42. Evermore - Alyson Noel

#1 in Immortal series
for:  YA
St. Martin's Griffin, 2009
paper, $9.95
306 pgs.
Rating:  3

I'm almost ashamed of myself for reading this book in one gulp, I couldn't put it down.  I spent the whole time comparing it to Twilight, which was a great higher skill on Bloom's Taxonomy for me to use, right?  There are so many similarities, but MINUS THE VAMPIRES, yippee!  Although Immortals seem pretty similar, with an  almost-more-plausible beginning.  There's the super hunky immortal (Damon), the nasty, hurtful immortal (Drina), the innocent young girl (our protagonist, Ever (Ever Bloom, get it???), and the loving but clueless guardian (Sabine).  We also have the two best friends - a goth girl (Haven) and a gay boy (Miles).  Throw in an exotic setting - southern California.  Another YA paranormal fantasy. 

But wait - I liked the protagonist!  She beats Bella by a long shot, at least in this first installment.  She has a head of her own, a will of her own.  She may become a "can't live without him clone" in the second installment, but so far, so good.  One of these days I might even read Blue Moon. (Hmmm...how similar can titles be?????)

1st in a Series Challenge 2011

Woo hoo....what new series will I discover in the year to come? This challenge comes from A Few More Pages. Fun~ I wonder if I'll end up being a Series Expert? I'd better sign up for Series Lover, just in case that, as usual, my aspirations are higher than reality dictates.

There are four levels for this challenge:

Series Novice: Read 3 books that are the first in any series.
Series Lover: Read 6 books that are the first in any series.
Series Expert: Read 12 books that are the first in any series.
Series Fanatic: Read 20 books that are the first in any series.
You can list your books in advance or just put them in a wrap up post. If you list them, feel free to change them as the mood takes you. Any genre counts

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4. Who Was Albert Einstein? Jess Brallier

Illustrated by Robert Andrew Parker
WHO WAS Biography Series
For: Grades 2-4 (RL 3.3)
Grosset & Dunlap, 2002
Paper, $4.99
106 pages

These readable, intersting, fact-filled biographies fit the bill perfectly to teach BIOGRAPHY to my entire class without having them all read the same book. Between the school library and local bookstores (I didn't find any at Bookman's) I was able to find more than enough for each student in my class. Each is set up the same way, beginning with a quick overview, six to eleven chapters telling of the person's life, then a timeline of the life with the facing page having a timeline of what was going on in the world at the time.

I learned a great deal about Albert Einstein. An incredible peace-lover, war-hater that brought about the creation of the atomic bomb. A U.S. citizen when he died. A deep, deep thinker and somewhat of a loner. It was really quite sophisticated information, perfect for my fourth graders. And I discovered some really interesting facts about his Judaism!

2009 1st in a Series Challenge

This sounds like a good challenge for an obsessive read-the-books-in-order listmaker. At least a couple of titles that were recommended at Singing Wind Bookstore (and purchased there!) and a couple of others in my TBR pile are first in a series.
The website: http://j-kaye-book-blog.blogspot.com/2008/11/1st-in-series-challenge-2009.html
The Guidelines for 1st in Series Challenge 2009

1. Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate.
2. Read 12 books that are the first in any series. You may read & list your chosen books any time during the year.
3. Challenge begins January thru December, 2009.
4. You can join anytime between now and December 31, 2009.

Books read:
1. Tularosa - Michael McGarrity, 1996 (Kevin Kerney, NM)
2. 3 Willows - Ann Brashares, 2009 (new Sisterhood series) YA
3. Mission to Sonora - Rebecca Cramer, 1998 (Linda Bluenight, Tucson)
4. Marked - P. C. Cast & Kristin Cast, 2007, (House of Night series) YA
5. Dying to Meet You - Klise, 2009 (43 Cemetery Road series) kids
6. Jake Ransom and the Skull King's Shadow - Rollins, 2009 Middle School
7. Ivy & Bean - Sophie Blackall, 2006 Early Rdr
8. The Incredibly Shrinking Kid - Megan McDonald, (Shrink Series) Early Rdr
9. The Cowboy Rides Again - Betsy Thornton, 1996 (Chloe Newcomb, Bisbee)
10. Sworn to Silence - Linda Castillo, 2009 (Kate Burkholder/ex-Amish Police Chief)
11. The Case of the Missing Marquess - Nancy Springer, 2006 (Enola Holmes Mystery) Middle School
12. Death Assemblage - Susan Cummins Miller, 2002 (Frankie MacFarlane, Tucson)
13. Whiskey Sour - J. A. Konrath, 2004 (Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels, Chicago PD)
14. Miss Daisy is Crazy - Dan Gutman, 2004 (My Weird School Series) Early Rdr
15. Judy Moody #1 - Megan McDonald, 2000 Early Rdr
16. Junie B. Jones #1 Stupid Smelly Bus, 1992 Early Rdr
17. City of Ember #1 - Jeanne DuPrau, 2003
18. Invisible I: The Amanda Project Book 1 - Stella Lennon (Melissa Kantor) 2009