tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71496404675921499162024-03-05T05:09:58.637-04:00Boys Rule Boys Read!Iron Guy Carlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06719802406868125435noreply@blogger.comBlogger956125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7149640467592149916.post-87801076218228195582018-06-26T15:22:00.000-04:002018-06-27T14:57:33.196-04:00Head 'Em Up--Move 'Em Out!Howdy, howdy, partners! This is the rootin' tootin' Iron Guy and I'm letting you that this here blog is pulling up stakes, rounding up the cattle, packing up the trunks and moving to a new ranch in the cyberworld.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIIEG7Pi7BuvXaNZV8GtUDPea9u_eMG6kFUdPea1jsQzIzoYuNMr17fQVJjhVXUb91DQlcoiB_x1JQtPoSov4fj1bzSyYppDBUl62kA0VGVKnU8zFMizw86rD60rcx4yKCkFfegpANIMdM/s1600/DSCN0839.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIIEG7Pi7BuvXaNZV8GtUDPea9u_eMG6kFUdPea1jsQzIzoYuNMr17fQVJjhVXUb91DQlcoiB_x1JQtPoSov4fj1bzSyYppDBUl62kA0VGVKnU8zFMizw86rD60rcx4yKCkFfegpANIMdM/s320/DSCN0839.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Iron Guy saddles up and looks boldly to the new blog location.</td></tr>
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In other words, this blog is going to move to a new site.<br />
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Now don't worry, boys, I'm not going away. I'll continue to tell you about terrific books and graphic novels and audiobooks--it's just that this blog will be at a new location. Here's a link to the new post at the new location:<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.cmlibrary.org/blog/my-new-location">https://www.cmlibrary.org/blog/my-new-location</a><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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From now on, you'll find me at:<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="https://cmlibrary.org/tags/boys-read">https://cmlibrary.org/tags/boys-read</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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So why are we doing this? Basically, our library system is trying to put all its blogs under one central location in order to provide better service and increase cybersecurity. (the cyberworld is a different place from when this blog started way back in 2007) But, as I said, don't worry. The Iron Guy will still tell you about great reads and the goofball humor you've come to expect over the years.<br />
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Saddle up then, all you cowboys (and cowgirls) and join me at the new location. See you there!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgIASL5TbM14VaUpN2IlDNfaclVJWYLJ8R0qqryTSS-n1Fq5hSFuK8hla9_q9q-ABqO30HQbLZLFG4-znduwM23Ay0D1uQMUz6dlMyk3FL8kg58YQSBQM8XOI7Rw7qeOSAAAXY02lLa3uY/s1600/wagon+train2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="170" data-original-width="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgIASL5TbM14VaUpN2IlDNfaclVJWYLJ8R0qqryTSS-n1Fq5hSFuK8hla9_q9q-ABqO30HQbLZLFG4-znduwM23Ay0D1uQMUz6dlMyk3FL8kg58YQSBQM8XOI7Rw7qeOSAAAXY02lLa3uY/s1600/wagon+train2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Join the great wagon trail to the blog's new home</td></tr>
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<br />Iron Guy Carlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06719802406868125435noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7149640467592149916.post-54371626981409523492018-04-28T14:25:00.001-04:002018-04-30T13:21:45.274-04:00The Great Dog Man---ummm--DiscussionHey there, all you rockin' and readin' guys everywhere, April has been a busy month at the library and the Iron Guy just realized that a) the month is almost over and b) he hasn't posted anything since before spring break! Well, I'm reading some good stuff now but am not finished and I hate to go so long without talking to you, so I thought I'd do something I haven't done for a long time and stir up some possible controversy! Or not. Here's what I mean.<br />
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The Iron Guy, MANLY MAN that he is, doesn't mind expressing his opinions now and then, even though everyone may not agree. Therefore, a few years ago I brought up <a href="http://jaja-cas.blogspot.com/2011/07/im-back-and-great-harry-potter.html">The Great Harry Potter Controversy</a>. Some time after that I started <a href="http://jaja-cas.blogspot.com/2011/10/great-greg-heffley-debate.html">The Great Greg Heffley Debate</a> and once even started a <a href="http://jaja-cas.blogspot.com/2014/07/the-great-dan-gutman-question-anwered.html">Great Dan Gutman Question</a> but answered it right away. Today I want to tread on some potentially dangerous ground because I want to discuss a set of books by an author that all boys everywhere not only love but can't get enough of.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_PCBjy1vsy_-XEdeKhTAMeIXMUxNIsc5GLGifH0dXhqcIyFPihAIYALy5NTfesw73PD1JAaZUQTyVW4oNlVrcVb4uiaEjD3SWcL38OiX3MCoJZdJ8TSl8HDJSsfE8BDz5-zAgF7SAZIl9/s1600/dog+man.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_PCBjy1vsy_-XEdeKhTAMeIXMUxNIsc5GLGifH0dXhqcIyFPihAIYALy5NTfesw73PD1JAaZUQTyVW4oNlVrcVb4uiaEjD3SWcL38OiX3MCoJZdJ8TSl8HDJSsfE8BDz5-zAgF7SAZIl9/s1600/dog+man.jpg" /></a>That guy is, of course, <b><span style="color: blue;">Dav Pilkey.</span></b><br />
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And the books are the <b><span style="color: #660000;">Dog Man</span></b> series.<br />
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Now every reader guy in the whole country gets excited over Dav Pilkey's books. And with good reason. They have all the goofball humor that guys love. I recommended his <a href="http://jaja-cas.blogspot.com/2016/10/more-cool-reads-and-one-cool-listen.html">Ricky Ricotta series</a> a while back. I want to read his <b>Ook and Glook</b> series one day. (actually, he didn't write those; he illustrated them) And, of course, there's <b><span style="color: #274e13;">Captain Underpants</span></b>. I don't care for them much mainly because George and Harold are disrespectful and not in a good way but <a href="http://jaja-cas.blogspot.com/2011/06/sammer-tells-us-about-captain.html">boys love those books</a>. Anyway, Dav Pilkey is always a hit with guys (and girls too) and his books are great fun and they're perfect to hand out to what the grownups call "reluctant readers" (I've always said that boys aren't reluctant to read; many of them just haven't found the right things yet), so when this new series came out I snapped them up right away.<br />
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Now, the premise of these books is that George and Harold made their own comics when they were in first grade and found them several years later. The comics were about a policeman and a dog who got caught by a bomb when it exploded. The solution was to graft the dog's head onto the policeman's body---that's how we got Dog Man. He can think and act like a policeman but still behave like a dog sometimes. A weird but funny idea and full of lots of comic possibilities. Some grownups think so too. Here's what the School Library Journal said about the third book in the series:<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: "open sans" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Madcap action and general silliness abound on every page. The book is filled with laugh-out-loud situations, puns, delightful Flip-o-Rama animations, and a lot of licking and chewing on furniture-enough to keep even the most jaded young reader enthralled. VERDICT Pilkey has done it again. This latest installment is just as "supa" funny and irreverent as the first two volumes in the series. Sure to be popular, it's a great choice for elementary school graphic novel collections and of particular interest to reluctant readers and fans of the series.</span><br />
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What did I think?<br />
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<i><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>Boring.</b></span></i><br />
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I'ts not because the stories aren't funny; it's because of that six-year-old artwork. Remember, George and Harold wrote and illustrated these comics when they were in the first grade--when they were six. What were <i><span style="color: red;">your</span></i> pictures like when you were six? Yep, really, really simple. Now, it's cute when a six-year-old draws a picture. People love them and grownups put them on refrigerator doors. So, one six-year-old picture is nice but a <i><span style="color: #b45f06;">whole graphic novel</span></i> full of them? It gets old really fast. I enjoyed the first half of the first Dog Man graphic novel but had had to make myself read the second half. I couldn't finish the second Dog man gn. Now if Mr. Pilkey had done these gn's in his usual artwork, I would have have enjoyed them a lot more.<br />
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Of course, that's how I see it but the big question is--what do <b><span style="color: blue;">YOU</span></b> think? Do you like these? A lot? Or do you, like me, find them boring? But listen up--this is the point at which I'd normally challenge all those who disagree with me to defend their positions. This was usually because I held an idea different from what most people think. Like with Harry Potter or Greg Heffley. (though <a href="http://jaja-cas.blogspot.com/2018/03/triumph.html">I'm changing my mind on HP</a>) But you know what? I haven't met anyone who held a strong opinion about the Dog Man series. So I guess can't stir up a Controversy or a Debate but maybe I could spark a Discussion. So what do you think? The DOG MAN graphic novels--are they great? Terrible? Somewhere in between? Put your thoughts in the Comments section below and I'll post them. Come on, everyone, and join in the <span style="color: #660000;"><b>Great Dog Man Discussion!</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000;">(btw, wasn't there a Captain Underpants movie last year? Did anyone actually <i>see</i> that movie?)</span><br />
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<br />Iron Guy Carlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06719802406868125435noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7149640467592149916.post-16628027954975020572018-03-29T14:09:00.001-04:002018-03-29T17:17:27.256-04:00Cool Spring Break ReadingGreetings, guys everywhere! This is the time of year when kids get out of school for Spring Break. In Charlotte, it starts--well, today! This is a teacher work day, so we've started early here. (How about you reader guys across the country? When do you have Spring Break?) I don't need to tell you how great it is to get of school for a week, especially at this beautiful time of year, so I won't waste time but tell that I've got some ideas of fun books for Spring Break. These books have been recommended by the Iron Guy and other boys and would be great to take with you on a trip or if you're hanging out at home.<br />
(ps--I won't spend a lot of time commenting on these books. They have all been tested and approved by GUYS, so I can guarantee you'll like them!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifhAIfXGIDkeWLYuOy9MvL2S4yStkmiuFr9G5WIjBJeK_eMeBox9TVrIDkrks4Qx7rOizgUFdWlzOBiAG5UmgaYkfNGO0mcKmh7q_X9ll_0SO17oZscvE9fqSaoepQmmVHNz8DB-7VVw19/s1600/heroguide1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="139" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifhAIfXGIDkeWLYuOy9MvL2S4yStkmiuFr9G5WIjBJeK_eMeBox9TVrIDkrks4Qx7rOizgUFdWlzOBiAG5UmgaYkfNGO0mcKmh7q_X9ll_0SO17oZscvE9fqSaoepQmmVHNz8DB-7VVw19/s1600/heroguide1.jpg" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUpHehIlOV8-JWL5IpIssfdQi_RZ8d92SSJE91InjTV7Wh-SnYHnEHUJZDrZWW9QSPBrW0kqCnuQWsHcdChnkYAnB6Mur-YitVoTcpG4AN-Q1Ex01YldEQfj_b6wjaZOa6rzNHSmL1oieb/s1600/spyschool.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUpHehIlOV8-JWL5IpIssfdQi_RZ8d92SSJE91InjTV7Wh-SnYHnEHUJZDrZWW9QSPBrW0kqCnuQWsHcdChnkYAnB6Mur-YitVoTcpG4AN-Q1Ex01YldEQfj_b6wjaZOa6rzNHSmL1oieb/s1600/spyschool.jpg" /></a><br />
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<i>The Hero's Guide to Saving the Kingdom, The Hero's Guide to Storming the Castle and The Hero's Guide to Being an Outlaw </i>by Christopher Healy<br />
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Any books by Stuart Gibbs, especially the <i>Spy School</i> series<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUDb9DT6GwmixjbkB2n1mYEeds_E2O0nM8mlJsyqTFVkGUZIHigubeFBN85qGRxxYsvHRcW5-rtCbC-QRo0Tnoce7NFNVBusTz457JPC4eExNnCKf6D1tetC2CJL1kGRhTGrlfW9jwDolp/s1600/binate1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="132" data-original-width="99" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUDb9DT6GwmixjbkB2n1mYEeds_E2O0nM8mlJsyqTFVkGUZIHigubeFBN85qGRxxYsvHRcW5-rtCbC-QRo0Tnoce7NFNVBusTz457JPC4eExNnCKf6D1tetC2CJL1kGRhTGrlfW9jwDolp/s1600/binate1.jpg" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0RkJU7_FXEF4H0usw1TvSeMplAAjaZV2GmoW0TZYfq2W4XzkXodX6vzI3Yubv5s1qylHd_VLTOjSliY1HedH6PY6_mcABmBZLrin8FqqKGQfp9PY9iFgfKS-vrum9AkNmylTISjBNNgij/s1600/ricotta1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0RkJU7_FXEF4H0usw1TvSeMplAAjaZV2GmoW0TZYfq2W4XzkXodX6vzI3Yubv5s1qylHd_VLTOjSliY1HedH6PY6_mcABmBZLrin8FqqKGQfp9PY9iFgfKS-vrum9AkNmylTISjBNNgij/s1600/ricotta1.jpg" /></a><br />
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The <i>Big Nate</i> books by Lincoln Peirce<br />
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The <i>Ricky Ricotta</i> books by Dav Pilkey (really good for our younger reader guys)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtGL2V0ce3yNFkW4qSEd75iENqdJpIiKdKb6FTFiN9WWh8e8SRPtIp2Ya0vK0XG04aZjtVY8kny8YAhY2H83O6VIehMbZ5DuOnfWH5QNGCTDcgSTFHvoyXKCp5k7A-1NuKwjgPUNOUnGi_/s1600/eragon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtGL2V0ce3yNFkW4qSEd75iENqdJpIiKdKb6FTFiN9WWh8e8SRPtIp2Ya0vK0XG04aZjtVY8kny8YAhY2H83O6VIehMbZ5DuOnfWH5QNGCTDcgSTFHvoyXKCp5k7A-1NuKwjgPUNOUnGi_/s1600/eragon.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRCfKNVOp-7TCE5Lm2-j_bqw8-xqF4RLpP2NNyhQNxfbAyGzrY6ttOokaLxHz7GheabL30aD-Vl-G9UVrrZK2d0Ufj1VfgYdcR9M85W-2xfNGF_NSUKpCoOCyjV4KadtNa002gurdZpdMx/s1600/pjgreekgds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="100" data-original-width="74" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRCfKNVOp-7TCE5Lm2-j_bqw8-xqF4RLpP2NNyhQNxfbAyGzrY6ttOokaLxHz7GheabL30aD-Vl-G9UVrrZK2d0Ufj1VfgYdcR9M85W-2xfNGF_NSUKpCoOCyjV4KadtNa002gurdZpdMx/s200/pjgreekgds.jpg" width="147" /></a><br />
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The<i> Eragon</i> books by Christopher Paolini<br />
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<i>Percy Jackson's Greek Gods and Percy Jackson's Greek Heroes </i>by Rick Riordan<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6JMcW_m2ZA_RWk0aYCDIeIplty4eOd7bMAUl4NTRNb5sUIOhgdD3dlqi7WsdLswGaoc5IBKGLAW7hZ3CzQtZddFAi7y7XHHj1lCkHLZfwMret31Y5DkZQjjdOOF6-CzGTihBN0kY0pOHL/s1600/forbidden+stone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6JMcW_m2ZA_RWk0aYCDIeIplty4eOd7bMAUl4NTRNb5sUIOhgdD3dlqi7WsdLswGaoc5IBKGLAW7hZ3CzQtZddFAi7y7XHHj1lCkHLZfwMret31Y5DkZQjjdOOF6-CzGTihBN0kY0pOHL/s1600/forbidden+stone.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTr3TzQttLv2TrTnex3_wwmd8aFJ02NJgrQNKgG2Mvs6U9YdOWCv4_8eoVcF2AGNQr9J9dBEujxJWq6Qp6VfNKawwzFBs6Oq1QspqRaGU8vYc08flSEZzbqrawqcviAOq3BVjriPAUV3Fa/s1600/gretzky2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTr3TzQttLv2TrTnex3_wwmd8aFJ02NJgrQNKgG2Mvs6U9YdOWCv4_8eoVcF2AGNQr9J9dBEujxJWq6Qp6VfNKawwzFBs6Oq1QspqRaGU8vYc08flSEZzbqrawqcviAOq3BVjriPAUV3Fa/s1600/gretzky2.jpg" /></a><br />
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The <i>Copernicus Legacy</i> books by Tony Abbott<br />
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and, if you like to grab a whole lot of books and binge read, the <i>Who Was... </i><br />
and <i>What Was...</i> books are great.<br />
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So are the <i>I Survived</i> books by Lauren Tarshis<br />
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<a href="https://secure.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9780545658461/MC.GIF&client=chmep&type=xw12&oclc=" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="I Survived The Great Chicago Fire, 1871" border="0" src="https://secure.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9780545658461/MC.GIF&client=chmep&type=xw12&oclc=" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-MUwh77yLPJFj6ZaNSxB8FGgykxlVBv20SykJOWiCRdDqNp0-vlyKtxFCNT721N4rS8wIvkunHHkHmO5LMAIErU_sUJoH9W568P-qag9hyv8jl4IVsqLurhI_TRRDZhRHIrhfIbdL46yO/s1600/hankdog2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="170" data-original-width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-MUwh77yLPJFj6ZaNSxB8FGgykxlVBv20SykJOWiCRdDqNp0-vlyKtxFCNT721N4rS8wIvkunHHkHmO5LMAIErU_sUJoH9W568P-qag9hyv8jl4IVsqLurhI_TRRDZhRHIrhfIbdL46yO/s1600/hankdog2.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdu_dbcpcue9H1pgvfKgcIKbpqM4Q5AU0nstySOX_AGdtr50h4yCLbyAkL4uphF3yArNZ1rhGjf1xIwha0RVZCWcycq-wix7NWLJH6RyhQ7TwTyqGoq0wLJ-4lSNv8i-FhkdVhSLV0w4iz/s1600/worstclastrip.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="124" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdu_dbcpcue9H1pgvfKgcIKbpqM4Q5AU0nstySOX_AGdtr50h4yCLbyAkL4uphF3yArNZ1rhGjf1xIwha0RVZCWcycq-wix7NWLJH6RyhQ7TwTyqGoq0wLJ-4lSNv8i-FhkdVhSLV0w4iz/s1600/worstclastrip.jpg" /></a><br />
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And if you're traveling, don't forget to take audiobooks!<br />
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OK, guys, here are some of my suggestions. What about YOU? What would you like to read or listen to over spring break? Leave your ideas in the Comments section below this post. And if you'd like to send in a review of anything you read, leave in the Comments section. I'll collect reviews after spring break is over and post them.<br />
So, if you're on spring break now or will be soon, have a great time!<br />
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<br />Iron Guy Carlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06719802406868125435noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7149640467592149916.post-71512657631426558332018-03-28T16:22:00.001-04:002018-03-28T16:23:40.372-04:00Harry Potter Update # 3--TRIUMPH!!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWrZBxRrAgVDIvW8xilJjQXKdZzvAEIsXfTXqsSrbPPN7xKZChbg1SPGwqEajG2rIFZ-VCaPs7bRHnMiO5iGvCqsdXBpYmAEbHyUcoEdCuvAj9krTKDz4OoXiwG0Auc4nVlETHHusyialr/s1600/DSCN0830.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWrZBxRrAgVDIvW8xilJjQXKdZzvAEIsXfTXqsSrbPPN7xKZChbg1SPGwqEajG2rIFZ-VCaPs7bRHnMiO5iGvCqsdXBpYmAEbHyUcoEdCuvAj9krTKDz4OoXiwG0Auc4nVlETHHusyialr/s320/DSCN0830.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A triumph of sheer MANLINESS!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Yes, guys, the Iron Guy's iron determination and persistence has triumphed once again!! I had <a href="http://jaja-cas.blogspot.com/2018/03/in-which-iron-guy-confronts-one-of-his.html">set a goal of reading</a> that massively intimidating book,<i> <a href="http://hip.plcmc.org/ipac20/ipac.jsp?&profile=plcmc&index=ISBNEX&term=1594131120">Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix</a></i>, by the end of March. Of course, even the MANLIEST of MANLY MEN might have faltered at such an enormous task and even I questioned whether or not I could have done it. HA!! Let us forever banish such foolish thoughts! I not only finished the book but made it with a week to spare (I finished last Saturday), a testament to the Iron Guy's rugged fortitude!!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX54qfNoQlrkrRVLer8w38_1xC01s0JaWF298zs0WVHXvkjJ3aMs37jgS2nCW__AXIinIjHjswalVJpzSuzX9DU1WHsPE2-oixOJ9aUgM2VJYYt1vpNh-ymd9Ib5Os4ERLZQ_TmtJPx3WL/s1600/HPphoenix.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX54qfNoQlrkrRVLer8w38_1xC01s0JaWF298zs0WVHXvkjJ3aMs37jgS2nCW__AXIinIjHjswalVJpzSuzX9DU1WHsPE2-oixOJ9aUgM2VJYYt1vpNh-ymd9Ib5Os4ERLZQ_TmtJPx3WL/s1600/HPphoenix.jpg" /></a>Well, that and the fact that this is such a terrific read that I couldn't pull myself away from it! Let me tell you, guys, this is <b><span style="color: blue;">ONE TERRIFIC BOOK!!</span></b> If you are not familiar with the story, let me fill you in. The incredibly evil Lord Voldemort returned in the fourth book. (<i>The Goblet of Fire</i>) Harry Potter not only saw him but narrowly escaped with his life from that encounter. The Ministry of Magic refused to believe in Voldemort's return, however, and set about to discredit Harry and anyone, like Dumbledore, who believed him. In fact, the Ministry went so far as to appoint the wretched Dolores Umbridge as the new Headmistress of Hogwarts to enforce its schemes. But the One-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is alive and active and seeking a weapon which would make him more powerful than all the other wizards. Harry Potter keeps having dreams in which he goes down a long corridor, then up to a door that leads to--well, could it be weapon that Voldemort seeks? And what will happen if Voldemort gets there first?<br />
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As I said, this is <b><span style="color: blue;">ONE TERRIFIC BOOK!!</span></b> The first four books were good but they never grabbed me as they did the rest of the world. Yes, I enjoyed all the delightful magic in those books and sympathized with poor Harry in the Dursey household and when picked on by the Slytherins at Hogwarts but, overall, I found those books interesting but not absorbing.<br />
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All that changed with <i>The Order of the Phoenix</i>.<br />
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This one started off with Dementors attacking Harry and his cousin Dudley and it took off from there. You never knew when Voldemort or Dolores Umbridge would strike next, so that made me keep turning pages to find out what would happen--something that was missing for much of the first four books.<br />
And that ending! Enough slam-bang action to satisfy any guy. And a really big surprise. Plus some big reveals that not only give Harry a more dangerous load to carry but also shed some light on the . Danger, suspense, mysteries, action, bad guys who are really bad, powerful wizards and all the delightful, goofy and whimsical magic that J. K. Rowling does so well--what more could a guy want??<br />
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Some grownups have told me this is their favorite Harry Potter book and I can see why. Be sure to check it out--but not until you've read the others! This series builds on itself and you won't enjoy it nearly as much unless you've read the first four. Which, if you haven't started them, would be a great idea over Spring Break! But,then, that's tomorrow's post.Iron Guy Carlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06719802406868125435noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7149640467592149916.post-85938994934225892542018-03-17T15:05:00.002-04:002018-03-28T14:27:35.751-04:00Harry Potter Update # 2--Plus Three Other Cool Items<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJhidhdaUr_d4nLY0XmoBI1gicBMed9x2i6SPd7gQxDDbZ-nvvy-c3WZkkLrqvJRXk6Rzx9T9gs1F0AOZGgKsRctzPB0ZVdjHhUxO3UXm7sK1fY4X7gJ3HOtOrX1i3pfKX1F-6ornWNWtk/s1600/HPphoenix.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJhidhdaUr_d4nLY0XmoBI1gicBMed9x2i6SPd7gQxDDbZ-nvvy-c3WZkkLrqvJRXk6Rzx9T9gs1F0AOZGgKsRctzPB0ZVdjHhUxO3UXm7sK1fY4X7gJ3HOtOrX1i3pfKX1F-6ornWNWtk/s1600/HPphoenix.jpg" /></a>OK, guys, I must admit that I have been more than a little surprised at how much I'm enjoying <i>Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix</i>. There is a lot going on--Hagrid's disappearance and return, the Sytherin and Gryffindor Quidditch match, attack by a giant snake, Dolores Umbridge snooping into everything--that makes this book a lot more exciting than the first four. And there's a sense of danger lurking throughout the book that keeps me on the edge of my seat and wondering what will happen next. Plus there a lot of questions like, "What's up with Harry's scar?" and "Why is Dumbledore being so silent to Harry?" and "What is You-Know-Who looking for?" that keeps me reading to find answers. Yep, this book has been so good that I've been ripping through the pages. Last week I had gotten to page 227 and today I'm at p. 547, which means I've read <b><i><span style="color: #990000;">320 pages</span></i></b> since last week! I would normally say that you may all gasp in amazement now at my MANLY feat of determination and persistence but reading this book has been so much fun that it hasn't been a chore. Besides, I still have<span style="color: #cc0000;"> <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">233 pages</span></span> left to go. Maybe i could finish by next weekend!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjkPkJbKMe1ei1obb0zvbXwDmN7-OrHGVOiGQyC6-rXIq_lyO_YApbbZU2uP0bQxBbU-HcijAxuvLO1yAdt5wG6BeeWzdvnc4cmjppbHToWiWw7W7rKHQNNqxmoivIif_VvQhPR2oWRKsv/s1600/gryonsclaw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjkPkJbKMe1ei1obb0zvbXwDmN7-OrHGVOiGQyC6-rXIq_lyO_YApbbZU2uP0bQxBbU-HcijAxuvLO1yAdt5wG6BeeWzdvnc4cmjppbHToWiWw7W7rKHQNNqxmoivIif_VvQhPR2oWRKsv/s1600/gryonsclaw.jpg" /></a>But you don't want to hear only about me and that one book. I've got three other things I meant to tell you about before I got caught up in Hogwart's world. The first is <i><a href="http://hip.plcmc.org/ipac20/ipac.jsp?&profile=plcmc&index=ISBNEX&term=9781524713652">Guardians of the Gryphon's Claw</a></i> by Todd Calgi Gallicano. It's a fantasy set in modern day California that ends up going all over the known world and into the mythical world--which, apparently, is next to us all the time but we don't see it! Young Sam London is your typical kid. He goes to school every day, lives at home with his mom and doesn't think there's anything special about him. But he has an extensive collection of books about mythical animals, which will soon serve him well because he's about to encounter that world. He keeps having dreams about a powerful gryphon and, through a plan involving a tour group of seniors and their bus, gets to meet the gryphon. Something big and dangerous is happening in the mythical world but neither one knows what it is. When Sam goes back to the bus and it explodes, his adventures begin! Along the way you'll meet a troll who likes breakfast at IHOP, the US Dept. of Mythical Wildlife and the remarkable Guardians. This is a good solid fantasy adventure and if you like fantasy (or even if you don't) this would be a good choice. It won't make you forget Harry Potter or Percy Jackson or Lord of the Rings but it is a good story with humor, action and (what is really great) mythical beasts from mythologies all over the world. Plus, the author lives just north of Charlotte!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigF3zUmNs9TSzT4XvnhMsSCKa4dS24GBRXbqfCQS-ZV92BLdN2AB5Jd7gfPNpYrfap0K7Nfm4GxeQzM2XiGZbdlxmc1ed0va9fV4P4a3JfJ6NZbDpnrc_vI5mmONidS6m2cT2Ckdny_kSc/s1600/Knossos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigF3zUmNs9TSzT4XvnhMsSCKa4dS24GBRXbqfCQS-ZV92BLdN2AB5Jd7gfPNpYrfap0K7Nfm4GxeQzM2XiGZbdlxmc1ed0va9fV4P4a3JfJ6NZbDpnrc_vI5mmONidS6m2cT2Ckdny_kSc/s1600/Knossos.jpg" /></a><br />
The second book is <i><a href="http://hip.plcmc.org/ipac20/ipac.jsp?&profile=plcmc&index=ISBNEX&term=1589881206">The Winged Girl of Knossos</a></i> by Erick Berry. I first heard about this book about 10 years ago from a fellow blogger, <b><span style="color: #073763;">Betsy Bird</span></b>, who said Percy Jackson fans should know about it. That's a good idea in some ways because this book gives a good glimpse into that ancient world and into the Daedalus story. It turns out that Daedalus had a daughter named Inas and she likes to do adventurous things like diving for sponges or practicing the dangerous sport of bull leaping. She also likes to try out her father's latest inventions, pair of wings that could make people soar like birds. She has to do it in secret, however, because the superstitious people of her island of Crete would not understand and create trouble for her and Daedalus. She will need all her adventurous skills and her wings for a daring rescue at the end of the book! I really enjoyed this book. Historical fiction, like fantasy, is a great way to walk around in another world for a while. There's good adventure here but the book's pace is slower than Percy Jackson. If you're expecting slam-bang, thrill-a-minute action like you'd get from the PJ books, you'd be disappointed but if you like a good solid story with a thrilling ending and a fascinating chance to see the ancient world through the eyes of someone who lived in it, this is for you!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7PvRO1aOafDuaz01xsLSWmeSFeq-io64Y5oJ1bm-dLA8mDBaeX550cRXmjt4jWdEvKcMvS2mpPzJA7gdA5VyWECUJiMWLd55Gb7vzIYKqDydP2LBQcsB8KNScdtqVULnobmM_3zrFpTeU/s1600/worstclastrip.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="124" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7PvRO1aOafDuaz01xsLSWmeSFeq-io64Y5oJ1bm-dLA8mDBaeX550cRXmjt4jWdEvKcMvS2mpPzJA7gdA5VyWECUJiMWLd55Gb7vzIYKqDydP2LBQcsB8KNScdtqVULnobmM_3zrFpTeU/s1600/worstclastrip.jpg" /></a>I saved the best for last. Do you remember w<a href="http://jaja-cas.blogspot.com/2018/02/want-to-hear-best-then-listen-to-worst.html">hen I started listening to <i>The Worst Class Trip Ever</i> by Dave Barry?</a> Well, I finished it yesterday and, man, was it ever <b><span style="color: blue;">FUN!!! </span></b>I don't know how Dave Barry does it but he manages to make you both grip your seat in suspense and laugh out loud--often at the same time!<br />
There is danger and suspense aplenty but there is also loads of the goofball humor that guys love so much and Dave Barry understands so well. I won't try to summarize the story here (too many turns in the plot) but let me tell you it involves potential terrorists, kidnappings and frozen pizza, missiles flying from the White House lawn, box lunches, Homer Simpson burps, purple Crocs---and the President of the United States! Oh, wow, guys---I could talk about this audiobook all day but, to keep from writing 20 more pages, let just tell you that <i><span style="color: #660000;">you need to listen to this!</span></i> Actor Todd Haberkorn does a perfect job getting all the voices right and wringing the maximum suspense and fall-on-the-floor humor out of every situation. Are you going on spring break soon, guys? Take this with you! Or are you staying home? Listen to it in the car as you're driven around. Even if you listen to it going back and forth to school, I can guarantee that you (and the adults driving you) will have the best car trip ever!<br />
<br />Iron Guy Carlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06719802406868125435noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7149640467592149916.post-30040307751309009982018-03-09T12:22:00.001-04:002018-03-28T14:26:33.916-04:00Happy Potter Update # 1 (or--Just How Big and Heavy Is That Book?)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicFDkUyaQ-0e4zB_YZSNG34hABq8rFyptpgwFGvcQT7B7b95tL80UVoiIcalTdnbpGk_6BNRv7MPFXnytvkkQWJLN8bPxyPMDUv5iPm4wOHFq89ggB3al6MrLGJKTJJivPyzq-WcBwI2pr/s1600/HPphoenix.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicFDkUyaQ-0e4zB_YZSNG34hABq8rFyptpgwFGvcQT7B7b95tL80UVoiIcalTdnbpGk_6BNRv7MPFXnytvkkQWJLN8bPxyPMDUv5iPm4wOHFq89ggB3al6MrLGJKTJJivPyzq-WcBwI2pr/s1600/HPphoenix.jpg" /></a>All right, guys, it's been a full week since I took up<a href="http://jaja-cas.blogspot.com/2018/03/in-which-iron-guy-confronts-one-of-his.html"> the challenge of facing the one major fear </a>of my life---reading <a href="http://hip.plcmc.org/ipac20/ipac.jsp?&profile=plcmc&index=ISBNEX&term=043935806x"><i>Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix</i>-</a>-and I'm making some progress on it. In fact, I've been really surprised to find that I'm enjoying this book a lot. I mean,<i><span style="color: blue;"> </span><span style="color: #cc0000;">a whole lot!!</span></i> Much more that the other four books. The story had a slam bang beginning (Harry and Dursley getting attacked by Dementors) and the pace and excitement haven't let up since then. Now don't get me wrong; I don't mind a book that takes its time to get started but the first four books took <i><span style="color: #274e13;">forever</span></i> to get going. Anyway, I'm enjoying this one so much that I look forward impatiently to free moments when I'm not working so that I can read a few more pages. That hasn't happened since the days when I was reading the first <i>Percy Jackson</i> books or the <i>Copernicus Legacy</i> books!<br />
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So I'm making good progress. I'm on page 227 now. That means I have only---<br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span>
<i><span style="color: #990000;">Oh, man!</span></i><br />
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I've still got <b><i><span style="color: #660000;">643 pages</span></i></b> left to go!!<br />
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Well, time to redouble my MANLY efforts if I'm going to finish this thing before the end of March. If I could read 30 pages a day, then it would be possible. Fortunately, this will be easy because I'm enjoying it so much!<br />
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The only problem is, however, this book is so BIG and HEAVY that I'm getting worn down to the ground by carrying it around. In fact, I tried to hire a personal assistant to help me. I called <b>Chuck Norris</b> but, when he heard what book it was, he yelped in fear and slammed down the phone. Same thing when I called the <b><span style="color: #274e13;">Hulk</span></b>. Yep, it's that big and heavy.<br />
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Don't believe me? Well, let me tell you--this book is so <b><span style="color: blue;">BIG</span></b> and <b><span style="color: blue;">HEAVY</span></b> that:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_bsJBx-9VsMC0jlkj9vh0_0fri75eGUklRlsj8kpDgWeC4CpHG7pWkzJXuqW2Znofhf-hE97fZL1LbSin4TfrPM1tSd1LTd6sx1ZPcg_eqfDm_ZAl6gUKAGj139Luo8NBrFcW2Zyh08YX/s1600/353615-thor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><img border="0" data-original-height="525" data-original-width="598" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_bsJBx-9VsMC0jlkj9vh0_0fri75eGUklRlsj8kpDgWeC4CpHG7pWkzJXuqW2Znofhf-hE97fZL1LbSin4TfrPM1tSd1LTd6sx1ZPcg_eqfDm_ZAl6gUKAGj139Luo8NBrFcW2Zyh08YX/s200/353615-thor.jpg" width="200" /></i></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Strong enough for one but not the other!</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>I stood it upright and National Geographic called and asked where the new mountain came from.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>I stood it upright again and the Charlotte city government called and asked if I had a permit for the new skyscraper.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>What the difference between Thor's hammer and this book? Thor is strong enough to lift his hammer!</i></span><br />
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I told you. Of course, you see I'm joking. But why should I have all the fun? If you boys know of any jokes (or could make up any) about how <b><span style="color: blue;">BIG</span></b> and <b><span style="color: blue;">HEAVY</span></b> this book is, send them along in the Comments section under this post. (gotta keep them clean, of course) I'll post them on my next Update and be sure you get one of the cool new bookmarks.<br />
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OK, I can't wait to hear from you! I've got to go now and move that book to a different location. If I let it sit in the same place too long, the building starts to tip over to that side.Iron Guy Carlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06719802406868125435noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7149640467592149916.post-90289281212508903252018-03-01T18:09:00.001-04:002018-03-28T14:26:51.095-04:00In Which the Iron Guy Confronts One of His Worst Fears<br />
Greetings, guys. Because we're all friends here, I need to let you in on a secret. I had a resolution for 2018. Yes, I know you're supposed to make resolutions at the beginning of January but I've been putting this off for a long time. A<i> looonnnggg</i> time. Why? Well, even the MANLIEST of us has something he's afraid of. Something big. Something <b><span style="color: #38761d;">HUGE</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #274e13;">TERRIFYING</span></b>. Something so <b><i><span style="color: #990000;">big</span></i></b> and <b><i><span style="color: #990000;">scary</span></i></b> that we don't even want to look at it. In this case, it's---<br />
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<i>it's---</i></div>
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<i><b><span style="color: #674ea7;">It's---</span></b></i></div>
<i><b><span style="color: #674ea7;"><br /></span></b></i>
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<b><span style="color: #b45f06;">Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix</span></b></div>
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<i><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;"><b>Yeesh!! Hide me from it!!</b></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Iron Guy starts to run.</i></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">MANLY MAN POLICE appears.</span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc_HI_EG4Oax4XVYvSsHMvjHfk_fZr_cNxY0UHN7M9vUib9RqgX2J5O2aOiNYqtkjZE0tuIoV4coD659-FomH-DA-9tbO8B512zgBOdjXSC5Yj0QybEe-P1dAtLjy57zGF-VbvvR5TJMwG/s1600/police.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="332" data-original-width="361" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc_HI_EG4Oax4XVYvSsHMvjHfk_fZr_cNxY0UHN7M9vUib9RqgX2J5O2aOiNYqtkjZE0tuIoV4coD659-FomH-DA-9tbO8B512zgBOdjXSC5Yj0QybEe-P1dAtLjy57zGF-VbvvR5TJMwG/s320/police.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: large; font-style: italic;"> "</span>You're not allowed to run from your fears, Iron Guy!"</span></b></div>
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<i>But--but, it's so <b><span style="color: #660000;">big</span></b> and<span style="color: #660000;"> <b>scary</b></span>...</i></div>
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<b><span style="color: #0b5394;">"Never mind! Go back and read it like a MANLY MAN!"</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Gulp---OK.</i></span></div>
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Well, I'll put the goofiness aside and talk for real about this book. First, I should let you know that <a href="http://jaja-cas.blogspot.com/2011/07/im-back-and-great-harry-potter.html">I've never been a big Harry Potter fan</a>. Now, don't get me wrong--I'm not a Harry hater. Those books are OK. I read the first four and liked them well enough but I've never gone Hogwarts wild over them. (yes, I intended that pun!) I know a lot of you guys are total Harry Potter fans. Kids (and grownups) have been telling for years how much they not only like but LOVE these books. I remember that some libraries held parties when new HP books came out. I remember when bookstores opened at midnight so that kids could get the latest titles. I've heard for years about how terrific Harry Potter is but, for some reason, I just never fell under the Harry Potter spell. (I intended that pun too!) So I've just never been in a big hurry to finish the series. And part of it is a kind of fear. Not a "blind, unreasoning panic" (as FDR once said) but a sort of intimidation of the huge size of that book. It's <b><span style="color: #660000;"><i>870 pages long!!</i></span></b> I'd need a forklift to carry that thing around!Or at least a pickup truck. Seriously, though, how could <i><span style="color: #990000;">anyone</span></i>, even J. K. Rowling, write something <i><span style="color: #990000;">that long</span></i> and keep it interesting?? So, yeah, I've been a little afraid to plunge into it.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC0l6IFDYpsOPicj0cii80La0WhB2-9vnpPUm-gKU0w0o58ZXI9LpTnQ34VjTb0cbWrnqw9TsQ_v5sqnumnaHrKmAn0G1IZSijkbglUllxTOoB-_Ib0_uFho4T4WAv7DTRaGKoSG1GG9st/s1600/DSCN0816.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC0l6IFDYpsOPicj0cii80La0WhB2-9vnpPUm-gKU0w0o58ZXI9LpTnQ34VjTb0cbWrnqw9TsQ_v5sqnumnaHrKmAn0G1IZSijkbglUllxTOoB-_Ib0_uFho4T4WAv7DTRaGKoSG1GG9st/s320/DSCN0816.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;">The Iron Guy using all his MANLY strength to lift this thing</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPygQCdW0e4TBLdkQbrX5jAI396k37s-LB0K_qQisIAb9OfeMADyrBl1wvTnV6ZGaFbJv83J6zF9ZPGhpCqd9as2My7k8ESNS69LFZKtsRukleCby6tkzPo2T0NMEMi7aMof_geUms-8NT/s1600/DSCN0818.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPygQCdW0e4TBLdkQbrX5jAI396k37s-LB0K_qQisIAb9OfeMADyrBl1wvTnV6ZGaFbJv83J6zF9ZPGhpCqd9as2My7k8ESNS69LFZKtsRukleCby6tkzPo2T0NMEMi7aMof_geUms-8NT/s320/DSCN0818.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SUCCESS!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizC4mepixBae9o-g8ENZHrGRGEiBCJ-3_KKRR-zWgYf7jkCYaHIuUTfT3hjVlmRWJRb0xfcndUqZV-inqzAU-m7r1ycrT2DRgE1vgQXjGmIY2IK-M2bot84cVygvPGijvz8pWsKrNE73Y4/s1600/DSCN0827.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizC4mepixBae9o-g8ENZHrGRGEiBCJ-3_KKRR-zWgYf7jkCYaHIuUTfT3hjVlmRWJRb0xfcndUqZV-inqzAU-m7r1ycrT2DRgE1vgQXjGmIY2IK-M2bot84cVygvPGijvz8pWsKrNE73Y4/s320/DSCN0827.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nope. Too blamed big</td></tr>
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But, in all seriousness, if <i>so</i> many people like it <i>so</i> much, there must be a good reason. And my good friend <a href="http://msyinglingreads.blogspot.com/">Ms. Yingling</a>, whose judgement I trust, said this was her favorite in the series. So, OK, I will take the Potter plunge and get started on it. <i>But I will need your support!</i> No mater how tough a guy may be, whenever he undertakes something this <b><span style="color: #660000;"><i>big</i></span></b> and <b><span style="color: #660000;"><i>scary</i></span></b>, he needs the support of his brothers-in-arms. <i>Are you with me, men?? </i>If so, then send a comment in the Comments section below. Let me know that you have my back and will support me as I undertake this monumental task. Or if you just want to say I'm a crybaby and should get on with it, that's OK too.<br />
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For I intend to finish this book by the end of March. Think I can do it? Or am I biting off more than even this MANLY guy could chew? Let me know in the Comments section!</div>
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And any boy who sends in a comment will get one of these new bookmarks I've created:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyker1JiQF9BSu2oc5N5A1ue1IED4MPHkhhB2PxCyb_QrBvsozU0EAk3cP4Tr39CX7a2_MBHI8kpd0ik_OW1l6eFLj7aJOHJ7SoJbh4NOxibU4ZconFICmYbYvoRAgArqZmhknmQIROE-5/s1600/DSCN0814.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyker1JiQF9BSu2oc5N5A1ue1IED4MPHkhhB2PxCyb_QrBvsozU0EAk3cP4Tr39CX7a2_MBHI8kpd0ik_OW1l6eFLj7aJOHJ7SoJbh4NOxibU4ZconFICmYbYvoRAgArqZmhknmQIROE-5/s320/DSCN0814.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Yeah, they look like they may be more appropriate for a Percy Jackson book but that's what I've got so far. Maybe I'll change the pictures later on. (and, yes, I know there are girls who read this blog, so I'll create some for you too) If you live outside of the Charlotte, NC area and you'd like one of these bookmarks, please let me know in your comment how to reach you (I won't publish that info!) and I'll send them along. </div>
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I'll keep you posted on my progress throughout this month. So watch this space and send in comments on further posts because I'll need your support this whole month. (and you could get more bookmarks too!) </div>
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OK--here I go!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLcb3EkbpTd9yYhDX0rNwWyS4uFjP_YoPAhTc4RDcXzdz8I_AuQ5511dTEuLbsffKXHuv65HUPzZDav2TWE9MEKfrIQj82D780TViAtrqcEgvGjza3GCdgeu8-BR348Jf_bKPJRxfjtA1C/s1600/DSCN0825.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLcb3EkbpTd9yYhDX0rNwWyS4uFjP_YoPAhTc4RDcXzdz8I_AuQ5511dTEuLbsffKXHuv65HUPzZDav2TWE9MEKfrIQj82D780TViAtrqcEgvGjza3GCdgeu8-BR348Jf_bKPJRxfjtA1C/s320/DSCN0825.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wish me luck, men! (btw, the Genie granted me a wish and gave me the super strength to hold this book up)</td></tr>
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Iron Guy Carlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06719802406868125435noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7149640467592149916.post-61431707467056987352018-02-14T13:19:00.000-04:002018-02-14T15:10:14.118-04:00The Iron Guy Is A Cybil!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://i3.cpcache.com/image/110969358_400x400.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://i3.cpcache.com/image/110969358_400x400.png" /></a></div>
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And just what is a Cybil, you may ask? Well, it doesn't mean that I'm an ancient Roman oracle (I'd hate to live in a cave) but it does mean that I've joined up with a lot of book bloggers all across the country, who call themselves <a href="http://www.cybils.com/">The Cybils</a>, to choose the best kid books of 2017. Pretty cool, huh? It's my first time to do this and I'm very honored.<br />
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I signed up for the team that judged nonfiction. Actually, I joined the second-round team, which meant another team read through a whole lot of nonfiction books and narrowed them down to fourteen finalists. That was great for me because I was too busy to be on the first round. Anyway, I got to read some great stuff and want to tell you about a few books that I think you'd like. (These are in alphabetical order and not in any order of ranking)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_mvnhmBt7sAsqRo6y7KXOr7kYZNMQ4MU8eKRuQE_OGHLVHq3x81NpZwZmn7aMjx5-GAZABlzgl4f5hPh0edqtZmOUvQgaUAUlIKMgiEPkMHLUrJqxGUwexHRQbcEXgB3ySw2dpHeW6zCs/s1600/dazzleships.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_mvnhmBt7sAsqRo6y7KXOr7kYZNMQ4MU8eKRuQE_OGHLVHq3x81NpZwZmn7aMjx5-GAZABlzgl4f5hPh0edqtZmOUvQgaUAUlIKMgiEPkMHLUrJqxGUwexHRQbcEXgB3ySw2dpHeW6zCs/s1600/dazzleships.jpg" /></a><i><a href="http://hip.plcmc.org/ipac20/ipac.jsp?&profile=plcmc&index=ISBNEX&term=1512410144">Dazzle Ships: World War I and the Art of Confusion</a></i> by Chris Barton<br />
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Battleships are all just all painted dull gray, right? Wrong! During World War I, someone came up with the idea of painting ships bright colors with all sorts of swirly designs. Why? Well, you'll have to read this book to find out! Although I was a little disappointed with the ending, this was an interesting book. There's more interesting info at the back and an actual photo (in black and white) of one of the "dazzle ships."<br />
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<i><a href="http://hip.plcmc.org/ipac20/ipac.jsp?&profile=plcmc&index=ISBNEX&term=1597143685">Fred Korematsu Speaks Up</a></i> by Laura Atkins<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgFFCXpE8DkfL7zKE0qH_irJOmPP46plNG42KbQY-ujBJP3g5ASCq9x3SDfYr0n8Ox_5afjUccwwJ-Cv1qbCkrI1p3hEdPlQTnHVBKCZF74fRupUrlZb8Q3Q80Tr3GF2c6PkQYr3H5koYY/s1600/fredkorematsu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgFFCXpE8DkfL7zKE0qH_irJOmPP46plNG42KbQY-ujBJP3g5ASCq9x3SDfYr0n8Ox_5afjUccwwJ-Cv1qbCkrI1p3hEdPlQTnHVBKCZF74fRupUrlZb8Q3Q80Tr3GF2c6PkQYr3H5koYY/s1600/fredkorematsu.jpg" /></a><br />
This is a good story of a teenager who was rounded up with his family <br />
and sent to a Japanese interment camp in World War II but, unlike many others, he did not go quietly. In fact, he spoke out against his unfair treatment and even had a lawyer offer to take his case for free. What became of it? Once again, you'll have to read it to find out! It's a good book although I wish the publisher had put the book together in a different way. They included a whole lot of good photos, sidebars and other information but it all comes every two or three pages and interrupts the flow of the story. Nevertheless, it's still a good book and well worth reading and a good reminder to be glad of living in a country in which, when wrong things are done, people can speak up and redress those wrongs. (it's not like that everywhere!)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjICfzeCiKYlcenPf_r8Vqylnknezr1sac-mqk4-QfSvdnBuSgp9LDAd3GyUAEBdxmIOYDM6VWKghXsI95gw49pOGX2n6SqoBSAg7czi_421yc99tdveOIHlWTH4zihFNCJSUpdFHtVeIZv/s1600/hatchingchicks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="181" data-original-width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjICfzeCiKYlcenPf_r8Vqylnknezr1sac-mqk4-QfSvdnBuSgp9LDAd3GyUAEBdxmIOYDM6VWKghXsI95gw49pOGX2n6SqoBSAg7czi_421yc99tdveOIHlWTH4zihFNCJSUpdFHtVeIZv/s1600/hatchingchicks.jpg" /></a><i><a href="http://hip.plcmc.org/ipac20/ipac.jsp?&profile=plcmc&index=ISBNEX&term=1580897355">Hatching Chicks in Room Six</a></i> by Caroline Arnold<br />
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Here's something good for our younger reader guys, like first, second or even third grade. It's the story of a kindergarten class that watches a bunch of chicks hatch from eggs and grow until old enough to go to the chicken coop. The language is simple, the photos are great and the book has lots of information. I liked it and even learned a few things!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiskDkNz8QfQ481IdAUDizZ_IE44UsYJ6CdBTYIqnBpwyHkTr3QhCyBwsusIXR_8rVvccV8N9S6OowTDNXQVQ4wIr7xHKWU72q_XlQE8VyvP0wPOG-eo482xRSsT27M6AT5DTwE_y2eUe1g/s1600/pathfinders.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiskDkNz8QfQ481IdAUDizZ_IE44UsYJ6CdBTYIqnBpwyHkTr3QhCyBwsusIXR_8rVvccV8N9S6OowTDNXQVQ4wIr7xHKWU72q_XlQE8VyvP0wPOG-eo482xRSsT27M6AT5DTwE_y2eUe1g/s1600/pathfinders.jpg" /></a><i><a href="http://hip.plcmc.org/ipac20/ipac.jsp?&profile=plcmc&index=ISBNEX&term=1419714554">Pathfinders: The Journeys of 16 Extraordinary Black Souls</a></i> by Tanya Bolden<br />
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Did you ever hear of Richard Potter, an African-American magician and showman in colonial American days? Or Charlie Wiggins, the first African-Amer<span style="background-color: white;">ican race driver? Or Eugene Bullard, a Black World War I combat pilot? <i><b><span style="color: #660000;">NO?</span></b> </i></span>Don't worry--not many other people have heard of them, either! That is what makes this book so interesting--it's full of true stories of little-known people who deserve to have their stories told. There are 13 more such lives discussed in this book which means, unfortunately, that I didn't get to know as much about each person as I would have liked but that's OK. I really enjoyed this and learned quite a lot.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2w8x5pAKz7jVZkt5_Sh0Z82BjUyKLZzMdT-9VoKwMsw09m8sjYk0RTpq6Nrq91vTyAAwJ3kxLGykOrtFlYDGkX0nnssK-CrQAAwgNOOfQ6Pvwc0jNQxIaIp_CCcEAb6MdIrNcuwyyyr-z/s1600/redcloud.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2w8x5pAKz7jVZkt5_Sh0Z82BjUyKLZzMdT-9VoKwMsw09m8sjYk0RTpq6Nrq91vTyAAwJ3kxLGykOrtFlYDGkX0nnssK-CrQAAwgNOOfQ6Pvwc0jNQxIaIp_CCcEAb6MdIrNcuwyyyr-z/s1600/redcloud.jpg" /></a><i><a href="http://hip.plcmc.org/ipac20/ipac.jsp?&profile=plcmc&index=ISBNEX&term=1419723138">Red Cloud: A Lakota Story of War and Surrender</a></i> by S. D. Nelson<br />
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Here's another good story about a great historical figure that I knew very little about. Red Cloud was a chief of the Lakota people, a Native American group who lived in what is now North and South Dakota. When the American westward expansion started and pushed many Native people off their lands, many tribes and their leaders fought back. Including Red Cloud. In fact, he fought so well that the American army had to come and negotiate with him. Of course, the outcome was inevitable...(let's have a TBH moment, guys--not all of our country's wrongs have been righted) Anyway, this was quite a story and the illustrations, based on Native American designs, were really good.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOVjljYOAH4NZf2Z5JDgIL55uiNXkrlBpAuKE8S_9nH0X-ZKffmJjGd26bxtXxGI0lP3vev7Vzrs7WuATVamkpES8KQtFtIGm00kdhrJJBEXwXcd0FK6ZM2Gmzm1GKQt-XfR59-iz-RIIH/s1600/twotruths.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOVjljYOAH4NZf2Z5JDgIL55uiNXkrlBpAuKE8S_9nH0X-ZKffmJjGd26bxtXxGI0lP3vev7Vzrs7WuATVamkpES8KQtFtIGm00kdhrJJBEXwXcd0FK6ZM2Gmzm1GKQt-XfR59-iz-RIIH/s1600/twotruths.jpg" /></a><i><a href="http://hip.plcmc.org/ipac20/ipac.jsp?&profile=plcmc&index=ISBNEX&term=0062418793">Two Truths and a Lie</a></i> by Ammi-Joan Paquette and Laurie Ann Thompson<br />
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You can believe everything you see in books and on the internet, right? Oh, man, you are <i><b><span style="color: #073763;">SO</span></b></i> wrong and this book proves it! There are nine chapters and each is divided into three topics <i><span style="color: red;">but</span></i>---two of them are true and one is a big fat lie!! Are you savvy enough to figure out which topics are true and which are not? Don't be so sure--everything looks very convincing! I had a hard time figuring out the real from the false and didn't always get the correct answers. Not only is this book interesting, however, it's also a lot of <span style="color: #20124d;"><b> FUN!</b></span>. Plus there's a Research Guide at the end that gives good tips on how to be sure that you know how to find actual factual information instead of the phony stuff.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcuVlEJqWDXRjRwHwdVO0NeTBb3CVSmZhh1qqFs5aVjdahrpWYSTDtmDBD43mOWdkpdLkK25hm06ZuV1upnQSiaT_Pel9Bqa35GtmJnreo4UbRnrOu8n3drUTgPzF2DuubXR_iqPtKG_w-/s1600/zoo2rescue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="160" data-original-width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcuVlEJqWDXRjRwHwdVO0NeTBb3CVSmZhh1qqFs5aVjdahrpWYSTDtmDBD43mOWdkpdLkK25hm06ZuV1upnQSiaT_Pel9Bqa35GtmJnreo4UbRnrOu8n3drUTgPzF2DuubXR_iqPtKG_w-/s1600/zoo2rescue.jpg" /></a><i><a href="http://hip.plcmc.org/ipac20/ipac.jsp?&profile=plcmc&index=ISBNEX&term=1512415715">Zoo Scientists to the Rescue</a></i> by Patricia Newman<br />
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I wanted to be clever and start this off by saying, "The zoo--who knew??" But who really knew that zoos do so much to protect endangered animals around the world? Or that zoo employees have lived such adventurous lives in such exotic locations? Well, that's what I learned about in this fascinating book. It tells about three zoo people who help preserve three different endangered animals--the orangutan, the black-footed ferret and the black rhinoceros--and the amazing lengths they went to help in preservation. A really interesting read with lots of good photos.<br />
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Today the Cybils announced the winners of all the different categories. The winners for nonfiction are:<br />
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<b><span style="color: blue;">Hatching Chicks in Room Six (for Elementary Nonfiction)</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #660000;">Two Truths and a Lie (Middle Grade Nonfiction)</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #660000;"><br /></span></b>
Check all <a href="http://www.cybils.com/2018/02/the-2017-cybils-winners.html">the winners of all the different types of books at the Cybils website</a>. I bet you will find some books you will like.<br />
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OK, guys, the library has plenty of copies of the books I mentioned today, so check them out and enjoy! And let me say,"Thanks!" to my good friend <a href="http://msyinglingreads.blogspot.com/">Ms Yingling</a>, who encouraged me to get involved with the Cybils.</div>
Iron Guy Carlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06719802406868125435noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7149640467592149916.post-21234267255202396772018-02-09T13:26:00.000-04:002018-02-09T13:26:03.002-04:00Want to Hear the Best? Then Listen to "The Worst..."Hey, there, guys, I'm going to do an unusual thing today and tell you about something that I haven't finished. In fact, I'm only one-quarter of the way through! But it is so much fun that I just can't wait and, besides, I KNOW it's going to turn out to be great!!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaJnJl9pJF7z6rRGan0fcRkYS2m4mnvVC4YeccZGs4LdBR-cBQV331WWJ9oYMDZuvWV6J3vIQQxJIUqmp-dbbkc8pFmqQCh8dOCJDRjbW25zskPw6FyLuHSCzfGIxPyjCs25YoXLIUWRPL/s1600/sciencefair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="121" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaJnJl9pJF7z6rRGan0fcRkYS2m4mnvVC4YeccZGs4LdBR-cBQV331WWJ9oYMDZuvWV6J3vIQQxJIUqmp-dbbkc8pFmqQCh8dOCJDRjbW25zskPw6FyLuHSCzfGIxPyjCs25YoXLIUWRPL/s1600/sciencefair.jpg" /></a>Perhaps the funniest thing I ever listened to was the audiobook version of <i><a href="http://hip.plcmc.org/ipac20/ipac.jsp?&profile=plcmc&index=ISBNEX&term=1423347722">Science Fair</a></i> by Dave Barry. (the library has plenty of copies--hint, hint!) Anyway, Dave Barry could win the award for Funniest Man Ever to Write Books--or, if not, he could certainly win for Writing the Funniest Books Guys Would Like. <i>Science Fair</i> was a big hit with guys here (check out some reactions<a href="http://jaja-cas.blogspot.com/2009/02/this-is-one-crazy-science-fair.html"> here</a> and <a href="http://jaja-cas.blogspot.com/2009/02/rowdy-roddy-writes.html">here</a>) and I listened to the audiobook version and nearly laughed my MANLY head off! So I was checking in books the other day and saw the audiobook version of another Dave Barry title--<i><a href="http://hip.plcmc.org/ipac20/ipac.jsp?&profile=plcmc&index=ISBNEX&term=149158565X">The Worst Class Trip Ever</a></i>--and said to myself, "Well, why not?" I've listened to almost all of Disc 1 and it's so funny that I just have to tell you guys about it!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgExBugsdDOoFq0vmL-j1evXLygD89cmh9xndWR0siKlx9-zfuWXjsmn33Nww9pjIqtXtxP_H2CKrnWCD4OwL8cQiyDjFXj4-xkU7GbvVwyQePDoytoEC52Vp8toypAfeRl6_k9oEfuu0K9/s1600/worsttrip.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="124" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgExBugsdDOoFq0vmL-j1evXLygD89cmh9xndWR0siKlx9-zfuWXjsmn33Nww9pjIqtXtxP_H2CKrnWCD4OwL8cQiyDjFXj4-xkU7GbvVwyQePDoytoEC52Vp8toypAfeRl6_k9oEfuu0K9/s1600/worsttrip.jpg" /></a>Wyatt and his best friend Matt, two eighth-graders from Culver Middle School in Miami, are flying with their classmates on the way to the school's annual trip o Washington DC. with their classmates to the school's annual trip to Washington DC. Behind them are two-strange-looking guys, one with a very large bag that won't fit into the overhead compartment and another with a backpack that he absolutely won't let go of. All through the flight, the two guys keep looking obsessively at aerial photos of the White House. Are they terrorists? Are they hiding a <i><span style="color: blue;">missile </span></i>and a <span style="color: blue;"><i>control box</i></span> in their bags?? <i>Is Matt the only one who can save the White House??? </i>I won't tell you the answers, but, oh, man, are you ever going to laugh as you listen to what happens! Besides, you'll get to hear about what happened when an alligator attacked Wyatt's dad in his boxer shorts, meet an 80-jillion-year-old flight attendant and find out why Wyatt may have to wait until he's seventy before he gets to go out with Suzana Delgado, his crush.<br />
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And all this is on Disc 1!<br />
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BTW, did I mention this audiobook is <i><span style="color: red;">funny?</span></i><br />
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I'll give you a final verdict when I'm finished but I'm sure, based on what I've experienced from Dave Barry so far, I bet I won't be disappointed. And stay tuned to this blog. There will be more fun and interesting stuff here in the next few weeks. In the meantime, go check this out! The library has plenty of copies of this one too.<br />
<i><br /></i>Iron Guy Carlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06719802406868125435noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7149640467592149916.post-26089342644692556882018-01-12T11:17:00.001-04:002018-01-12T12:13:36.924-04:00The Last Jedi: The Visual Dictionary--What a Terrifically Cool Book!Hey, guys, did you see <i><b><span style="color: blue;">The Last Jedi? </span></b></i>What a silly question--of course you've seen it! This is just about the perfect GUY movie!! Epic space battles! Super-speed vehicles! Outnumbered good guys taking on massive amounts of bad guys! And a handsome. cocky good guy insulting a powerful bad guys right to his face! (witness the early scene when Poe Dameron calls General Hux "General Hugs") Plus, to keep this from being just an empty action movie, there are characters who gain (and lose) wisdom through hard choices. So, yes, even if you're not a Star Wars fan, this movie is you, guys, and I'm sure you've already seen it. If you haven't, then don't read any further. Stop whatever you're doing and go.<br />
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">Go!</span></i><br />
<b><span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span></b>
<i><b><span style="color: #4c1130;">Now!!</span></b></i><br />
<br />
OK, if you've got to do homework or celebrate your grandmother's birthday, then I'll make an exception. Otherwise---<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: blue;">GO NOW!!</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://secure.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9781465455512/MC.GIF&client=chmep&type=xw12&oclc=" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Last Jedi" border="0" src="https://secure.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9781465455512/MC.GIF&client=chmep&type=xw12&oclc=" /></a>OK, while they're out watching the movie, let's talk about a terrific book based on that movie. It's <i><a href="http://hip.plcmc.org/ipac20/ipac.jsp?&profile=plcmc&index=ISBNEX&term=1465455515">The Last Jedi: The Visual Dictionary</a> </i>by Pablo Hidlago<i>. </i>Every time a new Star Wars movie comes out, DK Publishers puts out one of these Visual Dictionaries and every one of them is great. They have lots of cool photos of the people, spaceships, creatures, equipment, weapons, etc. from that movie along with captions that explain a lot about that person, spaceship, piece of equipment, etc. Plus this book has a section that fills in what has happened between the last movie and this one, a very cool map of the galaxy and the backstories of the characters. That means you get to learn a lot of great info like:<br />
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<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>What <i>did</i> Luke Skywalker do between the fall of the Empire and his training of new Jedi?</li>
<li>What does General Hux literally have up his sleeve?</li>
<li>Why do those skimmers leave red trails on the surface of Crait?</li>
<li>Where did Captain Phasma get her armor?</li>
<li>How many layers of fur does a Wookie have?</li>
<li>And what exactly <i>are</i> those thingies in the breast pockets of First Order officers that look like pens?</li>
</ul>
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You'll find out this plus a whole lot more!! This is one terrific book and you'll have lots of fun with it. And the best part is that you DON'T have to start at the beginning and go straight through. You can jump around and look at whatever interests you and take as much time doing that as you like--though I bet you're going to want to read the entire book at some point. So run to your local library and get a copy--NOW!!<br />
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Give the <b><span style="color: #660000;">Seal of Approval as</span></b> <b><span style="color: blue;">One Terrific Book</span></b>, the Iron Guy Does</div>
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<br />Iron Guy Carlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06719802406868125435noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7149640467592149916.post-47322833494152738802018-01-07T15:59:00.001-04:002018-01-08T14:12:12.064-04:00It's a New Year--Believe It or Not!Happy New Year, everybody! 2018 is here and there are a lot of exciting things that will happen in this blog over the next few months. There are a lot of books I want to tell you about, I'm going to help some other bloggers choose the best nonfiction of 2017 and the Iron Guy, in truly MANLY fashion, will confront one of his worst fears. Yes, it's going to be a lot of fun here--but let me get into that another time. I've got a couple of cool books to talk about.<br />
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The first is <a href="http://hip.plcmc.org/ipac20/ipac.jsp?&profile=plcmc&index=ISBNEX&term=1338200275"><i>Ripley's Believe or Not! Out of This World Edition 20</i><i>18</i></a><br />
<a href="https://secure.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9781338200270/MC.GIF&client=chmep&type=xw12&oclc=" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Ripley's Believe It Or Not!" border="0" src="https://secure.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9781338200270/MC.GIF&client=chmep&type=xw12&oclc=" /></a>Guys really enjoy these types of books--you know the <i>Guinness Book of World Records</i> or the <i>Weird But True Facts</i>, which are full of fun, strange, goofball or unbelievable bits of fascinating information. Well, this one can stand there with all the others. There are some pretty weird facts here, like:<br />
<ul>
<li>Dinosaurs actually swallowed rocks. Why? Look at page 56 to find out!</li>
<li>Who Mario in Mario Cart was named after. (p.24)</li>
<li>The cockroach artist (p. 68) and what's unusual about penguin mouths (p.72)</li>
<li>The man who does yoga on a BMX bicycle--on a cliff 300 feet above the ground! (p.80)</li>
</ul>
It's a lot of fun to go through this book and see all the unusual things in here but the great thing about Ripley's Believe It or Not is that you're not required to believe everything you read. Of course, the editors really want you to believe what you see in this book and everything looks like it could be real. That's why they call it Believe It or Not! But sometimes you just gotta wonder. For example, on page 47, there's a picture of a pink grasshopper. Could it be real? I'm sure it could but---what if it's just a photographic trick? Should you believe it? Or not? That's the great thing about this book--you gotta take a look and decide!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDgWpZNJfRwU0pz099eFLjvnM78asU5nrBnOnMsus73kdshjT6E6GTFtsTOg285B3XtyqeuphmVdFePt3TMbYpsJA_FZKEwHz3eVTR4YZIzUeO7kcQeTKIL4V-c2CCMawXT6g8KtEhpH0n/s1600/ripley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="139" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDgWpZNJfRwU0pz099eFLjvnM78asU5nrBnOnMsus73kdshjT6E6GTFtsTOg285B3XtyqeuphmVdFePt3TMbYpsJA_FZKEwHz3eVTR4YZIzUeO7kcQeTKIL4V-c2CCMawXT6g8KtEhpH0n/s1600/ripley.jpg" /></a>Well, reading this book just led me naturally to this next one, <i><a href="http://hip.plcmc.org/ipac20/ipac.jsp?&profile=plcmc&index=ISBNEX&term=0448482983">Who Was Robert Ripley?</a></i> by Kirsten Anderson. We all know how great these Who Was...? and What Was...? books are and I've talked about several of them before. (see the Who Was... label under this post to find past reviews) This was a terriific book , taken from a terrific true-life story.<br />
Young Roy Ripley had everything going against him. Born in 1890, he developed big front teeth that stuck out, making it hard for him to talk, and was funny-looking with big ears. You can imagine how the other kids treated him. Yet he had three great passions--sports, particularly baseball, a talent for drawing and a collection of weird facts. Against the odds, he took his talent to big cities to work for newspapers and to pitch baseball--but during his first pro game, his arm broke! So he turned to his drwaing and during a slow season for sports, pulled out his collection of weird facts--like the man who swam the English Channel on a mattress! He published his first collection of cartoons and strange facts in 1918 and they became a hit! Eventually, his "Believe It or Not" feature became not only a nation-wide hit but part of American life. But this is more than a typical inspirational story--this book is really interesting, showing not only his life story but lots of cool stuff about his times. And lots of weird facts, like the woman who rode skates on her hands! Was everything he said true? Well...often it was but it often depended on how he worded things. Check out his statement that "Lindbergh was the 67th person to cross the Atlantic" and you'll see what I meant. Was it true? Yes...but...<br />
Guys, you gotta read this! Like all the Who Was.. books, they are good, full of fascinating information, have good timelines in the back and can be read quickly.<br />
(PS--I remember reading these features as a boy and they are still publishing Believe It or Not features today! And there are Believe It or Not Odditoriums across the world. Check their website at http://www.ripleys.com/<br />
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All right. This looks like it will be a good year for reading, so the Iron Guy wishes you <b><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">Happy Reading in 2018---</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">---and a MANLY New Year!</span></b></div>
Iron Guy Carlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06719802406868125435noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7149640467592149916.post-6991030533342942162017-12-22T17:21:00.005-04:002017-12-22T17:21:54.319-04:00Holiday Blasts from the Past (Plus Two New Ones)Greetings, holiday-loving and book-reading guys! Every now and then, when the Iron Guy gets too busy to read, he goes back into the vaults and brings out some books that I've recommended before. I call these Blasts from the Past and today I'm going to tell you about a few holiday books. All of them are picture books but don't let that scare you off. They are not just cutesy little stories for three-year-olds; they are really good for guys of any age. Even grownups!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPb_UlONIAJjA0-qJ0YF9U2Fv45P8fzZI1CCwEY8NLMEMU4u1dBqQ915vl3UNUI-I8cfdsvhgTqPGst_E9kp81I1Z8-PMt31F8nHZNBQqBZaAUKPFFbJ4MDwhyTNFeSSjo-guaF3myIejs/s1600/hvforge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPb_UlONIAJjA0-qJ0YF9U2Fv45P8fzZI1CCwEY8NLMEMU4u1dBqQ915vl3UNUI-I8cfdsvhgTqPGst_E9kp81I1Z8-PMt31F8nHZNBQqBZaAUKPFFbJ4MDwhyTNFeSSjo-guaF3myIejs/s1600/hvforge.jpg" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIRaSQqSwJwt7RPUm0el-I4tpdFinSf17_y2iPbwiengKVjYqrmKYBMbKUumfU5PX06J1jA7v_WL_FHo1yQktIKnRthxh0x51Gczwot-MAeZ-efad3R7Vhh49pGhLRBxkRCGwSY42i5_-w/s1600/oskar8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIRaSQqSwJwt7RPUm0el-I4tpdFinSf17_y2iPbwiengKVjYqrmKYBMbKUumfU5PX06J1jA7v_WL_FHo1yQktIKnRthxh0x51Gczwot-MAeZ-efad3R7Vhh49pGhLRBxkRCGwSY42i5_-w/s1600/oskar8.jpg" /></a>First there's Hanukkah. It's over now but that doesn't mean you shouldn't read these truly terrific books. They are wonderful and inspirational in the best sense of the word. with guys overcoming difficulties in really bad circumstances. And they're based on real stories! See the original reviews <a href="http://jaja-cas.blogspot.com/2015/12/two-terrific-books-for-hanukkah.html">here</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://secure.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9780689858178/MC.GIF&client=chmep&type=xw12&oclc=" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://secure.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9780689858178/MC.GIF&client=chmep&type=xw12&oclc=" /></a>Then, of course, there's Christmas. The first book is <i><a href="http://hip.plcmc.org/ipac20/ipac.jsp?&profile=plcmc&index=ISBNEX&term=0689858175">How Santa Really Works</a></i> by Alan Snow. (what an appropriate name!) Come on, boys, haven't you always wondered how he gets <span style="color: #990000;"><b><i>all </i></b></span>that stuff into one sleigh, even if it is magical? Or how does that <b><span style="color: #073763;">big, fat guy</span></b> get down those narrow chimneys? You'd be surprised! (I sure was!)<br />
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<a href="https://secure.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9780374383190/MC.GIF&client=chmep&type=xw12&oclc=" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://secure.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9780374383190/MC.GIF&client=chmep&type=xw12&oclc=" /></a>And have you wondered what Santa does or where he goes those other eleven months of the year? Then you should read <i><a href="http://hip.plcmc.org/ipac20/ipac.jsp?&profile=plcmc&index=ISBNEX&term=0374383197">Where Does Joe Go?</a> </i>by Tracey Campbell Pearson and find out. This book is a lot of fun for younger and older reader guys (and grownups!) and you will get a smile out of it.<br />
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<a href="https://secure.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9780807573150/MC.GIF&client=chmep&type=xw12&oclc=" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://secure.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9780807573150/MC.GIF&client=chmep&type=xw12&oclc=" /></a>And we have Kwanzaa as well. The best Kwanzaa book I've ever read is <i><a href="http://hip.plcmc.org/ipac20/ipac.jsp?&profile=plcmc&index=ISBNEX&term=0807573159">Seven Spools of Thread</a></i> by Angela Shelf Meadearis. It's a great story--seven brothers, who argue all the time, find out that their father's will says that they have to spin seven spools of thread into gold by nightfall or they will all be turned out of their house as beggars. How can they accomplish such an impossible task? In an unexpected way that uses the seven principles of this marvelous holiday. It's a book you'll remember for a long time. (see the original review<a href="http://jaja-cas.blogspot.com/2007/12/kandy-kane-kid.html"> here</a>)<br />
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Have a happy holiday season and don't forget that you can still <a href="http://jaja-cas.blogspot.com/2017/12/island-of-semi-neglected-books.html">rescue a book from The Island of Semi-Neglected Books</a>.<br />
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And to get you rocking for the holidays, here's a video I posted way back in 2008. Watch it and enjoy.<br />
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<span style="color: #38761d;"><b>HAPPY HOLIDAYS, EVERYONE!</b></span></div>
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Iron Guy Carlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06719802406868125435noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7149640467592149916.post-18264383702535487072017-12-09T16:55:00.000-04:002017-12-11T11:54:15.731-04:00Island of Semi-Neglected BooksHey, guys, the Iron Guy is back! I'm sorry I haven't posted anything for a while but we've been as busy as Santa's elves on December 23. That means I haven't had time to read very much, so I don't have anything new to share with you. But I thought I'd do something to promote a bunch of books that don't get the attention they deserve.<br />
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Do you remember <b><span style="color: #274e13;">The Island of Misfit Toys</span></b> from the <span style="color: #990000;"><i>Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer </i></span>TV special? <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh67fgzhlO5yOFWosdjzYyVvySt1fylR03uZw4CG4tOJBWfMf7WogW98FrmnkLOK_bG_-DPuCIAB9TaUmpB5daWR4JaGTB1mv4-L30GhSn2SMJDego7g8sdBTXlpkpyw89s2Z9w766XWQbL/s1600/OstrichCowboy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="492" data-original-width="345" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh67fgzhlO5yOFWosdjzYyVvySt1fylR03uZw4CG4tOJBWfMf7WogW98FrmnkLOK_bG_-DPuCIAB9TaUmpB5daWR4JaGTB1mv4-L30GhSn2SMJDego7g8sdBTXlpkpyw89s2Z9w766XWQbL/s200/OstrichCowboy.jpg" width="140" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpV89NA_IEBIdvXhE9tQt1ioH2V3BgsezNrUVlcS54NoK53yL3Y8yDU8_quhHi553A7DHeLr2999wZN9jSb_PoxlZBSBGCPGELBp8cSqnZXobbTBehEBf40j6UmC6z4YW9SASsTQEejTOe/s1600/7949c100e25069129e1955bae1382288--the-misfits-christmas-movies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpV89NA_IEBIdvXhE9tQt1ioH2V3BgsezNrUVlcS54NoK53yL3Y8yDU8_quhHi553A7DHeLr2999wZN9jSb_PoxlZBSBGCPGELBp8cSqnZXobbTBehEBf40j6UmC6z4YW9SASsTQEejTOe/s1600/7949c100e25069129e1955bae1382288--the-misfits-christmas-movies.jpg" /></a>(btw, do you ever watch it on broadcast TV or do you watch it other ways?) There's this island where toys that no one wants. like the ostrich-riding cowboy, live and get forgotten each year. (It's a sad scene that could make even a MANLY MAN like the Iron Guy sniffle) It all turns out OK; Rudolph gets Santa to pick them up and deliver them on Christmas Eve. So that got me thinking about some books that are really terrific but don't get checked out as much as they should. These live on <span style="color: purple;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">The Island of Semi-Neglected Books</span></b>.</span> They deserve to be checked out by boys who would really, really enjoy them but, for whatever reason, they don't get much notice and stay on our shelves. Well, the Iron Guy is here, like Rudolph, to make sure that they aren't forgotten this holiday season. And what are these books? I'm very glad you asked.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgydPh7sHIanIZvXnmRYdZvE6tV9YGaOExzqhVTGBQ8H7jw_kGAG0YuQA6SjlP9ScovAGY-H56oA0QvNa1RoNUeIPus7U7E_hyiqWUhnGJceCXh8WBUU9Ewru0abBZ_gqPBxs7QnwENk3dN/s1600/forbidden+stone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgydPh7sHIanIZvXnmRYdZvE6tV9YGaOExzqhVTGBQ8H7jw_kGAG0YuQA6SjlP9ScovAGY-H56oA0QvNa1RoNUeIPus7U7E_hyiqWUhnGJceCXh8WBUU9Ewru0abBZ_gqPBxs7QnwENk3dN/s1600/forbidden+stone.jpg" /></a><b><span style="color: blue;">The Copernicus Legacy books</span></b> by Tony Abbott<br />
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I'm always surprised that these books don't get checked out more often. They are T-E-R-R-I-F-I-C! Action, suspense, a world-wide conspiracy, 500-year-old secrets, time travel, puzzling clues and one of the most memorable villains you'll ever meet.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtGEUKvn-eeSYHNn6aqVw5KIb881tUASaAROg1MpnGWdlL-UU6v1xWtwAUNfXY-ALxi3djmBh3lz_YaTNkrAyjoev6UBWN6qGSl5j65amoW-4kNxKDHf8gWsc3oc8VqfI02t5EZtqMRbXK/s1600/alvinho1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="135" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtGEUKvn-eeSYHNn6aqVw5KIb881tUASaAROg1MpnGWdlL-UU6v1xWtwAUNfXY-ALxi3djmBh3lz_YaTNkrAyjoev6UBWN6qGSl5j65amoW-4kNxKDHf8gWsc3oc8VqfI02t5EZtqMRbXK/s200/alvinho1.jpg" width="135" /></a><b><span style="color: blue;">The Alvin Ho books</span></b> by Loren Long<br />
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You want to read something <span style="color: #cc0000;">REALLY</span> funny? Go check out any of these books about second-grader Alvin Ho and his PDK. You'll laugh out loud. You will!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidfnRRc8_J3aUv4dorNQwXb39jktMF36P7aNjpPzM-u9XZDeyij86Hk4i_lmSoZ2RTQ1uX_eOP-S6KADU2Z6BxlH54BH8TBfOHHBcmYaK5lHNq2dkekU1n4GkwNLLC62nNt5vI94VsCFPr/s1600/akimbosnakes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="140" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidfnRRc8_J3aUv4dorNQwXb39jktMF36P7aNjpPzM-u9XZDeyij86Hk4i_lmSoZ2RTQ1uX_eOP-S6KADU2Z6BxlH54BH8TBfOHHBcmYaK5lHNq2dkekU1n4GkwNLLC62nNt5vI94VsCFPr/s200/akimbosnakes.jpg" width="140" /></a><b><span style="color: blue;">The Akimbo books</span></b> by Alexander McCall Smith<br />
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These books are short and could be read quickly and, believe me, once you start one of these stories about Akimbo, who lives on a nature preserve in Kenya, you won't stop. (there's a scene in Akimbo and the Snakes in which he is trapped in a truck with a deadly black mambo snake--one of the scariest things I've ever read!)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJOaijexnhTA0vbyTmIQL1DtuSRRFMW0L9cbR-0YERH8-8VJAWKDDmgUsuRNyFJJeycOnGYq5FQFZwwg-19cLtQQqTrbfese0yxnSdRsRASy-p4GfHXyY4J499GrXGuPM4jZMOj8Wgo3in/s1600/legendsbball.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJOaijexnhTA0vbyTmIQL1DtuSRRFMW0L9cbR-0YERH8-8VJAWKDDmgUsuRNyFJJeycOnGYq5FQFZwwg-19cLtQQqTrbfese0yxnSdRsRASy-p4GfHXyY4J499GrXGuPM4jZMOj8Wgo3in/s1600/legendsbball.jpg" /></a><b><span style="color: blue;"></span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: blue;"><b><span style="color: blue;">The Legends books</span></b> by Howard Bryant</span></b><br />
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Man, oh, man I could spend all day talking about these terrific books. There are three of them and each one is about a different sport. (football, basketball and baseball) They have incredible stories of teams, individuals, stamina, determination, athletes who changed the game, athletes who changed our country, last-minute wins, comebacks against all odds and--well, there's a whole lot more.<br />
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OK, guys, now that you've seen them, here's your chance. Don't let these books just sit on the shelves over the holidays! Come check them out and let them go to a good home. (at least for three weeks!)<br />
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All kidding aside, you will really enjoy these and that's why I'm enthusiastic about seeing these get checked out. And if you need some more incentive, any boy who sends in a review (or more than one) of any of these books gets to pick a prize (or prizes) out of our ultra-cool prize box. The more reviews you send, the more prizes you get. But the reviews have about books in these series. Got that? I'll keep this offer going until <b><span style="color: #20124d;">Wednesday, January 3, 2018</span></b>. Plenty of time to read and review, especially with the holiday break.<br />
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All right, then! Head on down to your local library and let's rescue some of them from <b style="color: purple;">The Island of Semi-Neglected Books!</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3XtkCyFjX_HVH9gbNxQoxyPjjUvBbbdv8FW0t861X8497UdRUyWKroq-TkFilCk2CCelF_GVR5j0MFNTmIp1v4Xg3kqAFcAGACdKU42SiZPH8s0wqKVHP6maBdNbXy-CtMg1ijHHb9PG1/s1600/neglectedbooks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="833" data-original-width="1168" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3XtkCyFjX_HVH9gbNxQoxyPjjUvBbbdv8FW0t861X8497UdRUyWKroq-TkFilCk2CCelF_GVR5j0MFNTmIp1v4Xg3kqAFcAGACdKU42SiZPH8s0wqKVHP6maBdNbXy-CtMg1ijHHb9PG1/s320/neglectedbooks.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Iron Guy Carlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06719802406868125435noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7149640467592149916.post-64937056102628451882017-11-14T15:27:00.005-04:002017-11-14T15:27:47.723-04:00Beastly Beaman Claims His Prizes!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Greetings, all you reader guys! The third contestant in the <b><span style="color: blue;">World Series of Reading Contest</span></b> came by last night to claim his well-deserved prizes. This mighty contestant is none other than <b>Beastly Beaman</b>, who sent us <a href="http://jaja-cas.blogspot.com/2017/10/our-first-boy-steps-up-to-plate.html">two reviews that covered seven books</a>. He claimed two items out of the ultra-cool prize box, which were the books <i><a href="http://hip.plcmc.org/ipac20/ipac.jsp?&profile=plcmc&index=ISBNEX&term=1416936580">Questors</a></i> by Joan Lennon and <i><a href="http://hip.plcmc.org/ipac20/ipac.jsp?&profile=plcmc&index=ISBNEX&term=0439925932">The Roar</a></i> by Emma Clayton. (this book got <a href="http://jaja-cas.blogspot.com/2009/04/roar-by-emma-clayton.html">the most comments I've ever had about a book</a>)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbswn7Uv84LFpXoDpCoAz931j2WMlCJprNq56yVCfIXKhKdaSwtZlH83I48brs0M6Q-th9v2lfEoGmR6zMZ8KG7KNHxtnemcnYOgNHtTEbQIYU7RHVRS14ws2RpV-bDQ7uDPFZ6LOO-R6v/s1600/DSCN0805.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbswn7Uv84LFpXoDpCoAz931j2WMlCJprNq56yVCfIXKhKdaSwtZlH83I48brs0M6Q-th9v2lfEoGmR6zMZ8KG7KNHxtnemcnYOgNHtTEbQIYU7RHVRS14ws2RpV-bDQ7uDPFZ6LOO-R6v/s400/DSCN0805.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
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Well done, <b>BB! </b>Please keep sending more of those great reviews. As I've said before, all reader guys are always on the lookout for new reads and who would be better to tell us about them than another boy? So keep them coming, BB!Iron Guy Carlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06719802406868125435noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7149640467592149916.post-84927676889568932692017-11-13T15:45:00.002-04:002017-11-13T15:45:14.878-04:00Another Review from the Awesome Aaryan!Hey, everyone, we are lucky today because our new friend <b>Aaryan</b> sent us another review! This ought to be good because it's about <i><a href="http://hip.plcmc.org/ipac20/ipac.jsp?&profile=plcmc&index=ISBNEX&term=0545599326">Captain Underpants and the Attack of the Talking Toilets</a></i> by Dav Pilkey. All guys enjoy Dav Pilkey's books, especially this series, so let's hear what Aaryan said about this one:<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Captain Underpants and the Attack of the Talking Toilets by
Dav Pilkey<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimw9GHegUjdUt-U7F6eAEEjVnzodhEVvI1_usbD8A-tS1-pv2SzUm4wSlp6igRUi3HaYiyGNGCXFyDBkic9G6HXWJkG6JW6F6UyxIxYAP9jeE-XZwNWI2BQ0EssX4owzskDtf0zOmgIF6k/s1600/cptnunderpants.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimw9GHegUjdUt-U7F6eAEEjVnzodhEVvI1_usbD8A-tS1-pv2SzUm4wSlp6igRUi3HaYiyGNGCXFyDBkic9G6HXWJkG6JW6F6UyxIxYAP9jeE-XZwNWI2BQ0EssX4owzskDtf0zOmgIF6k/s1600/cptnunderpants.jpg" /></a><o:p><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I like the book Captain Underpants and the Attack of the
Talking Toilets a lot. It is amazing because it is funny that they have talking
toilets and the princibal plans for the teachers to get eaten by the the toilets.
In the book it is funny when George and Harold did some adjustments to the
other kids projects and make them not work. I don’t like is that the book is
mainly only about George, Harold, Captain Underpants and Mr. Krupp. The tilte
gave a great hint what the story is about. The characters have very good names
that I can say and most of the characters in the story have names. That’s why I
like the book Captain Underpants and the Attack of the Talking Toilets a lot.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;">Thanks, </span><b style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;">Aaryan! </b><span style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;">As I said, I have not yet met a boy who didn't like these books and there's probably some boy out there who has not read them yet, so I bet he'd like your recommendation. Keep these reviews coming!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;">PS--how do you guys like the new background?</span></div>
Iron Guy Carlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06719802406868125435noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7149640467592149916.post-12122104614193560452017-11-08T18:23:00.003-04:002017-11-14T13:26:19.788-04:00And Aryan Claims His Prizes!Our third-place winner, the fabulous <b><span style="color: blue;">Aaryan</span></b>, came in and claimed his prizes today.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHX9CYzKcAbpirJyYzGCf1dEF7R_z4LHL2CNBjWWA-gU6ikvZ43tPrgRGotH2x_j3rmDGGDSpBXWUU_2WbiZ3yrbefedRe04yFmDcar30pkU8TH5DwMkIzJkH_SumpS9P1ha0Kr-9aWKw_/s1600/DSCN0804.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHX9CYzKcAbpirJyYzGCf1dEF7R_z4LHL2CNBjWWA-gU6ikvZ43tPrgRGotH2x_j3rmDGGDSpBXWUU_2WbiZ3yrbefedRe04yFmDcar30pkU8TH5DwMkIzJkH_SumpS9P1ha0Kr-9aWKw_/s320/DSCN0804.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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He's holding a copy of <i><a href="http://hip.plcmc.org/ipac20/ipac.jsp?&profile=plcmc&index=ISBNEX&term=1524713651">Guardians of the Gryphon's Claw</a></i> by Todd Calgi Gallicano (and it's signed by the author!) and he's wearing his other prize, a Wimpy Kid button. He also brought us a review but I don't have time to post it today. Next week, though!<br />
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Well done, Aaryan! I look forward to posting your review and getting many more.Iron Guy Carlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06719802406868125435noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7149640467592149916.post-66687800820264986342017-11-06T16:19:00.004-04:002017-11-06T16:19:40.825-04:00Mr. Fox Claims His Prizes!Look at this! Our <b><span style="color: blue;">World Series of Reading</span></b> champion, the great <b><span style="color: #274e13;">Mr. Fox</span></b>, came in today to claim his well-deserved prizes. As first place winner, he received all three books in <i>The Last Dragon Charmer</i> trilogy by Laurie McKay. (and all of them signed by the author!)<br />
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And, form the ultra-cool prize box, he choose a really terrific book, <i><a href="http://hip.plcmc.org/ipac20/ipac.jsp?&profile=plcmc&index=ISBNEX&term=0979844525">Hamster S.A.M. Odd-Ventures in Space</a></i> by Dave McDonald. (a very fun book! See my review <a href="http://jaja-cas.blogspot.com/2014/12/space-magnificent-and-silly.html">here</a>. And <a href="http://jaja-cas.blogspot.com/2015/08/dave-mcdonald-visit-and-terrific-bone.html">the author came to visit us once</a>)<br />
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Congratulations, <b><span style="color: #274e13;">Mr. Fox!</span></b> Keep sending us those reviews! The Iron Guy and all the other guys out there are always looking for good reads, so it's good there are boys like you who will tell us about them.Iron Guy Carlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06719802406868125435noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7149640467592149916.post-88688651965021040232017-11-03T10:55:00.002-04:002017-11-03T11:16:52.994-04:00One Final Swing--Then the Winners!OK, guys, the <b><span style="color: red;">MLB World Series</span></b> finished Wednesday with game 7 (<i><span style="color: #b45f06;">yaayyy Houston!</span></i>) and the <b><span style="color: blue;">World Series of Reading Contest</span></b> ended Wednesday at midnight. Both contests were memorable and I bet people will talk about them for a long time afterward. Yes, guys, when you are old and gray and your grandchildren sit admiringly at your feet, you can tell them, "Yes, I remember the historic World Series of 2017 but, what's even better, I remember the legendary World Series of Reading Contest of 2017" and they will be impressed!<br />
Well, all silliness aside, our new friend <b>Mr. Fox</b> sent in one last review before the final inning, so let's see what he read and liked and then we could tally up the final score.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnkQjilYf6Jgi2fbpzK7sF-BCIpTqA9QLQI24kORQxEDk-kNsd2a8_0a1SC9tAyNd59ASInvu49sNASKW9Ks_DB1lvOEpfjoSKr5OZFo85LLQdVfRMKqTRQEvj2PnXitXQgrw1cspR4z3I/s1600/leonardo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnkQjilYf6Jgi2fbpzK7sF-BCIpTqA9QLQI24kORQxEDk-kNsd2a8_0a1SC9tAyNd59ASInvu49sNASKW9Ks_DB1lvOEpfjoSKr5OZFo85LLQdVfRMKqTRQEvj2PnXitXQgrw1cspR4z3I/s1600/leonardo.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Book Review: Who Was Leonardo da Vinci? by
Roberta Edwards<br />
The story is about a famous artist named Leonardo da Vinci. His father and
mother were never married and after he was born, they started new families. His
dad took Leonardo to Florence, a city in Italy, to work at an art studio.
Leonardo was a talented artist. He created many paintings but painted only 3
women: the Mona Lisa, the Young Girl with Ermine, and Ginevra de' Benci. He
designed many vehicles to get around in the air, in the water, and on the
ground, including a working bicycle. I liked the book because it was
interesting to learn about someone who was a great, great artist and inventor.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>Thanks,</b> <b>Mr. Fox!</b> All guys like these Who Was... biographies. I've read a few myself. (check out the "Who Was..." tab under this post to see what I liked) Leonardo was certainly an interesting man who had a lot of brilliant ideas and could do a lot of different things well. Did you know <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonardo%27s_fighting_vehicle">he designed the first tank</a>?</span><br />
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Yep, he was quite a guy. Anyway, now let's figure up the scores and announce the winners!</div>
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<a href="http://jaja-cas.blogspot.com/2017/10/world-series-of-reading-contest-2017.html">According to the rules</a>, this review of a Who Was...biography was worth <b><span style="color: #274e13;">three points</span></b>. Adding that to <b><span style="color: blue;">Mr. Fox's</span></b> <b><span style="color: #274e13;">eighteen points</span></b> from Tuesday, that gives him a whopping total of <b><i><span style="color: #274e13;">twenty-one points</span></i></b> and makes him the <b><i><span style="color: #274e13;">First Place Winner!!</span></i></b></div>
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In Second Place is <b><span style="color: blue;">The Beastly Beaman</span></b> with <b><span style="color: #274e13;">seven points</span></b> and Third Place goes to <b><span style="color: blue;">Aaryan</span></b> with <b><span style="color: #274e13;">two points</span></b>. That means that we have <b><span style="color: #274e13;">three winners!!</span></b></div>
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<b><u><span style="color: red;">HIP HIP HOORAY!!!</span></u></b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All three of you are heroes!</td></tr>
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Well done, men! Be sure to come by the <a href="https://www.cmlibrary.org/branch/myers-park">Myers Park library</a> and claim your prizes. (But please call me at 704-416-5800 ahead of time so I'll be prepared)</div>
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And don't stop sending in reviews! Both I and all the reader guys out there always love to hear about terrific fiction, biographies, nonfiction, graphic novels and audiobooks so that we can find cool stuff to read and listen to. So keep them coming! You never know if the Iron Guy might come up with some more ways to keep you participating.</div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span>Iron Guy Carlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06719802406868125435noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7149640467592149916.post-59779211455911269252017-11-01T16:40:00.002-04:002017-11-01T16:40:26.209-04:00And Another Boy Steps Up to the Plate!Yes, indeed, everybody, the contest keeps getting more exciting by the minute! Just as <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/31/sports/world-series-dodgers-astros.html">the Dodgers knocked in some runs in the sixth and seventh inning</a>s to win and force tonight's game # 7, so we've had a new boy send in reviews in the late innings of this game. His name is <b>Aaryan</b> and we're thrilled to have him on board. Let's see what he has read and liked lately:<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Kid’s Guide to Camping by Cherie Winner</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTLcy6xrQc8PZDB9yPdU9q_XVmLIjySadhle-4Q2VfkMj-T8MmHiRKEbPoUnNbm6y4xrKKfvNAUfQmoloOHGI5VN5YT64XUXi_lZq3uIx8HDULlAC4YN8IRJUHrnFiVT8rV8bOCxvJduoq/s1600/camping.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTLcy6xrQc8PZDB9yPdU9q_XVmLIjySadhle-4Q2VfkMj-T8MmHiRKEbPoUnNbm6y4xrKKfvNAUfQmoloOHGI5VN5YT64XUXi_lZq3uIx8HDULlAC4YN8IRJUHrnFiVT8rV8bOCxvJduoq/s1600/camping.jpg" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">They gave very good info about the book and I like the
pictures very much. I like the book
Kid’s Guide to Camping. The book is very good because it gave a lot of info
about camping and they kept the book very organized. They gave very good info
about the book and I like the pictures very much. The author did a very good
job on getting the ideas like beware of snakes and what to do if it rains. Ha
gave the book a very good name because it gave a very good hint what the story
is about. That is why I like the book Kid’s Guide to Camping so much!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Diary of a Wimpy Kid Old School by Jeff Kinney<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsNk27afvPwNKVuCP40og1_rC6MUpD25qV_LS4l8PUgQWZUaQ9oYH2Zql3upd4_mbZSi9PDGKWexdg1401QvdCnc9WuuI1i56PPxiGGpj62tkjs0dQDSByD9CrDD6M9d6wxPlq_uNrijng/s1600/oldschool.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsNk27afvPwNKVuCP40og1_rC6MUpD25qV_LS4l8PUgQWZUaQ9oYH2Zql3upd4_mbZSi9PDGKWexdg1401QvdCnc9WuuI1i56PPxiGGpj62tkjs0dQDSByD9CrDD6M9d6wxPlq_uNrijng/s1600/oldschool.jpg" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One of my favorite books are Diary of a Wimpy Kid books.
They are one of my favorites because I like how they illustrate the book and I
like the speech bubbles. There grandpa make the story very interesting because
in the book Greg almost died. They gave the characters very good names and the
title gives a good hint what the story is about. In the book they make it funny
that the kids have to go to camp because somebody’s tooth gets stuck in Rowley’s
forehead. It was very funny when Rodrick’s van runs out of gas so Greg’s
grandpa goes and gets gas and by that time the car falls in a ditch. I like how
they solved the problem by Gregs dad starting the whole Silas Scratch thing but
the myth still continues in the book about him and Greg was never scared of him
again. That’s why I like this book a lot.</span><br />
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Thanks, <b>Aaryan!</b> We truly appreciate these reviews. Both of these books sound really good! Lots of boys enjoy camping and it's good to have the right info about it--especially if it rains! And having to go to camp because a tooth got stuck in somebody's forehead--there must be good story behind that! (<i>hmmm</i>, do I sense a camping theme here?) I bet there are other boys out there who'd like to read these books too!</div>
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Anyway, let's tally up Aaryan's score. He sent in two reviews that were worth one point each, so that gives him <b><i><span style="color: #274e13;">two points!</span></i></b> Good work, Aaryan! Glad you joined our contest.<br />
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<b><span style="color: red;">LATE BREAKING NEWS!!</span></b></div>
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Just yesterday we received a new book signed by the author. It's Guardians of the Gryphon's Claw by Todd Calgi Gallicano.<br />
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He sent us a signed copy to give away in the contest.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNg9RMci3TOTDcy8-teouwcnnNbhqSE03sq0Wkhlj001KieegplTTy8n21toz9Y_sENMJbYEeA2_rvLMcYArjNtqlT4F7W1NfLGyhyphenhyphenCT2iXmkrEQRCddRlvN9hhjBIPMiryr5WSiRyh32W/s1600/DSCN0801.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNg9RMci3TOTDcy8-teouwcnnNbhqSE03sq0Wkhlj001KieegplTTy8n21toz9Y_sENMJbYEeA2_rvLMcYArjNtqlT4F7W1NfLGyhyphenhyphenCT2iXmkrEQRCddRlvN9hhjBIPMiryr5WSiRyh32W/s320/DSCN0801.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
So now it's the second place prize. Click <a href="http://jaja-cas.blogspot.com/2017/10/you-want-prizes-we-got-prizes.html">here</a> to see what the first-place and other prizes are.<br />
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OK, boys, the innings are winding down but there's still time! Send in those reviews by midnight tonight! It may be tomorrow before I can post them but I will get them up and maybe even determine the winners. Step right into that batter's box, guys! All the world is holding its breath to see the final scores of the <b><span style="color: #660000;">MLB World Series</span></b> and the <b><span style="color: blue;">World Series of Reading Contest!</span></b><br />
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<br />Iron Guy Carlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06719802406868125435noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7149640467592149916.post-3252691576719798762017-10-31T16:07:00.003-04:002017-10-31T16:07:58.814-04:00Wow! Another Boys Steps Up to the Plate!!--and he knocks it <i><span style="color: red;">wayyy</span></i> out of the park too! This is amazing. Last year's <b><span style="color: blue;">World Series of Reading Contest </span></b>closely followed the actual <a href="http://jaja-cas.blogspot.com/2016/11/reid-and-justin-in-epic-duel-to-end.html">World Series with all the extra innings and last-minute home runs</a>. Now, our contest is following the MLB World Series again! <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/30/sports/baseball/astros-win-game-5.html">Sunday's game had an incredibly high score</a> and now the World Series of Reading Contest is posting the highest scores of any contest ever on this blog!<br />
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Today's high-scoring inning comes from a boy who is new to our blog. He calls himself<b><span style="color: blue;"> Mr. Fox</span></b> and he has sent us a bunch of reviews. But not only does he tell us about some cool books but he lets us know about some great audiobooks as well. Let's not waste any time but see what he has read (and listened to) lately:<br />
(PS--I usually try to put a picture of each book cover with each book but there are too many today!)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPuhb8FtGObLMVWBPuiFsosQIUDa-0Rzfxl2iAm19SLCVyn4w-YNEWo7pTeIZx0oWW8ZPnHncSGFN4ey7Fm_tq_q2IuaunRBd1K6h76KHpzNRyddJjSRoA6ggXGHpBv_saeJAZWm0dAWE-/s1600/binate1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="132" data-original-width="99" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPuhb8FtGObLMVWBPuiFsosQIUDa-0Rzfxl2iAm19SLCVyn4w-YNEWo7pTeIZx0oWW8ZPnHncSGFN4ey7Fm_tq_q2IuaunRBd1K6h76KHpzNRyddJjSRoA6ggXGHpBv_saeJAZWm0dAWE-/s1600/binate1.jpg" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Audiobook
Review: Big Nate Lives It Up by Lincoln Peirce. The story is about Big Nate. He
likes to draw comics. He has to show a new kid, Breckenridge, around the
school. Nate does not like it because Breckenridge is around him all the time
and Breckenridge is very different from Nate. By the end of the story, they
become friends. I liked the story because both Nate and I love to draw and
because it was funny!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Audiobook:
Home of the Brave by Katherine Applegate. The story is about a boy named Kek.
He is from Africa. He moved to America because of fighting in his country. He
feels different in America but he feels better when he goes to see the cow he
takes care of. I like the story because the story was interesting and funny
because Kek walked the cow to the zoo on a busy street and stopped traffic. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9VgncQ0MYPyCdOLVY2z_q3ozSZTlt1wRitqb-0AmFopESBEwvn3VIF-6qNJXPCAvlaisY1ngI1hL1jgD6OvwsiPB-bf5h9IBX-8TwuVEJCUyMWQoEm9nTHcWmoQn4zB9O3VIcnr4SM2Ly/s1600/longwalk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="132" data-original-width="99" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9VgncQ0MYPyCdOLVY2z_q3ozSZTlt1wRitqb-0AmFopESBEwvn3VIF-6qNJXPCAvlaisY1ngI1hL1jgD6OvwsiPB-bf5h9IBX-8TwuVEJCUyMWQoEm9nTHcWmoQn4zB9O3VIcnr4SM2Ly/s1600/longwalk.jpg" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Audiobook:
Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park. The story was about a boy named Salva who
never gave up on finding land where it was safe to live. Salva was from Africa.
When he was a boy, he led a group of boys to a refuge camp. He stayed there for
many years and then came to America. One day when he was checking his computer,
he found out that his father was still alive and went to visit him in the hospital.
His dad was sick because he drank water that wasn't safe. The story was also
about a girl named Nya who walks a long way for water every day. Salva wanted
to make a way for people to have safe drinking water. I liked the book because
it was exciting: Salva was very brave to swim across a river with crocodiles
while being shot at.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghCSS-GNpjV8agEguWvYx1hcZx3Zf9dFXMJqRn_b7hz-DKbl52Cz2D-YBEv9KgOiMsdu2zqG1sWwHK4yV495WZzCdzIgZSWSixOZ-f__iA5OAdnJVwV0eREao7iOPfQ8ZGKyOUwxx2Bhtq/s1600/twits.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="133" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghCSS-GNpjV8agEguWvYx1hcZx3Zf9dFXMJqRn_b7hz-DKbl52Cz2D-YBEv9KgOiMsdu2zqG1sWwHK4yV495WZzCdzIgZSWSixOZ-f__iA5OAdnJVwV0eREao7iOPfQ8ZGKyOUwxx2Bhtq/s200/twits.jpg" width="133" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Book:
The Twits by Roald Dahl. The story is about Mr. and Mrs. Twit, who have 4 pet
monkeys who are forced to stand on their heads because Mr. and Mrs. Twit want
to be the first to make a great, upside-down monkey circus. I liked the story a
lot because it was funny, especially at the end when Mr. and Mrs. Twit got
their heads glued to the floor!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Book:
Lunch Lady and the Video Game Villain by Jarrett Krosoczka. The story is about
a lunch lady who fights crime. Lunch lady stopped the technology teacher from
stealing the technology. I like Lunch Lady because it is a funny story and I
like that it is a graphic novel. My favorite part was when lunch lady got
sucked into the video game and had to fight the huge monster!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiFq56Vc57eMOm-JhU2day0eMRJVNDort2beyHfFl3pro2u3KenTNfJEJ0BaC8JQ_YdLyArsrz4jUnFdAvBFfLRk3PUCcReEaaGn462w_rrK8HBGR_hBoqJKD8tF-baq27Qd4g7sn9mCye/s1600/lunchlady1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="157" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiFq56Vc57eMOm-JhU2day0eMRJVNDort2beyHfFl3pro2u3KenTNfJEJ0BaC8JQ_YdLyArsrz4jUnFdAvBFfLRk3PUCcReEaaGn462w_rrK8HBGR_hBoqJKD8tF-baq27Qd4g7sn9mCye/s200/lunchlady1.jpg" width="157" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Book
Review: Lunch Lady and the Schoolwide Scuffle by Jarrett Krosoczka. The story
is about a </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">lunch lady who fights crime. In this story she fights all the
villains she fought before because she is trying to destroy the laser that Dr.
Eliza Van Grindheimer built to destroy the moon. I liked the story because it
was funny and because it was a graphic novel. I liked when Lunch Lady threw the
egg at the principal and the vice principal was just standing there!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Book
Review: Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl. The story is about a fox named Mr.
Fox. He steals food from the 3 farmers named Boggis, Bunce, and Bean. They try
to catch him and kill him but Mr. Fox smells them out before they can shoot
him. I like the story because it was interesting. Mr. Fox was able to dig right
into the middle of the chicken coop, the cider house, and the storeroom of
Boggis, Bunce, and Bean.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
Thanks, <b>Mr. Fox!</b> <i>Whew!</i> That's a LOT of reviews! I feel like those baseball players after all those hits and home runs! But we really appreciate appreciate them. There's a lot of interesting stuff here. We're particularly glad that you sent in audiobook reviews because boys think they're great and I would love to have more boys listen to them. They're really good for long cars trip or even if you're just going to school every day.<br />
<br />
Anyhow, let's tally up the score. <a href="http://jaja-cas.blogspot.com/2017/10/world-series-of-reading-contest-2017.html">The rules state</a> that Lunch Lady reviews are worth <b><i><span style="color: #274e13;">two points</span></i></b> each and audiobook reviews are worth <b><i><span style="color: #274e13;">four points</span></i></b> each. The Roald Dahl book reviews are worth one point each, which gives Mr. Fox a total of--get ready for it--<b><i><u><span style="color: #274e13;">eighteen points!!!</span></u></i></b><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><br /></span>
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">WOO HOO!!!</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhefstkPkXPrXVOZd2g2waZpjZDFxbWSKPn8BZnLWCWrN-lC-bO558kdvB4QlLO-GoxCrwW7_7CStEEHtJ0wPqbMeWzBcMZ37oJsPFConeuipWHFPSZk9hOswuxewIEWrK4IXYpNariqMbg/s1600/homerun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="249" data-original-width="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhefstkPkXPrXVOZd2g2waZpjZDFxbWSKPn8BZnLWCWrN-lC-bO558kdvB4QlLO-GoxCrwW7_7CStEEHtJ0wPqbMeWzBcMZ37oJsPFConeuipWHFPSZk9hOswuxewIEWrK4IXYpNariqMbg/s1600/homerun.jpg" /></a></div>
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That's the most points any boy has ever scored. It's going to be tough to beat that but, <a href="http://jaja-cas.blogspot.com/2017/10/our-first-boy-steps-up-to-plate.html">as I said the other day</a>, don't let that discourage you. The Astros were down 5--0 in the fourth inning the other day and hardly anybody overcomes a score like that. So come on boys, climb out of those dugouts, knock the dirt off those shoes and send in a bunch of reviews. You have until <b>midnight on Wednesday, November 1</b>. Yes, that's tomorrow, but don't forget that Sunday's game got tied up in the ninth inning. You still have time to score points in the <span style="color: blue;"><b>World Series of Reading Contest!</b></span></div>
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Iron Guy Carlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06719802406868125435noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7149640467592149916.post-60633993002764997602017-10-28T10:14:00.002-04:002017-10-28T10:14:35.055-04:00Our First Boy Steps Up to the Plate! And he knocks it <i><span style="color: #990000;">wayyy</span></i> out of the park! And he does with only <i><span style="color: #990000;">two</span></i> submissions.<br />
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So just who is this remarkable guy? He calls himself <b><span style="color: blue;">The Beastly Beaman</span></b>. What a great name! Let see what books he has read and liked:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNS6qHV-j_rmvTNXrfiT3ZcdU0vhlMbOSOtainkCRWmvd-Z9vbodci4IpHUSEXbc76fCRqXYxJaai1One8nKTLRXWBioEiDOyOJypPtWzOy-JHUBihT8OazuDb1WfPV0AgBHn-n3-e7pnF/s1600/dashner1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNS6qHV-j_rmvTNXrfiT3ZcdU0vhlMbOSOtainkCRWmvd-Z9vbodci4IpHUSEXbc76fCRqXYxJaai1One8nKTLRXWBioEiDOyOJypPtWzOy-JHUBihT8OazuDb1WfPV0AgBHn-n3-e7pnF/s1600/dashner1.jpg" /></a><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
The Mortality Doctrine Series (The Rule of Thoughts, The Eye of Minds, The Game
of Lives) The Rule of Thoughts is about a young boy named Michel. The book is
based in the future where virtual reality is so advanced that you can go to a
dimension called the Sleep, which is basically life, but when you die you are
sent back to the “Wake”; aka actual life. Anyway, Michel is sent down The Path,
created by a rouge tangent (artificial intelligence), Kaine to test him. At the
end, he learns that HE is actually a tangent and Kaine’s program The Mortality
Doctrine puts him into the body of a human. Book 2, The Eye of Minds Is Michel’s
journey in a human body. He learns that the Jackson Porter (the humans mind he
replaced) has a girlfriend named Gabby. He finds his friends Bryson And Sarah
and they undertake an adventure to the VNS (VirtNetSecurity) where Agent Weber
give them a device called The Lance. It is a complex program that can be used
to take down Kaine, But it actually wrecks havoc on..</span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "inherit" , serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">.(He ran out of space--IGC)</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3FaX8gOQ_Pdf0d6kR_ItmlRkpB7XT-mevD0Uh43DMlBQOXIMUzCFAKEfGHBwlXRZ-SV7ZSRi8Ijr9ISrW9J8aesPfdvYGV2ufbHMPBZC3lG1FdizEnQyIKuzT85lo6Mdx70aslv17YpMY/s1600/eragon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3FaX8gOQ_Pdf0d6kR_ItmlRkpB7XT-mevD0Uh43DMlBQOXIMUzCFAKEfGHBwlXRZ-SV7ZSRi8Ijr9ISrW9J8aesPfdvYGV2ufbHMPBZC3lG1FdizEnQyIKuzT85lo6Mdx70aslv17YpMY/s1600/eragon.jpg" /></a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">I would like to send in the Inheritance Cycle Its four books
long, and a lot happens in each book, so its to hard to give a summery of each
book. I will do my best though to give a summery of the whole series, and not
give away a lot like I did in the Mortality Doctrine review. Hope I get four
points! Eragon, Eldest, Brisinger, Inheritance Eragon, a young farm boy is
gifted when he finds a beautiful stone in a mountain range. He learns it is
actually a dragon egg, and the dragon Saphira hatches for him. They undertake
an adventure to kill the Ra-Zac, a race of insect like beings who killed his
adopted father, Garrow. How ever he is captured and taken prisoner by a shade,
a power being controlled by spirits. He finds and elf and together they go to
the Varden, and organization sworn to take down the evil king Galbatorix. The
Varden gathers power along with Eragon and together they launch and an epic campaign
to take him down. You’ll have to read to find out the outcome.</span></div>
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<b><br /></b>
<b>Thanks, Beastly!</b> Or should we call you Beaman? Or just BB? (If you had told us about 8 books instead of 7, we could have called you <b><span style="color: #073763;">BB-8!!</span></b> <i>Ah, hahahahaha!!</i>) I've never heard of The Mortality Doctrine books before and they sound interesting. A lot of boys have loved the Eragon books--and it's good to see that they still do! I've always meant to read those and maybe I should put them on my TBR list for 2018. Anyway, since you have told us about <i><b><span style="color: #274e13;">seven</span></b></i> books, you get a total of <b><i><span style="color: #274e13;">seven</span></i></b> points. That puts you out front with a big lead. Good work!<br />
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<br />
But don't let that discourage all you other reader guys. We are still in the early innings of this game and the story of baseball, especially the World Series, is full of teams that came from behind to win. Why, last year's World Series of Reading Contest was decided by a boy who sent in a <a href="http://jaja-cas.blogspot.com/2016/11/reid-and-justin-in-epic-duel-to-end.html">last-minute review that scored enough points to let him come from behind and win</a>. Don't forget that <a href="http://jaja-cas.blogspot.com/2017/10/world-series-of-reading-contest-2017.html">last Monday's post</a> included a list of books that are worth<b><i><span style="color: #274e13;"> two, three, four and even five points</span></i></b>.<br />
<br />
So, come on, guys, wind up and pitch a few more over the plate! All the world wants to know what guys are reading--and what better place to let them know than the <b><span style="color: blue;">World Series of Reading Contest!</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></b>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6tX-WuCULlaApC3v2QdyuzE3MgzB4D3UCjFaJMalqHSaiXRRRjb66TKFOmaEGXSvRVqL0_FC_Dm1qm1VffVOPrHKk7VUzgCMpuc1JIaFmvPRSaokfqndDKfcqLZbDxzICKXcmMtjzlp5M/s1600/bballburn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="188" data-original-width="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6tX-WuCULlaApC3v2QdyuzE3MgzB4D3UCjFaJMalqHSaiXRRRjb66TKFOmaEGXSvRVqL0_FC_Dm1qm1VffVOPrHKk7VUzgCMpuc1JIaFmvPRSaokfqndDKfcqLZbDxzICKXcmMtjzlp5M/s1600/bballburn.jpg" /></a></div>
(PS--don't forget to give the authors' names when you send in reviews. And let me know if you run out of room when you write them)Iron Guy Carlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06719802406868125435noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7149640467592149916.post-48357567895459892062017-10-26T18:34:00.000-04:002017-11-01T16:39:50.761-04:00You Want Prizes? We Got Prizes!OK, boys, would you like to know what you could win by participating in the <span style="color: blue;"><b>World Series of Reading Contest</b></span>? Well, the Iron Guy has got some pictures to show you:<br />
<br />
The first place winner gets a set of all three books in <i><b><span style="color: #660000;">The Last Dragon Charmer</span></b></i> trilogy by Laurie McKay and all three are <i>signed by the author!</i> (Plus you get to pick an item from the ultra-cool prize box)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZKGowxh_AW0VH8KeuFr9JyIXDIf6fMNfB9Z9oz4M7iWJtWWh6gwWH9TYmxOsZWiRND7-T7E43tFkfFusjBbWuvYNAJH9gAn68EUvO5O32uJrKzdmQvszkGFvk2eE0UcB0tj3YJVslFKxD/s1600/DSCN0796.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZKGowxh_AW0VH8KeuFr9JyIXDIf6fMNfB9Z9oz4M7iWJtWWh6gwWH9TYmxOsZWiRND7-T7E43tFkfFusjBbWuvYNAJH9gAn68EUvO5O32uJrKzdmQvszkGFvk2eE0UcB0tj3YJVslFKxD/s400/DSCN0796.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
the second place winner gets an new book, such as this one. (It's not signed, unfortunately, but we may have a signed book by another author on the way) Plus you get to pick an item out of the prize box.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRB4p0cCr3Ll26Gw4Tx1evG7X8of-zuZShCFhQUziozvIpn0UGzhHH6dJV6F9R2HJtYjZrM7H76DRnMv2V1pYTmYIVMjQo9-0-xRs8mR7pKWmb7nec9yQzs5CIspxvqWvS-62KWFhPMTAm/s1600/DSCN0798.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRB4p0cCr3Ll26Gw4Tx1evG7X8of-zuZShCFhQUziozvIpn0UGzhHH6dJV6F9R2HJtYjZrM7H76DRnMv2V1pYTmYIVMjQo9-0-xRs8mR7pKWmb7nec9yQzs5CIspxvqWvS-62KWFhPMTAm/s400/DSCN0798.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />
and the third place winner gets to pick two prizes out of the prize box. Here is a picture of<i><span style="color: #274e13;"> </span><span style="color: purple;">some</span></i> of the things you could choose.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtBnKnWt6uMJekCj5Z65tmWZtv3NiBOkU0QluSYBq_tfygDCjdgkVu3bPfh8VyusVdog_d08X2fUEoFdxbbQZMiDUnC3w4gcAiyhO2ZVlik0N6UClHOQuNMqL_hUVTBwLwWTsLWM0rYf0B/s1600/DSCN0799.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtBnKnWt6uMJekCj5Z65tmWZtv3NiBOkU0QluSYBq_tfygDCjdgkVu3bPfh8VyusVdog_d08X2fUEoFdxbbQZMiDUnC3w4gcAiyhO2ZVlik0N6UClHOQuNMqL_hUVTBwLwWTsLWM0rYf0B/s640/DSCN0799.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Pretty good, huh? These could be <i><span style="color: #cc0000;">yours</span></i> if you are one the top three boys with the most points at the end of the <b><span style="color: blue;">World Series of Reading Contest!</span></b><br />
PS--as I said before, even if you live outside the Charlotte, NC, you could still participate. Send me your home info (which I won't publish) along with your review and we'll work something out.<br />
PPS--Check out <a href="http://jaja-cas.blogspot.com/2017/10/world-series-of-reading-contest-2017.html">Monday's post</a> that explains how the contest works.<br />
<br />Iron Guy Carlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06719802406868125435noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7149640467592149916.post-47772634891925008692017-10-24T16:05:00.003-04:002017-10-24T16:05:20.188-04:00Starting Today---<a href="about:invalid#zClosurez" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="data:image/png;base64,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" 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" /></a>---the Houston Astros and the Los Angeles Dodgers start playing the 2017 World Series AND all you reader guys can start sending in those book reviews and get points in the<b><span style="color: blue;"> World Series of Reading Contest</span></b>. So start that reading and reviewing! Can 't wait for that first one! And, as I said yesterday, even if you live outside the Charlotte, NC area, you could still participate. Let me know you where you live and we could work things out. (don't worry--the Iron Guy would never make that info public) Take a look at<a href="http://jaja-cas.blogspot.com/2017/10/world-series-of-reading-contest-2017.html"> yesterday's post for all the rules</a>.<br />
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So go and burn one right over the plate, boys, and let the <b><span style="color: blue;">World Series of Reading</span></b> begin!<br />
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<br />Iron Guy Carlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06719802406868125435noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7149640467592149916.post-14090068046625098752017-10-23T10:30:00.001-04:002017-10-24T15:25:12.530-04:00World Series of Reading Contest--2017 Edition<br />
It's that time or year again, guys! The event that gets the Iron Guy more pumped up than Thor in a hammer-lifting room! What could ever be that exciting? Nothing else but the<br />
<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">World Series of Reading Contest!! </span></b>It starts and ends the same time as the Major League Baseball World Series. We held one last year and, man, it was every bit as exciting as the real one--even going into extra innings and a last-minute score that changed the game! (take a look <a href="http://jaja-cas.blogspot.com/2016/10/world-series-of-reading-2016_0.html">here</a> and start reading forward to see what happened)<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , "freeserif" , serif;">Our contest will start tomorrow, </span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Tuesday, October 24</span></b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , "freeserif" , serif;">, and go on through </span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Wednesday, November 1</span></b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , "freeserif" , serif;">, which would be how long the Series would run if it went all seven games. The rules are simple; you read books and then you send in a review of each book or audiobook. Each review is worth at least one point. Some will be worth more points. I'll count up the points after Nov. 1 and the three boys with the most points will win. What will the winners get? Prizes out of the ultra-cool prize box, which includes at least one set of books signed by the author!</span><br />
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So how does the contest work? I'm glad you asked. Boys can read anything they'd like--fiction, graphic novels, nonfiction or biographies. (What about audiobooks? Look further down in the Home Run section) Any review is worth <b><i><span style="color: #274e13;">one point</span></i></b>, making it a <b><span style="color: #274e13;">SINGLE</span>.</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI3G7uMh9eh4C95_MoUoPKoIYAQh-YxFWu0zHp0QAvHMo8gfURM1QyjbUay9WPtaBC_t9HyBL63I2-RAS-pMFZdZMMW_V5J0HYDFsQqfayKyMtrrF_FknoUkhGMyPWPCQdA0Rk7w8SHYR6/s1600/frankeinstein.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI3G7uMh9eh4C95_MoUoPKoIYAQh-YxFWu0zHp0QAvHMo8gfURM1QyjbUay9WPtaBC_t9HyBL63I2-RAS-pMFZdZMMW_V5J0HYDFsQqfayKyMtrrF_FknoUkhGMyPWPCQdA0Rk7w8SHYR6/s1600/frankeinstein.jpg" style="cursor: move;" /></a>However, there are some really good books that I think should get more attention. Reviews of these books will be worth <b><i><span style="color: #38761d;">two points</span></i></b>, making them <b><span style="color: #0b5394;">DOUBLES</span></b>. These books are:<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtkbOAZfFD2OxN8OREmdTYxsCDDi2QWo1gAgCd35g2BEE9UY3eiBj1grAnCxIHMOlH9wH4lcgfwZus3XfTQS1fxKP9-6gRclaRvxuxk2fflpRtCe7gO8lOef7LL3LGi8WyBP6roxW11I73/s1600/alvinho1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtkbOAZfFD2OxN8OREmdTYxsCDDi2QWo1gAgCd35g2BEE9UY3eiBj1grAnCxIHMOlH9wH4lcgfwZus3XfTQS1fxKP9-6gRclaRvxuxk2fflpRtCe7gO8lOef7LL3LGi8WyBP6roxW11I73/s1600/alvinho1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtkbOAZfFD2OxN8OREmdTYxsCDDi2QWo1gAgCd35g2BEE9UY3eiBj1grAnCxIHMOlH9wH4lcgfwZus3XfTQS1fxKP9-6gRclaRvxuxk2fflpRtCe7gO8lOef7LL3LGi8WyBP6roxW11I73/s1600/alvinho1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtkbOAZfFD2OxN8OREmdTYxsCDDi2QWo1gAgCd35g2BEE9UY3eiBj1grAnCxIHMOlH9wH4lcgfwZus3XfTQS1fxKP9-6gRclaRvxuxk2fflpRtCe7gO8lOef7LL3LGi8WyBP6roxW11I73/s1600/alvinho1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a>
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Any in the Alvin Ho, Stick Dog, Spy School, Frank Einstein, Brixton Brothers series or any graphic novel in the Lunch Lady series.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjKO19eUM9hUAkjeTEqXhpNoHlgV4v4fnvefZI_UmasBbwD38-Cd0ZnjwahuKqg6A0pckQe4J4sGMZ6gxSA332ngzu2PzbqgDd9KLUSQbs7CSHvyqfgyOfQzgmcSakajt7LlF4zPJ3hiFh/s1600/lunchlady.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="157" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjKO19eUM9hUAkjeTEqXhpNoHlgV4v4fnvefZI_UmasBbwD38-Cd0ZnjwahuKqg6A0pckQe4J4sGMZ6gxSA332ngzu2PzbqgDd9KLUSQbs7CSHvyqfgyOfQzgmcSakajt7LlF4zPJ3hiFh/s1600/lunchlady.jpg" /></a></div>
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There are other books which are really good but longer and more challenging. Reviews of these books will be worth <b><i><span style="color: #38761d;">three points</span></i></b>, making them <b><span style="color: #351c75;">TRIPLES</span></b>. These books are:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1_snDBK3QCiz2W6hHtDqPgLZKxxF1IS51duH5Um_0roODI0e9GH0krdK6LIxbE1g37bgcyXv1h3KnyjZ9JLAsn9qTPZlyOD5IGsCmelnZDFOVlRqaxAqedjyCmLAJHXRGgkKEMDKZDtA3/s1600/milo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1_snDBK3QCiz2W6hHtDqPgLZKxxF1IS51duH5Um_0roODI0e9GH0krdK6LIxbE1g37bgcyXv1h3KnyjZ9JLAsn9qTPZlyOD5IGsCmelnZDFOVlRqaxAqedjyCmLAJHXRGgkKEMDKZDtA3/s1600/milo.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkpQvbsvNrL19wn6cqHpr-xnXF2KuPQd9qWUN14fhyphenhyphensiT8hpOdLRRjnSUPTAj57wzRw8v_xv36MbMeIDvdz9SUCEBHo9y60B76HwrLFmqb1AgZCsf3riReZkhMzbfBpnIcf65rqOd1AkkZ/s1600/stubby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkpQvbsvNrL19wn6cqHpr-xnXF2KuPQd9qWUN14fhyphenhyphensiT8hpOdLRRjnSUPTAj57wzRw8v_xv36MbMeIDvdz9SUCEBHo9y60B76HwrLFmqb1AgZCsf3riReZkhMzbfBpnIcf65rqOd1AkkZ/s1600/stubby.jpg" /></a><br />
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<i>Stubby the War Dog</i>, <i>Milo: Sticky Notes</i> <i>and Brain Freeze</i>, any book in the <i>Leviathan</i> trilogy or any book in the Who Was... or What Was...series or any book in Howard Bryant's Legends seriesor any graphic novel in the Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales or the Bone series.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGdAEBLtDt4eKs6gz5ZPnS5ZRHZtuipTErNAyuz9EpOREWWoMXNHu73LsN9RBUxtCZOhnbP7ypfIlKCtH4BFDkKz5MJiKdaNk_AsEhy6pxnqbTrCIaeNddtJJlmaF3hj7bgk9Ozv-EkBxH/s1600/clemente.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="100" data-original-width="69" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGdAEBLtDt4eKs6gz5ZPnS5ZRHZtuipTErNAyuz9EpOREWWoMXNHu73LsN9RBUxtCZOhnbP7ypfIlKCtH4BFDkKz5MJiKdaNk_AsEhy6pxnqbTrCIaeNddtJJlmaF3hj7bgk9Ozv-EkBxH/s1600/clemente.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDmrvfIaIqxVcU7gml561g4XA_4foIzmiHx5ORdlRJFX6yVgKKxc3YOiaZ-JCIGLUPndXzRXY9cD90Dxs_mJpzqi8o6Ji2NHGOZm0gCJ1-sQjm3AVN4oF2XQWcS6unP4fr3PoA-Y-ObQZ1/s1600/ironcladbigbad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="100" data-original-width="74" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDmrvfIaIqxVcU7gml561g4XA_4foIzmiHx5ORdlRJFX6yVgKKxc3YOiaZ-JCIGLUPndXzRXY9cD90Dxs_mJpzqi8o6Ji2NHGOZm0gCJ1-sQjm3AVN4oF2XQWcS6unP4fr3PoA-Y-ObQZ1/s1600/ironcladbigbad.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc-lBUemgWpqD1LnRlZwk1J3kvADvKNAbB-X1svBpjiyfvsdHgwzA7KCbSlAltBOjNycwQD8OUguHZd3w7x26yW8gzubkDLAUJznqCutAgDnfpWwrBAJp5lWKhHR1IrWh3UZmDf9gyzoxD/s1600/leviathan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc-lBUemgWpqD1LnRlZwk1J3kvADvKNAbB-X1svBpjiyfvsdHgwzA7KCbSlAltBOjNycwQD8OUguHZd3w7x26yW8gzubkDLAUJznqCutAgDnfpWwrBAJp5lWKhHR1IrWh3UZmDf9gyzoxD/s1600/leviathan.jpg" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYUWaY7-Nonjh0nLTgCHkt1-9Fb_ymLmLnnKaY3zoUpgUYcO-9GAUHJz74mYkV_52bezYpZ1NaVgB8-h6h5zzSXI4VpC23hTi0L-1amfGYrki4RvneK1AmhO5wX7EfYDpkiWBNVXTTjB4l/s1600/legendsbaseball.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYUWaY7-Nonjh0nLTgCHkt1-9Fb_ymLmLnnKaY3zoUpgUYcO-9GAUHJz74mYkV_52bezYpZ1NaVgB8-h6h5zzSXI4VpC23hTi0L-1amfGYrki4RvneK1AmhO5wX7EfYDpkiWBNVXTTjB4l/s1600/legendsbaseball.jpg" /></a><br />
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<span id="goog_722476538"></span><span id="goog_722476539"></span><img src="https://secure.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9781415578506/MC.GIF&client=chmep&type=xw12&oclc=" /></div>
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<i><span style="color: #cc0000;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3M8ClDL19_cGkIVu_z48g1SWX6TOc8awXZTBmgjHbB_8LfRc7pye_fntlrr4xYgDCrUC_yle5uB8pARZvGoMp2JfdYQxIE4uicMtjjXbeQyx2WZkNN4VkVLtMgAd_IzYCrpQNmVt_GqF7/s1600/forbidstone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></span></i><i><span style="color: #cc0000;"></span></i><br />
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<i><span style="color: #cc0000;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3M8ClDL19_cGkIVu_z48g1SWX6TOc8awXZTBmgjHbB_8LfRc7pye_fntlrr4xYgDCrUC_yle5uB8pARZvGoMp2JfdYQxIE4uicMtjjXbeQyx2WZkNN4VkVLtMgAd_IzYCrpQNmVt_GqF7/s1600/forbidstone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></span></i>
<i><span style="color: #cc0000;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3M8ClDL19_cGkIVu_z48g1SWX6TOc8awXZTBmgjHbB_8LfRc7pye_fntlrr4xYgDCrUC_yle5uB8pARZvGoMp2JfdYQxIE4uicMtjjXbeQyx2WZkNN4VkVLtMgAd_IzYCrpQNmVt_GqF7/s1600/forbidstone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></span></i>
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<a href="https://secure.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9780451475923/MC.GIF&client=chmep&type=xw12&oclc=" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://secure.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9780451475923/MC.GIF&client=chmep&type=xw12&oclc=" /></a><i><span style="color: #cc0000;"><br /></span></i><br />
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<i><span style="color: #cc0000;">But wait--there's more!</span></i> A review of any book in <i>The Copernicus </i><i>Legacy </i>series or a review of <i>The Boys in the Boat</i> will be worth <b><i><span style="color: #38761d;">four points</span></i></b>, making it a <b><span style="color: blue;">HOME RUN</span></b>.</div>
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And, for the first time, any review of an audiobook will be worth four<b><i><span style="color: #38761d;"> points</span></i></b><br />
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So what would it take for a <b><span style="color: #4c1130;">GRAND SLAM</span></b>? A review of <i>The Yearling</i>, <i>Treasure Island, </i>or <i>The Hound of the Baskervilles</i>. These books are older and also more challenging but also much more rewarding, making each review worth <i><b><span style="color: #38761d;">five points</span></b></i>.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5TYt-7nMzA6TCWzmQyy4O2SKzzMRfu0R6Vf-zfbu6Cw90grazwVYOrnqxKWlq01F390Q93Hu_c_eEo8DY6Z1RpgWOC_92uHJaiB9GB01_Mx6IoBkDFKHpXLSVrXx9XpzEJqssKwJoZjgJ/s1600/hound.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="129" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5TYt-7nMzA6TCWzmQyy4O2SKzzMRfu0R6Vf-zfbu6Cw90grazwVYOrnqxKWlq01F390Q93Hu_c_eEo8DY6Z1RpgWOC_92uHJaiB9GB01_Mx6IoBkDFKHpXLSVrXx9XpzEJqssKwJoZjgJ/s1600/hound.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBCcs_rblbRZuEgPdHnEE9b4AW3Cw9Xq6-ovab1OQTja42SClKnhdfoJRaog1LiiTfWPRsHisfj7Eh97egpA5vkCDaPoQBdH_h1kqq0D8NvkKT6Picl0tgw1chnGqIZvE3yubCuW5upQ5L/s1600/tresureisalnd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBCcs_rblbRZuEgPdHnEE9b4AW3Cw9Xq6-ovab1OQTja42SClKnhdfoJRaog1LiiTfWPRsHisfj7Eh97egpA5vkCDaPoQBdH_h1kqq0D8NvkKT6Picl0tgw1chnGqIZvE3yubCuW5upQ5L/s1600/tresureisalnd.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgRrxXD8QYzoZZ7m2FwSDGA6GmUMuoMhyphenhyphenAACfGtW0BwpldgGjPGjkJoBJxncYRGXaINqpl-TNJIQy5iONK-05QqWm5S3A9qRwystKYKXT2lt3sYHBUbKLjBs3vVXrhbI6aGHdSK-0FON8F/s1600/yearling2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgRrxXD8QYzoZZ7m2FwSDGA6GmUMuoMhyphenhyphenAACfGtW0BwpldgGjPGjkJoBJxncYRGXaINqpl-TNJIQy5iONK-05QqWm5S3A9qRwystKYKXT2lt3sYHBUbKLjBs3vVXrhbI6aGHdSK-0FON8F/s1600/yearling2.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , "freeserif" , serif;">All right, guys, those are the rules. I will start accepting reviews today until midnight on Nov. 1. I'll try my best to announce the winners on Friday, Nov. 3.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , "freeserif" , serif;"><b><span style="color: blue;">Remember</span></b>, when you send in a review, be sure to include the title, author, a </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman", times, freeserif, serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">brief </span></i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , "freeserif" , serif;">summary of the plot and why you did or didn't like the book. Don't just say, "This book was cool. I liked it." Tell us </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman", times, freeserif, serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">why</span></i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , "freeserif" , serif;"> you did. Or didn't. There are instructions on sending reviews in the "Here's How Our Blog Works" box on the right-hand side of the page. Or you could call me at the </span><a href="https://www.cmlibrary.org/branch/myers-park" style="background-color: white; color: #38602b; font-family: "times new roman", times, freeserif, serif;">Myers Park library</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , "freeserif" , serif;"> at </span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman", times, freeserif, serif;">704-416-5800</b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , "freeserif" , serif;">. Winners will get prizes our of our ultra-cool prize box, which contains mostly books. All of them are ultra-cool, of course, but there may be a surprise or two. And if you live outside the Charlotte, NC area, you could still participate. Let me know where you live and we'll work things out. (don't worry--I won't post your address or anything)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , "freeserif" , serif;">So step up to the plate, boys, and send in those reviews. I know it may be hard with school going on but I have faith in all you MANLY MEN out there! I can't wait to hear from you!</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip6XmRrwTUXlC4Ym2VxUJ62U-kt1siQcYborJqHrk8r6JA_WUNsfMhyrhjAJ9ed031LPRcpJtTqL7lROquULZu8wlye01XkyDfVQgru-Taw_E-1sQK72ENL66d_IcyBkUaG3V6SNAiLoor/s1600/baseball2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="963" data-original-width="1600" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip6XmRrwTUXlC4Ym2VxUJ62U-kt1siQcYborJqHrk8r6JA_WUNsfMhyrhjAJ9ed031LPRcpJtTqL7lROquULZu8wlye01XkyDfVQgru-Taw_E-1sQK72ENL66d_IcyBkUaG3V6SNAiLoor/s320/baseball2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Step up to the plate, boys, and knock them outta the park!</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , "freeserif" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , "freeserif" , serif;">PS--if you want to find out more about any of the books I've mentioned, click on the title in the "labels" section under this post.</span></div>
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Iron Guy Carlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06719802406868125435noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7149640467592149916.post-24345589708405509312017-10-18T14:30:00.001-04:002017-10-18T17:30:56.388-04:00Two Cool Events<div style="text-align: right;">
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Hey guys, have you ever noticed that, once October gets in full swing, there are fun events going onall around you. It's certainly the case in North Carolina. There are apple festivals up in the mountains, a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/298885243841483/">Blackbeard Pirate festival</a> on the coast, <a href="http://www.barbecuefestival.com/?utm_source=www.visitnc.com&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=downstream-referral">a barbecue festival</a> in the central part of the state. There's even a <a href="http://www.woollyworm.com/?utm_source=www.visitnc.com&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=downstream-referral">Wooly Worm festival</a>. Well, the Charlotte Mecklenburg library is getting in on the fun and so is the Boys Read blog. Let me tell you:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlnpCLrpoMiI3y3hfZO4JDpTNamjhoILQKykqBZMljjup3z0CS8f2sFdWY9mnxDBl7J8xSTPY9Dfgg4o1P1Te3ko0y_k9l-YCt2K3ooO-BWob4cWUniyTpn3h1VgHXRB4hkuv-qs7dgBi8/s1600/EpicFest_postcard-5.5inx10.75in-front_Print.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="563" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlnpCLrpoMiI3y3hfZO4JDpTNamjhoILQKykqBZMljjup3z0CS8f2sFdWY9mnxDBl7J8xSTPY9Dfgg4o1P1Te3ko0y_k9l-YCt2K3ooO-BWob4cWUniyTpn3h1VgHXRB4hkuv-qs7dgBi8/s320/EpicFest_postcard-5.5inx10.75in-front_Print.jpg" width="174" /></a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD-dGxMpGufX7geoToM-KJxR-EXfN_mjiyxiADOncbixwJOf90-og3l3S5F6iKeJDz3elYbApPrv3BENzohYVZDJbBYognyKXo4eodPQp2h0u1QuT-zkwXlePR6ewabcu7SolyGQvmI00c/s1600/lubar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD-dGxMpGufX7geoToM-KJxR-EXfN_mjiyxiADOncbixwJOf90-og3l3S5F6iKeJDz3elYbApPrv3BENzohYVZDJbBYognyKXo4eodPQp2h0u1QuT-zkwXlePR6ewabcu7SolyGQvmI00c/s1600/lubar.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The author of this book will be there</td></tr>
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On November 4, the library is going to hold its <a href="https://foundation.cmlibrary.org/epicfest-2017">EpicFest</a> at Imaginon, our extremely-cool place that is like no other place in the country. There's going to be a lot <a href="https://foundation.cmlibrary.org/epicfest-schedule">very fun stuff that day</a>, so don't miss it! Plus there will also be several authors there, including Eric Litwin of Pete the Cat fame and David Lubar, who is a favorite of a lot of guys. I went last year and had a great time.<br />
will be a lot of<br />
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And the Iron Guy is not going to let October go by without a big event, so this year he's going to bring back <b><span style="color: blue;">The World Series of Reading Contest</span></b> that was so great last year. It will start on October 24, the same day as the actual World Series, and I will post all the rules the day before. (It will be simple--boys write in reviews of books and get points. The three boys with the most points win) So check this blog on Monday, October 23 to find out how it will work and start sending in your reviews on the 24th. (If you'd like an advance look at the rules, check out <a href="http://jaja-cas.blogspot.com/2016/10/world-series-of-reading-2016_0.html">this post from last year</a>. The rules will be almost the same this year) Last year's Contest was as thrilling as last year's history-making World Series, so let's see if we could make this one even better!! (and grownups--including teachers--if you know any boys who'd like to participate, let them know, even if they live outside of the Charlotte area. We could work things out)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLafG_hO3vrxNh5r32EUGLrFN9l_14t5br_zprc-22LE_ns2sYim90dOxz9nxbMKdgPt-WSue-ksdkIx3txCGCZ1X6qHfMskzNM5lomMZX-mYMyyF73fN98EOEjOg9SHxR0Cc3qr0944rF/s1600/baseball-player.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="150" data-original-width="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLafG_hO3vrxNh5r32EUGLrFN9l_14t5br_zprc-22LE_ns2sYim90dOxz9nxbMKdgPt-WSue-ksdkIx3txCGCZ1X6qHfMskzNM5lomMZX-mYMyyF73fN98EOEjOg9SHxR0Cc3qr0944rF/s1600/baseball-player.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Major League Baseball World Series and the Boys Read World Series of Reading--two great events!</td></tr>
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<br />Iron Guy Carlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06719802406868125435noreply@blogger.com0