Tag Archives: Survival

Jul18

Waiting for Normal

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Waiting for Normal

Waiting for NormalSixth grader Addison had a taste of “normal” while her mother and step-father Dwight were married.  She even had two younger half sisters to share her life with.  But after the divorce, Dwight got custody of her two half sisters and Addie began a new and different life with “Mommers”.

Addie’s mom sleeps most of the day and then leaves Addie alone at night to “go out” or follow her “business interests” with a new boyfriend.  It isn’t that Mommers doesn’t love Addie, it’s that she doesn’t take care of her.  Mommers is irresponsible, doesn’t tell the truth and often leaves Addie alone for days with very little food.  Mommers shows up with food and promises for the future just enough times to keep Addie believing that things will get better…get more normal…but things don’t get better.

Addie works hard in school, practices her flute and tries really hard to make it appear that her life is normal to her Grandpa, to Dwight, to her neighbors and to her teacher.  More than anything, Addie doesn’t want to get Mommers in trouble.  Addie loves Mommers, but deep down longs for the life her half sisters have with Dwight and his new wife.  A near tragedy when Addie is left alone brings out the truth and helps Mommers make a choice that for once, is all about Addie. Author: Leslie Connor

  • Read Chapter One
  • Read Waiting for Normal Online
  • Read an Interview with the author, Leslie Connor
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Jul1

Camp Out

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Camp Out

Camp Out!Camp Out! really is the ultimate kids’ guide to camping. It includes all the information you would expect, like what to pack and how to make a s’more…plus many unique ideas.  Who knew you could make a solar oven out of a pizza box or tell the temperature by counting cricket chirps?  Do you know the best time to spot shooting stars? - mid-August.  (Mark your calendar!)  There is a whole chapter devoted to shelter; how to pick a campsite, the labelled parts of a tent, how to make a tent between two trees, how to make a tent if there is only one tree…even how to make your own tepee.  Clear drawings for fire building, knot-tying, identifying animal tracks & the telltale signs in the sky for bad weather are also great.  I especially liked the section on freshwater creatures & what you find Camp Granadain a rotten log – these are the things you would actually see camping out in Indiana.  The book includes camp cooking ideas, games & crafts that are explained well, doable & unique.   As my mom used to say, “Go Outside!” Author: Lynn Brunelle Illustrator: Brian Biggs

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Jun26

A Dog’s Life: the Autobiography of a Stray

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A Dog’s Life: the Autobiography of a Stray

A Dog's LifeThis is one stray dog’s story of what life is like on the street. Born in a toolshed and separated from her mother and brother, Squirrel has to learn to fend for herself; crossing busy streets, staying warm, and fighting over the food in trash cans with other starving dogs. There are tricks to staying hidden, avoiding capture, finding food and places to sleep, tricks only a stray dog would know.  Squirrel shares her insight into this secret life.  Some of the things that happen to Squirrel are sad - and a little bit hard to read - but she continues to find her way in a world that doesn’t seem to want her. Take heart that there is, somewhere in the world, a human that needs a dog as much as Squirrel needs a real home. Author: Ann M. Martin

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Jun13

Night of the Howling Dogs

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Night of the Howling Dogs

It is with a lot of sad feelings that we read about the flooding in Indiana and the tornado in Iowa that killed four boy scouts. As the story of those events continues to unfold, a single message is very clear: knowing what to do saves lives. The story of the boy scouts in particular points out the fact that kids like you can, and do, make a difference in an emergency. It’s good to know about the different kinds of disasters so you can be prepared to take care of yourself, and maybe some of the people around you:Safety Book

Thinking about these disasters can be scary. Sometimes, it helps to read about events that are scary in a fiction book. Reading about the event helps us live the experience…without actually having to live it. We can envision ourselvs in the situation and ask good questions while we have time to get good answers. Where should I go at home if a tornado is coming?

Night of the Howling DogsThere is a fiction book some of you might be interested in called Night of the Howling Dogs. It is the story of a boy scout troup that is camping in Hawaii on Kilauea (a volcano) when an earthquake strikes and their campsite is overrun by a tsunami. It sounds like an, “oh, that would never happen” kind of story…but it is based on the true experience of a boy scout troup in 1975. One of the boy scouts that was actually there, is the cousin of the author. Like the boy scouts in Iowa, the scouts in this story use their knowledge of first aid & search & rescue, as well as courage and strength, to help each other survive. Author: Graham Salisbury

Two thumbs up to all boy scouts and the skills they learn, and our sympathies for the losses they have suffered this week.

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Jun10

H.I.V.E. Higher-Institute-of-Villainous-Education

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H.I.V.E. Higher-Institute-of-Villainous-Education

H.I.V.E.13 year-old Otto finds himself spirited away to a secret school hidden inside a volcano. The school is designed to train supervillains, that’s right, a school for the bad guys. The kids at the school are the most athletic, the most computer savvy, and the smartest in the world. They are also the most daring young hackers, thieves and cons. Soon after arriving Otto realizes that leaving is not an option. Along with his new friends: a marital arts expert, a computer genius and a world famous jewel thief, can Otto achieve what has never been done before and break out of H.I.V.E.? Author: Mark Walden
 

Don’t miss H.I.V.E. #2, #3, and #4. Also try the kids of S.T.O.R.M. (Science and Technology to Over-Rule Misery) or The Trackers – all teams of highly intelligent kids with great gadgets.
The Overlord Protocol Escape Velocity Dreadnought STORM The Infinity Code
STORM The Ghost Machine STORM The Black Sphere Trackers Shantorian
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