A Most Uncommon Degree of Popularity

I love it when I book I am reading hits me upside the head and says” Pay attention, I ‘m talking to you.” A Most Uncommon Degree of Popularity by Kathleen Gilles Seidel is one of those books. It is a book that every middle and high school mother needs to read, it was a books I could really relate to. I wish I would have read it when my baby was in junior high instead of in college.

Lydia Meadows, a former attorney and now full time mother, is shocked to discover that her daughter, Erin, is one of the popular girls along with three of her friends. Lydia has always thought the popular girls were snotty and ambitious little manipulators. But her daughter was not anything like that. A new girl arrives in town and she decides to raise her popularity by stepping all over Erin. Erin is no longer included in all the activities and her phone is no longer ringing 24/7. The question is who is this bothering more: Erin or her mother, Lydia?

This book really looks at this whole issue of popularity and being on the outside looking in. Changing peer relationships is an outgrowth of adolescence and a normal part of growing up, yet sometimes the parents have a more difficult time in adjusting to the changes of friends and families. This is a great book and would be a great discussion book for mothers whose child is moving from elementary to junior high or from junior high to high school.

The Unlikely Romance of Kate Bjorkman

The Unlikely Romance of Kate Bjorkman by Louise Plummer is a great book to use to teach writing . Kate Bjorkman tells us the story of her latest romance. Through Kate's writing, a person can see the writing process in action. What is really good about it, is she talks to the audience about her writing and why she writes the way she does. You go into her head and she tells us what she is thinking about with her writing. There are many teaching points that teachers can use from this book, including the writing process, voice, character development and humor.


Kate Bjorkman tells the story of her teen romance by using The Romance Writer's Handbook.
This six-foot tall heroine with glasses thick as Coke bottles and an I.Q. off the charts proves that true love awaits even the gawkiest, most socially inept teen. With a surprise Christmas visit from her older brother, his wife, and from college friends, one of whom is a former neighbor and Kate's dream hunk(Richard), Kate experiences young love. Fleur, whom Kate believes to be Richard's girlfriend, combines perfect California good looks with a great sense of humor. Ashley, Kate's nubile, popular best friend, lets raging hormones stampede loyalty and horns in on Richard, even though Kate has identified him as the man of her dreams thus a perfect romance-fiction villain is born. After much humorous travail, everything sorts itself out, and Kate lives happily for the six weeks that her romance has lasted.

Cute book. Great teaching tool.

Junie B., First Grader Aloha-Ha-Ha

I love Junie B. Jones. She is probably my favorite children's character. She is delightful and just like a child. She has a love for life and is curious about the world around her. Junie B., First Grader Aloha-Ha-Ha by Barbara Park tells the story of Junie's trip to Hawaii. Junie's dad has a job interview in Hawaii and decides to take Junie and her mother along. Junie is so excited about her trip that she can't wait until "show and tell" time in Room 1. Junie's teacher gives her a camera and a journal so she can record her trip for the members of her class.

Junie B. should be read for one reason and one reason only, for the pure enjoyment of reading. I love you, Junie B.

I have read all of the Junie B series and even have my own Junie B doll, I am special.

Girly Books

Sometimes you read a book and it doesn't meet the spot, well, this weekend I read three of them. The Secret Life of Amanda K. Woods by Ann Cameron, Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen by Dyan Sheldon, and Sleepover by Elsa Bell hold the distinct "honor" of boring the crap out of me. I don't know why
I had such a problem with these books, especially Sleepover. Maybe I am tired of the girl looking for herself and not compromising, I don't know. But for m this weekend, these books didn't meet my needs.

However, I think teenage girls will love these books, Confessions of a Teenage Drama
Queen was by far the best of the three. Just not for me this weekend. Sorry.

Al Capone Does My Shirts

I really really liked this book. Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko is a fiction book that is based on historical facts. The story takes place in 1935 on the island of Alcatraz. Moose Flanagan's father is an electrician and prison guard at the Alcatraz prison. Moose is one of twenty three other kids who live on the island with murderers, rapists, thieves, con men, and other hard core criminals. Moose's sister is autistic and part of the story deals with trying to get her into a special school. The other part of the story is the adventures the kids have on the island and trying to stay out of trouble with the warden and their parents.
Al Capone is a prisoner in Alcatraz and holds a great deal of interest to the kids.

I loved the character of Moose. He reminded me of the typical teenager, who wants to be responsible but yet still be a kid. " I want to be here like I want poison oak on my private parts" is one of my favorite Moose quotes. This is a great book that I think students would really enjoy.

Sports Books

A lot of people believe that boys don't read. Well, that is not exactly true. Boys read and they read a lot. They just read different things then girls do. Boys love
non-fiction. So being the well rounded reader that I claim to be, I decided that I
needed to read some non fiction. I read three books by Joe Layden; National Football League: Behind the Scenes, Xtreme Sports: Fast Track, and Xtreme Sports: Summer. I also read a book Xtreme Sports: Cutting
Edge by E.J. Maxwell.

The three Xtreme books told stories of xtreme athletes who surf, skateboard,
and motor cross. The stories were short biographical pieces where a student could pick up the book and read the piece in a couple of minutes. Students would love these books.

The NFL book looks at the National Football League over a year's time. The book does have some text but it is mainly beautiful photographs. A teacher could also use this book to teach graphs and charts.

Great non fiction books for students.

Here Lies the Librarian

I have read several Richard Peck books lately and like them. His latest book, Here Lies the Librarian, is extremely well written and enjoyable. My only problem is I can't figure out what the title of the book has to do with the story.

Fourteen year old Eleanor "Pee-Wee" McGrath, a tomboy and an automobile enthusiast, discovers new possibilities for her future after the 1914 arrival in her small Indiana town of four young librarians. Ya, that is what the book jacket says the book is about, but more time was spent talking about the Indiana race, the fore runner of the Indianapolis 500, then the librarians. Maybe I missed something. Who knows?

The book is suppose to be fiction, yet, at the end of the book is a newspaper article about the running of the 500 but Janet Gutherie, who I know ran in the 500. Was part of the story based on actual events? I hate it when I don't know and have to begin looking up research about things. It would be a great book to use with a history book studying the early automobile industry .

Second Helpings/ Charmed Thirds

Second Helpings and Charmed Thirds by Megan McCafferty are part of the continuing series that began with Sloppy Firsts. Both books tell the story of Jessica Darling and her high school friends. We see them grow up, graduate from high school and head off to college. Readers will observe the hell of high school and the freedom of college. Readers will experience the joys and pitfalls of young love and the disaster of those terrible break up.


These books were great and well written. They were funny and sad all at the same time. The author has a great voice. I know there will be a fourth book. However, I would be very careful about recommending these to high school students. The language is definitely blue with lots of sexual experiences discussed in great detail.