Virtual students may come check out library books. The time set aside for virtual students will be 9th period from 3:05-3:50 every day except Thursday.
(Note: This time is not strictly reserved for virtual students. On-campus students may also be in the library at that time.)
Michael Jackson by This title chronicles the song and dance genius of the King of Pop, whose recent death reinforced the level of his global influence and stardom. While covering controversies and oddities, from the trial on molestation charges to his cosmetic surgeries to his amusement-park house Neverland, the book also details his incredible songs, videos, work habits, childhood, and groundbreaking career. Jackson's music is still popular with young people, especially with the convenience of MP3 downloads and the enthusiasm passed down from older fans. Lives Cut Short is a series in Essential Library, an imprint of ABDO Publishing Company.
Prince by This informative title highlights the life of Prince. Readers will learn about his childhood in Minneapolis, Minnesota, including an early interest in music that led him to teach himself to play several instruments at a young age. The book discusses Prince's legendary music career, from the release his first album when he was only 19 years old up to his 2015 release, HITnRUN. Prince's diverse musical influences are explored, as is the 1984 album Purple Rain and the movie of the same name, which launched him to a level of superstardom beyond what he had achieved with any of his previous albums. The album features many hit singles, such as "When Doves Cry," "Let's Go Crazy," and "Purple Rain." Prince's difficult business relationship with recording label Warner Bros. and his 1993 decision to change his name to an unpronounceable symbol are also discussed. His political activism is included, as is his commitment to mentoring up-and-coming musicians. Details of the investigation surrounding his tragic death at age 57 are also discussed. This book includes details of Prince's life and covers the controversies surrounding his life and death. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Essential Library is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.
Cell Phone Privacy by Most people today have cell phones. People rely on cell phones for communication. Cell phones also store a lot of personal data. Cell Phone Privacy explores how people can protect this data. Easy-to-read text, vivid images, and helpful back matter give readers a clear look at this subject. Features include a table of contents, infographics, a glossary, additional resources, and an index. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Core Library is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.
Patrick Mahomes: NFL Sensation by Patrick Mahomes: NFL Sensation takes a closer look at one of the NFL's brightest stars, the son of a former Major League Baseball pitcher who broke records and blew away competitors during his first year as a starting quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs. Features include a timeline, a glossary, further readings, websites, source notes, and an index. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Essential Library is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.
Dallas Cowboys by This title examines the history of the Dallas Cowboys, telling the story of the franchise and its top players, greatest games, and most thrilling moments. This book includes informative sidebars, high-energy photos, a timeline, a team file, and a glossary. SportsZone is an imprint of Abdo Publishing Company.
Twitter by Twitter studies the influential social networking service and its founders, examining how a side project created by its four founders evolved into a powerful social network that influences entertainment, politics, and activism. Features include a glossary, references, websites, source notes, and an index. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Essential Library is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg by This biography highlights the life and accomplishments of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Readers learn about Ginsburg's early life, her beginnings in law as a clerk in New York, her time as a lawyer for the ACLU, and her service on the US Court of Appeals and Supreme Court. Features include a timeline, glossary, fun facts, online resources, and an index. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Checkerboard Library is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.Looking for a specific book? Check our library:
Austin students can also download ebooks and audio books from the district ebook collection.
Students will need their student ID number and a password.
(See Mrs. Collins if you need these.)
The Boy at the Back of the Class by In the vein of timely titles such as Katherine Applegate's Wishtree and Alan Gratz's Refugee comes a touching, accessible middle-grade debut about the ongoing Syrian refugee crisis, as well as the life-changing power of friendship and standing as an ally. There used to be an empty chair at the back of Mrs. Khan's classroom, but on the third Tuesday of the school year a new kid fills it: nine-year-old Ahmet, a Syrian refugee. The whole class is curious about this new boy--he doesn't seem to smile, and he doesn't talk much. But after learning that Ahmet fled a Very Real War" and was separated from his family along the way, a determined group of his classmates band together to concoct the Greatest Idea in the World--a magnificent plan to reunite Ahmet with his loved ones. Balancing humor and heart, this relatable story about the refugee crisis from the perspective of kids highlights the community-changing potential of standing as an ally and reminds readers that everyone deserves a place to call home. Overall Winner of the 2019 Waterstones Children's Book Prize Winner of the 2019 Blue Peter Book Award "Tearjerking and chuckle-inducing. . . . Above all it celebrates the power of kindness." --The Sunday Post (Scotland) "Inspiring and sweet. . . . This is a beautiful, open-hearted debut from Onjali Q Raúf that should help children be the best they can be and realise the power of kindness." --BookTrust (UK) "An engaging exploration of the refugee crisis through the eyes of a child." --Readings (Australia)
Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson's National Book Award and Newbery Honor winner is a powerful memoir that tells the moving story of her childhood in mesmerizing verse. A President Obama "O" Book Club pick Raised in South Carolina and New York, Woodson always felt halfway home in each place. In vivid poems, she shares what it was like to grow up as an African American in the 1960s and 1970s, living with the remnants of Jim Crow and her growing awareness of the Civil Rights movement. Touching and powerful, each poem is both accessible and emotionally charged, each line a glimpse into a child's soul as she searches for her place in the world. Woodson's eloquent poetry also reflects the joy of finding her voice through writing stories, despite the fact that she struggled with reading as a child. Her love of stories inspired her and stayed with her, creating the first sparks of the gifted writer she was to become. Includes 7 additional poems, including "Brown Girl Dreaming." Praise for Jacqueline Woodson: "Ms. Woodson writes with a sure understanding of the thoughts of young people, offering a poetic, eloquent narrative that is not simply a story . . . but a mature exploration of grown-up issues and self-discovery."--The New York Times Book Review
Counting By 7s by A New York Times Bestseller In the tradition of Out of My Mind, Wonder, and Mockingbird, this is an intensely moving middle grade novel about being an outsider, coping with loss, and discovering the true meaning of family. Willow Chance is a twelve-year-old genius, obsessed with nature and diagnosing medical conditions, who finds it comforting to count by 7s. It has never been easy for her to connect with anyone other than her adoptive parents, but that hasn't kept her from leading a quietly happy life . . . until now. Suddenly Willow's world is tragically changed when her parents both die in a car crash, leaving her alone in a baffling world. The triumph of this book is that it is not a tragedy. This extraordinarily odd, but extraordinarily endearing, girl manages to push through her grief. Her journey to find a fascinatingly diverse and fully believable surrogate family is a joy and a revelation to read. * "Willow's story is one of renewal, and her journey of rebuilding the ties that unite people as a family will stay in readers' hearts long after the last page."--School Library Journal starred review * "A graceful, meaningful tale featuring a cast of charming, well-rounded characters who learn sweet--but never cloying--lessons about resourcefulness, community, and true resilience in the face of loss."--Booklist starred review * "What sets this novel apart from the average orphan-finds-a-home book is its lack of sentimentality, its truly multicultural cast (Willow describes herself as a "person of color"; Mai and Quang-ha are of mixed Vietnamese, African American, and Mexican ancestry), and its tone. . . . Poignant."--The Horn Book starred review "In achingly beautiful prose, Holly Goldberg Sloan has written a delightful tale of transformation that's a celebration of life in all its wondrous, hilarious and confounding glory. Counting by 7s is a triumph."--Maria Semple, author of Where'd You Go, Bernadette
Hello, Universe by Winner of the Newbery Medal "A charming, intriguingly plotted novel."--Washington Post Newbery Medalist Erin Entrada Kelly's Hello, Universe is a funny and poignant neighborhood story about unexpected friendships. Told from four intertwining points of view--two boys and two girls--the novel celebrates bravery, being different, and finding your inner bayani (hero). "Readers will be instantly engrossed in this relatable neighborhood adventure and its eclectic cast of misfits."--Booklist In one day, four lives weave together in unexpected ways. Virgil Salinas is shy and kindhearted and feels out of place in his crazy-about-sports family. Valencia Somerset, who is deaf, is smart, brave, and secretly lonely, and she loves everything about nature. Kaori Tanaka is a self-proclaimed psychic, whose little sister, Gen, is always following her around. And Chet Bullens wishes the weird kids would just stop being so different so he can concentrate on basketball. They aren't friends, at least not until Chet pulls a prank that traps Virgil and his pet guinea pig at the bottom of a well. This disaster leads Kaori, Gen, and Valencia on an epic quest to find missing Virgil. Through luck, smarts, bravery, and a little help from the universe, a rescue is performed, a bully is put in his place, and friendship blooms. The acclaimed and award-winning author of Blackbird Fly and The Land of Forgotten Girls writes with an authentic, humorous, and irresistible tween voice that will appeal to fans of Thanhha Lai and Rita Williams-Garcia. "Readers across the board will flock to this book that has something for nearly everyone--humor, bullying, self-acceptance, cross-generational relationships, and a smartly fateful ending."--School Library Journal
One Crazy Summer by In this Newbery Honor novel, New York Times bestselling author Rita Williams-Garcia tells the story of three sisters who travel to Oakland, California, in 1968 to meet the mother who abandoned them. A strong option for summer reading--take this book along on a family road trip or enjoy it at home. This moving, funny novel won the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction and the Coretta Scott King Award and was a National Book Award Finalist. Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern's story continues in P.S. Be Eleven and Gone Crazy in Alabama. Readers who enjoy Christopher Paul Curtis's The Watsons Go to Birmingham and Jacqueline Woodson's Brown Girl Dreaming will find much to love in One Crazy Summer. Rita Williams-Garcia's books about Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern can also be read alongside nonfiction explorations of American history such as Jason Reynolds's and Ibram X. Kendi's books. In One Crazy Summer, eleven-year-old Delphine is like a mother to her two younger sisters, Vonetta and Fern. She's had to be, ever since their mother, Cecile, left them seven years ago for a radical new life in California. But when the sisters arrive from Brooklyn to spend the summer with their mother, Cecile is nothing like they imagined. While the girls hope to go to Disneyland and meet Tinker Bell, their mother sends them to a day camp run by the Black Panthers. Unexpectedly, Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern learn much about their family, their country, and themselves during one truly crazy summer. This novel was the first featured title for Marley D's Reading Party, launched after the success of #1000BlackGirlBooks. Maria Russo, in a New York Times list of "great kids' books with diverse characters," called it "witty and original." "This vibrant and moving award-winning novel has heart to spare," commented Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich in her Brightly article "Knowing Our History to Build a Brighter Future: Books to Help Kids Understand the Fight for Racial Equality."
Pax by New York Times Bestseller * An Amazon Best Book of the Year * National Book Award Longlist Finally in paperback! This handsome edition features French flaps. From bestselling and award-winning author Sara Pennypacker comes a beautifully wrought, utterly compelling novel about the powerful relationship between a boy and his fox. Pax is destined to become a classic, beloved for generations to come. Pax and Peter have been inseparable ever since Peter rescued him as a kit. But one day, the unimaginable happens: Peter's dad enlists in the military and makes him return the fox to the wild. At his grandfather's house, three hundred miles away from home, Peter knows he isn't where he should be--with Pax. He strikes out on his own despite the encroaching war, spurred by love, loyalty, and grief, to be reunited with his fox. Meanwhile Pax, steadfastly waiting for his boy, embarks on adventures and discoveries of his own. . . . Pax is a wonderful choice for independent reading, sharing in the classroom, homeschooling, and book groups. Plus, don't miss Here in the Real World, Sarah Pennypacker's next gorgeous and heartfelt middle grade novel!
The Someday Birds by Winner of the 2018 Dolly Gray Children's Literature Award * Two starred reviews * A New York Public Library Best Kids Book of 2017 * A Bank Street Best Children's Book of 2017 * Wisconsin Library Association CBA Outstanding Books of the Year selection * 2018-2019 Dorothy Canfield Fisher Book Award list selection * 2018-2019 Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Award nominee * Young Hoosier Book Award nominee * The Someday Birds is a debut middle grade novel perfect for fans of Counting by 7s and Fish in a Tree, filled with humor, heart, and chicken nuggets. Charlie's perfectly ordinary life has been unraveling ever since his war journalist father was injured in Afghanistan. When his father heads from California to Virginia for medical treatment, Charlie reluctantly travels cross-country with his boy-crazy sister, unruly brothers, and a mysterious new family friend. He decides that if he can spot all the birds that he and his father were hoping to see someday along the way, then everything might just turn out okay. Debut author Sally J. Pla has written a tale that is equal parts madcap road trip, coming-of-age story for an autistic boy who feels he doesn't understand the world, and an uplifting portrait of a family overcoming a crisis. "Offering a mixture of suspense, mystery, tragedy and humor, Pla's story captures both the literal and figurative meanings of journey." --Publishers Weekly (starred review) "Pla gives us a memorable hero in this lyrical and funny book." --Shelf Awareness (starred review)
The Tale of Despereaux by A brave mouse, a covetous rat, a wishful serving girl, and a princess named Pea come together in Kate DiCamillo's Newbery Medal-winning tale. Welcome to the story of Despereaux Tilling, a mouse who is in love with music, stories, and a princess named Pea. It is also the story of a rat called Roscuro, who lives in the darkness and covets a world filled with light. And it is the story of Miggery Sow, a slow-witted serving girl who harbors a simple, impossible wish. These three characters are about to embark on a journey that will lead them down into a horrible dungeon, up into a glittering castle, and, ultimately, into each other's lives. What happens then? As Kate DiCamillo would say: Reader, it is your destiny to find out. With black-and-white illustrations and a refreshed cover by Timothy Basil Ering.
The War That Saved My Life by *Newbery Honor book *Winner of the Schneider Family Book Award This #1 New York Times bestseller is an exceptionally moving story of triumph against all odds set during World War II, from the acclaimed author of Fighting Words, and for fans of Fish in a Tree and Sarah, Plain and Tall. Ten-year-old Ada has never left her one-room apartment. Her mother is too humiliated by Ada's twisted foot to let her outside. So when her little brother Jamie is shipped out of London to escape the war, Ada doesn't waste a minute--she sneaks out to join him. So begins a new adventure for Ada, and for Susan Smith, the woman who is forced to take the two kids in. As Ada teaches herself to ride a pony, learns to read, and watches for German spies, she begins to trust Susan--and Susan begins to love Ada and Jamie. But in the end, will their bond be enough to hold them together through wartime? Or will Ada and her brother fall back into the cruel hands of their mother? "Achingly lovely...Nuanced and emotionally acute."--The Wall Street Journal "Unforgettable...unflinching."--Common Sense Media ★ "Brisk and honest...Cause for celebration." --Kirkus, starred review ★ "Poignant."--Publishers Weekly, starred review ★ "Powerful."--The Horn Book, starred review "Affecting."--Booklist "Emotionally satisfying...[A] page-turner."--BCCB "Exquisitely written...Heart-lifting." --SLJ "Astounding...This book is remarkable."--Karen Cushman, author The Midwife's Apprentice "Beautifully told."--Patricia MacLachlan, author of Sarah, Plain and Tall "I read this novel in two big gulps."--Gary D. Schmidt, author of Okay for Now "I love Ada's bold heart...Her story's riveting."--Sheila Turnage, author of Three Times LuckyDatabases available for Austin students:
Boy at the Back of the Class
Brown Girl Dreaming
Counting by 7s
Hello Universe
One Crazy Summer
Pax
Someday Birds
Starry River of the Sky
Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup and a Spool of Thread
War That Saved My Life
