One Came Home

One Came Home
by Amy Timberlake

In the town of Placid, Wisconsin, in 1871, Georgie Burkhardt is known for two things: her uncanny aim with a rifle and her habit of speaking her mind plainly.

But when Georgie blurts out something she shouldn't, her older sister Agatha flees, running off with a pack of "pigeoners" trailing the passenger pigeon migration. And when the sheriff returns to town with an unidentifiable body—wearing Agatha's blue-green ball gown—everyone assumes the worst. Except Georgie. Refusing to believe the facts that are laid down (and coffined) before her, Georgie sets out on a journey to find her sister. She will track every last clue and shred of evidence to bring Agatha home. Yet even with resolute determination and her trusty Springfield single-shot, Georgie is not prepared for what she faces on the western frontier. (Description from Amazon.com)

I enjoyed Georgie's story a lot more than I had thought I would. I was worried the whole book was going to be about pigeons. Ugh. No, this book is about a girl who can shoot a thumb right off a man and uses her spunk to track down the sister that everyone believes is dead.

Georgie was pretty awesome. She's a girl who speaks her mind, she's smart, and she shoots a gun better than most men. In fact, I loved reading about her at fourteen and I would love to read a follow-up book when she's a couple of years older. I think things could get reallyinteresting in Georgie's life when she's around eighteen.

Historical fiction fans, western fans, adventure fans, mystery fans I would recommend this book to all of you.

Full disclosure: Borrowed from my library 

Guitar Notes

Guitar Notes
by Mary Amato

On odd days, Tripp Broody uses a school practice room to let loose on a borrowed guitar. Eyes closed, strumming that beat-up instrument, Tripp escapes to a world where only the music matters.

On even days, Lyla Marks uses the same practice room. To Tripp, she’s trying to become even more perfect—she’s already a straight-A student and an award-winning cellist. But when Lyla begins leaving notes for him in between the strings of the guitar, his life intersects with hers in a way he never expected.

What starts as a series of snippy notes quickly blossoms into the sharing of interests and secrets and dreams, and the forging of a very unlikely friendship.

Challenging each other to write songs, they begin to connect, even though circumstances threaten to tear them apart. (Description from Amazon.com)

I really enjoyed this book! I'm not much of a musician, though I used to play the clarinet eons ago, but I do know what it's like to feel passionately about something and not always have other people understand. Or to have people too much pressure on you just because you are good at something.

I loved the two perspectives of this book and I loved reading the notes that Tripp and Lyla left for each other. It was very cool to see how their friendship developed and how they supported each other completely. I highly recommend this book to any middle or high school age reader!

Full disclosure: Borrowed through interlibrary loan

Monsters University Party!

Last Friday, I threw a Monsters University party for little monsters aged 6 - 10. While things got a little wild at points, it was a SUPER fun time, and each little monster left with big grins and "Scare Diplomas."

Here's what I did:
We started out by having each little monster pick out a student ID to wear during the party.  They featured both boy and girl monsters from the movie. I had a Faculty badge with my own picture and name on it that I made online. (I also wore my Masters Degree graduation gown for effect at the party and it was super fun because it had the weird-shaped sleeves that kind of looked like tentacles!)

After they'd chosen their IDs, we started our scare classes. We did Scare Skills like "Scare Agility" (which was jumping and scaring, crouching and scaring, etc.), "Vocal Studies" (which included growling, hissing, and roaring), and "Silent Scare Tactics" (I made them sneak up on each other!).

Next, each little monster got the chance to decorate an eyeball and we played "Pin the Eye on Mike." To make my Mike Wazowski poster, I just took a piece of green posterboard and make a round outline with horns and a mouth.

After "Pin the Eye on Mike," we went over and "Fed Sully" (bean bag toss). I made a standing cardboard cutout of Sully by tracing a small picture of Sully, projecting it onto the big piece of cardboard, tracing it, then  painting and reoutlining him.  Once he was done, I cut out three holes for the bean bag toss and tied him to a chair with fishing line to keep him standing up during the toss.

Finally, my little monsters and I finished up the party by eating some eyeball cookies (store bought sugar cookies with "Sully" blue or "Mike Wazowski" green frosting. Delicious and monstrous!

As each little monster left, I awarded them their "Scare Diploma" with either their monster name (from their ID) or their "regular" name on it.  Big grins all around!

Though Professor Jessica was exhausted at the end of the program, the little monsters and their parents were all super happy.  If any of my librarian friends have any questions, please let me know and I'll answer whatever I can/share templates/etc!