Fall Into Reading Update

Eek! December 20th is fast approaching and what do I have to show for it?

I have not been so diligent about reviewing and discussing each book I've read - slightly busy teaching six classes, and, oh, reading. Here's what I've read since September 20th:

Currently - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling, Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater, and Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
Nov 23 - New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
Nov 15 - The Prophet of Yonwood by Jeanne DuPrau
Nov 14 - Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
Nov 13 - So B. It by Sarah Weeks
Nov 11 - The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan
Oct 29 - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
Oct 28 - The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Oct 25 - Al Capone Shines My Shoes by Gennifer Choldenko
Oct 23 - The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan
Oct 18 - The People of Sparks by Jeanne DuPrau
Oct 11 - Love That Dog by Sharon Creech
Oct 10 - When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
Oct 10 - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
Oct 5 - The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan
Oct 3 - Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko
Sep 26 - The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare
Sep 21 - Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick

Monday Morning Inspiration

Attitude Quotes, Sayings about Positive Attitudes and Thinking, Mind Over Matter: "Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine. ~Anthony J. D'Angelo, The College Blue Book"

I Made a Book Trailer...

Update

In the last week and a half, I've read...

Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko

The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

and

Love That Dog by Sharon Creech

The first three books I listened to on CD. It's my newest way to read now that school's taking up so much of my life. I listen to and from work, while I'm getting ready for work, and in the evenings when I am cleaning up the kitchen/preparing dinner. I did not enjoy the narrator for Riordan's book. He made everyone sound like evil surfer-dudes. The other two sound recordings were terrific.

Monday Morning Inspiration

The only reason I always try to meet and know the parents better is because it helps me to forgive their children. ~Louis Johannot

Monday Morning Inspiration

Teachers are expected to reach unattainable goals with inadequate tools. The miracle is that at times they accomplish this impossible task. ~Haim G. Ginott

Just Finished Reading...

The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare
Let's discuss this cover, shall we?
First off, in reading workshop we've been studying the characteristics of different reading genres. While one of my students was reading this book, I asked him what genre he thought his book was. He told me, "Uh, fantasy, I think." Now, mind you, he was comprehending the story and having no trouble summarizing his reading, however this particular cover that he had threw him. This student is visual and was using the cover to help with his comprehension. So in his mind, the bear that the two boys encounter really was larger than the forest. Not only that, but do you see the two "boys?" They look like grown, strapping men. Sometimes, I wonder.
Okay, so I finished this book last weekend and it's already back on the library shelf, but I have a 50 hour work week so my posts are going to be a little slow coming.
While reading this book, I had an odd sensation that I've read this before, kind of like book deja vu, I'm guessing in my 6th grade reading class. No matter, it was still fresh enough that it felt like a first read.
I recommended this book to my fifth graders because they are studying American Indians and soon early colonial days and this book is a perfect tie in. Two of my students had just finished reading it and recommended it to me. That's the great thing about my class. I get just as many recommendations as I give, mainly from my fifth graders. My sixth grade class is still attitudinally (did I just make up a word?) challenged.
I'm currently reading/listening to Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko. I ordered Al Capone Shines My Shoes for my classroom library so I figured I should at least read the first first.

Monday Morning Inspiration

The aim of education should be to teach us rather how to think, than what to think - rather to improve our minds, so as to enable us to think for ourselves, than to load the memory with thoughts of other men. ~Bill Beattie

Fall Into Reading 2009

It's here! The first day of Autumn and it's a blistering warm day. This is Florida after all. So no, I don't see leaves turning beautiful bright colors on trees; I don't smell those wood fires burning; nor is it anywhere near appropriate to put away the summer wardrobe. However, I have pulled out last fall's Pumpkin Spice lotion from Bath and Body Works; I've plugged in the "leaves" scented wall flowers, as well as the cinnamon scented ones, and I'm using pumpkin spiced creamer in my coffee. It's official: today is the first day of my favorite season.

And no one needs more of an excuse to read than me so today is the kick off of Callapidder Days annual Fall Into Reading. My goal this fall is to read 25 books. Wish me luck!

Here is what's at the top of my To Read List (or already sitting in my library bag).

1. The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare (starting it today)


2. Deep and Dark and Dangerous by Mary Downing Hahn


3. The Brooklyn Nine by Alan Gratz


4. Granny Torrelli Makes Soup by Sharon Creech


5. Things Not Seen by Andrew Clements


6. Catherine, Called Birdy by Karen Cushman


7. Skellig by David Almond


8. Palace of Mirrors by Margaret Peterson Haddix


9. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins


10. The Ask and the Answer by Patrick Ness


11. Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko


12. The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan

Monday Morning Inspiration

Teaching is the profession that teaches all the other professions. ~Author Unknown

Spring Reading Thing 2009 - Wrap Up

Spring ended June 20th but I was on vacation and haven't had time to wrap up the reading challenge until this morning. Overall, I am pretty thrilled with how well I have done. SRT has been hugely motivational for me as well as learning I will be teaching 5th and 6th language arts next school year. I haven't done a lot of reading for me, but I am finding that a lot of the children and young adult novels are just as enjoyable and fulfilling. So what are the results?

Well, I had from March 20th to June 20th to read as much as possible. ***

1. The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
2. Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
3. Zach's Lie by Roland Smith
4. Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen
5. Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson
6. The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness
7. Running Out of Time by Margaret Peterson Haddix
8. Tunnels by Roderick Gordon and Brian Williams
9. Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli
10. The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi
11. The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
12. The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare
13. Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
14. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
15. Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli
16. The Luxe by Anna Godberson
17. Gone by Michael Grant
18. My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult

My favorites: Milkweed, The Witch of Blackbird Pond, My Sister's Keeper

My goal for next year is to read 25 books. In fact, I'll make that my goal for summer '09!

***This does not include the educational books I also read:
19. Donalyn Miller's The Book Whisperer
20. Kelly Gallagher's Readicide
21. Nancie Atwell's The Reading Zone

Shamed

What makes writing "good?"

I just finished Jodi Picoult's My Sister's Keeper and I was blown away by the story. I quickly went on to Goodreads to give it five stars and write a quick review about how it wowed me from the start. Afterward, I read reviews from other Goodreads members and a huge majority had given the book the lowest ratings of twos and ones. So I read what had them so peeved.

Many said Picoult's writing was too cliched. The B-story about Campbell and Julia was fluffy and unnecessary. The ending was ridiculous and blew. They hated Sarah. The story is "trash pop fiction." The more I read the reviews, the more embarrassed I felt about giving it a five star rating, about loving it.

In college, I took a Modern Novels course in which I had to read a different book each week, many of which were killer-boring and painful to read. I still hate Thomas Wolfe's Look Homeward, Angel. We finally came to a novel that I was enthralled with from the start, Joyce Carol Oates' The Falls. I finally had great things I wanted to say to contribute to the class discussion, after having certain opinionated students dribble on for weeks about the greatness of the other selections. So, as I was discussing with a peer next to me before class started, I admitted to liking the story for once. Almost immediately I was drop-kicked by one overly-opinionated chick who said it reminded her of a trashy novel you could pick up on the shelves of Target. Just like that, my opinion was nulled.

Is there such thing as a book snob? What makes writing good as opposed to the kind of writing that the masses go for? Isn't an author's job to make you feel and think no matter the feelings or thoughts evoked? If we look closely at Shakespeare, while yes poetically written and clever, his plays were filled with sex and drama and conflict. All cliches stem from his plays as he used every one of them. If he were to rewrite for this generation, would others still be apt to call it popular garbage?

Cop up. No one wants to admit she's danced around to a Top 40 song at one point in her life. She's too cool for that. Metallica was cool until they sold out.

I admit I hated Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code. And yet, I read it straight through to the disappointing end. I also don't think too highly of Twilight. But I also just recently purchased New Moon, to give it another shot. I'm not going to insult anyone's intelligence by saying they must be a moron for enjoying popular fiction. And so maybe I shouldn't take it to heart when other's disagree with my viewpoint. I just want it to be okay to love a book that everyone loves (or hates).

Throwing in the Towel

So, I have until 7 in the morning to finish the book challenge, but I'm really proud of what all I've accomplished so far and I just don't see myself staying up through the night to try to rush through a book just to have one more. I'd rather read when I'm awake and lucid enough to comprehend what's happening. Since 7:30 Saturday morning, I have read 5 books. That's five in less than two days! I'm sure I've never done that in my life. Here is the run down of my accomplishments:


1. Fever 1793 - 243 pages - 3 hrs.

2. Maniac Magee - 184 pages - 3 hrs.

3. The Graveyard Book - 307 pages - 4 hrs. 15 min.

4. Life As We Knew It - 337 pages - 6 hrs. 30 min.

5. The Witch of Blackbird Pond - 223 pages - 4 hrs. 30 min.

Totals: 5 books, 1294 pages, 21 hrs. 15 min.

Congratulations to everyone who participated this weekend. I know I was never in the running, but I'm so excited for what I've accomplished!

Oh, and for the Greater Good, I pledged $1.00 for every 50 pages I read to my two charities. I will be donating $25.88 to both Rose Brooks and LiteracyKC.

Just Finished Reading...

48 HBC #5


The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare

time spent reading... 4 1/2 hours

time spent blogging...  12 min

I am ending on a high note.  This is my favorite book  of all the ones I read this weekend.  I loved it.  Romance, crazy Puritans, witch trials, history, romance.  Kit from Barbados has recently lost her grandfather, and having no other immediate family members boards a ship headed for Connecticut, to an aunt's she has never met and who is unaware of her visit.  Kit is like a colorful peacock that sticks out amongst gray pigeons in Puritan New England.  She shocks the natives over and over again.  She can swim and read and oh, that "witch" at the outskirts of town? a wonderful new friend!  A couple of chapters devoted to the witch trial reminded me of the insanity also seen in The Crucible.  This story, however, does everything a good book should.  It was fun, worrisome, irksome, sweet, funny, and had a very happy ending.  What more could a girl want?

Just Finished Reading...

48 HBC #4

Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

time spent reading: 6 1/2 hours (embarrassing)

time spent blogging: 35 minutes

I'm disappointed in this book. It started out so well that I thought this was going to be the most fun of all the books I've read and then it began to feel more like The Diary Anne Frank: Armageddon. The premise is that a large enough astroid hits the moon hard enough to send the moon out of its natural orbit and pushes it closer to the earth. This sets off a chain of disasters almost immediately. Tsunamis decimate almost all coastline cities, electricity comes and goes, phones lines are down, volcanoes erupt blanketing the atmosphere is ash and smoke, blocking out the sun, and quickly turning an August summer into an August winter. It all sounds terrifying and enthralling but that's the extent of explanation we get from Pfeffer. The rest of the story is rather monotonous, told from the point of view of 16 year old Miranda as she writes in her diary. At first she complains about not having the chance to experience what it would be like to date, then school is no longer an option, and eventually every is one in the same. The temperatures are freezing. They are starving. Surely, the will all die soon.

I was hoping for scientific explanations for this chain reaction of horrific events and to get an idea of what is happening in the world, but even at opportune moments, Pfeffer chooses not to reveal any details. Even as Miranda's mother listens to the radio, the information is thin.

Most of the news was bad, the way it had been last summer. Earthquakes, floods, volcanoes, the litany of natural disasters. There were a few things added the list, though: Flu epidemics and cholera. Famine. Droughts. Ice storms.

The news reporters and top officials don't seem to have any answers, but everyone has a list of the deceased. The president (no doubt Bush Jr. - or as mom calls him "idiot") only says that things are looking up. If that were true, then shouldn't the earthquakes, floods, and volcanoes be over by now? I'm not sure the earth could sustain itself after a year of nonstop natural disasters. No one could survive that.

Even if the news did report something of significance, Miranda and her family don't seem to concerned to hear what they have to say.

It scares me a little that Mom is willing to burn up batteries just to listen to the radio.

Besides not having a clear explanation as to what is going on or why, I was troubled with the actions of some of the characters. Firstly, the family goes on a huge shopping spree stocking up for the end of the world. They come out with at least 6 or so heaping carts of food in just the one trip alone and a week later they already seemed to be starving. What happened to it all so quickly? The mother begins to act irrational, too, getting upset with Miranda for going back to her boy friend to tell him that bags of food are being given away to each household. They all come out with a bag of food, but the mother scolds her saying, "What if they ran out while you went to get him? We need to think only of ourselves right now." Real nice.

The father is no better. The world is ending and he leaves town with his young new wife and their unborn child to head cross country to her parents' place, never to be seen again. He has three kids and he leaves them to fend for themselves alone with their single mother. What real father who loves his kids would do that?

The story ends with no explanation of whether they all die, the planet implodes, or civilization begins to flourish once again. It just ends. I'm going to assume that dinosaurs crawled out from under the earth and ate Miranda and her family.

Just Finished Reading...

48 HBC #3

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

time spent reading... 4 hours and 15 min

time spent blogging... 15 min

Hmm... this book was interesting.  A great beginning hooked me from the start.  Parts of the story reminded me of The Labyrinth... especially the ghoul world, and others reminded me of a freaky Tim Burton movie, or characters from a Roald Dahl story.  It all begins with a sharp knife.  One that kills a mother, a father, and a young girl.  Somehow, the baby boy of the family, eludes the killer and crawls his way up the hill to a graveyard that has overtime been turned into a "nature reserve."  The ghosts in the graveyard agree to care for the child and protect him from the dangers of the outside world.  However, as the boy grows up, his curiosity and desire to know about the world of the living brings Nobody Owens into the face of danger on many occasions.  And then he learns the truth about where he came from and that his family's killer might still be alive and looking to finish the job...

The Graveyard Book is this year's Newbery champ.  The story was dark, fun, entertaining but I'm not sure I'd rate it up there with my all-time, life changing, mind altering favorites.

Just Finished Reading...

48 HBC #2


Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli

time spent reading... 3 hours

time spent blogging... 20 minutes

I love this book!  A boy, given the nickname of Maniac, is in search of a place to call home after his parents died in a tragic accident when he was 3 and he was sent to live with an aunt and uncle who share a house separately but refuse to divorce because of their Catholic faith.  Jeffrey has had enough with them and during a choral concert, takes off running and doesn't look back.  He arrives in Two Mills - which is split into West End and East End, whites and blacks.  Here, in his new town, he makes friends, enemies, and fans, but will he find an address to claim as his?

Just Finished Reading...

48 HBC #1


Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson

reading time... 3 hours

review... 12 minutes

Historical fiction about the yellow fever epidemic that took the lives of thousands of Philadelphia's inhabitants. Mattie Cook, 14, lives with her mother and grandfather helping with chores in running Cooks Coffehouse. Shocking news comes one morning when the servant girl does not show for duty. Mattie learns she has died and each day more and more are falling ill with pestilence. Mattie has to grow up fast in order to survive as well as care for others.

The further I read, the more queasy I felt myself. I finally took my book over to the fridge and made some toast. Almost miraculously as the food was in my stomach, the first frost fell on Philadelphia and things began to take a turn for the better in the story.

48 HBC Starting Line

And I'm off... 21 minutes later than I had planned.

First book: Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson

Just Finished Reading...

The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin

I read this book over the weekend, but have been busy (and out of town) and have not had a chance to write about it. I am not usually savvy enough to figure out whodunnit before the characters do and mystery is not a genre I read often, but this is a perfect book to introduce the mystery genre to students. There are many characters and many clues to keep track of and plenty of opportunities for skillful predictions. I had difficulty myself keeping track of who is who (16 main characters are a lot to follow) and so I want to read this again and spot all the clues the author slyly put in that I never caught. I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars on Goodreads. Will use this with my 6th graders.

48 Hour Book Challenge

MotherReader is hosting the 4th Annual 48 Hour Book Challenge. I observed from the sidelines last year, shook my head, and said, "These ladies are crazy!" Well, now I've decided to take the plunge, too. I don't think I can forgo showers, but my calendar is wiped clean in order to participate. This will be a great way for me to slim down my TBR mounds, and will still count for the Spring Reading Thing challenge! Here are the rules from MotherReader herself:

Here are the basic guidelines:

1. The weekend is June 5–7, 2009. Read and blog for any 48-hour period within the Friday-to-Monday-morning window. Start no sooner than 7:00 a.m. on Friday the fifth and end no later than 7:00 a.m. Monday. So, go from 7:00 p.m. Friday to 7:00 p.m. on Sunday... or maybe 7:00 a.m. Saturday to 7:00 a.m. Monday works better for you. But the 48 hours do need to be in a row. Edited to add: But during that 48-hour period you may still have gaps of time in which you can’t read, and that’s fine. In the middle of the three different challenge weekends I’ve had to go to work, attend a ballet recital, and drive for a Girl Scout event. You can certainly work around the other events in your weekend.
   
2. The books should be about fifth-grade level and up. Adult books are fine, especially if any adult book bloggers want to play. If you are generally a picture book blogger, consider this a good time to get caught up on all those wonderful books you’ve been hearing about. Two graphic novels can be included in the reading. I’m not trying to discriminate, I’m just trying to make sure that the number of books and page counts mean the same thing to everyone.
   
3. It’s your call as to how much you want to put into it. If you want to skip sleep and showers to do this, go for it. If you want to be a bit more laid back, fine. But you have to put something into it or it’s not a challenge.
   
4. The length of the reviews are not an issue. You can write a sentence, paragraph, or a full-length review. The time spend reviewing counts in your total time.
   
5. On your blog, state when you are starting the challenge with a specific entry on that day. This makes it easier to track the participants. Write your final summary on Monday, and for one day, we’ll all be on the same page, so to speak.
   
6. Your final summary needs to clearly include the number of books read, the approximate hours you spent reading/reviewing, and any other comments you want to make on the experience. It needs to be posted no later than noon on Monday, June 8th.
   
7. Sign up in today’s comments. You’re more than welcome to post the challenge on your site. Point them to today’s post to sign up. On Friday, June 5, I’ll have a starting-line post where you can sign in to say you’re officially starting the challenge.

Books that I plan to read include:

Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli

Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko

Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

I doubt I'll be able to read all of these, let alone more, so I'll stop before I disappoint myself entirely with an unrealistic goal. The point is not to win, but to challenge myself.

For the Greater Good, I pledge to donate $1.00 for every 50 pages I read to Literacy KC and Rosebrooks.

Just Finished Reading...

The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi.

I might be a little hard on this novel, but the main character and especially the ending really did itself in. I loved the language Avi used, his knowledge of sailing, and the helpful diagram included in the back. There were many action and suspense-filled moments that kept the story moving at a brisk pace. However, (the dreaded however) I couldn't fathom how her father would arrange for her take passage across the Atlantic on the Seahawk, especially given the stiff and "punctilious" nature of her parents -their reaction after hearing of her travails. They look down on her like somehow she chose to board that ship. And these other passengers that were supposed to have traveled with her? She was given a closet to sleep in. Where would they have put any extra bodies? There were too many improbabilities and Charlotte herself was a dense and feebleminded girl for whom I cared none.

Just Finished Reading...

Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli

A homeless orphan boy thinks his name is Stopthief. He doesn't know who his parents are or where he comes from, but finds himself in Warsaw, Poland snatching bread loaves from women in fox furs. The year is 1939 and he is rolling in food, treats, and prizes lifted from people off the streets. The people don't chase him because there are bombs going off in the distance that distract them. Then one day a parade of Jackboots comes to town and peculiar things begin to happen - the boy sees a man using his beard to wash the sidewalk, Jews paint the outside of their shops to "deter" customers, Jackboots start inhabiting homes that didn't use to belong to them. And then the Jews are paraded into a walled in ghetto; their homes the size of closets. It doesn't take long before they begin to starve, contract typhus, and become further degraded and abused by lice, Jackboots, and Flops (Jews who policed other Jews inside the ghetto).

Milkweed does not portray the Holocaust in the melancholy way Anne Frank or Number the Stars do. It's the literary equivalent of ghastly photos, videos, and documentation of the horrors of this time in our history. I'm recommending to my principal that this book be included the 7th grade Holocaust study; it's that potent. Thank you to Donalyn Miller who mentioned it in The Book Whisperer or her blog; I can't remember. I had never heard of this book before and that's a shame!

Just Finished Reading...

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Parick Ness

THE FIRST THING you find out when yer dog learns to talk is that dogs don't got much to say. About anything.

"Need a poo, Todd."

"Shut up, Manchee."

"Poo. Poo, Todd."

"I said shut it."

The Knife of Never Letting Go is a brutal, traumatizing, sci-fi YA novel about a boy named Todd Hewitt (cannot be forgotten, his name is screamed throughout the story) who is the last boy in the settlement of Prentisstown, New Planet. Over 20 years ago, a group of believers left their old planet and sailed off in their spaceships in search for a simpler, more peaceful, less communicative way of life. What they found was a planet where everyone can hear each other's Noise, including the animals.

The Noise is a man unfiltered, and without a filter, a man is just chaos walking.

In Prentisstown, all of the women are now dead because of this germ. Todd is a month away from becoming a man on his 13th birthday when everything he knows to be truth starts to unravel and he must suddenly flee Prentisstown and the men who are pursuing him.

The book is set up from the perspective of Todd's Noise (or at least one strand of it) and so much of it is one long rolling run on sentence. Reading was also banned in Prentisstown, books were burned, and so of course Todd has had a very limited education. He is illiterate and several words are misspelled in Todd's Noise to emphasize this. At first, this all bothered me, but as I fell deeper and deeper into Todd's world, I saw the absolute beauty in his Noise, and in Ness's writing.

It's like the song of a family where everything's always all right, it's a song of belonging that makes you belong just by hearing it, it's a song that'll always take care of you and never leave you. If you have a heart, it breaks, if you have a heart that's broken, it fixes.

Todd's journey to becoming a man is more difficult than the average human ever endures.

Doing what's right should be easy.

It shouldn't be just another big mess like everything else.

___

Life equals running and when we stop running maybe that's how we'll know life is finally finished.

___

Maybe there really is hope at the end of the road.

I love this book and am disappointed in it all at the same time. It has a lot of the aspects of dystopian fiction that I love and hints of Ray Bradbury, but there are moments when I lost all respect for the main character Todd and moments when I couldn't keep reading, my eyes were too blurry with tears. And, worst of all, the story doesn't end. It stops on a cliffhanger and is picked up in the second book of the series The Ask and the Answer.

This book is not, not, not for children to read. The worst of the worst language is in it as well as violence and brutal savagery. Despite that, this book is so so good and highly recommended.

Monday Morning Inspiration

You can teach a student a lesson for a day; but if you can teach him to learn by creating curiosity, he will continue the learning process as long as he lives. ~Clay P. Bedford

Just Finished Reading...

Running Out of Tme by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Haddix's first novel... a bit dated but interesting concept all the same. A young girl named Jessie is living in a small town of Clifton in 1840, when diphtheria begins to prey on the village children. Jessie soon learns from her mother that Clifton is a tourist attraction and the year is actually 1996. The men responsible for beginning the town have stopped supplying modern medicine that could save the children's lives. Even more terrifying, they are refusing to let anyone leave the town - and they are being watched day and night by hidden cameras throughout the village. Her mother sends Jessie on a dangerous mission - to escape Clifton and find a man named Mr. Neely who can help. Jessie must not only make a sneaky escape, but she must quickly learn to adapt to a strange new world without drawing attention to herself. Cautious that any stranger could be one of Clifton's men, she starts out. Will she be able to reach Mr. Neely in time?

Just Finished Reading...

Tunnels by Roderick Gordon and Brian Williams.

I gave this book 3 stars on Goodreads. I wanted to like it but it was such a drudge to read for a good part of the story. Many complaints take away from those few adventurous, heart-pounding scenes. The book starts out slow and follows mainly Dr. Burrows, who has been investigating a mysterious orb, air shafts, and curious-looking men in sunglasses who seem to be following him. In the next moment (okay, so this part drags on for some time), dad goes missing and son Will soon begins his own investigation with the help of his friend Chester, to find his missing father. Will and Chester eventually find themselves miles underground, in a dark subterranean colony, and become the recipients of harsh and terrifying treatment by the Styx, an odd, menacing group of underdwellers with some serious animosity for topsoilers. While things are bad for Will, Chester's luck is even worse. This poor boy only meant to help his friend and now he might die at the hands of the Styx, all thanks to Will. Does Will ever find his father? Uh no, you're supposed to read the next installment called Deeper and perhaps the third installment Freefall, to find that out.

My complaints for this book are far ranging. First off, the pacing is terrible. We are with Will for most of the story with one chapter devoted to Dr. Burrows after he's gone missing. The only purpose in the chapter, I'm assuming, is to let us know he's not dead, and not the least bit worried about the crumbled family he's left behind. Why is Will trying to find him again?

SPOILER ALERT***

Additionally, there is no real explanation as to what these powder white residents are doing underground. A trip by Will to their church is a thin attempt. And what really bugged me about the plot, a member of Will's family appears out of nowhere to reveal she has been living topsoil as a spy for the Styx and now wants no more pleasure than to kill Will. Why? Beats me. How does she remember her brethren from down under when she's been topsoil since a toddler? Another good question not explained. Especially since Will has no recollection of ever living underground. The authors also leave the whereabouts of Will's real mother in the dark.

Spoiler Alert Averted - All Clear

This book was made obviously for the intention of mass marketing, a movie in production, and to have a taste of what other successful authors, such as JK Rowling and Rick Riordan, are experiencing. I don't believe the actual story was their priority.

Final word: Some of my more patient boys will enjoy this book and I will recommend it to them when they've run out of adventure/fantasy series to read. Otherwise, it's not going on my list of suggested reading.

SRT Update

There are now more books to add to my Spring Reading Thing list. A reminder to myself: my list is growing faster than I have the ability to get through each one. Especially since I'm stuck on one book that I tell myself I should like but am not convinced. My goal is to have it finished today, so that I may start on one that will be more enjoyable. The challenge ends June 20th, and I'm hoping I'll get most of my reading done in those three weeks after school is out. Right now, end of the year responsibilities, parties, events, and exerting all of my energy in keeping my kids roped in for these last few days is eating up all of my time and draining my battery. Plus, in lieu of summer shorts and bathing suits, I've given up soda and sweets and that makes me no happy ray of sunshine.

Back to my initial statement before I got lost in rant... I went to Barnes and Noble last night and picked up some books that are not on the list. My choices were based on the following: Is there a copy of this somewhere at school that I can borrow (or acquire)? Is this title more than likely available at the public library? Does this book fit into a unit of study I will teach next year? Is it appropriate for the age range of my students? Have I read enough about it from the blogosphere and Goodreads that there is an 80% chance I won't be disappointed? Is it available in paperback?

I had about eight books cradled in my arms until my husband found me and gave a worried look. Alright, it had gotten a little out of hand. So I went through my pile again and decided on the following:

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

Looking for Alaska by John Green

All three of these books are listed for grades 9 and up. (I'll be teaching 5th and 6th next year.) The Holocaust isn't taught until 7th grade. And Looking for Alaska ties into no units that I can think of right now. However, these have been laying idle on my To-Read list for some time and I really couldn't bear putting them back on the shelves from which they came. If I'm to become a true bibliovore, I need to read books for myself as much as I read books for my students, and that is how I sleep at night.

Pajama Party Read In Day!

As an incentive for students to actively raise money for our "Fun Run," teachers were asked to set a class goal and come up with a special treat or reward for reaching it. I asked my students for 100% participation - and they complied. So, today we are having our very own Pajama Party Read In! Students get to come to school in their comfy pajamas, robes, and slippers. They are allowed to bring a pillow, small blanket or throw, and a comfort item (like their favorite teddy bear). Then, instead of "school," they may find a place to curl up and relax in the classroom with piles of books to read. I am looking forward to bringing my books and getting some reading done myself. Two things to note: today is an early release, so there is no worry that the students will begin to get restless (additionally, they still have art and a pizza party for lunch). Secondly, tomorrow their 8 book requirement for the 3rd trimester is due. Those students who've been slacking have an opportunity to save their grades, and those who have been going strong can just add more to the list.

I asked my students if they wanted to do the Read In with the other 4th grade class and I received an overwhelming "No!" Their reasons? "They will talk too much." "It will get too crowded and stuffy in here." (Even though we would use both classrooms the students decided the other class would want to be with us in ours.) Etc.

I told my team teacher that my class didn't want to include hers. She responded, "That's fine. I mentioned the Read In to them and they didn't like the idea at all."

This surprised me because I got the complete opposite reaction from my class. Not only that, but her class seems to be more full of dormant readers - those who'd rather be doing something else than reading. Many have already met their 8 book requirement, but then stopped reading after that. I have a chart on the wall in my classroom that shows students their progress. There are 20 squares for stickers, though the minimum requirement is 8. 4 students in my class have filled the chart twice (that's 40 stickers in one trimester) before I stopped tracking on the chart how many books they've read. The highest reader in the other class has reached about 25 stickers.

I will have all of these students again next year as I move on with them to lower middle school's 5th grade reading and English. My goal is to get these dormant readers as motivated to read as I've somehow done with my own students.

Until then, however, I'm looking forward to today's events! Books I'm taking with me? Tunnels (I am really trudging through this one, but refuse to abandon it.) and In the Middle.

Monday Morning Inspiration

Teacher appreciation makes the world of education go around. ~Helen Peters

Monday Morning Inspiration

Nobody grows old merely by living a number of years. We grow old by deserting our ideals. Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul. ~Samuel Ullman

Oprah's Reading List

Oprah.com has what I think is a great selection of titles for kids 10-12. I plan to use this list as my recommended summer reading for rising 5th graders. I like that there are books for both boys and girls, as well as a selection of genres from poetry to non-fiction. My kids will love seeing Jabberwocky updated to our time, after reading it in class. Unfortunately, the latest Wimpy Kid installment won't be released until the fall, so I had to be sure not to include it on my list. I know that would be the first choice of 90% of my students - girls and boys alike!

Edward’s Eyes by Patricia MacLachlan
Edward’s eyes and his self-taught ability to throw the perfect knuckleball are part of what make him extra special in an already large and loving family. The connection he shared with his siblings continues after his untimely death through a well-matched organ donation recipient.
Simon & Schuster/Atheneum, 2007. ISBN: 9781416927433

Bearwalker by Joseph Bruchac; illustrated by Sally Wern Comport
Baron knows that the “Bearwalker” is a half-human, half-animal beast that appears in tales told by his Mohawk people. When a school camping trip goes wrong, however, he finds himself facing a real, live monster who is just as deadly and dangerous as the creature from the legend.
HarperCollins, 2007. ISBN 9780061123092

Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll; illustrated by Chistopher Myers
The classic nonsense poem at last makes sense when brilliantly illustrated as an urban playground one-on-one basketball game where intimidating size meets quickness and skill.
Hyperion/Jump at the Sun, 2007. ISBN: 9781423103721

Women Daredevils: Thrills, Chills, and Frills by Julie Cummins; illustrated by Cheryl Harness
What were women doing between 1880 and 1929? These 14 fascinating women were performing death-defying feats such as walking on the wings of airplanes, taming tigers, diving 60 feet into a tank of water on horseback and more.
Dutton, 2008. ISBN:9780525479482

The London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd
When Ted’s cousin, Salim, disappears while riding the London Eye, it’s up to Ted and his sister, Kat, to figure out what has happened. Ted comes up with many interesting theories because, as he states, his brain operates on a different system (he has been diagnosed as having a “syndrome”). Will one of these theories solve the mystery?
David Fickling, 2008. ISBN: 9780375849763

Brendan Buckley’s Universe and Everything in It by Sundee T. Frazier
Brendan has a notebook full of questions, and he hopes to find all the answers during his summer vacation. Then, he meets the grandfather he never knew about, and new questions need to be answered: Does his grandpa want him around? And, if not, does it have anything to do with the color of Brendan’s skin?
Delacorte, 2007. ISBN 9780385734394

Igraine the Brave by Cornelia Funke
The daughter of two magicians, Igraine wants to be a knight. When their castle is attacked by a treacherous neighbor, Igraine proves her bravery.
Scholastic 2007. ISBN: 9780439903790

Cracker: The Best Dog in Vietnam by Cynthia Kadohata
A German shepherd must leave his boy to joins a military canine unit stationed in wartime Vietnam. His new job: using his acute sense of smell to sniff out deadly booby traps. A first-rate tale for readers who like animals and adventure.
Simon & Schuster/Atheneum, 2007. ISBN 9781416906377

Diary of A Wimpy Kid: Greg Heffley’s Journal by Jeff Kinney
Greg and his best friend, Rowley, adjust to middle school, where they are undersized weaklings. When Rowley grows more popular, Greg kicks off a chain of events that tests their friendship.
Abrams/Amulet, c2007. ISBN: 9780810993136

Savvy by Ingrid Law
Mibs can’t wait for her 13th birthday; in her family, that’s when one’s “savvy” or extraordinary talent appears. When her father is terribly injured just prior to her birthday, she is certain that her savvy can save him and embarks upon an odyssey full of quirky characters and colorful events.
Dial, 2008. ISBN: 9780803733060

The Willoughbys by Lois Lowry
Orphans, neglectful parents, a baby on the doorstep and a lonely billionaire are some classic themes in children’s literature that receive a humorous twist in this delightful, slim volume.
Houghton/Walter Lorraine, 2008. ISBN: 9780618979745

We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball by Kadir Nelson
From 1920 to 1945, some of the roughest, fastest and most amazing baseball games took place in the Negro Leagues. Magnificent paintings and fascinating anecdotes introduce Rube Foster, Oscar Charleston and many other unsung heroes of the sport.
Hyperion/Jump at the Sun, 2008. ISBN: 9780786808328

Keeping Score by Linda Sue Park
Maggie knows everything there is to know about the sport of baseball and her favorite team, the Brooklyn Dodgers. She makes friends with a firefighter who shares her interest (even though he’s a Giants fan), but their relationship changes when he is shipped off to fight in the Korean War.
Clarion, 2008. ISBN 9780618927999

Billy Creekmore: A Novel by Tracey Porter
In 1905, 10-year-old Billy, storyteller extraordinaire, is rescued from an orphanage by his aunt and uncle. His life continues to take on many twists and turns, from the West Virginia mines to the circus, and he discovers much about himself along the way in this fast-paced, Dickensian-style novel.
HarperCollins/Joanna Cotler, 2007. ISBN: 9780060775704

Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree by Lauren Tarshis
Quirky Emma-Jean loves to observe her fellow seventh graders’ behavior from afar. When she decides to help a few classmates with their problems, tension and humor ensues.
Dial, 2007. ISBN: 9780803731646

Nurk: The Strange, Surprising Adventures of a (Somewhat) Brave Shrew by Ursula Vernon
In this animal fantasy, Nurk, a shrew who likes clean socks, sets out hoping (sort of) for adventure. Inspired by his famous and heroic grandmother, he paddles down a stream in a boat he made from a snail shell. He rescues a dragonfly princess from the stream and becomes a reluctant hero who is happy to return to his quiet life at home.
Harcourt, 2008. ISBN: 9780152063757

Feathers by Jacqueline Woodson
Frannie can see that the new boy in school doesn’t fit in. His skin color is different, and everyone calls him “Jesus Boy,” but something about him fills her with curiosity, sympathy and a surprising feeling of hope.
Putnam, 2007. ISBN 9780399239892

Monday Morning Inspiration

Nine-tenths of education is encouragement. - Anatole France

Spring Reading Thing 2009

I finished the first four books on my list that I checked out from the library at the end of March, as well as two additional books from Donalyn Miller and Kelly Gallagher. Yesterday, I took another trip to the library. I had a huge list of books that I brought with me. Unfortunately, my library doesn't have the latest and greatest, stocked and on the shelves. I ended up getting one from my list: Patrick Ness's The Knife of Never Letting Go. Additionally, I picked up Running Out of Time by Margaret Peterson Haddix (I was looking for Found), Roderick Gordon and Brian Williams's Tunnels, and Jerry Spinelli's Milkweed. I can't wait to crack the first one open, but I'm having a hard time deciding which to start first?

Just Finished Reading...

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

Yes, that's her name. And before that it was Hullygully. Before Hullygully it was Mudpie. Before that she was Pocket Mouse. Originally she was Susan.

"So...you change your name whenever you get tired of it?"

"Whenever it doesn't fit anymore. I'm not my name. My name is something I wear, like a shirt. It gets worn, I outgrow it, I change it."

This just scratches the surface of the title character in the story. We never understand Stargirl on an intimate level; instead we see her through eyes of Leo Borlock. He is enamored with her. She strums her ukulele and sings "Happy Birthday" to students in the cafeteria. She has a pet rat named Cinnamon. She sends cards to strangers anonymously. She cheers for the other team. She cares about other people. She never seems to care what other people think of her.

Leo cares, though. He and Stargirl have been "shunned" by the school populace. He feels invisible and it bothers him.

This is a great story about conformity and staying true to yourself. After reading it, I wish I had a little bit of Stargirl in me. I wish I didn't care what others thought. But I have to identify with Leo. As humans, we need to feel we belong. We need interaction with others to feel our own existence. And so Leo has to make a choice: happiness he feels with Stargirl, or the approval of his peers.

Spinelli does not preach to the reader; instead he draws us in with Stargirl's odd behavior. What weird thing is she going to do next? While Stargirl's behavior and reactions do seem to be unfathomable, it's Leo who we are supposed to learn from. Stargirl is a mythical Santa Claus who visits a run-of-the-mill town. Leo is all of us. If we ever were lucky enough to meet a "Stargirl," would we react the same? Make the same choices? This goes along with Kelly Gallagher's argument that reading is like a dress rehearsal for real life. Students can use Leo's lesson as an example for making decisions when they come to similar crossroads in their own lives.

There is a follow up to Stargirl called Love, Stargirl. It's set a year later and from Stargirl's perspective. I'm not sure if I'm interested in reading it, though. I feel like she was meant to be this impossible thing to touch, to understand. To get inside her head would be like killing the mystery that is half of her charm. I'll wait until I hear something more about it.

Just Finished Reading...

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan is the author's first novel for young readers. Riordan is, or was, a middle grade teacher and that makes his books even more exciting to read. This first book in the Percy Jackson series is in some ways similar to the mythical land of Harry Potter. Percy has two good friends Annabeth and Grover, a wise old mentor Chiron, an impossible home life with step dad Smelly Gabe, MIA parents (one a god and the other a mortal who's been taken), a home-away-from-reality called Camp Half-Blood, a nemesis or two, as well as deceitful confidants. The cool thing about this story is that it's set in urban America, and instead of witches and warlocks, we are surrounded by a world of gods, goddesses, and mythical monsters. Knowing a thing or two from studying Greek mythology in school, it was fun to see how Riordan brought these legends to life in a modern form. Ares, god of war, is a biker. Dionysus is banned from Mount Olympus and confined to drinking non-alcoholic beverages. The gates to Mount Olympus are located on the 600th floor of the Empire State Building. The entrance to the Underworld? Los Angeles, of course!

This book is a page-turner every step of the way. The mythology has been updated and students will want to know what's going to happen to Percy and who is the real thief of Zeus's lightning bolt. I've read the first book in the Harry Potter series but I've found this book much more enjoyable that I plan on reading the rest of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series

Quickie

I am back from visiting my hometown. While away I finished reading Rick Riordan's The Lightning Thief, Kelly Gallagher's Readicide, and am halfway through with Donalyn Miller's The Book Whisperer. These will all be reviewed in due time. I also want to discuss my passion with the month of April for many very good reasons. However, I brought back with me a nasty bug that has my tonsils swollen, ears throbbing, head ached, and whole body pained. All of these incubating posts will have to wait a little longer to hatch. (Yes, my lame reference to Easter.) Right now, I'm cuddling up with a snuggly blanket, my puppy dog, and Jerry Spinelli's Stargirl. Later!

Monday Morning Inspiration

You can teach a student a lesson for a day; but if you can teach him to learn by creating curiosity, he will continue the learning process as long as he lives. ~Clay P. Bedford

Just Finished Reading...

Zach's Lie by Roland Smith

Jack, his mother, and sister are awoken and roughed-up in the middle of the night. The intruders threaten to kill them if they go to the police. The DEA, however, is investigating the boy's father and make an appearance in the morning, leaving them suspicious that something may have happened the previous night. It turns out Dad was piloting for a drug cartel; his knowledge could help to put away Alonzo, the drug lord.

Jack and his family are put into the Witness Protection Program, while his father sits behind bars hoping to make a deal with the DEA. The family moves to Elko and Jack becomes Zach - you know, in case he slips us. He befriends the school's custodian and charms the daughter of the local Basque hotel. Things begin to go well for Zach in his new life, and of course, that's the perfect time for everything to fall apart.

I can see why this book is popular amongst the middle readers - boys and girls alike. There is action, adventure, suspense, and romance. The story moves quickly. Almost too quickly for me. I felt like I was reading Cliff's Notes, but again I understand the aim is to entice middle grade readers who don't always liked to be bogged down by details, nor do they have the greatest attention spans. My edition also had a slew of typos, as well.

Just Finished Reading...

Flipped by Wendelin VanDraanen

This story is told from two perspectives: Bryce Loski's, a boy who worries more about his image than what is the right thing to do, and Juli Baker's, a passionate, who-cares-what-others-think, spirited girl. Right from the beginning, Juli is enamored with Bryce's dazzling blue eyes, while Bryce thinks so much of Juli that he prefers to lock himself in his bathroom until he's positive she's gone. This story really begins to take heart when Juli's beloved Sycamore tree is in danger of being sawed down.

"Then I had an idea. They'd never cut it down if all of us were in the tree. They'd have to listen!" [...]"They just stood there, staring up at me." [...] "'Oh, Dad, it's okay. I'll get over it.' 'No, Julianna. No, you won't.' I started crying. 'It was just a tree....' 'I never want you to convince yourself of that. You and I both know it isn't true.'"

It is interesting to see the shifts in these characters as the story moves along. Both children learn to see what's underneath another person. And Grandpa Chet plays a significant role in this. Adults are an important of this story which I think is what makes this story stand out from other pre-teen "romance" novels. There is some real truth submerged in all the butterfly-in-the-stomach, infatuations. The ending is slightly hoaky in a She's All That (my generation) sort of way, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. This story would be great for compare/contrast, as well as studies in character, and character development.

Find teaching resources here:

Novelinks

Monday Morning Inspiration

Good teaching is one-fourth preparation and three-fourths theater. ~Gail Godwin

Forget Cleaning, It's Spring Reading!

Katrina over at Callapidder Days has started a reading challenge for the spring. Create a list of books you'd like to read between now and June 20th. Then start reading! After the challenge is over, each participant is to write a post about how it went. Your list can be long, or as few as two books, so there's no pressure. This is a great way for me to dive into my TBR list. So, here goes nothing...

1. The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
2. Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli3. Zach's Lie by Roland Smith
4. Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen
5. Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson
6. The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness
7. Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson
8. Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
9. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain
10. Animal Farm by George Orwell
11. Donutheart by Sue Stauffacher

*12. Running Out of Time by Margaret Peterson Haddix

*13. Tunnels by Roderick Gordon and Brian Williams

*14. Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli

**15. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

**16. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

**17. Looking for Alaska by John Green

**18. Peony in Love by Lisa See

**19. The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi

**20. The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin

**21. The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare

**22. Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

**23. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

**24. Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli

*indicates new additions to list

**indicates even more new additions to the list

I stopped by the library on my way home from school today and checked out the first four books on the list so I've already got a good start. This list will more than likely change over time but I'm excited to finally sit down with some of these titles. What do you plan to read?

Monday Morning Inspiration

Who dares to teach must never cease to learn. ~John Cotton Dana

Story Time

I just read Never Too Old: Reading Aloud to Independent Readers By Donalyn Miller and here is my reaction:

I sometimes clam up reading aloud to my students. Part of it is I know I can't create the best voices for my characters but also I realize I'm being compared to our librarian, a true thespian who ranks up there with Meryl Streep. There's no way I can compete with that. I don't want my students to laugh at me for trying. Right now, I'm reading Elijah of Buxton and it's laced thick with the dialect of an 11 year old boy growing up in an escaped slaves settlement in Cananda. The are a lot of double-negatives, the word "ate" becomes "et," and "before" becomes "afore" to name a few. This is hard for an English major to wrap her tongue around! But I do my best, and I let my students draw and color while I'm reading, to hopefully distract them a bit from my somewhat lacking Elijah impression. Usually when my daily schedule gets tight, the first thing to go is story time. My children bemoan this decision and I tell them, "I'm sorry, but we've got to do X and Y."

I came upon this article this evening and it has made me to see story time in a different light. I am going to try hard to keep story time in my plans this week. I will admit, it's going to be hard. I've got to fit an entire CT lesson and SAT prep in with my regular plans, as well as get the classroom prepared for Grandparents Day. Check in with me next week and I'll share my success... or failure.

I'm also getting a tickle out of this quote: "Be mindful of what Jim Trelease (author of The Read Aloud Handbook) calls the 3 B’s: the breakfast table, the bathroom, and the bed---make sure kids always have something to read at these three locations." From Ending Readicide, again by Miller.

I think I've found myself a new blog to follow.