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7^th and 8^th grade students had a wonderful treat this week: a visit by popular YA author Cinda Williams Chima, writer of the highly-reviewed Heir Chronicles and the brand new Demon King.

Cinda met with three sections of graders and 3 sections of 8^th graders in Humanities 104 (Karen Mihata’s room). She discussed the writing process, getting published, the importance of revision, naming characters, and the politics of book jackets/covers. Among other things, she told the students that reading a well-written book “is like taking a writing workshop with a master.” She also encouraged the students to write the kinds of books that they enjoy reading.

Karen Mihata particularly liked what Cinda told the students about truly understanding the characters about whom they write. She said that writers need to know the answers to two important questions: What does my character want? What is standing in the way?

Following her formal presentation, Cinda answered student questions and signed books.

Many thanks to the University Bookstore in Bellevue and Cheryl Steele for bringing Cinda to Overlake.

The Middle School Bookfair, with about 800 books provided by the University Bookstore in Bellevue, was a great success! Students visited with English or Social Studies classes and could also drop by during lunch and after school. Many thanks to all the teachers who gave class time for students to attend, and to all the truly wonderful volunteers who helped with set-up, staffing, and pack-up. I couldn’t have done it without you! Check out a few pictures:

Posted by Rebecca Moore

The fourth in Jeff Kinney’s hilarious series debuted at #1 on Amazon.com, which just emphasizes how much kids LOVE this series. I hope I ordered enough for bookfair (I probably didn’t)! Here’s a story about it on NPR.

Popular YA fantasy author Cinda Williams Chima, writer of the highly reviewed ‘Heir Chronicles’ (‘Warrior Heir,’ ‘Wizard Heir,’ ‘Dragon Heir’), is touring to promote her newest book, ‘The Demon King.’ It just received the rarest of high ratings from ‘VOYA’ magazine, a 5Q 5P, which means it is not only spectacularly written, but will be highly popular with readers. 

Ms. Chima will be coming to Overlake on October 21, and will make three presentations to two classes each; presenting to a total of 119 students. Students will have the opportunity to purchase Ms. Chima’s books on their student accounts if they bring in the order form linked in the ebulletin by October 20. We are thrilled to be able to host this visit! Many thanks to the University Bookstore in Bellevue for making it possible.

Posted by Rebecca Moore

I was recently asked to put together a list of popular books for middle school boys who were just discovering the joys of reading.

Number one is, of course:

Posted by Rebecca Moore

Check out library assistant Karen Wright’s wonderful Halloween bulletin board, with a 3-d tree made of the brown paper packing material used by our library supply company!

Posted by Rebecca Moore

The Middle School Bookfair is coming to the Campus Center Board Room! Books are provided by the University Bookstore in Bellevue, and were chosen by Rebecca Moore, Overlake students, and the bookstore. Students will attend the bookfair with either their English or Social Studies classes, and may purchase books by using their student accounts; no cash or checks. Tax will be added. Please talk with your students about how much (if anything!) they may spend at the Bookfair. Students are never required to purchase books at the Bookfair.

If you are interested in volunteering for the bookfair, either on setup day (Sunday, 10/18, from 10 AM) or one of the bookfair days, contact Rebecca Moore: rmoore@theoverlakeschool.org I would be thrilled to hear from you!

Posted by Rebecca Moore

The Bulwer-Lytton Hall of Shame 2009-2010

19^th century novelist Edward Bulwer-Lytton, famous for such lines as “It was a dark and stormy night…,” was such a terrible writer that San José University started an annual contest to see who could write opening sentences even worse than his. This year, the Overlake School Library ran its fifth Bulwer-Lytton contest, and the results were… well…terrible! Out of 85 entries, here are the winners and honorable mentions for 2009-2010:

 First Place—10 Points

The camel had a horrible hangnail from the unusually sharp date pit he had encountered at the oasis, and some sort of infection was brewing, but this has nothing to do with our story about Tabitha, the neon-green cat.

–E.M., 8^th

 Second Place—7 points

Antonio Juan Espinosa-Perez, the last of his kind, was a handsome, proud Spanish Conquistador who knew all too well that the only chance to make his ancesters proud lay just a few feet ahead of him, and this would be his moment of a lifetime, when only he and he alone could make his people proud, become famous beyond his wildest dreams and rule his entire world if only he had remembered to pack a twinkie to bribe the playground bully.

– A.L., 7^th

Third Place—5 Points

Charles Potter, world reknowned physicist and mathematician, or “Chip” as he  was affectionately called by all who truly knew him well, was a true romantic who also possessed the gift of infinte love which was demonstratively and asymptotically unparalleled in the universe, but unfortunately, his all-consuming passion for those he valued and treasured the most would inevitably end tragically as he would, time and time again, yield to his innate animal instincts and proceed in devouring them whole in a passionate embrace, and once again his true love would be gone in an instant, since, after all, they all were a mere finite bag of 6 oz potato chips.

– A.L., 7^th

Honorable Mention—3 points

Peter was a boy who spent much of his childhood killing ogres, hatching dragon eggs, and learning the skills ofa magician, but alas, this is not a tale of his childhood, it is a recounting of his adult life…as a lawyer.

– R.M., 7th

For more information on the contest, check out the Middle School Activities Page on the Library website. 

Posted by Rebecca Moore

The Library receives new materials–books, DVDs, etc.–almost daily, and every month I compile a list of everything new and post it to the library website. Come on by and check out the new arrivals!