Booktalks Plus

Booktalks Plus
Author: Lucy Schall
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
Total Pages: 282
Release: 2001-04-15
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 0313009198

Obesity in a world where thin is endlessly in vogue, pros and cons of tattoos and body piercing, and family blending. This guide leads you to quality literature that inspires students to read and discover more about these and many other issues they find relevant. Booktalks for more than 100 titles are accompanied by motivational activities and lists of related works. In addition, pithy book summaries and bibliographic information are given. Fiction and nonfiction titles, most published since 1995, were selected with curriculum connections in mind and are arranged topically.

Firefly Lane

Firefly Lane
Author: Kristin Hannah
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Total Pages: 532
Release: 2008-02-05
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1429927844

From the New York Times bestselling author Kristin Hannah comes a powerful novel of love, loss, and the magic of friendship. . . . now a #1 Netflix series! In the turbulent summer of 1974, Kate Mularkey has accepted her place at the bottom of the eighth-grade social food chain. Then, to her amazement, the "coolest girl in the world" moves in across the street and wants to be her friend. Tully Hart seems to have it all---beauty, brains, ambition. On the surface they are as opposite as two people can be: Kate, doomed to be forever uncool, with a loving family who mortifies her at every turn. Tully, steeped in glamour and mystery, but with a secret that is destroying her. They make a pact to be best friends forever; by summer's end they've become TullyandKate. Inseparable. So begins Kristin Hannah's magnificent new novel. Spanning more than three decades and playing out across the ever-changing face of the Pacific Northwest, Firefly Lane is the poignant, powerful story of two women and the friendship that becomes the bulkhead of their lives. From the beginning, Tully is desperate to prove her worth to the world. Abandoned by her mother at an early age, she longs to be loved unconditionally. In the glittering, big-hair era of the eighties, she looks to men to fill the void in her soul. But in the buttoned-down nineties, it is television news that captivates her. She will follow her own blind ambition to New York and around the globe, finding fame and success . . . and loneliness. Kate knows early on that her life will be nothing special. Throughout college, she pretends to be driven by a need for success, but all she really wants is to fall in love and have children and live an ordinary life. In her own quiet way, Kate is as driven as Tully. What she doesn't know is how being a wife and mother will change her . . . how she'll lose sight of who she once was, and what she once wanted. And how much she'll envy her famous best friend. . . . For thirty years, Tully and Kate buoy each other through life, weathering the storms of friendship---jealousy, anger, hurt, resentment. They think they've survived it all until a single act of betrayal tears them apart . . . and puts their courage and friendship to the ultimate test. Firefly Lane is for anyone who ever drank Boone's Farm apple wine while listening to Abba or Fleetwood Mac. More than a coming-of-age novel, it's the story of a generation of women who were both blessed and cursed by choices. It's about promises and secrets and betrayals. And ultimately, about the one person who really, truly knows you---and knows what has the power to hurt you . . . and heal you. Firefly Lane is a story you'll never forget . . . one you'll want to pass on to your best friend.

The Snowy Day

The Snowy Day
Author: Ezra Jack Keats
Publisher: Penguin
Total Pages: 32
Release: 2012-10-11
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 0670013250

The magic and wonder of winter’s first snowfall is perfectly captured in Ezra Jack Keat’s Caldecott Medal-winning picture book. Young readers can enjoy this celebrated classic as a full-sized board book, perfect for read-alouds of all kinds and a great gift for the holiday season. In 1962, a little boy named Peter put on his snowsuit and stepped out of his house and into the hearts of millions of readers. Universal in its appeal, this story beautifully depicts a child's wonder at a new world, and the hope of capturing and keeping that wonder forever. This big, sturdy edition will bring even more young readers to the story of Peter and his adventures in the snow. Ezra Jack Keats was also the creator of such classics as Goggles, A Letter to Amy, Pet Show!, Peter’s Chair, and A Whistle for Willie. (This book is also available in Spanish, as Un dia de nieve.) Praise for The Snowy Day: “Keats made Peter’s world so inviting that it beckons us. Perhaps the busyness of daily life in the 21st century makes us appreciate Peter even more—a kid who has the luxury of a whole day to just be outside, surrounded by snow that’s begging to be enjoyed.” —The Atlantic "Ezra Jack Keats's classic The Snowy Day, winner of the 1963 Caldecott Medal, pays homage to the wonder and pure pleasure a child experiences when the world is blanketed in snow."—Publisher's Weekly

Whale Talk

Whale Talk
Author: Chris Crutcher
Publisher: Harper Collins
Total Pages: 310
Release: 2009-09-22
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
ISBN: 0061968536

“A truly exceptional book.”—Washington Post There's bad news and good news about the Cutter High School swim team. The bad news is that they don't have a pool. The good news is that only one of them can swim anyway. Bestselling author Chris Crutcher’s controversial and acclaimed novel follows a group of outcasts as they take on inequality and injustice in their high school. "Crutcher's superior gifts as a storyteller and his background as a working therapist combine to make magic in Whale Talk. The thread of truth in his fiction reminds us that heroes can come in any shape, color, ability or size, and friendship can bridge nearly any divide.”—Washington Post T.J. Jones hates the blatant preferential treatment jocks receive at his high school, and the reverence paid to the varsity lettermen. When he sees a member of the wrestling team threatening an underclassman, T.J. decides he’s had enough. He recruits some of the biggest misfits at Cutter High to form a swim team. They may not have very much talent, but the All-Night Mermen prove to be way more than T.J. anticipated. As the unlikely athletes move closer to their goal, these new friends might learn that the journey is worth more than the reward. For fans of Andrew Smith and Marieke Nijkamp. "Crutcher offers an unusual yet resonant mixture of black comedy and tragedy that lays bare the superficiality of the high-school scene. The book's shocking climax will force readers to re-examine their own values and may cause them to alter their perception of individuals pegged as 'losers.'"—Publishers Weekly An American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age Features a new afterword by Chris Crutcher

Booktalks and Beyond

Booktalks and Beyond
Author: Lucy Schall
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
Total Pages: 297
Release: 2007-05-30
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 0313094691

Promote today's best and most popular YA books with help from this practical guide. Focusing on titles published after 2000, Schall provides you with background information, ready-to-use (or adapt) booktalks, read-aloud selections, learning activities, and related reads for approximately 100 fiction and nonfiction books with broad teen appeal. Organized by genres and themes, it has something for every teen reader. Whether you are a public or school librarian, teacher, or teen group leader, you'll find this collection helpful in motivating teens to read, building their appreciation of books, and in extending learning opportunities beyond the reading experience. Grades 6-12.

Booktalks and More

Booktalks and More
Author: Lucy Schall
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
Total Pages: 297
Release: 2003-06-30
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 0313058997

Inspire teenagers to read quality literature and help them explore issues relevant to their lives. This outstanding book offers motivational, ready-to-use booktalks for more than 100 of the best new reads for teenagers, guaranteed to pique teen interest. Each booktalk comes with complete bibliographic information, a detailed plot summary, helpful presentation tips, curriculum connections, and suggestions for related books and media. Grades 7-12. To help you keep the booktalk momentum going, Lucy Schall provides engaging follow-up discussion questions and activity ideas that will enhance every teen's reading, writing, and speaking skills. With a focus on recently published fiction and nonfiction titles in a wide variety of genres and themes, these dynamic booktalks center around issues, problems, and challenges that young adults are facing—from family concerns, expectations, and leadership to prejudice, good and evil, and the future. These lively booktalks and activities will motivate your teens to explore the complex world around them through unforgettable literary journeys.

Book Lovers

Book Lovers
Author: Emily Henry
Publisher: Penguin
Total Pages: 417
Release: 2022-05-03
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 0593334833

“One of my favorite authors.”—Colleen Hoover An insightful, delightful, instant #1 New York Times bestseller from the author of Beach Read and People We Meet on Vacation. Named a Most Anticipated Book of 2022 by Oprah Daily ∙ Today ∙ Parade ∙ Marie Claire ∙ Bustle ∙ PopSugar ∙ Katie Couric Media ∙ Book Bub ∙ SheReads ∙ Medium ∙ The Washington Post ∙ and more! One summer. Two rivals. A plot twist they didn't see coming... Nora Stephens' life is books—she’s read them all—and she is not that type of heroine. Not the plucky one, not the laidback dream girl, and especially not the sweetheart. In fact, the only people Nora is a heroine for are her clients, for whom she lands enormous deals as a cutthroat literary agent, and her beloved little sister Libby. Which is why she agrees to go to Sunshine Falls, North Carolina for the month of August when Libby begs her for a sisters’ trip away—with visions of a small town transformation for Nora, who she’s convinced needs to become the heroine in her own story. But instead of picnics in meadows, or run-ins with a handsome country doctor or bulging-forearmed bartender, Nora keeps bumping into Charlie Lastra, a bookish brooding editor from back in the city. It would be a meet-cute if not for the fact that they’ve met many times and it’s never been cute. If Nora knows she’s not an ideal heroine, Charlie knows he’s nobody’s hero, but as they are thrown together again and again—in a series of coincidences no editor worth their salt would allow—what they discover might just unravel the carefully crafted stories they’ve written about themselves.

A Greene Family Summer Bash

A Greene Family Summer Bash
Author: Piper Rayne
Publisher: Piper Rayne, Inc.
Total Pages: 200
Release: 2021-07-27
Genre: Fiction
ISBN:

Catch up with the Greene family during their annual summer party. There’s sure to be surprise announcements and unexpected guests! Blurb and Cover Coming!

The Unteachables

The Unteachables
Author: Gordon Korman
Publisher: HarperCollins
Total Pages: 205
Release: 2019-01-08
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 0062563912

A hilarious new middle grade novel from beloved and bestselling author Gordon Korman about what happens when the worst class of kids in school is paired with the worst teacher—perfect for fans of Ms. Bixby’s Last Day. A good choice for summer reading or anytime! The Unteachables are a notorious class of misfits, delinquents, and academic train wrecks. Like Aldo, with anger management issues; Parker, who can’t read; Kiana, who doesn’t even belong in the class—or any class; and Elaine (rhymes with pain). The Unteachables have been removed from the student body and isolated in room 117. Their teacher is Mr. Zachary Kermit, the most burned-out teacher in all of Greenwich. He was once a rising star, but his career was shattered by a cheating scandal that still haunts him. After years of phoning it in, he is finally one year away from early retirement. But the superintendent has his own plans to torpedo that idea—and it involves assigning Mr. Kermit to the Unteachables. The Unteachables never thought they’d find a teacher who had a worse attitude than they did. And Mr. Kermit never thought he would actually care about teaching again. Over the course of a school year, though, room 117 will experience mayhem, destruction—and maybe even a shot at redemption.

Value-Packed Booktalks

Value-Packed Booktalks
Author: Lucy Schall
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
Total Pages: 282
Release: 2011-04-07
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 1598847368

In this guide, 100 recommended books and booktalks offer the perfect way to start value discussions with teens and teen/adult book groups. With its focus on current, popular titles, Value-Packed Booktalks: Genre Talks and More for Teen Readers is a flexible tool for all educators—from Young Adult (YA) librarians and readers' advisors at public libraries to school librarians and teachers. Booktalks are provided for young adult literature published between 2006 and 2010, organized by values addressed in specific genres. Examples of discussions show how these booktalks can help teens define what is personally important to them and why. Unique in that it ties current popular genres to values (courage with adventure titles, problem-solving with mystery/suspense), the book focuses on 100 recently published YA fiction and nonfiction titles, offering summaries, lists of themes, values statements, booktalks, and curriculum connections. It also cites passages appropriate for read-aloud booktalks, designates a general grade-range (middle, junior, or senior high school), notes gender appeal for the titles (male, female, or cross gender), and lists similar or related works, some published before 2006.