Extras by Scott Westerfeld

Fame is what Extras is all about. It's a few years after rebel Tally Youngblood took down the uglies/pretties/specials regime. Without those strict roles and rules, the world is in a complete cultural renaissance. 'Tech heads' flaunt their latest gadgets, 'kickers' spread gossip and trends, and 'surge monkeys' are hooked on extreme plastic surgery. The world is like a gigantic game of 'American Idol', whoever is getting the most buzz gets the most votes, popularity rules.

As if being 15 doesn't suck enough, Aya Fuse's rank of 451,368 is so low, she's a total nobody. An extra. Her only chance to escape extra-land is to find a big story to kick- something wild and unexpected.

Then Aya meeys a clique of girls who pull crazy tricks, yet are deeply secretive of it. But the Sly Girls are hiding something bigger, an explosive discovery that may change the face of the brave new world forever. If Aya kicks this story, she'll be propelled into the world of fame , celebrity and extreme danger. Is the world ready for this extra?

Do you know this poem?

Vampire Kisses- Ellen Schreiber

I was given a chance to attend a author visit sponsored by the public library at a local high school. Ellen was great. She told the students how she began writing, developed her characters, and how the book covers were created. Vampire Kisses is a series.and the first book in the series. I do believe Ellen is up to her 7th book in the series. Look for her in your school library or book store.

SPECIALS by Scott Westerfeld

This is the 3rd book in the UGLIES trilogy. Tally and Shay are more then a SPECIAL they are Cutters, their mission is to find the New Smoke and Tally wants to take Zane to get help to make him better possibly become a Cutter. Tally is a fighting machine, but there is a corner of her heart that remembers something more, is it Zane (he said he loved her), David, or Peris?. She has a mission to get rid of the rebels of the New Smoke once and for all. Special Circumstances is led to the New Smoke City, they think it was this new city that caused the armory to 'melt' down. Tally knows the truth she wants to get back home to explain and stop the war. She tries to tell the truth to Dr, Cable but she knew the truth. Tally sticks her with the ring to change her. Tally escapes from Special Circumstances leaves the city to find herself. David is waiting they leave together in search of???

You do need to read the trilogy in order. I did read PRETTIES and now I am reading EXTRAS. Follow Tally through the trilogy, read as she changes, hoping the changes creates a better place for her.

Uglies- Scott Westerfeld

Let me say I am a middle school librarian. I read alot, and I do mean alot. I have read so many books lately because that is the only way I can help a student find a book they would want to read. I can't recommend a book that I haven't read but read only the reviews from a magazine or a book selling web site.

I have just completed reading Uglies. I didn't want to read it because it is categorized as a science fiction, but so many of my students are reading it. At first I thought it would be a girls only book but I think I could recommend this book to guys as well. It may begin as a story with only girls as the characters but it does bring guys into the story. It is a sci-fi but not a Star Wars sci-fi.

So the uglies are told they are ugly and to become 'pretty' they need to wait for their 16th birthday. On their 16th birthday they are made 'pretty'. But what happens when you don't want to be a 'pretty'. This 1st book in the series has you following Tally and Shay as they develop their friendship and make decisions about being 'pretty' or not. Learn what the Smoke community is and the town of Rusties. Becoming Pretty means what? Is it just a change of facial features or is there more to the operation?

Its a good read, paced nicely, you can put the book down and pick it up easily, try it, I have learned to like this sci-fi book. I knew I was going to finish the book over the weekend and brought home 'Pretties' to keep up with Tally and Shay.

The Doll People

The Doll People- Ann Martin and Laura Godwin
Illustrated by Brian Selznick

The family living in the doll house comes alive when the Palmer’s are gone for the day or sleeping at night. They have a cat named Captain that they need to watch out for because he loves to ‘play’ with Doll family. Annabelle is bored because she can only be in the doll house. Annabelle explores the doll house only to find Aunt Sarah’s journal. In the journal Annabelle reads of the adventures Sarah has taken. Sarah’s adventures take her away from the doll house. But Sarah has been missing for 45 years and now Annabelle has a mission to find Aunt Sarah and bring her home.
Kate is 8 years old and plays with the Doll family in their doll house. Kate has a sister that loves to terrorize the Doll Family by bringing over the Rancher Family. Nora has the Doll family riding horses and cows throughout the doll house. Soon it is Nora’s birthday. Nora gets a doll house and family of her own. Soon the Funcraft family comes to visit the Doll Family. Tiffany Funcraft and Annabelle become friends. Annabelle shares Aunt Sarah’s journal with Tiffany. The 2 girls plan a mission to rescue Aunt Sarah and bring her home. But some one has been adding to Aunt Sarah’s journal. Who? The added entries into the journal give Annabelle and Tiffany a clue to look in the attic. The girls climb up into the attic where they find Aunt Sarah with her dress stuck under the truck. The next night the girls return bringing the families back to help get Sarah’s dress out from underneath the trunk. But how do they get Aunt Sarah back to the doll house?

Red Kayak

Red Kayak- Priscilla Cummings

Brady, JT, and Digger are 14-year old boys who have grown up together in a small town surrounded by extended family. They’ve enjoyed a lot of fishing and swimming in the local creek. When Diggers grandfather gets sick and sells his house on the water to move into a nursing home, the boys continue to use the properties dock and swimming hole. The new owner, Mr. DiAngelo, is not thrilled about their being there and runs them off. Soon after, the Mrs. DiAngelo and her son have a kayaking accident. Were the boys the cause of the accident? Read this captivating tale of old-fashioned values such as hard-work, respect, and doing the right thing to find out what happens to the friendships when a line is crossed.