Dive into WEGO Reading at the Book Fair

Today is the last day of our three day annual book fair. Have you purchased your summer required reading books? We accept cash, check, charge or debit cards for your convenience. Stop by the Commons during your lunch period so you will be ready to Dive into Summer Reading with the Top Ten Picks!

Check out the other great reads supplied by Anderson's Book Fair, there is something for everyone. Students purchasing books receive a raffle ticket good for a free popcorn and a chance to win two AMC tickets or a basket of candy. Raffle winners will be announced during third hour announcements on Friday, May 24th.

Num8ers by Rachel Ward

Rachel Ward’s book, Num8ers, is a work of fiction. If you enjoy reading stories that involve hidden secrets and adventures, then Num8ers is a perfect choice. 

Jem is a teenager who is in school and has a hidden talent; a talent that is not so great to have because of many reasons. Jem has the talent of being able to look into people’s eyes and see how long they have to live. Her talent does not show how it happens or where it happens; it simply shows a number in the eyes of people. 

In the beginning of her life, when she first discovered her talent, she did not understand why she saw numbers. Every day she would look into her mother’s eyes and see a number that simply did not change. As she grew older, the number in her mother’s eyes seemed to appear as a date. 

One morning, Jem woke up and went into the kitchen where a box of cereal and a bowl would normally be. This morning neither of the items needed to make a bowl of cereal were there. Jem was shocked and confused. The entire house was filled with silence so Jem went to check where her mother was. As she entered her mother’s room she realized her mother was clocked out, otherwise dead. Jem then realized the numbers she sees are dates for when people will die. 

As the book continues, she meets a boy (Spider) with whom she becomes close, falls into trouble with him and then realizes the boy now has a number in his eyes. This book has many twists, some you can see coming and others happen out of the ordinary. Read Num8ers to find out about the adventures of Jem.

Victor A.

I Swear by Lane Davis

Lane Davis’ book, I Swear, is a work of fiction. This novel tells the story of a seventeen year old girl named Leslie who is pushed to suicide after relentless bullying from peers. 

This story then goes into the lives of her four former friends and her boyfriend and how their actions are connected to her death. The book not only asks the question of who is to blame when bullying reaches the definitive consequence of death but can and should they be punished. 

Together the five friendships and loyalties are pushed to the test as they try to piece together why this happened and whose fault it really was. With everyone pointing fingers, they must look deep inside to uncover the truths about who they are, and what their actions were, to see how far they will go to protect not only themselves, but each other. 

If you are interested in finding out Leslie's story and who really is to blame, read I Swear.

Nora P.

No Easy Day by Mark Owen

No Easy Day by Mark Owen is a fantastic book to read. If you want a book that is action-packed and you are fascinated about the assassination of Bin Laden, then read this book. It gives all the details from the eyes of one marine. 


Mark Owen is the main character of the book. He does talk about the other men who are on each mission with him. Each mission has different men alongside him. Mark starts out by describing what training he went through to get to where he is now. Before he was assigned the mission to assassinate Bin Laden, he had to go through other missions first. Usually each chapter tells about each new mission. 

The book is a timeline from when Mark first begins his training to the killing of Bin Laden. The book even gives you two sections of pictures to better explain and make sure you understand what weapons were used and what tactics were used. This book is high on detail and very good at description. I really liked this book because of the description and that it’s all real. 

If you want to feel like you’re the one that’s on the field right there with Mark, I highly suggest you read this book.

Vincent W.

A Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom

Corrie ten Boom’s book, The Hiding Place, is certainly an interesting book. However, it wasn’t the book for me. 

This book is a personal story of why the Holocaust is so horrible and what Corrie had to endure or suffer to be able to live free again. Although I found this book really horrifying, I found there wasn’t enough action. Half the book tells about her family members and I found there were so many of them, I couldn’t keep track of all of them. This story, for me, picks up half way through when you find out Corrie’s family is helping Jewish people escape from the Nazis through an underground tunnel. Corrie’s family then gets caught and they are sent to the concentration camp where only Corrie survives to tell the story. 

I feel like this book would be great if I read it again but, because there are so many characters, I don’t feel I know them personally and that dragged down the book for me. I guess the real reason I didn’t like this book is because I didn’t really understand it. The second half of the book is great and also I have read a lot of other Holocaust books that blew my mind and this didn’t do that for me.

Trevor A.

Annotated Abraham Lincoln Nominees (Part 4)

This is the final posting (Part 4) of a series of posts about the 2013-2014 Abraham Lincoln Nominees. We have blogged each of the 22 titles on the list of nominees for this year. If you have missed the previous posts and would like to read about the other titles on the list use the search box above to locate them on this blog. The titles in this list have been selected by high school students for high school students in the State of Illinois. If you would like to find out more information on how a book is nominated click here


Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo (2012)

Alina Starkov was orphaned by the Border Wars, yet was content with her life as a map maker as long as she had her best friend Mal at her side. Once again war began ravaging the great nation of Ravka by surrounding enemies. When Alina’s regiment is attacked and Mal is brutally injured Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life. Her powers catch the attention of the Grisha’s royal court an elite and magical group that whisks her off from all that she knows. The mysterious and sexy Darkling is their leader and he wants to train Alina to harness her powers to destroy the Shadow Fold. But not everything is what it seems in this lavish world of the royal court and Darkling has an ulterior motive to make Alina his own. Will Alina trust her instincts and stay true to herself or will she have to pay the price with her life.


Hate List by Jennifer Brown (2010)

At the end of their junior year in high school, 16 year old Valerie Leftman’s boyfriend Nick opened fire in their school cafeteria. Valerie was shot trying to stop him and saved a classmate in the process. Since Valerie helped Nick put together a list of people and things she and Nick hated and Nick used this list to pick his targets, Valerie was implicated in the shootings. Valerie spent her summer break in seclusion but now that senior year was upon her, she had to return to school and face her former friends not knowing whether they saw her as a villain or a hero. More importantly Valerie must come to terms with what happened and the part she played.

Room by  Emma Donoghue (2010)

Room is where five year old Jack lives with his Ma. It’s a small room but it’s all Jack knows. She created this eleven by eleven square foot room into a home for Jack but it has been her prison for seven years. His loving Ma puts him in a wardrobe to sleep at night when she is visited by Old Nick.  As Jack get older his curiosity grows too. How much longer can the room contain both Ma’s desperation and Jack’s growing curiosity?

Everybody Sees the Ants  by A. S. King (2011)
Lucky Linderman's grandfather was killed as a prisoner of war in Vietnam and his father never got over it. Living in a dysfunctional home and being both physically and verbally abused by the school bully, Lucky acts suicidal. His mother decides to take Lucky to Arizona to live with her brother and sister-in-law but problems seem to follow him as he befriends an older girl with troubles of her own.  Lucky has an ability to escape reality through his nightly dreams where he and his long lost grandfather fight in the jungles of Vietnam.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (2011)

The Night Circus is known to arrive without announcement or warning, just appearing after dark. It's black and white striped tent is filled with magical acts of illusion to delight and entertain all that attend. What the audience doesn't know is the two young magicians Celia and Marco have been trained since they were children by the mercurial instructors to compete in a game of competition. What Celia and Marco don't know is that the game is deadly leaving only one magician standing. As the two young magicians begin to fall in love their powers set off a domino effect of dangerous consequence for everyone.

Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco Stork (2009)

Marcelo Sandoval has been diagnosed somewhere along the autistic spectrum and has been attending a sheltered school. The summer before his senior year his hard driving father decides Marcelo should work in the mail room of his law firm. His father wants him to discover what it's like to "live in the real world". Marcelo soon meets two coworkers Jasmine and Wendell and learns all too quickly about competition, jealousy and desire. While "living in the real world" he also discovers who his father really is.

Heat by Mike Lupica

Mike Lupica’s book, Heat, is in the genre of fiction. If you have a love for baseball or even passion for any sport, you would enjoy reading Heat.


Heat tells the story of a young teen who survives his struggles with not only family but society. Michael’s family, who only recently came to the United States, is just barely making ends meet when they suffer the horrific tragedy of their father’s death. While their father was on his death bed, he had a few last words to leave with the family and those were to have them keep his passing a secret so they could stay a family. 

Michael and his older brother, who is soon to be eighteen, have to get by while dodging major obstacles, such as the law. Michael’s brother is not yet an adult so therefore he cannot be legally accountable for him. While all of this is going on in the life of this  unlucky twelve year old, Michael looks to baseball, his friends and his brother to get through this rough time. Michael has to overcome challenges a normal kid could not even dream of and the pressure put on him to do so is immense.

If you are interested in a great story of someone who overcomes great trials then Heat is the book for you. It will help you to really put in perspective how important some things are in life and how their value is priceless.

A.J. S.