Forest of Hands and Teeth: The Village Meets Zombie Romance

It seems as if zombies are all the rage, and have been for quite some time now.  Enter author Carrie Ryan to the scene.  In her mind's eye, she envisions a society much like that of M. Night Shyamalan's The Village.  The creatures beyond the fence in this society are Unconsecrated beings, mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, who have been bitten and turned.  All it took was one viewing of the official book trailer to get students excited about this incredible saga.

"In Mary's world, there are simple truths. 

The Sisterhood always knows best. 

The Guardians will protect and serve. 

The Unconsecrated will never relent. 

And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village. The fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth. 

But slowly, Mary's truths are failing her. She's learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power. And, when the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness. 
Now she must choose between her village and her future, between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded by so much death?" (http://www.carrieryan.com/forest-hands-teeth.php)

Our Sr. High Book Club gathered to Skype with author Carrie Ryan who graciously met with us from her North Carolina home.  The students asked really thoughtful questions about what sparked her interest in zombies and how she came up with calling the returned the "Unconsecrated." Several students asked for practical tips for how she overcomes writer's block.  We also, of course, wanted to know what she was currently working on.

One of the questions was about some of the more shocking parts of the novel and how she comes up with these ideas.  And her answer was this...she thinks about what could be the worst thing that could happen at that point in the novel, and then dares to go there in her writing.  For example, after the gang has found respite in the trees, there is a time of relative peace and rest.  But it wouldn't be a proper zombie novel if it stayed that way.  Their worst nightmare would be a fire that would take down their haven and destroy the very shelter that put them just out of the zombie's reach.

One of my seniors who was probably the biggest fan of the series called for a prequel for Forest of Hands and Teeth which I thought was an excellent idea. We found out that there was actually a short story, called Hare Moon, that was written that does tell a bit about Mary's world and how it came to be such a rigid, protective society. Perhaps we will get the answers we have been looking for in this short story.

Carrie Ryan was so much fun to meet with.  And if you have not had a chance to read her Forest Trilogy, I highly recommend that you do so, especially if you love the zombie genre.

Until next time,
Amy Hutto, LMS
South Side High School

Wimpy Kid Road Trip is Full of Laughs

So I am picking up this story sort of late in the game.  I've only read Diary of a Wimpy Kid:  The Third Wheel and this latest addition The Long Haul.

Honestly, I never really had a reason to read them since my own kids were too young and it didn't really jive with my normal YA zombie, post-apocalypse, Lurlene McDaniel sappy stories that I loved to explore.  But I have to say, if you haven't picked up on the Heffley family saga, you are missing out.  I have never in my life laughed out loud so many times in the course of a book.

I had a small group of 7th and 8th graders who were really excited for this book to come out. Jeff Kinney and his publishers do such a great job at building up excitement for the release date of the newest title.  November 4th was a day I thought would never get here.  Kids were in here every day asking if our box from Scholastic had arrived.

Of course once the books came in, it didn't take long for the kids to gobble them up.  The Heffley family decides to take off on the road trip adventure of a lifetime.  From piglets to seagulls, from Vet's offices to gas station restrooms, the whole family is swept up in a whirlwind of crazy happenings.

For our book club party, the main event was the Long Haul Bingo.

Then we took a moment to pose with our Wimpy Kid cut-outs.  Even though Fregley and Rowley did not make an appearance in this episode, they still have a place in our hearts.

Until next time,

Amy Hutto, LMS

South Side High School

Mustangs and Madras: An Outsiders Event

The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton, when originally published, ushered in a whole new genre of books geared towards teenagers.  The struggles of the Curtis family prove to be as accessible to today's young men and women as it was when it was first published in 1967. Rumblings between the "haves" and the "have nots" still echo in communities such as ours.  It is an issue that young people will wrestle with for generations to come.  Though gritty in nature, The Outsiders provides hope. No matter what situation you find yourself in, you can survive. You may even learn how to thrive.

To close out this popular book with our 8th graders, we decided to plan an event that would bring parts of the book alive. We created 6 stations as follows:

Station 1--The Drive In Movie

Students were served Pepsi and popcorn as they watched a short film called "On Location in Tulsa" in which S.E. Hinton shows viewers around the various places they filmed the movie and filling the audience in on behind the scenes happenings.

Station 2--Are you a Greaser or a Soc?

Students worked on Chrome books to complete an online quiz that would determine which group they would belong to.  Then they made a "Greaser' or a 'Soc' name tag to wear during the rest of the event.

Station 3--Music of The Outsiders

Students watched videos of the music mentioned in the book including Elvis Presley, Hank Williams, and the Beatles.  Mrs. Hiegel, our Spanish teacher, led this group in thinking about why the Greasers liked certain artists and the Socials like others.

Station 4--Cupcakes and Cards

Students enjoyed bologna sandwiches as they played poker much like Ponyboy and Johnny did during their time in Windrixville. To top it off, each student got a chocolate cupcake. A special thanks to Coach Bradford and Coach Glover for helping with this station.

Station 5--Blue Mustang

Students took turns taking a short cruise in a 1967 blue Mustang. During the cruise, students are transported back to a time when the rumble of a Mustang meant trouble for a Greaser.

Station 6--Photo Booth

Mrs. Hutto, Mrs. Lankford, and Mrs. Henson

8th graders strike a pose...

Students used props and gathered to take pictures while they were decked out in their Outsiders gear.

In the end, we as teachers hope to create moments that our students will carry with them for the rest of their lives. We don't always have the time or resources to create these fun, larger than life scenarios,  but in those cases where we can, we most certainly should.  I sincerely hope that this day is one that will stick out in their memory for a really long time.

Until next time,

Amy Hutto, LMS
South Side High School

Gettin' Crafty: An Elite Book Club

For the second installment of Kiera Cass's Selection series, students gathered in the Library Media Center to make bracelets that represent her two love interests in the book The Elite. Thank you PINTEREST for this brilliant idea.

"America still isn’t sure where her heart lies. When she’s with Maxon, she’s swept up in their new and breathless romance, and can’t dream of being with anyone else. But whenever she sees Aspen standing guard around the palace, and is overcome with memories of the life they planned to share. With the group narrowed down to the Elite, the other girls are even more determined to win Maxon over—and time is running out for America to decide."

(http://www.kieracass.com/books/)

On one hand there is Aspen, her childhood friend and reluctant ex-boyfriend.  Their relationship complicates a bit at his arrival at the Palace as  guard.

"He reached down to the bottom of his sleeve and tore off one of his golden buttons. 'I literally have nothing else to give you, but you can hold on to this--something I've touched--and think of me anytime.  And you can know that I'm thinking of you, too.'" (p. 134)

"Anytime I felt uncomfortable, I'd reach down and and touch Aspen's button, which I'd laced on a tiny ribbon and made into a bracelet. He would get me through my time here." (p. 136)

The other love interest is Maxon Shreave, the Prince himself.  The one that all the other girls are trying to win.  The one who isn't sure America will ever be able to commit to him and the royal life he offers her.

"He found my hand again and started tying something on my wrist.  I recognized the feeling of the bracelet he got me in New Asia as it slid into place. 'I've been carrying it in my pocket. I'm a pitiful romantic, right? I was going to keep it, but I want you to have something from me.'" (p. 301)

So who will America choose?

Stay tuned for the third installment of The Selection series....The One!

Until next time,
Amy Hutto, LMS
South Side High School

The Hunger Games meets The Bachelor in The Selection by Kiera Cass

The Selection is the first in a series of books by Kiera Cass which chronicle Prince Maxon's task of choosing his future wife from among the 35 "Selected" young women from the various caste levels of a post WWIII country entitled Illea.

The caste system is extremely reminiscent of The Hunger Games. And well, Prince Maxon is the lucky "bachelor."

Among the "Selected" is the beautiful, redheaded, free spirit, America Singer. She certainly has baggage.  She doesn't want to leave her family behind. She certainly is not interested in sweet talking the Prince so fresh off the heartache of her break up with Aspen. She is definitely not looking for love.  But what choice does she have, but to go?  Especially when her family needs the monetary support she will receive from this kind of opportunity.

And so with this book, we, the collective book club of SSHS begin the saga. We begin this journey with Prince Maxon, Aspen, and the girl they both love, America Singer. According to initial reactions, students have raved that they adore the whole the juicy, intriguing, drawn out, emotionally draining adventure of this tale.

Team Jacob or Team Edward?
Team Peeta or Team Gale?

AND NOW

Team Maxon or Team Aspen????

There are, as always, plenty of opinions along the way.

We started our book club with a video from the author with some exciting announcements.

After that, each group had a large piece of paper and a character's name written on it.  They had to work with their group to formulate tweets and hash tags that would be "tweeted" by these characters.

Here are a few of the best ones...

Tweets from America...

Tweets from Aspen...

Tweets from Maxon...

After we had time to create and share some tweets, we had a tiara competition. Teams chose one person to be their model, and then they worked together to create a crown worthy of America Singer out of glitter, rhinestones, and pipe cleaners.

But as in The Selection, there could be but ONE winner...and she was a little camera shy!

I had no idea, how much fun it would be to crank the Miss America theme song up, and have a good ole time in what felt like our modern equivalent of the Women's Room in the book. This series has really caught the interest of my book club. We will read the second book The Elite for one of our October Book Clubs. The gorgeous covers on these books draw readers in. Thirty-five girls participated in this book club and their average score on the AR Test was 96%.  Many had to rush to Hastings or Amazon.com to go ahead and get the next installment in this delightful and decadent series.

Other FRIGHTENINGLY good Book Club options for October:

Until next time,

Amy Hutto, LMS

South Side High School

Pinatas can be dangerous, but we book people like to live on the edge...

Our 3rd Annual New Book Release Party was held on Wednesday, September 3rd at lunch. For miles, stretched out on the horizon of the Media Center were shiny, good-smelling, brand-spanking new books...

And as the old adage goes, if you buy them...they will come.

Also, if you feed them cookies and punch they will come. 

And then came the pinata.  It was not the most brilliant or thought out idea I have ever had, but it was so cute and it matched my theme.  Kids lined up for their turn to violently WHAM the pinata with the broom handle I grabbed from the corner of my office.  One minor injury and lots of squealing diving-for-candy kids later, I realized my love/hate relationship with pinatas.  I mean, don't get me wrong, I don't like to see anyone get hurt, but it is truly priceless to hear the pinata finally break and see 50 kids fling themselves towards the bursting candy like raging lunatics. 

Like I said, we book people like to live on the edge.

Until next time,

Amy Hutto, LMS
South Side High School

Saving Minds One Book at a Time

"A school library is like the Bat Cave; it's a safe fortress in a chaotic world, a source of knowledge and the lair of a superhero. " 

 --Tom Angleberger

The idea of the library as a lair intrigues me.  It's the main reason I chose a superhero theme for this Fall. A lair is a place where you are comfortable, a place for which you can claim ownership, a place where you can at times relax and at times be productive.  This is my vision for SSHS Library this year. I would like for the library to be a lair, or a "Learning Commons" if you will. I plan for it to be a place of fun, as well as a place of learning and discovery.

"The learning commons, sometimes called an 'information commons' has evolved from a combination library and computer lab into a full-service learning, research, and project space." 

--Educause

"A learning commons is a 'place of teaching and learning, group work, collaboration, creativity, change, inquiry, communication, and community.'" 

--ASLC

"The learning commons model places a greater view on students, accessibility, cultivating community, project-based learning, flexibility, knowledge seeking, and exploration." 

--Lisa Buckton

I am also committed to better communication this year.  Between the blog and the SSHS Library Facebook page, I hope to be able to share about all of the SUPER things going on in the library this year. I am also very excited to be using Remind 101 to better communicate with book club members and their parents.  

Coming soon:

New Book Release Party, Wednesday, Sept. 3 at lunch

The Selection and The Maze Runner book clubs for September

Looking forward to a SUPER year in the SSHS Library!

Until next time,

Amy Hutto, LMS

South Side High School

Reading Pays...Literally

It is THAT time of the year. The time of year when weird things start happening like pigs coming into the library to check out books...yes, it really happened.

No, seriously, it's that that we wind down and reflect over the accomplishments of the year. We look back at how far we've come and the goals we've met. It really has been a phenomenal year!

This was a year of firsts.  For the first time since I have been the librarian, I had a student receive over 500 AR points in one year.  This student read 44 AR books and passed every test with a 98% average. She read over 3,000,000 words this year on top of maintaining an amazing academic record! She was awarded a $100 check courtesy of the Boston Mountain Reading Incentive Grant at our annual Honor Banquet. I am very proud of her!

The others that have met their AR Goal for this semester were able to leave the school environment, step out on the town and celebrate.

What was our goal?  The goal for my readers this semester was to take 10 AR Tests with a 90% average.

What was the prize?  Each student who met this goal was awarded a $20 check and was treated to dinner at Umami's Japanese Steak House and Hibachi Grill, again courtesy of a Boston Mountain Reading Incentive Grant.  See, reading pays!

I got to take a great group of students with me on this final big event for SSHS Library.

Many interesting things happened at Umami.  For example, our Hibachi cook must have a)  been called in second string or b) been in training.  Poor fellow!!! Every trick he tried was a disaster.  He dropped cooking utensils on the floor and cracked eggs when they weren't supposed to be....It was so much of a disaster that he ended up dumping a glass full of coke on one of my student's laps, completely soaking the poor guy!  

The restaurant staff was very apologetic, and it wasn't long until we were able to laugh and joke about it.  Needless to say, lunch was an adventure!

You know that kid. The one whose nose is always in a book, whether a class lecture is going on or a ball game is being played right in front of them.  As a librarian, I love to see a kid that wrapped up in a good book.  As a teacher, it frustrated me at first, but most of the time when I called on them, they could recite whatever it was I had just said. Amazing!  My husband was that kid at this very high school many years ago. 

Well, I had that kid with me on this trip.  As we were all finishing up our meal and commenting on how full we were, one student had already grabbed his book.

 Later, as students wandered around the shopping center, ready to spend that $20 that was burning a hole in their pockets, I saw this same student sitting outside of a store front waiting on some friends...you guessed it, reading a book!  I wish I had thought to take a picture!

 On our last stop, we got ice cream from Sonic and yet again, with his book ever handy, this student was once again wrapped up in the story at hand even with the hustle and bustle of carhops and traffic and teenage discussions.

 For those of us that love to read, we understand.  We understand the thrill of securing book two of a trilogy from the library just as we've finished the first.  We understand that you need to take a book with you wherever you go because you never know when you will catch a little down time. We understand how a good book can entice you away from the real world...

These student readers are my kind of people! They are the ones whose book recommendations I can't wait to check out on Amazon. They are the ones that help plan book clubs and who help me point struggling readers in the direction of a book they might like.

In closing, we have one last book club to wrap up the year and then I will be signing off until the Fall.  One hint about our fall theme...it will involve SUPERHEROES and it will be EPIC!

Until next time,

Amy Hutto, LMS
South Side High School

Best Last Line of a Book Ever

First off, it has to be said...the last line in this book shall go down in the "Last Liners Hall of Fame."  The reader does indeed audibly gasp at the shocking final turn of events and Anya's reaction to them:

"Father forgive me for this and all these things I've done (p. 354)." 

-Anya Balanchine in All These Things I've Done

Chocolate mafia. Fretoxin poison. Win Delacroix. The year 2083.

For our April book club, I chose All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin from the Arkansas Teen Book Award nominee list from 2012-13.  The book is the first in the Birthright trilogy, followed by Because It Is My Blood and In the Age of Blood and Chocolate.  The debut book in this trilogy I found to be deliciously indulgent, and I think my book clubbers would wholeheartedly agree.

It was only right that for this book, we should have a chocolate party.  

Chocolate fountain---Check!

Nutella Cheesecake---Check!

Brownies---Check!

Chocolate Fudge Cake---Check!

Students were able to indulge themselves in every kind of chocolate delicacy (POISON FREE) and work with their groups to imagine what Anya Balanchine's Facebook page would look like. Who would her friends be?  Scarlet, Win, Gable, Yuji. What would her religious status be?  Catholic...kinda. Or her relationship status?  It's complicated.  If Scarlet posted on her page, what would it say?  You should come over later so we can study our lines : ) What would her status say at the beginning of the book? There's this new kid at school, he's...eh cute.  Scarlet has given up on him, so he's mine. The middle? Nana is gone...must be strong for Natty and Leo.  The end?  Ready to bust out of Liberty and take care of Natty. Each group had a different aspect of her imaginary Facebook page to work on.  The students did a great job discussing and working together on this activity.

After we worked on those for a bit, I had someone from each group come forward to participate on a guess the name of the candy bar game.  Each person was blindfolded and fed pieces of popular candy bars. Our winners scored 11/12!

So could you live in a world where chocolate was contraband?  Maybe you could if you were a Balanchine and your family was intertwined in the bloody and sometimes cruel world of the chocolate mafia.

The waiting list for the sequel is long.

Very long.

As librarian, can I cut to the front of the line? : )

Until next time,

Amy Hutto, LMS

South Side High School