A BIG Thank You goes out to EG Foley

Hey, wait a second...that guy looks suspiciously like our very own Dr. Gennes,
math teacher extraordinaire!

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The April Cover2Cover book club meeting was truly special!  This month's selection was THE LOST HEIR by EG Foley. Not only did everyone get to enjoy some sweet (like sugary sweet!) treats from the Confectioner's Emporium, just like Jake and the gang, but we were honored to have on hand the real-life husband and wife author team.  The book club members had the chance of a lifetime to ask two published authors questions about how they created the story's characters; where they came up with the setting for the story and about the writing process in general.  Many thanks to Dr. Gennes and his wife from the Cover2Cover crew!  It was an afternoon we won't soon forget.

Now, what are you waiting for?  If you haven't joined us yet, it's not too late! You have one final opportunity this school year to experience the excitement that is Cover2Cover.  Next up, we will be reading Out Of My Mind by Sharon M Draper.  Stop by the LMC to pick up a copy of the book and a permission slip and get busy reading!

Ask Mrs. B About…Out Of My Mind

Out Of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper
“Words have always swirled around me like snowflakes--each one delicate and different, each one melting untouched in my hands.
Deep within me, words pile up in huge drifts. Mountains of phrases and sentences and connected ideas. Clever expressions. Jokes. Love songs….
But only in my head.
I have never spoken one single word. I am almost eleven years old.”

Melody is stuck in a class at Spaulding Street School where her days consist of easy alphabet lessons and nursery school songs. But Melody is capable of so much more! Even though she was born with Cerebral Palsy and can’t walk or talk, Melody is very bright. She might even be the smartest kid in school…but no one knows it. Her words and thoughts are trapped in her head and she’s going OUT OF HER MIND!

Melody enters fifth grade and her school starts inclusion classes. She is excited since this will be a great opportunity to be included with the so-called “normal” kids. Her wish for a gadget that shows Garfield-like speech bubbles over her head doesn’t come true, but Melody does get a special computer that allows her to speak for the first time. But even though the computer allows her to speak, that doesn’t mean she is always heard.

Melody’s story is full of many twists and turns and includes friends and family who love and support her, “mean girls” who are just plain rude, a quiz bowl competition and much more. If you’ve ever felt unheard or misunderstood, you’ll want to read Out Of My Mind. I guarantee you will cheer for Melody!

Way to Go Natalie!

Cover2Cover is proud of our very own Natalie. This past weekend she won the Western Pennsylvania spelling bee and will now represent Pittsburgh at the National Spelling Bee in Washington D.C. in May. Way to go Natalie!!! (If you see her, ask her what the heck G-O-B-O. is!)

Photo from Rebecca Droke/Post-Gazette

Natalie Cummings reacts after spelling "gobo" correctly to win the 63rd annual Western Pennsylvania Spelling Bee on Saturday at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC in Lawrenceville. Emily Laurore, left, came in third and Marcus Huetter came in second.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/washington/canonsburg-student-wins-pittsburgh-area-spelling-bee-going-to-dc-680663/#ixzz2ObILzIdf

Cover2Cover - Fablehaven Meeting Recap

Hey CMS readers. If you weren't able to join us for our Cover2Cover book club meeting on Tuesday, March 5th, you really missed out. Lots of fun was had by all, and oh yeah, there were snacks!


This month’s book club selection was Fablehaven, by Brandon Mull.  In this fantasy, Kendra and her brother Seth are sent to stay at Fablehaven with their Grandparents for part of the summer. They soon discover that Fablehaven is a sanctuary for mystical creatures and that their Grandfather is the caretaker. It doesn’t take long before they are caught in a battle of good vs. evil, and Kendra must fight to save her family, Fablehaven and maybe even the world.


We started our meeting with a snack, mixing tears (aka water) and blood (aka strawberry syrup) into milk (aka milk) from a cow named Viola to make a magical elixir.  Read the book.  You'll understand! We also found Kendra’s stash of foil-covered chocolates.




If the magical elixir and tasty chocolates weren’t enough, we then played book bingo.  The lucky winners selected from the coveted stash of scented bookmarks.












Next up was a brownie furniture-building competition.  The Cover2Cover members were charged with building a well-constructed bench just like the brownies in the book.  I’m not sure what the brownies used to repair furniture, but the book club members were stuck with wooden popsicle sticks and spoons.  The winners were rewarded with a sugary treat.

It’s not too late to pick up our next book and join us in April for our meeting. We will be reading THE LOST HEIR written by a husband and wife writing team known as E.G. Foley.   The husband half is our very own magician of math, Dr. Gennes! Now I’m not promising anything, but word on the street (or at least in the LMC) is that we may have special visitors when we discuss the book at our meeting in April. But you didn’t hear it from me. wink.  Stop in the LMC to pick up a copy of THE LOST HEIR and a permission slip. Hope to see you in April!!

Guest Reviewer: Mister B is reading…Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Third Wheel

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Third Wheel by Jeff Kinney

The more things change, the more they stay the same....

The above cliche is a perfect description of the "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" series.  The latest, "The Third Wheel", follows the same script. The usual Greg Hefley family weirdness (this time with the addition of a deadbeat uncle); Greg figuring out creative ways to get out of things leading to some mishap or another; hijinks at school (including the mysterious "pantser").  Same, same.

There is one difference though.  Greg actually seems to be growing up.  Girls weren't a focal point for him in the past, but with the big Valentine's Day dance coming up, finding someone to take becomes the central focus of "The Third Wheel".  There are some funny parts about the search for a date, including some sound advice from the deadbeat uncle.  And the book leads to an entertaining end, with good friend Rowley turning the tables on Greg.

Yeah, "The Third Wheel" is pretty much just like the other "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" books.  But that isn't such a bad thing.  Sometimes, funny is still funny, no matter how many times you read it.

Ask Mrs. B About…Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to NOT Reading

Charlie Joe Jackson’s Guide to NOT Reading by Tommy Greenwald, Illustrated by J.P. Coovert
To say that Charlie Joe Jackson didn’t like to read would be a huge understatement. He would do anything, at any cost, to avoid reading. (Sound like anyone you know?)
Charlie Joe managed to make it to middle school without ever having read an entire book.  He had a plan, and it worked for him…until now! His friend Timmy no longer was willing to accept ice cream sandwiches in exchange for telling Charlie Joe about the books he should have read.
You might think that Charlie Joe would realize it was time to start doing his own reading.  Yeah, right!  More scheming and plotting ensues.  Will he get through middle school with his non-reading record intact?
This is a fun, fast read that even Charlie Joe Jackson would enjoy if he weren’t so busy trying to NOT read!
Oh, and if you too are a non-reader and aren't convinced this book is worth picking up, you may want to read it just for the Tips for NOT reading that Charlie Joe provides throughout the book, starting with “If you have to read a book, make sure it has short chapters.”