Events

      • Author Visit for all Grades!

         

        When:  Monday, November 7

        Author:  Ira Marcks

         

        8th Grade during period 4

        7th Grade during period  7

        6th Grade during period 8

        5th Grade during period 9

        Book signings in the upper library classroom from 11:30am - 12:20pm

        ***With much appreciation to the CCMS PTO for sponsoring this amazing event!

         

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        CCMS Summer Reading Club

        ***A Google form will go out to all student emails with instructions on how to choose a book!

        Welcome to the CCMS Summer Book Club!  Let’s have some fun and read the same book this summer!  We have three titles to choose from.  You can read one, two or all three books!  When we return in September, the library will host three reading challenges based on each book.  

        We have a limited number of copies that the library can lend out this summer.  Please fill out  this google doc and your book will be delivered to your homeroom on a first-come basis.    You may put in for more than one book but each request should then be numbered in order of preference.  

        The form is due by Monday, June 21st.  

        War Stories by Gordon Korman

        From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Restart, a story of telling truth from lies -- and finding out what being a hero really means. There are two things Trevor loves more than anything else: playing war-based video games and his great-grandfather Jacob, who is a true-blue, bona fide war hero. At the height of the war, Jacob helped liberate a small French village, and was given a hero's welcome upon his return to America. Now it's decades later, and Jacob wants to retrace the steps he took during the war -- from training to invasion to the village he is said to have saved. Trevor thinks this is the coolest idea ever. But as they get to the village, Trevor discovers there's more to the story than what he's heard his whole life, causing him to wonder about his great-grandfather's heroism, the truth about the battle he fought, and importance of genuine valor.

        Lupe Wong Won’t Dance by Donna Barba Higuera

        "Lupe Wong is going to be the first female pitcher in the Major Leagues. She's also championed causes her whole young life. Some worthy . . . like expanding the options for race on school tests beyond just a few bubbles. And some not so much . . . like complaining to the BBC about the length between Doctor Who seasons. Lupe needs an A in all her classes in order to meet her favorite pitcher, Fu Li Hernandez, who's Chinacan/Mexinese just like her. So when the horror that is square dancing rears its head in gym? Obviously she's not gonna let that slide”

        The Last Last-Day-of-Summer by Lamar Giles

        Otto and Sheed are the local sleuths in their zany Virginia town, masters of unraveling mischief using their unmatched powers of deduction. And as the summer winds down and the first day of school looms, the boys are craving just a little bit more time for fun, even as they bicker over what kind of fun they want to have. That is, until a mysterious man appears with a camera that literally freezes time. Now, with the help of some very strange people and even stranger creatures, Otto and Sheed will have to put aside their differences to save their town—and each other—before time stops for good.

        Scholastic Book Fair!

        March 30 - April 3

        More info to follow

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        Author visit!

        David Neilsen.

        Author of:

        Dr. Fell and the Playground of Doom

        When:  Tuesday, October 29th

        Time:  3rd, 4th, 8th ad 9th period

        Where:  Auditorium  

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        Summer Reading from your New York State Libraries!

        FREE E-books!

        Start reading now!

        Directions:

        1. Go to www.myON.com

        and click on the button

        1. Enter this information

        School Name: New York Reads

        (Begin by entering the first few letters, then click

        on the name from the drop-down menu)

        Username: read

        Password: books

        1. Select a book and start reading!

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        Scholastic Book fair

        March 25 - March 28

        All day during school hours!

        Friday, March 29

        First and second period only.

        Beginning third period, we will have to break down the fair  ):

        Below is the online fair link:

        https://www.scholastic.com/bf/cornwallcentralmiddle

         

         

         

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        Book Club Special Event

         

        Author Skype with David Neilsen

         

        "Dr. Fell and the Playground of Doom"

         

        Tuesday, February 5th 

         

        Come at 3pm sharp!

         

         

         

         

         

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        Author visit!

         

         

        Susan Campbell Bartoletti,  Newbery honor winner and Sibert award.

         

        During periods 3, 4, 8 and 9 in the auditorium.

         

        Orders for book signings will be going out soon.  

         

         

         

         

         

         

         

         

         

         

         

         

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        New York’s “Libraries Rock”in Summer 2018 with myON’s Digital Library!

         

        As a part of Summer Reading at New York Libraries, the State Education Department and myON are partnering to bring thousands of enhanced digital books to children from birth through 8th grade and their families all around the state! 

         

        WHEN: May through September 2018

         

        WHAT’S AVAILABLE The myON Digital Library provides young readers with more than 6,000 fiction and nonfiction e-books, covering a broad range of topics and themes. Flexible supports include professionally-recorded audio, text highlighting, an embedded dictionary and a zoom feature to support independent reading. (These features enable families to read together, even if there isn’t a proficient adult reader in the household.) Resources and tips for parents and educators include on-demand videos, tip sheets, strategies and more to support meaningful family literacy experiences.

         

        UNLIMITED 24/7 ACCESS, ONLINE AND OFFLINE Readers can access the myON Digital Library and its special features online from any web-enabled device and offline using free mobile apps. Families can download up to 20 books at a time for reading offline. myON logins may be used anytime and anywhere — at school, at the library, at home or on the road. 

         

        Any questions?  Contact myON Support directly by email (support@myon.com) or by calling toll-free   888-728-1266 Monday through Friday, from 9 am to 6 pm Eastern

         

        DIRECTIONS:

         

        Go to:   www.myon.com

         

        Enter the following information

         

        School name:  Cornwall Central School District

         

        Username:  cornwstudent

         

        Password:  read

         

         

         

         

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        Author Skype Event!

         

        The fifth grade will visit with Jennifer Nielsen 

        Monday, May 7

        9th period in the auditorium

         

        Ms. Loughran will be booktalking all the author's amazing books the week before the event.  

         

         

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        Scholastic Book Fair!

         

        In our library ALL day (during school hours)

         

        Begins on Tuesday, March 20 and ends on Friday, March 23

         

        The online fair is open until March 27th

         

        Here is the link:

         

        http://www.scholastic.com/bf/cornwallcentralmiddle

         

         

         

         

         

         

         

         

         

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        Author visit!

         

        New York Times Best selling author, Wendy Mass.

         

        Tuesday, December 19th 

         

        During all flex periods 3, 4, 8, and 9 in the auditorium

         

        Book signings from 11:15 to 12:15

         

        *Books can be preordered through our local Barnes and Noble.

        Form is copied below:

         

        __________________________________________________________________

        Dear Parents,

        On Tuesday, December 19, the library is hosting author Wendy Mass during four assemblies. 

        Thank you to the CCMS PTO for sponsoring this fun and exciting event for all students.

        We will be pre-selling Ms. Mass’ books to generate enthusiasm and inspire our students to read.  The library has arranged for our local Barnes and Noble to handle the book sales.  Prices already include sales tax.  Please make your check payable to “CCMS Activity Fund.”  Any questions should be directed to Ms. Loughran, Librarian, at 534-8009 Ext. 4009 or email at kloughran@cornwallschools.com.

         

        Student Name: _________________________________________Teacher: ___________________

         

        Home phone (in case there is a question about your order): ______________________________

        *All orders are due by Monday, December 4 to ensure delivery before the author visit.  Price includes the 8.125% tax that Barnes and Noble is required to collect. 

         

        Title:                                    Price Each:        Quantity:

         

        Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life               $8.00

         

        Every Soul A Star                                            $8.00

         

        Candymakers                                                  $9.00

         

        Candymakers and the Great Chocolate Chase   $8.00

         

        Pi in the Sky                                                    $8.00

         

        Rapunzel: The One with all the Hair                 $6.50

         

        Beauty and the Beast, the Only One Who          $6.50

        Didn’t Run Away.

         

        A Mango-Shaped Space                                     $8.00

         

         

         

         

         

         

        Book Descriptions:

         

        Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life             

             In one month, Jeremy Fink will turn thirteen. But does he have what it takes to be a teenager? He collects mutant candy, he won't venture more than four blocks from his apartment if he can help it, and he definitely doesn't like surprises. On the other hand, his best friend, Lizzy, isn't afraid of anything, even if that might get her into trouble now and then.
             Jeremy's summer takes an unexpected turn when a mysterious wooden box arrives in the mail. According to the writing on the box, it holds the meaning of life! Jeremy is supposed to open it on his thirteenth birthday. The problem is, the keys are missing, and the box is made so that only the keys will open it without destroying what's inside. Jeremy and Lizzy set off to find the keys, but when one of their efforts goes very wrong, Jeremy starts to lose hope that he'll ever be able to open the box. But he soon discovers that when you're meeting people named Oswald Oswald and using a private limo to deliver unusual objects to strangers all over the city, there might be other ways of finding out the meaning of life.

         

        Every Soul a Star                           

             At Moon Shadow, an isolated campground, thousands have gathered to catch a glimpse of a rare and extraordinary total eclipse of the sun. Three lives are about to be changed forever:
             Ally:  Ally likes the simple things in life-labyrinths, star-gazing, and comet-hunting. Her home, the moon shadow campground, is a part of who she is. She refuses to imagine it any other way.
             Bree: Popular, gorgeous (everybody says so), a future homecoming queen for sure. Bree wears her beauty like a suit of armor. But what is she trying to hide?
             Jack: Overweight and awkward, jack is used to spending a lot of time alone. But when opportunity knocks, he finds himself in situations he never would have imagined. 
             Told from three distinct voices and perspectives, Wendy Mass weaves an intricate and compelling story about strangers coming together, unlikely friendships, and finding one's place in the universe.

        Candymakers                                              

             In the town of Spring Haven, four children have been selected to compete in the national candymaking contest of a lifetime. Who will make a candy more delicious than the Oozing Crunchorama or the Neon Yellow Lightning Chew?
             Logan, the candymaker's son, who can detect the color of chocolate by feel alone? Miles, the boy allergic to rowboats and the color pink? Daisy, the cheerful girl who can lift a fifty-pound lump of taffy as if it were a feather? Philip, the suit-and-tie-wearing boy who's always scribbling in a secret notebook?  This sweet, charming, and cleverly crafted story, told from each contestant's perspective, is filled with mystery, friendship, and juicy revelations.

         

        Candymakers and the Great Chocolate Chase

             It has been a few months since the nationwide New Candy Contest, and Logan, Miles, Philip, and Daisy have returned to their regular lives. But when the winning candy bar comes down the conveyor belt at the Life is Sweet candy factory, Logan realizes something's very wrong....

             When the Candymaker announces that they will be going on tour to introduce the new candy bar, the four friends see this as an opportunity to make things right. But with a fifty-year-old secret revealed and stakes higher for each of them than they ever imagined, they will have to trust one another--and themselves--in order to face what lies ahead.

             In this action-packed sequel to the bestselling novel The Candymakers, prepare to embark on a journey full of hidden treasures, secret worlds, and candy.  LOTS and LOTS of candy.

         

        Pi in the Sky                                             

             Joss is the seventh son of the Supreme Overlord of the Universe. His older brothers help his dad rule the cosmos, but all Joss gets to do is deliver pies. That's right: pies. Of course, these pies actually hold the secrets of the universe between their buttery crusts, but they're still pies.

             Joss is happy to let his older brothers shine. He has plenty to keep his hands full: attempting to improve his bowling score; listening to his best friend, Kal, try (and fail) to play the drums; and exploring his ever-changing home, The Realms. But when Earth suddenly disappears, Joss is tasked with the seemingly impossible job of bringing it back. With the help of Annika, an outspoken girl from Earth, he embarks on the adventure of a lifetime...and learns that the universe is an even stranger place than he'd imagined.

        Rapunzel:  The One with all the Hair

             Rapunzel is having the ultimate bad day. She's been stolen by a witch, may have a ghost for a roommate, and doesn't even have a decent brush for her hair.
             Prince Benjamin's got it pretty tough, too. His father wants him to be more kingly, his mother wants him to never leave her sight, and his cousin wants to get him into as much trouble as possible (possibly with a troll).
             Both Rapunzel and Prince Benjamin are trapped--in very different ways. Once their paths cross, well, that's when things get really strange. Journey back to the days when fairy tales were true with this fun and fresh spin on a timeless tale!

        Beauty and the Beast, the Only One Who        

        Didn’t Run Away.

             When you're stuck with the name Beauty, people expect a lot from you - like beauty and grace and courage and a sense of style. But what if you have none of these things? What if all you like to do is read books and search for odd objects that other people drop? Oh, and you have a perfect older sister who really should have had your name instead of you.
             And when you're a prince, you're supposed to be athletic and commanding and brave and tall. But what if you are none of those things? What if all you like to do is play the bagpipes (badly), study the stars, and try to figure out how to make worms live forever? Oh, and you also have a perfect older brother who is a lot more princely than you'll ever be.

        A Mango-Shaped Space    

             Thirteen-year-old Mia Winchell is far from ordinary: she suffers from a rare condition called synesthesia, the mingling of perceptions whereby a person can see sounds, smell colors, or taste shapes. But because she has kept it a secret from everyone, she appears to be the most normal kid in her family. Her younger brother Zack keeps a chart of all the McDonald's hamburgers he's eaten in his lifetime. Her older sister Beth dyes her hair a different color every week and might be a witch.

             When trouble in the school finally convinces Mia to reveal her secret, she feels like a freak; and as she embarks on an intense journey of self-discovery, her family and friends have trouble relating to her. By the time she realizes she has isolated herself from all the people who care about her, it is almost too late. Mia has to lose something very special in order to understand and appreciate her special gift in this coming-of-age novel.

         

         

         

         

         

         

         

         

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        2016 - 2017 events:

         

         

         

        Special 7th grade author event!

         

        Skyping 

        with 

        Paul Volponi

         

        Wednesday, May 17

        3rd period - auditorium

        ​​​​​​​

         

         

         

         

         

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        Our Annual Scholastic Book Fair!!

         

        April 3 thru 7th

         

        *Please note, the fair will be closed on Wednesday, April 5 due to scoring day

         

        The ONLINE store is now live.  Click on the link below:

         

        Online book fair link

         

         

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        Wednesday, January 25

         

        Author Jude Watson!

         

        A  skype author event for the fifth grade class

        in the auditorium during 9th period flex.

         

         

         

         

         

                  

         

         

         

         

         

         

         

         

         

         

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        Tuesday, December 6

         

        Author Ned Rust will visit with all classes in the auditorium

         

        Period 3 - 7th grade

        Period 4 - 8th grade

        Period 8 - 6th grade

        Period 9 - 5th grade

        Afterschool with the book club.

        Book signings at 11:15 in the upper library lab!

        There are still author books available for purchase.  All copies are signed:

        Daniel X: Watch the Skies     $7.00

        Daniel X:  Game Over             $7.00

        Daniel X: The Manga              $12.00

      Fifth Grade Curriculum

      •     
        Fifth graders work on the following subjects all year in library class:

        • Library Orientation
        • Library Assessment
        • Finding a Book
        • Genre Stickers
        • Fiction/Biography
        • Dewey Decimal System
        • Online Catalog Searching
        • Award Winners
        • Parts of a Book
        • Cyber Safety
        • Web Site Evaluation
        • Writing a book review
        • Introduction to Databases

        *All year round Keyboarding program*

      What I am Reading

      • October 2020

         

        The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart

         

        Synopsis:

         

        Five years.

        That's how long Coyote and her dad, Rodeo, have lived on the road in an old school bus, criss-crossing the nation.

        It's also how long ago Coyote lost her mom and two sisters in a car crash.

        Coyote hasn’t been home in all that time, but when she learns that the park in her old neighborhood is being demolished―the very same park where she, her mom, and her sisters buried a treasured memory box―she devises an elaborate plan to get her dad to drive 3,600 miles back to Washington state in four days...without him realizing it.

        Along the way, they'll pick up a strange crew of misfit travelers. Lester has a lady love to meet. Salvador and his mom are looking to start over. Val needs a safe place to be herself. And then there's Gladys...

        Over the course of thousands of miles, Coyote will learn that going home can sometimes be the hardest journey of all...but that with friends by her side, she just might be able to turn her “once upon a time” into a “happily ever after.”

         

         

         

        August 2020

         

        Hello Universe by Erin Estrada Kelly

         

        Synopsis:

        Told from four intertwining points of view—two boys and two girls—the novel celebrates bravery, being different, and finding your inner bayani (hero). “Readers will be instantly engrossed in this relatable neighborhood adventure and its eclectic cast of misfits.”—Booklist

        In one day, four lives weave together in unexpected ways. Virgil Salinas is shy and kindhearted and feels out of place in his crazy-about-sports family. Valencia Somerset, who is deaf, is smart, brave, and secretly lonely, and she loves everything about nature. Kaori Tanaka is a self-proclaimed psychic, whose little sister, Gen, is always following her around. And Chet Bullens wishes the weird kids would just stop being so different so he can concentrate on basketball.

        They aren’t friends, at least not until Chet pulls a prank that traps Virgil and his pet guinea pig at the bottom of a well. This disaster leads Kaori, Gen, and Valencia on an epic quest to find missing Virgil. Through luck, smarts, bravery, and a little help from the universe, a rescue is performed, a bully is put in his place, and friendship blooms.

         

        July 2020

         

        New Kid by Jerry Craft

         

        Synopsis:

         

        Seventh grader Jordan Banks loves nothing more than drawing cartoons about his life. But instead of sending him to the art school of his dreams, his parents enroll him in a prestigious private school known for its academics, where Jordan is one of the few kids of color in his entire grade.

        As he makes the daily trip from his Washington Heights apartment to the upscale Riverdale Academy Day School, Jordan soon finds himself torn between two worlds—and not really fitting into either one. Can Jordan learn to navigate his new school culture while keeping his neighborhood friends and staying true to himself?

        This middle grade graphic novel is an excellent choice for tween readers, including for summer reading.

         

         

         

         

        June 2020

         

         

        The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

         

        Synopsis:

        It is the morning of the reaping that will kick off the tenth annual Hunger Games. In the Capitol, eighteen-year-old Coriolanus Snow is preparing for his one shot at glory as a mentor in the Games. The once-mighty house of Snow has fallen on hard times, its fate hanging on the slender chance that Coriolanus will be able to outcharm, outwit, and outmaneuver his fellow students to mentor the winning tribute.
         
        The odds are against him. He’s been given the humiliating assignment of mentoring the female tribute from District 12, the lowest of the low. Their fates are now completely intertwined — every choice Coriolanus makes could lead to favor or failure, triumph or ruin. Inside the arena, it will be a fight to the death. Outside the arena, Coriolanus starts to feel for his doomed tribute . . . and must weigh his need to follow the rules against his desire to survive no matter what it takes.

         

        April 2020 

         

        New Kid by Jerry Craft

         

        Synopsis:

         

        Seventh grader Jordan Banks loves nothing more than drawing cartoons about his life. But instead of sending him to the art school of his dreams, his parents enroll him in a prestigious private school known for its academics, where Jordan is one of the few kids of color in his entire grade.

        As he makes the daily trip from his Washington Heights apartment to the upscale Riverdale Academy Day School, Jordan soon finds himself torn between two worlds—and not really fitting into either one. Can Jordan learn to navigate his new school culture while keeping his neighborhood friends and staying true to himself?

         

        March 2020

         

        Found by Joseph Bruchac

         

        Synopsis:

         

        A teenage survival expert finds all his skills tested as he’s pursued through the Canadian wilderness by men determined to silence him. On his way to teach at Camp Seven Generations, a Native outdoor school, Nick witnesses a murder and then is thrown off a train. Remembering and using the teachings of his Abenaki Elders will prove to be the difference between life and death for him. Although his pursuers have modern technology to help them, Nick has something even more useful. In addition to the skills he’s learned, he has an ally in the natural world around him.

         

        February 2020 

         

        Memento Nora by Angie Smibert

         

        Synopsis:

         

        Nora's world you don't have to put up with nightmares. Nora goeswith her mother to TFC—a Therapeutic Forgetting Clinic. There, she can describe her horrible memory and take the pill that will erase it. But at TFC, a chance encounter with a mysterious guy changes Nora's life. She doesn't take the pill. And when Nora learns the memory her mother has chosen to forget, she realizes that someone needs to remember. With newfound friends Micah and Winter, Nora makes a comic book of their memories called Memento. It's an instant hit, but it sets off a dangerous chain of events. Will Nora, Micah, and Winter be forced to take the Big Pill that will erase their memories forever?

         

         

         

         

        January 2020

         

        The Charmed Children of Rookskill Castle by Janet Fox

         

        Synopsis:

         

        “Keep calm and carry on.”  That’s what Katherine Bateson’s father told her, and that’s what she’s trying to do:  when her father goes off to the war, when her mother sends Kat and her brother and sister away from London to escape the incessant bombing, even when the children arrive at Rookskill Castle, an ancient, crumbling manor on the misty Scottish highlands.

         

         

         

        December 2019

         

        Dread Nation by Justina Ireland

         

        Synopsis:

         

        Jane McKeene was born two days before the dead began to walk the battlefields of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania—derailing the War Between the States and changing the nation forever.

        In this new America, safety for all depends on the work of a few, and laws like the Native and Negro Education Act require certain children attend combat schools to learn to put down the dead.

        But there are also opportunities—and Jane is studying to become an Attendant, trained in both weaponry and etiquette to protect the well-to-do. It's a chance for a better life for Negro girls like Jane. After all, not even being the daughter of a wealthy white Southern woman could save her from society’s expectations.

        But that’s not a life Jane wants. Almost finished with her education at Miss Preston's School of Combat in Baltimore, Jane is set on returning to her Kentucky home and doesn’t pay much mind to the politics of the eastern cities, with their talk of returning America to the glory of its days before the dead rose.

        But when families around Baltimore County begin to go missing, Jane is caught in the middle of a conspiracy, one that finds her in a desperate fight for her life against some powerful enemies. 

        And the restless dead, it would seem, are the least of her problems.

         

         

        November 2019

         

         

        There Will Come a Darkness by Katy Rose Pool

         

        Synopsis:

         

        The Age of Darkness approaches.
        Five lives stand in its way.
        Who will stop it . . . or unleash it?

        For generations, the Seven Prophets guided humanity. Using their visions of the future, they ended wars and united nations―until the day, one hundred years ago, when the Prophets disappeared.

        All they left behind was one final, secret prophecy, foretelling an Age of Darkness and the birth of a new Prophet who could be the world’s salvation . . . or the cause of its destruction. With chaos on the horizon, five souls are set on a collision course:

        A prince exiled from his kingdom.
        A ruthless killer known as the Pale Hand.
        A once-faithful leader torn between his duty and his heart.
        A reckless gambler with the power to find anything or anyone.
        And a dying girl on the verge of giving up.

        One of them―or all of them―could break the world. Will they be savior or destroyer?

         

         

        October 2019

         

        House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig

         

        Synopsis:

         

        Annaleigh lives a sheltered life at Highmoor with her sisters and their father and stepmother. Once there were twelve, but loneliness fills the grand halls now that four of the girls' lives have been cut short. Each death was more tragic than the last--the plague, a plummeting fall, a drowning, a slippery plunge--and there are whispers throughout the surrounding villages that the family is cursed by the gods.

        Disturbed by a series of ghostly visions, Annaleigh becomes increasingly suspicious that her sister's deaths were no accidents. The girls have been sneaking out every night to attend glittering balls, dancing until dawn in silk gowns and shimmering slippers, and Annaleigh isn't sure whether to try to stop them or to join their forbidden trysts. Because who--or what--are they really dancing with?

        When Annaleigh's involvement with a mysterious stranger who has secrets of his own intensifies, it's a race to unravel the darkness that has fallen over her family--before it claims her next. House of Salt and Sorrows is a spellbinding novel filled with magic and the rustle of gossamer skirts down long, dark hallways. Get ready to be swept away.

         

         

         

        September 2019

         

        Gunslinger Girl  by Lyndsay Ely 

         

        Synopsis:

         

        Seventeen-year-old Serendipity "Pity" Jones inherited two things from her mother: a pair of six shooters and perfect aim. She's been offered a life of fame and fortune in Cessation, a glittering city where lawlessness is a way of life. But the price she pays for her freedom may be too great....

         

        In this extraordinary debut from Lyndsay Ely, the West is once again wild after a Second Civil War fractures the U.S. into a broken, dangerous land. Pity's struggle against the dark and twisted underbelly of a corrupt city will haunt you long after the final bullet is shot.

         

         

         

        August 2019

         

        The Truth According to Mason Buttle by Leslie Connor

         

        Synopsis:

         

        Mason Buttle is the biggest, sweatiest kid in his grade, and everyone knows he can barely read or write. Mason’s learning disabilities are compounded by grief. Fifteen months ago, Mason’s best friend, Benny Kilmartin, turned up dead in the Buttle family’s orchard.

        An investigation drags on, and Mason, honest as the day is long, can’t understand why Lieutenant Baird won’t believe the story Mason has told about that day.

        Both Mason and his new friend, tiny Calvin Chumsky, are relentlessly bullied by the other boys in their neighborhood, so they create an underground haven for themselves. When Calvin goes missing, Mason finds himself in trouble again. He’s desperate to figure out what happened to Calvin and, eventually, Benny.

        But will anyone believe him?

         

         

         

         

         

        June 2019

        ​​​​​​​

         

        The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place by Julie Berry

         

         

        Synopsis:

         

        There's a murderer on the loose―but that doesn't stop the girls of St. Etheldreda's from attempting to hide the death of their headmistress in this rollicking farce. 
        The students of St. Etheldreda's School for Girls face a bothersome dilemma. Their irascible headmistress, Mrs. Plackett, and her surly brother, Mr. Godding, have been most inconveniently poisoned at Sunday dinner. Now the school will almost certainly be closed and the girls sent home―unless these seven very proper young ladies can hide the murders and convince their neighbors that nothing is wrong.

        Julie Berry's The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place is a smart, hilarious Victorian romp, full of outrageous plot twists, mistaken identities, and mysterious happenings.

         

         

        May 2019

         

         

         

        Scythe by Neal Shusterman

         

         

        Synopsis:

         

        Two teens must learn the “art of killing” in this Printz Honor–winning book, the first in a chilling new series from Neal Shusterman, author of the New York Times bestselling Unwind dystology.

        A world with no hunger, no disease, no war, no misery: humanity has conquered all those things, and has even conquered death. Now Scythes are the only ones who can end life—and they are commanded to do so, in order to keep the size of the population under control.

        Citra and Rowan are chosen to apprentice to a scythe—a role that neither wants. These teens must master the “art” of taking life, knowing that the consequence of failure could mean losing their own.

        Scythe is the first novel of a thrilling new series by National Book Award–winning author Neal Shusterman in which Citra and Rowan learn that a perfect world comes only with a heavy price.

         

         

         

         

        March 2019

         

         

        Renegades  by Marissa Meyer

         

        Synopsis:

         

        The Renegades are a syndicate of prodigies―humans with extraordinary abilities―who emerged from the ruins of a crumbled society and established peace and order where chaos reigned. As champions of justice, they remain a symbol of hope and courage to everyone...except the villains they once overthrew.

        Nova has a reason to hate the Renegades, and she is on a mission for vengeance. As she gets closer to her target, she meets Adrian, a Renegade boy who believes in justice―and in Nova. But Nova's allegiance is to the villains who have the power to end them both.

         

         

        January 2019

         

        Dr. Fell and the Playground of Doom by David Neilsen

         

         

        Synopsis:

         

        When the mysterious Dr. Fell moves into the abandoned house that had once been the neighborhood kids’ hangout, he immediately builds a playground to win them over. But as the ever-changing play space becomes bigger and more elaborate, the children and their parents fall deeper under the doctor’s spell.
         
        Only Jerry, Nancy, and Gail are immune to the lure of his extravagant wonderland. And they alone notice that when the injuries begin to pile up on the jungle gym, somehow Dr. Fell is able to heal each one with miraculous speed. Now the three children must find a way to uncover the doctor’s secret power without being captivated by his trickery.

         

         

         

        December 2018

         

        Broken Things by Lauren Oliver

         

        Synopsis:

         

        It’s been five years since Summer Marks was brutally murdered in the woods.

        Everyone thinks Mia and Brynn killed their best friend. That driven by their obsession with a novel called The Way into Lovelorn the three girls had imagined themselves into the magical world where their fantasies became twisted, even deadly.

        The only thing is: they didn’t do it.

        On the anniversary of Summer’s death, a seemingly insignificant discovery resurrects the mystery and pulls Mia and Brynn back together once again. But as the lines begin to blur between past and present and fiction and reality, the girls must confront what really happened in the woods all those years ago—no matter how monstrous.

         

         

         

        November 2018

         

        Evil Librarian by Michelle Knudsen

         

        Synopsis:

         

        When Cynthia Rothschild’s best friend, Annie, falls head over heels for the new high-school librarian, Cyn can totally see why. He’s really young and super cute and thinks Annie would make an excellent library monitor. But after meeting Mr. Gabriel, Cyn realizes something isn’t quite right. Maybe it’s the creepy look in the librarian’s eyes, or the weird feeling Cyn gets whenever she’s around him. Before long Cyn realizes that Mr. Gabriel is, in fact . . . a demon. Now, in addition to saving the school musical from technical disaster and trying not to make a fool of herself with her own hopeless crush, Cyn has to save her best friend from the clutches of the evil librarian, who also seems to be slowly sucking the life force out of the entire student body! From best-selling author Michelle Knudsen, here is the perfect novel for teens who like their horror served up with a bit of romance, plenty of humor, and some pretty hot guys (of both the good and evil variety).

         

         

         

         

        October 2018

         

        The Traitor's Game by Jennifer Nielsen

         

        Synopsis:

         

        Kestra Dallisor has spent three years in exile in the Lava Fields, but that won't stop her from being drawn back into her father's palace politics. He's second-in-command to the cruel king, Lord Endrick, which makes Kestra a valuable bargaining chip. A group of rebels knows this -- and they snatch Kestra from her carriage as she reluctantly travels home.

        The kidnappers want her to retrieve the lost Olden Blade, the only object that can destroy the king, but Kestra is not the obedient captive they expected. One of the rebels, Simon, has his hands full as Kestra tries to foil their plot, by any means necessary. As motives shift and secrets emerge, both have to decide what -- and who -- it is they're fighting for.

         

         

        September 2018

         

        One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus

         

        Synopsis:

         

        Pay close attention and you might solve this.
        On Monday afternoon, five students at Bayview High walk into detention.
            Bronwyn, the brain, is Yale-bound and never breaks a rule. 
            Addy, the beauty, is the picture-perfect homecoming princess. 
            Nate, the criminal, is already on probation for dealing.
            Cooper, the athlete, is the all-star baseball pitcher.
            And Simon, the outcast, is the creator of Bayview High’s notorious gossip app.
         
        Only, Simon never makes it out of that classroom. Before the end of detention Simon's dead. And according to investigators, his death wasn’t an accident. On Monday, he died. But on Tuesday, he’d planned to post juicy reveals about all four of his high-profile classmates, which makes all four of them suspects in his murder. Or are they the perfect patsies for a killer who’s still on the loose? 
         
        Everyone has secrets, right? What really matters is how far you would go to protect them.

         

         

         

        August 2018

         

        The Hazel Wood  by Melissa Albert

         

        Synopsis:

         

        Seventeen-year-old Alice and her mother have spent most of Alice’s life on the road, always a step ahead of the uncanny bad luck biting at their heels. But when Alice’s grandmother, the reclusive author of a cult-classic book of pitch-dark fairy tales, dies alone on her estate, the Hazel Wood, Alice learns how bad her luck can really get: Her mother is stolen away―by a figure who claims to come from the Hinterland, the cruel supernatural world where her grandmother's stories are set. Alice's only lead is the message her mother left behind: “Stay away from the Hazel Wood.”

        Alice has long steered clear of her grandmother’s cultish fans. But now she has no choice but to ally with classmate Ellery Finch, a Hinterland superfan who may have his own reasons for wanting to help her. To retrieve her mother, Alice must venture first to the Hazel Wood, then into the world where her grandmother's tales began―and where she might find out how her own story went so wrong.

         

         

         

         

        June 2018

         

        Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World by Ashley Herring Blake

         

        Synopsis:

         

        When a tornado rips through town, twelve-year-old Ivy Aberdeen's house is destroyed and her family of five is displaced. Ivy feels invisible and ignored in the aftermath of the storm--and what's worse, her notebook filled with secret drawings of girls holding hands has gone missing.

         

        Mysteriously, Ivy's drawings begin to reappear in her locker with notes from someone telling her to open up about her identity. Ivy thinks--and hopes--that this someone might be her classmate, another girl for whom Ivy has begun to develop a crush. Will Ivy find the strength and courage to follow her true feelings?

         

         

        April 2018

         

        The Librarian of Auschwtiz by Antonia Iturbe

         

         

        Synopsis:

         

        Fourteen-year-old Dita is one of the many imprisoned by the Nazis at Auschwitz. Taken, along with her mother and father, from the Terezín ghetto in Prague, Dita is adjusting to the constant terror that is life in the camp. When Jewish leader Freddy Hirsch asks Dita to take charge of the eight precious volumes the prisoners have managed to sneak past the guards, she agrees. And so Dita becomes the librarian of Auschwitz.

        Out of one of the darkest chapters of human history comes this extraordinary story of courage and hope.

         

         

        January 2018

         

         

        The Warden's Daughter by Jerry Spinelli

         

        Synopsis:

         

        Cammie O'Reilly lives at the Hancock County Prison--not as a prisoner, she's the warden's daughter. She spends the mornings hanging out with shoplifters and reformed arsonists in the women's excercise yard, which gives Cammie a certain cache with her school friends. 

        But even though Cammie's free to leave the prison, she's still stuck. And sad, and really mad. Her mother died saving her from harm when she was just a baby. You wouldn't think you could miss something you never had, but on the eve of her thirteenth birthday, the thing Cammie most wants is a mom. A prison might not be the best place to search for a mother, but Cammie is determined and she's willing to work with what she's got.

         

         

         

        October 2017

         

        One Dark Throne by Kendare Blake

         

        Synopsis:

         

        With the unforgettable events of the Quickening behind them and the Ascension Year underway, all bets are off.

        Katharine, once the weak and feeble sister, is stronger than ever before. Arsinoe, after discovering the truth about her powers, must figure out how to make her secret talent work in her favor without anyone finding out. And Mirabella, once thought to be the strongest sister of all and the certain Queen Crowned, faces attacks like never before—ones that put those around her in danger she can’t seem to prevent.

         

         

         

        August 2017

         

        Scar Island by Dan Gemeinhart

         

        Synopsis:

         

        Jonathan Grisby is the newest arrival at the Slabhenge Reformatory School for Troubled Boys--an ancient, crumbling fortress of gray stone rising up from the ocean. It is dark, damp, and dismal. And it is just the place Jonathan figures he deserves.

        Because Jonathan has done something terrible. And he's willing to accept whatever punishment he has coming.

        Just as he's getting used to his new situation, however, a freak accident leaves the troubled boys of Slabhenge without any adult supervision. Suddenly the kids are free, with an entire island to themselves. But freedom brings unexpected danger. And if Jonathan can't come to terms with the sins of his past and lead his new friends to safety... then every boy on the island is doomed.

         

        MY REVIEW:

         

        LOVED this one.  Survival, intriguing back story, page turner.  Plenty of cringy parts with the rats! Of course, there has be an adorable librarian in the story to boot.  I will recommend this one often.  

         

         

         

        June 2017

         

        The Rest of us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness

         

        Synopsis:

         

        What if you aren't the Chosen One? The one who's supposed to fight the zombies, or the soul-eating ghosts, or whatever the heck this new thing is, with the blue lights and the death?

        What if you're like Mikey? Who just wants to graduate and go to prom and maybe finally work up the courage to ask Henna out before someone goes and blows up the high school. Again.

        Because sometimes there are problems bigger than this week's end of the world, and sometimes you just have to find the extraordinary in your ordinary life.

        Even if your best friend is worshipped by mountain lions.

         

         

        What if you aren't the Chosen One? The one who's supposed to fight the zombies, or the soul-eating ghosts, or whatever the heck this new thing is, with the blue lights and the death?

        What if you're like Mikey? Who just wants to graduate and go to prom and maybe finally work up the courage to ask Henna out before someone goes and blows up the high school. Again.

        Because sometimes there are problems bigger than this week's end of the world, and sometimes you just have to find the extraordinary in your ordinary life.

        Even if your best friend is worshipped by mountain lions.

         

        MY REVIEW:

         

        This one was just okay for me.  I did finish it.  It was a well crafted story.  The characters weren't the most interesting to me but I also would be fair and say they weren't boring.  I found myself a little distracted by the fantasy element that was introduced.  It almost seemed out of place with the contemporary theme.  It didn't work for me but I can see how others might enjoy it.  

         

         

         

         

         

         

        May 2017

         

        Unwind by Neal Shusterman

         

        Synopsis:

         

        The first twisted and futuristic novel in the perennially popular New York Times bestselling Unwind dystology by Neal Shusterman.

        In America after the Second Civil War, the Pro-Choice and Pro-Life armies came to an agreement: The Bill of Life states that human life may not be touched from the moment of conception until a child reaches the age of thirteen. Between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, however, a parent may choose to retroactively get rid of a child through a process called "unwinding." Unwinding ensures that the child's life doesn’t “technically” end by transplanting all the organs in the child's body to various recipients. Now a common and accepted practice in society, troublesome or unwanted teens are able to easily be unwound.

        With breathtaking suspense, this book follows three teens who all become runaway Unwinds: Connor, a rebel whose parents have ordered his unwinding; Risa, a ward of the state who is to be unwound due to cost-cutting; and Lev, his parents’ tenth child whose unwinding has been planned since birth as a religious tithing. As their paths intersect and lives hang in the balance, Shusterman examines complex moral issues that will keep readers turning the pages until the very end.

         

        MY REVIEW:

         

        This one had a fascinating twist to a dystopian novel.  Before you turn 18, your parents can decide to "unwind" you.  It all sounds so cruel (and it is) yet the author does an admirable job of showing how easily a society can accept such a depraved practice.  To be "unwound" means that all your organs are taken and preserved for others that may need a new heart, new lungs, etc.  The rationale is that you are not dead because your organs live on in another person.  

         

        Obviously, though is you ask a teenager that is about to be unwound if they feel it is so benevolent and they know they are being murdered.  This is the story of Connor and how he goes on the run to escape being unwound.  His story was a page turner for me.  

         

         

         

        April 2017:

         

        Kill the Boy Band by Goldy Moldasky

         

        Synopsis:

         

        Just know from the start that it wasn't supposed to go like this. All we wanted was to get near them. That's why we got a room in the hotel where they were staying.

        We were not planning to kidnap one of them. Especially not the most useless one. But we had him-his room key, his cell phone, and his secrets.

        We were not planning on what happened next.

        We swear.

         

        MY REVIEW:

        I LOVED this one!  Literally I think I was laughing out loud at every chapter.  This one was a real treat and is becoming my favorite book of 2017.   A bunch of fan girls whose obsession quickly spirals out of control.  I can’t give anything away but I will tell you that the twists and turns will leave your head spinning.  

         

         

         

        March 2017:

         

        The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black

         

        Synopsis:

         

        Coldtown was dangerous, Tana knew. A glamorous cage, a prison for the damned and anyone who wanted to party with them.

         

        Tana lives in a world where walled cities called Coldtowns exist. In them, quarantined monsters and humans mingle in a decadently bloody mix of predator and prey. And once you pass through Coldtown's gates, you can never leave.

         

        One morning, after a perfectly ordinary party, Tana wakes up surrounded by corpses. The only other survivors of this massacre are her exasperatingly endearing ex-boyfriend, infected and on the edge, and a mysterious boy burdened with a terrible secret. Shaken and determined, Tana enters a race against the clock to save the three of them the only way she knows how: by going straight to the wicked, opulent heart of Coldtown itself.

         

        MY REVIEW:

         

        Wow!  This one was amazing.  I didn’t think I was in a “vampire” mood.  The story reminded me of the days when I used to read a lot of Anne Rice (a popular writer of adult vampire novels).  Well this one hooked me like the old Anne Rice novels.  What I enjoyed most though was the definite young adult twist.  The main character, Tana, is a fascinating character.  She doesn’t appear to have the courage or strength of Katniss in the Hunger Games so her resolve surprises the reader.  I found myself connecting with her and cheering her on.  Warning – don’t read this story while you are having a snack.  Some of the vampire scenes are quite graphic.

         

         

         

         

         

         

         

         

         

        FEBRUARY 2017:

         

         

        THREE DARK CROWNS by Kendare Blake

         

        Synopsis:

         

        Fans of acclaimed author Kendare Blake’s Anna Dressed in Blood will devour her latest novel, a dark and inventive fantasy about three sisters who must fight to the death to become queen.

        In every generation on the island of Fennbirn, a set of triplets is born: three queens, all equal heirs to the crown and each possessor of a coveted magic. Mirabella is a fierce elemental, able to spark hungry flames or vicious storms at the snap of her fingers. Katharine is a poisoner, one who can ingest the deadliest poisons without so much as a stomachache. Arsinoe, a naturalist, is said to have the ability to bloom the reddest rose and control the fiercest of lions.

        But becoming the Queen Crowned isn’t solely a matter of royal birth. Each sister has to fight for it. And it’s not just a game of win or lose…it’s life or death. The night the sisters turn sixteen, the battle begins.

        The last queen standing gets the crown

         

         

         

         

        MY REVIEW:

         

        I found this story intriguing and unique.  Three princesses that have to kill each other for the crown.  I had recommended this book to a student that enjoys this type of genre (dystopian fantasy).  She said she couldn't get into it.  I think I know why.  The story takes some stamina.  It can be potentially confusing as each sister lives in a different area with her own set of circumstances.  There are A LOT of characters.  However, I can't stress enough that it is worth it to stick with it!  The last quarter of the book is an amazing journey of twists and turns.  Characters that you believe are set in a certain way will surprise you.  I don't often read the next book in a series because my TBR list is huge.  When the next book comes out, I WILL be reading it. I am  dying to know what happens next!

         

         

         

         

        JANUARY 2017:

         

         

         

        Heartless by Marissa Meyer

         

        Synposis:

         

         

        Long before she was the terror of Wonderland, she was just a girl who wanted to fall in love. Catherine may be one of the most desired girls in Wonderland, and a favorite of the unmarried King of Hearts, but her interests lie elsewhere. A talented baker, all she wants is to open a shop with her best friend. But according to her mother, such a goal is unthinkable for the young woman who could be the next queen.

        Then Cath meets Jest, the handsome and mysterious court joker. For the first time, she feels the pull of true attraction. At the risk of offending the king and infuriating her parents, she and Jest enter into an intense, secret courtship. Cath is determined to define her own destiny and fall in love on her terms. But in a land thriving with magic, madness, and monsters, fate has other plans.

        In her first stand-alone teen novel, the New York Times-bestselling author dazzles us with a prequel to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

         

         

         

         

         

         

        MY REVIEW:

         

        Many of my students know that Cinder was one of my all time favorite series.  I was excited to see another title out by Marissa Meyer.  I hesitated when I saw though that it was fantasy.  I gravitate more to science fiction.  However, there are some fantasy books I have loved so I try not to be a book snob!  

        At first, I felt disappointed in the story.  I didn't recall much from Alice, the fairytale.  Certain details though began to come back.  The Mad Hatter.  The quote "I believe as many as 6 impossible things before Breakfast."  

        The story of how the young Queen of hearts fell in love with a forbidden romance began to draw me in.  As I watched the character struggle and then become angrier, I saw then what I recalled from the Alice fairytale.  The story dragged for me in certain parts but the ending was climatic. I didn't find the Jabberwock twist that engaging but I can see how other readers might.   I would recommend this book to my students.  

         

        Black Widow: Forever Red by Margaret Stohl

         

        Synopsis:

         

        Natasha Romanoff is one of the world's most lethal assassins. Trained from a young age in the arts of death and deception, Natasha was given the title of Black Widow by Ivan Somodorov, her brutal teacher at the Red Room, Moscow's infamous academy for operatives.

        Ava Orlova is just trying to fit in as an average Brooklyn teenager, but her life has been anything but average.The daughter of a missing Russian quantum physicist, Ava was once subjected to a series of ruthless military experiments-until she was rescued by Black Widow and placed under S.H.I.E.L.D. protection. Ava has always longed to reconnect with her mysterious savior, but Black Widow isn't really the big sister type.

        Until now.

        When children all over Eastern Europe begin to go missing, and rumors of smuggled Red Room tech light up the dark net, Natasha suspects her old teacher has returned-and that Ava Orlova might be the only one who can stop him. To defeat the madman who threatens their future, Natasha and Ava must unravel their pasts. Only then will they discover the truth about the dark-eyed boy with an hourglass tattoo who haunts Ava's dreams. . . .

        Black Widow:Forever Red features all the heart-pounding adventure readers expect from Marvel, written by #1 New York Times best-selling author Margaret Stohl. Uncover a new side of the Marvel Universe that will thrill loyal fans and newcomers alike, as Stohl reveals the untold story of Black Widow for the very first time.

         

        MY REVIEW:

         

        I had a difficult time getting into this book.  I did finish it.  I grew up on Wonder woman comics and have a special love for superheroes.  I did enjoy the Avengers movies and was excited to see a story about the Black Widow.  The story started out strong as details about Natasha aka the Black Widow were intriguing me.  However, there are other characters and the middle of the book focused on them.  I guess I just didn't find these characters as interesting and I found myself bored.  Nastasha's "abilities" do come out in the end which I found satisfying.  I would still recommend this book to anyone who enjoys superheroes.  It wasn't terrible and you may find the other characters more interesting than me.  

         

         

        The Second book I"m reading is An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

         

        Synopsis:

         

        Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear.
         
        It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They’ve seen what happens to those who do.
         
        But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy.
         
        There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire 

         

         

         

        MY REVIEW:

         

        Coming soon.......

         

      Citation Help

      • Link for Citation Machine:

        http://www.citationmachine.net/children/cite-a-book

        Step by step instructions learned in class:

        1. Open a google doc
        2. Click on a blank document
        3. type “Bibliography”
        4. https://www.citefast.com/?s=MLA​​​​​​​
        5. What am I citing?  Choose book
        6. Fill out citation
        7. Copy and paste on google doc

      Fact Checking

      • From the Arlington Heights, Illinois Public Library:

        The Internet is full of viral misinformation. Fake news is a false news story designed to look like credible information and makes it difficult to decipher fact from fiction. Fake news typically spreads fast online. How can we wade through it? Always reflect on how you encountered the story. Was it promoted on a website? Did it show up in a social media feed? Was it sent to you by someone you know? Trace the story to its original source.

        Here are some other helpful steps to analyze news sources and tools for fact checking.

        Put it to the CRAAP Test:

        • Currency—Can you find a date of the article or photograph? When was it last updated?
        • Relevance—Who is the intended audience? How does the source meet your needs?
        • Accuracy—Is the information supported by evidence? Does it cite other sources?
        • Authority—Who is the author? What are their credentials?
        • Purpose—Does the site give facts or opinions? Does it have a clear bias

        Is it true? Check out these unbiased fact-checking websites:

        • Snopes - Independent, self-sufficient entity wholly owned by its operators who investigate rumors.
        • Factcheck - Non-partisan, non-profit which acts as a consumer advocate for voters. A project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania
        • Politifact - Independent fact checking website created by the Tampa Bay Times newspaper. PolitiFact has won the Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting

      Summer Reading List

      • CCMS Summer Reading List 2024 




        Fifth grade:

        The Last Mapmaker by Christina Soontornvat (Fantasy or mystery)

        The Ogress and the Orphans by Kelly Barnhill (Fantasy)

        Violet and Jobie in the Wild by Lynne Rae Perkins (animals)

        Jennifer Chan is not alone by Tae Keller (Realistic Fiction)

        Wingbearer by Marjorie Liu (Graphic novel)



        Sixth Grade:

        Shine on Luz Veliz! By Rebecca Balcarcel (Realistic Fiction)

        The Patron Thief of Bread by Lindsay Eagar (historical fiction)

        Shinji Takahashi and the Mark of the Coatl by Julie Kagawa (Fantasy)

        Chester Keene Cracks the Code by Kekla Magoon (Mystery)

        Red Scare by Liam Francis Walsh (Graphic Novel)

         

        Seventh grade:

        Those Kids From Fawn Creek by Erin Estrada Kelly (Realistic Fiction)

        The Witch, the Sword, and the Cursed Knights by Alexandria Rogers (Fantasy)

        When the Sky Falls by Phil Earle (Historical Fiction)

        What We Saw by Mary Downing Hahn (Mystery)

        Apocalypse Taco By Nathan Hale (Graphic Novel)



        Eighth grade:

        The Second Chance of Benjamin Waterfalls by James Bird (Realistic Fiction)

        Drew Leclair Gets a Clue by Katryn Bury  (Mystery)

        Children of Ragnarok by Cinda Williams Chima (Fantasy)

        The Silent Unseen: A Novel of World War II by Amanda McCrina (Historical Fiction)

        The Birth of Kitaro by Shigeru Mizuki (Graphic Novel)

        _____________________________________________________________________________________________________

        Older Summer Reading Lists:

        5th Grade:

        Twins by Varian Johnson (Graphic novel - realistic fiction)

        Fly on the Wall by Remy Lai  (Realistic Fiction - humor)

        When you Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller (Fantasy)

        Sal and Gabi Break the Universe by Carlos Hernandez (science fiction)

        Show me a Sign by Ann Clare LeZotte (Historical Fiction

         

        6th Grade:

        Class Act by Jerry Craft (Graphic novel - realistic Fiction)

        Lupe Wong Won’t Dance by Donna Barba Higuera (Realistic fiction - sports)

                   ***Part of the Summer Reading Book Club!

        War Stories by Gordon Korman (Historical Fiction)

                   ***Part of the Summer Reading Book Club!

        The Last Mirror on the Left by Lamar Giles(Fantasy)

        The Forgotten Girl by India Hill Brown (Horror)


        7th Grade:

        The Weirn Books, Be Wary of the Silent Woods (Graphic novel - fantasy)

        Strange Birds: A Field Guide to Ruffling Feathers by Celia C. Perez (Realistic Fiction)

        The Anti-Book by Raphael Simon (Humor - Fantasy)

        The Enigma Game by Elizabeth Wein  (Historical Fiction)

        Tornado Brain by Cat Patrick  (Mystery)

         

        8th Grade:

        Dragon Hoops by Gene Luen Yang (Graphic novel - sports)

        Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger (Mystery)

        Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko   (Fantasy)

        The Light Between Us: A Novel of World War II by Andrew Fukuda (Historical Fiction)

        I’ll Be the One by Lyla Lee (Realistic Fiction)


        ______________________________________________________________________

         

        CCMS Summer Reading List 2020

         

        5th Grade

        The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart (Realistic Fiction)

        The Last Last-Day-of-Summer by Lamar Giles (Science Fiction)

        A Royal Guide to Monster Slaying by Kelley Armstrong (Fantasy)

        Gold Rush Girl by Avi  (Historical Fiction)

        Scary stories for Young Foxes by Christian McKay Heidicker  (Animals/Horror)

         

        6th Grade

        New Kid by Jerry Craft  (Realistic fiction)   *Graphic novel

        The Charmed Children of Rookskill Castle by Janet Fox (Horror)

        The Line Tender by Kate Allen  (Historical fiction)

        A Wolf Called Wander by Rosanne Parry (Animals/Fantasy)

        Home Games by Benjamin Markovitz (Sports Fiction)

         

        7th Grade

        Where the World Ends by McCaughrean, Geraldine  (Historical Fiction)

        Look Both Ways: A Tale Told in Ten Blocks by Jason Reynolds (Realistic Fiction)

        The Okay Witch by Emma Steinkellner (Fantasy)  *Graphic novel

        Found by Joseph Bruchac (Adventure)

        Bloom by Kenneth Oppel (Science Fiction)

         

        8th Grade

        Dread Nation by Justina Ireland (Horror)

        There Will Come a Darkness by Katy Rose Pool  (Fantasy)

        The Weight of Our Sky by Hanna Alkaf (Historical Fiction)

        On the Come Up by Angie Thomas (Realistic Fiction)

        Unconventional Warfare by Chris Lynch (Adventure)

        ____________________________________________________________________

        CCMS Summer Reading List 2019

         

         

        8th Grade:

        Renegades by Marissa Meyer   (Fantasy)

        Evil Librarian by Michelle Knudsen (Horror)

        Skyward by Brandon Sanderson (Science Fiction)

        The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo  (Realistic Fiction/Verse)

        The Red Ribbon by L. J. Adlington  (Historical Fiction)

         

        7th Grade:

        Ghost by Jason Reynolds (Sports)

        The Blackthorn Key by Kevin Sands (Fantasy)

        The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place by Julie Berry  (Mystery)

        Small Spaces by Katherine Arden (Horror)

        The List by Patricia Forde (Science Fiction)

         

        6th Grade:

        Dr. Fell and the Playground of Doom by David Neilsen  (Horror)

        The Truth as told by Mason Buttle by Leslie Connor (Mystery)

        The Storm Runner by J. C. Cervantes (Fantasy)

        You Go First by Erin Entrada Kelly  (Realistic Fiction)

        The Mad Wolf’s Daughter by Diane Magras (Historical Fiction)

         

        5th Grade:

        The Book of Boy by Catherine Gilbert Murdock (Historical fiction)

        Knights vs. Dinosaurs by Matt Phelan  (Fantasy)

        Louisiana’s Way Home by Kate DiCamillo (Realistic Fiction)

        The Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson (Mystery)

        The Season of Styx Malone by Kelda Magoon (Adventure)

         

         

         

        ____________________________________________________________________

         

        CCMS Summer Reading List 2018

        ​​​​​​​

        5th Grade:

        The War Below by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch (Historical Fiction)

        So you want to be a Jedi?  By Adam Gidwitz  (Science Fiction)

        Bob by Wendy Mass (Fantasy)

        Hello Universe by Erin Estrada Kelly (Realistic Fiction)

        Older than Dirt: A Wild but True History of Earth by Don Brown (Graphic Novel)

         

        6th grade:

        The Warden’s Daughter by Jerry Spinelli (Historical Fiction)

        Horizon by Scott Westerfeld (Science Fiction)

        Ghost by Jason Reynolds (Sports)

        See you in the Cosmos by Jack Cheng (Realistic Fiction)

        All’s Faire in Middle School by Victoria Jamieson (Graphic Novel)

         

        7th Grade:

        Live in Infamy by Caroline Tung Richmond (Dystopian fantasy)

        The Ethan I Was Before by Ali Standish (Realistic Fiction)

        Nimona by Noelle Stevenson  (Graphic Novel)

        Refugee by Alan Gratz (Historical Fiction)

        The Murderer’s Ape by Jakob Wegelius (Mystery)

         

        8th Grade:

        The Librarian of Auschwitz by Antonio Iturbe  (Historical Fiction)

        The Traitor’s Game by Jennifer Nielsen  (Fantasy)

        One of Us is Lying by Karen McManus (Mystery)

        The Marrow Thieves by Claire Dimaline (Science Fiction)

        The Names They Gave Us by Emery Lord (Realistic Fiction)

         

        _______________________________________________________________________

        2017 Summer Reading Suggestions

         

         

        5th Grade:

        The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Barnhill, Kelly (Fantasy)

        Full of Beans by Holm, Jennifer (Historical Fiction)

        Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Grabenstein, Chris  (Mystery)

        Pax by Pennypacker, Sara (animals)

        Fort by DeFelice, Cynthia (Realistic Fiction)

         

        6th Grade:

        The Inquisitor’s Tale or the Three Magical Children and their Holy Dog by Gidwitz, Adam (Fantasy)

        Wolf Hollow by Wolk, Lauren (Historical Fiction)

        Nothing but Trouble by Davies, Jacqueline (Realistic Fiction)

        Maybe a Fox by Appelt, Kathi (Animals)

        Samurai Rising by Turner, Pamela (Non fiction)

         

        7th Grade:

        Ashes by Anderson, Laurie Halse (Historical Fiction)

        The Sun is Also a Star by Yoon, Nicola (Realistic Fiction)

        Antigoddess by Blake, Kendare (Fantasy)

        Railhead by Reeve, Philip (Science Fiction)

        Stubby the War Dog: the True Story of World War I’s Bravest Dog by Bausum, Ann  (Non fiction)

         

        8th Grade:

        Salt to the Sea by Sepetys, Ruta (Historical Fiction)

        The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Black, Holly (Horror)

        Three Dark Crowns by Blake, Kendare (Fantasy)

        On the Edge of Gone by Duyvis, Corinne  (Science Fiction)

        The Nazi Hunters: How a Team of Spies and Survivors Captured the World’s Most Notorious Nazi by Bascomb, Neal  (Nonfiction)