November is National Novel Writing Month!

November is National Novel Writing Month, otherwise known as NaNoWriMo.  Every November, participants take the challenge to complete an entire novel in just 30 days.  Official rules state that participants begin writing November 1st and must finish by midnight, November 30th.  The word count goal for the adult program is 50,000 words, but the Young Writers Program (YWP) allows 17-and-under participants to set reasonable, yet challenging, individual word-count goals.  In 2012, over 80,000 young writers participated through the YWP. Take the challenge yourself this year and get creative!

The HHS Library will be hosting an after school NaNoWriMo event, Wednesday November 6th. Creative writing resources, writing prompts, and more will be offered to help get you writing!

November Newsletter

The library's November newsletter is now out!

The Pit and the Pendulum

Looking to create some Halloween atmosphere in the classroom?  Check out this short video/rap of Edgar Allen Poe's The Pit and the Pendulum. It's a good primer for learning more about Poe's short story.  Enjoy!

Daily Lit

Love to read, but short on time?  Sign up for the DailyLit service and receive short book installments by email or RSS feed. Choose the days and times you want to read, and read installments on any computer or mobile device. DailyLit breaks your books down into short, manageable chunks - now you have no excuse!  Everyone has a few minutes to spare when they open their email each morning. DailyLit is a great way to brush up on some of those classics.

See which books Mrs. Fournier is reading here.

Graphic Novels in the Classroom

With the Common Core acceptance of graphic novels being used as a tool for learning, an increasing number of classroom teachers are incorporating the genre into their lesson plans. Graphic novels may hold greater appeal for reluctant readers, rather than more traditional formats. Comic books and graphic novels can be an effective way to get an otherwise ambivalent student excited about a particular topic. For more information about the use of graphic novels in education, read the Mashable article here.

Literature of the Civil War

EDSITEment, a project of the National Endowment for the Humanities, is currently featuring literature of the civil war. Learn more about this time period in history through the works of some literary greats such as Whitman, Crane, Longfellow, and Faulkner. Primary sources, sample lesson plans, and featured websites are also offered as part of this feature.

Free Teen Books!

Pulseit is an online community for anyone that loves teen books! By joining Pulseit (it's free to join!), you'll have an opportunity to read free books, connect with other readers, post your own reviews, etc.

Free e-books are posted weekly, this week's free book is Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian. Check it out!