It's a Magical World: Calvin and Hobbes Collection

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It’s a Magical World: Calvin and Hobbes Collection
Calvin & Hobbes Collection Series
by Bill Watterson
ISBN 978083622136
Andrews and McMeel, 1996
Comic
165 pages
6+
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Annotation: Calvin and his crazy imagination are sure to drive you wild!

Summary: Calvin and Hobbs are off on another adventure featuring baby sitters, aliens, and school. With Hobbs always attacking Calvin, this book will give you a lot of adventure.[1]

Critique: This book is a great book because there is a lot of humor in it. I didn't like the monsters and the aliens in the book but it was part of the entertainment. I liked Calvin because he is entertaining and adventurous.

Biography: Bill Watterson was born in 1958 in Washington, D.C. He graduated from Kenyon College in 1980. His wife, Melissa is an artist. [2] He is an American cartoonist and the author of the comic strip Calvin and Hobbes cartoon series

[1] http://lambiek.net/artists/w/watterson.htm

[2] "Bill Watterson." Contemporary Authors Online. Detroit: Gale, 2008. Literature Resource Center. Gale. San Francisco Public Library. 4 Aug. 2009

[3] Retrieved the image from: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/imageviewer.asp?ean=9780740777967

The Complete Peanuts 1985-1966

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The Complete Peanuts 1965-1966
by Charles M. Schulz
ISBN 9781560977247
Fantagraphics Books
Comic
344 pages
6+
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Annotation: You will laugh your way through these comics.

Summary: Welcome to the world of Peanuts. With Charlie Brown and his team falling behind every game to Linus trying to discard his blanket, this will give you the laugh of a lifetime!

Critique: This comic book is very funny and entertaining for people of all ages. Some of the parts of the comic I didn't get so not all the strips were entertaining. My favorite character was Snoopy because he is not an ordinary beagle. Instead, he can think like a real human being. He is very entertaining.

Biography: Charles M. Schulz was born November 25, 1922 in Minneapolis. His destiny was foreshadowed when an uncle gave him, at the age of two days, the nickname Sparky (after the racehorse Spark Plug in the newspaper strip Barney Google). In his senior year in high school, his mother noticed an ad in a local newspaper for a correspondence school, Federal Schools (later called Art Instruction Schools). Schulz passed the talent test, completed the course and began trying, unsuccessfully, to sell gag cartoons to magazines. (His first published drawing was of his dog, Spike, and appeared in a 1937 Ripley's Believe It Or Not! installment.)

Between 1948 and 1950, he succeeded in selling 17 cartoons to the Saturday Evening Post—as well as, to the local St. Paul Pioneer Press, a weekly comic feature called Li'l Folks. It was run in the women's section and paid $10 a week. After writing and drawing the feature for two years, Schulz asked for a better location in the paper or for daily exposure, as well as a raise. When he was turned down on all three counts, he quit. He started submitting strips to the newspaper syndicates.

In the spring of 1950, he received a letter from the United Feature Syndicate, announcing their interest in his submission, Li'l Folks. Schulz boarded a train in June for New York City; more interested in doing a strip than a panel, he also brought along the first installments of what would become Peanuts—and that was what sold. (The title, which Schulz loathed to his dying day, was imposed by the syndicate). The first Peanuts daily appeared October 2, 1950; the first Sunday, January 6,1952.Diagnosed with cancer, Schulz retired from Peanuts at the end of 1999.

He died on February 13, 2000, the day before Valentine's Day—and the day before his last strip was published—having completed 17,897 daily and Sunday strips, each and every one fully written, drawn, and lettered entirely by his own hand—an unmatched achievement in comics.[1]

If you want to know more about Charles M. Schulz, please visit the website:

http://www.animationusa.com/resources/aboutschulz.html

http://www.schulzmuseum.org/exhibits-loan.html#beethoven

[1] http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Complete-Peanuts-1965-1966/Charles-M-Schulz/e/9781560977247/?itm=1

[2] The image retrieved from: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/imageviewer.asp?ean=9781560977247

On Pointe

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On Pointe
by Lorie Ann Grover
ISBN 9781416978268
Aladdin, 2008
Contemporary Life
320 pages
8-12
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Annotation: Clare yearns to be a ballerina but her size might stop her from doing what she likes doing best.

Summary: Clare’s body structure deprives her of going on to be a professional ballerina. Will she continue dancing as her grandfather’s health gets worse or will she stop altogether?

Critique: This book was written in a form like poetry form. There was a character description at the beginning that tells us why they chose to dance.

Biography: Lorie Ann Grover has devoted herself to arts. Her passion was first directed to ballet. For ten years, she danced and ultimately became a member of Miami Ballet Company. Growing too tall to continue in classical dance, she began to express herself through visual fine art at the University to Miami. Eventually, she realized her true desire was to create books for children. She lived with her husband, David, in South Korea, where she spent most of her time painting and writing poetry. The Grovers have two daughters, Emily and Ellen, and live in Sumner, Washington. The author of Loose Threads, Lorie Ann was inspired to write On Pointe by her own experiences as a teenage member of the Miami Ballet Company. [1]

If you want to know more about her, please visit the websites:

http://www.myspace.com/lorieanngrover

http://lorieanngrover.blogspot.com/

http://www.lorieanngrover.com/

[1] http://search.barnesandnoble.com/On-Pointe/Lorie-Ann-Grover/e/9781416978268/?itm=1

Retrieved the image from: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/imageviewer.asp?ean=9781416978268

High School Musical 2

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High School Musical 2
Directed by Kenny Ortega
UPC: 786936740370
Walt Disney Video: 2007
Contemporary Life
(Movie)
258 pages
12+
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Annotation: When Troy and the Wildcats go to Lava Springs to work, they never expected Sharpay to appear.

Summary: School is out and it’s time for summer! Troy and the wildcats are looking for summer jobs and Lava Springs hired them. Who knew that Sharpay and her family are members there? Sharpay is planning to ruin Gabriela and Troy’s summer romance with a few plans of her own.

Critique: The book was good with its details. The movie was missing some parts of the books but don’t they always? The movie’s scenery was absolutely breathtaking. I loved the idea of a pink piano in the pool. The ice cubes were great and the dog was adorable!

Biography: This movie is directed by Kenny Ortega. He is an Emmy award-winning American producer, director, and choreographer.[1]

If you want to know about Kenny, please visit his website at:

http://www.kennyortega.com/Kenny_Ortega/Welcome.html

[1] http://www.lalines.com/bigfiles/articles/Ortega_Bio.pdf

[2] Retrieved the image from: http://video.barnesandnoble.com/search/imageviewer.asp?ean=786936767605

Miles to Go

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Miles to Go
by Miley Cyrus
ISBN 978142311920
Hyperion Books for Children, 2009
272 pages
Biography
8-12
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Annotation: Explore Miley’s world as she goes through problems and stardom.

Summary: In this book, Miley talks about her life. Did you know that Miley used to be bullied? And that she almost didn't land the part of Hannah Montana? That Hannah Montana's alter ego should have been another name? Read more about Miley. The book also includes stuff she likes such as her favorite food. It also has pictures of her childhood.

Critique: This book was good because it told us the hardship of being a superstar. It also tells us the truth about Miley. We all think superstars have great lives but this book tells us how exhausting it can be to have to perform and everything. There were also words to help us understand the text better in the margins. There were many pictures of her and doodles that were interesting.

Biography: Three years ago, Miley Cyrus was a virtual unknown. Her life in rural Tennessee was filled with family, friends, school, cheerleading, and the daily tasks of living on a farm. And then came a little show called Hannah Montana. Almost overnight, Miley would rocket to superstardom, becoming a television and singing phenomenon. Quiet days were replaced with sold-out concerts, television appearances, and magazine shoots. But through it all, Miley has remained close to her family and friends and has stayed connected to the Southern roots that made her so strong.[1]

If you want to know about Miley, please visit her website at:

http://www.mileycyrus.com/splash/tour2009?content_url=/official

[1] http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Miles-to-Go/Miley-Cyrus/e/9781423119920

[2] Retrieved the image from: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/imageviewer.asp?ean=9781423119920

Millicent Min, Girl Genius

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Millicent Min, Girl Genius
by Lisa Yee
ISBN 9780439425209
Scholastic, Inc., 2004
Contemporary Life
272 pages
12+
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Annotation: Millicent is not your average teenager because of her very high IQ. When she makes a friend, she hides that secret from her but that leads to trouble.

Summary: Millicent Min is born with an amazingly high IQ. But because of her high IQ and the way she talks like a genius, nobody wants to be friends with. Summer is starting and she finds that she has to tutor Stanford Wong, a straight F student and go to volleyball practice. At volleyball, she finds a friend who doesn’t know of her smartness. When Emily (her friend), finds out about her IQ, will she be disappointed or mad?

Critique: This book showed a lot of feelings and the pressure to be smart. The book was also very humorous.

Biography: Lisa Yee is the author of Millicent Min, Girl Genius, Stanford Wong flunks big-time and So Totally Emily Ebers. The winner of the Sid Fleischman Humor Award and Chinese American Librarians Association Book of the Year. Her other accolades include USA Today Critics’ Pick, ALA Notable Book, Junior Library Guild, and 1st place wheelbarrow race (7th grade). She was recently named the 2007 Thurber House Children’s Writer-in-Residence.[1]

[1] http://www.debbimichikoflorence.com/author_interviews/2007/LisaYee.htmlin

You can know more about her by visiting her website: http://www.lisayee.com/Index.htm

[2] Retrieved the image from: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/imageviewer.asp?ean=9780439425209

Bratfest at Tiffany's (Clique Series #9)

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Bratfest at Tiffany’s (Clique Series #9)
by Lisi Harrison
ISBN 9780316006804
Little, Brown & Company, 2008
Contemporary Life
256 pages
12+
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Annotation: When Massie announces a boyfast for the PC, some of the members disagree. But do they really want to jeopardize their position on the PC for a boy?

Summary: After an unfortunate incident at OCD's brother's school, the boys are forced to move into OCD. Massie and her friend's popularity dives down when the boys moves in. (OCD is an all girl's school) Massie decides to announce a boyfast and anyone in the PC who breaks the boyfast has to leave the PC forever. Then there was no room in the school building so Massie and the PC (except for Alicia) moves to trailers. Will Alicia survive the boyfast after finding her one true love? Will Massie be able to follow her own rules after meeting gorgeous Dempsey? And will Claire be able to brush away any memories of her ex boyfriend Cam?

Critique: I loved this book because of the details and the clever sayings that were in it. It was bad because there were parts of the book that were not that exciting. I liked Alicia because she chooses her own path.

Biography: Television, and was responsible for creating and developing original programming for air on MTV. Lisi also served as Head Writer for MTV Production and before that she had her own column in Jane Magazine. She recently moved from New York City to Laguna Beach, California, and is currently working on more Clique novels, as well as her first YA novel about a summer camp legend, The Sunshine Girls, publishing in hardcover in Spring 2009.

[1]

If you want to know about her, please visit her website at:

http://www.lisiharrison.net/home.html

[1] http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Bratfest-at-Tiffanys/Lisi-Harrison/e/9780316006804/?itm=1

[2] Retrieved the image from:

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/imageviewer.asp?ean=9780316006804