New Lebanon 7th and 8th Grade Books

Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story About Brain Science

2008-05-12T08:09:00.003-04:00

Author: John Fleischman
Genre: Non-fiction - Biography
# of pages: 86

Summary: Phineas Gage was a young man who was in charge of blasting through mountains to build railroads. One day in 1848, there was a terrible accident when the rod that he used to place explosives shot through his head, leaving a huge hole. Somehow, Phineas survived, but he became like a different person. He started using rude language, and he had trouble relating to other people. This change in Phineas taught scientists a great deal about how the brain works.

Notes: This book does an excellent job of explaining what happened to Phineas through words and pictures. In the back, there is a glossary of scientific terms that the reader might not know.

Recommend/Not Recommend: I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to know more about how the brain works, as long as they are not upset by descriptions of gruesome injuries.

-Ms. Berens

Rules

2008-05-06T10:49:00.004-04:00

Author: Cynthia Lord
Genre: Drama
# of pages: 200

Summary: Catherine is excited for the summer – her new next-door neighbors have a daughter her age, and she hopes that they will have lots of fun together. She is a little worried, though, about what the new girl will think of her family, especially her younger brother David who has autism.

Catherine sometimes feels that her parents forget about her because David needs so much attention, but she loves her brother. One of the ways that she shows her love for him is by making a list of rules to help him understand how he should act:

-If someone says “hi,” you say “hi” back.
-Sometimes people laugh when they like you. But sometimes they laugh to hurt you.
-No toys in the fish tank.

Not only does she teach David the right way to act, but when she runs into some surprises over the summer, she has to think about how she should act herself.

Rules is a book that is often funny, sometimes sad and uncomfortable, and definitely worth reading.

-Ms. Berens

Hanging On To Max

2008-04-22T10:47:00.003-04:00

Author: Margaret Bechard
Genre: Drama
# of pages: 176

Summary: Sam Pettigrew is a high school senior. He has a lot on his mind – whether to go to college or get a job next year, how he no longer sees his best friend very much, and most important, how to take care of his 11-month-old son, Max. Max’s mom moved away, and Sam has sole custody. Can Sam have a successful life and also be a good father to Max?

Notes: This book is a quick read with short chapters.

Recommend/Not Recommend: Anyone – male or female – who wonders what it would be like to take care of a baby would enjoy reading it.

-Ms. Berens

trying something new

2008-04-22T10:38:00.003-04:00

For the rest of the year, Ms. Berens will be using this blog to talk about books that she reads and thinks that you might enjoy. She hopes that this will be fun for you! If you still want to write about books that you have read, please let her know and she will show you where to post.

Short Stories

2008-03-03T08:44:00.002-05:00

These books contain a collection of stories that are usually about a common theme. Unlike the chapters in a typical fiction book, short stories can be read individually and still make sense.

Non-Fiction

2008-03-03T08:07:00.001-05:00

All of the information in a non-fiction book is based on known, true facts. Nothing can be made up. Non-fiction books include how-to books, science books, history books, biographies, autobiographies and much more. Non-fiction books can be about any subject.

Adventure

2008-03-02T19:46:00.001-05:00

Adventure books often involve an exciting quest. They may take place in a dangerous environment where the characters must find a way to survive.

Classics

2008-03-02T19:43:00.002-05:00

These books have been around for several years. They are widely considered to be examples of fine literature with timeless appeal.

Drama/Realistic Fiction

2008-03-02T19:40:00.004-05:00

Drama is usually a genre that includes plays, but for our purposes, drama is the genre that deals with teenagers facing difficult situations. This includes books like those written by Lurlene McDaniel.

Fantasy

2008-03-02T19:40:00.003-05:00

Fiction that contains elements that are NOT realistic, such as talking animals, magical powers, etc. Make-believe is what this genre is all about.

Horror

2008-03-02T19:40:00.001-05:00

These books are about creepy things that are spine-tinglingly scary.

Multicultural

2008-03-02T19:39:00.001-05:00

Books in which a certain culture is central to the story. May be fiction or non-fiction.

Mystery/Suspense

2008-03-02T19:38:00.002-05:00

Fictional stories, usually realistic, about a mysterious event which is not explained or a crime that is not solved until the end of the story to keep the reader in suspense.

Science Fiction

2008-03-02T19:38:00.001-05:00

Stories which include futuristic technology; a blend of scientific fact and fictional elements.

Sports

2008-03-02T19:35:00.000-05:00

These books may be fiction or non-fiction, but their main focus is on one or more sports.

Adventure

2008-02-01T22:30:00.000-05:00

Adventure books often involve an exciting quest. They may take place in a dangerous environment where the characters must find a way to survive.

Drama

2008-02-01T18:20:00.001-05:00

Drama is usually a genre that includes play, but for our purposes, drama is the genre that deals with teenagers facing difficult situations. This includes books like those written by Lurlene McDaniel.

Fantasy

2008-02-01T18:19:00.001-05:00

Fiction that contains elements that are NOT realistic, such as talking animals, magical powers, etc. Make-believe is what this genre is all about.

Historical Fiction

2008-02-01T18:17:00.001-05:00

Stories which take place in a particular time period in the past. Often the basic setting is real, but the characters are fictional.

Horror

2008-02-01T18:14:00.000-05:00

These books are about creepy things that are spine-tinglingly scary.

Multicultural

2008-02-01T18:08:00.000-05:00

Books in which a certain culture is central to the story. May be fiction or non-fiction.

Mystery/Suspense

2008-02-01T18:07:00.001-05:00

Fictional stories, usually realistic, about a mysterious event which is not explained or a crime that is not solved until the end of the story to keep the reader in suspense.

Non-Fiction

2008-02-01T18:05:00.000-05:00

Romance

2008-02-01T18:04:00.000-05:00

Romance stories generally contain a romantic theme...

Poetry

2008-02-01T17:32:00.000-05:00

Poetry is verse written to create a response of thought and feeling from the reader. It often uses rhythm and rhyme to help convey its meaning. Poetry collections are usually found in the non-fiction section of the library under the Dewey Decimal Classification numbers 808 - 811. Occasionally a novel may be written in free verse form and is found in the fiction section of the library.