The Cherub Series

Many of you have been reading this series for AR and loving it.  Well, I just found out that even though there are only 6 books on AR, there are actually 12 in the series!  The series is based on the idea that terrorists and drug dealers suspect other adults, but they don't give children a second thought.  The authorities decide to use this to their advantage by recruiting teenage boys to do their dirty work.  The boys spy and plant bugs and gather information about the bad guys.  It's a rip-roaring adventure book that's a lot of fun!

Robert Muchamore, the author, at first thought he wanted to be an architect, a photographer or a writer.  Since it took 7 years of schooling to be an architect, he chose photography.  Unfortunately, he hated his job at the camera store, and it turned him against photography.  So - he bummed around for a couple of years without a job until his dad threatened to kick him out.  He tried writing a book, but it was a lot harder than he thought it would be.  Eventually, he went to work for a Private Investigating firm.

While visiting his siter, his nephew complained about how there weren't any good books for teenage boys.  Uncle Robert to the rescue!  He wrote Recruit for his nephew to enjoy, and once he decided it was good enough, he shopped it around to publishers.  Eventually, he was able to quit his private investigator job and realize his dream of writing full time.

Since Muchamore lives and writes in England, the titles and publishing dates of the novels are a little different than they are in the US.  Here is the series list in order:

1. The Recruit
2. The Dealer
3. Maximum Security
4. The Killing
5. Divine Madness
6. Man Vs. Beast
7. The Fall
8. Mad Dogs
9. The Sleepwalker
10. The General
11. Brigands MC
12. Shadow Wave

Now, Brigands MC is a bit hard to find right now, and Shadow Wave won't be released until September 2010.  Also, there is a small book called Dark Sun that is considered 9.5 in the series.  It isn't availabale any longer to purchase, but it is downloadable from the internet.  I will have most or all of these in the Shaffer Library within a week or so. 

I also ordered 3 books from Muchamore's other series: Henderson's Boys.  The series takes place during World War II.  A spy named Charles Henderson recruits kids to help him in the fight against Hitler.  There are three books in the series with a fourth coming out in 2011.

Happy Reading!

Shaffer

Read or read not, there is no try

I finished one of the funniest books ever over the weekend:  The Strange Case of Origami Yoda.  Heelarious.  It's about a kid named Dwight who is a complete dork.  I'm not being mean; he really is a knob.  So, Dwight folds soome green paper into an Origami Yoda and makes it talk to people.  At first, he gives some unwanted advice, but it doesn't take long for people to start asking his advice.  These are people who absolutely REFUSE to speak to Dwight, but they'll talk to the green wad of paper.  Somehow, the finger holding Yoda is channeling The Force.  Yes, THE Force.

It's filled with some really funny characters.  I love Quavando: AKA Cheeto Hog.  And the kid (Mike, I think?) who cries everyday during PE Softball.  There's Caroline, the girl who reads lips.  And Kellen and Rhondella who are in looooooove.

I really like how the book is written.  The idea behind the book is to get everyone's input about Origami Yoda and his advice in order to decide if he's real.  Or rather, if his advice was good.  I enjoy reading all of the stories from different points of view because it adds some spice.

This was a really quick read, but so much fun.  I laughed out loud several times.  If you liked Diary of a Wimpy Kid, I think you'll like this one as well.  Give it a try.

Shaffer

Spring Break Blues

Being sick with pneumonia over spring break sucks. Big time.  And what was even worse was that I missed Thursday and Friday before break so I didn't have any of the books from school that I wanted to read!  I was expecting to finish the Tomorrow series by John Marsden (I'm only 1/2 way through book 4 and I forgot it at school).  If I'm not careful, Ms. Huber will even finish that series before I do!

I did reread an old friend:  Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.  You see, I watched a marathon of Harry Potter movies over the weekend (sick in bed, remember?), and it made me want to relive the ending.  I had forgotten how much I love that series.  If you haven't taken the time to read it, you really should.  I'm eager for the 1st part of the final movie to be released this November.  I hope they do it justice.

One of the things I noticed was the change in the way the kids spoke from the first few books to the last couple.  More than once Ron's  used the word "effing" in dialogue.  And Mrs. Weasley even called Bellatrix Lestrange a bitch!  I guess that's what happens when the characters grow into 17 year olds - they lose a bit of their innocence.  I wonder how much of that will make it to the movie? 

The violence, too, increased.  There is much death and carnage in the Deathly Hallows.  I hope they don't wuss out in order to keep it PG and please the parents of very young kids.  I think if they can't read the book yet, perhaps they shouldn't see the movie.  There are a lot of deep ideas in the last book, and I would hate to see them get lost because they need to make a blockbuster.

We'll see I guess!  Enjoy the last 60 hours of your spring break!

Miss ya!

Shaffer

The Fate of Fang

For those, like me, who love James Patterson's Maximum Ride series, you are eagerly awaiting the release of Fang: A Maximum Ride Novel on March 15th. The ominous tagline on the novel scares me:  "Angel says Fang will be the first to die.  Angel is never wrong." 

I read Book One of Fang on the James Patterson website.  It started off ... ok.  I get a little tired of their "save the world from itself" garbage, and I would rather read about them battling evil villains.  But, it quickly picked up pace after they discussed the geography of Africa and started getting shot at by dudes on camels.  Oh yeah, it got much better after that.

People on the internet are comparing Fang with a character named Oz from Patterson's The Lake House.  I haven't read that book.  Have any of you?  I think I might have to now, so I can make my own decisions.  Unfortunately, word on the web is that Patterson killed off Oz in the end of that book.  Maybe I don't want to read it after all!

They are also discussing a Maximum Ride movie.  Apparently, it is going to happen, but it is currently "in development" so nothing is confirmed about casting.  One of the rumors is that Catherine Hardwicke, director of Twilight, will direct.  If that is true - please, please, please let someone introduce her to new special effects people.  Seriously - she had trouble making vampires run, imagine how much harder it will be to make kids fly!

Let's keep our fingers crossed about the movie, and all rush to the book store on March 15th!

Shaffer

This World We Live In

I didn't know the third book in The Last Survivors Series was out already!  I feel like a MajorLoser!

Ok.  'Nuff of that.  The third one sounds amazing.  In Life As We Knew It, we met Miranda Evans and in The Dead and the Gone the author introduced us to Alex Morales.  Well, in This World We Live In - they come together and go through a tornado.

Looks like I'm headed to Barnes and Noble...

Friends of the Multnomah County Library Sale

Every spring and fall, the Friends of the Multnomah County Library hold a used book sale. Books go from about 25 cents to about $3.00. They are usually in great shape and are either donated by the public or the library itself. If they are from the library, they'll have a barcode, a library sticker and a stamp inside that says "Purchased From The Multnomah County Library." I'm sure you've seen some of these in my classroom library! In fact, I think I got most of the Daughters of the Moon series at this sale in 2008!

This spring, the sale is being held at the Gresham Town Fair Shopping Center, 670 NW Eastman Parkway, Gresham, OR. I know it's a bit of a drive, but I think it's worth it. I've always bought a ton of books for only a little bit of dough.

The sale will take place on Saturday, April 10 from 11 am - 6 pm, and Sunday, April 11 from 10 am - 4pm. On Sunday, since everything will be pretty picked over, everything is half price!

I hope you can find a ride and make it to the sale. I would love to see you there.

Shaffer

Tomorrow - a series by John Marsden

O.M.Gosh. I am completely and totally addicted to this series. I've read book one (When the War Began) and book two (The Dead of Night) over the past four days.

The story is set in Australia. A high school girl named Ellie gathers her friends for a week in the "bush". They camp and have a grand time while everyone back at home is going to the Show - which sounds like what we might think of as the State Fair and Independence Day combined. While they are camping, an enemy invades and begins a war.

The six kids return after a week to discover devastation. They have to make a big decision then: fight back or surrender. Since there are seven books in the series, I think that telling you they decide to fight back is not a spoiler!

For those of you eagerly awaiting the release of the third book in Suzanne Collins's Hunger Games trilogy, this will definitely help to hold you over!

Shaffer

ps...the first book is soon to be a movie!

Welcome!

So, I heard through the grapevine that Diva Boyer (she forced me to call her that!) has a blog. I simply can't be outdone, so I had to have one! It will be all about books...imagine that! I hope to post book suggestions, book reviews, book trailers, book this, and book that!

I hope you enjoy and will make comments and suggestions!

Love ya'!

Shaffer