Month: December 2012

Every week I participate in this meme hosted by the lovely ladies over at Teach Mentor Texts.  Jen and Kellee had the brilliant idea to adapt this meme to talk about the great young adult and children’s literature that we are reading.  Head over to their blog for more great reads and a plethora of recommendations of great kidlit.

Books I Read This Week:

I enjoyed the high fantasy book Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson.  Elisa is married off to the King of a nearby land in a hurried deal.  She has always been the younger princess who does not get involved with court issues.  She likes to eat and is self-conscious because of her weight.  She does not understand why she is being sent off so young.  The only thing she knows that she has going for her is the fact that she carries a godstone.  This means that she has been chosen by God but she does not know when she will have to act or what she will
                have to do.  Throughout the book, Elisa evolves and turns into a very strong female      
                character.

Stupid Fast by Geoff Herbach is definitely a boy book.  I can see teenage boys really identifying with Felton and understanding his angst.  I was a little tickled with the references to landmarks I know well since the story is set in a small Wisconsin town.  This book is a about a kid who figures out that he has athletic talent and begins to be more accepted by his peers because of it, but it is also about complex psychological issues.  Felton feels like everything outside of his home is coming together so nicely, but meanwhile his family is
                falling apart.  This book is more geared toward high school boys, but I have a student in mind
                that I think will really like it so I will be recommending it to an 8th grader.

Brain Camp by Susan Kim is a fun sci-fi graphic novel.  The story is about a summer camp and two kids that go there after the summer has begun.  Something is not quite right at camp and these two are determined to figure out what is happening.  What they find out is almost more than they can handle.  I really enjoyed this book and I know that my students will love it.  However, there is one sequence in the book where the young teen has a dream about the
                girl he likes and wakes up suddenly.  The next frame shows him in the bathroom rinsing out
                his underwear.  Although I recognize that this is something that happens to young teenage
                boys, I dread the way my 8th graders will deal with this scene.  Maybe I am wrong about the
                way they might react, but I don’t see the necessity for this sequence and wish it were not in
                the book.

I was super fortunate this year with Christmas gifts.  My sister gave me a writing themed gift with three books I have been wanting to read about writing.  I already had this book, but I was thrilled to get another copy of it.  I especially was excited to read this one during our flight home.  It was a great insight into the writing process of Walter Dean Myers and I am excited to share it with students.  I definitely will either read the whole book aloud or excerpts of it before doing NaNoWriMo next year.  I like that Myers has a process for
                planning his books and I think I might be able to use some of his advice in my own writing as
                well.

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn has been on my to-read list for quite a while.  I enjoy mysteries and this one sounded like it would be right up my alley.  I did enjoy this book, but found it to be less of a mystery and more of a book about psychology and relationships.  The author did manage to surprise me throughout the story and I think the premise is fantastic.  I really enjoyed the complexity of the characters and the situation they all were in.  I would recommend this book to other adults, but I did not love it like I thought I would.

The Always War By Margaret Peterson Haddix is another high-interest, low-readability book that I know my struggling readers will love.  I enjoyed the post-apocalyptic tale which included high amounts of adventure and three very likeable protagonists.  I will recommend this one to all students but especially those that need a good book with less challenge.

I have been wanting to read this one for quite a while.  It was another Christmas gift from my awesome sister.  In Delerium by Lauren Oliver, Lena lives in a society that has been saved from an awful disease.  Love has been cured and this makes their lives safe and secure.  Every person receives the cure for this awful disease when he or she is 18 years old.  Until then, teenagers must be kept separate lest they get infected with the disease.  Lena is a good girl who follows all the rules because she has always lived under a cloud because her mother
                was never cured and committed suicide.  She is a normal 18 year old who is looking forward
                 to her match and her cure.  Once these things happen, she will be able to go to college and
                then get married when she is done with school.  She is excited for all of this until she meets
                Alex.  He changes everything for her and she starts to realize that maybe love isn’t this awful
                disease after all.  I really liked this book although the ending almost ruined it for me.
                Hopefully the rest of the series will make up for that.  I am glad I have Pandemonium here in
                the house and will be able to read it this week.  I will recommend this book to students who
                enjoy dystopian fiction.

What I will read this week:

I will start 47 by Walter Mosley today.  I have wanted to read this book for years.  I will also get to Pandemonium soon.  I have a box of books in my trunk from the warehouse sale and don’t remember all of the books that are in there but I will probably pull a book or two from that box this week.  I also have the graphic novels Resistance and The Walking Dead (volume 1) that I will read.

What are you reading?

Every week I participate in this meme hosted by the lovely ladies over at Teach Mentor Texts.  Jen and Kellee had the brilliant idea to adapt this meme to talk about the great young adult and children’s literature that we are reading.  Head over to their blog for more great reads and a plethora of recommendations of great kidlit.

Books I Finished This Week:

The Dark Monk by Oliver Potzsch is the second book in the Hangman’s Daughter series.  It is a murder mystery set in medieval Germany.  I love the interesting characters in this series.  It is fun to read about a historical period that I do not know much about and I am intrigued by the idea of the hangman as a healer.  These are good mysteries and make for very interesting reading.

I really enjoyed Legend by Marie Lu.  It is truly a dystopian book in that the protagonist truly does not know that her world is not the way that she has always believed it to be.  I love the way that Day and June find kindred spirits in one another.  I am looking forward to reading the sequel.  The other thing I loved was the alternating points of view.

The book Endangered by Eliot Schrefer is one that I would not have picked up if I hadn’t seen the gushing tweets of Jillian Heise.  I did not realize that this was such a powerful story and I am so glad I paid attention to her recommendation!  I bought this one through the Scholastic book catalog for a very reasonable price and will be looking for more copies to add multiples to my class library.  The story takes place in Congo and as you can imagine it is a powerful story of survival in a war-torn country.  It is also a very informative book about bonobos and their habits.  I love learning about animals in books!  I consider this a must-read and will be trying to put it in the hands of all of the readers in my classroom.

Rebecca Stead has such a fun style in her writing.  I really loved the characters in this book and sympathized with Georges throughout the story.  Liar and Spy is a great mystery and fun to read.  I would recommend it for middle grade readers.

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles is a sappy romance book with which I can see many students relating.  I think the two protagonists are complex characters with a lot of layers and it is fun to see them learn to recognize a kindred spirit in each other.  I was interested in how their story would go and enjoyed the book.  It is definitely young adult with a few things wrapping up a little too perfectly…maybe more of a fairly tale that could happen but most likely wouldn’t happen.  I, however, am an adult with a little more cynical view of the world and I know the girls in my classroom will love this one!

Books I am currently reading:

The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson.  This one grabbed me right away and is quite different from what I was expecting.  So far, I really like the story.

Books on the Horizon:

I will probably get to a lot of books that are stored on my Kindle.  Since I am travelling, I will prefer to read those books than have a bulky suitcase.  Some books that I might get to while traveling: Stupid Fast, Cold Kiss, Eve, IQ84, or The Night Circus.  

Title:  Out of the Easy
Author: Ruta Sepetys

Publishing date: February 13, 2013

Source:  Netgalley ARC

My Summary: Josie Moraine is yearning for more in her life.  The daughter of a prostitute, she has had a tough life in the New Orleans Quarter.  Even though she is a smart girl and did well in school, she has not gone on to study in college.  This is mostly due to the fact that she does not want to be known as the prostitute’s daughter anymore.  Josie wants to live her life on her own without having to feel that people are judging her.  So Jo plugs along working at the book store and cleaning the brothel in the mornings to save up for the day when she will be able to leave New Orleans.  

What I Thought:  This book was a beautifully written novel.  I enjoyed the depth of the characters and fell in love with all of them.  I loved how the author wrote about characters that society would usually think of as people on the margin.  It really made me rethink the quick judgements I might be inclined to make when thinking about prostitutes and madams.  I also liked the way the author surprised me on a number of occasions throughout the story and kept me on my toes as a reader.  There are some true scoundrels in this narrative, but also some true gems who I would love to know and count as friends.  I was rooting for Josie throughout the book and worried about her almost as much as Willie did.  If you are anything like me, this is a book that you will not be able to put down.

This was another gem of a book from Ruta Sepetys.  I will certainly continue to look for more from this author in the future.

Inspired by the annual book survey of Jamie at The Perpetual Page-Turner, this is a survey of my own reading from this year. To see more amazing bloggers and their answers to these questions, visit Jamie’s blog here.

1. Best Book You Read In 2012? (You can break it down by genre if you want)

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer and The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin were my favorite series this year and I can’t wait for the conclusion to the trilogy.
The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater was my favorite book overall.

2. Book You Were Excited About and Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Steven Chobsky was a good book but it just didn’t really pull me in. I was really annoyed by the narrator and had a hard time seeing what everyone else sees in that book. A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz is one that I know my students will love, but I did not like it as much as I thought I might.

3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2012? 

Every week I participate in this meme hosted by the lovely ladies over at Teach Mentor Texts.  Jen and Kellee had the brilliant idea to adapt this meme to talk about the great young adult and children’s literature that we are reading.  Head over to their blog for more great reads and a plethora of recommendations of great kidlit.

This week was a really tough one for me.  I thought I would be able to get through a lot of books, and was looking forward to a successful week at school and a good reading week at home.  Then, I got a phone call at noon on Monday that changed everything.  My step-brother Jeff passed away very suddenly on Monday.  Although I was home from work most of the week, I was unable to focus enough to get much reading done and I was also busy with the funeral and visitation.  My sister and her husband came to stay with us too.  I am hoping this week will be a little better for me, but I am not sure my focus will be much better.

Title: Hattie Ever After
Author: Kirby Larson
Publication Date: February 12, 2013
Publisher: Delacorte Press for Young Readers (Random House Children’s Books)

Source: Netgalley Advanced Reader Copy.

Goodreads Summary: After leaving Uncle Chester’s homestead claim, orphan Hattie Brooks throws a lasso around a new dream, even bigger than the Montana sky. She wants to be a reporter, knowing full well that a few pieces published in the Arlington News will not suffice. Real reporters must go to Grand Places, and do Grand Things, like Hattie’s hero Nellie Bly. Another girl might be stymied by this, but Hattie has faced down a hungry wolf and stood up to a mob of angry men. Nothing can squash her desire to write for a big city newspaper. A letter and love token from Uncle Chester’s old flame in San Francisco fuels that desire and Hattie jumps at the opportunity to get there by working as a seamstress for a traveling acting troupe. This could be her chance to solve the mystery of her “scoundrel” uncle and, in the process, help her learn more about herself. But Hattie must first tell Charlie that she will not join him in Seattle. Even though her heart approves of Charlie’s plan for their marriage, her mind fears that saying yes to him would be saying no to herself. Hattie holds her own in the big city, literally pitching her way to a byline, and a career that could be even bigger than Nellie Bly’s. But can making headlines compensate for the pain of betrayal and lost love? Hattie must dig deep to find her own true place in the world. Kirby Larson once again creates a lovingly written novel about the remarkable and resilient young orphan, Hattie Inez Brooks.

Every week I participate in this meme hosted by the lovely ladies over at Teach Mentor Texts.  Jen and Kellee had the brilliant idea to adapt this meme to talk about the great young adult and children’s literature that we are reading.  Head over to their blog for more great reads and a plethora of recommendations of great kidlit.

Books I Finished This Week:

I really liked how Ally Condie wrapped up this trilogy.  I enjoyed this book and would recommend the Matched series to teens and adults alike.

I recently signed up for Netgalley and requested this title.  I loved Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson and was so excited to read more about Hattie.  Hattie Ever After is amazing.  I enjoyed hearing Hattie’s voice again and it was interesting to think about what it was like for women in that era.  I will be reviewing this one here soon.  Reading this book reminded me that I need to get my students reading Hattie Big Sky and falling in love with Hattie.

The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson is a beautiful story of loss and grief.  The protagonist, Lennie, is trying to continue her life after her sister died suddenly.  She finds comfort in spending time with her sister’s boyfriend which complicates things for her.  This is a story about navigating the time after you have lost someone and learning how to go on without them.  The author captured the guilty feelings of living when someone you love isn’t living.  I would definitely recommend reading this book.

In Where She Went by Gayle Forman, it has been three years since tragedy ripped apart Mia’s life.  In the time that followed her recovery, Mia moved to New York and cut Adam out of her life.  This book is told from Adam’s point of view.  He has become a big rock star and is supremely unhappy.  Then in his ramblings through the city he stumbles upon Carnegie Hall and discovers that Mia is giving a concert.  They spend time together afterwards in an awkward attempt to forgive the past.  I loved hearing Adam’s voice in this novel.  This is another one about how life is lived after a loss.  If you liked If I Stay you will love Where She Went!

 After the emotional reads above, I needed a light and fun read.  I found it in The Fingertips of Duncan Dorfman by Meg Wolitzer.  This is a story of three kids who are working to get ready for the national Scrabble tournament.  It is a fun look into the world of competitive Scrabble and the reader learns about the game and the tips and tricks that serious Scrabble players use.  It is a fun read, especially for those who might be interested in the game.

Books I am Currently Reading:

  Better Learning Through Structured Teaching: A Framework for the Gradual Release of Responsibility by Douglas Fisher is a book that is helping me to rethink the way that I plan reading instruction.  I started reading this one so I could help my husband with an assignment for his education class, but kept reading for me.  I use this teaching structure all the time, but do not include collaborative practice in the model most of the time.  Fisher’s insights about this are making me rethink much of what I am planning.

I just started The Friendship Doll by Kirby Larson.  It seems like an interesting premise.

I enjoyed the first Hangman’s Daughter book.  This one is similar and I am really enjoying the story so far.  I am a sucker for a good murder mystery and these come with a dose of history as well.

Books on the Horizon:

I will probably read The Always War by Margaret Peterson Haddix and Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles this week.  I will also maybe pick up Rebel Angels by Libba Bray but may need to revisit A Great and Terrible Beauty before doing so.  I also have Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys on my Kindle from Netgalley that I want to read and review.  I can’t wait until winter break to do some catching up!

Every week I participate in this meme hosted by the lovely ladies over at Teach Mentor Texts.  Jen and Kellee had the brilliant idea to adapt this meme to talk about the great young adult and children’s literature that we are reading.  Head over to their blog for more great reads and a plethora of recommendations of great kidlit.

This was a REALLY slow reading week for me.  Report cards were due Friday and I was behind in my grading so that is what I spent all of my extra time doing.  Oh, and it was the last week for NaNoWriMo.  I was nowhere near winning this year, but I did get some ideas started.  I was busy reading through the drafts of many of my students this week also.

Books I Finished This Week:

I am feeling a bit sheepish to admit that I only finished two books this week…and one was the audiobook that I had already heard 3/4 through before this week.

I read A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz this week.  This was one of the books I got in my Scholastic box and I was really excited to read it.  It started really strong…I love the narrator warning at the beginning about how fairy tales are actually really bloody and grim.  I am sure that students will enjoy this.  Part of what made it a slow reading week this week was how little this book grabbed me.  The story was interesting but for me it was nothing special.  I think it has to do with the way the narrator interrupts the story throughout the book.  I don’t like that.  It reminded me of A Series of Unfortunate Events and that is another series that I have never really gotten into.  I will definitely recommend this book to my students and I know that some of them will love it, but I just wasn’t feeling it.

I finished listening to the audiobook of A Mutiny in Time (Infinity Ring #1) this week.  This is a fun adventure and I know that some of my students will enjoy it.  I will definitely recommend this series for fans of 39 clues.

Books I am Currently Reading:

The first chapter of Better Learning Through Structured Teaching: A Framework for the Gradual Release of Responsibility by Douglas Fisher and Nancy Frey really grabbed my attention.  I am reading it so that I can help my husband with an assignment in his Reading in the Content Areas class.  This model is one that I have read about in multiple sources and I use it in my instruction all the time.  However, I am guilty of not really putting in the collaborative learning stage.  Reading the beginning of this book helped me understand better the research base for the current mandated model in reading instruction in my district.  I do not know if the powers that be were thinking about this model, but this book has given me the way to bridge the gap between the workshop approach that I want to use and the structure that I am supposed to be using.  I am excited to read more in the coming week.

I am loving Reached by Ally Condie so far.  I really liked Matched and was interested in the story of Crossed and I am excited to see how things work out for Ky, Xander, and Cassia.  The world of these novels is so intriguing!

The Joy of Planning by Franki Sibberson is written for teachers of grades 3-6.  I teach 8th grade, but her simple words about what teachers need to do to plan for cycles in reading workshop are really speaking to me.  I love being able to get into her head to see how she thinks about putting together units of reading.  It is giving me a lot of ideas about how I can go about being more intentional in my planning.

What I will read next:

I still have Where She Went and The Sky is Everywhere from the library so I will try to get to those books this week.  I also will probably read Bobby Vs Girls because I have a student who was raving about it and is eager for me to read it.