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I just couldn't put this one down. Two thirteen-year-old friends, Chip and Jonah are adopted. They both start receiving threatening letters saying that they are "the missing" and someone will soon be coming for them, "beware"! Through some investigation the boys learn that before they were adopted they were discovered on an abandoned plane that appeared out of nowhere. The only thing on the plane was about thirty other babies. How did the plane get there? Where did it come from? The boys realize that they have uncovered a mystery involving time travel. This is the first installment in Haddix's newest series, "The Missing". Don't miss out! 

Ted and Kat receive a visit from their aunt Gloria and cousin Salim. The group decides to visit some of the London sites while in town. Their first stop is the London Eye (a giant ferris wheel). Salim is offered a free ticket to ride the wheel and jumps to the front of the line. Ted and Kat watch him board, track his progress, and eagerly await for his ride to end. When the ride ends Salim is nowhere to be found. Did he vanish into thin air? Although the police start searching for Salim, it is Ted and Kat who ultimately figure out the London Eye Mystery! 

This is an awesome collection of scary stories by everyone's favorite author R.L. Stine! Two of the stories are written by Stine and the remainder are a collection of his favorites by a variety of authors. There is a one-page introduction to each story written by Stine giving his reasons for the selection. Many of his picks are stories he read growing up that led him to become an author and ultimately the number-one best-selling children's author of all time! (Guinness Book of World Records). Enjoy his picks but BEWARE!

Ten-year-old Gregory has moved from an indian reservation called Bird Springs to a shelter in Tucsan, Arizona with his mother and baby sister because of a drought. Gregory struggles with his new surroundings but finds comfort in his imaginary friend Joey until he finds a friend in his classmate Matt and his new art therapy teacher. He questions when and if his dad will return and has to take on additional responsibilities as the only man in the family as his mother works nights and weekends. This short book really packs in a lot of drama and inner struggle for the main character. A quick read!

Did you know that spiders were hunting long before lions and tigers? They were hunting even before the Tyrannosaurus Rex! They started to walk the land more than 350 million years ago, and today there are over 38,000 different types of spiders. They live almost everywhere. I thought I would be grossed out by the pictures in this nonfiction book but eventually I got used to them and I was really intrigued by all the interesting facts about spiders!

This book is about the many people who were involved in the launch of Apollo 11 and sending man to the moon. On July 20, 1969 half a billion people from around the world clicked on their TV's to witness this historic event. While millions and millions of people were spellbound with moon mania, there were people behind the scenes who worried about more problems and concerns and plans for emergencies than the rest of the world could ever know. Yes, three heroic men went to the moon; but it was a team of four hundred thousand people that put them there. This book is for them.

This is a memoir of the dancing career of Siena Siegel who spent twelve years studying and pursuing her love of dance at the School of American Ballet in New York City. The story follows Siena from the age of six when she runs along the beach near her home in Puerto Rico dreaming of dance, to dance class in Boston, to her debut performance on stage with the New York City Ballet. It's in graphic novel format with drawings created by Siena's husband Mark. I think anyone who enjoys dance will find a connection with Siena's book!

Trey Cooper and Spider Stevens have lived next door to each other their entire lives. The boys have been friends since the second grade but recently Spider is questioning if Trey is just a little too weird to be hanging out with, now that they're in the fifth grade. Spider wants to fit in with the other boys but none of them want to accept Trey into their circle. Will Spider have to turn his back on his oldest friend or will he figure out a way to balance his new friends with the old?

This story takes place in North Carolina in the 1800's. After she is orphaned, young Judith Sparrow has been sent to live with her wealthy uncle. She is grateful for his kindness but also curious about his one request that she not bring anything green into the house. Judith can't bring herself to part with the green silk framed picture of her mother, but soon learns that this frame may have brought back the ghost of Jade Green. She died in the house three years earlier by chopping off her own hand and bleeding to death. How will Judith undo the haunting images and ghostly sounds that Jade Green creates? Read the book to find out!

Growing up in the 1950's, twelve-year-old Penny is surrounded by family and summer fun. Although her father passed away when she was young, Penny now lives with her mom and grandparents and is still close to the many uncles on her father's side. Penny has never understood why her mom doesn't get along with her dad's family until Penny herself gets into an accident and family secrets about her dad's death are revealed. Penny is a curious girl with a lot of questions about her family. Readers will love the family drama! 

Alabama has lived with his dad in the forest for as long as he can remember. After fighting in Vietnam his dad doesn't trust many people and retreats to a life of solitude. Alabama has learned survival skills from his dad and must put them to use when his dad is killed in a bear attack. This is a great adventure story about a young boy who finds himself thrown into the real world after having grown up in the wilderness. His fighting spirit is put to the ultimate test when confronted with civilization! 

In this fantasy/adventure we follow Torak,  a twelve year old boy living in the forest nearly 6,000 years ago. The people of Torak's clan are survivors that know every plant and animal in the forest. As a hunter-gatherer and "the listener", Torak must use his skills to reach the top of the mountain to destroy a demon possessed bear that will endanger every clan in the forest. After his father is killed he befriends a wolf cub who helps him on his quest. This story is a good action/adventure book and a true depiction of life during the Mesolithic Age. 

"Cornelia and the Audacious Escapades of the Somerset Sisters" has a long title but the story itself does not feel that long! This Rebecca Caudill Nominee is about a young girl named Cornelia who is the daughter of a famous pianist living in New York City. Cornelia is lonely and stumbles upon a new friend, her elderly neighbor Virginia Somerset. She shares stories with Cornelia about the adventures her and her two sisters had around the world. Interesting characters and creative story. Give it a try if you like travel and adventure! 

Sixteen-year-old Hattie has never really had a home of her own. Orphaned when she was a little girl, she has been passed along from relatives to friends. When her uncle passes away and leaves Hattie his 300 acre homestead in Montana, it is up to her to make a new life for herself. The first World War is going strong and Hattie finds herself defending new friends and hoping that her sweatheart, Charlie will make it back safely from fighting. This piece of historical fiction really captures the time period and brings the reader into the realities of homestead life. Don't miss out! 

This Caudill nominee written by Ellen Klages takes place during World War II in Los Alamos, New Mexico. The main character, Dewey Kerrigan is an eleven-year-old girl who's father is working on a top secret project that just might win the war. Although Dewey knows nothing about the Manhattan Project she (like her father) enjoys science and creating gadgets from objects she finds at the dump. This has made her an outcast to other kids on "the hill". Can Dewey be true to herself and still make friends? Read this book to find out!

This 2008 Rebecca Caudill nominee reads through the diary entries of Miranda, a high school sophomore looking foward to the end of the school year. All anyone can talk about is the asteroid that's been predicted to hit the moon. Everyone is excited and can't wait to see it happen in the night sky. It turns out the asteroid is bigger than predicted and knocks the moon out of its orbit, sending it closer to earth and messing with life as we knew it. Tidal waves are out of control, volcanoes are erupting, and earthquakes are shattering lives apart. Miranda and her family must go into survival mode to make it out alive as millions are dying all around the world. This is a great survival story with strong family ties.

Another 2008 Caudill nominee, this book tells everything you may or may not want to know about Rats! Did you know that rats can collapse their skeletons and squeeze through a pipe the width of a quarter? They can scale a brick wall, they can get flushed down a toilet and live, and they can climb up drainpipes into your toilet bowl, YUCK! The author decided to write this book after getting a scare from a rat at the construction site where his dad was working. The father said, "Maybe you should learn all you can about rats, and then you won't be so scared". I don't know about that, but I hope it worked!! 

This 2008 Caudill Nominee is an awesome adventure story! The main character, Ruben Hart, tells of his involvement in the rumrunning business (stealing alchohol) during the time of prohibition when liquor was outlawed in the United States. The Black Duck was the name of their boat that became dangerously skilled at smuggling and escaping from the Coast Guard along the shores of Rhode Island in 1929. This book was an addictive read for me and had all the elements of: Historical Fiction, Adventure, Mystery, and Scandle. You won't be able to put it down, but first you have to pick it up!! :)

This book is nominated for the 2008 Caudill Award. The main character is a seventh-grader named Julia. She and her best friend Patrick decide to team up to compete in a science project raising silkworms. Julia is a Korean-American and isn't thrilled about the project at first because she feels it is too Korean. The project teaches Julia a lot about tolerance, friendship, and patience. Is it good enough to win the blue ribbon at the state fair? Read the book to find out!

This book is nominated for the 2008 Caudill Award. It has elements of fantasy and is a short read but not disappointing for those who enjoy Lois Lowry (the author of "The Giver"). The main character is named Littlest One and is later known as Gossamer for her ability to gather pleasant memories in such an extremely delicate way and then bestow those memories in the form of good dreams to those who are sleeping. Gossamer is a dream giver and is always at work against the Sinisteeds. They are the dark creatures who plague their victims with nightmares. Will Gossamer be able to save an angry foster child from the clutches of these evil nightmares? Read this Rebecca Caudill Nominee to find out!

This book is nominated for the 2008 Caudill Award. The main character is a 12yr. old girl named Shug (as in "sugar"). Her real name is Annemarie Wilcox and she's been best friends with Mark for as long as she can remember. The summer before they are to start 7th grade her feelings towards Mark start to change although she knows he doesn't feel the same. I thought this book was so much fun! Shug really learns a lot in Jr. High about friendships and growing up. Give it a try!

Those of you who enjoy Graphic Novels and History will get the best of both worlds in this award winner by Peter Sis! It's a true story about the author growing up during the Cold War on the East side of the Berlin Wall. Although it looks like a picture book the journal entries and captions are really informative. If you read this book, take the time to examine the drawings. Don't just skim through. What did you learn?

Thanks to Ms. Kane for this good suggestion :) I had heard that her class really enjoyed this story during read aloud. Two 12yr. old boys take their bikes to Starved Rock in Illinois. They decide to jump in the river even though one of them can barely swim. A terrible accident takes place and one of them is left to deal with the guilt and the consequences. Our copy has a different cover than the one shown here. If you read this book...how would you have felt if you were Joel?

I read this book over winter break, before it was nominated for the 2008 Caudill Award and before it won the Caldecott Award. I knew right away that it was an outstanding piece of fiction and I'm so excited for Brian Selznick! He wrote the story and also created the beautiful sketch drawings that are so integral to the book. It's about a young boy living in a train station after his father dies and his uncle disappears. He fixes the clocks and meets a young girl who helps him uncover a mystery. No description can do it justice. Read this book!

I picked this up after reading "Clementine" by Sara Pennypacker. I thought the descriptions of the two girls sounded similar. Although I enjoyed Clarice Bean I didn't think it was as fun as "Clementine". Those who like Ramona, Amber Brown, and Junie B. Jones are sure to like Clarice Bean as well. Enjoy!

I had to read this book after seeing it fly off the shelves at the Scholastic Book Fair. Sixth grader Greg and his friend Rowley are weaklings amid boys who need to shave twice dailey. When Rowley unexpectedly becomes popular, Greg takes drastic measures to save their friendship. There will be three books in this series. The second book, "Rodrick Rules" will be on our library shelves soon! The third book is yet to be published. If you read the second book already, what did you think?

Dexter is the new kid in school. I liked this book because although Dexter may seem tough to others, really he's just a softy on the inside. He's staying with his grandmother in Kentucky while his father goes through cancer treatments. After punching a kid on the first day of school, an observant teacher gives a writing assignment that helps Dexter come to terms with his issues. What do you think? Is Dexter a bad kid or just a 4th grader going through a tough time?

This is the newest book by Andrew Clements. It's about a fifth grade class at Laketon Elementary where the girls and boys have never gotten along. They challenge each other to a no talking contest and the teachers have no idea what's going on. Will this class learn something along the way or will they go back to their old selves after the contest? Read it to find out!!

"Camp Babymouse" has been so popular at Rutledge Hall. I had to pick it up and find out why. Now I know. Although babymouse is always getting into trouble and may not be the best of campers, who wouldn't want to be her friend? She heads out to Camp Wild Whiskers for two weeks eventhough she isn't the camping type and jumps right in with all kinds of enthusiasm. This is the 6th babymouse book. Which was your favorite?

It would have helped if I read "Things Not Seen" before reading this book. Both are separate stories but the main character is the same and I was really confused when he went invisible! Seventeen -year- old Gwen is a music student living in Manhattan with her Grandfather. She joins up with another music student (the invisible boy) to solve a mystery when her grandfather goes missing. The book has a creepy twist when the boy goes down to the basement towards the end of the book. Don't read it alone at night! For those of you who've read it...were you as scared as me?

I Love Clementine!! I thought this book was really funny. Clementine is such a trouble maker without even knowing it. She's a third grader with big ideas. As Clementine would say "Spectacularful ideas are always sproinging up in my brain." Read this book :)

I'm not normally into Mythology but I actually learned a lot about Greek Gods and Heroes through this book. I picked it up because so many students at Rutledge were talking about it and now it's nominated for the Caudill Award! The main character is a 12yr. old boy named Percy. He's a regular kid living in New York with his mom and her mean spirited boyfriend. Percy may think he has problems in his everyday life but what happens when he finds out he is the son of Poseiden? This God has been accused of stealing Zeus' lightning bolt. Percy has to find and return the bolt or humankind will be doomed. Lots of adventure in this story. What was your favorite part?

I picked this up because I thought the chalkboard book cover was an interesting idea. The main character is a 7th grade boy named Holling. The story takes place in 1967. Every Wednesday Holling is left alone in the classroom with Mrs. Baker because half of his class is Catholic and the other half is Jewish. When the class leaves to attend religious instruction, Holling is left to deal with Mrs. Baker. How will she make him spend the time? Read the book to find out and tell me what you think!