Projekt 1065

Gratz, Alan. Projekt 1065. 2016. 320p. ISBN 978-0-545-88016-9. Available as an eBook on Overdrive.

Michael O’Shaunessey’s parents are the representatives of the Republic of Ireland in Berlin. The family arrived in Berlin at the height of Nazi power, in 1937, and witnessed the beginning of the Second World War. Now in 1943, the Germans have been handed a setback at Stalingrad and are in full withdrawal from the Eastern Front. But in Berlin, people don’t hear the bad news. They live their lives in fear of the Gestapo and of the Hitler Youth, groups of fanatic Nazis who report everyone’s move to the authorities.

Now 13, Michael has grown up in this paranoid environment. He has learned perfect German, attends German school, and is even a member of the Hitler Youth. But that’s not his true identity. In fact, he is a spy for the Allies, along with his parents. They transmit crucial information on German factories, plans, and war efforts through the diplomatic pouch back to Dublin, before that information is passed on to the British.

When a British bomber is shot down, Michael’s Hitler Youth unit is tasked with finding the pilot so he can be arrested and interrogated. Michael, however, wants to find him and rescue him. The first one to locate the pilot, Michael manages to distract the group of youth and, at night, his father and him rescue Simon. The pilot, who broke an ankle and has severe wounds, must be hidden in the Irish embassy. Simon tells them that he was on a mission to take pictures of a secret airfield where the Germans are testing their new weapon, a plane not propulsed by propellers but by turbojets. Code-named Projekt 1065, this plan is revolutionary. It flies twice as fast as regular planes, and it could literally win the war for Germany. Michael discovers that the father of one of the youths in his group actually works on this plane, and he sees blueprints. It is now up to Michael to salvage Simon’s mission and get these plans in Allies hands. But one mistake could cost him everything.

The Great Wall of China

McNeese, Tim. The Great Wall of China. Part of the Building History Series. 1997. 96p. ISBN 97801056006-428-5. Available at 931 MCN on the library shelves.

The Great Wall of China is often mentioned in the same breath as the Pyramids of Egypt, structures so vast and technically challenging and so ancient that they have defied thousands of years of history to bear witness to an era when the power of rulers was limitless. Pieces of what would become the Great Wall were first built starting around 450 BCE by the various warring Chinese states, mainly to protect their northern borders from the barbarians that dwelled in the steppes but also against their neighbors.

This heritage of wall building first arose in the 4,000 BCE when villages constructed earthen works to protect themselves against attack by enemies. Builder skills and expertise grew until hundred of miles of walls protected vast segments of China. Having united the seven warring states of China, Emperor Qin Shih Huang Ti dismantled the walls that sat within the borders of the new country and endeavored to add to the various walls on the northern border to protect against barbarians. Over the course of seven years, 1,850 miles of walls were constructed or renovated to create a continuous line from the sea in the East to the Gobi desert in the west.

Over the following centuries, the Great Wall as it became known fell in disrepair and was rebuilt several times until the Ming Dynasty, which undertook a complete renovation and expansion of the Great Wall, giving us the structure we know today. Throughout that time soldiers manned the Wall and fought large battles against encroaching tribes from the North. Farmers, merchants, and government officials dwelled within its shadows. Two periods of foreign domination, the Khans and the Mings, did not end the perceived need for the Great Wall, however, but the emergence of the cannon soon ended its domination as border protection.

Fans of military history and of architecture will enjoy the story of how the Great Wall was built. To this day, it remains a marvel of engineering and an amazing feat of construction.

Black Butler, Vol 6

Toboso, Yana. Black Butler, Vol 6. 2011. 173p. ISBN 978-0-316-08430-7. Available in the graphic novels section of the library.

Children of all classes have gone missing, and Ciel Phantomhive has been tasked by the Queen to discover who is behind it all and, if at all possible, rescue those children who are still alive. Inquiries into the underworld indicate that none of the children have died. Suspicions fall on Noah’s Ark Traveling Circus, an act that moves from city to city, leaving in its wake a throng of missing children but no clues or corpses. Sebastian and Ciel elaborate a strategy to infiltrate the circus. They will both join the circus.

But the circus is not what it seems. Every member has lost a limb or more, and has received enhanced prostheses. Some of them also have strange powers, like the ability to talk to snakes. And the acts, such as the tightrope and the knife throw, can be deadly. When Ciel discovers a secret letter describing him, he knows someone is aware of his true identity, and that he is now in danger. Will Sebastian be able to save the young Phantomhive heir?

The story continues in Black Butler, Vol. 7.

Terra-Cotta Soldiers: Army of Stone

Dean, Arlan. Terra-Cotta Soldiers: Army of Stone. Part of the Digging Up the Past series. 2005. 48p. ISBN 0-516-25124-4. Available at 931 DEA on the library shelves.

More than 2,200 years ago, China was divided in seven states, all warring with each other for dominance over the region. One of these states was ruled by a strong man named Chao Cheng. Using novel military tactics, he succeeded in conquering all of the six remaining states one at a time until he was able to unify China. He crowned himself emperor and took the name Qin Shi Huangdi.

Among his many accomplishments were the standardization of the Chinese language and of weights and measures. He also reformed the government and the military. Most importantly, though, Qin Shi Huangdi is known for commissioning a large terra-cotta army that would follow him in the afterlife. His tomb was erected at great costs, both in terms of money and in terms of human capital. Covering over 20 square miles, it included palaces, training fields, and all of the comforts he had enjoyed in life. To protect it all he commissioned an army that could guard him in the afterlife.

Each soldier in this 8,000 strong army is modeled after a specific individual, and comes equipped with weapons and armor of the era. Brightly painted, the army also featured horses and wagons. Discovered in 1974 by farmers, the site has been extensively excavated by archaeologists and has been placed on UNESCO’s list of world heritage sites.

War Horse

Morpurgo, Michael. War Horse. 2007. 165p. 243 mins. ISBN 9780439796637. Available as an audiobook on Overdrive.

Told from the point of view of Joey, a horse, this story explores the impact that the First World War had on animals. Joey is a young bay-red horse. He has white socks markings on each leg, and a large white cross on his nose. At six months, Joey is bought at auction and separated from his mother. At first Joey has trouble adjusting to life as a farm animal, especially since the farmer is mean and gets drunk on Tuesday. But the farmer’s young son, Albert, is tender and dedicated and soon both of them become fast friends.

But as 1914 rolls around, the specter of war is threatening to engulf all of Europe. When the conflict erupts, the farmer sells Joey to the army so he can keep the farm. Albert, too young to join, is separated from Joey. He vows to find his horse again. Bought by a young captain, Joey is trained as a war horse for the cavalry, and ships with his regiment to France’s Western Front. There, Joey endures the horrors of war, and as the conflict grounds to a war of trenches, there is no use for cavalry horses. Joey must now do everything he can to survive if he hopes to be reunited with Albert.

Who Owns the Learning? Preparing Students for Success in the Digital Age

November, Alan. Who Owns the Learning? Preparing Students for Success in the Digital Age. 2012. 96p. ISBN 978-1-935542-57-5. Available at PROF 371.39 NOV on the library shelves.

In this thought-provoking book, November argues that school has short-changed students under the current model. The learning belongs to students, and not to teachers, and November presents the Digital Learning Farm, a model that shifts educational control towards students, empowering them to make decisions and to guide their own learning. The Digital Learning Farm model allows students to develop and own their learning through the use of four different roles: the tutorial designer, the scribe, the researcher, and the global communicator.

In essence, the tutorial designer creates movies that explain a problem to others, be that a math question, or a how to video. These are then posted to the web so that everyone can benefit from what is being taught. The scribe records the notes and events that happen in the classroom. Every day, a different student takes notes. These notes are reviewed by the teacher and the class and are posted on a blog or wiki so they can be accessed by everyone in the class. The researcher investigates questions that arise during class by finding answers and resources online. Finally, the global communicator reaches out to other people online who can help with the topics or subjects at hand.

These four roles really tie together the transformational 6 that Alan November mentions in a recent article entitled Walk Through for Innovation: Six Questions for Transformed Learning. In this article, he states that if your lesson or assessment answers no to all of these questions, then technology has not been successfully integrated in your classroom and you are doing a disservice to your students. This book, while preceding these questions, does a great job of demonstrating how all of them can be addressed by adopting the Digital Learning Farm model. Ultimately, students must own their learning to be really successful, and educators and even students should demand access to an education model similar to what November proposes to enhance both their interest in school and their desire to better perform as students.

Black Ops and Other Special Missions of the U.S. Navy SEALs

Payment, Simone. Black Ops and Other Special Missions of the U.S. Navy SEALs. Part of the Inside Special Forces series. 2013. 64p. ISBN 978-1-4488-8380-6. Available at 359.98 PAY on the library shelves.

Arguably the most elite combat soldiers in the U.S. armed forces, the Navy SEALs go through a grueling selection and training process to join the best of the best. Experts in demolition, infiltration, reconnaissance and operations in all types of environments, the SEALs take on the worst missions. Prepared for anything and using the best weapons and gear, the SEALs can be deployed at a moment’s notice to conduct clandestine operations around the world.

This book discusses the selection process as well as the training that each member of the SEALs must go through. It also presents specific weapons, gear, and equipment used by the SEALS, and it takes an in-depth look at three specific missions where SEALs participation proved necessary for success. Fans of the military or those interested in special operations will enjoy this material on SEALs.

Books in this series include:

• Black Ops and Other Special Missions of the U.S. Air Force Combat Control Team
• Special Ops: Air Commandos
• Black Ops and Other Special Missions of the U.S. Navy SEALs
• Special Ops: Military Intelligence
• Special Ops: Tactical Training
• Special Ops: Weapons and Gear