September 2013

Code Talker

Posted on September 21, 2013 by webmaster

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Code Talker
by Joseph Bruchac

Ned Begay is transplanted from his family’s home at the age of six, and sent to a boarding school to learn English and the American way of life. There he is given a new name and clothes and forbidden to speak his native language Navajo. When he is 16, he is recruited to join the Marines, and shortly afterwards he enlists and is sent to boot camp.

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He discovers that his Navajo language, which he has been using only in secret for years, is the secret weapon that the U.S. is using in their war against the Japanese. As a Navajo code talker, Ned is able to use his native language to save countless American lives, and his experiences in the Pacific – from Guadalcanal to Iwo Jima to Okinawa -change him forever.

Lexile Level	Content Rating	Number of Pages	Genre	Date Published	ISBN Number
910	Middle School	240	Historical Fiction	2005	9780439891004

Suite Scarlett

Posted on September 21, 2013 by webmaster

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Suite Scarlett
by Maureen Johnson

The Hopewell Hotel, 75 years ago a stylish Upper East Side haunt, has fallen on hard times. Its proprietors, the Martin family, have let the last remaining employee go, and now it is up to the four children, Spencer, Lola, Scarlett, and Marlene, to keep things afloat. Enter one Mrs. Amy Amberson, a flamboyant, mysterious guest, back in New York after a long absence, with some clandestine motives. Mrs. Amberson is to occupy the Empire Suite, just today entrusted to Scarlett as a ‘present’ on her fifteenth birthday (a family tradition), for the entire summer, and keeping her happy will test Scarlett’s ingenious mettle.

Lexile Level	Content Rating	Number of Pages	Genre	Date Published	ISBN Number
690L	Middle School	368	Adventure	2009	0545096324

When in Rome

Posted on September 21, 2013 by webmaster

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When in Rome – Elise Leonard Series

About Elise Leonard:

Elise was a successful teacher of inner-city kids for over 20 years before starting her writing career. She now lives in Florida.

About This Book:

WHEN IN ROME is the second book of The Smith Brothers series.

Details:

Published: 2008. All the books in this series are 100 pages (+/-). Contains approximately 8,400 words. ISBN: 978-1-935366-13-3. All books are Lexile 1 & 2

Storyline:

The guys are headed to Rome. (Rome, NY, not Rome, Italy.) Find out what happens in the car. Find out what happens in the hotel. Find out what happens in Rome. Find out if Rome survives.

Stolen

Posted on September 21, 2013 by webmaster

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Stolen – Elise Leonard Series

About Elise Leonard:

Elise was a successful teacher of inner-city kids for over 20 years before starting her writing career. She now lives in Florida.

About This Book:

STOLEN is the third book of the Junkyard Dan series.

Details:

Published: 2008. All the books in this series are 100 pages (+/-). Contains approximately 11,600 words. ISBN: 978-0-9815694-2-0. All books are Lexile 1 & 2

Storyline:

The VIN numbers are scratched off a car. Why? Where did this car come from? Was it stolen? Dan needs to find out before he can sell it!

Start of a New Dan

Posted on September 21, 2013 by webmaster

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Start of a New Dan – Elise Leonard Series

About Elise Leonard:

Elise was a successful teacher of inner-city kids for over 20 years before starting her writing career. She now lives in Florida.

About This Book:

START OF A NEW DAN is the first book of the Junkyard Dan series.

Details:

Published: 2008. All the books in this series are 100 pages (+/-). Contains approximately 10,500 words. ISBN: 978-0-9815694-0-6. All books are Lexile 1 & 2

Storyline:

Dan Corbett was a powerful man. He had it all. Money. Power. Respect. Big house. Nice cars. Beautiful wife. But then Dan got the note. And at that moment, the reason for Dan’s entire life was gone. So Dan leaves it all. Just walks away. Becomes a new Dan. Living a nice, peaceful life. A simple life. Or so he thought.

Money for Nothing

Posted on September 21, 2013 by webmaster

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Money for Nothing – Elise Leonard Series

About Elise Leonard:

Elise was a successful teacher of inner-city kids for over 20 years before starting her writing career. She now lives in Florida.

About This Book:
MONEY FOR NOTHING is the sixth book of the Junkyard Dan series.

Details:

Published: 2008. All the books in this series are 100 pages (+/-). Contains approximately 10,400 words. ISBN: 978-0-9815694-5-1. All books are Lexile 1 & 2

Storyline:

Bubba finds a bag of money in the back seat! Whose money is it? And why didn’t they know it was missing?

House on Mango Street

Posted on September 21, 2013 by webmaster

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The House on Mango Street
by Sandra Sisneros

This book is a whole story but, instead of having chapters with episodes, it contains “vignettes” which are short descriptive literary sketches. Each vignette contains an important part of the story. The whole story describes the thoughts, feelings, and memories of Esperanza, a Hispanic girl living in the poverty corner of the city, who dreams of escaping her world. As she grows up and starts to leave her childhood, she learns about the fears and dangers of the world she never knew of before.

Becoming an adult turns out to be a hard challenge.

Lexile Level	Content Rating	Number of Pages	Genre	Date Published	ISBN Number
870	High School	160	Autobiography	2009	067943335

Absolutely True Diary

Posted on September 20, 2013 by webmaster

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
by Sherman Alexie

Arnold Spirit, a goofy-looking dork with a decent jumpshot, spends his time lamenting life on the “poor-ass” Spokane Indian reservation, drawing cartoons (which accompany, and often provide more insight than, the narrative), and, along with his aptly named pal Rowdy, laughing those laughs over anything and nothing that affix best friends so intricately together.

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When a teacher pleads with Arnold to want more, to escape the hopelessness of the rez, Arnold switches to a rich white school and immediately becomes as much an outcast in his own community as he is a curiosity in his new one. He weathers the typical teenage indignations and triumphs like a champ but soon faces far more trying ordeals as his home life begins to crumble and decay amidst the suffocating mire of alcoholism on the reservation.

Lexile Level	Content Rating	Number of Pages	Genre	Date Published	ISBN Number
600L	Middle School	288	Autobiography	2009	0316013692

Animal Farm

Posted on September 20, 2013 by webmaster

Animal Farm
by George Orwell

The animals on Mr. Jones’ farm have had enough of what they deem to be slavery. They’re tired of being ordered around by humans while they see no benefits in their daily work. This is all sparked by a dream that the boar, Major, had about a unique place where animals called the shots and never had to be ordered around by humans ever again. He tells them a revolution is very much needed. When Major dies, the animals act quickly and are able to overthrow the alcoholic farmer and his thugs from his very own farm.

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The pigs are in charge now, as they claim that they are much smarter than the others and know how to lead. What seems to be paradise quickly transforms into another form of slavery altogether enforced by propaganda and threats from the pigs. And yet, the animals do not know any better, as they are deceived by the new system that gives them the illusion that they are better off than they were with Mr. Jones calling the shots.

Lexile Level	Content Rating	Number of Pages	Genre	Date Published	ISBN Number
1170	Middle School	252	Fantasy	2009	1412811902

Dried Blood

Posted on September 20, 2013 by webmaster

Dried Blood – Elise Leonard Series

About Elise Leonard:

Elise was a successful teacher of inner-city kids for over 20 years before starting her writing career. She now lives in Florida.

About This Book:
This is the second book of the Junkyard Dan series.

Details:

Published: 2008. All the books in this series are 100 pages (+/-). This book contains approximately 10,500 words. ISBN: 978-0-9815694-1-3. All books are Lexile 1 & 2

Storyline:

A customer returns blood-covered parts. Could it mean murder? Dan needs to find out!

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