Holiday: Appetizers, Dinners, Cookies Cookbook by Publications International

Let's talk food! It's the holidays and that usually means sharing meals, desserts, and beverages with our family and friends. We take time to enjoy catching up with them as we celebrate the holidays. This cookbook, Holiday Appetizers, Dinners, Cookies, will give you great suggestions to bring a new dish to the party.

For me, the mark of a good cookbook is the photography. When there are photos of the dishes created, it's highly likely I will be turning the pages. The photos make me realize that I could do that, I could bake or cook that dish and have my family enjoy it. The appetizers include dips and finger foods. Are you familiar with cheese balls? In Holiday Appetizers, Dinners, Cookies you'll see a Christmas cheese tree that looks very easy to create - how festive! Prime rib always seems like a daunting task to prepare but the steps are actually quite simple. When you see the photo of the beef rib roast in this cookbook with its mushroom-bacon sauce drizzled over the top, you'll long to serve prime rib at your dining table. Nothing means winter-time vacation more than a steaming cup of hot chocolate after time outdoors sledding or skating in the cold. But have you ever seen hot chocolate cookies? Yes, the tops of these cookies look exactly like a cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows floating on the top. Yum!

We have several new cookbooks in the BHS Media Center. Stop by and check them out, but not before lunch. When hungry, these books may be too tempting.

Reviewed by Mrs. Boehm

Identical by Ellen Hopkins

Would you like to judge a book by its cover? This would be a good one. Identical by Ellen Hopkins has a cover image that represents the story in an interesting way. Interspersed throughout the book are pages that are reflective like this cover. On the left hand page are a few select words set apart from the verse on the page. On its opposite right hand page the same words appear in reflection. Each page is the voice of one sister then the other and they are twins. Twins with a sad, serious secret. I imagine the cover image as secretive as well. The reflection of IDENTICAL fades away secretly. Now, let me tell you about the twin sisters.

Raeanne and Kaeleigh are high school identical twin sisters each very much different from the other. Their parents are aloof and high-achieving adults. One, their mother, a candidate for the United States Congress and their father a judge. Their mother is so very busy working on her campaign that they rarely see her. We learn early in the story that their family began to crumble the night of an auto accident. All are in denial, all blame the others, all have serious issues, and all share deep secrets. However, even our author Ellen Hopkins keeps a secret from us, her readers. She craftily writes of Raeanne and Kaeleigh using their voices to tell the story - first one, then the other. Ms. Hopkins keeps a secret about the accident that would explain many of the family problems clearly. She lets Kaeleigh eventually tell us the truth and all secrets are revealed, even some long held by Grandma. This is a gripping story with many chilling scenes. You will be surprised when Kaeleigh shares the ultimate secret.

Reviewed by Mrs. Boehm

Decision Points by George W. Bush

Most presidents write a book after they leave the Oval Office. Generally their books are biographical and give the president an opportunity to thank supporters. When I've read (or started to read them because I rarely finish them) a presidential autobiography in the past, I get bored. The books are dry summations of accomplishments. In his book Decision Points, President George W. Bush has taken a new tack in this presentation. In a primarily chronological order, Bush tells us about turning points in his life through the decision process he took. He acknowledges his faults as a young man regarding his known alcohol use and the point in his life when he realized the harm it was causing. Each decision point offers the reader an opportunity to understand George W. Bush, the man and president. If you're a history buff, if you follow politics, if you like to learn about great leaders, then you'll want to read this book. It takes you into the mind of one of our most honest, dedicated, and principled presidents. Listen to President Bush tell you in this video.

Reviewed by Mrs. Boehm

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

There is one sentence on the book jacket's author bio that I am always drawn to - "This is her first novel." Why do I like that? I've read many books by first time authors that have been impressive, even award winning stories. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver is another and she does not disappoint. To realize that this is Oliver's first book is impressive.

Let's take a look at the cover where another sentence caught my attention - "You'll have no choice but to tear through this book!" I did - finished it in one day, actually a half day and I don't consider myself a fast reader. Here's why.

Samantha is a high school senior in the group of popular kids. In many ways she and her friends are bullies to others. The opening chapters make that very clear as they ridicule their fellow students. Then one night after a drunken party, Sam and her friends are in a tragic car accident, hospitalizing and killing some. The story takes an unusual twist when Sam wakes up the next morning only to realize that fateful day is repeating. She actually repeats that horrific Friday seven times! Each time with subtle changes to the day and of course she begins to change how she approaches each day differently.

What would you do if you could repeat a day? Would you have any regrets? Would you amend your attitude? Treat others differently? Try harder in school? Be kind to your sisters or brothers? Respect your parents? Each day that Sam can repeat the day she grows stronger and more mature finally seizing the opportunity to do the right thing.

This book is also a romance story but not in the sense that only a girl would want to read it. Even the high school boys play an essential role in the outcome. When finished, I was both sad yet proud of Samantha's seventh day. I hope you will be too. You'll definitely be thinking "what would I do" for a long time.

Reviewed by Mrs. Boehm

It's A Book by Lane Smith

For a change of pace, I want to share this short video of the children's book, It's A Book by Lane Smith. Now that texting, tweeting, blogging, and Web browsing take up many hours of our waking hours, it's refreshing to remember the simple joys of reading a book. Watch the monkey explain to the donkey that It's A Book! Find some time to read during our Thanksgiving week vacation or cuddle up with a youngster and read a BOOK!!

Reviewed by Mrs. Boehm

The Last Child by John Hart

Once in awhile a book comes along that grabs my attention from the very first page. The intrigue, the characters, the setting, or the author's choice of words. John Hart's The Last Child was all of that plus the thrill of the events unfolding. This book is a suspenseful thriller!

Johnny Merriman is searching for his twin sister who has not been seen in a year. She was picked up by a stranger when she was 12 years old and their family hasn't been the same since. His father has left, his mother tries to mask her pain with drink and drugs, even the police officer who worked diligently to find Alyssa is distraught.

Johnny has a plan to find her. He's convinced she is still alive. He puts himself in harms way often - seeking out the local sex offenders, sneaking out of the house driving into remote areas, drinking with his friend, skipping school, and more. You'll find yourself on the edge of your seat and hoping that Johnny will be safe and that he'll find Alyssa.

I love suspenseful mysteries with all the twists and turns that John Hart has cleverly written in The Last Child. I always try to figure out the mystery before the book's end. I came pretty close in this book but Hart outsmarted me again. That's what makes him an award winning author!

John Hart's website

Reviewed by Mrs. Boehm

Neil Gaiman reads Poe's The Raven

Last Halloween I wrote about Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book. That chilling tale of murder, ghouls, and a graveyard seemed a perfect match on our dark, scary, and chilling holiday. That blog post also linked you to Mr. Gaiman reading The Graveyard Book with his deep, haunting voice.

Today I have another Halloween treat from Neil Gaiman. Tonight he reads an excerpt from Edgar Allen Poe's The Raven, one of his "favorite scary stories" when he was a kid. Want to read the entire story? You'll find it in Major Tales and Poems by Edgar Allan Poe in the BHS MCtr @ SC POE.

Trick or Treat?? Happy Halloween?? BOO!

Reviewed by Mrs. Boehm

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

"Wasn't that the point of the book? For women to realize, we are just two people. Not that much separates us. Not nearly as much as I'd thought."

When I got to this quote from The Help by Kathryn Stockett, I marked the page by bending the corner. I wanted to find it again - it spoke to me. These words spoke the essence of why Stockett wrote and many have read her first novel. In the author's notes at the conclusion of the book, Stockett reveals that that line was 'the prize' for her as well. She's the author and we shared a favorite line! I felt so good knowing that. But that line comes near the end of the book so getting there required much reading. Or should I say living with three wonderful characters - Aibileen, Minny and Miss Skeeter.

The Help occurs during the Civil Rights Movement of the early 1960s in Jackson, Mississippi. It follows the lives of white women who have black maids as 'help' to do their housework and raise their children. The story unfolds through the eyes of two of the black maids and one of the white women. Stockett has written in such a voice to bring the characters to life and to transfer you, the reader, to the time and struggles of the Civil Rights Movement.

I was a youngster, a young pre-teen, when our country was in the grip of these racial tensions. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was an activist and people had not yet determined if he could be trusted or not. The peaceful demonstrations he spearheaded were sometimes deemed threatening. While I read The Help I felt that tension again in my body. I feared for the safety of Aibileen, Minny and Miss Skeeter. They were putting their lives and livelihood at risk.

Please find time to read this book. My wish is that you'll also find my opening line as a favorite. We are all 'just two people' - it's that simple.

Author's website

Reviewed by Mrs. Boehm

Gary Paulsen - Saved by a librarian!

Didn't you just love the book when you first read Hatchet by Gary Paulsen? Haven't you enjoyed all Paulsen books since? I hope you enjoy reading this article from the Telegraph Herald about Mr. Paulsen. He spoke at a recent celebration of the $6.5 million renovations completed at the Carnegie-Stout library in Dubuque, Iowa.

Quote from Mr. Paulsen: I would be dead without libraries. Everything that I am or ever will be in writing is because of that librarian (who gave him his first library card).

It makes me proud to be a librarian. Please enjoy reading the full article by clicking here. Your library has many books by Gary Paulsen. Check one out soon.

Reviewed by Mrs. Boehm

Welcome Back!

How was your summer reading? I'm anxious to hear all about it. You know me, I've been reading all summer. What's that? You're wondering where do I read? What do I read? How often do I read? Wow! You're curious.

Let's just say reading is a guilty pleasure. I feel guilty taking time away from other summer activities that I could/should be doing. A pleasure because once I'm immersed in a great story, I can't put it down. I read outdoors in the sunshine on our deck in my favorite lounge chair (now that's summer), I also read at the kitchen counter while having my breakfast. You can find me relaxing in my favorite chair with my new MacBook Pro (see my photo) and reading online - news, tutorials, emails, FB, blogs, my RSS feeds, etc. I don't feel like I'm reading too much of my time but I will admit, not too much housecleaning gets done around here. ;-)

Drop me an email or post a comment. Tell me what do you do as a reader? Not a reader? Why is that? If you're just not finding the kinds of things you're hoping to read here in the BHS media center, it's my job to correct that. Let's talk.

Let's keep this reading thing going!

Review by Mrs. Boehm

2010 Teens' Top Ten

This is your opportunity to vote for your favorite books. Each year a group of teens from several book clubs around the U.S. compiles a list of books from the previous year that they think have the potential to be a Top Ten - it's a "Teens Choice" award. During the weeks of August 23 to September 17 teens around the country vote online. If you'd like to get in on this action, browse this list of titles, read, and be ready to vote.

2010 Nominations

Reviewed by Mrs. Boehm

Free audiobooks!!

Sync is offering two free audiobook downloads each week this summer. Wow, that's a deal! They are pairing a contemporary title with a classic AND offering an online community just to chat about them. This is worth your time to check it out. :-)

Sync info and list of titles here.

Sync download help here.

Sync chat forum here.

Reviewed by Mrs. Boehm

Make Waves @ Your Library

The seniors had their last day at BHS today. Congrats to the Class of 2010 - we give you the rest of your LIFE!! Make us proud. The halls will be noticeably quiet Monday. Summer is in the air and the anticipation of nearly 3 months without school is putting smiles on many faces. Here's another smile maker for you.

How would you like a chance to win a Flip camera, a digital camera, an iPod Shuffle, a $75.00 Target gift card, or the Twilight series and DVD? Do I have your attention now? It's all very easy - Make Waves at the Brighton District Library. BDL wants Brighton teens to read and to use some of their great resources and services. If you read a book or magazine AND do three other activities, you can enter the contest to win these great prizes. That's it! A total of 4 things to do! And you have most of the summer - that lazy, relaxing summer that awaits you today.

What three things can you do? Well, you could borrow one of their movies and watch it - check! You could try Live Homework Help - check! There's always an audio book to listen to - check! Are those three something you can manage? If not, how would you like to volunteer at the library? They can use your help with the kids' summer reading program. So you've read one book, then read another - check! You could attend a library event - sewing, gaming, knitting, writing, or a pizza party. There's even a spa day! Read all about how you can Make Waves.

If you can manage any of these activities, you'll soon be entering your name into the contest for these awesome prizes. Spend some time this summer at BDL. Before you know it, you'll be ready to return to [oops - I better not say it].

Enjoy your summer vacation. Be safe. Be wise. Be smart. See you in September. I'll be waiting to hear about the books you've read. :-)

Review by Mrs. Boehm

Google Books by Sergey Brin and Larry Page, Google co-founders

Rather than share one book with you, I want you to know about many and where to find them - Google Books.

The co-founders of Google, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, have always had as their goal for people to search through the world's books and find what they were looking for. As computer science graduate students, they hoped to create a web crawler that would index books. They theorized that by analyzing the citations in books (you know, those Works Cited lists that teachers require) they could determine the relevance and usefulness of a given book based on the quality and number of times it was cited in other books. How genius! Google's searching ability was the result of this research at Stanford University.

Soon Page and Brin were working with major libraries digitizing the library's collection. The University of Michigan, Larry Page's alma mater, was the first to agree. Work is still underway scanning the university's seven million volumes and many other libraries around the world are now involved. Some current authors and publishers are also supportive of this initiative.

There have been lawsuits due to copyright law concerns. Books in the public domain (copyright-free) are available in their entirety. Books under copyright are shown with segments missing. Google Books will link you to an online book seller or a library in your area that owns the book.

Give Google Books a try. Many times I've found that I don't need to read the full book to find just what I'm seeking. Magazines are also included in the collection. You can search by subject, author, title, or simply browse the collection. You can create favorite book lists to share with friends.

Let me know if you find Google Books helpful. Stay tuned. Page and Brin are always up to something new and innovative. :-)

Reviewed by Mrs. Boehm

The Elements by Theodore Gray

Hey, science lovers! You might like to check out a new book in the media center - The Elements by Theodore Gray. If you're already familiar with him, you'll know about this book and his work creating visual representations of the periodic table. The book has a two page spread for each element that includes a description as well as stunning photos of the element in various forms.

BUT WAIT! There's more. Now he has written an app for the new iPad that's taken from this book and even more incredible. I read about it here: The Periodic Table Goes Touchscreen.

Be sure to watch the video. Mr. Gray's 'elements desk' is sweet but what he's done for the iPad - priceless!

Reviewed by Mrs. Boehm

Kids Are Americans Too by Bill O'Reilly

I know. You either love him or you hate him. His points of view can be contentious but in Kids Are Americans Too by Bill O'Reilly, you will find great advice about your rights. Mr. O'Reilly is quite fair and balanced in this book.

As a high school librarian I've had students ask for help locating books and online resources that explain the law as it pertains to many teen issues - using cell phones at school, curfew, driving privileges, home life, and more. Bill O'Reilly breaks it all down for you here. Beginning with an overview of the works of our Founding Fathers as they wrote the U.S. Constitution, in a humorous, light-hearted way the author points out what governing bodies influence the laws that affect you, how laws are fluid and changing, and differ from state-to-state. The book is organized with break-out sections that include news flashes, multiple-choice quizzes, and true story examples. It's a quick read but a great resource if you're ever wondering, "What are my rights?".

Reviewed by Mrs. Boehm

Tagged by Mara Purnhagen

Harlequin Teen - You won me over with this one! I was introduced to Tagged by Mara Purnhagen when her proud aunt and BHS art teacher told me about her niece Mara's first published work. Just a few quick weeks later, she donated a copy for our media center. I set off immediately to read it. I was very pleasantly surprised.

The premise in Tagged may seem to be the giant, artsy gorilla graffiti that appears overnight on the side of buildings in town. But don't be fooled. There is much that digs deeper and includes a relevant, loved teacher who draws the best from his students, a fun coffee shop owner that completely trusts Kate and Eli, a bff friendship like no other, cool parents who give Kate respect and their support, and a budding romance that hopefully will go somewhere.

Let's see how many teen readers we can get to read the work of this wonderful, new author. We can support and celebrate her first book and keep our eyes open for many more. Congratulations Mara!

Reviewed by Mrs. Boehm

Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork

One tool that school librarians use to select books for purchase is to watch the lists of 'Best' and 'Notable' titles. That's how I discovered Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork. The lists for Marcelo in the Real World include Best Books For Young Adults 2010, Best Books Of The Year 2009, Schneider Family Book Award: Teen 2010, and more. How can I go wrong buying this book for BHS? I'm not sure that it has found a teen reader yet. It seems to have been patiently waiting for someone to take it home for many months now. I've had my eye on it. I'm so glad that I picked it up to read.

Marcelo is a high-functioning autistic seventeen year old. Following his story taught me so much about Asperger's syndrome. Marcelo's father has decided that he should work one summer in the real world - the mailroom of his law firm. Although Marcelo resists, eventually he agrees to go to work with his father each day. The reward? He'll be able to attend his preferred high school in the fall if his father's plan proves to be a failure for Marcelo. In the real world Marcelo is forced to make tough decisions and realize that people and situations are not always perfect - including his father's business.

Give this one a try. I highly recommend it.

Reviewed by Mrs. Boehm

Gotta Keep Reading by Ocoee Middle School

Love their enthusiasm! Love the song! This is a must watch video! They were featured on Oprah last Friday. How exciting for these students in Ocoee, Florida. They are so right - "Gotta keep reading 'cuz this book's gonna be a good, good book to read!"



Reviewed by Mrs. Boehm

Witch & Wizard by James Patterson

James Patterson has endeared himself to teen readers with his Maximum Ride series of thrilling books. Witch & Wizard is the first in a new series that may also prove to be as popular, then again probably not. I must point out that the cover image is excellent. I did judge this book by the cover and noticed the fiery W more than the title on the cover. Did you observe the two faces that are part of the flames? Every time I saw this cover on the library shelf I was drawn to read it. And so I did.

Whit and Wisty are brother (16) and sister (14) who learn one frightful morning that they are a witch and wizard being sought for imprisonment by the New Order. They have never known of their magical powers so have never used them but now this magic may be all that will save them. They are forcefully removed from their home while their loving parents watch, powerless to intervene.

The story continues from one horrendous situation to another with magical elements that quickly save the pair when hope seems to be lost. There are parallels to the Harry Potter books by J. K. Rowling as well, which I found trite. Aside from the main characters being a witch and a wizard, the New Order is being lead by The-One-Who-Is-The-One—a close copy to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, Lord Voldemort.

If you read this and agree with my analysis, please send a comment. If I’m way off base, let me know why. I’d love to know what others thought of this book that seems to have been very quickly written.

Reviewed by Mrs. Boehm

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

You are looking at the cover for the third and final book in the Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins. Scholastic made this announcement Feb. 11th. Read what others have to say on the Scholastic blog, On Our Minds. The book will be on store shelves Aug. 24th. I have preordered copies for BHS so they'll be here waiting for you when we return to school in September.

What are your predictions? Will Katniss successfully start a revolution? Will District 9 rule Panem? Will the ultimate hero be the mockingjay? Has the mockingjay been gathering information that it will communicate to Katniss? What are you wondering?

Review by Mrs. Boehm

Hunger: A Gone Novel by Michael Grant

I started to read Hunger: A Gone Novel by Michael Grant and realized that I was reading the sequel, so make sure you read Gone first.

The book begins three months after the events in Gone and as the title suggests, food is running out. Sam has been elected Mayor and things aren’t going so well. Tensions between the “muties” and “normals” begin to rise with the prospect of war. Lana “the healer” has moved far away from the town to escape the constant bombardment of requests to heal minor injuries such as scrapes and paper cuts, however, she is still plagued by her memories of her encounter with “the Darkness”. Cain, also weakened by his encounter with “the Darkness”, is suffering from the bombardment nighttime fits of “hungry in the dark”. As “the Darkness” grows stronger, it’s control drives people to do unthinkable acts of insanity that help it to it’s ultimate goal of everlasting darkness there by allowing it to do as it pleases.

If you liked Gone you’ll love Hunger and since both books are incredibly long, it will keep you busy for the third installment, Lies, coming in May 2010.

Review by student Noah K.

Types of Books We've Read To Date

Chartle is a web-based tool for creating simple & interactive charts. I wanted to try it. How do you like this pie chart of the books we've read to date? How would you use it? Besides this pie chart, you can create many others - bar, line, Venn, scatter, tables, maps, and more. Take Chartle for a test drive!




By Mrs. Boehm

Gone by Michael Grant

Well for starters, I ended up reading a quarter of the way into the sequel before realizing that it was the sequel. As I do with all books before reading them, I read the inside cover for a short synopsis to help me decide whether I wanted to read it or not. This one seemed interesting to me so I decided I would try it. As it turns out, Gone, by Michael Grant, is about a town called Perdido Beach that out of nowhere has all of its adults and kids over the age of fourteen disappear. This is in fact where the book actually starts, right after the main character Sam Temple and his class watch their teacher disappear. Sam, his friends Quinn, Astrid, and Edilio, and Astrid’s younger, autistic brother “Little Pete” form a group and work to survive in a world ruled by bullies and without any type of help that adults can offer such as fire departments, police, and government. If things weren’t bad enough, the whole community is surrounded by a giant bubble called the FAYZ (Fallout Ally Youth Zone). Eventually people begin to develop supernatural abilities such as the ability to shoot fire from their hands. Matters get worse when a large group of rich kids lead by Cain, his psychopathic right hand man Drake, and seductive left hand Diana move in to take over.
The book is really engaging and there are a lot of plot twisters that you may or may not expect as well as a few minor “power” struggles all leading up to… Well you’ll just have to find out.

Review by student Noah K.

My Swordhand is Singing by Marcus Sedgwick

I always look at the cover of the book to help me decide if it's worth reading. I had many thoughts going through my head as I looked at this book: what a strange title, what a strange cover illustration and what strange reviews written on the back cover of this book. But one review caught my attention -- "A finely written, bone-chilling gothic tale." - said Publishing News about My Swordhand is Singing by Marcus Sedgwick. I like a good mystery but I have never read a horror gothic tale and wanted to find out what this book was about.

The story takes place in Eastern Europe during the early seventeenth century in a small secluded village in the forest. I was halfway into the book and nothing horrific or scary was taking place. I was ready to give up and read something more to my liking. Then things started happening -- people were dying, animals were being attacked, and the villagers believed in old tales and songs of the past. People were acting very strange! The pace of the story picked up and I was able to finally finish the book.

I was completely surprised by the ending and was even more surprised by the "Author's Note" about his book. I had no idea that what I was reading was actually about......... Sorry, I can't tell you - maybe you should read this book to see if you are as surprised by the ending as I was.

Reviewed by Mrs. Finney

Food, Girls, and Other Things I Can't Have by Allen Zadoff

I was so hoping to read a good book over the Christmas vacation. All those days off stretched before me and I imagined time to relax, be lazy, and just find time for reading. With a stack of books in my arms, I left my public library with so many choices. Not so fast!

The first two I tried were way too graphic. I like a good mystery but these were beyond being the simple "who dunnit" mysteries. I had to stop reading them because the images I created in my mind were just too gory.

Let me try a young adult fiction. How bad can that be? I usually find the authors of YA lit to be quite good with stories that keep me intrigued. So I opened Food, Girls, and Other Things I Can't Have by Allen Zadoff. I knew this was going to be a story of a high school boy with very low self esteem - he was fat and bullied for it. What I didn't expect was a predictable story. You know what I mean - boy eats too much and feels depressed - boy gets bullied at school yet has a few friends who stand up for him - boy inadvertently connects with the captain of the football team - boy soon is a star player - boy discovers he was tricked into joining the team - boy stands up for himself and quits but not before the big game which he pulls off the big win - boy goes back to his original friends realizing the true meaning of life, family, and friendship.

Maybe I just wasn't looking for that kind of predictable story. Afterall, I did finish reading it and did not give up. What was I looking for? Maybe just a simple story that didn't task my brain. It was vacation.

Reviewed by Mrs. Boehm