Four

Roth, Veronica.  Four: A Divergent Collection.  2014.  Katherine Tegen Books, a Harper Collins Imprint.  New York, NY.

Hardcover, $17.99.  ISBN: 978-0-06-234521-9.

Book Talk:

Have you read Divergent?  Seen the movie?  Curious to know more about the world?

Join Tobias in the years when he makes his own choice.

Written by Tobias, this companion guide gives you a glimpse into who Tobias is, and why he has made the choices that he has made.  It's a fascinating look into the world we join in the Divergent Books.


Author's Note:
Veronica Roth wrote an introduction to this series in the front of this book.  I would like to put a part of it here:
The first three stories: "The Transfer", "The Initiate", and "The Son" take place before he ever meets Tris, following his path from Abegnation to Dauntless as he earns his own strength. In the last, "The Traitor", which overlaps chronologically with the middle of Divergent, he meets Tris.  I wanted very much to include the moment when they meet, but unfortunately, it didn't fit into the story's timeline- you can find it instead at the back of this book.

The series follows Tris from the moment she seized control of her own life and identity: and with these stories, we can follow Four as he does the same.  And the rest, as they say, is history.

Author's Web Site:
http://theartofnotwriting.tumblr.com/

Dirt Bikes, Drones, and Other Ways to Fly

Wesselhoeft, Conrad.  Dirt Bikes, Drones, and Other Ways to Fly.  2014.  Houghton-Mifflin Harcourt Publishers, New York, New York.

Hardcover, $17.99.  ISBN: 978-0-544-23269-3

Book Talk:
When Arlo's mother died, a huge part of Arlo died, too.  Arlo's mother was gunned down at a robbery at a convenience store.  In the aftermath of the shooting, Arlo's sister struggles with a deadly illness, and his father loses their family business- the newspaper.  Struggling to make sense in a world gone mad, Arlo turns to the two things he loves best - speed and video games.

Out on the open desert, Arlo flies high and fast on his dirt bike.  He takes reckless chances on his bike, throwing himself into the game of high speed recklessness.  In his video game - Drone Wars - he finds an escape from the dreary, scary world he now lives in.

Flying high and reckless with the video game, Arlo becomes the highest scoring person in the game - EVER.

And then, he finds himself recruited by the Air Force to be a part of their ultra-secret drone program.  Flying drones in Afghanistan, while sitting quietly in the United States, Arlo begins to meld the virtual world together with the real world.

But what about Lee?  The beautiful new girl in town whose father is fighting in Afghanistan?
Intrigued by the mystery of Arlo, she begins to make Lee feel alive again - and wonder where his true loyalties lie...

Will Arlo ever be able to come to terms with his reality?


Note from Bettina:
There is language in this book.  A lot of language.  The themes are mature themes.  Considering the topic of the book- an alcoholic father, a mother gunned down in a convenience store, and a sister who is dying - the language matches the themes.

This book is appropriate for High School students, as well as ANY teenager who is suffering from the loss of a parent to violence.

Author's Web Site:
http://adiosnirvana.com/

Clueless in the Kitchen

Raab, Evelyn.  Clueless in the Kitchen.  2011.  Firefly Books, Buffalo, NY.

Softcover, $14.95.  ISBN: 978-1-55407-824-0.

Book Talk:
The pretzels are gone.  The pop tarts are gone.  The Zombie Apocalypse could happen at any moment, and you don't have any food in the house!  What will you do?

This book will take you quickly and easily from a bunch of raw ingredients on the pantry shelves to a nutritious meal or snack in minutes.  Clear, concise, easy to follow directions will make this cooking adventure an easy process you will want to repeat again and again!

Learn how to make Potato Paprikash, Home Made Pizza Crust, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Smoothies, Salad Dressing, and Buffalo Wings.  These yummy recipes are easy to make, and so much cheaper than buying them from the store!

Are you ready to bake?