Category Archives: Family Problems

Movie Tie-In: The Help

Movie Tie-Ins: The Help by Kathryn Stockett   As I mentioned earlier, I read Worth Dying For because I wanted to try a Jack Reacher novel. If you read my post, you know I didn’t like it very much. As I … Continue reading

Posted in Controversial Issue/Debate, Family Problems, Fiction, Historical Fiction/Historical Element, Human Rights Issues, Movie Tie-In, Multicultural, Over 375 pages | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Movie Tie-In: Jack Reacher

Knowing that the Jack Reacher movie was coming out, I decided to try one of the novels—Worth Dying For—just to see if it was something our students would like. I’d never read a Jack Reacher book before and was a … Continue reading

Posted in Adventure Stories, Family Problems, Fiction, Horror/Mystery/Suspense, Mature Readers, Movie Tie-In, Over 375 pages | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

“Exit Point” and “Yellow Line”

I’ve just read a couple of novels from the Orca Soundings series–a series that I think of as high quality/quick reading. Pick up one of these for a fast page-turner. Exit Point by Laura Langston Logan can’t believe he’s dead. … Continue reading

Posted in Family Problems, Fiction, Hi-Low/Quick Read, Read 180, Romance, Supernatural, Young Adult Literature | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

“How They Croaked”

     How They Croaked: The Awful Ends of the Awfully Famous by Georgia Bragg; illustrated by Kevin O’Malley This wacky book is alternatelty gross and funny. It is always fascinating. Bragg looks at the terrible suffering involved in the deaths … Continue reading

Posted in Family Problems, Hi-Low/Quick Read, Historical Fiction/Historical Element, Non-fiction, Young Adult Literature | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

“The Ask and the Answer”

The Ask and the Answer by Patrick Ness  Another can’t-put-it-down, page-turner from Patrick Ness, The Ask and the Answer is the second book in the Chaos Walking trilogy. We find Viola and Todd once they’ve reached Haven—the town they had … Continue reading

Posted in Adventure Stories, Controversial Issue/Debate, Family Problems, Fiction, Human Rights Issues, Mature Readers, Over 375 pages, Sci-Fi/Futuristic, Young Adult Literature | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

“Rikers High”

Rikers High by Paul Volponi  The author’s note hooked me: “The overwhelming majority of incidents that occur in this book really happened. I witnessed them firsthand during the six years I worked as a teacher on Rikers Island. The fiction … Continue reading

Posted in Family Problems, Fiction, Hi-Low/Quick Read, Human Rights Issues, Read 180, Young Adult Literature | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

“Brothers in Arms” The Bluford series

   Brothers in Arms by Paul Langan and Ben Alirez (Bluford Series) It’s been a while since I’ve commented on a Bluford series book. Brothers in Arms is a good one for students looking for their next quick read. Martin … Continue reading

Posted in Controversial Issue/Debate, Family Problems, Fiction, Hi-Low/Quick Read, Read 180, Young Adult Literature | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Ontario Teens Read 2012-2013: Ms. Waddle talking up “The Fault in Our Stars”

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Quick Picks II–They’re easy to read and you can’t put them down.

Check These Out! The book summaries are from the publishers–book flaps, etc. The Rules of Survival by Nancy Werlin Seventeen-year-old Matthew recounts his attempts, starting at a young age, to free himself and his sisters from the grip of their … Continue reading

Posted in Controversial Issue/Debate, Family Problems, Fiction, Hi-Low/Quick Read, Read 180, Young Adult Literature | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

“First Kill”: The Slayer series (companion to Vladimir Todd series)

First Kill by Heather Brewer  (First book in The Slayer series, a companion series to the Vladimir Todd series) How would it affect your life if one night you awoke hearing noises from your little sister’s bedroom? You waited outside … Continue reading

Posted in Adventure Stories, Family Problems, Fiction, Hi-Low/Quick Read, Horror/Mystery/Suspense, Supernatural, Young Adult Literature | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment