March/April Book Club

We are reading The House of Tomorrow by Peter Bognanni. Here's the summary from our card catalog, "Sebastian Prendergast, having left the safety of the geodesic dome in which he lived after his grandmother had a stroke, meets sixteen-year-old Jared Whitcomb, and together the boys experience the angst of being teenagers while forming a punk rock band, but when Jared's grandma asks him to return to her home, he is faced with choosing between her dying wish and his newfound life." Elizabeth summed the book up in one sentence: "It was laugh-out-loud funny and times and really sad at times; it was a great book!!" I really loved this book too!  ~Mrs. Bade

February Read

We are going to read Mindblind by Jennifer Roy for February. Marina suggested the book and is going to lead the discussion. Here is a short summary from our library catalog: "Fourteen-year-old Nathaniel Clark, who has Asperger's Syndrome, tries to prove that he is a genius by writing songs for his rock band so that he can become a member of the prestigious Aldus Institute, the premier organization for the profoundly gifted."

Sidebar: This was a Battle of the Books book from last year so we know it will be good!

November-December

We are going to combine November and December and read Miss. Peregrine’s Home of Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs. This is a Battle of the Books book so several of my Cafe Library members can kill two birds with one stone...speaking of killing...this book is reported to be pretty spooky. I haven't read it yet but I'm looking forward to reading it!

Summary: Sixteen-year-old Jacob, having traveled to a remote island after a family tragedy, discovers an abandoned orphanage, and, after some investigating, he learns the children who lived there may have been dangerous and quarantined and may also still be alive.

BTW, Lindsey M. did a fabulous job leading our discussion for Unwind. Thanks, Lindsey!!

October Cafe Library

Cafe Library at LMHS is beginning its 7th year of book clubbing! We are going to read Unwind by Neal Schusterman for October. Here's a one line summary: Three teens embark upon a cross-country journey in order to escape from a society that salvages body parts from children ages thirteen to eighteen. Talk about creepy!!!

We are shooting for meeting on October 31st during lunch in the LMC. I hope you join us.

The Fault in Our Stars

May's Cafe Library read is John Green's latest. This is a fitting end-of-the-year book as book club member, Alex O., is a senior and one of his favorite author's is John Green. I have heard lots of positive comments from students about this book. Here's the Amazon summary, "Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel’s story is about to be completely rewritten." Take a look at this trailer by Green. I have started reading this and I have to say, it's hard to put down! I hope you all check it out!

Meeting date TBD.

April Read

The Cafe Library book for April is Parrotfish by Ellen Wittlinger. Here's the summary from the library catalog: "Grady, a transgendered high school student, yearns for acceptance by his classmates and family as he struggles to adjust to his new identity as a male. "

I have heard really good things about this book and am dying to read it! I think it will be my spring break read! Pick up a copy in the library!!

BTW, we did not meet in March...

February Cafe Library Pick

Alex convinced me to select Looking for Alaska by John Green for February's Cafe Library. Alex is a senior and to say the least LOVES John Green's work. He often visits Green's vlogs online and keeps me up-dated with what's going on in his world. The other reason I chose Looking for Alaska is that Alex volunteered to lead the discussion!

Summary: "Sixteen-year-old Miles' first year at Culver Creek Preparatory School in Alabama includes good friends and great pranks, but is defined by the search for answers about life and death after a fatal car crash. "

Seems like John Green has the right combination of humor and real world issues for teens. I'm looking forward to Alex's discussion.