Category Archives: Hi-Low/Quick Read

“Riley Park”

Posted on December 13, 2012 by Victoria Waddle

Riley Park by Diane Tullson Here’s another super-quick Orca Soundings novel that I liked: Corbin and his best friend Darius are both attracted to the same girl, Rubee, who works at the local Safeway grocery store as a checker. But … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Hi-Low/Quick Read, Horror/Mystery/Suspense, Read 180, Young Adult Literature | Tagged friendship, hi-low reading, Orca Soundings Series, Read 180, reluctant readers | Leave a comment

“Exit Point” and “Yellow Line”

Posted on December 11, 2012 by Victoria Waddle

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 American Indian, death, ghosts, hi-low reading, Orca Soundings Series, prejudice, Read 180 | 1 Comment

“How They Croaked”

Posted on November 30, 2012 by Victoria Waddle

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 Abraham Lincoln, Charles Darwin, Charles Dickens, death, death and dying, Edgar Allan Poe, Galileo, George Washington, Henry VIII, James A. Garfield, King Tut, Marie Curie, Napoleon | Leave a comment

“Rikers High”

Posted on November 14, 2012 by Victoria Waddle

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 prison, reluctant readers, YA fiction | Leave a comment

“Brothers in Arms” The Bluford series

Posted on November 9, 2012 by Victoria Waddle

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 Bluford series, gangs, hi-low reading, Paul Langan, reluctant readers, YA fiction | 1 Comment

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

Posted on November 2, 2012 by Victoria Waddle

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 child abuse, hi-low reading, Orca Soundings Series, YA fiction, YA literature | Leave a comment

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

Posted on October 31, 2012 by Victoria Waddle

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 hi-low reading, reluctant readers, Slayer series, vampires, YA literature | Leave a comment

Quick Picks–they’re easy to read and you can’t put them down

Posted on October 11, 2012 by Victoria Waddle

The book summaries are from the publishers–book flaps, etc. Just Another Hero by Sharon Draper (third in series–The battle of Jericho and November Blues) As Kofi, Arielle, Dana, November, and Jericho face personal challenges during their last year of high … Continue reading →

Posted in Family Problems, Fiction, Hi-Low/Quick Read, Read 180, Young Adult Literature | Tagged Orca Soundings Series, Read 180, Surviving Southside series | Leave a comment

It’s Time for Horror!

Posted on October 1, 2012 by Victoria Waddle

We’ve got some new books for October reading, and they look great! If the title is hyperlinked, click on it for my review. iDrakula by Bekka Black An updated version of Dracula told through a series of text messages, instant … Continue reading →

Posted in Classic Fiction, Family Problems, Fiction, Hi-Low/Quick Read, Horror/Mystery/Suspense, Supernatural, Young Adult Literature | Tagged Adult books for teens, Shirley Jackson | Leave a comment

“A Monster Calls”

Posted on September 28, 2012 by Victoria Waddle

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness (inspired by an idea from Siobhan Dowd) Ever since his mom was diagnosed with breast cancer and began treatments, Conor has been haunted by nightmares. Just after midnight, at 12:07 AM, a monster enters … Continue reading →

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