Fraction:3.8★ Rating:76 Fullstar:3 Star Piece:0.8 Fraction:3.8½ Rating:76 Star Piece:0.8 Fraction:3.8☆ Rating:76 Fraction:3.876%
    A Nest For Celeste
    Henry Cole
    Katherine Tegen Books, 2010
    Fantasy
    ISBN: 0061704105
    352 pages

    Synopsis

    A beautifully illustrated novel about a mouse, her friendship with Audubon’s apprentice, and her search for home.
    Beneath the crackled and faded painting of a horse, underneath the worn and dusty floorboards of the dining room, lives Celeste, a mouse who spends her days weaving baskets, until one day she is thrust into the world above. Here Celeste encounters danger—and love—unlike any she’s ever imagined. She dodges a hungry cat and witnesses the brutality of hunting for the first time.

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    Posted in Art, Best Of, Classroom, Excellent Underknown, Graphic Novels, Recommended, Reviews | No Comments »

    Emily The Strange – Stranger and Stranger

    Overall Rating: ★ Rating:71 Fullstar:3 Star Piece:0.55 Fraction:3.55★ Rating:71 Fullstar:3 Star Piece:0.55 Fraction:3.55★ Rating:71 Fullstar:3 Star Piece:0.55 Fraction:3.55½ Rating:71 Star Piece:0.55 Fraction:3.55☆ Rating:71 Fraction:3.5571%
    Emily The Strange: Stranger & Stranger
    Rob Reger, Jessica Gruner & Buzz Parker (Illustrator)
    HarperCollins, 2010
    Fantasy
    ISBN: 0061452327
    272 pages

    Synopsis

    Emily is working on a new invention, a machine that duplicates people in order to pull off the greatest prank ever in her current dull town. However, it’s time to pick up and move, yet again. She spends most of her time procrastinating, but eventually gets packed. In the new town, she again resumes the quest for the new invention and the greatest prank ever, but ends up only duplicating herself before breaking the machine. Can the world possibly handle two Emilys?

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    Posted in Art, Best Of, Classroom, English/Reading, Graphic Novels, Reviews | No Comments »

    Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days

    Overall Rating: ★ Rating:74 Fullstar:3 Star Piece:0.7 Fraction:3.7★ Rating:74 Fullstar:3 Star Piece:0.7 Fraction:3.7★ Rating:74 Fullstar:3 Star Piece:0.7 Fraction:3.7½ Rating:74 Star Piece:0.7 Fraction:3.7☆ Rating:74 Fraction:3.774%
    Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days (Book 4)
    Jeff Kinney
    Amulet, 2009
    Fiction, Graphic Novel
    ISBN: 0810983915
    224 pages

    Synopsis

    It’s summer vacation, the weather’s great, and all the kids are having fun outside. So where’s Greg Heffley? Inside his house, playing video games with the shades drawn.

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    Posted in Art, Best Of, Classroom, Graphic Novels, Reviews, Series | No Comments »

    Becoming Billie Holiday

    Overall Rating: ★ Rating:96 Fullstar:4 Star Piece:0.8 Fraction:4.8★ Rating:96 Fullstar:4 Star Piece:0.8 Fraction:4.8★ Rating:96 Fullstar:4 Star Piece:0.8 Fraction:4.8★ Rating:96 Fullstar:4 Star Piece:0.8 Fraction:4.8½ Rating:96 Star Piece:0.8 Fraction:4.896%
    Becoming Billie Holiday
    Carole Weatherford
    Wordsong, 2008
    Poetry
    ISBN: 159078507X
    117 pages

    Synopsis

    A series of fictionalized poems, chronicling the life of Billie Holiday from birth until 25, this text provides an interesting insight into the life and rhythm of one of the greatest jazz performers throughout history. The poems themselves are more like stories broken into poetic line than writing that follow the typical constraints of poetry. Each of the poems is titled after one of Holiday’s songs, bringing a depth into the story of the song, possibly where it came from. Also, the text is, in places, accompanied by beautiful artwork that enhances the experience. 

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    Posted in 2008, Art, Best Of, Classroom, English/Reading, History/Period, Poetry, Reviews | No Comments »

    Emily The Strange: The Lost Days

    Overall Rating: ★ Rating:78 Fullstar:3 Star Piece:0.9 Fraction:3.9★ Rating:78 Fullstar:3 Star Piece:0.9 Fraction:3.9★ Rating:78 Fullstar:3 Star Piece:0.9 Fraction:3.9½ Rating:78 Star Piece:0.9 Fraction:3.9☆ Rating:78 Fraction:3.978%
    Emily The Strange: The Lost Days
    Rob Reger, Jessica Gruner & Buzz Parker (Illustrator)
    HarperCollins, 2009
    Fantasy
    ISBN: 0061452297
    264 pages

    Synopsis

    Sitting on a park bench in a strange town called Blackrock, Emily has no recollection of who she is and why she’s there. This little town is so odd. There is only one tree, and everything has been painted beige. Realizing that she must have amnesia for some inexplicable reason, Emily begins a journey to regain her identity. However, she quickly realizes that there’s more to this situation than first meets the eye, even though she can’t seem to quite put her finger on exactly why. Now, she must try to regain her memory and discern why this town is so odd because it must have something to do with why she’s there in the first place. She relays the whole story through a personal diary, complete with Polaroid’s, illustrations, lists, and descriptions of all the events that take place.

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    Posted in 2009, Art, Best Of, Classroom, English/Reading, Graphic Novels, Reviews, Series | No Comments »

    Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw

    Overall Rating: ★ Rating:70 Fullstar:3 Star Piece:0.5 Fraction:3.5★ Rating:70 Fullstar:3 Star Piece:0.5 Fraction:3.5★ Rating:70 Fullstar:3 Star Piece:0.5 Fraction:3.5½ Rating:70 Star Piece:0.5 Fraction:3.5☆ Rating:70 Fraction:3.570%
    Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw (Book 3)
    Jeff Kinney
    Amulet Books, 2008
    Fiction, Graphic Novel
    ISBN: 0810994739
    224 pages

    Synopsis

    Greg’s school year is winding down and so is his journal; however, he seems to live the same way and make the same sorts of self-centered choices that have a tendency to get him in trouble throughout the previous three books. This graphic-novel style story chronicles the life of middle-schooler Greg Heffley as told by Greg through hand-written words and pictures in his diary.

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    Posted in 2009, Art, Best Of, Classroom, Graphic Novels, Reviews, Series | 1 Comment »

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