Newsletter about the goings-on at Masterman School Library
Bernadette Cooke-Kearney
Certified School Librarian December 2024
Cozy Up with a Book this Winter
Cozy Up with a Book this Winter
In my opinion, any time is a good time to read a book; but when sidewalks are slippery and the wind is chilly, you may be more inclined to participate in this indoor activity. Here are some book lists to make your choice(s).
Flying Off the Shelves at Masterman Library
Flying Off the Shelves at Masterman Library
These titles are the top statistics in our library:
Ahn, Flora. A Spoonful of Time.
Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games trilogy.
Fipps, Lisa, Starfish.
Ignatow, Amy. The Popularity Papers.
Russell, Rene. The Dork Diaries.
Scrivan, Marina. All Is Nat Lost. or just about any graphic novel
Sutherland, Tui. Wings of Fire.
Tavares, Matt. Hoops.
Telgemeier, Raina. Ghosts.
Serious About Series
Serious About Series
Masterman students--and perhaps many students anywhere--are hooked on reading a series. Some popular ones at our school library:
City Spies by James Ponti
Cirque du Freak by Darren Shan
Eragon by Chris Paolini
Redwall by Brian Jacques.
Spy School by Stuart Gibbs
Timmy Failure by Stephan Pastis
Warrior by Erin Hunter.
Wings of Fire by Tui Sutherland.
Quick Look at Middle Grade Favorites
Quick Look at Middle Grade Favorites
Realistic Fiction
Realistic Fiction
Choldenko, Gennifer. The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman
Choldenko, Gennifer. The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman
Day, Christine. I Can Make a Promise
Day, Christine. I Can Make a Promise
Fipps, Lisa. And Then, Boom!
Fipps, Lisa. And Then, Boom!
Johnson, Leah, ed. Black Girl Power.
Johnson, Leah, ed. Black Girl Power.
Korman, Gordon. Slugfest
Korman, Gordon. Slugfest
Marsh, Katherine. The Lost Year.
Marsh, Katherine. The Lost Year.
Rellihan, Anne. Not the Worst Friend in the World.
Rellihan, Anne. Not the Worst Friend in the World.
Safadi, Shifa Saltagi. Kareem Between.-National Book Award Winner
Safadi, Shifa Saltagi. Kareem Between.-National Book Award Winner
Schmidt, Gary D. The Labors of Hercules Beal.
Schmidt, Gary D. The Labors of Hercules Beal.
Williams, Alicia D. Mid-Air.
Williams, Alicia D. Mid-Air.
Zarr, Sara. Kyra, Just for Today.
Zarr, Sara. Kyra, Just for Today.
Historical Fiction
Historical Fiction
Alexander, Kwame. Black Star.
Alexander, Kwame. Black Star.
Bradley, Kimberly Brubaker. The Night War.
Bradley, Kimberly Brubaker. The Night War.
Cline-Ransome, Lesa. One Big Open Sky.
Cline-Ransome, Lesa. One Big Open Sky.
Gonzalez, Christina Diaz. The Bluest Sky.
Gonzalez, Christina Diaz. The Bluest Sky.
Hiranandani, Veera. Amil and the After.-Companion to The Night Diary
Hiranandani, Veera. Amil and the After.-Companion to The Night Diary
Kuo, Jane. In the Beautiful Country.
Kuo, Jane. In the Beautiful Country.
Salazar, Aida. A Seed in the Sun.
Salazar, Aida. A Seed in the Sun.
Sepetys, Ruta, and Steve Sheinkin. The Bletchley Riddle.
Sepetys, Ruta, and Steve Sheinkin. The Bletchley Riddle.
Vitalis, Jessica. Unsinkable Cayenne.
Vitalis, Jessica. Unsinkable Cayenne.
Fantasy/Sci-Fi
Fantasy/Sci-Fi
Gidwitz, Alan. Max in the House of Spies.
Gidwitz, Alan. Max in the House of Spies.
Hardinge, Frances. Island of Whispers
Hardinge, Frances. Island of Whispers
McBride, Amber. Wolf Gone.
McBride, Amber. Wolf Gone.
Magoon, Kekla. The Lost Library.
Magoon, Kekla. The Lost Library.
Ursu, Anne. Not Quite a Ghost.
Ursu, Anne. Not Quite a Ghost.
Mystery
Mystery
Bowling, Dusti. Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus.
Bowling, Dusti. Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus.
Chari, Sheela. Finding Mighty.
Chari, Sheela. Finding Mighty.
Jackson, Holly, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder.
Jackson, Holly, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder.
Johnson, Maureen. Truly Devious.
Johnson, Maureen. Truly Devious.
Johnson, Varian. The Parker Inheritance
Johnson, Varian. The Parker Inheritance
Stead, Rebecca. When You Reach Me. (a bit of sci-fi thrown in)
Stead, Rebecca. When You Reach Me. (a bit of sci-fi thrown in)
Tarplay, Natasha. Harlem Charade.
Tarplay, Natasha. Harlem Charade.
Warga, Jasmine. A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall
Warga, Jasmine. A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall
Teen Top Ten Fiction
Teen Top Ten Fiction
1-Boulley, Angeline. Warrior Girl Unearthed.
2-Brooks, Nathan. Promise Boys.
3-Callendar, Kacen. King and the Dragonfles.
4-Gupta, Ruchira. I Kick and I Fly.
5-Hoang, Jamie Jo. My Father, the Panda Killer
6=Johnson, Kim. The Color of a Lie.
7-Lee, Stacy. Kill Her Twice.
8-Marguis, Krystal. The Davenports.
9-Sepetys, Ruta. I Must Betray You.
10-Tahir, Sabaa. All My Rage.
Nonfiction Baker's Dozen
Allaire, Christian. Power of Style: How Fashion and Beauty
Bajramovic, Hana. Whose Right Is It? The Fourteenth Amendment and the Fight for Equality.
Fleming, Candace. Enigma Girls.
Jarrow, Gail. Spirit Sleuths: How Magicians and Detectives Exposed the Ghost Hoaxes.
Johnson, George. Flamboyants.
Kolbert, Elizabeth. The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History.
Larson, Erik. In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin.
Lee, Erika. Made in Asian America: A History for Young People.
Mann, J. Albert. Shift Happens: The History of Labor in the United States.
Messner, Kate. History Smashers: Women's Right to Vote. Illustrated by Dylan Meconis. *Kate Messner is slated to visit Masterman in May!
Shepard, Ray Anthony. Long Time Coming: A Lyrical Biography of Race in America from Ona Judge to Barack Obama.
Vaughn, Bill. The Plot Against Native America.
Wilkerson, Isabel. Caste the Origins of Our Discontents, Adapted for Young Adults.
Best of 2024 Websites
Best of 2024 Websites
It is the time of year when library journals, newspapers, and book reviewers are announcing their top choices. Below are links to see what books are getting the best buzz:
It is the time of year when library journals, newspapers, and book reviewers are announcing their top choices. Below are links to see what books are getting the best buzz:
Kirkus Review Best Middle Grade Fiction of 2024
Kirkus Review Best Teen Fiction of 2024
New York Public Library Best Books for Kids 2024
School Library Journal Best Books of 2024
I try, but am not always successful, at posting a review each month on the Masterman blog, Masterpiece1699. Books reviewed here are in our current collection.
For more information about your school library, visit the Library page on the Masterman School website.
Happy, safe holidays to all! Peace and health for the new year!
Page updated
Report abuse