Hi BOOK BUZZ members!
Welcome to our third
meeting (and final) on Wednesday, December 31st! Happy New Year-it's almost 2015!
By now you're read a few more NEW books that you can share!
What you need to do
now is comment to the blog for each of the second batch of books you've
read.
I would type and save
my comments in a word processing program. I wouldn't type it right in the
box in case something goes wrong, and you'll lose your comment.
For each book you
read, please make a separate post.
- First, in your comment, include your name, school
district and grade level/s.
- Second, the title of your book, author, genre and
recommended grave level/s.
- Give us a brief one or two paragraphs with
a summary of your book including your opinion.
- Next write your own booktalk for the book.
Click on
"Comments" and then copy and paste your comment in the box. Click
name/URL where you'll leave your name, (first and last name or only
first name, last initial if you prefer). Then, type the captcha, (the
letters or numbers to prove you're not a spamming robot), Click
"Publish".
Optional: Create
a second comment and respond to at least one group member's post, commenting on
one of the books they read.
I read a great book I wanted to share with you (even though it's from 2010):
The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin by Josh Berk, realistic fiction, mystery, grades 9 and up.
Summary: Will Halpin is having a rough year. Will is not only obese, but also deaf, which creates multiple challenges. He has just transitioned from his all deaf school to a regular public school. He can read lips but not of course, when someone turns their head. Herfeels like an outcast and a freak at school. He is alienated by many of the students, but becomes fast friends with Devon-another outcast. They communicate via IM and Devon has learned bits of sign language. When Will's class take a field trip to an abandoned mine, popular jock classmate Pat,is pushed down the well and dies. The book becomes a whodunit as Will and Devon work to expose the killer.
Opinion: I absolutely loved this book! It had humor, suspense and I think it would be a great draw for reluctant readers. It's a great book for anyone who has ever felt they didn't belong, (which means it's great for anyone). As for the humor, one review mentioned this quote, which describes Will's school bus experience: “a directly rising slope of coolness from the front . . . to the back. . . . If you keep going, you’d fly out the back . . . and land in the cars belonging to the kids far too cool to ever set foot on a bus.”
Booktalk: Will is struggling as the new kid at school. Overweight and deaf, his school day consists of lip reading to try and find out what his teachers are saying, feeling like an outcast, as well as crushing on the most beautiful girl in school. A snooze-worthy class trip to an abandoned mine turns into a murder mystery as Will and his new friend Devon try to figure out who pushed super-jock Pat down the mine. Was it his best friend who would love to replace him? Was it an enemy of Pat's father who has been involved in shady business dealings? Devon, (the son of a local cop), instructs Will on how they will uncover clues as they sneak into the school basement to watch police interview tapes and trespass on the property of a their burnout bus driver, whom they suspect. This book has twists and turns that will have you guessing until the very end!
