Jo Aleh and Olivia Powrie have continued their dominance of the women's 470 class with gold at the Delta Lloyd Regatta in the Netherlands overnight (NZT).The Olympic champions won seven of the 11 races throughout the regatta, including... Reported by New Zealand Herald 9 hours ago.

Patch Framingham, MA --

* *

From James Patterson's ReadKiddoRead Foundation:

**Great Advanced Reads**

* *

*(For tweens and teens, ages 12 and up)*

*The Diviners*

* *

By Libba Bray

For ages 12 and up

A series of occult-based murders in 1920s New York City put Evie O’Neill and her uncle, curator of what’s known as “The Museum of the Creepy Crawlies,” center stage in investigating the crimes. The tightly woven plot and palpable setting combine with supernatural elements, rich themes, and terrific storytelling to make for a compelling read.

* *

*On the Day I Died*

* *

By Candace Fleming

For ages 11 and up

Scary is always in season, and summer is an especially good time to welcome a shivery chill. On appropriately dark and moonless nights, kids will find themselves scaring friends with the stories in this collection, whether examinations of pure evil, ancient curses, alien encounters, or psychological dramas.

* *

*The Fault in Our Stars*

By John Green

For ages 13 and up

Hazel Lancaster, a teen with cancer, dropped out of school at 13 to concentrate on getting well. Now 16, she meets Augustus Waters, a former basketball player who’s lost a leg to cancer. Their connection is instantaneous. Green skillfully uses their lives to ask the big questions: Why me? Why now? Why risk love? What does being alive mean?

* *

*Scarlet: Lunar Chronicles, Book Two*

By Marissa Meyer

For ages 12 up

Another fresh view of a classic fairytale—with another stop-you-in-your-tracks cover. Scarlet (Little Red Riding Hood) and her street fighter boyfriend, Wolf, are in search of Scarlet’s grandmother. Their quest runs right into Cinder’s story as the three race to keep ahead of the evil Lunar Queen Levana. 

Or start with the first book in the series: Cinder: Lunar Chronicles, Book One

*The False Prince                                *

By Jennifer A. Nielson

For ages 13 and up

Carthya is on the brink of civil war. Conner, one of the noblemen, has a treacherous plan to install an imposter on the throne. But first he must find just the right young man to play the part: Could Sage win the role? As in any high stakes game, all is not as it seems. Amid layers of deception and manipulation, readers are in for surprises as Sage draws closer to the goal.

* *

*Shadow on the Mountain                                                                                   *

By Margi Preus              

For ages 12 up

* *

Espen, a 14-year-old Norwegian boy whose country is occupied by the Nazis, joins the Norwegian resistance with his friends. Margi Preus reveals his story in an engrossing text that combines spy thriller with a teen coming-of-age story, enhanced by photographs, maps and brochures from the time.

* *

*Eleanor & Park*

By Rainbow Rowell

For ages 14 and up

* *

In 1980s Omaha, Eleanor, quirky and new to town, and Park, half-Korean, are outsiders in their high school. It’s worse for Eleanor, who has an abusive stepfather and bullying classmates—so bad that she accepts Park’s father’s invitation for her to stay with their family. In small steps, Eleanor and Park’s friendship grows into love. But Park realizes that the solution to Eleanor’s troubles means that she will have to move away. 

* *

*After Eli*

By Rebecca Rupp

For ages 12 up

Since his older brother was killed in Iraq, Danny Anderson has been keeping a “Book of the Dead” where he chronicles how people from the past have died. It’s his way of understanding loss. But it is not until three years later that Danny begins to pull away from grief: He falls for a girl, finds a new friendship, and works on a farm. A crisis at the end of that summer pushes Danny and his parents toward healing in this moving and emotionally rich novel.

* *

*Out of the Easy*

By Ruta Sepetys

For ages 14 and up

* *

“The Big Easy” has been anything but easy on Josie. She’s tried distancing herself from her mother—an addict, prostitute and thief. Josie dreams of escaping Easy altogether, but doesn’t believe she can make that happen—until she meets a tourist who offers her the encouragement she needs. Ruta Sepetys vividly describes the sights, sounds, and smells, as well as the shady underbelly of New Orleans in 1950, and breathes life into her cast of characters. Teens will be pulling for Josie as she moves ahead, learning that some decisions are anything but easy.

*The Raven Boys*

* *

By Maggie Stiefvater

For ages 12 and up

* *

For as long as Blue Sargent can remember, she’s been told that if she kisses her true love, he will die. And in her family—one filled with bona fide psychics—predictions are never taken lightly. Now 16, Blue befriends three Raven boys from the posh private school nearby and gets caught up in their quest and adventures. Blue fears that one of them just might be her true love. A compelling story from the outset, Stiefvater’s first installment in a planned four-part cycle will have readers on the edge of their seats.

* *

**The Cay  **

By Theodore Taylor

For ages 12 and up

When World War II threatens the Dutch island of Curacao where 11-year-old Philip lives, he and his mother decide to return to the U.S. But on the journey, their boat is torpedoed, and Philip is stranded on a life raft with a cat and Timothy, a black man. Later, when Philip becomes blind, he has no choice but to overcome his prejudices and trust Timothy. Their friendship develops beautifully in this exciting survival story.

* *

*5,000 Awesome Facts (About Everything!)*

National Geographic Kids

For ages 11 and up

From 15 peanut butter facts that stick and 50 furry facts about bears, to 100 facts about oceans that will make your head swim, this big, colorful, packed-to-the-brim compendium is sure to fascinate, entertain, and be a source of great conversations for everyone who takes a look. Photographs illustrate the great variety of information, a playful design makes every page inviting, and a ticker at the bottom of each spread counts the facts kids learn as they go through the book. You’ll find your teen dipping in and out of this book all summer long.  

* *

*EXTRA CREDIT:*

* *

Life of Pi by Yann Martel 

The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon by David Grann

 

* *

*GREAT PAGETURNERS                                                                                    *

* *

** **

**(For ages 9-12)**

* *

*The Secret of the Fortune Wookiee: An Origami Yoda Book*

By Tom Angleberger

For ages 8 and up 

In the third of the Origami Yoda books, Sara brings a paper fortune teller in the form of Star War’s Chewbacca (a Fortune Wookiee) to school to fill in while Dwight and Origami Yoda are suspended.

Or start with the first book in the series: The Strange Case of Origami Yoda

* *

*Never Say Die*

By Will Hobbs

For ages 8 up

Nick Thrasher, a 15-year-old Inuit hunter, and his older half-brother Ryan, a wildlife photographer, are off in search of caribou. Soon into their travels they are thrown into the frozen Firth River. Back on land, their struggle to survive continues as they are pursued by animals, including a half-grizzly, half-polar bear. An exciting wilderness survival tale set in Canada’s arctic is the perfect read to cool down a hot summer day.

* *

*Dog Days (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 4)                                                         *

* *

By Jeff Kinney                                                                                                                                                    For ages 8 and up

This is not the newest in the series, but it might be the right book to begin with since it’s all about summer vacation. The weather’s great, and all the kids are having fun outside. But not Greg Heffley! He’s in his house playing video games and enjoying himself, thank you very much.  But Greg’s mom has other ideas about outdoor activities and “family togetherness.” Whose vision will win out? Will a new addition to the Heffley family change everything?* *

*On the Road to Mr. Mineo’s   *

By Barbara O’Connor  

For ages 8 and up

* *

When we remember summers, there’s often a single event that stands out. For the folks in Meadville, South Carolina, this summer will be recalled as the one when a one-legged pigeon named Sherman flew into town. Where did Sherman come from? Only Mr. Mineo seems to know. For many young readers, this summer may be remembered as the one they met Stella and Amos and Sherman in the pages of this wonderful novel.

* *

*Hades: Lord of the Dead: The Olympians, Book 4*

* *

By George O’Connor

For ages 9 and up

* *

Welcome to the Underworld. A mix of action, comedy, superheroes and Greek mythology, this graphic novel introduces Hades and Persephone.  

Or start with the first book in the series: Zues: King of the Gods

* *

*Wonder*

By R.J. Palacio

For ages 9-12

August Pullman, 10, was born with a deformed face. Even though he’s been protected and homeschooled, he’s felt the stares and heard the whispers when the boldest jerks called him Freak or Freddy Krueger. Now his parents have decided that it’s time to enroll Auggie in school. The world he finds doesn’t only test his courage; it also takes the measure of everyone he meets.  A rare book that just might open a closed heart.

 

*Middle School: My Brother is a Big Fat Liar*

* *

and *Middle School: How I Survived Bullies, Broccoli, and Snake Hill*

By James Patterson and Lisa Papademetriou, Illustrated by Neil Swaab

For ages 9-13

Two great new stories in the wildly popular Middle School series. When Georgia Khatchadorian heads off to her first day at Hills Village Middle School, everyone she meets immediately brands Georgia a problem child just like Rafe! When Rafe sneakily signs the band up to play at Georgia's first middle school dance, she's terrified she'll embarrass herself. Will she be able to overcome her fears?

Meanwhile, in How I Survived Bullies, Broccoli, and Snake Hill, Rafe is excited about summer camp—but he’s in for a letdown when he realizes it’s summer school camp. Luckily, Rafe quickly makes friends with members of his “Loserville” cabin. And they need all the help they can get as they battle off against the “Cool” cabin all summer long.

Or start with the first book in the series: Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life

* *

** **

**Where the Red Fern Grows**

By Wilson Rawls

For ages 8 and up

In an informal survey, I asked a bunch of grown-ups which childhood summer read they remembered most. Where the Red Fern Grows was the most frequent answer. Set in the Ozarks, the adventure tale of a boy, Billy, and his two hunting dogs, Little Ann and Old Dan, is recalled not only for the trio’s triumphs, but also for the story’s tenderness. Give your kiddos this classic book this summer. 

* *

*The Egypt Game*

By Zilpha Keatley Snyder  

For ages 8 and up 

Before role-playing computer games became so popular, Zilpha Keatley Snyder took young readers to an antiques store in California where Melanie and April, and later four other friends, create and play “The Egypt Game.” With costumes, secret codes and elaborate stories, the kids become more and more involved—until strange things start happening. It just might be time to stop playing. Readers, too, will find themselves caught up in the game and in this characterful novel.

* *

*Hokey Pokey*

* *

By Jerry Spinelli

For ages 9 and up

This is an allegorical tale where childhood is not just a stage, it is a place called Hokey Pokey. The readers meet Jack, who, like many of them, is starting to “age out” of Hokey Pokey. Spinelli’s novel is sure to help them celebrate and cope with all that is the past and all that is to come.

* *

*Navigating Early*

By Clare Vanderpool

For Ages 9 and up

Jack is adrift after his mother dies, so his dad, just back from WWII, enrolls him in a boarding school in Maine. There he befriends Early Auden, a loner who rarely attends classes and whose brother, a soldier serving in France, is presumed dead. Early believes otherwise and so begins the two boys’ quest along the Appalachian Trail.

* *

*Angry Birds Playground: Animals: An Around-the-World Habitat Adventure*

By Jill Esbaum; Illustrated with photographs

For ages 8-11

Those popular Angry Birds are tour guides on this photo-filled exploration of habitats including rainforests, deserts, oceans, grasslands and polar regions. The birds, who are on a worldwide search for their stolen eggs, introduce readers to five major habitats and the animals that thrive in each. With animal vital statistics in sidebars, descriptions in text, and funny asides from the birds on every page, this is the kind of book that gives nonfiction a good name!

 

* *

*GREAT BEGINNER READS*

* *

*(For ages 6-9)*  **

*Cam Jansen and the Graduation Day Mystery #31*

 

By David A. Adler; Illustrated by Joy Allen

For ages 7-10

Cam Jansen, elementary school detective, is up to her 31st mystery. She’s got to be doing something right! Children making the transition from picture books to chapter books have found Cam Jansen books a great help and motivator. In her latest case, Cam must use her skills and her photographic memory to catch the thief who stole Eric’s father’s graduation present.

* *

*The One and Only Ivan*

* *

By Katherine Applegate, Illustrated by Patricia Castelao Costa

For ages 8-10

“The Ape at Exit 8” is Ivan, a mighty silverback gorilla who lives in a circus-themed shopping mall. Based on a true story, this novel tells how Ivan uses his talent for drawing to rescue the other animals. Winner, 2013 Newbery Medal.

* *

*Ivy and Bean Make the Rules*

* *

 

By Annie Barrows; Illustrated by Sophie Blackall

For ages 7-9

Nancy, Bean’s older sister, is going to camp, but Bean can’t go: You have to be eleven to go to camp.  Never one to accept defeat, Bean and her best friend Ivy create a camp of their own.  A triumph of friendship, ingenuity, and fun!

Or start with the first book in the series: Ivy and Bean 

* *

*Hello Nebulon!*

* *

 

By Ray O’Ryan; Illustrated by Colin Jack

For ages 5-8*  *

It’s 2120, and Zack Nelson and his family are leaving Earth to move to the planet Nebulon. Their space-aged house has all kinds of awesome gadgets that Zack will be using every day, but still Zack worries that he and his twin sister won’t have any friends. But then he meets a fellow student and slowly starts to realize that things on Nebulon might just be alright after all. Young readers will zoom through the story to find out what happens to Zack, entertained and delighted along the way! 

* *

*Captain Underpants and the Revolting Revenge of the Radioactive Robo-Boxers*

* *

 

By Dav Pilkey

For ages 7 and up 

* *

For once, the critics agree with what children have been saying for years: USA Today tells us: “Call Pilkey…the savior of the ‘reluctant reader.’” Newsweek says Captain Underpants is “a triumph of irreverence." And young readers say: “They are funny and crazy!”  Now, in the newest book in the series, everything is threatened. Could it be the end for Captain Underpants?

Or start with the first book in the series: The Adventures of Captain Underpants

* *

*Green Eggs and Ham*

* *

*Horton Hatches the Egg*

* *

*Oh, the Places You’ll Go*

* *

 

 

 

By Dr. Seuss

For ages 3-7, 4-8, 4-9

When it comes to new readers, we’ve got two words for you: Dr. Seuss.  His beginner books (like Green Eggs and Ham) are not only comical adventures, but also great confidence-builders as brand new readers master them and can read them on their own.  And what proud reader wouldn’t want to know Sam-I-Am (who definitely, absolutely, never wants green eggs and ham)?

As kids improve their reading skills, they’ll find reward in Seuss’s classic picture books. Yes, the language is often complicated, but it is always silly and fun. Horton Hatches the Egg is a great place to start because there are loving lessons in the values of persistence and kindness in this story of the elephant who is faithful, 100 percent.

If you want to give a child a pat on the back—along with a gentle push to move on—try Oh, the Places You’ll Go! It is wise, optimistic, filled with encouragement, and great fun to read.

* *

*Gone Fishing: A Novel in Verse*

 

By Tamera Will Wissinger; Illustrated by Matthew Cordell

For ages 6-9

Nine-year-old Sam and his dad are going to the lake: “For fishing tomorrow/it’s just us two. Not Mom, not Grandpa/not Lucy…” In a series of engaging poems that narrate the day, they prepare their gear; plans change (Lucy does tag along); fish get caught; siblings get along; and all ends deliciously at dinner. We’re guessing that this delightful excursion will lead lots of kids to try their luck at fishing—and to try their hand at poetry!

* *

*Nic Bishop Snakes*

* *

 

By Nic Bishop; illustrated with photographs

For ages 5 and up

Super-sharp photographs show a great variety of snakes, sometimes at rest but often in action, while equally clear text presents basic facts about each.  The handsome design welcomes curious (and maybe even some fearful) children to get up close and learn more.

 

* *

*Great Illustrated Books                                                                                   *

** **

**(For ages 2-6)**

* *

*Llama Llama Time to Share *

* *

 

 

By Anna Dewedney

For ages 2-5

While Mama Llama and Nelly Gnu have tea, their two toddlers are left with a boxful of toys to share.  All goes well, until that Gnu girl decides to play with Llama’s treasured Fuzzy Llama doll.  Llama’s not ready for that much sharing.

Or start with the first book in this series: Llama Llama Red Pajama

* *

*Olivia and the Fairy Princesses  *

By Ian Falconer

For ages 3-6

Olivia is one best-selling pig—and with good reason.  Strong-willed, high-spirited and, in this book, in search of her true identity—Olivia’s been keeping young children smiling (and recognizing themselves) for a dozen books now. She’s sure to please.

Or start with the first book in this series: Olivia

* *

*This Moose Belongs to Me*

By Oliver Jeffers 

For ages 4-7

 

For the “Can I keep him?” would-be pet owner, this story of Wilfred and Marcel the Moose is a great fit. Wilfred and Marcel make a happy pair, but it isn’t long before Wilfred notice little things about the very big moose.  It seems he has some secrets, like the neighbor who greets Marcel as “Rodrigo,” and the fact that he prefers apples to, well…Wilfred. Still their friendship is real, their story is charming, and every page of this picture book is a visual treat. 

* *

** **

**Yes, Let's**

By Galen Goodwin Longstreth; Illustrated by Maris Wicks    

For ages 3-5

* *Preschoolers will happily follow one family’s day in the country, from the dedication page with its maze-like roads leading three cars through the woods to a stream-side destination, right to the evening return trip with the happily exhausted parents and children barely making it up the stairs to their bedrooms.  The short rhythmic text is simple, fast, and fun to read aloud, while the detail-filled cartoon-like illustrations invite long looks at every spread.

* *

*Creepy Carrots!*

* *

By Aaron Reynolds; Illustrated by Peter Brown

For ages 4 and up

Jasper Rabbit loves to eat carrots—especially the ones that grow at Crackenhopper Field…until the day the carrots start following him. This slightly spooky book will please youngest fans of scary tales while it delivers a subtle message about being greedy. 

* *

*Pete’s a Pizza Board Book*

* *

 

By William Steig

For ages 4-8

* *

Pete’s dad turns a rainy day into lots of fun when he makes Pete into a pizza:  Pete’s kneaded and tossed; covered with tomatoes (checkers) and cheese (bits of paper), put into the oven (the couch) and soon is ready to slice and be nibbled. But the sun comes out and the pizza runs out to play with his friends.  Absolutely silly and great fun!

The ReadKiddoRead program features bestselling author James Patterson’s picks for the summer. Find reviews of these books on ReadKiddoRead.com. Reported by Patch 12 hours ago.

Mariska Hargitay's "Law & Order: SVU" fate is sealed. The actress known to legions of fans as Detective Olivia Benson has signed a new deal to return for "Law & Order: SVU" Season 15.

Hargitay, who has played Detective Benson since the show started in 1999, had not signed on prior to the show's cliffhanger finale. The Season 14 finale of "SVU" ended with Hargitay's character face-to-face with a murderer/rapist in her apartment, a gun pointed at her face.

"SVU" will return to NBC in the fall on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET. Hargitay took to Twitter after the finale, but did not confirm her return until Saturday, May 25.

Worried fans also reacted to the cliffhanger Season 14 finale on Twitter. Reported by Huffington Post 3 hours ago.

Olivia Ferguson McQueen received her high school diploma on Saturday, 54 years after finishing high school in a tiny room at the Charlottesville School Board office, then located at the Venable school.

In 1958, at age 16, McQueen was the principal plaintiff in a successful lawsuit to integrate Charlottesville City Schools. Despite her victory, McQueen spent her senior year sequestered from her peers and was never awarded a true diploma.

An early 1959 Virginia Supreme Court ruling overturning Massive Resistance would have allowed McQueen to attend the previously all-white Lane High School.

The School Board, however, had other ideas. McQueen was barred from Lane, and spent her senior year being tutored in the School Board office.

Albemarle County Public Schools Superintendent Pamela Moran, and Charlottesville City Schools Superintendent Rosa Atkins awarded McQueen her diploma in a ceremony at what is now Burley Middle School. When McQueen was a student, Burley served as the black high school for both county and city students. It is now an Albemarle County school.

"What a day this is," McQueen, who grew up on Ridge Street, said. "It really was a surprise when I received a call saying that something was being planned, but I didn't know to what extent something was being planned."

In the auditorium where she watched her peers graduate in June 1959, the school system and the Burley High Varsity Club celebrated McQueen's contribution to generations of African-American school children who came after her.

"I would like to think that I have made a difference, and continue to make a difference," she said after being handed a framed diploma by Atkins and Moran. "But the truth is, we have all made a difference."

McQueen's lack of a high school diploma did not slow her down. After high school, she attended Hampton University, where she received a bachelor of science degree in early childhood education in 1963. She then earned a master's of education from Trinity College in Washington, D.C.

From there, McQueen spent her career as an educator outside of Virginia, county school officials said. She now lives in Washington, D.C.

Waltine Eubanks, a 1959 graduate of Burley High School, presented McQueen with two flowers tied with ribbons in Burley's green and gold school colors and Lane High's orange and black.

"I just have to say 'Hallelujah' and 'Thank you, Jesus,'" Eubanks said as she presented McQueen with the flowers. "Olivia, you were born for a time such as this."

For Atkins, the event held special meaning.

"I stand here so proud of you, so proud of your strength, so proud of your determination," she said. " ... Because 10 years later, this superintendent was allowed to go to school with other white boys and girls."

Charles Yancey, president of the Burley High class of 1959, compared McQueen's struggle to that of Ernie Davis, a football running back and the first black Heisman Trophy winner. Davis was drafted first overall into the NFL, but died of leukemia before ever playing a game.

"Just as Ernie Davis faced insurmountable obstacles, so did Olivia McQueen," Yancey said. "And just like Ernie Davis, she was unstoppable." ___

(c)2013 The Daily Progress (Charlottesville, Va.)

Visit The Daily Progress (Charlottesville, Va.) at www2.dailyprogress.com

Distributed by MCT Information Services Reported by Huffington Post 1 hour ago.

Patch Mendham-Chester, NJ --

*Black River Middle School Third Quarter Honor Roll*

 

*Principal’s Honor Roll – *

*Students receive straight A’s in all subjects*

*8^th Grade Principal’s Honor Roll*

Quinn Cembrinski, Benton Cheng, James Chernow, Gabrielle D’Alonzo, Jack Davis, Jenna Downs, Bridget Fong, Samuel Foster, Amy Gallagher, Natalie Grammer, Ariana Harris, Brian Hyde, Brian Jeffers, Ian Karnick, Andrew Kraemer, Tarana Laroia, Grace Lattmann, Kelly Lennon, Matalin Marano, Madeleine McGuinness, Maris McGuinness, Celine Mikkelsen, Emily Mountain, James Nanchanatt,  Brooke Paccione, Alexandra Reardon, Matthew Riss, Kevin Skehill, Brian Speicher, Thomas Spinelli, Erik Szakiel, April Ullrich, Victoria Vizzini, and Harrison Weinerman


*7^th Grade Principal’s Honor Roll*

Dylan Barnacle, Clara Bouret, Lia Brodrick, Anne Capelli, Olivia Ellman, Pierce Forte, Philip Forte, Julia Goydan, Madeline Humphrey, Lucy Jeffs, Taylor LaSorsa, Addison Liang, Amanda Lomelo, Chase Mantione, Bennett Miller, Blanca Naglestad, Sara Persau, Emily Rea, Rebecca Riordan, Paul Rundzieher, Angela Servais, Erin Torgersen, Kenneth Warman, and John Wimmershoff

*6^th Grade Principal’s Honor Roll*

Ava Brandt, Brandon Barnacle, Philip Bender, Kristen Briney, Jared Collins, Julia Fong, Eli Foster, Gavin Franzon, Anthony Grasso, Katherine Guthrie, Austin Karnick, Jakob Kruse, Rose Laoutaris, Danielle Long, Briana Magro, Kelly McIntyre, Patricia McMenamin, Patrick Riss, Calin Stagg, Clarissa Steigerwalt, Devin Stoltz, Matthew Sullivan, Andrew Varughese, Julia Weinerman, and Anne Ziegler.

 

*Honor Roll – *

*Students receive B’s or better in all subjects*

*8^th Grade Honor Roll*

Allison Abramski, Ariadna Agaton, Camellia Bisignano, Peter Bogaard, Emily Bohlen, Alexander Bulko, Libby Cohen, Sophia Colannino, Allison Coleman, Jakob Cooper, Meredith Curtin, Ethan  Curtis, Johann deSilva, Andrew Duffy, Michael Elby, Stefanie Elling, Vincent Falvo, Caroline Fojtu, Katherine Fortunato, Amy Fuscaldo, Sean Gaffney, Paige Galdieri, Julian Gammon, Kyle Garrison, Samantha Gianotti, McKenzie Glennon, Katharine Hurdman, Alison Kifiyak, Lindsy Klenke, Robert Knudsen, Reed Koenigsber*g*, Chloe Kong, Carlee Logue, Allison Madsen, Jared Maguire, Mario Manrique, John McIntyre, Olivia Michura, Alexandra Moczulski, Christopher Morrison, McKenna O’Donnell, Kyle Rebucci, Paige Riley, Alexander Ronco, Anna Savtchouk,  Jillian Schloesser, Caitlyn Serafin, Olivia Sobel, Braden Stagg, Elijah Strum, Emily Sullivan, Margaret Sullivan, Amie Swanbeck, Thomas Szeszol, Charley Tringali, and  Zoe Wright 

*7^th Grade Honor Roll*

Noel Appleby, Zachary Ashnault, Dylan Baker, Jamie Bellows, Kenneth Bergman, Caroline Boothe, Christina Byrne, Daniel Cairo, Dario Cangialosi, Madelin Cegielski, Julia Chase, Olivia Coleman, Victoria Condos, Delaney Connell, Adriana Cooper, Chelsea Corridore, Francesca Cotroneo, Brodie Davies, Elizabeth Delaney, John Delaney, Nicholas DeRienzo, Tori Dew, Kathleen Dugan, Elizabeth Frankel, Christina Freeman, Hans Gallagher,  James Gause, Lisa Gause, Lindsey Gehrin, Olivia Goosay, Jessica Hall, Harry Hastilow, Rebecca Hayes, Lilly Haynes, Lindsey Hernandez, Tyler Hyde, Nadia Jahnecke, Anna Jaretsky, Cassandra Jimenez, Christian Jimenez, Ryan LaPeruta, Claire Leberman, Wilson Lee, Mackenzie Ling, Anaelle Martine Jambu, Francesca Mauro, Lauren Mecum, Elizabeth Moran, Philip Murray, Sean Namazi, Gabriella Napurano, Jacob Nugent, Allison Oehrlein, Emily Otten, Zachary Polley, Matthew Presutti, Jacqueline Quinones, Nicole Renzetti, Alana Ring, Connor Roswech, David Sammond, Ariane Sanjar, Arman Julia Sergeant, Marissa Spletter, Samantha Steinberg, Evan Sundstrom, Brian Testa, Collin Testa, Sage Tonnesen, Maximilian Valles, Makayla Vazquez, Erin Verhoest, Ryan Vispoli, Kevin Werner, Emily Winters, and Alia Zaidi

*6^th Grade Honor Roll*

Courtney Anderson, Gabrielle Barlock, Luke Blanc, Arthur Borinsky, Benjamin Brown, Mackenzie Brown, Mariana Bulko, Peter Capalbo, Guilia Cicio, Michael Cilio, Andrew Cohen, Margaret Collins, Michael D’Alonzo, Carleigh DeCamp,  Grace Delaney, Nicole Deo, Nicholas Evans, Jacob Ferguson, Carsyn Fessenden, Andrew Galdieri, Christopher Gammon, Anthony Giannattasio, Kiley Grimm, Emma Gugliemini, Gabrielle Hamilton, Graham Hamilton, Courtney Hanks, Katherine Harris, Irvin Hernandez, Sebastian Hoffman,  Joseph Hutchinson, Daniel Irwin, Heather Juhlin, Jessica King, Paige Kramer, Allison Kranz, Benjamin Krauser, Ishaan LaRoia, Derek Lattmann, Janelle Lauren, Katherine Loheac, Elena LoPrete, Cavin Maguire, David Mann, Ethan Mann, Kenneth Marsh, David Marston, Henry Marston, Rosamaria Mauro, Hunter Mecum, Nicholas Mellusi, John O’Hagan, Kyle Papili, Karl Pappas, Joshua Peterson, Pierce Phillips, Ryan Puleo, Sebastian Quinn, Samuel Rentschler, Brooke Riley, Clara Riser, Willem Robbins, Jennifer Robshaw,  Jeremy Rochelle, Ainsley Ronco, Megan Roswech, Manveer Singh, Logan Shortall, John  Skipper, Colin Stirrup, Tyler Strand, Molly Torgersen, Taylor Tramontano, Jaymes Trevisan, Jared Villalobos, Tucker Ward, Sam Weinerman, Samantha Wilson, Alexander Winant, Peyton Wright, Ryan Yu, and Tyler Ziesse Reported by Patch 20 hours ago.

Rona Newton-John, the older sister of Olivia Newton-John, has died in the US at the age of 70. The British-born and Melbourne-raised model and actress was diagnosed with brain cancer in April.

 
 
 
  Reported by The Age 1 day ago.

Now that is one really good lookin' couple! Olivia Wilde and Jason Sudeikis enjoyed some fun in the sun earlier today while vacationing on the beach in Hawaii. The duo were... Reported by E! Online 13 hours ago.

This is Nottingham --

THE country's top young rowers took to the water in Nottingham for the UK's largest junior regatta.

More than 5,000 athletes from over 160 schools took part in the National Schools Regatta, held at the National Water Sports Centre at Holme Pierrepont.

Thousands of spectators lined the banks of the 2km regatta lake to watch the racing across three days of competition, with the event concluding yesterday.

Olivia Duckworth, 17, of Wollaton, entered the girls' double sculls on Saturday and the girls' pair yesterday with Nottingham Rowing Club teammate Mollie Zalas.

Olivia, who attends Rushcliffe School's sixth form in West Bridgford, said: "People were cheering us on from around the halfway mark and it just got louder and louder towards the finish.

"It's been a great experience and really fun."

The former Fernwood School student took up rowing three years ago and also competed in the championships in the past two years.

She added: "I hope to still be rowing at university."

Mollie, also 17, of Grantham, said: "I'm really excited that we got to compete against crews from all over the country. There were a lot of crews here that have had GB trials this year."

George Hammond, chairman of the event's organising committee, said that while bad weather meant some racing was abandoned on Friday, conditions were perfect over the weekend.

He said: "The attendance has been huge and the standard was pretty good.

"We had records broken by some of the top schools. The standard of the girls has also gone up enormously, on the back of success by female British rowers at the Olympics last year."

A host of other events also took part across the city and county as people made the most of the bank holiday weekend sunshine.

They included a grass volleyball event hosted by Nottingham's two universities at Wollaton Park yesterday.

The Go Spike Big Weekend saw people offered the chance to try the sport for free.

Meanwhile, the final day of an art and creative textile exhibition and sale at the Ruddington Framework Knitters Museum will take place today.

The free exhibition also ran over the weekend, celebrating painting and textile art from around the region by both amateur and professional artists. Reported by This is 10 hours ago.

This is Nottingham --

THE country's top young rowers took to the water in Nottingham for the UK's largest junior regatta.

More than 5,000 athletes from over 160 schools took part in the National Schools Regatta, held at the National Water Sports Centre at Holme Pierrepont.

Thousands of spectators lined the banks of the 2km regatta lake to watch the racing across three days of competition, with the event concluding yesterday.

Olivia Duckworth, 17, of Wollaton, entered the girls' double sculls on Saturday and the girls' pair yesterday with Nottingham Rowing Club teammate Mollie Zalas.

Olivia, who attends Rushcliffe School's sixth form in West Bridgford, said: "People were cheering us on from around the halfway mark and it just got louder and louder towards the finish.

"It's been a great experience and really fun."

The former Fernwood School student took up rowing three years ago and also competed in the championships in the past two years.

She added: "I hope to still be rowing at university."

Mollie, also 17, of Grantham, said: "I'm really excited that we got to compete against crews from all over the country. There were a lot of crews here that have had GB trials this year."

George Hammond, chairman of the event's organising committee, said that while bad weather meant some racing was abandoned on Friday, conditions were perfect over the weekend.

He said: "The attendance has been huge and the standard was pretty good.

"We had records broken by some of the top schools. The standard of the girls has also gone up enormously, on the back of success by female British rowers at the Olympics last year."

A host of other events also took part across the city and county as people made the most of the bank holiday weekend sunshine.

They included a grass volleyball event hosted by Nottingham's two universities at Wollaton Park yesterday.

The Go Spike Big Weekend saw people offered the chance to try the sport for free.

Meanwhile, the final day of an art and creative textile exhibition and sale at the Ruddington Framework Knitters Museum will take place today.

The free exhibition also ran over the weekend, celebrating painting and textile art from around the region by both amateur and professional artists. Reported by This is 8 hours ago.

Olivia Newton-John is in mourning after her sister lost her battle with brain cancer.The singer/actress called off her Las Vegas residency earlier... Reported by ContactMusic 10 hours ago.

Olivia Newton-John is in mourning after her sister lost her battle with brain cancer. The singer/actress called off her Las Vegas residency earlier this year (13) following her elder sibling Rona'... Reported by Starpulse.com 9 hours ago.

Patch North Hills, PA --

Mason and Emma are the most popular baby names in Pennsylvania for 2012, according to Social Security data.

Here are the top 10 in Pennsylvania:

Boys: 1. Mason
2. Liam
3. Jacob
4. Michael
5. Noah
6. Ryan
7. Ethan
8. Logan
9. Benjamin
10. John

  Girls: 1. Emma
2. Sophia
3. Ava
4. Olivia
5. Isabella
6. Madison
7. Abigail
8. Emily
9. Mia
10. Aubrey 

In all of America, Jacob and Sophia are repeat champions. It's the 14th year in a row Jacob tops the list for boys and the second year for Sophia.

Here are the top 10 boys and girls names in America for 2012:

Boys: 1. Jacob
2. Mason
3. Ethan
4. Noah
5. William
6. Liam
7. Jayden
8. Michael
9. Alexander
10. Aiden

  Girls: 1. Sophia
2. Emma
3. Isabella
4. Olivia
5. Ava
6. Emily
7. Abigail
8. Mia
9. Madison
10. Elizabeth

There is a new couple in the top 10 this year—Elizabeth and Liam replace Chloe and Daniel. Elizabeth has been here before, but this is the first time Liam breaks into the top 10. 

Perhaps Liam’s new found success can be attributed to Liam Neeson’s recent major roles in Battleship and the popular Taken, The Chronicles of Narnia and Clash of the Titans franchises.

This year’s winners for biggest jump in popularity in the Top 500 in America are Major and Arya.  

The fastest riser on the girls’ list may have been influenced by the popular cable TV series “Game of Thrones.” Arya is the daughter of a leader of one of the Seven Kingdoms. She also is an expert sword fighter, so doubt her influence on the popular names list at your own risk.    

For the boys, parents may associate Major with the military title. You also might trace Major’s increase in popularity to a cable TV show. “Home by Novogratz” is a popular home design show featuring Major Novogratz, the youngest son of designers Robert and Cortney.

The second fastest riser for boys was Gael, and for girls, Perla. Both names most likely are on the rise due to the increase in the Spanish-speaking population in the United States. Perla is the Latinized version of Pearl and is popular among Hispanic-Americans. Gael’s popularity could be tied to Mexican actor Gael Garcia Bernal.

--------------------

*Join Patch for more community news or join us on Facebook and Twitter.*


--------------------

*Check out some of today's other top stories here.* Reported by Patch 7 hours ago.

A new poll of nearly 1,400 Torontonians shows that a week filled with drug allegations and vehement denials hasn’t changed Mayor Rob Ford’s election prospects — he’d still lose to Olivia Chow.

In a one-on-one match-up between NDP MP Olivia Chow and the mayor, Chow wins with more than half the vote, 56 per cent, to about a third for the mayor (36 per cent), according to a poll released Sunday by Forum Research Inc.

That result is nearly unchanged from the result of a poll conducted May 10.

In a three-way contest between the mayor, Chow, and radio host John Tory, Chow wins with 42 per cent of the vote to about 27 per cent for Ford and 24 per cent for Tory.

That, too, is almost identical to the May 10 finding.

“It looks like the Ford Nation seems to be a pretty loyal group of supporters. Unless the issue deals directly with the performance of his duties, these things don’t seem to impact his popularity,” Forum Research president Lorne Bozinoff said in an interview.

“Although he still doesn’t beat Olivia Chow in the trial heats, his recent troubles have had absolutely no effect on his electoral prospects.”

Similarly, Ford’s popularity was unaffected last year when a Toronto businessman attempted to sue him for libel, Bozinoff noted. The court dismissed the $6 million lawsuit.

“Rob Ford is really both the Teflon and Kevlar Mayor – nothing sticks to him and nothing penetrates his armour,” Bozinoff said in a news release.

The survey also found that in a three-way match-up among Ford, Chow, and TTC chair Karen Stintz, Chow wins with 42 per cent of the vote, with 34 per cent for the mayor, and 16 per cent for Stintz. Once again, the results are nearly identical to the poll taken earlier this month.

A front page article published by the Globe and Mail on Saturday alleged that the mayor’s brother Councillor Doug Ford was a successful hashish dealer for several years in Etobicoke during the 1980s.

The Star has not verified the allegations.

Doug Ford denied the reports, calling them “disgusting” and an “outright lie.”

The latest Forum Research poll was conducted the day before the Globe and Mail report was published, Bozinoff noted.

Rob Ford ended a week-long silence on Friday by making a statement to media about a video in which he appears to smoke crack cocaine.

Two Toronto Star reporters and an editor at New York-based website Gawker have watched the video, purportedly shot in Toronto by drug dealers who wanted to sell it for a six-figure sum.

The Forum Research poll is based on results from an interactive voice response telephone survey of 1,395 randomly selected Torontonians ages 18 and older. It was conducted on May 24.

Results are considered accurate within three percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

“This research is not necessarily predictive of future outcomes, but rather, captures opinion at one point in time,” Forum noted in its release. Reported by Toronto Star 6 hours ago.

Olivia Wilde rocked a sexy bikini and had some fun in the sun over the Memorial Day weekend holiday. The Butter star vacationed in Hawaii with fiance Jason Sudeikis and took in some paddleboarding... Reported by Starpulse.com 3 hours ago.

A bikini-clad Olivia Wilde and her husband-to-be, funny man Jason Sudeikis  , are on a pre-wedding Hawaiian holiday. The pair spent the day on a beach on the island of… READ ON Reported by Radar Online 1 hour ago.

Patch Forest Hills-Regent Square, PA --

Mason and Emma are the most popular baby names in Pennsylvania for 2012, according to Social Security data.

Here are the top 10 in Pennsylvania:

Boys: 1. Mason
2. Liam
3. Jacob
4. Michael
5. Noah
6. Ryan
7. Ethan
8. Logan
9. Benjamin
10. John

  Girls: 1. Emma
2. Sophia
3. Ava
4. Olivia
5. Isabella
6. Madison
7. Abigail
8. Emily
9. Mia
10. Aubrey 

In all of America, Jacob and Sophia are repeat champions. It's the 14th year in a row Jacob tops the list for boys and the second year for Sophia.

Here are the top 10 boys and girls names in America for 2012:

Boys: 1. Jacob
2. Mason
3. Ethan
4. Noah
5. William
6. Liam
7. Jayden
8. Michael
9. Alexander
10. Aiden

  Girls: 1. Sophia
2. Emma
3. Isabella
4. Olivia
5. Ava
6. Emily
7. Abigail
8. Mia
9. Madison
10. Elizabeth

There is a new couple in the top 10 this year—Elizabeth and Liam replace Chloe and Daniel. Elizabeth has been here before, but this is the first time Liam breaks into the top 10. 

Perhaps Liam’s new found success can be attributed to Liam Neeson’s recent major roles in Battleship and the popular Taken, The Chronicles of Narnia and Clash of the Titans franchises.

This year’s winners for biggest jump in popularity in the Top 500 in America are Major and Arya.  

The fastest riser on the girls’ list may have been influenced by the popular cable TV series “Game of Thrones.” Arya is the daughter of a leader of one of the Seven Kingdoms. She also is an expert sword fighter, so doubt her influence on the popular names list at your own risk.    

For the boys, parents may associate Major with the military title. You also might trace Major’s increase in popularity to a cable TV show. “Home by Novogratz” is a popular home design show featuring Major Novogratz, the youngest son of designers Robert and Cortney.

The second fastest riser for boys was Gael, and for girls, Perla. Both names most likely are on the rise due to the increase in the Spanish-speaking population in the United States. Perla is the Latinized version of Pearl and is popular among Hispanic-Americans. Gael’s popularity could be tied to Mexican actor Gael Garcia Bernal.

--------------------

*Join Patch for more community news or join us on Facebook and Twitter.*

-------------------- Reported by Patch 8 hours ago.

Patch Portsmouth, RI --

Looking for a good book to read this summer? Here's a list compiled from  James Patterson's ReadKiddoRead, categorized by Great Advanced Reads, Extra Credit, Great Pageturners, Great Beginner Reads and Great Illustrated Reads.

______________

**GREAT ADVANCED READS*
*(For 'tweens and teens, ages 12 and up)

*The Diviners*

* *

By Libba Bray

For ages 12 and up

A series of occult-based murders in 1920s New York City put Evie O’Neill and her uncle, curator of what’s known as “The Museum of the Creepy Crawlies,” center stage in investigating the crimes. The tightly woven plot and palpable setting combine with supernatural elements, rich themes, and terrific storytelling to make for a compelling read.

* *

*On the Day I Died*

* *

By Candace Fleming

For ages 11 and up

Scary is always in season, and summer is an especially good time to welcome a shivery chill. On appropriately dark and moonless nights, kids will find themselves scaring friends with the stories in this collection, whether examinations of pure evil, ancient curses, alien encounters, or psychological dramas.

* *

*The Fault in Our Stars*

By John Green

For ages 13 and up

Hazel Lancaster, a teen with cancer, dropped out of school at 13 to concentrate on getting well. Now 16, she meets Augustus Waters, a former basketball player who’s lost a leg to cancer. Their connection is instantaneous. Green skillfully uses their lives to ask the big questions: Why me? Why now? Why risk love? What does being alive mean?

* *

*Scarlet: Lunar Chronicles, Book Two*

By Marissa Meyer

For ages 12 up

Another fresh view of a classic fairytale—with another stop-you-in-your-tracks cover. Scarlet (Little Red Riding Hood) and her street fighter boyfriend, Wolf, are in search of Scarlet’s grandmother. Their quest runs right into Cinder’s story as the three race to keep ahead of the evil Lunar Queen Levana. 

Or start with the first book in the series: Cinder: Lunar Chronicles, Book One

*The False Prince                                *

By Jennifer A. Nielson

For ages 13 and up 

Carthya is on the brink of civil war. Conner, one of the noblemen, has a treacherous plan to install an imposter on the throne. But first he must find just the right young man to play the part: Could Sage win the role? As in any high stakes game, all is not as it seems. Amid layers of deception and manipulation, readers are in for surprises as Sage draws closer to the goal.

* *

*Shadow on the Mountain                                                                             
*

By Margi Preus              

For ages 12 up

* *

Espen, a 14-year-old Norwegian boy whose country is occupied by the Nazis, joins the Norwegian resistance with his friends. Margi Preus reveals his story in an engrossing text that combines spy thriller with a teen coming-of-age story, enhanced by photographs, maps and brochures from the time.

* *

*Eleanor & Park*

By Rainbow Rowell

For ages 14 and up

* *

In 1980s Omaha, Eleanor, quirky and new to town, and Park, half-Korean, are outsiders in their high school. It’s worse for Eleanor, who has an abusive stepfather and bullying classmates—so bad that she accepts Park’s father’s invitation for her to stay with their family. In small steps, Eleanor and Park’s friendship grows into love. But Park realizes that the solution to Eleanor’s troubles means that she will have to move away. 

* *

*After Eli*

By Rebecca Rupp

For ages 12 up

Since his older brother was killed in Iraq, Danny Anderson has been keeping a “Book of the Dead” where he chronicles how people from the past have died. It’s his way of understanding loss. But it is not until three years later that Danny begins to pull away from grief: He falls for a girl, finds a new friendship, and works on a farm. A crisis at the end of that summer pushes Danny and his parents toward healing in this moving and emotionally rich novel.

* *

*Out of the Easy*

By Ruta Sepetys

For ages 14 and up

* *

“The Big Easy” has been anything but easy on Josie. She’s tried distancing herself from her mother—an addict, prostitute and thief. Josie dreams of escaping Easy altogether, but doesn’t believe she can make that happen—until she meets a tourist who offers her the encouragement she needs. Ruta Sepetys vividly describes the sights, sounds, and smells, as well as the shady underbelly of New Orleans in 1950, and breathes life into her cast of characters. Teens will be pulling for Josie as she moves ahead, learning that some decisions are anything but easy.

*The Raven Boys*

* *

By Maggie Stiefvater

For ages 12 and up

* *

For as long as Blue Sargent can remember, she’s been told that if she kisses her true love, he will die. And in her family—one filled with bona fide psychics—predictions are never taken lightly. Now 16, Blue befriends three Raven boys from the posh private school nearby and gets caught up in their quest and adventures. Blue fears that one of them just might be her true love. A compelling story from the outset, Stiefvater’s first installment in a planned four-part cycle will have readers on the edge of their seats.

* *

**The Cay  **

By Theodore Taylor

For ages 12 and up

When World War II threatens the Dutch island of Curacao where 11-year-old Philip lives, he and his mother decide to return to the U.S. But on the journey, their boat is torpedoed, and Philip is stranded on a life raft with a cat and Timothy, a black man. Later, when Philip becomes blind, he has no choice but to overcome his prejudices and trust Timothy. Their friendship develops beautifully in this exciting survival story.

* *

*5,000 Awesome Facts (About Everything!)*

National Geographic Kids

For ages 11 and up

From 15 peanut butter facts that stick and 50 furry facts about bears, to 100 facts about oceans that will make your head swim, this big, colorful, packed-to-the-brim compendium is sure to fascinate, entertain, and be a source of great conversations for everyone who takes a look. Photographs illustrate the great variety of information, a playful design makes every page inviting, and a ticker at the bottom of each spread counts the facts kids learn as they go through the book. You’ll find your teen dipping in and out of this book all summer long.  

______________

* *

*EXTRA CREDIT:*

* *

*Life of Pi* by Yann Martel 

*The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon* by David Grann

______________

* *

*GREAT PAGETURNERS                                                                                  *(For ages 9-12)

* *

*The Secret of the Fortune Wookiee: An Origami Yoda Book*

By Tom Angleberger

For ages 8 and up 

In the third of the Origami Yoda books, Sara brings a paper fortune teller in the form of Star War’s Chewbacca (a Fortune Wookiee) to school to fill in while Dwight and Origami Yoda are suspended.

Or start with the first book in the series: The Strange Case of Origami Yoda

* *

*Never Say Die*

By Will Hobbs

For ages 8 up

Nick Thrasher, a 15-year-old Inuit hunter, and his older half-brother Ryan, a wildlife photographer, are off in search of caribou. Soon into their travels they are thrown into the frozen Firth River. Back on land, their struggle to survive continues as they are pursued by animals, including a half-grizzly, half-polar bear. An exciting wilderness survival tale set in Canada’s arctic is the perfect read to cool down a hot summer day.

* *

*Dog Days (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 4)                                                  
*

* *

By Jeff Kinney                                                                                                                                                    For ages 8 and up

This is not the newest in the series, but it might be the right book to begin with since it’s all about summer vacation. The weather’s great, and all the kids are having fun outside. But not Greg Heffley! He’s in his house playing video games and enjoying himself, thank you very much.  But Greg’s mom has other ideas about outdoor activities and “family togetherness.” Whose vision will win out? Will a new addition to the Heffley family change everything?* *

*On the Road to Mr. Mineo’s   *

By Barbara O’Connor  

For ages 8 and up

* *

When we remember summers, there’s often a single event that stands out. For the folks in Meadville, South Carolina, this summer will be recalled as the one when a one-legged pigeon named Sherman flew into town. Where did Sherman come from? Only Mr. Mineo seems to know. For many young readers, this summer may be remembered as the one they met Stella and Amos and Sherman in the pages of this wonderful novel.

* *

*Hades: Lord of the Dead: The Olympians, Book 4*

* *

By George O’Connor

For ages 9 and up

* *

Welcome to the Underworld. A mix of action, comedy, superheroes and Greek mythology, this graphic novel introduces Hades and Persephone.  

Or start with the first book in the series: Zues: King of the Gods

* *

*Wonder*

By R.J. Palacio

For ages 9-12

August Pullman, 10, was born with a deformed face. Even though he’s been protected and homeschooled, he’s felt the stares and heard the whispers when the boldest jerks called him Freak or Freddy Krueger. Now his parents have decided that it’s time to enroll Auggie in school. The world he finds doesn’t only test his courage; it also takes the measure of everyone he meets.  A rare book that just might open a closed heart.

*Middle School: My Brother is a Big Fat Liar*

* *

*Middle School: How I Survived Bullies, Broccoli, and Snake Hill*

By James Patterson and Lisa Papademetriou, Illustrated by Neil Swaab

For ages 9-13

Two great new stories in the wildly popular Middle School series. When Georgia Khatchadorian heads off to her first day at Hills Village Middle School, everyone she meets immediately brands Georgia a problem child just like Rafe! When Rafe sneakily signs the band up to play at Georgia's first middle school dance, she's terrified she'll embarrass herself. Will she be able to overcome her fears?

Meanwhile, in How I Survived Bullies, Broccoli, and Snake Hill, Rafe is excited about summer camp—but he’s in for a letdown when he realizes it’s summer school camp. Luckily, Rafe quickly makes friends with members of his “Loserville” cabin. And they need all the help they can get as they battle off against the “Cool” cabin all summer long.

Or start with the first book in the series: Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life

* *

**Where the Red Fern Grows**

By Wilson Rawls

For ages 8 and up

In an informal survey, I asked a bunch of grown-ups which childhood summer read they remembered most. Where the Red Fern Grows was the most frequent answer. Set in the Ozarks, the adventure tale of a boy, Billy, and his two hunting dogs, Little Ann and Old Dan, is recalled not only for the trio’s triumphs, but also for the story’s tenderness. Give your kiddos this classic book this summer. 

* *

*The Egypt Game*

By Zilpha Keatley Snyder  

For ages 8 and up 

Before role-playing computer games became so popular, Zilpha Keatley Snyder took young readers to an antiques store in California where Melanie and April, and later four other friends, create and play “The Egypt Game.” With costumes, secret codes and elaborate stories, the kids become more and more involved—until strange things start happening. It just might be time to stop playing. Readers, too, will find themselves caught up in the game and in this characterful novel.

*Hokey Pokey*

* *

By Jerry Spinelli

For ages 9 and up

This is an allegorical tale where childhood is not just a stage, it is a place called Hokey Pokey. The readers meet Jack, who, like many of them, is starting to “age out” of Hokey Pokey. Spinelli’s novel is sure to help them celebrate and cope with all that is the past and all that is to come.

* *

*Navigating Early*

By Clare Vanderpool

For Ages 9 and up

Jack is adrift after his mother dies, so his dad, just back from WWII, enrolls him in a boarding school in Maine. There he befriends Early Auden, a loner who rarely attends classes and whose brother, a soldier serving in France, is presumed dead. Early believes otherwise and so begins the two boys’ quest along the Appalachian Trail.

* *

*Angry Birds Playground: Animals: An Around-the-World Habitat Adventure*

By Jill Esbaum; Illustrated with photographs

For ages 8-11

Those popular Angry Birds are tour guides on this photo-filled exploration of habitats including rainforests, deserts, oceans, grasslands and polar regions. The birds, who are on a worldwide search for their stolen eggs, introduce readers to five major habitats and the animals that thrive in each. With animal vital statistics in sidebars, descriptions in text, and funny asides from the birds on every page, this is the kind of book that gives nonfiction a good name!

______________

* *

*GREAT BEGINNER READS
*(For ages 6-9)  

*Cam Jansen and the Graduation Day Mystery #31*

By David A. Adler; Illustrated by Joy Allen

For ages 7-10

Cam Jansen, elementary school detective, is up to her 31st mystery. She’s got to be doing something right! Children making the transition from picture books to chapter books have found Cam Jansen books a great help and motivator. In her latest case, Cam must use her skills and her photographic memory to catch the thief who stole Eric’s father’s graduation present.

* *

*The One and Only Ivan*

* *

By Katherine Applegate, Illustrated by Patricia Castelao Costa

For ages 8-10

“The Ape at Exit 8” is Ivan, a mighty silverback gorilla who lives in a circus-themed shopping mall. Based on a true story, this novel tells how Ivan uses his talent for drawing to rescue the other animals. Winner, 2013 Newbery Medal.

* *

*Ivy and Bean Make the Rules*

* *

By Annie Barrows; Illustrated by Sophie Blackall

For ages 7-9

Nancy, Bean’s older sister, is going to camp, but Bean can’t go: You have to be eleven to go to camp.  Never one to accept defeat, Bean and her best friend Ivy create a camp of their own.  A triumph of friendship, ingenuity, and fun!

Or start with the first book in the series: Ivy and Bean 

* *

*Hello Nebulon!*

* *

By Ray O’Ryan; Illustrated by Colin Jack

For ages 5-8*  *

It’s 2120, and Zack Nelson and his family are leaving Earth to move to the planet Nebulon. Their space-aged house has all kinds of awesome gadgets that Zack will be using every day, but still Zack worries that he and his twin sister won’t have any friends. But then he meets a fellow student and slowly starts to realize that things on Nebulon might just be alright after all. Young readers will zoom through the story to find out what happens to Zack, entertained and delighted along the way! 

* *

*Captain Underpants and the Revolting Revenge of the Radioactive Robo-Boxers*

* *

By Dav Pilkey

For ages 7 and up 

* *

For once, the critics agree with what children have been saying for years: USA Today tells us: “Call Pilkey…the savior of the ‘reluctant reader.’” Newsweek says Captain Underpants is “a triumph of irreverence." And young readers say: “They are funny and crazy!”  Now, in the newest book in the series, everything is threatened. Could it be the end for Captain Underpants?

Or start with the first book in the series: The Adventures of Captain Underpants

*Green Eggs and Ham*

* *

*Horton Hatches the Egg*

* *

*Oh, the Places You’ll Go*

* *

By Dr. Seuss

For ages 3-7, 4-8, 4-9

When it comes to new readers, we’ve got two words for you: Dr. Seuss.  His beginner books (like Green Eggs and Ham) are not only comical adventures, but also great confidence-builders as brand new readers master them and can read them on their own.  And what proud reader wouldn’t want to know Sam-I-Am (who definitely, absolutely, never wants green eggs and ham)?

As kids improve their reading skills, they’ll find reward in Seuss’s classic picture books. Yes, the language is often complicated, but it is always silly and fun. Horton Hatches the Egg is a great place to start because there are loving lessons in the values of persistence and kindness in this story of the elephant who is faithful, 100 percent.

If you want to give a child a pat on the back—along with a gentle push to move on—try Oh, the Places You’ll Go! It is wise, optimistic, filled with encouragement, and great fun to read.

* *

*Gone Fishing: A Novel in Verse*

By Tamera Will Wissinger; Illustrated by Matthew Cordell

For ages 6-9

Nine-year-old Sam and his dad are going to the lake: “For fishing tomorrow/it’s just us two. Not Mom, not Grandpa/not Lucy…” In a series of engaging poems that narrate the day, they prepare their gear; plans change (Lucy does tag along); fish get caught; siblings get along; and all ends deliciously at dinner. We’re guessing that this delightful excursion will lead lots of kids to try their luck at fishing—and to try their hand at poetry!

* *

*Nic Bishop Snakes*

* *

By Nic Bishop; illustrated with photographs

For ages 5 and up

Super-sharp photographs show a great variety of snakes, sometimes at rest but often in action, while equally clear text presents basic facts about each.  The handsome design welcomes curious (and maybe even some fearful) children to get up close and learn more.

______________

* *

*GREAT ILLUSTRATED BOOKS                                                                         *(For ages 2-6)

* *

*Llama Llama Time to Share *

* *

By Anna Dewedney

For ages 2-5

While Mama Llama and Nelly Gnu have tea, their two toddlers are left with a boxful of toys to share.  All goes well, until that Gnu girl decides to play with Llama’s treasured Fuzzy Llama doll.  Llama’s not ready for that much sharing.

Or start with the first book in this series: Llama Llama Red Pajama

*Olivia and the Fairy Princesses  *

By Ian Falconer

For ages 3-6

Olivia is one best-selling pig—and with good reason.  Strong-willed, high-spirited and, in this book, in search of her true identity—Olivia’s been keeping young children smiling (and recognizing themselves) for a dozen books now. She’s sure to please.

Or start with the first book in this series: Olivia

* *

*This Moose Belongs to Me*

By Oliver Jeffers 

For ages 4-7

For the “Can I keep him?” would-be pet owner, this story of Wilfred and Marcel the Moose is a great fit. Wilfred and Marcel make a happy pair, but it isn’t long before Wilfred notice little things about the very big moose.  It seems he has some secrets, like the neighbor who greets Marcel as “Rodrigo,” and the fact that he prefers apples to, well…Wilfred. Still their friendship is real, their story is charming, and every page of this picture book is a visual treat. 

* *

**Yes, Let's**

By Galen Goodwin Longstreth; Illustrated by Maris Wicks    

For ages 3-5

* *Preschoolers will happily follow one family’s day in the country, from the dedication page with its maze-like roads leading three cars through the woods to a stream-side destination, right to the evening return trip with the happily exhausted parents and children barely making it up the stairs to their bedrooms.  The short rhythmic text is simple, fast, and fun to read aloud, while the detail-filled cartoon-like illustrations invite long looks at every spread.

* *

*Creepy Carrots!*

* *

By Aaron Reynolds; Illustrated by Peter Brown

For ages 4 and up

Jasper Rabbit loves to eat carrots—especially the ones that grow at Crackenhopper Field…until the day the carrots start following him. This slightly spooky book will please youngest fans of scary tales while it delivers a subtle message about being greedy. 

* *

*Pete’s a Pizza Board Book*

* *

By William Steig

For ages 4-8

* *

Pete’s dad turns a rainy day into lots of fun when he makes Pete into a pizza:  Pete’s kneaded and tossed; covered with tomatoes (checkers) and cheese (bits of paper), put into the oven (the couch) and soon is ready to slice and be nibbled. But the sun comes out and the pizza runs out to play with his friends.  Absolutely silly and great fun!
______________

The ReadKiddoRead program features bestselling author James Patterson’s picks for the summer. Find reviews of these books on ReadKiddoRead.com. Reported by Patch 6 hours ago.

Olivia Wilde and her fiance Jason Sudeikis are seen together enjoying the beach during the second day of Memorial Day Weekend in Hawaii, May 27, 2013.

 
 
 
  Reported by ABCNews.com 4 hours ago.

Olivia Wilde is kicking off bikini season right. The Incredible Burt Wonderstone actress and her fiance, Saturday Night Live star Jason Sudeikis, hit up the beaches of Maui, Hawaii on Memorial Day Monday. Clad in a skimpy black bikini, Wilde sure made a splash — both literally and figuratively — when she hit the open...Read more» Reported by Celebuzz 1 day ago.

Patch Shorewood, WI --

Here is a roundup of Shorewood High School sports courtesy of Athletic Director Bill Haury.

*Girl’s Soccer* – The girls finished the regular season schedule with two victories against South Milwaukee on Thursday night.  The JV team won 5-0 to finish 8-5-1 for the season.  The varsity won 8-0 for their third straight win and outscored the opponents 28-0 in these three games.   

Sunni Kessenich opened the scoring in the 2nd minute of the game as she put a rebound past the goalie to give Shorewood a 1-0 lead.  Fifteen minutes later Ava Miller sent a long kick over the goalie’s head to increase the lead to 2-0.  In the 33rd minute, Sunnie Kessenich scored her 2nd goal on a beautiful assist from Marlee Lane to make the score 3-0.  Less than a minute later, Sunni gave Sara Waters a nice pass in front of the goal and Sara scored to make it 4-0 going into halftime.  Two minutes into the 2nd half, Serah Washington took a pass from Sara Waters and scored to make it 5-0.  In the 60th minute, Tricia Nelsen received a pass from Megan McMahon and put it in the goal to extened the Greyhounds lead to 6-0.  Ava Miller scored her 2nd goal in the 69th minute to make it 7-0.  Victoria Nelsen finished the scoring in the 77th minute to make the final score 8-0.   The varsity team finished the regular season 7-3-1 in Woodland Conference play and 9-4-1 overall.  

*Boy’s Tennis *– The varsity boys won the Woodland Conference Dual-Match championship by defeating Greendale, 4-3. 

Shorewood was down 2-3 when freshman Sasha Velikanov, @ #4 Singles, came back from losing the 1st set to win a long, close match in the 3rd set.  Sasha’s won made it 3-3 and Sean Kelly was the final competitor at #2 Singles.   Sean had struggled early in the set and lost 1-6 and was down 2-5 in the 2nd set before he began his comeback.  He won the 2nd set 7-5 and went on to win a close 3rd set 6-4.  The win gave the team the dual-match title and earned Sean a #2 seed for the conference tournament.  

In the Conference Tournament, Shorewood finished 3rd behind 2nd place Pius XI, and conference champs Greendale.   At #1 Singles, Tim Perry made it to the finals where he lost, 6-7, 4-6, and earning 6 points for the team.  At #2 Singles, Sean Kelly made it to the 3rd place match where he won in three sets, 1-6, 6-2,  6-0 earning 5 team points.  At #3 Singles, Allen Kang also made it to the 3rd place match, but lost 2-6, 4-6 earning 4 team points.  At #4 Singles, Sasha Velikanov made it to the finals where he lost in three sets 1-6, 6-3, 4-6 earning 6 team points.  At #1 Doubles, Ethan Halloran & Ben Wassermann won the consolation final, 6-1, 6-1 earning 4 team points.  At #2 Doubles, Ben Kuhlmann & James Keane made it to the final match losing in three sets, 4-6, 6-3, 3-6 earning 6 team points.  At #3 Doubles, Grant Kleaveland-Kupczak & Seung-Hyun Jinlost in the consolation final, 0-6, 2-6 earning two points for a team total of 38 and a 3rd place team finish.     

*Track & Field*– On Monday the teams competed in the Regional meet at Wisconsin Lutheran College. 

Both teams performed extremely well with the girls placing 2nd and the boys brought home their 2nd straight Regional championship.  The girls advanced athletes to Sectionals in 10 of the 18 events, while the boys advanced in 15 of 18 events.   

The girls went 1-2-3 in the pole vault with Olivia Loomis winning with a vault of 6’ 6”.  She was followed by Adela Raicu at 6’ 0” and Carolyn Mahn at 5’ 6”.  The 4 x 800 relay team of Izzi Snyder, Paula Dale, Olivia Wycklendt, & Abby Hollman ran to a 1st place in a time of 11:58.  Lauren Thomas advanced to the Sectional meet with a 4th place in the 100 meters in a time of 12.96.  Alexis Farrington advanced in the 400 meters in a time of 58.70 good for 3rd place and in the 200 meters with a 2nd place in 25.59.  The 4 x 100 relay team of Chiarra Sanders, Olivia Alvarez, Lily Blind, & Brianna Webb also advanced with a 3rd place finish in a time of 51.57.  The girls also went 1-2-3 in the 3200 meters as Morgan Florhseim won the race in a time of 11:38.  She was followed by Haley Holan in 2nd with a time of 11:54.  Haley Woyak was 3rd in 12:52.  Morgan & Haley also went 1-2 in the 1600 meters, Morgan in 5:25 and Haley in 5:36.  Haley came back in the 800 to place 2nd in a time of 2:26.  The 4 x 400 relay team of Lily Blind, Ashley Farrington, Chairra Sanders, & Olivia Alvarez advanced with their 1st place finish in a time of 4:08.37.   

The boys scored 156 to outscore 2nd place Kettle Moraine Lutheran by 18 points to win the regional championship.  Taylor Dennis won the triple jump with a jump of 44’ 4.25”  Robert Washington took 3rd in the long jump with a jump of 20’ 7.25”.  In the high jump, Max Geitzen advanced to the Sectional meet with a 3rd place finish by clearing 5’ 8”.  The 4 x 800 relay team of John Traudt, Jack Mauer, Charles Stahl, & Jacob Goldberg ran up front from start to finish to win in a time of 8:25.92.  Charles Stahl & Alex Mackowski both advanced to Sectionals with Charles running 4:40 to win the event and Alex taking 3rd in 4:44.  Rashard Packer advanced with a 3rd place finish in the 400 meters in a time of 52.2.  DeAnthony Manna also advanced in the 400 meters with a 4th place finish and a time of 53.68.  The 4 x 100 relay team of Robert Washington, Taylor Dennis, Alec Grimmer, & Justin Rabon broke their own school record to finish 1st in a time of 43.16.  In the 200 meters, Justin Rabon placed 2nd in 21.97 and Alec Grimmer was 4th in 22.40.  Charles Stahl won the 3200 meters in 10:08, while both Sam Kuhlmann & Tom Treacy advanced to Sectionals with Sam in 3rd place with a 10:13 and Tom in 4th with a 10:19.  Jacob Goldberg placed 2nd in the 800 meters in 1:58.  The 4 x 400 relay team of Alec Grimmer, Taylor Dennis, Jacob Goldberg, & Justin Rabon lowered their school record to 3:20.89 and took 1st place.

--------------------

Here's a list of this week's sporting events:

*Home*

*Tuesday* – Varsity Baseball vs Saint Francis , 5 p.m.

*Wednesday* – North Shore Conference Championship, 4 p.m.

*Thursday* – SIS Tennis “A” Team vs Lumen Christi, 4 p.m.

*Thursday* – SIS Softball vs Brown Deer, 4 p.m.

*Thursday* – Girls Soccer – 1st Round Regional vs Kenosha Indian Trails, 6:30 pm  

*Friday – *JV Baseball vs Wauwatosa West, 5 p.m.

*Saturday – *Varsity Baseball vs Whitefish Bay, 7 p.m.

*Away*

*Tuesday* – Boy’s Golf sectionals @ New Holstein, All day

*Wednesday* – Varsity Baseball @ Saint Francis, 5 pm

*Friday* – Track & Field WIAA State Championships @ UW-La Crosse, All Day

*Friday *– Varsity Baseball @ Wauwatosa West, 7 p.m.

*Saturday* – Track & Field WIAA State Championships @ UW-La Crosse, All Day

*Saturday* – Girl’s Soccer 2nd Round Regional, Time TBD Reported by Patch 10 hours ago.