The Survival Guide for Teenagers with LD by Rhoda Cummings, Ed.D and Gary Fisher, Ph.D.

She walks through our high school media center most days. She has a quiet smile hidden by her downcast eyes. I greet her, offer her a funny comment, her smile grows. It seems her friends are few and far between but she is a very likable girl. I knew her as a youngster full of energy and joy. She's still that girl, I sense it. 

I didn't see her the day she checked out this book, The Survival Guide for Teenagers with LD by Rhoda Cummings, Ed.D and Gary Fisher, Ph.D., but I did see her the day she returned it. Her words: "You should read this. It's good. It tells about kids with LD. You need to know that." She was right; I needed to know that. 

I don't know if she is a "learning differences" student but this book surely connected with her. Perhaps she is identified as an LD learner, perhaps a sibling or friend is, or perhaps she liked the format of the book - it's readability. As the authors note, look through the table of contents and read just the sections that you are drawn to. They include: your rights, the law, advocating for yourself, finding and keeping a job, living on your own, friendships and dating, healthy living, education beyond high school, and simply being the best you can be.  I'm sure that my friend is in good hands knowing all that she learned about LD from Drs. Cummings and Fisher. 

Reviewed by Mrs. Boehm 

The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey

I don't often read a horror story. Do you think it's about time I read more? I thought so too. I decided to give The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey a try.

This is actually Will Henry's story. William James Henry is 12 years old and an apprentice to Dr. Warthrop, a monstumologist - one who studies and will kill monsters. With Will Henry at his side, Dr. Warthrop is tracking the existence of the Anthropophagi, a monster that few have seen and fewer have lived to tell of their encounter. The Anthropophagi are gruesome monsters - headless, slimy, large, sharp clawed, a mouth in the middle of their body with teeth capable of devouring it's prey swiftly. Dr. Warthrop must determine how they came to America and how he is going to eliminate them before they wreck havoc on New England.

This story is pure horror. In my opinion, the character Will Henry is too young to see and experience what Dr. Warthrop expects him to assist with. If you are a fan of gruesome horror, a story of bloody carnage so evil you can almost smell it, then you need to read this soon. As for me, I'm not going to finish it. Yep, that's what readers sometimes do. I've given this story many opportunities to win me over but I just can't continue. I have finished more than half of the story but must put it down - I've read of one too many gruesome deaths. Please let me know how it ends if you are brave enough to finish it.

Reviewed by Mrs. Boehm

Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell

I recently read Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell and find that it compliments Mindset by Carol Dweck. Both titles look at our perceptions of success and how it is achieved. Each author systematically makes the case that success is not a chance occurrence and not based simply on intelligence.

Using data, Gladwell peels back the layers of what makes one successful and how it is influenced by opportunity and timing. He calls these successful people outliers as their success is outside the norm.

His opening example is with Canadian youth ice hockey players. Due to the date of their births, many of the best players actually share a month of birth. Gladwell claims that with the age cutoff to enter a team established on January 1st, all boys born in January, February, or March have the most opportunity to practice with coaches. More practice equates to better players. Better players become the best players and advance their skills and opportunities as they grow.

Similarly, opportunities for exploring computer technologies happened to a young Bill Gates. At a young age he was able to engage in hands-on exploration of main-frame computer software even developing programs. Over several years, he honed his skills at a time when few understood software programming; it was a new phenomenon. We all know what became of Bill Gates!

Reviewed by Mrs. Boehm