February Top 10

Here are the Top 10 books for the Evergreen Library for the month of February. 

Most of these should not be a surprise:

1. Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Yes, still.

2. Divergent by Veronica Roth. The movie will be out in a few weeks and many students are madly reading (or re-reading) the series.

3. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins. (see #1)

4. House of Hades by Rick Riordan.

5. Diary of a Wimpy Kid #8: Hard Luck by Jeff Kinney.

6. Insurgent by Veronica Roth. (see #2)

7. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins. (see #1 & #3)

8. Swim the Fly by Don Calame.

9. Allegiant by Veronica Roth. (see #2 & #6)

10. Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys. The ONLY book in the Top 10 that is not part of a series. And is further proof that maybe the students do listen to my suggestions, because I've been promoting this one a lot recently. And having teachers read and recommend it.

Don't Judge a Book by it's Cover!

Do you judge a book by it's cover? It's pretty hard not to. 

All this month we have been challenging students to choose a book to read without looking at the cover.  In order to ensure that they won't sneak a peek at the cover, we had one of our intrepid TAs wrap the books in thick paper. Here's a picture of our display:

I was actually very surprised with how popular this has been. Students have been clamoring into the library every morning and lunch to get their hands on one. We can barely keep the display stocked each day.

Tomorrow is the last day of the "challenge" and here are some of the highlights:

1) Watching students drag their friends into the library and read all the descriptions of the books out loud to each other to help them decide which book to choose. (Each book "cover" simply lists the genre, and 2-4 keywords about the book).

2) Very few students have picked a book that they've already read. I think only the Hunger Games (which, looking ahead to next time, I won't include) had been read by the person checking it out.

3) Students coming in and wanting the sequels and/or another book by the author.

4) When we survey they students (via a quick "review" form included with the book), most have remarked that they would not have checked out the book based solely on the cover, and now that they've read it, they want more of that genre/author/series. YEAH!

5) My favorite was the girl who came rushing into the library Monday morning desperate to read the sequel of the book she'd checked out on Friday. She said that she NEVER would have checked out the book if she'd seen the cover but now HAD to find out what happens.

One student was very sad today when I told her that no, we would not be doing this for the rest of the school year. (They don't realize that the novelty would wear off. And that my secretary would quit if we wrapped up books all year long). We might be convinced to bring it back more than once/year based on how much fun it was. 

In the meantime, we will have another reading challenge for March...stay tuned!

Amazing Authors visit Evergreen!

Evergreen was so lucky to host two amazing authors this week. Lisa McMann and Jennifer Nielsen took time out of their busy touring schedule to visit students in the Library Tuesday morning. Several 6th, 7th, and 8th grade Language Arts classes were lucky to be able to hear the presentation. It was a PACKED house!

Now, right off the bat, let me just say that I was very happy to be able to organize this event as I am a HUGE fan of BOTH authors and their books. I was also glad that I was feeling well enough to be there so I could meet them. (I tried not to embarrass myself too much by gushing like a teenage fan-girl...I promise).

 


Such a good time was had by all. AND we received some great advice to help us with our writing. Here are just a few of the important things to keep in mind:
(1) Story connects all of us! Books, music, dance, art...all creative endeavors tell a story.
(2) When you write something you think it's AMAZING, and you're sure that your teacher will think it's PERFECT. No such luck, right? The teacher always thinks your work needs revision. UGH! But Ms. Nielsen decoded the word "revision" for us: This is your teacher's way of saying what you have done is pretty good, but it could be great...with revision. "It's not enough to be good, I expect you to be great."
(3) Great writing comes in re-writing.
(4) Ms. McMann reminded us to always ask the "What If?" questions...no matter where you are, or what you see, there's a story in it.

Their combined tips for wannabe writers:
(1) Read your favorite book over and look at it like a writer.
(2) Don't give up!
(3) Don't be afraid to fail.
(4) Be true to who you are. Write your own voice. "We need your voice!"
(5) Read!
(6) Keep writing.



Besides being a fan of each other's books, Ms. McMann admitted to being a fan of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and the "Chronicles of Narnia" books when she was a tween/teen. Ms. Nielsen loved (and still does) "The Outsiders" when she was in middle school. (Great choices, ladies!)






About the morning, Ms. Nielsen had this to say, "So glad to have met you, and the others there, and the fantastic students. Lisa and I really enjoyed our time at your school." Well, we really enjoyed our time with both of you! Thank you...and a big THANK YOU to Third Place Books for bringing this event to us.

To hear more about their books, read this previous "Trailer Tuesday" post.

And if you ever have a chance to see these dynamic women in person, DON'T MISS IT! You will not regret it. And if she doesn't tell you the story, ask Ms. Nielsen how her and Suzanne Collins share something in common.

Mrs. Yusko and the Katy Perry Wig Make the Paper

If you received a copy of the Redmond Reporter at home, you might have seen the article about me, which included a great picture of me in the library (sporting my favorite wig).

If you haven't seen it yet, please check it out online here as it is a terrific article about the wonderful community that has been supporting me throughout this journey. Thanks to everyone, whether you were mentioned by name or not!

Trailer Tuesday

Today's Trailer Tuesday is in honor of the TWO authors visiting Evergreen today.

First up, Lisa McMann, author of so many books/series that are popular with Evergreen readers. Here's an interview with her where she discusses one of these books.

And a trailer for one of her new series, "The Unwanteds." Love it!

Here is the book trailer for The False Prince, by Jennifer A. Nielsen. I loved this book and am so glad the sequel is out.

I am so excited to meet both of these amazing authors today!

Friday 5

Time for another round of the Friday 5! 

Here are some interesting facts about the library for the past few weeks:

(1) We had our very own Black Friday "shopping" experience...twice! All of Evergreen's 8th graders and 6th graders started their 2nd quarter reading project last week. That meant that books for these projects (Sci-Fi/Dystopian/Steampunk for 8th, and Realistic Fiction for 6th) were available for checkout to all students at the same time, first come, first served. And let me tell you, some of these books were "hot commodities." Wednesday was when the 8th Graders stormed the castle, and Friday was 6th Grade's turn. So many students lined up both days before the library opened to get their hands on the perfect book, that our very own principal was called in to action to help with check out. Happy Reading all!

(2) Because of these projects, there is a new list of "most requested." These are currently the Top Holds/requests for Evergreen: Ungifted by Gordon Korman, Almost Home and Close to Famous by Joan Bauer, Son by Lois Lowry, Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan, Starters by Lissa Price, Legend by Marie Lu, Livvie Owen Lived Here by Sarah Dooley, Half Brother by Kenneth Oppel, and of course, The Third Wheel (Wimpy Kid) by Jeff Kinney.

(3) Books make great gifts...for all ages! I have compiled a list of great gift books for this holiday season. Click here to find the link to the Library newsletter for good books for kindergarten through adult. And, if you feel so inclined to include your favorite middle school library on your gift list, we have a wish list of books that our students would like. 

And to show a little bit of holiday spirit, all next week I'll be posting reviews of books that would make great gifts.

Oh, and there's a rumor that I just purchased a gift for the school...something to do with a Skype visit with an author. More details coming in the new year, but I am very excited by this!

(4) Lots and lots of movie buzz around the school! Great movies abound this holiday season, and many are based on books. The library has had a recent run on the following books: The Hobbit (and all of the Lord of the Rings trilogy), Breaking Dawn (and all of the Twilight books), and the Beautiful Creatures series (Garcia/Stohl). This last movie will hit theaters in February 2013 and looks great! (Stay tuned for the trailer on a future Trailer Tuesday). 

Personally, I am most excited for Les Miserables (a movie, based on a musical, based on a book)!

(5) Lastly, on a personal note, this Friday marked my last day at Evergreen for quite some time. On Thursday the 13th, I start the first of 20 weeks of chemotherapy for Stage 3 cancer. This is just the first stage of treatments which will probably continue throughout the summer. I have so appreciated all the thoughts, support, and prayers of my Evergreen family. Please stay tuned to this blog, as I will continue to post reviews of good books, new books, and all things book-related. You can follow the library news by liking our Facebook page.

I do have a separate blog that I am keeping about my journey through this experience. If you are interested in following along, you can find it here.

Geeky Librarian Fun in New Orleans

No thanks to United/Continental Airlines, I have finally made it to New Orleans for the American Library Association's Annual Conference. (The only good thing about the flight was the fact that "Beastly" was the in-flight movie). After arriving at 4:30am local time this morning, thanks to extensive delays, I am ready to report on all the geeky librarian fun I will be having...stay tuned!

Today started with SLEEPING IN, and then a magical discovery that my hotel's pool was on the roof. Reading in the glorious sunshine was a wonderful way to spend the afternoon. (I am still trying to finish up the last of the BFYA books that I brought with me). 90 degrees feels wonderful to someone stuck in the horrible Seattle "spring" that we've had.

Tonight I am off to two publisher events, with the opportunity to meet wonderful authors and eat yummy food. Will post details later...

Are you in NOLA? What are you most excited for this weekend?

Summer Reading!

School is FINALLY out...yeah! Those snow days, many of which weren't really snow days, stretched the year out an extra week, but we have survived and made it to SUMMER! Now, if only the sun would cooperate...


If you are looking for good reads for all ages, from Kindergarten through High School (and adult!), check out the EJH Library "Summer Reading" website. The lists are divided by grade level, and students of all ages, reading levels, and interests will find something good to read, I promise. Some will find MANY great books to read. The lists are designed for students "graduating" from the grade levels listed, but some students will also find titles of interest on the lists above and below their grade level. (By the way, the call numbers listed next to each title are the King County Library System call numbers). And if you are a grown up looking for something good to read this summer, start with the High School list. Great titles to choose from!


Stay tuned to the blog throughout the summer. It will be updated daily with "latest and greatest" titles not published in time to be included on the Summer Reading lists. I would LOVE your feedback on books that you've read or books that I should review here! Feel free to comment. We can have our own online book club...

Tuesday Top 10

I decided to celebrate my students' reading with this week's "Top 10." Our school library's circulation system tracks the Top 10 books at any given time, based on checkouts. Though I think that it should also factor the hold list into the Top 10 formula, it is still a pretty good indication of what is popular at the school at any given moment.

When I was online approving holds tonight (yes, I'm working at night; and yes, my students can put holds on books from home), I checked out the Top 10 and it inspired me to create this post. So I offer you, the Evergreen JH Library's "Student Top 10."

1. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. This book has not been in the Top 5 for quite some time, though it never really drops out of the Top 10. I think its push to the top right now reflects that it won our schoolwide Evergreen Young Adult Book Award voting (see previous post), and students that hadn't read it clearly want to know why it's so popular!

2.The Compound by S.A. Bodeen. This book has consistently been in the Top 5 since the fall when we started our award nominee reading. It came in 2nd in the voting, and all the students that didn't get a chance to read it before are currently eating it up like crazy. Even some of our teachers are reading it based on student feedback.

3. Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi. This book is the reason I think our system doesn't calculate the Top 10 based on all factors. It should clearly be the number 1 book in my opinion based on the fact that we have 15 HOLDS on the book right now, in addition to the 6 copies checked out. But I do love that it proves the power of booktalking. This book hardly got checked out until everyone finished The Hunger Games trilogy and I would tell anyone who would listen that they MUST read it. Last week, I spoke with all of our 7th and a few of our 8th grade classes about it...and presto! Everyone wants it!

4. Beastly by Alex Flinn. Another one that is not a surprise right now, but has made a recent surge into the Top 10 because of the movie. And because it is one of my favorite books? Unfortunately, I'm not sure that I have more sway than Alex Pettyfer with my students.

5. The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan. A consistent performer that has been somewhere in the Top 10 since its release in October.

6. Num8ers by Rachel Ward. I love this book and have been promoting it like crazy in advance of the sequel. I think we have 10 holds on 5 copies right now. What more could you want than a red eyeball on the cover to get teens interested in reading it?

7. The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting. Again, another book that I've been talking up quite a bit as the sequel just came out. It takes place in Washington, so our students really like the connection. But it is a good murder mystery with just the right amount of creepy and supernatural.

8. The Comet's Curse by Dom Testa. This great first book in the Galahad series has made a sudden surge into the Top 10. I am hoping that the interest in this series continues through the remaining books. I really loved the premise behind the book, and I know my students do also.

9. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth by Jeff Kinney. One of the Wimpy Kid books can always be found in the Top 10, but I attribute the popularity right now to the fact that I've been showing the movie preview in the library and we are all excited about the next movie. You know where I'll be on the 25th!

10. Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen. As wildly popular as Sarah Dessen is with my 8th grade girls (and since it's spring, my 7th graders are starting to discover her), her books typically don't crack the Top 10. But if the system could track Top 10 authors, she would be in the Top 5 without question. All of our copies of all of her books are ALWAYS checked out.

So that is a look into the current reading habits of 7th, 8th, and 9th graders in my little corner of the world. What is popular where you live? What are your favorites right now?

A Day with Writers!

Monday is a busy day for me.  Busy, but very exciting!  I get to spend the day with TWO different authors.  I'm not sure how I got quite so lucky...

Monday morning, Janet Lee Carey, author extraordinaire, is visiting Evergreen Junior High to talk about writing with several of my classes.  We are very excited to hear her speak, and to find out about her newest book, "The Dragons of Noor."  My students have been thinking of great questions to ask, which hopefully they will remember.

Janet interviewed me in September for her Library Lions blog, and I am hoping that she will be interviewed for this blog!  Stay tuned...

After my "tough" day at school, Monday evening I will be having dinner with a few of my favorite librarians and, of course, Jillian Larkin.  She is the debut author of "Vixen," book one of the new "Flappers" series.  The book will find it's way to you via bookstores in December, but I was sent an advance copy with the dinner invite.  To be honest, I am only on chapter 5 right now.  I was hoping to finish it by tomorrow, but I might not make it...sporting events and finding the perfect pumpkin have taken up my weekend.

This is one week that I'll be saying, "YEAH, MONDAY!"

P.S. If you would like to meet Ms. Carey, you can see her at Parkplace Books in Kirkland on Saturday, 10/23.  Find out all the details for her book launch party on their website at http://www.parkplacebookskirkland.com/

I'm a Library Lion!

Do you know author Janet Lee Carey? Have you read her AMAZING books? Probably her most popular is "Dragon's Keep." But to be honest, my all-time favorite book by her is "Wenny Has Wings." I just have a special place in my heart for Will, and how he must deal with what has happened to his sister Wenny. So moving...

In addition to writing books for kids and teens, Janet has taken on the cause to champion librarians who work with young people. Using her "Library Lions" blog, Janet interviews a different librarian every few weeks, and encourages her followers to "ROAR" for the efforts of librarians.

I feel so lucky to be the current feature on Library Lions, and to be interviewed by Janet. She asked some great questions, and I had a fun time thinking of the answers. Check out her blog to read the interview. Don't forget to leave comments and become a follower of the Library Lions blog.

And Janet...we give you a big "ROAR" for all that you do!

NEW books I'm excited about reading...

Finally done with the library conference and there were MANY books coming out this fall that I was able to snag an advance copy of.  I can think of many EJH readers that will be anxious to check out "Mrs. Yusko's Secret Stash" on the first day of school!

While I probably picked up 3 boxes of books (the mailman loves me, I'm sure), some of the titles I am MOST excited about are:

Sapphique (Fisher), sequel to Incarceron
Hero (Lupica)
Halt's Peril (Flanagan), Ranger's Apprentice, book #9...Mr. Kaneko has already claimed this one.
Sabotaged (Haddix), Missing, book #3...one of my neighbor girls gets first dibs on this one.
Rivalry: Mystery at the Army-Navy Game (Feinstein)
Dark Song (Giles)
Nightshade (Cremer)
Extraordinary (Werlin)...Ms. LaBrie is first in line for this.
Matched (Condie)
Virals (Reichs)...the first teen book from the author/anthropologist that inspired the tv show "Bones."
Guys Read (Scieszka)...a new collection of short stories for guys--yeah!

Torment (Kate), Fallen, book #2Forge (Anderson), Chains, book #2
A Long Walk to Water (Park)

If you are interested in one of these before school starts, send me an email or comment on this blog and I will send it to you.  Otherwise, come check out all the advance books in the library once school starts!

Summer Reading Lists!

June is right around the corner, thank God, and that means it is Summer Reading time. I have FINALLY completed my annual Summer Reading list, a process I start each year right before spring break and hope to finish by Memorial Day. Whew...I made it! Actually, I have run out of room on the pages so it is time to call it good but that will be our little secret. Yes, I really have been busy reading, reading, reading this spring. And since it's been so cold and rainy here, I haven't felt too lame hiding in the house with piles of books.

You can find the links to each list on my library website (scroll down to the bottom of the page). The lists are divided by grade level, from Kindergarten through High School. Students of all ages, reading levels, and interests will find something good to read, I promise. Some will find MANY great books to read. The lists are designed for students "graduating" from the grade levels listed, but some students will also find titles of interest on the lists above and below their grade level. (By the way, the call numbers listed next to each title are the King County Library System call numbers). And if you are a grown up looking for something good to read this summer, start with the High School list. Great titles to choose from!

I am posting the lists now so that those of you who take advantage of public libraries (YEAH!) can start putting books on hold. But those of you with avid readers at home may want to hide the list until school is out. And those of you EJH students who would rather read than study for finals, you know who you are, come back to the list in a couple of weeks. No blaming Mrs. Yusko for distracting you!

Stay tuned to the blog throughout the summer. It will be updated daily with "latest and greatest" titles not published in time to be included on the Summer Reading lists. I would LOVE your feedback on books that you've read or books that I should review here! Feel free to comment. We can have our own online book club...

Author Visit--Mary Jane Beaufrand

EJH is lucky to have author Mary Jane Beaufrand visiting our school in two weeks! Ms. Beaufrand has donated her time to present to several of our 7th Grade LA/SS classes on Tuesday, May 11th @ 8:30am.

I am currently half way through her new book, "The River," and I really like it. It is a mystery-thriller set in Oregon. If you would like to order an autographed copy of the book, please see me for the order form.