Question of the Week

Monday, February 28, 2011





Congratulations to all the schools who correctly answered last weeks question. Nine out the the 12 schools successfully used the comments. If you still are having problems with using the comments you can email your answer to me  at  vonharzj@gmail.com/


This weeks question  is...


In which book does the protagonist's roommate agree to cover for him in exchange for help studying Chaucer?

Don't forget to identify both the title and the author's name and the school you are from in you answers.

And the Answer Is...

Friday, February 25, 2011

Well, based on the number of responses to the question of the week, it seems as we finally  have all the kinks worked out. Thanks for everyone who participated.

This week's question was...

In which book was reading taught in a laboratory with pictures?


And the answer is...

Mrs. Frisby and The Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien

Congratulations go to the following schools for correctly answering this week's question.

Sperreng Middle
Hollenbeck Middle
Oakville Middle
Pattonville Heights 
Bernard Middle
Hazelwood North 
Cross Keys
Washington Middle
Danby Rush Tower
Hixson Middle
Hoech Middle
Hazelwood Northwest

Since we have finished featuring all 20 books on our list there will be no new post on Tuesday. None-the-less, those posts are available for the teams to read and comment on.

The Question of the Week will, however, continue every Monday until the week before the competition.


Feature Book of the Week
Miracle's Boys by Jacqueline Woodson

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

FEATURED BOOK OF THE WEEK

Nothing is like it used to be. If it were, Mama would still be alive. Papa wouldn't have died. Thirteen-year-old Lafayette's older brother, Charlie wouldn't have done time at a correctional facility. And oldest brother Ty'ree would have gone to college instead of having to work full time to support the three of them. If things were the same, Lafayette wouldn't be so full of questions, like why Mama had to die, why Charlie hates him so much now, and how they're all supposed to survive these times together when so much seems to be set against them.

This is the story of three remarkable young men; brothers who have only each other to rely on and who must decide whether they'll work with that or let it tear them apart.
(Publisher's summary from Goodreads)
  
ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Although she was born in Ohio, Jacqueline Woodson grew up in South Carolina and in Brooklyn, New York, where she still lives. When she was a child, her Brooklyn neighbors were mostly Hispanic and African American. "Everything from the food I grew up eating to the music I learned to dance to had the flavors of both the South and Puerto Rico," she remembers. This background has served her well as a writer because the characters in her fiction are from a variety of ethnic groups and social classes.

Woodson often writes about difficult issues that young people face and characters who feel out of place. "I think, growing up, I felt like I was on the outside a lot; and I think, as a grownup, I've… realized that it's okay to be on the outside," she says. If she has a single message to share with readers, it's that "no matter who you are in the world, it's okay to be who you are."

Jacqueline Woodson's advice to young writers is this: "Write every single day, at least for thirty minutes — just sit down and write in your diary or write a letter to a friend or write a poem or anything, but just try to practice writing every day." She also recommends reading books by writers you admire. (Retrieved from Houghton Mifflin Reading)

Question of the Week

Monday, February 21, 2011





After the problems last week, I am almost 100% sure that commenting will be a breeze this week. I also added two schools name who did answer the question correctly but were not originally posted. 

I hope everyone will try using the comments first, but should you run into any problem email me your answer to 

vonharzj@gmail.com

Now onto this week's question:

In which book was reading taught in a laboratory with pictures?

Remember to identify the school you are from along with the correct title of the book from the book battle list and the author's name in your comment.




And the Answer Is...

Friday, February 18, 2011

First let me apologize to everyone having problems posting this week. In an effort to keep all comments hidden, I somehow managed to also hide the comment link. I apologize for this technological hiccup and have it corrected. You should be able to view the delicious comment link now, so that next week everyone will be able to post on the post.

If you still have problems for any reason, send me an email with your answer at vonharzj@gmail.com

This week's question was ...

In which book does the protagonist meet an uncle for the first time and think his driver is in the Mafia?

 And the answer is...


Middleworld by J. & P.  Voelkel


Schools correctly identifying the book and authors for this week's question are...

Hazelwoood Southeast
Hazelwood Northwest
Sperreng Middle
Bernard Middle
Ladue Middle
Oakville Middle (OMS)
Hixson Middle
Danby Rush Tower
Bernard Middle


If anyone tried and was unable to post or did not know to send me an email, please let me know. If more schools attempted to answer this week's question than those I received emails from, I will throw this question out when tallying up correct responses for the prize at the end of the year.

Again my sincere apologies, I hope you all will continue to participate in the Question of the Week, and encourage your students to read all the great quest posts and leave comments about the books on this year's list.



Featured book of the Week
Tenth Grade Bleeds by Heather Brewer

Tuesday, February 15, 2011


FEATURED BOOK OF THE WEEK

It’s another sucky year at Bathory High for Vladimir Tod. The evil vampire D’Ablo is hunting for the ritual that could steal Vlad’s powers. His best friend Henry doesn’t want to be his drudge anymore. And as if all that weren’t enough, it’s getting harder for Vlad to resist feeding on the people around him. When months go by with no word from Uncle Otis and D’Ablo shows up demanding Vlad’s father’s journal, Vlad realizes that having a normal high school year is the least of his concerns. Vlad needs to act fast, and even his status as the Pravus won’t save him this time . (Publisher's summary from Goodreads)


A VERY SPECIAL GUEST POST AND ANNOUNCEMENT FROM AUNTIE HEATHER


When you're a successful author, you often travel around the country, visiting really amazing people that you might never see again at incredible events. I've been all over the place, and every time, I wish that I could return and experience it all over again. That wish has been fulfilled twice now, and I couldn't be happier about it!

In 2088, I was asked to attend the Pattonville Book Battle, and I was absolutely floored by how much fun it was! The list of books that everyone had to read in order to participate contained some of my current faves, and it was fun watching students scramble to the front to turn their team's answers in. Afterwards, I was happy to do an autographing session.

I was thrilled in 2009 to be asked back. So much so that I gave away a school visit to the lucky winners - and this year, I'm going to do it all over again! Last year, I had lost my voice just days before the book battle and had to whisper my congratulations, but I'm keeping my mouth closed this year, so I can shout how proud I am of all of you, Minions!
This time I'll have the brilliant James Dashner (author of THE MAZE RUNNER and THE SCORCH TRIALS) by my side at Pattonville Middle School, and I cannot wait to see your anxious faces. It makes me so proud to know that not only are tweens and teens working hard to be part of something special, but that you're all cool enough to stand up and say, "Reading is cool!" Because it so is. And so are all of you.

I'm currently hard at work on my next books - one is a spin-off of THE CHRONICLES OF VLADIMIR TOD called THE SLAYER CHRONICLES and the other is a YA fantasy epic called BLOODBOUND - but I can hardly wait to see you all again. Here's to reading! And best of luck, everyone



MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Heather Brewer was not your typical teen growing up. She wore black, danced under full moons, and devoured every book in sight. She hasn't changed much. Today, Heather can be found writing in her funky, black Happy Bunny jammie pants, dancing under a full moon, devouring every book in sight, and attending renaissance faire in full costume (and in character).

When Heather's not writing, dressing up, dancing and reading, she's answering email, which she loves to get over at her website.



I want to thank Heather for taking time out of her busy schedule to write this guest post for the Area Wide Book Battle Teams.

Heather has become a very important part of the competition and we are honored that she also willingly attends the Book Battle every year. So make sure you have your books with you to have Auntie Heather autograph them.

 

Question of the Week

Monday, February 14, 2011

I want to congratulate all the schools who participated last week and answered the question correctly. I also want to remind you to stop by  tomorrow for the Featured Book of the Week as I have a special announcement to make that will be of interest to all the book battle teams.

 And now without further ado this week's question is ...

In which book does the protagonist meet an uncle for the first time and think his driver is in the Mafia?

Remember to identify the school you are from along with the correct title of the book from the book battle list and the author's name in your comment.

And the Answer Is...

Friday, February 11, 2011

I am very excited with to see that participation for the Question of the Week increased this week. I know some of you may have had problems with commenting and a step by step instruction sheet is being sent out via email to all schools.

I also hope that all the teams will take the time to read through all the guest posts on the Featured Book of the Week. More than half of the authors on our Book Battle Book List took time out from their busy writing schedules to write something especially for  YOU! Many of the post are informational and show the lighter side of the author. It would be great if students and teachers left messages letting  the authors know how you liked their post and/or their book.


All past posts are listed on the left sidebar for easy accessibility, just click on the title of the book and it will take you directly to that Featured Book of the Week post.



This week's question was...

In which book does a character save a sick friend from prison by loading him in a wheelbarrow and telling people he is dead?

And the answer is....

Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson


Here are the school's who correctly answered this week's question

Hazelwood North Middle
Rockwood South Middle
Hoech Middle
Washington Middle
Danby Rush Middle
Hixson Middle
Spering Middle
Hollenbeck Middle
Hazelwood Northwest Middle

Great Job!

Next week make sure to check out The Featured Book of the Week as there will be another announcement that is sure to be exciting news for all the teams.

Feature Book of the Week
Bringing the Boys Home by N. A. Nelson

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

FEATURED BOOK OF THE WEEK




"I've seen what the world does to the weak. It'll eat you alive."

Tirio was cast out of the Takunami tribe at a very young age because of his disabled foot. But an American woman named Sara adopted him, and his life has only gotten better since. Now, as his thirteenth birthday approaches, things are nearly perfect. So why is he having visions and hearing voices calling him back to the Amazon?

Luka has spent his whole life preparing for his soche seche tente, a sixth-sense test all Takunami boys must endure just before their thirteenth birthday. His family's future depends on whether or not he passes this perilous test. His mother has dedicated herself to making sure that no aspect of his training is overlooked . . . but fate has a way of disturbing even the most carefully laid plans.

Two young boys. An unforgiving jungle. One shared destiny.


GUEST POST FROM N. A. NELSON

Battle of the Books? Cool-io. I love it!

In a traditional sense of Battle of the Bands, let’s assume that Bringing the Boy Home would sound something like this: staccato violin sounds, broken up by huge cymbals clashing, then joined by some deep and dangerous cello sounds, shaken up with maracas “sh-sh-sshushing” in the background, interspersed with some techno piano synthesizer, and  big ol’ booming drums, crescendoing with a horn and ending with birds tweeting. In other words, this: http://www.ninanelsonbooks.com/video.html.

Thank you so much for including BTBH in this battle. Is it to the death or do we all shake hands and say “Good Game” at the end? Probably the latter, eh? Alright. I’m in.

So what can I say about my book. It was my very first—my debut and it poured out of me like water out of an underground spring. I did a lot of research: survival techniques, jungle flora and fauna, endemic Amazonian tribes, but when it came time to actually writing the book, I remember just sitting back and watching a movie play out somewhere in my head and just trying to keep up as I typed the scene down.

It was fun and easy and I was able to finish the novel in nine months. Sure, there were times when I got “stuck”. For example when I got to the point where I had to know how the two boys were related, I remember panicking, “How am I going to do that without it being obvious?” So I went for a walk and 25 yards into my jaunt, the answer came to me. My two dogs were completely confused (not to mention bummed out) when I turned on my heels and headed back home so I could keep writing.

What I’m trying to say is that while writing BTBH, I was on a bit of a “soche seche tente” a lot like Tirio and Luka. And I followed my gut. I didn’t doubt. A scene would come up and I’d type it down. Not once did I think, “this is stupid.” or “Why am I putting this it there?” I just listened and typed.

This “gut feeling” is called intuition and I’ve learned to stand up and PAY ATTENTION when it comes knocking—not just in my writing but in my life. Where does this feeling come from? Well with Tirio, it came from his dad, but for me? I’m not sure. But I do know that it comes from someplace magical and amazing and when you follow it magical and amazing things happen.

So if you feel like you should “Go left” when everyone else goes right, go for it!  If you want to wear purple and pink pants, then wear them...even if everyone else is wearing blue jeans. Like Tirio, if you listen to that sixth sense, that intuition, that gut feeling—you’ll end up exactly where you’re supposed to be in the end.  Happy. Giddy. And feeling like everything is right with the world. 

Look at me. I did. And I’m rockin’ and sockin’ it out in the Battle of the Books. Trust me on this one. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

I was born in London, England to German parents, who were stationed abroad because my father was in the American Air Force. (Wow—that sounds like the beginning of a spy novel, doesn’t it?)  My father, mother, sister and baby-me lived in Martin Manor, an ivy-cloaked, ten bedroom, drafty mansion with only fireplaces to ward off the damp, foggy chill. Although I don’t remember much about that time of my life, I look happy enough in my baby pictures, so let’s move on. 

After leaving England, my life becomes less spy novel, more Little House on the Prairie as my parents bought a thousand acre farm in rural Missouri. We had cows, pigs, sheep (until they got killed by coyotes), chickens, guineas, peacocks, ducks, geese, Shetland ponies (until one reared back and fell on my sister on an electric fence), cats and dogs. I was in heaven: fishing for snapping turtles in the pond with my brother, riding my black and yellow BMX bike, building hay houses in the barn, eating apples off the trees and reading lots and lots of books. And when I got bored, I wrote—mostly poetry—and listened to Elvis Presley records.  

Then came high school—and the realization that living thirty minutes from town wasn’t really conducive to a thriving social life. I graduated from Rolla High School never having been nominated queen, princess or president of anything, but I did gain valuable fast food experience working at Wendy’s. (Everyone should don polyester and answer the call of the drive-thru window at least once in their lifetime.)

When I entered college (University of Missouri-Columbia,) I had no idea what to major in, but remembering how much I loved to write, I decided on English. Two semesters later I changed my mindtoo many rules: “write like this,” “don’t write like this.” It didn’t feel right to write that way—not for me, at least.    

And then in the middle of my “What am I going to do with my life?” dilemma, somebody told me “Figure out what you love to do and then find a way to get paid to do it.” So I mulled and pondered and brooded and then—light bulb moment: recreation.  I’d been a lifeguard since I was sixteen, had just gotten certified to teach water aerobics (before you laugh, I dare you to take one of my classes) and loved to travel. So after spending a summer lifeguarding at Disney World (Disney College Program)  Apply if/when you’re eligible.), a year studying at the University of Hawaii-Manoa, (Honors Exchange Program, good grades=cool opportunities), and a six month internship at a hotel in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands (Please be nice to the front desk staff, folks.), I received a BS in travel, tourism and recreation—or as my father calls it: underwater basket weaving.

My first job after college was as an aerobics instructor/personal trainer/sales rep at a health and racquet club in Pensacola, FL. Soon after starting there, I was set up on a blind date (yikes!) with a Marine Corps pilot. We fell in love, got two dogs, moved to New York City and became betrothed. (See the dogs in the background?) 

I immediately enrolled in acting classes (What IS it about NYC that makes everyone think they can act?) and met people so passionate about acting, they shamed me. With my tail between my legs, I bowed out, in awe of the crazed look in other student’s eyes when they talked about movies and how they wished they could have gotten so-n-so’s role. I was jealous. I wanted that crazed look. Acting didn’t give it to me.  What would? I had an idea—writing.  


So I bought a yellow legal pad, sharpened my pencils and signed up for a Gotham Writers workshop. Every week my supportive husband would walk me home from class so we could “discuss” how it went. The poor guy didn’t get a word in edgewise. I ranted, I raved, I raked my hair and gestured madly. I talked too loud, too fast and interrupted myself.  I was right where I wanted to be…with that crazed look in my eye. 

However, it wasn’t until one baby and a move later that I started to write in earnest. With my second pregnancy, I had insomnia. Since sleep was no longer an option, I’d trudge downstairs, prop my laptop on my belly and from about midnight to 4 a.m. I’d write. Nine months later I gave birth to a healthy baby boy. It took me an additional three months to complete the manuscript. Yes, finishing my novel was harder than having a child.   

So there you have it, my life: spy novel turned Little House on the Prairie, turned chick lit, turned travelogue, turned…
I don’t know—as with my books, I’m never quite sure of the ending until I write the last word. (Retrieved from author's website http://www.ninanelsonbooks.com/)

I want to thanks Nina for taking time out of her busy schedule writing and agreeing to do a guest post.
 

Question of the Week

Monday, February 7, 2011

Unfortunately, we didn't have too many participates in our first Question of the Week. I really hope more schools incorporate this week post into their team plans. Don't forget the school getting the most questions correct will win a prize to be awarded at Book Battle.

This weeks question is...

In which book does a character save a sick friend from prison by loading him in a wheelbarrow and telling people he is dead?

Don't forget when submitting your answer to include in your comment...

  • Identify what school you are from 
  •  Provide both the complete title of the book from the book battle list and the author's name
Remember you have until Thursday to answer the question .The correct answer and the list of schools who answered correctly will be posted on Friday.
    Good Luck and Good Reading!

    And the Answer Is...

    Friday, February 4, 2011

    Despite the  winter blast I am happy to say that three school participated in this week's Question of the Week, which asked...

    In which book is one of the character's mother an anthropologist?

    And the answer is... 

    Bringing the Boy Home by N. A. Nelson


    Here are the schools who correctly identified the title and author.



    Northwest Middle

    Ladue Middle

    Hixson Middle

    Congratulations!  

    Make sure you check back on Monday for another Question of the Week.  


    Featured book of the Week
    When the Black Girl Sings by Bil Wright

    Wednesday, February 2, 2011

    FEATURE BOOK OF THE WEEK

     
    Lahni Schuler is the only black student at her private prep school. She's also the adopted child of two loving, but white, parents who are on the road to divorce. Struggling to comfort her mother and angry with her dad, Lahni feels more and more alone. But when Lahni and her mother attend a local church one Sunday, Lahni hears the amazing gospel choir, and her life takes an unexpected turn.
     
    It so happens that one of Lahni's teachers, Mr. Faringhelli, has nominated her for a talent competition, and she is expected to perform a song in front of the whole school. Lahni decides to join the church choir to help her become a better singer. But what starts out as a way to practice singing becomes a place of belonging and a means for Lahni to discover her own identity. 

    In this moving book, acclaimed author Bil Wright, tells the story of one girl's search to find a home where she truly belongs.
    (Publisher's summary from Goodreads)

    About the Author

    Bil Wright is the author of When the Black Girl Sings, a Junior Library Guild selection, and Sunday You Learn How to Box, which was one of Booklist's best adult books for teens; a New York Public Library Best Book for the Teen Age; a Coretta Scott King Celebrating the Dream Book; and on the ALA's list of Books for Gay Teens. His poetry and short fiction have appeared in several anthologies, including Shade, Black Like Us, The Road Before Us, and Black Silk. An associate professor of English at the Borough of Manhattan Community College, Bil Wright lives in New York City. Visit him at www.bilwright.com. (Bio and photo retrieved from Simon and Schuster)
     
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