BOOK REVIEW: Tale of the Cryptids: Mysterious Creatures that May or May Not Exist reviewed by Lance M.

For an all around great read I definitely recommend Tales of the Cryptids: Mysterious Creatures that May or May Not Exist, by Kelly Milner Halls, Rick Spears, and Roxanne Young. By using colorful illustrations and mind-boggling factual evidence onthe existence of mysterious creatures, the book interests all types of readers. The authors all combine their writing abilities and knowledge to make this book one of kind. If you've ever wondered wither Bigfoot, the Lochness Monster, or even chupacabras exist, you really need ot check this book out.

Before reading this book, I thought it was just another book talking about the idiotic myths of folktale creatures. However, after I read a few pages I found this book to be very informational and actually persuasive. You begin to think more in depth about he actual chance of a real life Bigfoot hiding out somewhere or Nessie lurking around at the bottom of Loch Ness. On top of this, Tales of the Cryptids also introduces lesser known cryptids that are more cultural and region-specific. For example, the Yeti of the Siberian region has only been witnessed north of China, and has been part of their culture as far back as cavewall engravings. Furthermore, Tales of the Cryptids introduces you to the uncommon firld of cryptozoology. I found out how interesting this science actually is and what it involves.

By providing evidence on hidden but existing "cryptids," Tales of the Cryptids makes your mind wonder. It goes past just asking questions and actually provides answers. Don't pass up this book just because you think it's for weirdo Bigfoot-obessessed freaks only. It actually is extremely interesting and leaves you with a sense of wonder and adventure. It's a must read for science-fiction buffs, mysterious creature fanatics, and bored readers alike. Put down your Harry Potter and Twilight and run straight to the nonfiction section. You won't be disappointed. All in all, Tales of the Cryptids is one of the most interesting books in teh Gonzales High School library.

BOOK REVIEW: Exposure reviewed by Lance C.

Exposure is a book that grabs a young reader's attention. The author, Patricia Murdoch, writes about problems, issues, and concerns that ordinary students can relate to. I found the book to be an easy read. In Exposure, the main character, Julie, is constantly being bullied by a very popular girl named Dana. The book explains the difficulties Julie has with her confidence and the negative effect that Dana's teasing is having on Julie's self esteem.

The book takes an interesting turn when Julie's older brother gets involved with a rowdy group of kids. When Julie's brother mentions Dana's name, Julie quickly decides to seize the opportunity to get back at Dana for all of her past tormenting. The author keeps the readers attention through a series of of events and interesting scandals. When Julie gets the opportunity to get back at Dana, she has to decide whether revenge is worth it. The author, Patricia Murdoch, produces a suspenseful story that will continue to keep readers' attention. Exposure is an easy read about topics that young students can easily relate to.

BOOK REVIEW: Twilight reviewed by Carrisa G.

In the Twilight series there is romance, secrets, blood sucking, fighting, and characters that go to extreme ends to protect their families. When Bella Swan moves to the small town of Forks, Washington, she doesn't expect much excitement. She's moving in with her father, who is the chief of police in Forks so that her mom can move on with her life with her new husband, and not be tied down to a teenage daughter. Bella's low expectations for Forks prove to be completely untrue when she meets the mysterious and heart stopping Edward Cullen at school. What Bella doesn't realize is that Edward is hiding a dark secret; he and his family are vampires. Bella and Edward find themselves falling for each other despite the danger it poses for each of their families and to each other. This action-packed book and series is a must read for everyone!

Sequels to Twilight are New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn.

BOOK REVIEW: Glass reviewed by Kaylyn P.

"Just one more hit!" That was the thought process of Kristina, the teenage girl in teh book Glass. Her mind and her actions were damaged due to the drug, crank. She forgot her family, her schooling, and most importantly her baby boy. Seh didn't care about anything in her life. Her main goal was to find crank and get it at any cost. No matter how horrible the consequences were, she always went back to crank. You never expect what's going to happen, because something always ends up going wrong. So, what happens in teh end? I guess you're going to have to read and find out. The book had me hooked from page one because of the abrupt beginning. After being hooked by the beginning, I read the entire book in two days.

I liked the book because it makes you feel like you are personally involved in the situation because you start feeling all the emotions Kristina and her mom are going through. This book takes you on a journey through the life of a teenage girl who continually makes poor decicions. I like that it was written in verse because it helps the reader get a better understanding of how the character is feeling and what she is really thinking. It also helps readers understand how drug use can completely take over your life. No matter what you read, you will never find a book as indulging as Glass. I recommend it for anyone who enjoys suspense and tragedy.

NOTE: Glass is the sequel to the book Crank.

BOOK REVIEW: Love, Cajun Style reviewed by Ryan B.

Love, Cajun Style is about friendship and love. When Mary Jordan falls in love quickly, her friend Lucy rushes to help out Mary Jordan so that she won't get hurt. Mary Jordan and Lucy also have another friend, Evie, who is skeptical about love since her father walked out on her family when she was younger. This story revolves around the friendship of these three girls and discoveries about life and love.

I would advise anybody to read this book if they like anything to do with life; it helps you to realize that you're not the only one going through tough situations. This book also keeps you on the edge of your seat because you want to know whats going to happen next. I really enjoyed this book, and I'm not a fan of reading, but this book makes me want to read and finish it just to find out what's going to happen.

Banned Books Week

Banned books week was September 27th through October 2nd. The library had a banned or challenged books display with books from our collection that have been challenged or banned in other schools around the nation. The reasons for banning varies by book; for example, Harry Potter has been challenged because some feel that it promotes sorcery and witchcraft, while The Catcher in the Rye has been banned because of the language in the book. Banned books week seeks to promote the freedom to read without censorship, and we demonstrated that our library does not seek to infringe on that freedom by displaying all of the books in our collection that have been previously challenged in other schools. Please enjoy the picture of the display that was set up for banned books week.

Welcome!

Welcome to the Gonzales High School Library Blog. This blog was created to keep students and faculty informed of upcoming events in the library, entertained with occasional trivia posts, and abreast of the best reading in our library with reviews by the librarian and the students. I hope you will enjoy this blog and find it useful. Please feel free to comment on any posts