Author Rohan Gavin to visit Poe!

I'm excited to announce that Poe Middle School will host the author of the Knightley and Son series this Monday afternoon- October 3, 2016!  Mr. Rohan Gavin will talk about his newest installment, Knightley and Son: 3 Of A Kind.

VRC Book Trailer: The Crossover by Kwame Alexander

One of the titles for this year's Virginia Reader's Choice titles is The Crossover by Kwame Alexander.  Josh Bell's basketball skills are at the center of this story- told in verse.  Josh's poems tell of his awesome basketball skills and of some of the problems he encounters in the course of the year.  Check it out:

Book Fair next week!

The annual Book Fair starts Monday!  Lots of great books including The Long Haul, The Maze Runner, and Four, the latest by Insurgent's Veronica Roth.  Bring your parents on Tuesday and/or Wednesday before the Holiday concerts- we're open until 7.

You can also shop the Book Fair online at: http://bookfairs.scholastic.com/homepage/poemiddleschool.

Bomb : the race to build and steal the world's most dangerous weapon by Steven Sheinkin

I just finished Bomb: the race to build and steal the world's most dangerous weapon by Steven Sheinkin.  It's another selection from this year's Virginia Reader's Choice selections.  Wow- what a book!

It's a fantastic read for anyone who's seeking the adventures of a spy-thriller.  Science buffs and history buffs will also enjoy the fascinating subject.  Here's a brief description:

In December of 1938, a chemist in a German laboratory made a shocking discovery: When placed next to radioactive material, a Uranium atom split in two. That simple discovery launched a scientific race that spanned 3 continents. In Great Britain and the United States, Soviet spies worked their way into the scientific community; in Norway, a commando force slipped behind enemy lines to attack German heavy-water manufacturing; and deep in the desert, one brilliant group of scientists was hidden away at a remote site at Los Alamos. This is the story of the plotting, the risk-taking, the deceit, and genius that created the world's most formidable weapon. This is the story of the atomic bomb.

What I really liked about this book is that it manages to cover some really difficult scientific topics in a way that’s very easy to understand.  Sheinkin also does a good job at making this serious subject relevant to the world today.  Very thought-provoking.  An excellent choice for a narrative non-fiction. 

Welcome back, Ravens!

I hope you’ve all had a fantastic summer and got yourselves caught up in a good book like I did.  After all, summer vacation is the best time to read just for the fun of it!

This year’s selections for Virginia Reader’s Choice are here.  I’ll highlight one each week and I’m starting with Endangered by Eliot Schrefer:

Congo is a dangerous place, even for people who are trying to do good.

When Sophie has to visit her mother at her sanctuary for bonobos, she's not thrilled to be there. Then Otto, an infant bonobo, comes into her life, and for the first time she feels responsible for another creature.

But peace does not last long for Sophie and Otto. When an armed revolution breaks out in the country, the sanctuary is attacked, and the two of them must escape unprepared into the jungle. Caught in the crosshairs of a lethal conflict, they must struggle to keep safe, to eat, and to live.

Wow- the perfect choice for anyone who’s in the mood for a quick action / adventure / survival story.  Stop by the library to check out your copy!

Return your library books!

It's time to gather your library books and return them to the library.   All books should be returned or paid for no later than June 11,^, 2014. 

Family teamwork is the best way of finding overdues, so please work with your parents and start looking now.  Ask them to help you look at home and be sure to include the following “usual places”:

• On the family bookshelf
• Under the bed, back of the closet, etc.
• In sibling’s rooms

Please email Mr. Wineberg or call at (703) 813-3835 if you have any questions.

Dare to be Scared: New Horror Titles in the Library

Horror is one of the most popular genres/categories of fiction in the library.  In fact, “Where are the scary books?” is a question I get asked all the time!  Here are three new horror books I selected from a bunch recently added to the library.  Read on if you dare.

Ashes by Ilsa Bick is the first in a in a trilogy by a well-known author.  Ashes is one part Hunger Games and one part Walking Dead (ZOMBIES!)

In The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson, Rory’s recent move to London coincides with a string of murders that mimic the infamous Jack, the Ripper.  As the only one who saw the killer, she becomes his next target and the race is on.  It’s a mix of ghosts / time travel / murder-thriller- a good read for anyone looking for a good old-fashioned “what happens next?” page-turner.  It’s also the first in a series so… there’s more on the way!

And, finally- Insomnia by J.R. Johansson.                                                             
In·som·ni·a:  noun. inability to obtain sufficient sleep, especially when chronic; difficulty in falling or staying asleep; sleeplessness.

Nothing sets the stage for horror like sleep problems and, in this book, Parker is doomed for trouble- he hasn’t slept in four years!  Instead, he’s haunted by other peoples’ dreams at night.  Creepy.  See, Parker is a “dream walker”.  Approaching madness followed by death, Parker’s fortune changes when he meets Mia.  She can help him- as long as she’s willing to.  When she starts receiving threats, Parker starts to question his reality- and his sanity.  This book is Dark and suspenseful- another good page-turner that will leave you hanging until you get your hands on the sequel!