Tues, June 25th

Stepping up is tomorrow!!!  We will see the kids at normal time in the morning ready to go.  The actual ceremony starts at 9:30 sharp! Thank you to the parents who came in to decorate and set up the gym today.  It looks amazing.

Just a reminder that we are heading to Kits Beach rain or shine. Bring appropriate clothing and something to do in bad weather just in case.  Also, if it’s raining the concession may be closed!  Fingers crossed though that the weather is just like today!

Finally, we will be having a little picnic on Thursday afternoon with all the 6/7s. Feel free to bring blankets and treats or anything else that sounds like fun!

Wed, June 19

A great play day today!  The kids played games, puzzles, make things, drew things, coloured, created, and lounged.

Just a reminder that tomorrow we are heading to the Vancouver Canadians game.  Bring a hat and sunblock!  

Summer Reading List

Thanks to some great book reviews, all compiled by Ms. Manhas, we have a summer reading list ready to use as a resource.  Go to the library this summer!  Remember, the library has ebooks too!

DIVISION 1’S BOOK REVIEWS

13 Reasons Why – Jay Asher
Reviewed by: Arjun
“13 Reasons Why is an amazing book. If you can handle a dark, mature read then this may be the book for you. The story of the book is original and unique. The book moves at a fast pace and is hard to predict. If you choose to do a project on this book, it will be hard because you have to keep it authentic and as close to the book as possible. Please do not read this book if you think it’s “cool” because (1) you won’t find it cool and (2) you have to be serious and mature (there are some parts that involve kissing, drugs, etc.). If you don’t care for the book, it won’t be interesting. Over-all I’d give the book a 7/10 and it is now one of my favourites. You won’t want to put is down once you start.

Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce
Reviewed by: Ben H.
“Alanna of Trebond wants to be a knight but it’s against the rules. With the help of her twin brother, she cuts her hair to look like a boy. However, she didn’t realize how many barriers were going to get in the way. With her friends on her side, Alanna pushes through many of her obstacles. This book is full of adventure and sacrifice – it’s a thrilling novel and is a series of four books.”

Breakout – Kate Messner
Reviewed by: Ace
“This book is about a town in the state of New York, with a correctional facility (prison) and the main characters who live there (Nora is an aspiring journalist and Lizzie is a creative comedian). During the end of the school year, Eldee Jones moves from the city of New York with her hard-working mom. With thing moving as normal, inmates escape from prison putting the town in in security questions, fear and curiosity. Nora and Lizzie set off to try and provide news about the prison breakout to the time capsule project- giving knowledge to those future citizens of Wolf Creek. The book was a wonderful read with tons of action and lifestyle from people who experienced insecurity during a massive manhunt- involving hundred of investigators, state troopers, corrections officers. It is a very good book for reads who want problem solving and understand what it would be like experiencing a manhunt, being confident, starting new friendships and being there for others. Overall, I would recommend reading it!

Cinder – Marisa Meyers
Reviewed by: Katelyn
“Cinder is a book about a cyborg Cinder who is trapped under the ownership od her stepmother, Ari. Cinder’s friend Peony is her only human friend. Suddenly something happened to Peony and Cinder has to do whatever she can to save her. The cyborg mechanic doesn’t have much, but she does everything in her power to help the people that matter to her. During her adventure, she learns so many things about other people, but a huge secret about herself is revealed. On that even she wouldn’t believe. I hated this book but not because of the book itself. I started to dislike this book because I had to read it in such a short amount of time, which made the process of reading unenjoyable and stressful. I find the storyline to be quite nice and when you reach the end of a chapter, the suspense will put you in a position where you won’t want to stop reading. I would suggest this book to other people”

Crossover – Kwame Alexander
Reviewed by: Euan
“if you want a really short, easy read. choose Crossover. I am a slow read and read 40 pages in 20 minutes. Crossover is about 2 brothers who love basketball, and their dad who is a retired basketball player who coaches them on their journey. There are ups and downs, tragic accidents and teen drama. The author writes the whole book in poetry but after the first few chapters you don’t even notice. If you’re into sports or not, Crossover is a fun read for everyone.

Danny the Champion of the World - Roald Dahl
Reviewed by: Ben T
“ I liked the book because it teaches you that you can have a good life even if you don’t have a lot of money, Your life can still be fun and you don’t have to be bored all the time In this book, the narrator is Danny; him and his father are the main characters. In the book, Danny’s mom dies when he was only 4 months old. After that at the age of nine he found out that his dad left him while he was asleep. Danny went to find his dad but when he went to go find him, his dad told him that he was hunting peasants”

Everland- Wendy Spinale
Reviewed by: Tiffany
“For fans of Peter Pan, this is a fantastic read! With a large disease that has taken over Britain. You have two points of view that makes your brain twist on what side you’re on. You also have the charming daredevil Pete, and Bella as a young girl with mechanical steampunk wings. Kidnappers stole one of the main character’s sister and now they must save Joanna (the sister). With the skin shivering hook, you will not be able to put this book down.”

Friends for Life – Andrew Norris
Reviewed by: Pauline
“Friends for Life is a book about a girl named Jessica who is dead. She meets many friends, but nobody except for these friends can see or hear her. Her friends all have one thing in common: they don’t have many other friends and they were bullied by other kids. Jessica has to find out who she is and how she died in order to go home. I really enjoyed this book, but it is a book with high reading level. This book is for those who are looking for a suspenseful and dark read. If you plan to read it, a warning: the title is a lot more lighthearted but the subject matter is quite dark.”

Genius the Game- Leopoldo Gout
Reviewed by: Thea
“Genius the Game is about 3 kids that are good with tech, inventions etc. One day, something called The Game comes up around the world and the host is Keran (a world wide superstar). This game is made up of geniuses around the world that compete to win cash, but soon the main protagonist found out something much bigger than they imagined. This book is for people who love mysteries and suspense. Over all I think it is a good fit for Grade 6-9s because it is pretty long. I really enjoyed it and hope others will too”.

Howard Wallace, PI – Casey Lyall
Reviewed by: Edmund
“Howard Wallace is a great book for teens who like action and mystery themed book. It’s about this teenage boy named Howard Wallace, a detective who is very dismissive of other people. One day, this girl that works for student council named Meredith Reddy comes to his office because someone stole the checks that volunteers earned, and is trying to blackmail her to quit student council. Howard immediately and gratefully accepts the case. But Howards’ case goes wrong when a new kid named Ivy Mason begs him to become his sidekick. Obviously, he knows that’s lame, but does it anyway. However, Howard has a bad reputation with teachers, and always gets caught while he investigates. Can he solve the mystery without getting in trouble?

It's Kind of a Funny Story- Ned Vizzini
Reviewed by: Jacob
“I thought this book was very well written. The book is about a boy named Craig who has some mental health issues. I would not recommend this for the faint of heart due to its dark subject matter. I thought this book was good but not great. The story was a little bit confusing. I would recommend this book for people who may need help fully understanding mental illnesses”

Neverwhere – Neil Gaiman
Reviewed by: Sarah
“I enjoyed this book so much for a few reasons. One, it’s creepy and it had some gore but not too much. Secondly, the pictures are drawn in a very cool style that makes the book even better. Lastly, the way the plot was laid out worked so well and how it ended made me want to read the next book. The book was confusing at some points, but it was a good time of confusing”.

One of Us is Lying – Karen McManus
Reviewed by: Jack
“The book is about the mysterious death of Simon Miller. There is lots of action and suspense. If you like drama and suspense, this book is for you. I think that this book is good for grades 7-10. I really enjoyed the book and I hope you do too”.

Rain Reign – Ann Martin
Reviewed by: Maya
“This book focuses on a child who is on the autistic spectrum. The main character is a girl who is determined, curious and extremely knowledgeable for her age (10 years old). Her name is Rose and she leads you through her day to day life. You will read about her alcoholic father, her caring uncle, Rain (her beloved dog), hurricanes and a school life without friends. It is a mix of comedy and true heartbreak. Rose authentically touches the hearts of all ages, but I would recommend this book to kids ages 8-14 years old”.

Rain Reign – Ann Martin
Reviewed by: Talia
“Rain Reign is an emotional and loving book. It will show how a young girl can make tough decisions to her save her dog. In order to help save her dog she has to balance out her alcoholic dad, her school, and the schedules. This young girl who as Asperger’s syndrome can show what a true friendship is between her and her dog. I personally made several connections to this girl named Rose and her daily life. This book will bring a tear to your eye, and will have you stunned from what Rose can accomplish.”

Restart – Gordon Korman
Reviewed by: Serena
“Restart is a book about a boy named Chase who falls off his roof and gets amnesia (memory loss). He doesn’t remember his friends, family or even himself. When he goes back to school, everyone is scared of him but he doesn’t know why. This is a simple book but can be hard to follow. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a funny, yet interesting book.” .

The Alchemist – Paulo Coelho
Reviewed by: Owen
“This book seemed very average to me. I felt like all the characters in the book were like your typical stereotypical villain or hero. None of the characters have in depth characteristics. I did not enjoy the book and would recommend it to people who are bored. There were a couple of parts that didn’t make sense at all. To summarize, I didn’t like the book and it seemed quite basic”

The Assassin's Curse – Kevin Sands
Reviewed by: Ryan
“I somewhat enjoyed this book because of it’s thrilling constant action and codes. However, I came in with higher expectations coming from a Kevin Sands book being part of a series I love. I say this because the dialogue was somewhat bland but besides that I recommend it.  This book is about a young adult named Christopher who is brought to the King’s castle but finds suspicious activity. It turns out the be an assassin causing Christopher to go on a journey to protect the royal family. Do not read if you haven’t read the Blackthorn Key or Mark of the Plague… both of those are amazing.”

The City of Ember – Jeanne DuPrau
Reviewed by: Valerie
“The City of Ember is about two children, Linda and Doon, who find out that their city is crumbing and they are running out of supplies. Linda and Doon go on an adventure to find an exit out of their city and to save the people of Ember. I thought that this story was really well written as each chapter kept me captivated to read more. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in mystery or fantasy. Over- all, the City of Ember is a fantastic read.”

The Dogs – Allan Stratton
Reviewed by: Trevor
“This novel is an excellent story about a young boy constantly moving to new houses with his mother. The reason is because they are running away from the father, who is supposedly trying to kill them. However, along the way, as they settle in their new home, the main character (Cameron), explores deeper into the history the house. Evidence found is shocking and brings much more terrifying events and paranormal activity. I absolutely loved this book. Mysteries and events in the book kept me awake every nigh. I would have loved to know more about what happened. I’d say this book is for kids who enjoy mysteries and suspense in a book. The way the author delivers, his storytelling is incredible and this is probably in my top ten favourite books.”

The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir Who Got Trapped in an Ikea Wardrobe-  Romain Puértolas
Reviewed by: Markus
“This book is about an Indian man Ajatashatru flying to France to get a bed of nails from Ikea. After scamming a taxi driver and getting trapped in a wardrobe and being shipping off, his amazing journey across Europe begins! He can go from doing great, to almost dying a few times. I liked the humour in the book and found it very interesting. One thing I should add is I found the ending sort of bland and cliché. This does not take away from the great book and I definitely recommend it. I also thought it got confusing with the abundance of characters. I would give it an 8.5/10”

The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl- Stacey McAnulty
Reviewed by: Nova
“The Miscalculations of Lightening Girl is about a girl who was struck by lightening and then turned into a math genius. This story talks about her life in middle school. This book is pretty good. There are many exciting parts in the story and I would recommend others to read it. It would be a good read for people who want to read about friendship.”

The Night Gardner - Jonathan Auxier
Reviewed by: Brian
“I really loved this book just because this book is really chilling and magical. This book might be one of my favourite books. The Night Gardner is about two abandoned Irish siblings who work as servants at a creepy giant house. Soon, the Irish siblings are cursed by this mysterious stranger. If you like creepy, and magical books then I will recommend this book to those who like magical and creepy books.”

Uglies – Scott Westerfeld
Reviewed by: Isabelle
“This book is about a young girl. In her world, every gets plastic surgery to become pretty. Then she meets Shay. Shay is an adventurous girl and she knows about a place were people stay ugly forever. Shay decides to go there but Tally (young girl) decides to get her surgery. But then something unexpected happens to Tally. I enjoyed this book a lot. It’s full with action and romance, and many secrets”

Yang the Youngest and His Terrible Ear - Lensey Namioka
Reviewed by: Eyad
“First I want to thank Ms. Manhas and Ms. Soper for helping me chose the perfect book for my English level. This book is a good book and I stayed up once until 11:30 at night because I couldn’t stop myself from reading. The book was short but it was one of the best books I have read. There were some parts that were hard, for example: remembering who is who. For his siblings, he used to say second sister third sister and eldest brother – it was confusing. I really enjoyed reading this book, it is tiny but good”

Yang the Youngest and His Terrible Ear - Lensey Namioka
Reviewed by: Hadi
“I kind of did not like this book because the title was not interesting for me. I would choose a friend to read this book”