Media Center

We do have a few policies and procedures, just to keep things working right, but if you have any question or problem, just come see me.

When can I come to the library?
During homeroom, lunch, or ISP
Between classes or on the way to/from the bus
When your teacher signs up your class for research
Any class a teacher will give you a pass!
After school, by appointment (Wednesday is my usual day but I'm flexible!).
 
What do I have to do? 
Bring your ID card and your curiosity!
Sign in at the kiosk at the check-out desk.

I'd like to volunteer at the library -- can I do that?
Yes!  Mrs. Woznick would love to have you on the #LibrarySquad.

Can I use a computer or a chromebook? Can I print?
Of course! Classes get first dibs, but if there's a device available you are welcome to use it.
To print, you must use a desktop.
Sorry, no color printer :-(

Where can I get the database passwords?
Dbase page
Taped to the desks in the computer labs

How many books may I check out?
4 print books plus
2 e-books

How long may I keep them?
3 weeks.

How do I know when they're due?
Look for the latest date on the card in the pocket at the back of the book. You can also check your own account in Destiny.

Where should I put a book when I bring it back?
In the book return.

What if I need it longer?
Renew it yourself online! Directions on Destiny How-to page    OR
Bring it back and Mrs. Woz will renew it for you.

May I check out a book for a friend?
Nope. Sorry, but everybody has to check out on their own account.
 
What if my book is late?     
It happens. Don't freak out.  
You will get a library notice as a heads up.
If you still need it, ask Mrs. Woz to renew it for you.
If you're done, please bring it back so somebody else can use it.
babar  (just kidding!)

What if I lose a book?
Check with Mrs. Woz.  They usually turn up!  Maybe somebody found and returned it for you.
If not, you must pay the cost to replace it (cash or check made out to BRMS).
If it turns up by the end of the year, you'll get your money back.

What if a book gets damaged?
Show it to Mrs. Woz -- she can probably fix it!  
If not, you must pay the cost to replace it. 
Water (any liquid) is a book's worst enemy -- the pages get wrinkled and distorted, and mold can grow and spread to other books on the shelves. YUCK. 

Can I still check something out if I have an overdue or lost book, or an unpaid fine?
Sorry, your account must be cleared in order to check out another book.

I got a notice in homeroom, what does that mean?
That's the "Bat Signal"! Come see me right away!
It does NOT mean you're in trouble.  I'm glad you're using library materials!!  It's just a heads up.
I might have something for you, like a refund or a prize.
"Overdue Notice" means you still have a book out and it is late.  Please bring it back, or renew it if you still need it.
"Fine Notice" means you have either a damaged or a lost book that you didn't pay for yet.  This might include missing unit books (the ones your LAL teacher hands out). 
The "Price" listed is the replacement cost, but ONLY if the book is lost (or damaged beyond repair).  If you bring in that lost book, you don't have to pay the fine!!

My parents got an e-mail -- what does that mean?
Notices are sent automatically at least once a month to the parent or guardian of every student who has an overdue book OR an outstanding fine at the time.
It does NOT mean you are in trouble!
You have a lot to do at home. A little reminder from your folks might help.

What if I returned a school library book to the public library?
Books from all district schools returned there are brought here to the MS about once a month.  But you could also ask your parents to call 908-526-4016 ext. 150 to arrange to pick it up.
 
What if I returned a public library book to the BRMS Media Center? 
Mrs. Woz usually holds them in the library office for a week or so, then drops them off to the Bridgewater Library.  Come ask her if she still has it.

Can I eat in the library?
Sorry, no food or drinks in the library.
During lunch, please eat before you come.
Exceptions may be made by Mrs. Woz for special events or circumstances.

I'm a gym excuse, what should I do?
Pick up the yellow form at the Nurse's office.
See the duty teacher in the library to sign in.
You may use all the library resources, including books, magazines, makerspace, textbooks (behind the checkout desk) and computer/chromebook (if available).

Please follow the Golden Library Rule:
respect others in the library by working quietly,
and they will do the same for you.

Students going into 7th, 8th and 9th grades: You have assigned reading for the summer. Please see the assigned summer reading on the district page.

Whether it's summer reading or during the school year, there are LOTS of great books to read for fun!   As always, every reader has their own preferences.  These are just suggestions. You can find more recommendations and links here. Or, just come talk to Mrs. Woznick, and she will make a personal suggestion.  

Student and Staff Faves

Restart by Gordon Korman
The newest book by one of BRMS' fave authors. Chase Ambrose falls off the roof of his house and wakes up with amnesia.  When he sees how people react to him, he realizes he used to be a big jerk.  A nasty bully.  So bad, one kid had to move to another school! His old friends want him back on the football team.  They wonder why he wants to hang out with the 'video nerds'.  His new friends (said video nerds), don't know if they can trust him.  Can a conk on the head really change someone's personality?  What would that person have to do to make up for past behavior? Could you ever really trust them?
REALISTIC.

Refugee by Alan Gratz 
Alternates between three compelling stories of refugees. Josef is a Jewish boy  in 1939 aboard the St. Louis, a boat that left Germany bound for Cuba, trying to escape the Nazis.  Isabel's family is fleeing the dictator Castro's Cuba in 1994, desperately trying to cross the sea to get to Miami in a makeshift boat with their neighbors.  Mahmoud is a Syrian boy in 2015 trekking across Europe with his family after his home, and his country, are ripped apart by war.
HISTORICAL/SURVIVAL STORIES.

Posted by John David Anderson 
Realistic story that takes place in a middle school where cell phones are banned (sound familiar?).  Since they can't text, the students find another way to communicate: post-it notes.  As usual, at least one teacher tries to get them to send nice notes to each other.  But also as usual, some kids use it to be mean.  That old saying: "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me"... yeah, we all know that's not true.  Words are powerful. They can life you up, but they can also break your heart. Frost, Deedee, Bench, and Wolf are four guys with their own little group, their own 'tribe', and they do just fine.  Until the new girl, Rose, joins them.  New friendships form, and old ones fall apart. This book is funny, and sad, and real story of how cruel, or kind, kids can be to each other.
REALISTIC

The Eighth Day by Dianne Salerni
Arthurian legend, modern-style. Jax Aubrey is an orphan living with Riley, an 18-year-old guardian covered in tattoos who rarely remembers to pay the electric bill or make sure there's food in the house.  Jax wakes up one day to find everyone gone.  Thinking it's the end of the world, he wanders around, breaks into Walmart and brings home canned food and water, and worries about what's going to happen.  The next day, he wakes up, and everything is back to normal. What happened? Turns out, it's the eighth day, an extra day between Wednesday and Thursday, which only some people experience. They're called Transitioners, and Jax comes from a LONG line of them. And so does Riley! There are some people who ONLY live in this alternate world, and they're the Kin, descendants of the three who created the eighth day: Merlin, Arthur, and the Lady of the Lake. Some of them want to destroy the Normals and their world.  Riley and Jax can't let that happen. This is an action-packed adventure filled with alliances, betrayals, and a quest to save the girl who is the key to the curse... just don't call her a damsel in distress!
SCIENCE FICTION/FANTASY/ACTION

Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin
This rousing thriller takes place in an alternate history, in which the Germans won World War II.  The Germans and Japanese, uneasy allies, hold a motorcycle race every year to show whose young men are the bravest, fastest, strongest, and best in the world. The race, from Berlin to Tokyo, is fraught with danger, sabotage, and temporary alliances. Last year, the race was won by Adele, a girl who disguised herself as her brother. When she won, Hitler was so enamored of her win that he came out of hiding to dance with her at the victor's ball.
Meanwhile, Yael has been plotting her revenge. Yael is a Jewish girl who was in a concentration camp, where a Mengele-like doctor performed experiments on her... which gave her the ability to shift her appearance. She uses this new power to escape the camp, and joins the resistance movement. They train her as a spy. She will take Adele's place, win the race, and when Hitler dances with her --- she will ASSASSINATE HIM!
But the intel she was given isn't the whole truth about her rival racers... Will that blow her cover?
ADVENTURE/ALTERNATE HISTORY/SPIES

Bang by Barry Lyga
Though it hinges on a tragic event, this is not a downer of a book.  Sebastian was just 4 years old when he picked up his father's gun and accidentally shot and killed his baby sister.  Now a teenager, he has lived with terrible guilt ever since.  His parents split up, and his Mom is like a shell of a person, going through the motions.  His Dad is gone.  Everyone in town knows who he is and what he did -- he can't get away from that identity. When his best, and only, friend tells him he's going away all summer, Sebastian figures this is the time to do what he thinks he deserves -- to die, too.  But then Aneesa moves into the neighborhood.  She is unlike anyone he knows -- and best of all, she doesn't know his history.  So, he can be more relaxed, be himself, whoever that is, around her.  What a relief! Sebastian falls for her, and so will you!  She's an awesome character.  She encourages his pizza-making -- they start a Youtube vlog, and it goes viral! Aneesa gives him a glimpse of the life he could have.  Eventually, Sebastian's two worlds will collide.  Can he make peace with himself?  Find out for yourself.  If this is the only book you read this year... READ IT!  Warning: it will make you hungry for all kinds of pizza!
REALISTIC

Summerlost by Allie Condie
A sweet story with a fab friendship, and a bit of mystery, besides.  Cedar Lee, her mom, and her little brother have just moved into a house for the summer in Iron Creek, mom's home town.  Cedar's family is still grieving from the loss of her dad and other brother the year before.  Day after day, she sees a boy ride by on a bike wearing weird, old peasant clothes.  She follows him and finds he works at the town's annual Shakespeare Festival at the local college.  Leo gets her a job there, too, selling programs, and working the concession stand.  Leo is obsessed with the town's most famous resident, an actress who died under tragic and mysterious circumstances one summer when she came back to act in the festival. Leo and Cedar start a side business, giving tours of sites related to the legendary leading lady, but if their festival boss, Gary, gets wind of it, they'll be fired.  This realistic, heart-warming story is by the author of the Matched series, and I hope you love it as much as I did!
REALISTIC/MYSTERY/THEATER

I am Princess X by Cherie Priest
Think about your best friend... the shared history, the secret 'language' only the two of you know.  Now, what if that knowledge were the only thing that could help you save your friend?  May and Libby were besties going back to 5th grade.  Together, they concocted this character, Princess X, a katana-sword-wielding, Ninja warrior girl who wears a crown and bright red Chuck Taylors.  May wrote the stories, and Libby illustrated them.  Then one horrible day, Libby and her mother are killed in a tragic car accident.  Or so May thought...  She's visiting her Dad in Seattle three years later and starts seeing stickers with Princess X on them.  Apparently, she's been turned into a popular webcomic. But... nobody... NOBODY else could POSSIBLY know about her, about her stories, what she looked like.  Libby MUST be alive!  Using ongoing clues from the comic, and with help from unlikely sources, May sets out to prove that her friend is alive, and to save her.  The book itself is half cartoons that tell the stories about Princess X, and has enough suspense and danger to keep you on the edge of your seat.
GRAPHIC NOVEL/MYSTERY/FRIENDSHIP

What Light by Jay Asher
The newest novel by the author of Thirteen Reasons Why, and it is WONDERFUL! Sierra's family owns a Christmas tree farm, and every year, they drive from Oregon to California, where they have a lot where they set up shop for a month to sell the trees.  Though she misses her home and friends, and has to do online schooling while she's there, this is tradition for their family, and Sierra's used to it.  Plus, she has her Cali friends, too! Her friend, Heather, is determined to help her find a boyfriend for the month, but Sierra knows any potential relationship is kinda doomed to be short-term. Then she meets Caleb, the dark-haired gorgeous guy with a bad rep that everyone tells her to stay away from...
REALISTIC/ROMANCE/CHRISTMAS

Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson
An exciting page-turner, full of action! Most of the time when people have superpowers, they become superheroes... not so in this book, where they become "Epics" -- and they are all supervillains. They are BAD! And Steelheart is the worst of them all, because he is incredibly strong, can control the elements, and is invincible -- he cannot be harmed. He makes himself emperor of "Newcago" (the new Chicago) and makes the other Epics work for him. But the day he killed David's dad, David saw Steelheart bleed. He knows Steelheart can be harmed. David joins a rebel group called the Reckoners, determined to take down Steelheart and the Epics. To do it, they have to find their weaknesses, and assassinate them.  It's a dangerous job, but somebody has to be the hero! And David wants revenge.
SCIENCE FICTION/ACTION

Ghost by Jason Reynolds
Castle "Ghost" Cranshaw learned how to run the night his Dad tried to shoot him and his Mom. With his Dad in jail, his Mom working at the hospital cafeteria and going to nursing school, and living in "Glass Manor" (which is anything but), Ghost isn't exactly living the high life. His raggedy clothes and poor neighborhood give bullies a lot of stuff to trash talk about. But he's got some highlights -- buying sunflower seeds from Mr. Charles at the corner store, watching the pick-up b-ball games down the street and dreaming of playing ball. The 'scream' in his head gets the better of him, one day, and he beats up Brandon Simmons for making fun of him. Suspended, he walks by the park, and sees a bunch of kids training with a track coach. Unimpressed, confident he can run pretty fast, he runs beside the fastest runner and beats him, even without fancy running shoes. The coach invites him to join the team. For the first time in his life, Ghost is part of something pretty special. That doesn't mean he can run away from the 'scream' in his head, or his past. But maybe, if he doesn't blow it, just maybe, he can build a future. This is the first in a planned series by a GREAT author.
REALISTIC FICTION/SPORTS

Scythe by Neal Shusterman
by the author of the Unwind series... this is another dystopian future. There is no disease, no war, no hunger, no governments.  The 'cloud' became sentient, and took over all the things that fallible, corrupt humans used to mess up. So, now life is good for all. Since people live almost forever (‘resetting’ themselves to a younger age when they get older), the only problem remains... overpopulation. So, the Scythedom was created. Scythes 'glean' (kill) people, to keep population under control. They live by their own set of laws which dictate how many people to glean every year, and forbid any bias or malice in who they glean. In return, their families have immunity. But scythes must live spartan lives, accepting no gifts, just what they need to live (food, shelter), and cannot marry or have children. They do a service to humanity, but must always be aware of the weight of what they do.  It should never be easy to take a life.  Scythe Faraday is a noble and good scythe, who takes two apprentices, Citra Terranova and Rowan Damisch. This is unusual, but not against the law. He trains them in 'killcraft', history, and martial arts, but also strives to test their moral compass. But it's a dystopia, so you KNOW not all is as it should be. Scythe Goddard bends the rules to satisfy his greed and bloodlust. He has many followers. They want to push aside the 'old guard' scythes and take over, and will use Citra and Rowan's situation to do it.  I've heard that the movie rights have already been sold! 
DYSTOPIA

Night Witches by Kathryn Lasky
Have you ever heard of them? Night witches were Russian female pilots during World War II who ran dangerous secret missions during the night to bomb German supplies, tanks, and searchlights.  They flew in open cockpits, with no lights, and no navigational instruments but a compass. This is a fictional story based on real events -- about a girl who joins the night witches after she is orphaned in the siege of Stalingrad. If you like action, danger, war stories, sibling rivalry, or anything to do with planes, this is the right book for you.  Definitely a unique perspective compared to most WWII books we have here.
HISTORICAL/WORLD WAR II/ACTION

The Memory of Things by Gae Polisner
Gradually, authors & publishers have tackled the story of 9/11.  This is a worthy addition to that growing body of literature.  Kyle watches the towers come down from the window of his high school, worried about his Dad, a first responder, and his Mom, who is supposed to be on a plane to come home that day from a business trip.  Struggling through the streets, he comes across a girl, covered in ash, crouched in a corner, and wearing wings.  She has no memory of what happened, or even who she is.  Kyle takes her home, trying to help her, while also caring for his disabled uncle (a former first responder), and waiting for days to hear from either of his parents. 
REALISTIC/SURVIVAL

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
Think you know the whole story of World War II? Did you know Stalin killed and deported more people than Hitler? When Russia invaded Lithuania in 1939, the Lithuanian people were declared criminals and forced out.  Sixteen-year-old Lina Vilkas, her mother, and little brother Jonas are taken in the night by the Soviet secret police and deported to a 'work camp' in Siberia. Starved, frozen, tortured, and terrified, some people manage to survive.  Lina uses her artistic talents to create pictures in secret that document the atrocities of their captors and the humanity of the captives.  Lina sends her artwork to the death camp where her father was sent, desperately hoping he is still alive and will come to save them.  And then there's Andrius -- the handsome young man Lina doesn't quite trust, but may just come to love.
HISTORICAL/WORLD WAR II/LOVE

Shadowshaper by Daniel Jose Older
Sierra Santiago is a teenage mural artist who lives in Brooklyn with her close-knit family. While painting one day with her new friend, Robbie, she starts to see the painted figures moving. Little does she know that this summer will reveal her true heritage: she comes from a long line of shadowshapers. They have the power to raise ancestral spirits out of the paintings.  But she has trouble learning to use and control her power, because her mother has disavowed magic, and her beloved grandfather's stroke has left him unable to think and communicate. She will need help, and all her powers, if she is to thwart the evil man trying to steal all the shadowshapers' powers for himself. This story is has a richly written setting, not to mention thrilling danger, and a possible romance. 
MAGICAL REALISM

Roller Girl  by Victoria Jamieson
Funny and realistic story of a girl named Astrid, whose former best friend, Nicole, is drifting away. They're just into different things. When Nicole goes to summer dance camp, Astrid is facing a long, boring, lonely summer. Then she discovers roller derby. Know what that is? It's a fun, violent, FAST sport, on roller skates. Played by women and girls. Tough women and girls! Astrid doesn't even know how to skate! Bruised and battered, she feels like giving up, like everything is against her. How will she find the strength? If you're a fan of Raina Telgemeier's books, you will love this one.  Plus, the author is a Roller Derby player, herself!
GRAPHIC NOVEL/REALISTIC FICTION

Untwine by Edwidge Danticat
If you liked If I Stay, you should read this one.  17-year-old twin sisters Isabelle and Giselle, and their parents, are in an accident. Giselle wakes up in a hospital, unable to move or speak, not knowing whether any of the rest of her family has survived, and everybody calling her by her sister's name. Through flashbacks, Giselle tells about their life leading up to the crash. The twins were so close, they were born holding hands, and knew what each other was thinking. Isabelle loves jazz music and played the flute. Giselle loves art. Each has just fallen in love. They are planning their futures. And then the crash. But there are hints that something was not right. Their parents had just told them they were separating. Then a police officer visits Giselle's hospital room, and she hears her saying that the crash "might not have been an accident".  
REALISTIC FICTION

Chasing Lincoln's Killer  James L. Swanson
The President's been shot!!  What really happened at Fords Theater?  Read this thrilling story about the assassination plot, the conspirators, the police, the politicians, the president and his family for the real scoop.  If you like crime shows like CSI or Law and Order -- you'll love this. As the author says, "This story is true.  All the characters are real and were alive during the great manhunt of April 1865... What happened in Washington, D.C., that spring, and in the swamps and rivers, forests and fields of Maryland and Virginia during the next twelve days, is far too incredible to have been made up."
NONFICTION/TRUE CRIME

Rain, Reign by Ann M. Martin
Mash up Because of Winn-Dixie and Wonder, and you get something like this.  
The main character is Rose, who is obsessed with homonyms (words that sound the same, but have different meanings), prime numbers, and feels most comfortable when everybody follows the rules (which, of course, not everyone does).  She lives with her dad and her dog, Rain (which is a homonym, of course). The kids at school don't always understand Rose, and to tell the truth, neither does her dad. But her Uncle Weldon, who lives across town, does, and he helps her out a lot. Then comes the big storm, and Rose's dad accidentally lets Rain out in the rain.  Weeks go by, with Rose desperately searching for her beloved pet. The ending will be a bit of a surprise.  Everybody feels like they are 'different' at one time or another, so even if you're not like Rose, you will relate to her and her struggles. Life isn't always peaches and cream, and everybody needs something or someone to pull them through.
REALISTIC FICTION

Leviathan  by Scott Westerfeld
This is a sci-fi/fantasy adventure reimagining of World War I.  The “Clankers” are Germans & Austrians who prefer the mechanical - fantastical machines using steam energy.  Alek is the illegitimate son of the  Archduke, and the traitors who assassinated his parents are after him. He escapes with his tutor, his fencing teacher, and a couple of loyal soldiers.  On the other side are the "Darwinists", British and their allies, who merge machines with animal DNA.  Deryn's got the talent and the guts to serve in the British Royal Air Force, but she's a girl.  So she disguises herself as a boy and joins up, serving on a giant airship (like a zeppelin, or blimp) made from a whale, with weapons like strafing hawks and flechette bats.  Deryn and Alek should be enemies, but they join forces to stop the war.  With great characters, strange creations, and nonstop action, this is one book you won't be able to put down.  Two sequels: Behemoth and Goliath.
STEAMPUNK/FANTASY/ALTERNATE HISTORY

Slacker by Gordon Korman
Funny story about a slacker kid who works hardest at not working at all.
Cameron would rather be playing video games, and getting ready for a big tournament, which he plans to win. But his parents want him to do something besides play video games. So he makes up a club, and pretends to be president. It's supposed to be a do-gooder-type club that does charity work. But then the guidance counselor gets wind of it... and other students... and suddenly, everybody thinks it's a real club! And Cameron has to actually BE the president!
HUMOR

5th Wave   Rick Yancey
Unseen aliens, the "Others", have attacked Earth. The first waves knocked out power and communications, set loose a disease that killed billions, and wild weather that killed millions more.  Civilization is almost destroyed. How can humanity survive?
Cassie's parents and friends are all dead, but she's a survivor, and so is her little brother, Sam. They do pretty well on their own. But when Sam gets kidnapped, Cassie must enlist the help of Evan Walker, a mysterious young man who just might be an enemy. They must rescue Sam from the military grounds where he is being trained as a soldier, along with other kids, including Cassie's high school crush, Ben, aka Zombie. 
SCIENCE FICTION/SURVIVAL

Pop by Gordon Korman
Marcus is the new kid in town, but it's summer, so he doesn't know anybody yet. He decides to spend the summer training his throwing arm, hoping to get a shot at being the quarterback in the fall. At the park, this older guy shows up and helps him train. He's the best player Marcus has ever seen, but he's kind of unpredictable. Turns out, he's Charlie Popovich, a famous NFL linebacker, who teaches him to appreciate and perfect the art and thrill of the "pop" -- hitting and getting hit -- body-slamming, head-rattling blocks. In September, the team's quarterback, Troy Popovich (yes, he's Charlie's son), definitely doesn't want to give his spot to Marcus. He doesn't want Marcus dating his sister, OR hanging out with his Dad. But the Popovich family has a secret, and Marcus may be the only one who can help.
SPORTS/REALISTIC FICTION

Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
This memoir in poetry form is by one of the most talented writers today. The way she lets you into her characters' heads and hearts so you're feeling what they are feeling, is extraordinary.  Anybody can relate to her stories: being in the shadow of her older sister who was really smart and good at reading. Getting in trouble for telling lies -- until she learned to write them down and call them 'stories'! Growing up as an African-American in Brooklyn and South Carolina, she experienced prejudice, and the Civil Rights Movement. She writes about her family, her best friend, her hair, church, her grandparents, her childhood. It is funny, and poignant-- a story of life. I hope everyone will read it.  It won pretty much every book award possible.
MEMOIR

Lockdown by Alexander Gordon Smith
"Beneath Heaven is Hell. Beneath Hell is Furnace." Furnace Penitentiary is a prison for teenage boys, buried a mile underground.  Run by an evil warden, with hulking Mafia-like "blacksuit" guards, creepy half-human creatures with gas masks sewn to their faces who perform experiments on the inmates, and giant flesh-eating skinless dogs that roam the corridors after lights out and will rip you to shreds if you're caught outside your cell.  14-year-old Alex is no saint -- he's caught burglarizing a house with his best friend.  But instead of cops, it's the blacksuits who find him, and shoot his friend dead in cold blood.  Alex is framed for the murder and sent to Furnace.  Alex is remorseful for his former crimes, but knows that Furnace is way beyond the punishment he deserves.  Although no one has ever done it, Alex vows to escape.  The fast-paced action and heart-pounding thrills will leave you breathless.  
HORROR/ACTION

The Boy Who Dared   Susan Campbell Bartoletti
Helmuth is a good German boy who loves his country.  But when Hitler comes to power, things start changing.  If you're not the RIGHT kind of German, you're in trouble.  Helmuth's brother Gerhard brings home a radio... the illegal kind that can get non-German stations.  Just listening to it will get you arrested!  But Helmuth starts listening in secret to broadcasts from the outside.  Helmuth risks his life to distribute the information to his fellow Germans.  But in Nazi Germany, the truth is a dangerous thing.  This book is based on a real young man (for the nonfiction version, read the author's award-winning Hitler Youth).
WORLD WAR II/HISTORICAL

Red Rider's Hood    Neal Shusterman
Think fairy tales are all girly romance?  NOT THIS ONE! Here, Red isn't little and doesn't wear a riding hood.  He's a guy with a shiny red Mustang convertible that he loves. Trouble is, the local gang is eyeing it up, too, and they're a pack of werewolves causing trouble all over the hood.  When they mug Red's grandmother, he decides to take them down.  He has to infiltrate the gang in order to do it.  He gets help from a werewolf hunter.  But when he gets a taste of the power and comraderie the Wolves have, his loyalties are tested.  Will he join them for real?
HORROR

The Eye of Minds by James Dashner
Mile-a-minute action and sci-fi that you're used to from the author of The Maze Runner! Michael is a gamer, and a good one. He spends most of his time in the "VirtNet": a virtual reality world of multi-player online video games. You rest safely in your house in a "Coffin" that takes care of all your body's needs, but you feel everything that happens in the game, including hunger, pain, and fear. We all know that in a video game, if you die, it's no big deal -- you just reset and nothing happens to you, physically. VirtNet is supposed to be no different. But there's a problem.  An evil genius hacker named Kaine found a way to make people go into comas and die FOR REAL when they die in the game. So, VirtNet Security agents kidnap Michael and make him an offer he can't refuse:  go into the deepest reaches of the virtual world, and capture Kaine. With the help of his two best friends, Michael risks his life to stop The Mortality Doctrine. If you know Dashner's other books, you KNOW there is a WILD twist at the end! This is the first in his new Mortality Doctrine series. Sequels: The Rule of Thoughts, an e-book called Gunner Skale, and The Game of Lives. 
ACTION/SCI FI

Storm Runners by Roland Smith
Chase Masters and his dad are storm chasers. They travel around the country in a beat-up old trailer to help communities prepare for and rebuild after hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods. Hurricane Emily, the storm of the century, is headed for Florida, so Chase and his dad go there, too. Chase meets Nicole, who lives on a farm filled with circus animals. When the storm comes faster than expected, Chase knows the safest place to ride out the storm is in the school. But no one believes him, so Chase goes against his better judgment and gets on the bus with Nicole and the other students. When the "yellow death trap" crashes and slides into the water, it will take all of Chase's survival skills to save himself and the others. And that's only the beginning of this heart-pounding adventure...
Read excerpts from the book, and its sequels, and play the gameHERE!
ADVENTURE/ACTION

Monument 14.  Emmy Laybourne.
14 teens and kids board the school buses one morning, unaware that their entire world is about to change. First comes the hail -- and the buses crash. One plucky bus driver gets all the kids into the Costco-like superstore to safety. If the world as we know it is ending -- Costco is the place to be! They have everything you need.
Then comes the chemical warfare... The kids lock themselves in while the driver goes for help. At first, it seems kind of fun, with the whole store and everything in it up for grabs. Then come the people trying to get in... and the effects of the chemicals in the air...
This is the first of a trilogy about surviving a very believable catastrophe.
SCIENCE FICTION/SURVIVAL

Tru & Nelle by G Neri
This story is based on two real people: Harper (Nelle) Lee, the famous author of To Kill a Mockingbird, and Truman Capote, the famous author of In Cold Blood. They really grew up together in rural Alabama during the Great Depression. Each is smart, quirky, and different in their way, and has few other friends. Tru is a fussy city-boy with an absent, ne'er-do-well father, and Nelle is a tomboy with a mentally ill mother. But they both love books, especially Sherlock Holmes mysteries.  They become fast friends, start a detective agency, write stories, have adventures, and face the realities of the Depression in the South, when everyone was poor and the Ku Klux Klan was a powerful force.
HISTORICAL

Trash by Andy Mulligan
In a fictional city in a Third World country, three boys live in a trash heap. It is a community, and the people who live there make their living by ‘picking’ trash. Raphael, Gordo and Rat take turns telling the story of what happened when they found a bag containing a wallet, money, and some mysterious papers on the trash heap one day. The small amount of money is unheard of riches for them, but the papers and ID will lead them to uncover a far-reaching mystery. Following clues, decoding secret messages, finding unlikely helpers, and dodging criminals, they could be killed for revealing the truth. 
Step outside your comfortable life, and open a window into a miraculous story of rich and poor, powerful and weak, right and wrong.
REALISTIC/MYSTERY

All-American Boys  Jason Reynolds & Brendan Kiely
Rashad and Quinn are two all-American boys: not really friends, but they are classmates and teammates -- varsity basketball players. One day, Rashad stops at the quick-mart for some chips. In a series of mistakes and misunderstandings, a cop thinks he's a shoplifter and ends up beating him up, badly. Rashad ends up in the hospital. Quinn is a witness, but he didn't see what started it, only the beat-down. Paul, the cop, is a family friend, and a father figure who has helped Quinn ever since his father died in Afghanistan. Quinn loves and trusts Paul, but is uncomfortable with the level of violence. 
The closed-circuit camera video goes viral, and everyone in town and at school is divided. Who's right? Who's wrong? Whose side are you on?  This relevant story isn't just ripped from the headlines: it's a complex story of truth, race, and media that won multiple awards.
REALISTIC FICTION

Crackback   John McCoy
Miles Manning is feeling the pressure from everywhere! His football career is being watched by his really strict, sometimes cruel, dad, the assistant coach hates his guts, and his classmates are pressuring him to artificially gain strength to be a better player. Not to mention his need to find a date for the dance. Sports, girls, family!! Can life be any harder?  
SPORTS

Left for Dead      Pete Nelson
On the pitch-black night of July 30, 1945, the  American ship Indianapolis was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine.  It sunk in just 12 minutes.  300 men were killed immediately.  880 more were plunged into the dark, shark-infested waters.  For four nights and five days, the sailors suffered burning oil, exhaustion, and shark attacks.  Only 317 were pulled alive from the sea.  Instead of admitting mistakes that led to the disaster, the Navy court-martialed her captain and refused to give medals to the sailors.  
Fifty years later, 12-year-old Hunter Scott was looking for a topic for a history project.  He amassed the greatest collection of information about theIndianapolis --first-hand accounts.  Incensed by the travesty of justice, he lobbied to get Captain McVay cleared of all charges and to get medals for the men.  Read the extraordinary story of one of the greatest sea disasters of all time, once kept out of the history books - and how a teenage boy brought it to the world’s attention.
 NONFICTION/SURVIVAL

The Thickety       J.A. White
This book was written by a teacher in my nephew's school -- and he lives near Bridgewater!  It's a dark fairy tale that's much scarier than the cover makes it look. When she was about 5 years old, Kara Westfall held her newborn brother, Taff, while their mother was hanged for a witch. The evil village leader, Fen'de Stone, accuses Kara of being a witch, as well, but the terrifying creature that tests for witches somehow 'heard' Kara's silent pleas. 
Years later, Kara and Taff are still shunned by the people of the village. Their ineffectual father cannot help them. Kara is tormented by Fen'de Stone's mean girl daughter, Grace, and her only friend is the kind Lucas, an outsider and lowly worker whose job is to cut back the fast-growing plants of the Thickety, a terrifyingly fast-growing forest of thorns that surrounds the village. Then a black bird lures Kara into the forbidden forest to find her mother's magic book... What happens next will terrify you!!!!!
HORROR

Unwind   Neal Shusterman
In the future, the government has a creepy idea to punish trouble-making teens and solve the shortage of organ donors.  If you're a problem, your parents can sign you up to be 'unwound'.  All your organs, skin, eyes, blood, EVERYTHING is harvested (while you're still alive!), and given to somebody more deserving.  Connor, Risa, and Lev are three teens about to be unwound.  Connor's "trouble".  Risa is an orphan.  And Lev is proud to sacrifice himself.  These three teens meet by accident -- a car accident -- and set off on a cross-country escape.  All they have to do is survive until they turn 18, when they can't be unwound anymore.
DYSTOPIA/SCIENCE FICTION

Jeremy Fink the the Meaning of Life  Wendy Mass
Jeremy is a quirky kid: he collects mutant candy, and he's never been more than four blocks from his city home.  On his 13th birthday, he receives a locked box.  No key.  The engraving on tops says "The Meaning of Life".  It's from his dad, who died five years ago. Jeremy's best friend, Lizzy, is his total opposite: she's a troublemaker, and she's not afraid of anything.  Together, Jeremy and Lizzy set off to find the keys that will unlock the box and give them the answer.  With lovable characters and a great story, it's easy to see why author Wendy Mass says this is her fave of all the books she's written.
REALISTIC/COMING-OF-AGE

Heist Society   Ally Carter
Kat Bishop comes from a long line of art thieves -- her whole family is in the 'business'.  But Kat wants to get out of the life, so she scams her way into a fancy boarding school.  Unfortunately, her family sucks her back in.  See, a dangerous mobster's priceless art collection was stolen, and Kat's dad is the number one suspect.  Either the cops will get him or the mobster will... So Kat decides she has to steal it back, with the help of Hale, a handsome and suave thief who works with her family.  Gadgets, cons, suspense, danger, romance... it's all here. 
MYSTERY/ADVENTURE

Young World by Chris Weitz
The first book in a new series by a screenwriter is like Gone meets Lord of the Flies meets the Day After Tomorrow!!  It's one of those where the 'end of the world as we know it' means that all adults suddenly die off, but in this one, only teenagers are left.  There are several factions living in NYCity, and our group lives in and around Washington Square Park. They have to scavenge for food and supplies, and tho' they have a pretty good thing going, they won't last forever. The Sickness that claimed everyone else will eventually kill them all (when they turn 18), unless they can find a cure... so a select group must leave their 'home' and brave the dangers of the city and rival gangs.
SCIENCE FICTION

Guys Read: Funny Business   Jon Scieska, ed.
From the guys who brought you The Stinky Cheese Man, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and other great books comes a collection of hilarious short stories. There's one about a kid whose father is trying to toughen him up by making him kill the Thanksgiving turkey -- but the homicidal turkey has other ideas! Jack Gantos wrote one about a botched wart removal. In another, a boy wants to swim in a pool of chocolate milk. Eoin Colfer tells how his brother was the inspiration for Artemis Fowl. Then there's "My Parents Gave My Bedroom to a Biker". 
If you're in the mood to laugh your head off -- go right now and find this book! Others in the series: Guys Read: Thriller, and Guys Read: Sports. BTW, not just for guys :-)         
HUMOR/SHORT STORY

Surrounded by Sharks by Michael Northrop
Going thru Shark Week withdrawal? Check this out!  Davey and his family have come to a tiny, remote island in the Florida Keys for a relaxing vacation. Waking early one morning, Davey leaves the hotel room looking for a quiet place to be away from his family and re-read his favorite book. Ignoring the "No Sw mm ng" sign, he wades into the warm, clear waters on a tiny, deserted beach. And so starts the adventure NOBODY wants -- he is swept out to sea by a riptide. As Davey battles three kinds of sharks, his family finally wakes up to find him missing, and tries frantically to find out where he has gone.
REALISTIC/SURVIVAL

Ask Me No Questions  Marina Budhos
14-year-old Nadira lives with her family in New York City in a neighborhood with other families originally from Bangladesh.  But their lives are changed forever with the horrible events of September 11,  because the government is suspicious of anyone who looks like them, and their visas have expired.  Where can they go? What can they do? Will they ever get their lives back?
REALISTIC

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
 Conor is having nightmares.  One night, a monster comes to his window.  But it's not the monster in his dream, it's something much more real.  In exchange for three stories, the monster wants something from Conor: the truth. Exquisite black and white ink drawings illustrate this story: dark, scary pictures make it look like a horror story, but it isn't. It's a beautifully written, poignant story of love and loss, based on an idea from writer Siobhan Dowd, who died of cancer before she could write the story.  If this book doesn't make you ugly cry, you are heartless.  Now being made into a movie!
GRIEF

The Art of Secrets by James Klise
Fans of twisty-turny mysteries and realistic fiction will love this book. Saba Khan is a bit of an outsider at school, because her family is from Pakistan. But then her apartment is burned down, possibly by an arsonist. Luckily, the kids at school rally around to help, and it changes Saba's life. A rich family offers an apartment for them to stay in. She starts dating a boy (which she has to hide from her strict, traditional parents). And two popular kids, brother and sister Kendra and Kevin, start collecting items for a benefit auction. One of the things they find is a painting by a supposedly famous 'outsider' artist (a quasi-homeless guy) that turns out to be worth millions. Kendra and Kevin generously say the money should still go to the Khans. But not everyone agrees. Then the painting is stolen. Is it the principal, trying to prop up the school budget? Is it the art teacher, who was the one who originally pointed out its worth? Is it the Khans themselves? The book alternates points of view from a lot of the characters and suspects involved, and has artifacts like police reports, documents, interviews, etc. Don't give away the ending when you recommend it to friends -- and you will!
REALISTIC FICTION/MYSTERY

Undertow by Michael Buckley
Aliens in Coney Island! Lyric Walker was there the night 30,000 aliens marched out of the sea. Now they've been forced into a 'camp' on the beach, with a high wall to separate them from humans, who are afraid of them and don't want them around. Some of them are monstrous, and they're all dangerous. But then a few of them are supposed to be integrated into the high school, and Lyric is assigned to help. The alien leader's handsome son, Fathom, is assigned to Lyric. But Lyric is a girl with dangerous secrets of her own. And these aliens are not the only enemy: something much, much worse is coming... 
SCIENCE FICTION

Greenglass House by Kate Milford
A snowy night at a smuggler's inn... and 5 strangers appear... to ruin Milo's holiday break.  See, his parents run the inn, and he has to help them, but they don't usually have any customers over the holiday.  While helping them get their bags to their room, Milo finds a map that one of the visitors dropped... it's a mystery what they are all doing there, why they seem to hate each other, and what the map will lead to -- treasure, maybe? This book kind of reminded me of The Westing Game.
MYSTERY

Mexican White Boy by Matt de la Pena
The author often talks about his own journey from a kid who played basketball, lived in a poor town on the Mexican border and was the first in his family to go to college. When he realized he'd never make it to the NBA, he figured he needed to find something at school he could do. He was never much of a reader, but he liked to write rap poems, mostly to impress girls he liked. He writes for the kind of kid he was -- the kind that hates to read.  This one is about Danny, a half-white, half-Mexican high school kid who has a powerful arm for pitching. Problem is the rich white kids  at his school (where Danny is a scholarship kid who doesn't fit in), never see it because he choked at tryouts. Danny spends the summer with his father's large, loud, Mexican-American family, where he doesn't quite fit in either, since he doesn't even speak Spanish.  His dad's gone back to Mexico, and Danny is desperate to raise enough money to go see him, maybe impress him with his pitching. His cousin Sofia kind of helps him get in with her crowd, which leads to an unexpected friendship, plus learning some family secrets, and figuring out just who he wants to be. 
REALISTIC FICTION/SPORTS

The Witch's Boy by Kelly Barnhill
Ned is the Witch's boy: his mother is Sister Witch, the village healer whom everybody needs sometimes but is a little afraid of the rest of the time. Sister Witch is from a long line of those who are supposed to take care of and hold back magic. When Ned and his twin brother were little, nobody could tell them apart, but when only Ned survives their raft ride on the roaring river, the villagers whisper that the wrong boy survived. Ned hasn't spoken much since, but his brother's voice is in his head. On the other side of the deep, dark forest is a kingdom with a spoiled, whiny King who wants to conquer Ned's village and the magic. In the depth of the forest is a Bandit King, and his daughter, Aine, whose dying mother told her the wrong boy will save her and the wolf... But she never finishes her prophecy. All these stories are intertwined, along with the Standing Stones and their plans for the magic and the lives of all these puny humans.  A fairy tale of prophecies and war and unexpected heroes. 
FANTASY

The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson
We all know what a great writer Anderson is. This one is a bit more contemporary than Chains, (it actually takes place in the 1970s, but it's quite relevant to today's soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan). 17-year-old Hayley and her father have returned to his old hometown after years on the road (he was a trucker, and homeschooled her, sort of), trying to have a 'normal' life. That's tough because her soldier father is plagued by PTSD after being in the war, and turns to alcohol to black out the horrible memories. This girl is pretty tough...but it's not easy taking care of him by herself. And he's getting worse. Having never really attended school, she doesn't understand or have patience for things like homework, meddling school counselors, or "zombie" kids with no problems. Hayley does have a best friend, Gracie, and nerd-hot boy Finn, on her side, but they have problems of their own. This is a very real story about a family that's teetering on the edge, in more ways than one. Anderson is one of the best writers out there.
REALISTIC FICTION/HISTORICAL FICTION

Bone Gap by Laura Ruby
This book is EXTRAORDINARY in more ways than one. It is probably my fave book of the summer. Sean and Finn are brothers. They live alone, since both parents have run off, leaving Sean to give up his dream of medical school to stay home and take care of Finn till he graduates high school.  Finn is a teen boy that everyone in the small, rural town of Bone Gap has names for, like "Spaceman" and "Moon Boy", because he always seems to be in his own little world. One day, a bruised and beaten girl named Roza appears in their barn.  Sean, an EMT, fixes her up, and they offer the skittish young woman with broken English (she's Polish) the keys to a little apartment above the barn. She takes care of them, and they take care of her, and she and Sean fall in love. Everyone thinks Finn loves her too. When Roza is kidnapped, Finn is the only one who sees the kidnapper -- and nobody believes him, because he can't describe what the man looked like, only how he moved. The townspeople think Roza ran off, too, figuring that everyone leaves these boys. Everyone except Petey (she can't stand being called Priscilla), whose mom is a hippie beekeeper, and whom everyone in town says is ugly and has a bad reputation. But Petey believes in Finn, and agrees to help him figure out what happened to Roza. With secret midnight rides on a mysterious black stallion, and cornfields that might lead to other worlds, and first love, this book will stay with you for a very long time.  It's based on the Greek myth of Demeter and her daughter, Persephone, kidnapped by Hades, but you don't need to know that to enjoy the book.
SURREALISM/ADAPTATION/LOVE STORY

Thirteen Chairs by Dave Shelton.
This one was creepy! Jack enters a shadowy room in a haunted house... to find 12 strange people seated around a table, their faces illuminated only by flickering candlelight. They invite him to take the 13th chair. Each has a heart-pounding, scary ghost story to tell. Eventually, Jack will have to tell his own…
HORROR/GHOST STORY

Operation Book is an after school book club for both 7th and 8th graders.

The club meets once a month after school in the library to discuss the book we've chosen to read. Come to all the meetings, or just a few. Join any time in the year.  We supply the books and snacks.

Advisors:

• Mrs. Woznick, Library
• Mrs. Faulkner
• Mrs. Kusznier
• Ms. Fernandez
• Bridgewater Tween Librarian (Miss Katie)

Please bring a signed a permission slip to Mrs. Woznick at least one day prior to the meeting. You can pick one up in the library or print it out from the link below.

There is NO FEE for this club.