October is Connected Educator Month!
Author Archives: othslibrary
Don’t let your freedom to read become READstricted!
We are in full swing preparing for a week of celebrating YOUR right to read!
Banned Books Week is an annual event that promotes the freedom to express one’s opinions even if that opinion might be considered unpopular, and stresses the importance of ensuring the availability of those viewpoints to all who wish to read them (American Library Association).
A challenge is an attempt to remove or restrict materials, while a banning is the removal of those materials. Books may be challenged or banned for a variety of reasons, including offensive language, being sexually explicit, or being unsuitable for an age group.
Learn more about the 10 most challenged books in 2014, why they were challenged, and who challenged them HERE.
The Tompkins Library is celebrating your right to read with challenged/banned books displays and an emoji contest. Pick up a contest form in the library. All entries must be received by Friday, October 2nd by 8:00am. Winners will be announced on Friday, October 2nd at 11:00am.
Stop by and show your support for Banned Books Week by checking out a banned book!
Artwork courtesy of the American Library Association.
2015 Teens’ Top Ten
Each
year the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) invites teens to nominate and choose their favorite books of the previous year. Voting begins August 15th and ends October 24th. The Top Ten titles will be announced on October 27, 2015!
Here are the 24 nominees!
View a list of nominees with annotations here.
Vote for your Top 3 choices HERE!
Monsters in Literature
Who doesn’t love a good monster book? The more terrifying, the more we want to read it, right? Some of the most horrifying monsters live in classic literature. Among these are: The Giant Squid from 20,000 Leagues under the Sea by Jules Verne, Medusa from Greek Mythology, and Grendel from the Old English poem Beowulf.
Beowulf is the story of how Beowulf, the King of Danes, battles and defeats the monster that is attacking the mead hall in Heorot. The alliterative verse in Beowulf is studied by high school students year and year…including myself! As a high school student, I loved the story of Beowulf so much that I went on to read Grendel by John Gardner. Grendel is a retelling of Beowulf, but from Grendel’s perspective, which I loved so much!
Our Tompkins seniors are continuing the tradition of studying Beowulf and will begin researching monsters in other literature. One of my favorite contemporary “monster” works is A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness, which was inspired by an idea from Siobhan Dowd. It is an absolutely brilliantly written story about “monsters” and dealing with loss.
The library has this title in print, audiobook, and ebook format. Read the book and then watch the movie in 2016 starring Felicity Jones and Liam Neeson!
What is your favorite monster book? Post it to the blog!
Powerful Memoirs & Biographies
If you are trying to decide what to read next, consider a memoir or biography. Memoirs and biographies offer insight into other people’s lives/experiences and in turn help us to reflect and evaluate our own lives.
AP Language students are currently studying a variety of memoirs/biographies in class. One of these memoirs will be self-selected and can be checked out through the library.
Check out these memoirs/biographies on some of the most influential and memorable people. Stop by the library and get your copy today!
More great reads!
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Get a sneak peek at My Brief History HERE! |
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Watch Malala Yousafzai accept the Nobel Peace Prize HERE! |
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Read an interview with the 2013 YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction Award finalist, Karen Blumenthal, author of Steve Jobs: The Man Who Thought Different HERE! |
It’s always a good time to delve into a memoir or biography!
Rick Riordan is coming to Katy!
Move over Percy Jackson, there is a new character in town and his name is Magnus Chase!
Author Rick Riordan will be visiting Morton Ranch HS on Sunday, October 11th at 3:00pm to promote his new Norse mythology series. His last visit to Katy was a highlight of the year for me! His presentation was engaging and so interesting. Not to mention he is just the nicest guy ever!
If you would like to be part of this event, contact the Blue Willow Bookshop and purchase MAGNUS CHASE to receive your admission ticket, which will admit one person. For more information, click HERE.
Read an except from Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard.
2015-2016 Magazine Subscriptions
Stop by and browse through our diverse collection of magazines! Our magazines cover a variety of topics from sports to science to college and can be checked out through the library.
The Tompkins Library has your interests covered!
| College Bound |
| Consumer Reports |
| Current History |
| Economist |
| ESPN Magazine |
| Food Network Magazine |
| Foreign Affairs |
| Foreign Policy |
| Game Informer |
| Guitar World |
| MAD Magazine |
| Mental Floss |
| Otaku USA |
| People en Espanol |
| People Weekly |
| Poets & Writers |
| Popular Mechanics |
| Popular Science |
| School Library Journal |
| Scientific American |
| Scholastic Scope |
| Seventeen |
| Southern Living |
| Teen Vogue |
| Texas Monthly |
| Time Magazine |
| Track & Field News |
| VOYA (Voices of Youth Adv) |
| Wired |
Visiting authors!
Need to know updates!
Here are a couple of updates that will make searching, reading, and listening to our books easier!
1. An easy way to log on to the Tompkins HS Library catalog is through www.gofollett.com. Simply choose Texas from the drop down box, type in “Tompkins,” and select our school name. Then select “go.” You can now do a universal search for our books, ebooks, and audiobooks!
2. The Brytewave app is now easier than ever to sign into and use! Simply download the FREE app, enter your KISD username/password, and begin reading/listening to our ebooks/audiobooks! Want more information about how to use Brytewave? Click HERE!
Back-to-School required reading book sale!
All OTHS academic and Pre-AP/AP classes have required reading books that students will be reading during the school year. To make back-to-school shopping easier, the Tompkins Library will be selling these books until Friday, August 31st. Stop by when you pick up your schedules or anytime during the 1st week of school to purchase your copies. Supplies are limited.
| 9th grade | 9th grade Pre-AP | |||||
| Title of book | Cost | Title of book | Cost | |||
| To Kill a Mockingbird | $15.00 | To Kill a Mockingbird | $15.00 | |||
| The Hot Zone | $8.00 | |||||
| 10th grade | 10th grade Pre-AP | |||||
| Title of book | Cost | Title of book | Cost | |||
| Fahrenheit 451 | $15.00 | Fahrenheit 451 | $15.00 | |||
| A Raisin in the Sun | $8.00 | |||||
| Othello | $6.00 | |||||
| 11th grade | AP Lang | |||||
| Title of book | Cost | Title of book | Cost | |||
| The Great Gatsby | $15.00 | The Great Gatsby | $15.00 | |||
| The Things They Carried | $16.00 | |||||
| The Scarlet Letter | $4.00 | |||||
| The Crucible | $14.00 | |||||
| 12th grade | AP Lit | |||||
| Title of book | Cost | Title of book | Cost | |||
| 1984 | $15.00 | 1984 | $15.00 | |||
| Frankenstein | $9.00 | Frankenstein | $9.00 | |||
| King Lear | $6.00 | |||||
| Picture of Dorian Gray | $9.00 | |||||
| Heart of Darkness | $5.00 | |||||
Click HERE for the order form.
*Photo bomb courtesy of Mrs. Scanlon. 🙂