The Blue Helmet by William Bell

Lee wants to be a Tarantula – a member of the biggest, most powerful gang in his neighbourhood. But when his initiation goes wrong and the police catch him robbing an auto supply store, Lee’s father sends him to live with his aunt in New Toronto.

Excerpt:

Lee Mercer has never had very many choices. When Lee was seven, his mother died of cancer, and his father works long hours on two jobs.

I spent most of my lifetime alone, without much help when my eyes dimmed from the dark rage that took hold of me and scared the hell out of me because I didn't know what it was or where it had come from.

Questions to ponder....

Lee was obviously angry and confused by the death of his mother at such a young age. What else was motivating him to act out and vent his frustration?

Lee Mercer does not start out as a very likable character. He sees the world in black and white. What, in you opinion, was the catalyst for Lee to make a change in his life?

Is there a similarity between the book jacket of this novel and the story line? Does this element have an impact upon how the content of the novel is perceived?

All actions have consequences. What significant life lesson did Lee learn from his friendship with Cutter?

In your opinion, what what the significance of the Blue Helmet in the overall theme of the book and just what was the author trying to relay to the reader?

Note from Ms. Secord:

Reading this book was a blast from the past for me! I grew up in the part of Toronto where this story took place. I often rode my bike around this neighbourhood all the way from 1st to 31st Street. References to Horner Ave., The Sherway Plaza and Mimico bring back such wonderful memories of my carefree days as a child. It was quite a different life than what Lee faced when he was first displaced here.

Let's chat about "Another Kind of Cowboy" by Susan Juby

For Alex Ford, dressage is an oasis. In the stable, he can slip into his riding pants, shed the macho cowboy image, and feel like himself for a change. For Cleo O'Shea, dressage is a fresh start. She's got a new boarding school, absentee parents, and, best of all, no one to remember her past.

Let's hear what you think!

The White Pine Reads @your DSBN library

Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2008

Greetings everyone! The purpose of this blog is to help all of us at high schools in Niagara to connect with each other as we enjoy the ten books that have been nominated for the book of the year by the Ontario Library Association.

There is a great selection of books to choose from this year and here at Laura Secord, the nominated books are just flying off of the shelves. If you listen to the buzz, these books are being very well received and it is going to go down to the wire as to who is going to come out on top this year. I don't envy the hard choices you have to make, the nominees have written some fabulous titles. Instead of just letting your fellow readers at your school know what you think of the book you have finished, I thought that this virtual meeting ground would be a great place to share all of our thoughts and ideas. I will be posting a weekly blog on each nominated book and we will finish up on April 22, 2008. Don't forget that voting day is April 23, so if you are looking for recommendations on what to read next, or just want to tell all of us what you thought of the book of the week, here is the place to be heard. All I ask is that you sign your name to your post and let us know what school you are attending. It will be fun to see where we all are coming from!

I would like to kick things off by posting a synopsis of the first book on the list, Another Kind of Cowboy by Susan Juby. This discussion can be about what you thought of of the book, how you liked the character development, the plot line, or just a general overview of whether you would recommend this book to others.

Have fun with this and I hope that you enjoy posting here!