I haven't stopped reading, even if blogging fell off the radar!
Two yummy books from Net Galley:
Pale by Chris Wooding was exciting and thought provoking - until I realized it was a tease, and I only had the first few chapters! So far, it seems like it would need almost no salesmanship - a book that could easily go viral. This is an edgy take on some of the same themes from Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt. A serum makes it possible for people come back from the dead and live for ever. The only problem is that it only works for certain people and it is very expensive. People are angry at the "pales" (people who are brought back and live forever) and society is crumbling. I definitely want to finish the book!
Another delicious book:
The boy Sherlock Holmes; His Final Case. by Shane Peacock
This is the end of a series that delivers on its promises. I find that when watching a Sherlock Holmes TV take off, my mind wanders into the back story stunningly and believably provided here. However, I feel that this would be a hard sell in my library. Fun for me partly because I have enough background information to summon old London up in all its creepy glory. (The description of Graves End is worth the price of admission! ) For kids who don't already know and love S.H. - it just wouldn't be the same experience.
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Monday, September 3, 2012
My Summer Reading
Tomorrow I go back to work, so today is the last day of summer vacation. (sob)
On the general principal that I don't want to ask students to do anything I wouldn't do myself, here is my summer reading log.
Looking at what I read this summer, I will try to read more extended nonfiction - picture books almost don't even count! (I didn't list picture book fiction) I also want to read a bit more contemporary adult fiction. I just finished a free sample of Anthill by Edward O. Wilson and think I might order the book for my Nook.
On the general principal that I don't want to ask students to do anything I wouldn't do myself, here is my summer reading log.
2012 Summer Reading
Words in parentheses are tags. Interest level (picture book, elementary,
middle grades – i.e. 4th-6th, YA, adult) genre, comments,
abandoned (books that I read more than half but didn’t finish), review means I
reviewed the book either on this blog or submitted to Library Media Connection.
( LMC is an excellent magazine from
Linworth Publishers. They send me boxes
of goodies several times during the year that I get to keep in exchange for
sending them words.)
Tally
Adult fiction 1
Adult nonfiction 1
YA fiction 3 (I classified Captain Blood as YA. Do you agree?
Middle grade fiction 6
Middle grade nonfiction 1
Elementary fiction 4
Picture book nonfiction 3
Captain Blood by
Rafael Sabatini (YA, old fashioned,
historical fiction, fun)
The Trouble with
Chickens by Doreen Cronin (elementary, fantasy, noir, detective, animals,
funny)
Capture the Flag
by Kate Messner (middle grades, realistic fiction, action, review)
Brilliant Fall of
Gianna Z. by Kate Messner (middle grades, realistic, bullying, family,
death, memory loss)
Inside out and Back
Again by Thanhha Lai (middle grades, poetry, historical fiction, Vietnam)
The Other Boleyn Girl
by Philippa Gregory (adult, historical fiction, entertaining, long)
The Game of Silence
by Louise Erdrich (middle grades, historical fiction, Native Americans, sequel)
Unlocking the Spell
by E.D. Baker (middle grades, fractured fairy tale, happy ending, review)
Invisible Inkling
by Emily Jenkins (elementary, invisible friend, bullying, school)
Flat Broke by Gary
Paulsen (middle grades, realistic fiction, abandoned)
Golden Domes and
Silver Lanterns by Hena Khan (picture book, color book, Muslim)
Ivy and Bean; What’s
the big idea? by Annie Barrow (elementary, realistic fiction, science,
family)
Jasper John Dooley:
Star of the Week by Caroline Adderson (elementary, realistic fiction,
family, new baby, review)
Lincoln Tells a Joke by Kathleen Krull (picture
book, biography, Lincoln)
Octavia Boones Big
Questions about Life the Universe and Everything by Rebecca Rupp (middle
grades, realistic fiction, family, divorce, religion)
Okay for Now by gary D. Schmidt (middle grades, YA, realistic fiction,
historical fiction, Vietnam,
art, thought provoking)
Two and Twenty Dark
Tales edited by Georgia McBride (YA, short stories, fractured fairy tale,
dark, review)
Republic of Noise
by Diana Senechal (adult, nonfiction, professional, thought provoking)
No Ordinary Apple
by Sara Marlowe (picture book, nonfiction, mindful eating, review)
Just Write by
Walter Dean Myers (middle grades, YA, adult, writing, how to, reflection)
Looking at what I read this summer, I will try to read more extended nonfiction - picture books almost don't even count! (I didn't list picture book fiction) I also want to read a bit more contemporary adult fiction. I just finished a free sample of Anthill by Edward O. Wilson and think I might order the book for my Nook.
No Ordinary Apple
Marlowe, Sara. No Ordinary Apple: A story about eating mindfully. Wisdom Publications. June 2013.
Yes - 2013! Time is flying!
I was completely prepared to be annoyed at this book. It's subtitle sounded more than a little preachy! But I was curious enough to request it from Netgalley, and was pleasantly surprised. The story about Elliot and his caregiver, Carmen is a little contrived. Elliot expressed his disappointment in the apple Carmen offers for a snack and tells her he was hoping for candy. But the story is just an excuse for a lovely, detailed, sensory description of the experience of eating an apple. The writing was much more fun than I expected. Like Elliot, I could barely wait to go try some other foods, maybe even some I don't like, just to see what they smell, sound, and taste like. I especially liked the concept of tasting in all the different parts of my mouth.
Yes - 2013! Time is flying!
I was completely prepared to be annoyed at this book. It's subtitle sounded more than a little preachy! But I was curious enough to request it from Netgalley, and was pleasantly surprised. The story about Elliot and his caregiver, Carmen is a little contrived. Elliot expressed his disappointment in the apple Carmen offers for a snack and tells her he was hoping for candy. But the story is just an excuse for a lovely, detailed, sensory description of the experience of eating an apple. The writing was much more fun than I expected. Like Elliot, I could barely wait to go try some other foods, maybe even some I don't like, just to see what they smell, sound, and taste like. I especially liked the concept of tasting in all the different parts of my mouth.
Saturday, August 25, 2012
Two and Twenty Dark Tales
Two and Twenty Dark Tales. Edited by Georgia McBride and Michelle Zink. Month9 Books. October 2012. ISBN 
9780985029418.
This rather uneven collection of stories are each based loosely on a Mother Goose Nursery Rhyme which is quoted at the start of each story. Some stories left me wanting more, wanting to spend time in the eerie world the author created with the echo of the nursery rhyme. Other stories were more like pat horror stories uneasily attached to a rhyme, and several dragged on making me remember advice that shorter is sometimes better. Despite my quibbles, I can imagine an imaginative tween reader being inspired by this collection. The right reader could start to imagine what other worlds could be created by unfolding these rhymes and perhaps use them as magic portals to create their own stories.
9780985029418.This rather uneven collection of stories are each based loosely on a Mother Goose Nursery Rhyme which is quoted at the start of each story. Some stories left me wanting more, wanting to spend time in the eerie world the author created with the echo of the nursery rhyme. Other stories were more like pat horror stories uneasily attached to a rhyme, and several dragged on making me remember advice that shorter is sometimes better. Despite my quibbles, I can imagine an imaginative tween reader being inspired by this collection. The right reader could start to imagine what other worlds could be created by unfolding these rhymes and perhaps use them as magic portals to create their own stories.
Jasper John Dooley: Star of the Week
Anderson, Caroline. Jasper John Dooley: Star of the Week. Illustrated by Ben Clanton. 2012. ISBN 9781554539895.
Jasper John Dooley, the quirky star of the week in this easy chapter book, collects lint and makes music by sloshing water in his belly. After his teacher pins a star to his shirt each morning he gets to be the center of attention in a different way each day; show and tell on Monday, family tree on Tuesday, etc. Throughout the week he spends time with his best friend Ori, whose mom just had a baby. As Ori and his family struggle to adjust to the new baby, Jasper wishes that he had a sibling. Ultimately Jasper creates an imaginary brother out of wood, and this "brother" gets him into a few scrapes. In the end Jasper realizes his family is just the right size. This is a great book for young children who are proficient readers and it is rare to see a chapter book that is solidly in the kindergarten/first grade world. Don't worry if these precocious young readers miss some of the jokes and even overlook the message - the message may trickle in later when it is needed. As with the Junie B. Jones series, some of the humor is really aimed at the adult or older sibling, and that's okay.
Jasper John Dooley, the quirky star of the week in this easy chapter book, collects lint and makes music by sloshing water in his belly. After his teacher pins a star to his shirt each morning he gets to be the center of attention in a different way each day; show and tell on Monday, family tree on Tuesday, etc. Throughout the week he spends time with his best friend Ori, whose mom just had a baby. As Ori and his family struggle to adjust to the new baby, Jasper wishes that he had a sibling. Ultimately Jasper creates an imaginary brother out of wood, and this "brother" gets him into a few scrapes. In the end Jasper realizes his family is just the right size. This is a great book for young children who are proficient readers and it is rare to see a chapter book that is solidly in the kindergarten/first grade world. Don't worry if these precocious young readers miss some of the jokes and even overlook the message - the message may trickle in later when it is needed. As with the Junie B. Jones series, some of the humor is really aimed at the adult or older sibling, and that's okay.
Pondering some books from Netgalley
I picked up a couple of interesting books this week from netgalley.com
. Both books sent me back to the old question of reading level vs
interest level vs what are kids (or adults) going to actually do
with the books? The first book I picked up from Netgalley was Jasper John Dooley, Star of the Week. This is a comfortable chapter book level with a
funny and sophisticated protagonist, a boy that seems to be in
kindergarten or first grade, max. The other was Twenty-two Dark Tales edited by Georgia McBride and Michelle Zink. This dark and sometimes
confusing set of short stories are loosely based on Mother Goose nursery rhymes and are probably intended for teens. Both of
these books could be read and even enjoyed by children who are too
young to get the point - or what you or I would see as the meaning of
the story. So should children read them before they are ready?
The classic Junie B. Jones series provides a similar challenge. Junie is in kindergarten when we first meet her, and then becomes a First Grader at Last. The humor, however, is often well beyond a child of Junie B.'s age. After all, part of her charm is that she doesn't know she is funny! I sometimes try to dissuade parents and teachers from reading Junie B. Jones to kindergarten and first, or even some second grade students. I warn them that they will find themselves explaining almost all the jokes, spoiling the sudden discovery at the heart of humor. With teachers, in particular, I ask that if they must read a Junie B. Jones book to their class that they not read more than one. Let the students read these very funny and rewarding books for themselves, discover the humor, and reassure themselves that they would never act that way!
The classic Junie B. Jones series provides a similar challenge. Junie is in kindergarten when we first meet her, and then becomes a First Grader at Last. The humor, however, is often well beyond a child of Junie B.'s age. After all, part of her charm is that she doesn't know she is funny! I sometimes try to dissuade parents and teachers from reading Junie B. Jones to kindergarten and first, or even some second grade students. I warn them that they will find themselves explaining almost all the jokes, spoiling the sudden discovery at the heart of humor. With teachers, in particular, I ask that if they must read a Junie B. Jones book to their class that they not read more than one. Let the students read these very funny and rewarding books for themselves, discover the humor, and reassure themselves that they would never act that way!
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Ice-cream and Literacy
I was just reading an article emerging language and library story time. But my mind kept wandering, playing back a scene that I witnessed this afternoon. A charming little girl was being treated to ice-cream by her grandmother. The girl was talkative yet obedient, and was probably about six - just the right size for thinking about reading. And one of those magic moments when reading could start to make sense just drifted right passed her.
Grandma and daughter sat on stools at a table, a bit too far away to really read what was posted above the counter. Grandma asked the little girl what she wanted, and the girl pointed to a sign above the counter and said "that one, with the stripes!" Grandma asked a few questions trying to figure out what flavor she might mean, but finally threw in the towel. "Do you want an ice-cream cone?" she asked. When the girl nodded enthusiastically Grandma got up from her stool and asked the girl, "So, do you want vanilla, chocolate, or strawberry?" Having heard her grand-daughter request vanilla and chocolate together, Grandma walked got on line at the counter, remonstrating as she walked away, "now don't you move! Don't move from that spot!"
On one hand, this little girl had a wonderful outing with her grandmother. But on the other hand, it was so sad that I almost committed a monstrous faux pas. I really wanted to tell the girl and her grandma that they were aloud to walk up to the ice-cream counter and read the names of the flavors! For so many children, the ice-cream store (or the side of the ice-cream truck) is the most meaningful print they have ever seen. And to see the names of the flavors (and gaze longingly at the tubs of ice-cream) you have to know it is okay to walk up to the glass and look.
I will go back to the article, but will still be pondering in the back of my mind: Should I have invited the grandma to let her little girl go up to the case and look at the ice-cream and read the labels?
Grandma and daughter sat on stools at a table, a bit too far away to really read what was posted above the counter. Grandma asked the little girl what she wanted, and the girl pointed to a sign above the counter and said "that one, with the stripes!" Grandma asked a few questions trying to figure out what flavor she might mean, but finally threw in the towel. "Do you want an ice-cream cone?" she asked. When the girl nodded enthusiastically Grandma got up from her stool and asked the girl, "So, do you want vanilla, chocolate, or strawberry?" Having heard her grand-daughter request vanilla and chocolate together, Grandma walked got on line at the counter, remonstrating as she walked away, "now don't you move! Don't move from that spot!"
On one hand, this little girl had a wonderful outing with her grandmother. But on the other hand, it was so sad that I almost committed a monstrous faux pas. I really wanted to tell the girl and her grandma that they were aloud to walk up to the ice-cream counter and read the names of the flavors! For so many children, the ice-cream store (or the side of the ice-cream truck) is the most meaningful print they have ever seen. And to see the names of the flavors (and gaze longingly at the tubs of ice-cream) you have to know it is okay to walk up to the glass and look.
I will go back to the article, but will still be pondering in the back of my mind: Should I have invited the grandma to let her little girl go up to the case and look at the ice-cream and read the labels?
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