The James Logan Courier

By Rick La Plante, New Haven Schools Public Information Officer

The Board of Education on Tuesday night received an update on the New Haven Strategic Plan and approved minor changes suggested by the Planning Team, which reassembled last month to review progress made during the first two years of the plan and consider whether revisions were necessary.

The 25-member team of students, parents, teachers, classified employees administrators and other community members - the majority of whom were members of the original Planning Team in 2005, reiterated and validated the Strategic Plan. The team recommended that implementation continue on existing elements rather than adding any new initiatives.

By Sarena Bains, Courier Staff Writer

Jasmine, by Bharati Mukherjee
Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: Grove Press (April 5, 1999)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0802136303
ISBN-13: 978-0802136305

In the novel Jasmine, by Bharati Mukherjee, Jasmine "Jyoti" is born in a village in Punjab and like most Indian women, she is controlled and dominated by her father and brothers.

This is taken place in 1989, following the establishment of independence in India. However, Jasmine marries a modern and educated husband with a United States based modern‑thinking. He establishes his dreams upon her to study American things.

By Vicente Marcelo, Courier Sports Writer

The James Logan boy’s basketball team opened up the league with a win over Irvington High. They won by a score of 70-61.

Logan jumped out to a 20-12 lead in the first quarter and maintained that intensity. The Colts took advantage of Irvington mistakes, scoring on all five Vikings' turnovers in the first quarter. Irvington turned the ball over 21 times overall.

Chicken Caesar Wrap, Milk, Fresh Fruit, Fun Chips
All-Veggie Pizza

ACTIVITIES:
Logan’s “Laughing All The Way”, Improv’s first show of the year is this Friday at 7 pm in the Little Theater. Doors open at 6:30. Tickets are $3 in advance, $5 at the door.

Don’t be caught cold without a James Logan beanie on your head! Come to the Colt Necessities Store, located in the Career Center during both lunches.

By Abhishek Saluja, Courier Book Reviewer

Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson
Paperback: 272 pages
Publisher: Penguin Classics (April 1, 1995)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0140434011
ISBN-13: 978-0140434019

David Balfour, barely of age, sees his parents die and his life take on a terrible twist. Now he must confront his only living relative, his Uncle Ebenezer Balfour, a stingy, greedy, and selfish man who may not be trusted.

In Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson, the author portrays an intriguing protagonist by the name of David Balfour. David in search of his fare share of an estate arrives at his Uncle’s house to begin the story.

Read Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson, free from Project Gutenberg.

McClatchy-Tribune News Service (MCT)

Here are the best-sellers for the week that ended Saturday. Dec. 8, compiled from data from independent and chain bookstores, book wholesalers and independent distributors nationwide.

(Reprinted from Publishers Weekly, published by Cahners Publishing Co., a division of Reed Elsevier, USA. (c) 2007 by Reed Elsevier, USA)

HARDCOVER FICTION
1. T Is for Trespass. Sue Grafton. Putnam, $26.95
Last Week: -; Weeks on List: 1
2. The Darkest Evening of The Year. Dean Koontz. Bantam, $27
Last Week: 2; Weeks on List: 2
3. For One More Day. Mitch Albom. Hyperion, $21.95
Last Week: 15; Weeks on List: 34
4. Double Cross. James Patterson. Little, Brown, $27.99
Last Week: 1; Weeks on List: 4
5. A Thousand Splendid Suns. Khaled Hosseini. Riverhead, $25.95
Last Week: 3; Weeks on List: 29
6. World Without End. Ken Follett. Dutton, $35
Last Week: 5; Weeks on List: 9
7. Playing for Pizza. John Grisham. Doubleday, $26.95
Last Week: 6; Weeks on List: 11
8. Stone Cold. David Baldacci. Grand Central, $26.99
Last Week: 4; Weeks on List: 5
9. Home to Holly Springs. Jan Karon. Viking, $26.95
Last Week: 7; Weeks on List: 6
10. The Choice. Nicholas Sparks. Grand Central, $24.99
Last Week: 8; Weeks on List: 11

Note: Each week, The Courier spotlights books newly arrived, or expected to arrive, in the James Logan Media Center.

Deogratias, A Tale of Rwanda by J.P. Stassen
Paperback: 96 pages
Publisher: First Second; 1st American Ed edition (May 2, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1596431032
ISBN-13: 978-1596431034

From the publisher:
Deogratias is just a boy. Benina is just a girl. Teenagers like teenagers everywhere. Only he is a Hutu, and she is a Tutsi — so say their ID cards.

We are in Rwanda in the days leading to a swift and gruesome genocide; the world will watch and do nothing. In less than a hundred days, eight hundred thousand human beings will be hacked to death.

By Jamie Maxfield, Courier Staff Writer

"Talking With", written by Jane Martin, is a great play that allows us to get into the character's minds. This all female cast performed four nights in a row, from December 6th to December 9th.

There were nine monologues ranging from a woman talking about her mother's dying days, to a woman who is obsessed with McDonald's. Each of the cast members really got into character and they all picked out their own costumes that went along perfectly with their part.

From wikipedia:
Bernice Pauahi Bishop (December 19, 1831 – October 16, 1884) was a Hawaiian woman, a direct descendant of the royal House of Kamehameha, aliʻi, and philanthropist. She was the great-granddaughter of King Kamehameha I and the last surviving descendant of his royal line. Her estate is the largest private landowner in the state of Hawaiʻi. The revenues from these lands are used to operate the Kamehameha Schools, which were established in 1887 according to her last will and testament.

Born in Honolulu to Aliʻi Paki and princess Aliʻi Konia, Pauahi was raised by kuhina nui (prime minister) Kīnaʻu and was later educated by Protestant missionaries.

Read The Memoirs of Hon. Bernice Pauahi Bishop
By Mary Hannah Krout, free from Google Books.