YA - The Knife of Never Letting Go

by Patrick Ness, 2009
(Chaos Walking, book 1)

"Todd Hewitt is the only boy in a town of men. Ever since the settlers were infected with the Noise germ, Todd can hear everything the men think, and they hear everything he thinks. Todd is just a month away from becoming a man, but in the midst of the cacophony, he knows that the town is hiding something from him -- something so awful Todd is forced to flee with only his dog, whose simple, loyal voice he hears too. With hostile men from the town in pursuit, the two stumble upon a strange and eerily silent creature: a girl. Who is she? Why wasn't she killed by the germ like all the females on New World? Propelled by Todd's gritty narration, readers are in for a white-knuckle journey in which a boy on the cusp of manhood must unlearn everything he knows in order to figure out who he truly is."

YA - Battle Royale

by Koushun Takami, 2009 (graphic novel)

"In an alternative future Japan, junior high students are forced to fight to the death! L to R (Western Style). Koushun Takami's notorious high-octane thriller is based on an irresistible premise: a class of junior high school students is taken to a deserted island where, as part of a ruthless authoritarian program, they are provided arms and forced to kill one another until only one survivor is left standing. Criticized as violent exploitation when first published in Japan--where it then proceeded to become a runaway bestseller--Battle Royale is a Lord of the Flies for the 21st century, a potent allegory of what it means to be young and (barely) alive in a dog-eat-dog world. Made into a controversial hit movie of the same name, Battle Royale is already a contemporary Japanese pulp classic, now available for the first time in the English language. A group of high school students are taken to small isolated island and forced to fight each other until only one remains alive! If they break the rules a special collar blows their heads off. Koushun Takami's brutal, high-octane thriller is told in breathless. blow-by-blow fashion. Battle Royale is a contemporary Japanese pulp classic now available for the first time in English." (from Amazon.com)

YA - The Serpent's Shadow

by Rick Riordan, 2012
(book 3 in the Kane Chronicles)

"He's b-a-a-ack! Despite their best efforts, Carter and Sade Kane can't seem to keep Apophis, the chaos snake, down. Now Apophis is threatening to plunge the world into eternal darkness, and the Kanes are faced with the impossible task of having to destroy him once and for all. Unfortunately, the magicians of the House of Life are on the brink of civil war, the gods are divided, and the young initiates of Brooklyn House stand almost alone against the forces of chaos. The Kanes' only hope is an ancient spell that might turn the serpent's own shadow into a weapon, but the magic has been lost for a millennia. To find the answer they need, the Kanes must rely on the murderous ghost of a powerful magician who might be able to lead them to the serpent's shadow . . . or might lead them to their deaths in the depths of the underworld. Nothing less than the mortal world is at stake when the Kane family fulfills its destiny in this thrilling conclusion to the Kane Chronicles." (from Amazon.com)

YA - The Hunger Pains: a Parody

by The Harvard Lampoon, 2012

"WINNING MEANS WEALTH, FAME, AND A LIFE OF THERAPY LOSING MEANS DEATH, BUT ALSO FAME! THIS IS THE HUNGER PAINS

When Kantkiss Neverclean replaces her sister as a contestant on the Hunger Games—the second-highest-rated reality TV show in Peaceland, behind Extreme Home Makeover—she has no idea what to expect. Having lived her entire life in the telemarketing district’s worst neighborhood, the Crack, Kantkiss feels unprepared to fight to the death while simultaneously winking and looking adorable for the cameras. But when her survival rests on choosing between the dreamy hunk from home, Carol Handsomestein, or the doughy klutz, Pita Malarkey, Kantkiss discovers that the toughest conflicts may not be found on the battlefield but in her own heart . . . which is unfortunately on a battlefield." (from Amazon.com)

YA - Birthmarked

by Caragh M. O'Brien, 2011

"In the future, in a world baked dry by the harsh sun, there are those who live inside the wall and those, like sixteen-year-old midwife, Gaia Stone, who live outside. Gaia has always believed it is her duty, with her mother, to hand over a small quota of babies to the Enclave. But when Gaia’s mother and father are arrested by the very people they so dutifully serve, Gaia is forced to question everything she has been taught to believe. Gaia’s choice is now simple: enter the world of the Enclave to rescue her parents, or die trying." (from Amazon.com)

PROF - Transition Planning Inventory

by Gary M. Clark and James R. Patton, various years and formats

The Transition Planning Inventory helps educators address students' transition needs, including their preferences, interests, and strengths. Students, parents, and educators complete forms based on the student's abilities and experiences. Fifteen comprehensive case studies are also included.

PROF - The Book Whisperer: Awakening the Inner Reader in Every Child

by Donalyn Miller, 2009

Donalyn Miller is a dedicated teacher who says she has yet to meet a child she couldn't turn into a reader. In "The Book Whisperer," Miller takes us inside her 6th grade classroom to reveal the secrets of her powerful but unusual instructional approach. Rejecting book reports, comprehension worksheets, and other aspects of conventional instruction, Miller embraces giving students an individual choice in what they read combined with a program for independent reading. She also focuses on building a classroom library of high-interest books, and above all on modeling appropriate and authentic reading behaviors. Her zeal for reading is infectious and inspiring, and the results speak for themselves. No matter how far behind Miller's students may be when they start out, they end up reading an average of 40 books per year, achieve high scores on standardized tests, and internalize a love for reading that lasts long after they've left her class.

Travel alongside the author as she leads her students to discover the ample rewards of reading and literature. Brought to life with Miller's passionate voice, "The Book Whisperer" will help teachers support students of all levels on their path to reading success. It also includes an invaluable list of books that Miller's students most enjoy reading.

(from the back cover)

PROF - Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die

By Chip Heath & Dan Heath, 2007

Mark Twain once observed, “A lie can get halfway around the world before the truth can even get its boots on.” His observation rings true: Urban legends, conspiracy theories, and bogus public-health scares circulate effortlessly. Meanwhile, people with important ideas–business people, teachers, politicians, journalists, and others–struggle to make their ideas “stick.”

Why do some ideas thrive while others die? And how do we improve the chances of worthy ideas? In Made to Stick, accomplished educators and idea collectors Chip and Dan Heath tackle head-on these vexing questions. Inside, the brothers Heath reveal the anatomy of ideas that stick and explain ways to make ideas stickier, such as applying the “human scale principle,” using the “Velcro Theory of Memory,” and creating “curiosity gaps.”

In this indispensable guide, we discover that sticky messages of all kinds–from the infamous “kidney theft ring” hoax to a coach’s lessons on sportsmanship to a vision for a new product at Sony–draw their power from the same six traits.

Made to Stick is a book that will transform the way you communicate ideas. It’s a fast-paced tour of success stories (and failures)–the Nobel Prize-winning scientist who drank a glass of bacteria to prove a point about stomach ulcers; the charities who make use of “the Mother Teresa Effect”; the elementary-school teacher whose simulation actually prevented racial prejudice. Provocative, eye-opening, and often surprisingly funny, Made to Stick shows us the vital principles of winning ideas–and tells us how we can apply these rules to making our own messages stick.

(from the jacket)

Gearman's Invitation (but not as pretty as her email)

All District 112 Secondary Staff are invited to participate in LitWits (Not Your Mother’s Kind of Book Club) The Summer Book Club/Camp for Adults Who Read Young Adult Literature Read books/Nooks/Kindles, etc. dur

ing Summer 2012 Meet once at CHS on Wednesday, August 8th Why? To make connections with the students and young adults in our lives and be “in the know” when it comes to matching our students to great books! How to participate: Choose 1 YA book you’ve been dying to read (copyright 2010 or newer) AND Choose 1 non-chapter/picture book you’ve wanted to read or use in your classroom Choose 1 professional book or nonfiction book you’ve been wanting to read Share/Book talk what you’ve read on August 8th at CHS – Potluck lunch to follow Receive a great book bibliography you’ve helped create and can add to your toolbox! Receive 1 Literacy CEU for participating This Club/Camp experience is brought to you by your District 112 Secondary Media Specialists and several of your fellow Secondary Staff members  See the blog below for reading list ideas and more details! http://112litwits.blogspot.com/ Lisa Gearman Media Specialist Chaska High School 545 Pioneer Trail Chaska, MN 55318 (952)556-7150

What to do

Those of us who have participated in Camp Read-a-Lot have already heard the drill, but some of our LitWits may not be familiar with how this type of book club runs. (Thanks to Lisa Gearman for getting us going!)

 1. Let Jeanne LaMoore (lamoorej@district112.org) know that you want to participate.
2. Send Jeanne your title recommendations for a YA book, a picture book, a professional book, and/or a nonfiction book for teens.
3. Check out the blog to see the summer reading list (it is growing each week).
4. Read as many of the titles as you possibly can! (Not just your own recommendations.)
5. Make comments on the blog as you read each title.
6. Come to our celebration on August 8th at CHS to share ideas and recommendations for using literature in your classroom.

 That sounds like a lot, but it's mostly just about reading some books and talking . . . teacher strengths! Welcome aboard! Please ask if you have questions.