What to Read Next???

I'm looking for help from those of you who were eleven years old a little more recently than me. My 5th grade son recently blew through the entire Harry Potter series and is having trouble finding somthing else to read because nothing else quite measures up. Other things he's enjoyed previously include The Falconers series by Gorden Korman and Hatchet by Gary Paulson (but he couldn't seem to get into the other Brian books). I have a few suggestions for him but I'd like to hear from some of you. Having spent the last 14 years in high school, I haven't read as many middle school books as I'd like. What were some of your favorite middle school books? Keep in mind that he is in fifth grade and his reading level is more mature than his interest level. Thanks in advance for any help you can give!

Losers

Have you noticed that some of your teachers are looking a little slimmer these days? Thirty-two staff members are participating in our own version of The Biggest Loser in which teams of four compete against each other for the highest average percentage of weight loss. Talk about "healthy competition." Losers weigh in with Mrs. Browne in the nurses office on Fridays and the week's results are posted on Monday. The contest started right after February vacation and will end the day before April vacation for a total of 8 weeks. From everything I've read (and I've read plenty), I should be able to lose two pounds per week, but unfortunately, I'm not quite there. At the halfway point I had lost only six and a half pounds but I'm not giving up. My team has been in the top three since week one and we're not giving up.

If you're interested in reading up on slimming down (or eating better or getting fit), check out some of the materials that the Norton High School Library has to offer. We subscribe to Fitness, Health, Prevention, and Cooking Light magazines. We also have a great selection of books on fitness, healthy eating, and the dangers of obesity. Some titles include, Yoga for Teens, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Weightloss, Fast Food Nation, Supersize Me, Lighten Up: Stay Sane, Eat Great, Lose Weight, and The Complete Idiot's Guide to Healthy Living, to name just a few. Check them out!