Wednesday, November 18, 2009
The Lottery
The entire town gathers for the event every year. The Lottery. It's always been at the same time every year and it's always been done in the same way. You don't question whether the lottery is fair. You don't question whether or not it's right to have a lottery... until it's you that is the winner.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
I'd Tell You That I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You
To the outside world, The Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women is a typical all girls boarding school for genius girls. But the school is actually a training ground for female spies. Instead of English, Math, and Science, these girls attend classes called "Covert Operations" and studies chemical warfare and breaking CIA codes. Cammie Morgan is a second generation student spy, and her mother is the Principal (and an ex-spy herself).
During her sophomore year, Cammie meets a cute guy while walking through town one day. Then she decides to KEEP seeing this cutie named Josh, which is strictly against Gallagher Academy rules. Sure, Cammie is a whiz at spy stuff, but can she have a normal relationship with a boy her own age who also thinks Cammie, her friends and her school are perfectly normal? Little does he know......
Labels:
fiction,
relationships,
spies,
spy
Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie
Steven Alper has a lot of the same hassles as most middle school kids. Too much homework, not enough time to do what he really loves (play the drums), clueless parents, a crush on a girl who doesn’t notice him, and another girl who’s only a friend but won’t leave him alone. Throw in an annoying yet extremely cute 5 year old brother, and you have Steven’s hectic life.
It all gets turned upside down when Steven’s brother gets a serious illness. Suddenly his family’s life revolves around out-of-town medical treatments and mounting expenses. Can Steven keep up with demands of schoolwork, band and friends and be there for his brother and parents? And who can Steven count on when his world has been turned upside down?
Labels:
band,
drums,
fiction,
middle school
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Unwind
Do you ever wish you had never been born? Do you wonder if your parents wish you had never been born. Connor's parents had to wait until he turned 13 to decide if they would have him unwound or not.
Because of the Second Civil War, a new law banning abortions, but legalizing having your children unwound, was passed. From the time you turn 13 to your 18th birthday, your parents can have you sent to be unwound. Your body parts can be used for medical purposes or maybe your parents decide to keep you around. What if they couldn't afford to feed everyone in your family? What if you kept getting in trouble?
Connor may always be in trouble, but he believes he as a right to live. He believes he can escape and live on the run for two years until he turns 18. The alternative is unthinkable.
The Adoration of Jenna Fox
What if you were in a terrible, devastating accident? What if the accident left you in a coma and an entire year of your life went by without you in it?
Now imagine waking up from the coma only to find that your family has moved you and everything you and your family owns clear across the United States. You never got to say good-bye to your friends. You can't remember anything about the accident that left you in a year long coma and two of your best friends dead. Your parents aren't allowing you to attend school and won't even let you go for a walk.
Now, imagine getting away, just for a few minutes, to walk through the area surrounding your new home and falling. You discover you've hurt yourself and you feel blood running down your arm. Only when you look, you know it can't possibly be blood at all because it's blue.
Imagine being Jenna Fox.
Monday, November 9, 2009
The Unresolved
In 1904 New York City, 15 year old Mallory Meer is one of 1300 people on board the steamship General Slocum, sailing around Manhattan on a beautiful Sunday, headed for Long Island and a day of picnicing and fun. Also on board is the boy she loves, Dustin, who has snuck on board to share their first kiss. A deadly fire breaks out on board, and only 300 people manage to survive. Mallory's spirit watches over the surviors, including her family and her beloved Dustin. Did Dustin, who is Jewish, start the fire because Mallory's family and church do not approve of their love? Or does the fault lie with the Steamship company and the ship's captain?
The Unresolved is about a real event, the 1904 fire on the General Slocum, which killed 1000 people, mostly women and children. Before the events of 9/11, it was New York City's deadliest tragedy.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
How not to be Popular
Sugar Magnolia Dempsey, known as Maggie, is 17 years old and has never lived anywhere for more than 8 months, thanks to her free-spirited hippie parents. Her latest move, to Austin, Texas, has left her missing the friends she left behind, and determined NOT to make any new friends. That way, she won't miss them when she moves again, right?
Follow Maggie's adventures of dressing as awfully as possible, and saying and doing all the wrong things. See how funny her attempts at being unpopular can be!
The Dead and Gone
Devastation.
Alex Morales doesn't know where is mother is. He doesn't know if his father is okay. All he knows is that the world is changing and he must fight for his survival and the survival of his two sisters.
The moon has been knocked off of its orbit and is now closer to the Earth than ever before. The tides are causing catastrophic flooding all over the world. The climate is changing each day.
Where can he go for help? Is it better to stay put or leave the city? It's harder and harder to find food each day.
How could this have happened? Will the scientists of the world be able to get the moon back on its orbit or will humanity be forced to fight for each day of survival?
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