Lit Tweet....The Gentlemen by Michael Northrop

When three teenaged boys suspect that their English teacher is responsible for their friend's disappearance, they must navigate a maze of assorted clues, fraying friendships, violence, and Dostoevsky's "Crime and Punishment" before learning the truth.

Blue Plate Special by Michelle Kwasney

Blue Plate Special is told through the perspective of three very different teenage girls - Madeline in the 1970s, Desiree in the 1990s, and Ariel in the 2009. I found each of their stories compelling and beautifully written. I especially like Desiree's story told in verse. The music references to each era really added to the girl's stories. Though it may seem as if chapters jumping between three different girls and three different decades would confuse the reader, I thought the narrative was flawlessly pulled off. Overall, I found each of the girls to be really interesting, multi-layered characters. Even though they made bad decisions and were born into a lot of bad circumstances, I thought they were survivors. I also enjoyed the references to the 'blue plate special', and it's importance to Tad and Madeline.

This was a truly powerful novel. It emotionally pulled me in from start to finish. The author did a brilliant job of telling the story from multiple viewpoints. Highly recommended.

The Morgue and Me by John C. Ford

Christopher just needed a job to kill time the summer after high school graduation. He didn’t expect it to be in the morgue. Or that he would accidentally discover a murder cover-up. Or that his discovery would lead him to a full-blown investigation involving bribery, kidnappings, more murders . . . and his best friend. And he certainly could never have predicted that Tina—loud, insanely hot, ambitious newspaper reporter Tina—would be his partner. But all of that did happen. And Christopher’s life will never be the same.With plenty of plot twists, red herrings, and dry wit, The Morgue and Me is a page-turning modern take on the classic detective genre.Review: I like a good mystery so was looking forward to reading this one. And, I really like the cover. I had a difficult time getting into the book and almost gave up at one point, but something kept me going. I think it was the main character, Christopher. He's a guy who is just out of high school, but the author makes him someone who really loves his family, which seemed unusual for the gender/age group/genre. It isn't mushy-lovey-dovey stuff, but little comments thrown in throughout the book that give Christopher a solid grounding and I really liked that. So, I kept going and am glad that I did! I stayed up late last night to finish the book I was so into what was happening as all the loose ends of the mystery come together. I ended up going from maybe not finishing the book to enjoying it.

(Summary from the inside book flip)

Lit Tweet......The Juvie Three by Gordon Korman

Gecko, Arjay, and Terence, all in trouble with the law, must find a way to keep their halfway house open in order to stay out of juvenile detention.

TAYSHAS 2010 IS HERE!

The 2010 Tayshas High School Reading List was just released. There is a record-breaking number of books on the list this year. It has something for all readers, not matter what you thing is. Click on this link and select 2010 Tayshas Reading List. Then get to the FHS Library, browse our display and grab whose books you want to read before they are all gone.
Then Read On!

Are you an aspiring writer? Do you want to get published?

Do you have a story?
Share your novels, stories, poems, and essays with the inkpop community for a chance to get published!
Click on this Ink Pop link for more details.

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

High school sophomore Nora has always been very cautious in her relationships, but all her sense of caution goes out the window when she gets sight of Patch, a new boy in school. He is mesmerizing and has a dark side she can sense. She is mysteriously and strongly drawn to him, despite warnings from her best friend, the school counselor, and her own instincts. Has he always been a bad boy?

This debut author has the ability to write in a true voice that many teens will relate to. Look for the sequel Crescendo coming in the fall of 2010.

Check out the author's website at: http://www.beccafitzpatrick.com/

Plain Truth by Jodi Piccoult

This is a review from Ms. Walker - 9th grade English teacher at FHS

This novel is set in the Pennsylvania Amish community where an unspeakable crime has been committed. Violence and worldliness are in direct opposition to the peaceful god-fearing Amish community. This is a hard-to-put-down page turner right to the very end.

Thanks Ms. Walker!

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

This first novel by author Betty Smith was highly received at the time of publication and went on to become a classic.

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is the story of Francie Nolan and her family including brother Neeley, mother Katie and father Johnny. This powerful look at poverty in the early 1900s leads Katie to teach her children that they are above handouts and will take responsibility for their lives even if it means little food on the table and surviving life in a cold walk up apartment in a shabby neighborhood.

Francie is a young girl coming to grips with some of the horrific realities of her life in Brooklyn: death, hunger, pure human hatred, and meanness. She experiences life through books, observation and writing and goes on to find what the future holds for her.

This book has a timeless message. It shows the resilience of those who struggle and the love that endures even through the hardships life throws our way.

Teens' Top Ten 2009

Each year, thousands of teens vote in the Young Adult Library Services Association's Teens' Top Ten, the only booklist created entirely by and for teens. In 2009, teens cast more than 11,000 votes, choosing the top ten teen books from a list of twenty-five finalists.
The 2009 winners were announced in a webcast produced by World Wrestling Entertainment and featuring WWE Divas Brie and Nikki Bella and winner John Green.
Note: You may not be able to access the link to the webcast on youtube from this link, but check it out on your home computer.

The 2009 Teens' Top Ten is: (check the call numbers below for the location of these titles in our library)
Paper Towns by John Green (F GRE)
Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer (F MEY)
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (F COL)
City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare (F CLA)
Identical by Ellen Hopkins (F HOP)
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (F GAI)
Wake by Lisa McMann (F McM)
Untamed by P.C. and Kristin Cast
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart (F LOC)
Graceling by Kristin Cashore (F CAS)

John Green, the 2009 winner, also created a video about his win.