Book Review and Recommendation: Courtesy of one of IMMS' Role Models for Reading

Awww - isn't this the cutest photo?

Mrs. Loudermilk & family READING 

This picture was entered by one of the great IMMS teachers to support of the library's IMMS Role Models for Reading contest. We had ten creative entries that showcased our teachers reading.  The purpose of the contest was to help initiate  a culture of reading for our students and to allow them to visualize reading modeled by some of the people they admire. The students loved the photos and cheered when the winning teacher was announced last week.  (Mr. Keefer)

I am Princess X

The contest was all great fun, but I also gleaned a great book recommendation from Mrs. Loudermilk (pictured) as an additional bonus. The book is titled I am Princess X, by Cherie Priest. 

The story centers around best friends, May and Libby, who created a comic, Princess X, together in 5th grade. When Libby and her mother are tragically killed in car accident, May is suspicious but is moved away by her mother to another state.  Three years later, while visiting her father back in Seattle,  May spies a sticker on a post of Princess X. May knows that she must find out the truth about what happened to her best friend three years ago.  The story twists May and her new cyber-genius guy-friend through the dangerous underground world of the Dark Net.

You can't tell a book by it's cover, but you can sure be attracted by one.  Teens and preteens will be drawn to this hybrid novel which really isn't a graphic novel as much as a novel expertly illustrated with purple-tinted comics throughout.  The format just works and is integral to the overall story.

I don't believe in "girl" books or "boy" books.  Anyone who likes a face-paced cyber-thriller with strong female characters will enjoy this unique book.  I highly recommend it.  We now have two copies in our library, but I predict that they won't stay on the shelves long.

(Thank you, Mrs. Loudermilk for pointing I am Princess X out to me!)