Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl.

For the first time in a decade, Willy Wonka, the reclusive and eccentric chocolate maker, is opening his doors to the public – well, five members of the public to be exact. The lucky five who find a Golden Ticket in their Wonka chocolate bars will receive a private tour of the factory, given by Mr. Wonka himself. For young Charlie Bucket, this a dream come true. And, when he finds a dollar bill in the street, he can't help but buy two Wonka's Whipple–Scrumptious Fudgemallow Delights – even though his impoverished family could certainly use the extra dollar for food. But as Charlie unwraps the second chocolate bar, he sees the glimmer of gold just under the wrapper! The very next day, Charlie, along with his unworthy fellow winners Mike Teavee, Veruca Salt, Violet Beauregarde, and Augustus Gloop, steps through the factory gates to discover whether or not the rumors surrounding the Chocolate Factory and its mysterious owner are true. What they find is that the gossip can't compare to the extraordinary truth, and for Charlie, life will never be the same again. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, another unforgettable masterpiece from the legendary Roald Dahl, never fails to delight, thrill, and utterly captivate.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a book that stands the test of time. Roald Dahl's story continues to capture the attention and imaginations of children today, as it did when it was first published in 1964.  Children relate to Charlie Bucket who is an ordinary boy.  The story is one of good versus evil, where the antagonists are not monsters but naughty children, who get their just desserts in the end.  There is magic.  There is imagination.  There is chocolate.  And in the end, good behaviour is rewarded.     All of this makes Charlie and the Chocolaty factory an ideal book to study, since it has already engaged the children's interest.  There are a myriad of things you can do, using this book in the classroom to build children's skills across a range of curriculum areas.  Click here to access more than 100 activities involving comprehension, character studies, craft activities, maths, ESL, music, social science, art, science.  There are puzzles, games, word searches, worksheets and more...=>  http://bit.ly/XOUHDY

 

Nanberry

Jackie French

EAN:978-0732290221
Format: Paperback 320 p.
Published in:2011
Published by Harper Collins (Australia)

It's 1789, and as the new colony in Sydney Cove is established, Surgeon John White defies convention and adopts Nanberry, an Aboriginal boy, to raise as his son. Nanberry is clever and uses his unique gifts as an interpreter to bridge the two worlds he lives in. With his white brother, Andrew, he witnesses the struggles of the colonists to keep their precarious grip on a hostile wilderness. And yet he is haunted by the memories of the Cadigal warriors who will one day come to claim him as one of their own. This true story follows the brothers as they make their way in the world - one as a sailor, serving in the Royal Navy, the other a hero of the Battle of Waterloo. No less incredible is the enduring love between the gentleman surgeon and the convict girl, saved from the death penalty, to become a great lady in her own right.

More here => http://bit.ly/prePHW or at Amazon (kindle) http://amzn.to/olnfHe

Because of Winn-Dixie
by Kate DiCamillo

Kate DiCamillo's debut novel wins a 2001 Newbery Honor and is a NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW Bestseller!
The summer Opal and her father, the preacher, move to Naomi, Florida, Opal goes into the Winn-Dixie supermarket--and comes out with a dog. A big, ugly, suffering dog with a sterling sense of humor. A dog she dubs Winn-Dixie. Because of Winn-Dixie, the preacher tells Opal ten things about her absent mother, one for each year Opal has been alive. Winn-Dixie is better at making friends than anyone Opal has ever known, and together they meet the local librarian, Miss Franny Block, who once fought off a bear with a copy of WAR AND PEACE. They meet Gloria Dump, who is nearly blind but sees with her heart, and Otis, an ex-con who sets the animals in his pet shop loose after hours, then lulls them with his guitar.

Opal spends all that sweet summer collecting stories about her new friends and thinking about her mother. But because of Winn-Dixie or perhaps because she has grown, Opal learns to let go, just a little, and that friendship--and forgiveness--can sneak up on you like a sudden summer storm.

Recalling the fiction of Harper Lee and Carson McCullers, here is a funny, poignant, and utterly genuine first novel from a major new talent.
An unforgettable first novel about coming of age one sweet summer--and learning to love what you have.

Book Club Discussion Questions

Activity sheet

Teacher's Guide

Readers' Club activities

Cause and effect lesson plan

Discussion Guide

Read an excerpt

Vocabulary lessons

Webquest for Because of Winn-Dixie

Create printable tests and worksheets from Because of Winn-Dixie questions

Writing encouragement for students

Activity Guide from Walden Media

Educator's Guide

Information on topics related to the book

Book talks

Literature circle unit

Discussion questions

Character Education Lesson plan

Review and Discussion Questions

Figurative language lesson

Buy the Book

(Publisher's Price is $15.99)

from Amazon for $5.99
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Movie Trailer

Trailer produced by Sangeeta Garg

Newbery Medalist Kate DiCamillo--author of The Tale of Despereaux and The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane-- has crafted another exquisite novel for young readers. The Magician's Elephant tells the tale of Peter Augustus Duchene, a ten-year-old orphan who receives an unbelievable piece of information from the local fortuneteller. Peter learns that his fate is tied to an elephant that has inexplicably fallen from the sky when a magician's trick goes terribly wrong. Why did it happen? And, how can an elephant possibly change the course of Peter's life? This darkly atmospheric, yet hopeful tale, demonstrates that when the answers to life’s big questions are opaque or unforthcoming, all is not lost. DiCamillo's rhythmic writing, combined with Yoko Tanaka's mysterious black-and-white illustrations, enchants and calls out to our sincerest wishes and dreams

Now
By Morris Gleitzman

Morris Gleitzman's acclaimed story of friends Felix and Zelda in Nazi-occupied Poland has captured the hearts and minds of readers worldwide. In "Now", he delivers the final chapter, bringing this most moving of stories into the present day.

Check out this book here => http://bit.ly/a1TZ2i

See the rest of the shortlist, and information about the prize here => http://bit.ly/b3lY3k

The 39 Clues, Book 10: Into the Gauntlet
by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Throughout the hunt for the 39 Clues, Amy and Dan Cahill have uncovered history's greatest mysteries and their family's deadliest secrets. But are they ready to face the truth about the Cahills and the key to their unmatched power? After a whirlwind race that's taken them across five continents, Amy and Dan face the most the difficult challenge yet- a task no Cahill dared to imagine. When faced with a choice that could change the future of the world, can two kids succeed where 500 years worth of famous ancestors failed?

Amazon is selling the book for $8.75 for the hardback

Charlotte's Web
E. B. White , Garth Williams

An affectionate, sometimes bashful pig named Wilbur befriends a spider named Charlotte, who lives in the rafters above his pen. A prancing, playful bloke, Wilbur is devastated when he learns of the destiny that befalls all those of porcine persuasion. Determined to save her friend, Charlotte spins a web that reads "Some Pig," convincing the farmer and surrounding community that Wilbur is no ordinary animal and should be saved. In this story of friendship, hardship, and the passing on into time, E.B. White reminds us to open our eyes to the wonder and miracle often found in the simplest of things.

Amazon is selling "Charlotte's Web" for $7.99

Closed for the Season by Mary Downing Hahn has won the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Juvenile Fiction

Another well-done, action-packed mystery from Hahn. This book starts off as seventh-grader Logan Forbes learns that a murder had been committed in his family's new house three years earlier.

Myrtle Donaldson, a bookkeeper accused of embezzling from the local amusement park, was found dead in her ransacked house and her killer is still at large.

Logan's next-door neighbor, Arthur Jenkins, a sixth grader with a bottomless stomach and a quirky personality, is convinced that Mrs. Donaldson was falsely accused, and he wants Logan to help him find the real perpetrator. The boys discover a letter and puzzle left among the woman's possessions that convinces them they are on the right track. Their investigation includes visiting the abandoned and overgrown Magic Forest amusement park, a reporter with secrets, shady property developers, a menacing convict, and purloined library materials.

It all culminates in a terrifying nighttime showdown among the kudzu at the Magic Forest where the truth is revealed. This is an enjoyable mystery with just the right amount of frightening and dangerous elements to entice readers. Logan is a sympathetic character—a new kid in town trying to find his place in the pecking order, almost immediately befriended by someone on the lowest rung who turns out the be the right friend for him.

It is available at Amazon for $10.88 reduced from $16.00.

This is Book Four in the Ranger's Apprentice Series by John Flanagan.

The Review in Booklist:
Following Will and Evanlyn’s escape from slavery in The Icebound Land (2007), Halt determines that the Temujai mean to attack Araluen and decides to help the Skandians defend their land. Rejoining Halt, Will and Evanlyn become warriors in the stronghold where they had recently been captives and use their wits and skills to fight the common enemy. The story plunges forward with irresistible narrative drive toward the climactic battle scene. Even readers drawn to the series for its deftly drawn characters and setting may find themselves caught up in the action. A fine entry in the increasingly popular Ranger’s Apprentice series.

Amazon has identified copies as "Bargain books" books that are new but could include a small mark from the publisher and an Amazon.com price sticker identifying them as such. They are selling the paperback for $3.20.

The Book ....

Guys Read: Funny Business

Authors: Jon Scieszka, Mac Barnett, Adam Rex, David Yoo, Paul Feig, Kate Dicamillo, Christopher Paul Curtis, Eoin Colfer, Jack Gantos

Jon Scieszka has been writing books for children since he took time off from his career as a teacher. He wanted to create books that boys would enjoy by enticing them with witty humor. He is the author of the crazy best-selling picture books The True Story of the Three Little Pigs and The Stinky Cheese Man. He has received several honors, including mentions on the ALA Notable Book and Publishers Weekly Best Children's Book lists, the Children's Choice Award, and the Caldecott Honor Medal. His original trade chapter book series, the Time Warp Trio, has sold over two million copies. Born in Flint, Michigan, Jon now lives in Brooklyn with his wife and two children.

Reading level: Ages 9-12
Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Walden Pond Press (September 21, 2010)
ISBN-13: 978-0061963735

You can order it now from Amazon