Read Books, Win Prizes
March 12 – April 13
This week: Try our “Color Like a Pirate” Contest and you might win Ben & Jerry’s. Entries are due by Thursday at 4:00.
Weekly Drawing Prizes: 4 Prairie Thunder tickets, $20 Wal-Mart Gift Card, One Dozen Krispy Kreme Donuts, $20 Panera Gift Card
Mission: Accomplished
This month’s theme for Books and Bites is Feel-Good stories, which leaves room for sharing many interesting books.
First up is Perfect by Natasha Friend: Isabelle Lee does NOT feel good AT ALL. She is a blend-into-the-crowd girl when she longs to be as popular as Ashley Barnum, who gets straight A’s, is great at sports, has perfect hair, teeth, and skin, and is as thin as a model. Her dad dies two years ago, and her mom has put away all his pictures and refuses to talk about him, even though her daughters really need to. And the WORST thing is that Isabelle’s “former little sister” April TOLD. She told mom that Isabelle was sneaking into the kitchen, eating everything she could get her hands on and making herself throw up–every day, and more than once most days. Now Isabelle has to go to Group, an eating disorder and body image and therapy group, so that she can start to feel good. Isabelle hates going, and doesn’t think it will help, and then she meets a most unlikely person at group. . . .
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate Di Camillo is a story of a china rabbit doll who feels good about himself and his fine clothes, but only about himself; he does not know how to love, even though he is dearly loved by his owner, a little girl named Abilene. When Abilene’s grandmother, Pellegrina, tells Edward she is ashamed of him, a chill runs down Edward’s spine, and it is not too long after that that he is swept overboard when Abilene takes him with on an ocean cruise. After spending years on the ocean floor, Edward is “rescued” by a fisherman and has many adventures: being a scarecrow, riding the rails with a hobo and his dog, comforting an ill child, and more. Will he ever learn to feel good about others and to make them feels good? To love? Read the book and find out.
If you liked Where the Sidewalk Ends or A Light in the Attic, you’ll love Runny Babbit, A Billy Sook by Shel Silverstein. This funny book is full of Runny Babbit speak, but it’s not hard to understand at all. It is hilarious to read out loud to your friends and family, too. I dare you to read “Runny Mancey Feal” on page 50 out loud, trying not to make any mistakes. . . .
“Defiance” is defined as “a daring or bold resistance to authority or to any opposing force,” according to dictionary.com. In the book Defiance by Valerie Hobbs, we meet three defiant characters. Pearl is an elderly lady who lives on a farm with a sign on her door that reads “Whoever steals my freedom takes my life.” Blossom is a stubborn, old cow who walked away from her cruel owners and found Pearl. Toby is an eleven-year-old boy who is vacationing for the summer in a cabin nearby. How is Toby defiant? He has cancer, as everyone can tell from his lack of hair. He has cancer which is supposed to be in remission but he has recently discovered a lump on his side that means the cancer is coming back. Toby is defiant because he keeps the lump a secret from his parents. He can’t bear to go back to the children’s hospital and undergo the painful cancer treatments that make him sick and weak—no matter what the cost. You may be wondering how on earth this could be a feel-good story. Read the book to find out how Toby, Pearl, and Blossom are of great help and comfort to one another.
Mission: Accomplished
12/7/06 was the launch date for the first ever Game On! @ CJHS IMC.
Study hall students entered a random drawing to visit the IMC to play a variety of games like Uno Attack, Pictionary, Tetris, Clue and more!
A good time was had by twenty students each hour (check out our slide show), and we’re planning for a new Game On! every month.
Mission: Accomplished
Some days are bad days; some days are good days.
And some days you feel like you hit the mother lode!
Paperbackswap.com rocks!
If you read all the time…if your mom says you have too many books…if you go to the Normal and Bloomington Friends of the Library book sales to drop off old books AND buy new ones…you MUST check out paperbackswap.com. Yup, it’s a place where you can swap books (any kind, not just paperbacks) with other book lovers.
How it works: Create a FREE account (students: get parental permission). Post at least 9 books you are willing to trade, and you get 3 book credits to start. Then, for every 1 book you send to someone else, you get 1 book credit. When you see a book you want, request it, “pay” 1 book credit, and another member will mail it to you.
What else is cool: You can create a Wish List of books that aren’t available yet, and when someone lists one, you get an automatic e-mail. You can create a Reminder List (like Favorites) so you can keep track of books you’re thinking of requesting.
The “catch”: Technically, the books aren’t free because you have to pay postage to send your books to someone else, but the average cost to send a package via Media Mail is $1.50. Also, they may in the future charge a small yearly membership fee.
The “plea”: If you should decide to join paperbackswap.com, please let them know I referred you by entering my e-mail address (glattml@unit5.org) in the Referral section when you sign up. That way, I get a free book credit!
Enough said–I’m off to look for more books!
Mission: Accomplished
What will be the title of the 7th Alex Rider book?
To try to win, click on “Comments?” Be sure to include your name and team with your answer. Every Chiddix Charger who sends in the right answer gets his/her name in a hat to win a Freshens yougurt/smoothie prize package.
I have set the comments so that I will collect them first and publish them after our deadline of 6:00 p.m. That way, you really have to find the answer yourself. So if you don’t see your comment come up right away, that’s supposed to happen; I’ll publish them after the deadline.
Mission: Accomplished
So, Question #3 is still technically open for answers (see comments) …so you can answer that one or this one or both…
Name all the Defense Against the Dark Arts professors in order.
To try to win, click on “Comments?” Be sure to include your name and team with your answer. Every Chiddix Charger who sends in the right answer gets his/her name in a hat to win a Freshens yougurt/smoothie prize package.
I have set the comments so that I will collect them first and publish them after our deadline of 6:00 p.m. That way, you really have to find the answer yourself. So if you don’t see your comment come up right away, that’s supposed to happen; I’ll publish them after the deadline.
Mission: Accomplished
