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 No Talking
by Andrew Clements,
c2007
Andrew Clements has a gift for storytelling that encourages profound thought
in children and adults alike, without ever sounding preachy. And he’s funny.
So funny! No Talking is one of my favorites and is a perfect pick for boys
and girls, grades 3 – 6. It’s a celebration of communication and the power
of language to shape our lives, for better---or for worse.
Laketon Elementary has never seen a fifth grade class like this. First of
all, the boys and girls don’t like each other much and they’re pretty loud,
as a rule. Until one day, that changes. It starts with an argument between
Dave Packer and Lynsey Burgess, both big-time big mouths, that turns into a
challenge. Boys against girls: whose team can say the fewest words during
two whole days? They say silence is golden, but it can also be unsettling.
How will the teachers react? What will the principal do? Who will win? One
thing’s for sure---Laketon Elementary will never be the same again.
Slacker
by Gordon Korman,
c2016
Cameron Boxer would spend every waking hour playing his favorite video game
if his parents allowed it. But when he almost lets the house burn down
around him while immersed in his game, they decide it’s time for Cam to
engage more in the “real” world. First on the list? He has to join a school
club. The problem is, clubs take time, take PARTICIPATION---which would
totally ruin his lifestyle. So Cameron creates the Positive Action Group to
get his parents off his back. But then kids actually want to start joining
his club and before he knows it they even have a school staff advisor! Soon
the group is doing good deeds all over town. Add a homeless beaver and some
high school meanies to the list and Cameron’s life has officially spun out
of control!
This humorous and incredibly relate-able tale of a slacker turned do-gooder
will make you grin. It’s a wonderful choice, especially for reluctant
readers, grades 4 – 7.
Elephant Run
by Roland Smith,
c2007
Elephant Run is a fascinating historical novel set during the WWII in the
Pacific and is a great pick for boys and girls, grades 6 and up. The jungles
of Burma come to life with the description of elephants and their trainers,
while the dangers around every corner keep readers biting their nails to see
how things turn out.
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It’s 1941 and when Nick Freestone’s London apartment is destroyed during an
air raid his mother sends him to live with his father in Burma, where she
hopes he will be safe. Not long after Nick arrives, though, his father’s
plantation is taken over by the Japanese and his father is made a prisoner.
Nick hides in plain sight, pretending to be a servant, then makes a plan
with his new friend Mya to escape---on the back of an elephant. Will they
fall victim to the dangers of the jungle before being captured by the
Japanese---or will they miraculously escape? And can they rescue Mya’s
brother and Nick’s father from the Japanese POW camp before it’s too late?
Insignia
by S.J. Kincaid,
c2012
Tom Raines is just another fourteen year old kid with a deadbeat dad, living
from meal to meal, until the government approaches him. He has skills that
they need---virtual reality gaming skills that prove he can control the
battle drones that are busy fighting World War III in the outer solar
system. They’ve made him promises. Promises of a real life with a roof over
his head, food, friends---and the opportunity to be a war hero without every
physically having to go into the battle zone. But things aren’t always what
they seem. As the world fights over its dwindling resources, Tom will have
to decide what’s right and who to trust. It’s a deadly game. And time is
running out…
Insignia is the first in a fabulous science fiction trilogy where the
action never stops. Computer simulated war games, robot space battles,
government plots and industrial espionage, friendship and romance, love and
betrayal---it’s got it all. Perfect for guys and girls alike, grade 8 and
up.
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To check out these books or to get recommendations
for other great reads on the Lincoln Community High School Reading
List, please come see us at the Lincoln Public Library, 725 Pekin
Street.
[By
MELISSA OXBORROW,
Lincoln Public Library District] |
