The Holiday Season Brings More Free Time

For students, the holiday season means, no school and therefore more free time. Some may get bored, while others get lazy. Below are some good books that should keep you interested and eager for more over the holiday breaks....Check one out at the WGHS Library today!

• Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
• A traumatic event near the end of the summer has a devastating effect on Melinda's freshman year in high school.
• Why Don't Penguins Feet Freeze?
• Find out the answer to this and 14 other intriguing questions.
• High Heat by Carl Deuker
• When sophomore Shane Hunter's father is arrested for money laundering at his Lexus dealership, the star pitcher's life of affluence and private school begins to fall apart.
• The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling
• See what happens to the young hero in this exciting and popular series.
• What Happened to Cass McBride? by Gail Giles
• After his younger brother commits suicide, Kyle Kirby decides to exact revenge on the person he holds responsible.
• A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Housseini
• Two women born a generation apart witness the destruction of their home and family in war-torn Kabul, losses incurred over the course of thirty years that test the limits of their strength and courage.

For more suggestions, stop by and chat with a librarian!

Enjoy your holidays!

TEEN READ WEEK

Teen Read Week is October 14-20! The national theme this year is LOL@ your library (but not too loud!) Come to the library to check out the many activities and displays going on throughout the week!

INTO THE WILD

Not only is the book, INTO THE WILD (by Jon Krakauer), a national best-seller, it is now a major motion picture! The movie hits theatres this month and looks to be as intriguing and harrowing as the book.
The book and movie chronicle Chris McCandless who had given all his money to charity and gave away all of his possessions, then disappeared into thin air until a gruesome discovery 4 months later. This is the story of how Chris went from an ordinary college kid to a mysterious hitchhiker who yearned to experience life...INTO THE WILD!

The movie stars Emile Hirsch (Alpha Dog) and is directed by Sean Penn.

Check it out here...http://www.intothewild.com/

WELCOME BACK! 2007-2008 School Year

Welcome back! Hope everyone had a nice and relaxing summer and have returned to school with new vigor! A lot of changes have occurred here at West G High School and the library is no exception! While we will miss Ms. Stone, who took a job with Lakewood HS, we are excited to introduce the new clerk librarian: Mrs. Brunner. Here is a quick bio of our new librarian:

Hi! I’m Molly Brunner. I’m glad to be here at WG and to be working in the library! I’ve started on my Master’s Degree in Instructional Technology, Library/Media Specialist, at Kent State and am grateful for the opportunity to gain valuable hands-on experience while working on my degree. This is a new career direction for me so your patience as I learn is much appreciated.
Prior to coming here I worked at Philips Medical System. I also have my MSW and was a counselor for 18 years. Both great experiences, but it was time for a change.
Although I’ve changed careers a few times I have had just one husband. His name is Rick and he’s a psychologist in private practice. We have 2 sons. Our oldest son, Jesse, graduated from WG last year and is a freshman at Hiram College. Our younger son, Sean, is a freshman here at WG.
I look forward to working with all of you!

Stop in and say hi!

Be sure to check back with us for new features and posts in the near future!

Geauga County Library

Students: Do you need to find a book after school hours, on the weekend or over a break? Does the WGHS library not have a material you are looking for?

Here is the link to the Geauga County Public Library Catalog. Type in your search terms to see if they might have what you need.

http://ipac.geauga.lib.oh.us/ipac20/ipac.jsp?profile=dp#focus

Quick Bibliography

Hey Students:

Need a quick way to cite your resources?

Go to Noodle Tools Express (scroll down on the homepage. It's located under the FREE TOOLS section on the left) to do it in a flash! No login needed. Just enter your information and voila!

http://www.noodletools.com

Book Review: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, by Mark Haddon

Booklist review

The hero of Haddon's debut novel is 15-year-old Christopher Boone, an autistic math genius who has just discovered the dead body of his neighbor's poodle, Wellington. Wellington was killed with a garden fork, and Christopher decides that, like his idol Sherlock Holmes, he's going to find the killer. Wellington's owner, Mrs. Shears, refuses to speak to Christopher about the matter, and his father tells him to stop investigating. But there is another mystery involving Christopher's mother, who died two years ago. So why does Siobhan, Christopher's social worker, react with surprise when Christopher mentions her death? And why does Christopher's father hate Mrs. Shears' estranged husband? The mystery of Wellington's death begins to unveil the answers to questions in his own life, and Christopher, who is unable to grasp even the most basic emotions, struggles with the reality of a startling deception. Narrated by the unusual and endearing Christopher, who alternates between analyzing mathematical equations and astronomy and contemplating the deaths of Wellington and his mother, the novel is both fresh and inventive. Kristine Huntley

My Review:

What a refreshing twist on a murder-mystery, as told through the mindset of a loveable, straightforward autistic boy. His style of deduction keeps readers wanting to uncover this mystery just as much as he does. I loved this book! It is a must-read for anyone who likes a bit of mystery, while at the same time reveals the unique thoughts and thinking processes of autistic minds.

Book Review: Life of Pi

The Life of Pi, by Yann Martel

From Library Journal
Named for a swimming pool in Paris the Piscine Molitor "Pi" Patel begins this extraordinary tale as a teenager in India, where his father is a zoo keeper. Deciding to immigrate to Canada, his father sells off most of the zoo animals, electing to bring a few along with the family on their voyage to their new home. But after only a few days out at sea, their rickety vessel encounters a storm. After crew members toss Pi overboard into one of the lifeboats, the ship capsizes. Not long after, to his horror, Pi is joined by Richard Parker, an acquaintance who manages to hoist himself onto the lifeboat from the roiling sea. You would think anyone in Pi's dire straits would welcome the company, but Richard Parker happens to be a 450-pound Bengal tiger. It is hard to imagine a fate more desperate than Pi's: "I was alone and orphaned, in the middle of the Pacific, hanging on to an oar, an adult tiger in front of me, sharks beneath me, a storm raging about me." At first Pi plots to kill Richard Parker. Then he becomes convinced that the tiger's survival is absolutely essential to his own. In this harrowing yet inspiring tale, Martel demonstrates skills so well honed that the story appears to tell itself without drawing attention to the writing. This second novel by the Spanish-born, award-winning author of Self, who now lives in Canada, is highly recommended for all fiction as well as animal and adventure collections. Edward Cone, New York

My Review:
You will want to stop everything just to keep reading this novel. The unique characters, events, and circumstances draw you in and keep you wanting to experience more of the adventure alongside them.
The autor's fluid writing style makes this novel a joy to read and savor. I reccommend this book to all high school students! It will always remain on my top pick lists.

THE NOTEBOOK Book Review

The Notebook was a popular movie that touched our hearts not too long ago, but did you know that it was a book first?!?! For those of you who like a touching love story that leaves you wanting to learn more about the characters, then this is the book for you! Some people believe that love at first sight is a myth and doesn't truly happen. Not Noah Calhoun. Noah knew from the moment he laid eyes on Allie that summer, that she was the one and only. It would take a while longer for Allie to figure out her true feelings for Noah. What will happen when Allie returns to her hometown at the end of the summer? What would become of this relationship and would true love really prevail or is that just a myth?
To find out, read The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks (FIC SPA- WGHS Library)



What I think:
I loved this book and whipped through it very quickly! It is a touching story that pulls at your heart strings and leaves you wanting more. As you read it you feel like you know the characters and it makes the story more real. It is a book that leaves even the non-believers of true love cheering!

A good pick for those who like...coming of age stories, love stories, a quick read, classic tales.

Mrs. Myers

Favorite Books

Hi everyone,
I thought it would be fun to list and comment on favorite book lists. This way, you might check out a book you would not normally have. Check out my list, then feel free to comment, or reply with your own list!
Happy Reading:)

Top Books

• Pillars of the Earth
• How I Live Now
• Life of Pi
• Prince of Tides
• Looking for Alaska
• My Sister's Keeper
• Deception Point
• Mr. Maybe
• Any book by James Michener (historical fiction)
• The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time
• Godfather

Book Suggestion Site

Hey students and book lovers alike! Are you ever looking for a good book but don't have a specific one in mind? Look no further than this great website. All you do is type in a title or titles of books you enjoyed and it will generate a list of suggested readings for future pleasure! Fun stuff!

www.librarything.com

Hey West Geauga Students and Staff!!

Question: Would anyone be interested in forming a Book Discussion Club?