ATHLETE VS. MATHLETE by W.C. Mack

W.C. Mack. Athlete vs. Mathlete. New York: Bloomsbury Children's 

Books, 2013. ISBN  9781599908588

Russell and Owen are fraternal twins.  Even though they are brothers, they couldn't be more different. Owen is a super jock, interested only in basketball.  Russell is super smart and interested in reading, studying, and making straight A's in school.  Seventh grade is beginning, and both twins are facing a problem.  Russell's "Master's of the Mind" team needs a new team member, and Owen's basketball team has a new coach who is making everyone re-try out for the team.  Things get worse:  the new basketball coach meets Russell and, seeing that he is so tall, forces Russell to try out for the team.  Russell now begins to miss his "Master's of the Mind" meetings and Owen thinks he is stealing the spotlight from him.  Everyone just wants things to go back to normal.  But what is 'normal'?  Can Russell be a mathlete and an athlete?  

This book is superbly written in first person narrative.  Each chapter, the twins take turns telling their side of the story.  The reader is able to see both boys' perspective, which makes the story even more enjoyable.  The author sets the tone and the mood of the story better than most middle grade novels I have read.  I love that you are mad at both brothers at one point in the story, and you can't decide which side to take.  The lesson or moral of the story is great, one that needs to be told over and over.  So far, this is my favorite of the Bluebonnet Reading Lists this year. 

Athlete vs. Mathlete in the Classroom

While reading this book, it will be the perfect time to partner with the gym teacher when he/she is teaching the rules of basketball.

Here is an article about the difference between boys' and girls' basketball.  After reading the article, students can create a Venn Diagram or Double Bubble Map to show the differences and similarities.

The characters in this book are very unique and strong.  Students can analyze characters, especially Russell and Owen. 

The theme, or message, of the story is big.  This would be a great book to discuss theme.

Awards for Athlete vs. Mathlete

Texas Bluebonnet Nominee 2014

#8 on Amazon's Top 100 Best Seller List

Nominated for Iowa's Children's Choice Award

More Fiction Books About Basketball

Big Nate: Game On! by Lincoln Pierce

Travel Team by Mike Lupica

Airball: My Life in Briefs by Lisa Harkrader

LIAR & SPY by Rebecca Stead

Jacket Art 2012 Yan  Nascimbene

Stead, Rebecca. Liar & Spy. New York: Wendy Lamb Books, 2012. ISBN 9780385737432

The award winning author Rebecca Stead writes a story about a seventh grader, Georges (the s is silent), who is not popular at school.  He is a little of a geek, but very likable.  His family is forced to move out of their house into a Brooklyn apartment after his father is laid off from his job.  Georges meets a boy named Safer, who has appointed himself the building spy.  He recruits Georges to spy on Mr. X, who leaves the buildings with a large suitcase often and always wears black.  Safer gets more and more serious about spying, and Georges has to decide how far he will go to help out his new friend.

I loved this book and the characters.  You wonder through the entire book, who is the spy and who is the liar.  There are many surprises through the book, you find out things aren't really as they seem to be.  The message is subtle, but a very good message for all ages. Georges learns that sometimes people lie because they are afraid.  There is also quite a bit of humor throughout the book and puns.  Some might be harder for students to understand, but this would be a good classroom lesson.

Liar & Spy in the classroom:

Rebecca Stead makes many references to artist Georges Saurat and the game Scrabble.  Similar to her other books, she gives many opportunities throughout the book to bring in outside conversations about art, literature, and popular culture.  There is also extensive scenes from the science classroom that can lead to other science lessons extending from the book.

The sense of taste is referenced many times throughout the book.  A study of senses, or the five different types of taste buds, would be a great extension of this book.

The artist Georges Seurat is mentioned many times in the book, and Georges' parents have a painting in their living room.  This would be a good chance to collaborate with the art teacher and bring in images of Seurat's paintings.  Students can also learn more about Seurat here.  See Seurat's paintings at this link, then ask students if they can figure out which painting was in Georges' living room from the description in the book. (warning -- there is one nude painting toward the bottom of the page.  Preview before showing in the classroom!)

Awards for Liar & Spy

Bluebonnet List for 2014 - 2015

School Library Journal Best of Children's Books 2012

Publisher's Weekly Best of Children's Books 2012

New York Times Bestseller

THE LOST TREASURE OF TUCKERNUCK by Emily Fairlie

Laurie Madison is a sixth grader at Tuckernuck Hall, a school in danger of being torn down.   Laurie desperately wants to transfer to Hamilton, where her best friend attends school.  Laurie believes that if she finds the treasure left by the first school principal, Maria Tutweiler, all her problems will be over.  Laurie ends up on guinea pig duty with the school outcast, Bud Wallace.  Together they set out on a quest to solve the puzzle and find Tuckernuck's treasure.  The school board wants to tear down the school, so will Bud and Laurie find the treasure in time to save the school?

Fairlie, Emily. The Lost Treasure of Tuckernuck.
illustrated by Antonio Javier Caparo. New York: Harper Collins, 2012.
ISBN 9780062118905

This novel is laugh out loud funny!  Fairlie develops the characters wonderfully, and the reader is able to solve the puzzles along with Laurie and Bud.  Fairlie mixes classic prose with emails, notes, and lists to make the story fun for readers.  Will you be able to solve the puzzle before Laurie and Bud?

A Note about the Author:

Emily Fairlie went to Tukahoe Middle School in Virginia and also owned two gerbil escape artists. 

Awards for The Lost Treasure of Tuckernuck

2014 - 2015 Bluebonnet Nominee

The Lost Treasure of Tuckernuck in the classroom

Click here for a reader's theatre script to use as a book teaser in the classroom or library. 

Click here to read Emily Dickinson's poem that is referenced in the book. 

Have students create their own scavenger hunt.  You can find steps and instructions on creating a scavenger hunt at this website.

THE FAULT IN OUR STARS by John Green

Green, John. The Fault in Our Stars. Dutton
Books. 2012 ISBN 978052478812

Hazel is 16 years old and has been diagnoses with terminal cancer.  Her lungs no longer function well, and she must carry "Philip the oxygen tank" with her everywhere she goes.  Hazel believes her final chapter has already been written and refuses to go see friends and hates that her mom wants her to go to a Cancer Kid Support Group.  Then enter Augustus Waters.  Hazel meets beautiful Augustus at the Cancer Kid Support Group and her whole world is changed.

Hazel and Augustus are not typical 16 year olds, due to their diagnosis of cancer.  They have been forced to grow up too soon, and they see the world differently then normal teenagers.  These characters will grow on you through the book, and you will love them.  This book will cause you to have every emotion you can think of.  You will laugh out loud! You will be angry! You WILL cry!

Awards for The Fault In Our Stars

#1 New York Times Bestseller

#1 Wall Street Journal Bestseller

#1 USA Today Bestseller

Reviews for The Fault In Our Stars

"In it's every aspect, The Fault in Our Stars is a triumph." ~ Booklist

"A smartly crafted intellectual explosion of romance." ~ Kirkus

"An achingly beautiful story" ~ School Library Journal

Other Books by John Green

Looking for Alaska. Dutton Books. 2005.
An Abundance of Catherines. Dutton Books. 2008
Paper Towns. Dutton Books. 2009