Book Talk (L2) Grade 7 1 st Marking Period

1. Book Talk (L2)Grade 71st Marking Period

2. Shredderman 1 - Secret Identityby Wendelin Van Draanen Fifth-grader Nolan Byrd has suffered at the hands of school bully Bubba Bixby for too long. Inspired by a class project, Nolan (a.k.a "Byrd-the-Nerd") creates a "cyber-superhero" alter ego called Shredderman, and sets out to avenge himself and his fellow Bubba-sufferers. Mr. Green (Nolan's pony-tailed teacher, a.k.a. "the Happy Hippie") assigns the class's monthly project: Students must create a newspaper page, complete with stories and photos, on a topic of their choice. In a flash, Nolan realizes he has the perfect subject: "I had an idea that would make Bubba Bixby sorry he'd ever called us names. Or swiped our stuff. Or breathed his trashy breath down our throats. I’d do my report on Bubba Bixby!" Shortly thereafter Shredderman is born, and Nolan springs into action, armed with a computer, a cleverly concealed digital camera, and his own top-secret Web page, Shredderman.com, "where truth and justice prevail!" 2 AR points

3. Shredderman2 – Attack of the Taggerby Wendelin Van Draanen Nolan's life has not been the same since he invented Shredderman. Sure, he's still called "nerd," and he avoids running into bully Bubba Bixby, but now he's secretly a cyber-hero. As such, Nolan knows he's the man for the job when graffiti is spray-painted around Cedar Valley and the culprit cannot be caught. However, things do not go as planned as Shredderman is accused of being the tagger, and he is under the clock to see that truth and justice prevail before his true identity comes to light. This book is packed with plenty of action and humor to keep kids turning the pages and rooting for Nolan. 2 AR points Read Shredderman book 3 and 4 next Book 3 is 2 AR points and Book 4 is 3 AR points

4. Big Nate In A Class By Himselfby Lincoln Pierce • Nate is a sixth grader who has a problem with organization. Everything is going wrong, and he's piling up detention after detention. Things start to improve when he gets a fortune cookie with a message stating that he will "surpass all others," giving him a purpose for the day and leading to humorous incidents such as when he tries to beat a speed record for eating green beans, and when he tickles his science teacher with a feather duster. Readers meet a variety of characters, each with a unique personality or trait. Peirce's black-and-white ink illustrations, whether they are comics Nate has drawn or other funny images, help to develop the story. • 2 AR points

5. Big Nate Strikes Againby Lincoln Pierce This book about Big Nate is clever and funny. For Mrs. Godfrey's newest special project, a research assignment on a great American, the sixth grader gets paired with the perfect A-plus student, Gina. Horrible as this seems, something great also occurs–Nate is picked as a Fleeceball team captain and has a chance to win the coveted Spoffy (Sports Played Only for Fun) trophy. Unfortunately, he is late to the gym when players are chosen, and Gina is on his team. The black-and-white comic-book illustrations give the story a fun and carefree rhythm. Readers will be delighted to pick this up and find great characters who will stay with them. 2 AR points

6. Lawn Boy By Gary Paulson When the narrator's grandmother gives him an old rider mower for his 12th birthday, his life changes; he senses "some kind of force behind it." Almost as soon as he figures out how to run it, the boy is in business—by the second day he has eight jobs. When he mows the lawn of Arnold Howell, an aging hippie e-trader, the cash-poor man offers a stock-market account in lieu of payment. Arnold not only invests the money; he also offers business advice. Soon lawn boy has a partner, 15 employees, a lot of money invested in the market, and a prizefighter.. Throughout the tale, the narrator is innocent of his success as he rises early each morning to begin each job, eats lunch on the mower, and longs for a less-hectic summer vacation. 2 AR points

7. Crashby Jerry Spinelli Big, bullying jocks, ughhh! Ever since first grade "Crash" Coogan has been tormenting dweeby Penn Ward, a skinny vegetarian Quaker boy who lives in a tiny former garage with his aged parents. Now that they're in seventh grade, "chippy chirpy perky" Penn becomes an even better target: not only does Penn still wear outdated used clothes, he joins the cheerleading squad. But even though Crash becomes the school's star football player and wears the most expensive togs from the mall, he still can't get what Penn has - his parents' attention and the admiration of the most gorgeous girl in school? Crash no longer sees the fun in playing brutal pranks and begins to realize that there are more important things in life than wearing new sneaks and being a sports star. 5 AR points

8. The Toothpaste Millionaireby Jean Merrill • Likable, clever, and inventive sixth-graders Rufus Mayflower and Kate Mackinstrey develop and sell toothpaste to become millionaires in just one year! This fun, breezy story includes many real-life mathematical problems which the characters must solve to succeed in their budding business. • 3 AR points

9. P.S. Longer Letter Laterby Paula Danziger (a New Year's Eve kiss happens at 12:08, and "it was sort of gross because the Chee-to in his mouth ended up in my mouth"), EWWWW! Tara*Starr is as colorful as her name. Her best friend, Elizabeth, who is decidedly more retiring, must start seventh grade without the moral support of her lively, humorous friend who has moved away. The girls try to keep their friendship alive through letters. 6 AR points

10. Joey Pigza Swallowed The Keyby Jack Gantos Don't be shocked when there is some disturbing details about someone getting hurt because of Joey's actions. The author describes the scene very well and we could not believe our ears. Joey Pigza has problems. Big problems. He was emotionally abused by his grandmother. He has never met his dad. He can't get along in his elementary school classroom because of his mood swings and his "dud meds.“ He disrupts the class field trip; he puts his finger in a pencil sharpener and injures himself; he swallows his house key. Then he runs through the classroom holding open sharp scissors. When he trips and falls, seriously injuring a classmate, he is transferred to a special-education program in another school. 5 AR points

11. Rulesby Cynthia Lord Rule – It is ok to hug Mom but not the clerk at the video store! Twelve-year-old Catherine has conflicting feelings about her younger brother, David, who is autistic. While she loves him, she is also embarrassed by his behavior and feels neglected by their parents. In an effort to keep life on an even keel, Catherine creates rules for him. Each chapter title is also a rule, and lots more are interspersed throughout the book. When Kristi moves in next door, Catherine hopes that the girl will become a friend, but is anxious about her reaction to David. Then Catherine meets and befriends Jason, a nonverbal paraplegic who uses a book of pictures to communicate, she begins to understand that normal is difficult, and perhaps unnecessary, to define. 4 AR points

12. The Good Dogby Avi Dogs, nothing but… “tongue-lapping, tail-wagging slaves who take their food from bowls!“ Head dog in Steamboat Springs, McKinley leads a busy life, protecting his family (including his "human pup," Jack) and keeping order among his canine compatriots in the mountain town. While trying to aid a runaway the forlorn greyhound, Duchess, whose owner offers a reward for her return McKinley encounters Lupin, a wolf who hopes to recruit dogs for her dwindling pack. 5 AR points

13. Shipwreck, Island Book 1 by GordanKorman Being on a sailboat in the warm waters of the Pacific with a bunch of kids the same age could sound like a vacation dream come true. However, when this month-long trip is part of a strict program called Charting a New Course, and each participant--or inmate--is there for disciplinary problems, things don't look quite as rosy. And then, of course, when a big storm strikes, and the captain and first mate disappear, and the boat seems to be sinking... the whole idea becomes less and less appealing. Still, for Luke, Will, Lyssa, J.J., Ian, and Charla, this is the way the cards have been dealt, and whatever problems they may have with each other, however much they don't want to be there, it's time to start working together to save their own lives. 3 AR points

14. Survival, Island Book 2 by GordanKorman • Ian, Luke, Charla, and Will have survived a terrible shipwreck and one week on the open seas with no food and scarce water. Now, they have landed on a tropical island in the middle of nowhere. Will is suffering from amnesia, and the kids don't even know if J.J. and Lyssa are still alive. The only human beings on this lonely island, they must make a fire, build a shelter, and gather food and water to sustain them, in addition to searching for Will, who has run off into the jungle. When a plane lands on the island, the kids hope to be rescued, but instead, they find themselves in the middle of some very dangerous and illegal dealings. Now the kids have a far bigger problem than simple survival. They have to hide all traces of their existence, or they won't have any hope at all of making it out of this alive. • 4 AR Points • Read Escape, Island Book 3 next! • 4 AR Points