A Million Books for Hope | Mrs. Rombach Reads

Introducing the Blogtastic Book Club‘s

first book of summer…

The votes are in, and author Chris Grabenstein’s Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library takes home the win. You can order this book online or pick it up from your local public library, but be sure to get Mr. Lemoncello in your summer reading hands pronto. Here’s the teaser found on Amazon:

In this cross between Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and A Night in the Museum, Agatha Award winner Chris Grabenstein uses rib-tickling humor to create the perfect tale for his quirky characters.

Kyle Keeley is the class clown and a huge fan of all games—board games, word games, and particularly video games. His hero, Luigi Lemoncello, the most notorious and creative gamemaker in the world, just so happens to be the genius behind the construction of the new town library. Lucky Kyle wins a coveted spot as one of twelve kids invited for an overnight sleepover in the library, hosted by Mr. Lemoncello and riddled with lots and lots of games. But when morning comes, the doors stay locked. Kyle and the other kids must solve every clue and figure out every secret puzzle to find the hidden escape route!

This much-talked-about book earned high praise from my rising sixth grade son, Sean, who gave up YouTube, FIFA gaming on Xbox, and Discovery Channel extreme nature shows to dedicate every waking minute of a 24-hour period to finish Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library. When I asked him what he liked most about the book, he replied, “Everything! It’s one of the best books I’ve ever read.” That’s quite an endorsement from my Rick Riordan-obsessed boy. So what are you waiting for? Pick up the first book of summer. Before you do, take a virtual trek over to Chris Grabenstein’s kid-perfect website.

By the way, all red type indicates an active link. Click and instantly be transported. Once you’ve started reading, post comments here–and in your own blog post. Better yet, post a picture of you reading Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library and share it on your blog, Instagram, or Twitter (#ermsreads, @CGrabenstein). If you’re an Eagle Ridge reader, be sure to register for the Summer Reading Challenge (if you haven’t done so already). I encourage EVERYONE (of every age) to enroll in A Million Books for Hope read-a-thon to help raise funds to cure childhood cancer.

Visit author Chris Grabenstein’s ridiculously awesome website to:

(1) watch the book trailer

(2) read the first three chapters (while you’re waiting for your copy to arrive!)

(3) play Mr. Lemoncello’s Great Library Escape game

(4) read Chris’s interview with Jack and Jill Magazine

(5) visit the school library that inspired Mr. Lemoncello’s Library

(6) buy the paperback or hardcover version of the book (Amazon is currently the least expensive at $5.04 for the paperback).

(7) meet Fred, his retired Hollywood dog

(8) learn about all the other books written by Chris (including Crossroads, a book about zombie hauntings).

Don’t forget to be blogtastic all summer long. Read and write. Write and read. Who knows…maybe someday your 6th, 7th, or 8th grade writing journal will be sitting pretty on your own author’s website. I wonder…what special features would your author website include? Post a comment and let the world know!

Happy Summer! Happy Reading!

Mrs. Rombach

P.S. — Roadtrip on Sunday to deliver Cady to Summer’s Best Two Weeks in PA. Rest assured, I’m bringing Mr. Lemoncello along for the ride.

The Blogtastic Summer Book Club Starts Next Week

Just two more crazy days in a classroom before summer break officially starts. With the countdown nearly complete, I wonder…what’s on your summer to-do list?

Besides digging my bare toes into the sun-bleached North Carolina beaches, I’ll be turning pages in books I’ve been dreaming about reading all year long. Next week, we (as in you and me) officially launch this blog’s Blogtastic Summer Book Club, a way to keep us reading and writing about fabulous, must-read books. (Vote for Blogtastic Book #1 at the bottom of this post.) This summer, it’s time to read for pleasure…and for the promise of a future without childhood cancer.

A Million Books for Hope – Summer Reading Challenge

Thanks to Alice, one of my students who knows all too well the tragedy of losing a young friend to cancer, I can share A Million Books for Hope read-a-thon with all of you. No matter how old we are, an adversary like cancer makes us feel helpless. Did you know that cancer is the leading cause of death by disease in children and adolescents in the United States? In fact, cancer kills 7 children every day in the United States. (Source: National Cancer Institute).

How can a parent–much less a kid–do something that actually makes a difference? What if I told you that by reading books you can contribute to the cure? It’s true. Childhood cancers get shortchanged when it comes to federal funding. Grownups are working on that issue, but while they’re speaking out nationwide and lobbying Congress, we can take part in A Million Books for Hope read-a-thon. Ask your Mom or Dad, Aunt Kathy or Uncle Oakley, or MeeMaw and Grandpa to sponsor you. Whether it’s $1/per book or $5/book, 100% of proceeds go to childhood cancer research. Plus, with Barnes and Noble as A Million Books for Hope sponsor, you’ll earn a $25 gift card if you raise $250. Raise more; earn more! Prizes are detailed on the webpage. Click here to register (or just get more information).

Maybe you know someone who’s living with cancer? We at Eagle Ridge have our own hero, Gavin Rupp, #15, who lost his life to brain cancer on July 30, 2013. Only 4% of cancer funds go to childhood cancer. That needs to change. We will find a cure…one day soon.

Eagle Ridge Summer Reading Challenge

To encourage and inspire you to read as many books as possible this summer, sign up for the ERMS Summer Reading Challenge, too. Read whatever you want…and keep track of the books you’ve read. If you do, prizes are potentially in your back-to-school future.

On Tuesdays, you’ll receive a text message with book recommendations. You can read one of the recommended books…or any book that interests YOU!

Keep track of what you read.

On Sundays, you’ll get a text message as a reminder to log any book you’ve finished. Click here to log books.

Tweet about what you’re reading! #ermsreads

Instagram your books! #ermsreads

Pick a Winner…

Which book should the Blogtastic Summer Book Club read first? Click on the book cover to watch the book or movie trailer.

Vote today. Winner announced next week!

movie trailer for If I Stay

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Mrs. Rombach Reads

Tag Archives: A Million Books for Hope

The First Book of Summer…Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library

Read this Summer to Help Cure Childhood Cancer!