1. Favorite Authors! Grade 7 Book Talk
September 2018

2. Double Identity by Margaret Peterson Haddix Genre: Realistic/Science Fiction
Haddix has written 35 books for children and teens to date, with her first published book being Running Out of Time.
Double Identity is the story of Bethany Cole, or is it Bethany Krull?
Right around her 13th birthday her parents begin to act strange.
She is dropped off to stay with an aunt she has never met, in a town she has never heard of.
This book will leave you in suspense from start to finish! The story doesn’t begin to make sense until at least ½ way through.

3. Advice to readers…
“Read a lot. Write a lot. Think a lot. Enjoy what you read, write and think about. And, not to sound too much like a mom, but, really, next time start on your report before the night before, okay?”

4. The Schwa Was Here by Neal Shusterman Genre: Realistic Fiction
The author has written many novels for children and teens that cross genres of humor, suspense and sci-fi.
Schwa-the faint vowel sound in many unstressed syllables in the English language. It is signified by the pronunciation “uh” and its symbol is the э.
If you were to call a person a “Schwa” what could that say about them?
Read experiments on p. 24 & 26
Read on to find out what happens when you are “invisible” and what you can do to be seen

5. Inspiration for the “Schwa”
“The idea came to me in the middle of an author visit. I was answering questions in a school library when a teacher pointed out a boy who had had his hand up the whole time and I hadn’t noticed. He was sitting in front of the library’s big dictionary and I made this odd connection. The kid was unnoticeable---like a schwa in the dictionary”.
---Neal Shusterman

6. Schooled by Gordon Korman Genre: Realistic Fiction
Gordon Korman wrote his first book in 7th grade!!!!! His coach had to teach English that year and assigned students to write whatever they wanted for 4 months resulting in his first novel, This Can’t Be Happening at MacDonald Hall
He sent his manuscript to Scholastic because he was the classroom book order monitor (he figured he was practically an employee!) The book was published when he was a freshman.
In Schooled, we meet Capricorn Anderson (see pgs. 3-4) and a long cast of characters who take turns narrating the chapters. The book spans an 8th grade year where: unlikely candidates are elected for class president, enemies can become friends and a boy who has never left the “farm” where he lives with his grandmother can become an integral part to a community.

7. Matched By Ally Condie Matched book trailer using Animoto
Cassia lives in a society where everything is chosen for you, including your career, who you will marry and the very day you will die
However, something goes terribly wrong at Cassia’s matching ceremony
She is matched with a dear friend…unusual. More unusual is the face she sees when viewing the microcard of her ‘match’.
Read on to learn about Cassia and what decisions she makes in a society where they are forbidden.

8. Unexplained: An Encyclopedia of Curious Phenomena, Strange Superstitions, and Ancient Mysteries by Judy Allen Genre: Nonfiction
The unexplained-any mystery that has not been solved and every question that has not been answered. Topics Covered: Hauntings Strange Creatures The Power of the Mind Disappearances Superstitions & Symbols Ancient Mysteries Natural Phenomena Lost Lands & Secrets Cures, Signs, and Skills Lines & Labyrinths From Another Planet