Star Wars Reads Book Previews

 

Curious about the Star Wars books we have at our library? Here are a few of the books available to you.

Read a book preview by clicking on the book cover and request this book by clicking on the title below the book cover (link will take you to pre-filled Google form to request that particular book for curbside  or book bus pickup).

Star Wars Lost Stars – Volume 1 (Manga Version)

 

The Mighty Chewbacca in the Forest of Fear!

 

Star Wars Spark of the Resistance

 

Queen’s Shadow

 

Star Wars From a Certain Point of View

 

Star Wars The Rise of Skywalker

 

Star Wars SOLO

 

Star Wars Queen’s Peril

 

Star Wars Rebel Rising

 

Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge – A Crash of Fate

And, don’t forget! During month of October, everyone checking out books will receive one of these awesome Star Wars bookmarks!

Happy reading and please let me know if you have any questions or need any help requesting a book, at Sabina.Tran@lcps.org.

Mrs. Tran

READ. THIS IS THE WAY.

Did you know that October is Star Wars Reads month? As some of you may remember from back in the spring and our May 4th celebration, we are huge fans of Star Wars here, at the Farmwell Library, so we had to join in on the fun of celebrating Star Wars Reads!

So what is Star Wars Reads? It is a month-long celebration of reading and Star Wars! October is filled with fun activities and events that promote both reading and Star Wars. What could be better?!

To begin with, you can download a FREE Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge: A Crash of Fate eBook! But, hurry as this is only going to be available through Friday, October 9th! Check with your parents before “purchasing” this free eBook.

Or, how about a fun Activity Book?

I also have a special visitor here at the library today and he wants you to know about the awesome selection of Star Wars books that are available to you!

 

 

You can request any of these books for curbside pickup or book bus delivery, using this form!

Not sure how curbside or book bus pick up works? Check out the instructions here:

Curbside Pickup Info

Book Bus Pickup Info

Please note that due to the holiday (10/12)  and teacher work day (10/26), the only remaining date for both curbside pickup and book bus delivery this month is Monday, October 19th! Make sure to get your book requests in by Wednesday, October 14th at 1PM for book bus delivery and Friday, October 16th for curbside pickup! 

And, as an added bonus, all students borrowing books from our library this month will receive one of these cool bookmarks!

Follow me on Twitter @SabinaTran for additional updates and fun activities this month!

New Releases

This year there are a number of Middle School and Young Adult books being released. Some of them are sequels to fan favorite series and some of them are stand alone books by authors students love. Here are brief descriptions provided by the book publishers and release dates.

Please keep in mind that some of the Young Adult books contain more mature topics and please discuss with your parents/family/caretakers to determine if they are appropriate for you. 

Our merry band of misfits is back for round two in this larger-than-life sequel to Aurora Rising. With wit, humor, and plenty of heart-pounding action, Squad 312 sets out on a mission to save the galaxy from an all-consuming evil. But first, they need to deal with possessed GIA agents, the reappearance of a long-lost spaceship, and worst of all: family. This action-packed sequel is impossible to set down! Release date: May 5, 2020

In the stunning and hard-hitting sequel to the New York Times bestseller Dear Martin, incarcerated teen Quan writes letters to Justyce about his experiences in the American prison system.
Shortly after teenager Quan enters a not guilty plea for the shooting death of a police officer, he is placed in a holding cell to await trial. Through a series of flashbacks and letters to Justyce, the protagonist of Dear Martin, Quan’s story unravels.
From a troubled childhood and bad timing to a coerced confession and prejudiced police work, Nic Stone’s newest novel takes an unflinching look at the flawed practices and ideologies that discriminate against African American boys and minorities in the American justice system. Release date: September 29, 2020

Return to the unforgettable world of the Newbery Medal-winning and #1 New York Times bestselling novel The One and Only Ivan (soon to be a major motion picture!) in this incredible sequel, starring Ivan’s friend Bob!

Bob sets out on a dangerous journey in search of his long-lost sister with the help of his two best friends, Ivan and Ruby. As a hurricane approaches and time is running out, Bob finds courage he never knew he had and learns the true meaning of friendship and family.

Bob, Ivan, and Ruby have touched the hearts of millions of readers, and their story isn’t over yet. Catch up with these beloved friends before the star-studded film adaptation of The One and Only Ivan hits theaters in August 2020! Release date: May 5, 2020

You’ve never seen the Wimpy Kid World like this before—an entirely new, awesome, friendly, truly fantastic fantasy quest from #1 international bestselling author Jeff Kinney!
From the imagination of Rowley Jefferson comes an adventure of epic proportions. Join Roland and his best friend, Garg the Barbarian, as they leave the safety of their village and embark on a quest to save Roland’s mom from the White Warlock. Will our heroes survive? Find out in Rowley Jefferson’s Awesome Friendly Adventure!
And don’t miss Rowley Jefferson’s first book, the instant #1 bestseller, Diary of an Awesome Friendly Kid: Rowley Jefferson’s Journal!

Release date: August 4, 2020

Prairie Lotus is a powerful, touching, multilayered book about a girl determined to fit in and realize her dreams: getting an education, becoming a dressmaker in her father’s shop, and making at least one friend. Acclaimed, award-winning author Linda Sue Park has placed a young half-Asian girl, Hanna, in a small town in America’s heartland, in 1880. Hanna’s adjustment to her new surroundings, which primarily means negotiating the townspeople’s almost unanimous prejudice against Asians, is at the heart of the story. Narrated by Hanna, the novel has poignant moments yet sparkles with humor, introducing a captivating heroine whose wry, observant voice will resonate with readers. Release date: March 3, 2020

When Edward Cullen and Bella Swan met in Twilight, an iconic love story was born. But until now, fans have heard only Bella’s side of the story. At last, readers can experience Edward’s version in the long-awaited companion novel, Midnight Sun.
This unforgettable tale as told through Edward’s eyes takes on a new and decidedly dark twist. Meeting Bella is both the most unnerving and intriguing event he has experienced in all his years as a vampire. As we learn more fascinating details about Edward’s past and the complexity of his inner thoughts, we understand why this is the defining struggle of his life. How can he justify following his heart if it means leading Bella into danger?
In Midnight Sun, Stephenie Meyer transports us back to a world that has captivated millions of readers and brings us an epic novel about the profound pleasures and devastating consequences of immortal love. Release date: August 4, 2020

Ambition will fuel him. Competition will drive him. But power has its price. It is the morning of the reaping that will kick off the tenth annual Hunger Games. In the Capitol, eighteen-year-old Coriolanus Snow is preparing for his one shot at glory as a mentor in the Games. The once-mighty house of Snow has fallen on hard times, its fate hanging on the slender chance that Coriolanus will be able to outcharm, outwit, and outmanoeuvre his fellow students to mentor the winning tribute. The odds are against him. He’s been given the humiliating assignment of mentoring the female tribute from District 12, the lowest of the low. Their fates are now completely intertwined — every choice Coriolanus makes could lead to favour or failure, triumph or ruin. Inside the arena, it will be a fight to the death. Outside the arena, Coriolanus starts to feel for his doomed tribute and must weigh his need to follow the rules against his desire to survive no matter what it takes. Release date: May 19, 2020

Happy Reading!

Mrs. Tran

 

Star Wars treat you say…

In my post yesterday, I mentioned that I would bake some Star Wars themed cookies and bake I did. I chose to make Baby Yoda AKA The Child cookies and went for an easy recipe. I think I should keep my job at the library but I had so much fun making these.

After baking and icing them, I couldn’t decide if I should add a mouth or not, so I have some of both. Here is the final result.

What do you think? Do you like it better with the mouth or without? Recipe I had followed did not have a mouth but I thought it needed it. 🙂

And, what goes better with cookies than milk?! I drank mine from my Kylo Ren Tiki mug.

Ms. Haft made an awesome Star Wars treat: Yoda Inari Sushi.

How COOL is that? She got the recipe here: https://www.starwars.com/news/yoda-inari-sushi

This is what Ms. Haft said about her experience:

“I added a tiny bit of green liquid food color to the water I cooked my rice in to make it greener. It was a very messy, challenging process to make Yoda. The rice was very sticky and wanted to stick to my fingers more than form into a ball.  Because of that, I only made one Yoda. I didn’t want to waste what was left, so I used the rest of the ingredients to put the green rice into the inari pockets and sprinkled them with nori komi furikake rice seasoning and ate the rest of the edamame by itself. I also cut the recipe in half and it was more than enough.”

I think she did an AMAZING job! Did you make any Star Wars food?

We are getting close to the deadline for submitting your Star Wars BINGO card (Sunday 5/10 by midnight) and I hope you are close to completing it. We’ve had a few students already earn the BINGO and the Star Wars Badge. Great job, guys!

My plan for the weekend is to watch a couple more Star Wars movies. I was hoping to complete the middle square (Watch your favorite Star Wars Movie) but I can’t decide which one is my favorite as I love them all! Maybe I’ll watch them all. What’s your favorite Star Wars movie?

Good luck with the rest of your activities and don’t forget to submit your BINGO card!

Mrs. Tran

Music sets the mood

Music is such an important part of our lives even if we don’t realize it. When we are sad we turn to music to sooth us or cheer us up, when we exercise or play sports we turn to music to help us keep going and to pump us up, it’s a huge part of our social lives too (imagine a dance without music or Farmwell Fun Fridays!) and music is a part of every single celebration in our lives. Hearing a song brings back memories and makes so many of our special moments even more special. Star Wars movies have iconic music that pretty much everyone knows. Even if you are not a Star Wars fan, once that Imperial March starts you know what it’s from right away. Amazing, amazing music!

One of the activities on the BINGO card is to Watch Cello Wars. I had never heard of it before so I decided to look it up this morning and I am so glad that I did! It is absolutely amazing! If you have not watched it, here it is:

Another activity on our BINGO card is to listen to a score from one of the movies. I chose the Imperial March, composed and conducted by John William. This score gives me goosebumps every single time I hear it and it’s my absolute favorite. My family knows that if I enter the room humming this music they need to watch out. 🙂

Another great activity is to Play Star Wars on a musical instrument. Sadly, I do not play an instrument but I know many of you do. I would love to hear you play.

While I was enjoying this amazing music this morning I also started working on a Baby Yoda AKA The Child coloring page. I have not colored in a very long time and have forgotten how much fun this is. It was so relaxing and soothing. I need to do this more often.

Finally, today I am going to attempt to bake some Star Wars themed cookies. I should take Yoda’s advice of  “Do or do not. There is no try.” and say that I am going to bake some cookies. Make sure to check back tomorrow to see how they turn out. 🙂

Hope you enjoy the music above as much as I have and I can’t wait to see/hear your performance videos.

Mrs. Tran

It’s all about “The Child”

For today’s activities, I am having fun with “The Child” AKA Baby Yoda and the Mandalorian.

I started my day with Star Wars origami. You may remember, from when we had the origami activity in the library, that origami is not my strong suit. This was quite a challenge for me even with following a YouTube tutorial. Ms. Haft posed a link to Tom Angleberger’s video with instructions on how to make an origami Mandalorian so I thought I would give it a try. It took a few tries but I did it!

Here is the link to the instructional video: https://youtu.be/VugrMr-Nkfk

I was lucky to have met Mr. Angleberger at the book fair in Washington DC on August 31, 2019. He was doing a tutorial on how to fold a  Yoda and he even autographed one for my son. He is a super nice and cool guy!

Later today, Baby Yoda and I will be watching the Mandalorian and I am wearing my Baby Yoda t-shirt.

What activities are you doing today? Did you watch an episode of a Star Wars related TV show? If so, which one?

Hope you are getting close to completing the BINGO and that you are having as much fun with it as I am!

Mrs. Tran

Revenge of the Fifth

In the honor of the Revenge of the Fifth today, I am channeling my dark side dressed up as Darth Vader.

Later today, my family and I will be playing a game of Star Wars Monopoly. This game is from the original trilogy and so much fun! We are embracing the dark side with our characters too – I have claimed Darth Vader. 🙂 Does your family get crazy competitive with board games? Mine does!

Do you have any Star Wars themed board games? I’d love to hear about them.

Ms. Haft loves themed food and what better theme than Star Wars! She started her day today with a “Yoda” green smoothie and a tea.

And check out these awesome pizzas she made while ago.

You can get ideas for Star Wars recipes and crafts here: https://family.disney.com/search/star+wars+recipes/

May the force be with you on your quest to complete the BINGO board and don’t forget to have FUN!

Mrs. Tran

May The 4th Be With You

This is not a drill! I repeat, this is not a drill (or a trap!)! Star Wars themed BINGO card is active! Remember, this special card is only available through Sunday, May 10th at 11:59pm. You will need to submit it in Google classroom along with the supporting pictures by that time in order to earn the special badge. If you have not joined our BINGO game yet, please email me, Ms. Haft or Ms. Hood to get the classroom code.

I was so excited for this BINGO card that I got started working on it yesterday by reading The Phantom Menace from The Prequel Trilogy.  I was lucky to have this book at home but if you do not have a Star Wars book at home, try searching for one at our school’s MackinVIA eBook collection or Loudoun County Public Library. I searched on Libby last night and there were 107 Star Wars related books available!

Today, I am super excited to re-watch The Rise of the Skywalker. As of today, it’s available on Disney+.

So, what is the first activity you are going to complete? There are so many great ones to choose from!

Let me know if you have any questions and I’d love to know what activities you choose.

Mrs. Tran

Borrowing eBooks from home

Schools are closed so how do you get new books to read? Our school library has many eBooks available on MackinVIA. You can access them by following these steps:

  1. From your Chromebook, log into LCPSGO.
  2. Click on Library Resources.
  3. Click on MackinVIA.
  4. If prompted to log in, make sure Farmwell Station Middle School is selected as the school, use your student ID number as your username, and use the same password you created to login to your Chromebook.
  5. Once you have found the book you would like to borrow, you can check it out by clicking on the Checkout button. Once you check the book out, you have 14 days to read it.
  6. To start reading the book, just click on Open Now.
  7. If you need to see which books you have checked out, click on the backpack icon and click on Checkouts.
  8. Once you are done with the book, you can return it by clicking on Return button or it will automatically be returned at the end of the 14 days.
  9. If the book you want is currently checked out, you can put a hold on it by clicking on Request button. You should receive an e-mail to your school Gmail account when it is available for you.

Step by step instructions with screen shots can be found here: MackinVIA Instructions

In addition, Loudoun County Public Library has many online resources available, including eBooks, eAudiobooks, music and even movies.

If you do not already have a Loudoun County Public Library card, it is super easy to get one online. With your parent’s permission follow this link and fill out the form:

https://account.library.loudoun.gov/obr/

This should give you instant access to all of the online resources, such as OverDrive and Hoopla (eBooks and eAudiobooks). Here is the list of all the digital resources available: https://library.loudoun.gov/teens#teenresources.

To download a book on OverDrive, click on the following link: https://lcpl.overdrive.com/ and log in with your account information (that you received in the previous step or if you already had the library card, your account information).

If you would prefer to read on a different device (such as Kindle or iPad) you can download the Libby app. You will need your library card number to set up an account.

For a large selection of audio books, eBooks and comics, check out Hoopla. There is also an app available – Hoopla Digital.

If you need any help with any of these resources, please do not hesitate to reach out to us!

Happy reading!