Dan's picks #2 " An innocent solider"

I didn't read this as recently as most books I will be focusing on, but this is one of my favorite books in the library shelves and I have read it multiple times open because I enjoy it so much.

This book follows a young uneducated farmhand, who is forced to join napoleon's army under a false pretense. We join him on a riveting and appalling journey to survive and maintain his humanity through the trials and tribulations of war.

The main reason I enjoy this book is the strong descriptions that it provides about the reality of war. It vividly paints the hell of becoming a soldier, the marches and the hunger of a solider to name a few. Also, I really enjoy the first person account feel of the majority of the book, allowing you to empathize with the main character and feel his journey like you are experiencing firsthand. Though hard to spot, this book has some flaws, because this book was originally in another language and translated into english there is some awkward phrasing and words. This book teaches about the evils of war, friends/ enemies and transcending social classes. Also this book gives you insight into the world and history during this time. Overall, great read and would recommend to anyone.

Dan's picks #1 "Little Brother"

This week, among others, I read "Little Brother", a book set in the not so far off future where the government controls and monitors almost every imaginable aspect of everyday life. In this dystopian environment set in san francisco an adventure unfolds intertwining technology and danger. 
I thoroughly enjoyed this book for a couple of reasons, for starters this book was able to keep my attention from start to finish. I had a feeling that after the original excitement of the events at the beginning of the book that I would lose interest but this book kept getting more and more interesting as the plot developed. Elements that you would expect from a tech savvy society are present; hacking, coding and computer building to name a few, so much so that it wouldn't come as a surprise to me if I learned that the creation and publication of this book was directly funded by some startup trying to drum up more interest for the field of computer science. The only part that irked me was the fact that the scenes with violence are toned down in such a way that makes me think this book's author knew it needed to be pc to be let into widespread school libraries. Don't get me wrong, I'm not some sick character who obsesses about the goriest of scenes, however violence and detail of such adds a certain degree of realism. All in all I enjoyed this book and recommend reading.








Any questions, comments or book suggestions can be emailed to:
dmoll384@student.fuhsd,org  or djmoll9@gmail.com

Dan's picks introduction

Hello all,
     Since elementary school I have found comfort in the quiet realm of the school library, this was my place where I felt and still feel safe and relaxed. Throughout the years I have spent thousands of hours reading countless books, novels, and graphic novels. In the homestead library alone I have probably read several hundred. Recently I have been given the opportunity by one of the librarians to write a column on the newly created blog, writing reviews for some of my favorite books and of new books that find their way onto the shelves. My hope is that this will be a weekly conversation between me and the student body encouraging more people to explore books and appreciate the library. In the future you will be able to find my my reviewed books on a designated, updated regularly, and ready for others to explore
     
                                          happy reading,
                                                   Dan

Level Two badge opportunity!

Level Two Library Guide

For those of you who earned Tech Ready status (or even if you haven't yet), it is now possible to qualify as a Library Guide. This elite badge will prepare you to use the library catalog, find your own books and resources, use the library website effectively and be an all-around awesome library patron. Do you have what it takes?

More seating in the library

We have recently added 25 more seating opportunities throughout the library to accommodate more of the many students who wish to use the library and its resources. We hope this will allow more flexibility and access for Homestead students. If you have other ideas about how to best utilize the space, please let us know!

Welcome to the Library video!

Amazing student promo video! Thanks to Michelle, Alex and Kyle for the awesomeness.

Homestead Library featured in The Epitaph!

This month's issue of The Epitaph features an article about the library and how it's being used by students. Check out Page 3 and visit The Epitaph online.

Art installations in the library

If you've come in during October, you may have seen some temporary art installations provided from the Homestead ceramics classes. There are the Louise Nevelson-inspired monochromatic cubes and the ceramic "sugar" skulls that made a popular pre-Halloween exhibit.

Stop in soon to see some Day of the Dead altars created by Homestead Spanish students.