Booklist: Survival books at PRHS library

I have compiled a list of survival-themed books, such as Hatchet by Gary Paulsen, and posted it below. Clicking on the linked title will take you to the PRHS library catalogue so you can see if the book is checked in.

Crabbe by William Bell

My side of the mountain by Jean Craighead George

Far North by Will Hobbs

Island trilogy by Gordon Korman

Into thin air by Jon Krakauer

Oblivion Road by Alex MacAulay

Lost in the barrens by Farley Mowat

Two against the north by Farley Mowat

The crossing by Gary Paulsen

Hatchet series by Gary Paulsen

Peak by Roland Smith

The Cay by Theodore Taylor

The Darwin expedition by Diane Tullson

Banner in the sky by James Ramsay Ullman

Survivors! True death-defying escapes by Larry Verstraete

Peak survival by Pam Withers

Raging river by Pam Withers

September School Newsletter and calendar

The September 2008 Parrsboro Schools newsletter and September calendar are now available online as a PDF file.

Book review: Faeries of Dreamdark: Blackbringer

Faeries of Dreamdark: Blackbringer by Laini Taylor

Fierce nomadic faerie Magpie Windwitch and her posse of crows travel the world capturing escaped demons. A couple of strange encounters send them traveling back to Magpie's home, Dreamdark, to investigate some very odd occurrences, and things only get more dangerous with faerie warriors disappearing and a false queen taking the throne.

And that's just the beginning. Things get worse and worse, with Magpie losing friends to the terrible dark power known as the Blackbringer, the only creature that can help them is a cranky old codger who's been asleep for a few thousand years, and even the forgotten fabric of the world is falling apart. Magpie is thrust into the role of saviour of the world, but can she succeed?

Faeries of Dreamdark: Blackbringer is a fantastic adventure that just gets more ominous and exciting as the book proceeds. There are a lot of twists and turns in the plot that I didn't see coming and never would have guessed, and the characters are full of life and humour (I especially enjoyed Calypso the crow and Batch the scavenger imp). Highly recommended.

5 stars out of 5 for Faeries of Dreamdark: Blackbringer.

Author's website.

A review.

Book review: Crank

Crank by Ellen Hopkins

Kristina is 17 and quiet when she goes to visit her father for a few weeks in the summer. She meets Adam in her father's apartment building and quickly becomes involved with him - and with the drug crystal meth, which she calls "the monster." Kristina quickly becomes addicted to both meth and Adam and returns home brokenhearted and high.

That's only the beginning. Kristina, who now calls herself Bree and is more aggressive and flirtatious, makes new friends and finds new ways to get drugs at home to feed her addiction. She'll do just about anything to get another high, and what she does and is forced to do will change her life forever.

Crank is powerful. It's written in free verse from Kristina's point of view, and the author knows what she's talking about as Kristina is based on her own daughter's experience of addiction. Once I picked this up I got so caught up in Kristina's experience that I couldn't put it down. If you at all curious what drug addiction can do and how powerful a hold it can have on your mind and body, read this book.

About Crank and its author, Ellen Hopkins.

Information about crystal meth.