Top Ten Best/Worst Movie Adaptations (July 9)

I am joining in on this weekly meme hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. Each week there is a different top ten list topic and a bunch of bloggers weighing in.  Head on over there to see more of the great blogs participating.

This week we are sharing our top ten best/worst movie adaptations.  I decided to split my list between best and worst adaptations.

Best Movie Adaptations:

The women who played the lively characters in The Help by Kathryn Stockett made them come alive for me in a way I did not imagine.  This is one of the very few occasions when I liked the movie more than I liked the book.  
I liked all of the Harry Potter movies.  It was so amazing to be able to enter the world of Hogwarts and the directors and actors did fabulous jobs at creating this world exactly as I had imagined it.  
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold is probably one of my favorite books.  I was really skeptical when I heard that there was a movie adaptation of this one.  I was pleasantly surprised by this movie.  They did a great job of bringing out the unique narrative voice in the movie.  This one was impressive!
Sense and Sensibility is my all-time favorite movie.  The sets and costumes were all so well done in this movie.  The actors are all magnificent and the characters come to life in a very real way.  
Bridget Jones’ Diary is another favorite of mine.  The actors did such a great job with this hilarious plot.  And another plus: COLIN FIRTH.  He is my movie boyfriend and a super sweet Mark Darcy.  

Worst Movie Adaptations:

It makes me cringe to think about this movie.  That is how bad it is.  I was so disappointed by this one, because it is a case in which seeing the movie might actually make a child not want to read the book.  Luckily, it was not very popular so many people have not seen this movie. Go read Inkheart for sure, but skip this movie.  It is a waste of your time.  
These movies are horrible.  I am sorry to everyone out there that loves them, but they are terrible adaptations.  I loved reading the Twlight saga and could not put the books down while I was reading them.  I was excited about the movies but really did not enjoy them.  
I was so excited for The Hunger Games.  Then I tried to watch the movie.  It makes sense that there was not as much tension in the movie because some of the scenes in the book would have been much too graphic for a PG-13 rating.  In the words of one of my students, “the capitol people were way overdone in this movie.”  This is probably not one of the worst adaptations out there, but I was very disappointed so it made my list.

I couldn’t even get through this movie.  I love the Stephanie Plum books, but the characters didn’t match the pictures I had in my head at all!  I might give this one another chance soon, but I am not sure about it.

The Golden Compass is another movie that I was really upset with.  This is an amazing book and for a while it was hard to get kids interested in it because the movie was so horrid.  It is not surprising that this was a hard movie to make because the story and characters are so complex.  I wish they would have just left this book alone.  

What movies do you think did the best or the worst job with their adaptations of a book?  I would love to hear from you in the comments below.  

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? –From Picture Books to YA is a weekly meme hosted by Jen at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee and Ricki at Unleashing Readers.  This is a chance for bloggers to recap their week of reading and share their plans for the next reading adventures they will take.  Visit the host blogs for a list of great blogs participating in this meme and a whole host of titles to add to your to-read lists.

This was a better reading week for me.  I stayed at a hotel over the weekend to give my sister and her husband some privacy.  I love staying in hotels by myself because I get to read in a big fluffy bed until the wee hours of the morning…and that is just what I did.

Books I Finished This Week:

Revolver by Marcus Sedgwick was a quick and riveting read.  I was hooked from the very beginning and had a hard time putting this one down until I was finished with it.  As with all of the Printz books I have read so far, this book was amazing and well-written.  Please see my longer review of this book here.

Unbelievable by Sara Shephard is the fourth book in the Pretty Little Liars series.  I enjoyed this book and I know that many of my students will enjoy the series.  There are enough differences at this point in the book series that I am interested in finding out what happens.  It is kind of fun to compare what has happened in the show to the book series details.  This is nothing spectacular but a fun read.

I absolutely LOVED Sorta Like a Rockstar by Matthew Quick!  I fell in love with the protagonist, Amber Appleton.  She is a positive and hopeful force in her world and I hope that there really are people like that out there in the world.  Amber deals with some tough situations in very real ways and my heart broke for her and her pain.  This book really reminded me of Stargirl in the way that both protagonists worked to make the world a happier place for people around them.  I am absolutely going to purchase this book for my classroom library as soon as I get home.  I will also probably be posting a longer review of this one sometime this week.

Rump: The True Story of Rumplestiltskin by Liesl Shurtliff was a fun and quick read.  I love reading fractured fairy tales and seeing how creative authors can be when they spin classic stories.  This one was a funny book and I really enjoyed the story.  I would recommend it to grades 4 and up for a fun adventure.

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain really gave me some food for thought.  The book helped me to understand myself and my husband better.  The ideas in this book also made me really think about the structures and procedures in place in my classroom.  There are many things to consider and I am glad I read this fascinating book.

Currently Reading:

I am still listening to Through The Ever Night.  I have about two hours left, and I will finish this week.  I also am still reading On Writing by Stephen King.  I started The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z today as well.  

What is next?

I want to get into my Jeff Anderson books this week.  I also have This Dark Endeavor by Kenneth Oppel and Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris to get to.  I brought these books with me out to California and would love to finish them before I go home.  
What books are you reading?  Please leave a comment below.  
Have a fabulous reading week!

Review: Revolver by Marcus Sedgwick

Title: Revolver
Author: Marcus Sedgwick

Publication: September 27, 2011 by Square Fish

Goodreads Summary: 

In an isolated cabin, fourteen-year-old Sig is alone with a corpse: his father, who has fallen through the ice and frozen to death only hours earlier. Then comes a stranger claiming that Sig’s father owes him a share of a horde of stolen gold. Sig’s only protection is a loaded Colt revolver hidden in the cabin’s storeroom. The question is, will Sig use the gun, and why?





My Thoughts: 

      I really liked the tension in this novel. It created a suspenseful story and I really had no idea what would happen. I definitely could connect with Sig and I was sucked into imagining what I would do in his situation. I like the way the narrative wove back and forth between Sig and the story of what happened with his father ten years ago. I also liked the way the author used quotes from that period of history to help ground his story and make it feel more realistic. The other element in this novel that I think is important is the setting. This is a harsh, cold, and lonely place which adds extra conflict because there is no going outside without preparing for it so Sig can’t just run. I thought the author did a fantastic job of describing the cold so that the reader can really imagine it. Although I am not sure that every reader would really feel it the way those of us that experience winters that can sometimes be harsh do. Although winters in Wisconsin are nowhere near as harsh as winters in the arctic circle, I have been outside in subzero temperatures and can thus feel the cold in this excerpt:

“He tugged at the latch, and before he’d even stepped outside the cold had him, grasping him, squeezing his chest and biting his face. The wind clawed at his mouth and nose, but a hundred miles north of the Arctic Circle, Sig had learned the trick of holding his breath inside until he knew which way the wind was attacking. Still it stole up the backs of his legs and over his face, finding a way in to drain him of his heat.”

This is a book that I picked up and read in one sitting. The story is well-written and the mystery kept me intrigued until the very end. I was also fascinated with the short glimpse of life for gold miners in the arctic. I think this book would appeal to fans of adventure books. I highly recommend it for grades 8 and up.

I know I will also be looking for other books by Marcus Sedgwick. Find more info about the author at http://www.marcussedgwick.com/

4 out of 5 stars

Slice of Life: Fourth of July

Ruth and Stacey at Two Writing Teachers
host the Slice of Life every Tuesday.

     I used to love the 4th of July.

     When I was a kid we had this Independence Day parade in my neighborhood.  It was not the kind of parade that they close streets for and make floats for.  It was a cheap, noisy, exuberant celebration of the holiday and our neighbors.  We decorated bikes, tricycles, and wagons, and then the whole group of people proceeded to march through the neighborhood throwing confetti, ringing bells, and singing or yelling.  It was a celebration of where we lived as much as the holiday.  We enjoyed being around the other families in the neighborhood and had a free and fun time.
     After the parade, we often loaded up the car and drove off to my grandparents’ house.  Each year our extended family could depend on two gatherings, one at Christmas and one on July 4th.  My grandparents lived in a nice neighborhood which was walking distance from one of the bigger parks in Madison where they set off fireworks.  Every year my family had excellent seats for the fireworks in the front yard of my grandparents’ house or the balcony.  Kids would be running around and we would pig out on the amazing potluck of treats that had been made for that day.  Some years a group of us kids would walk with a few of the moms to the park, where they had a carnival.  I remember coming back from the carnival with all kinds of junk, which at the time was treasure.  I mean, who wouldn’t want a big pair of clown sunglasses with flag designs?  The best part of these days was just the time spent with family.
     As a child, there is nothing better than a free parade followed by a family picnic.  
   
     Then, in the summer of 1991, when I was 13, this holiday changed forever.  On July 2nd, 1991, my father died.  He was at home when he suffered a second heart attack that his pacemaker just couldn’t stop.  I was the one who called 9-1-1 and watched my mother lose her mind with grief.  He was rushed to the hospital but no one could do anything for him at that point.  That summer, the 4th of July celebrations did not exist for us.  The only thing I remember about the week that this happened is that I went out with some friends to get out of the house for a few hours.  We went to a small firework display in a town nearby and all I wanted to do was go home.  I think this is why I think of my dad whenever I see fireworks.  Independence Day is a lot less fun nowadays.

   Today is the 22nd anniversary of my father’s death.  I cannot believe it has been so long since I last saw him.  This week I will celebrate the 4th of July with my sister, her husband, and their baby.  I am so excited to share this holiday with them.  With a new baby in the family, maybe it is time to start a new tradition.  So on Thursday we will cookout, have some beer, and enjoy our time together.  Perhaps we will even find some fireworks to watch.

Happy 4th of July Everyone!

 

Top Ten Most Intimidating Books

I am joining in on this weekly meme hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. Each week there is a different top ten list topic and a bunch of bloggers weighing in.  Head on over there to see more of the great blogs participating.

This week the Top Ten Tuesday topic really made me think.  I didn’t really think I was intimidated by many books until I started to really consider the books.  Here are my top ten most intimidating books.

Intimidating Classics:

The first book that comes to mind when I think about intimidating books is Ulysses by James Joyce.  I have always been intrigued by this book and have been tempted to try it multiple times.  I keep passing it up, because I am intimidated by the stream of consciousness.  There are so many people who believe this book is very difficult…it can’t be that hard to read, can it?

The second intimidating book is The Wings of the Dove by Henry James.  In theory I should like Henry James’ novels.  I love Jane Austen’s books and many other Romantic British authors.  The style of book that he writes, the comedy of manners, is one of my favorite types of books.  However, I once tried to read The Portrait of a Lady and had to abandon it.  This was the time of my life in which I never abandoned books so this was saying something.

La Caverna by Jose Saramago is a newer classic but it intimidates me because of the complexity of the language.  Saramago was a Portuguese writer and so the translation to Spanish is more likely to be more accurate, which is why I have it in Spanish on my shelf.  I need to have time to focus in order to really get into this one and I just keep passing it up when selecting a new book.

Cien Anos de Soledad (One Hundred Years of Solitude) by Gabriel Garcia Marquez is another book that I should read in Spanish.  I know so many people who enjoy this book.  However, the first time I tried to read it I had to give up after about 100 pages.  I need to try again at some point because I really just don’t see what all those people are raving about so I feel like I must have missed something.

Genre Books That Intimidate: 

These books are all books that I think I could like, but they are intimidating because I am not a huge fan of the genre.  
You could pretty much substitute any Stephen King title here.  I know that my father loved reading his novels and I know that there are a lot of good stories that have been used for movies and television series, but I am scared to read the books.  I never have been a fan of horror stories and his books seem ever so scary.  
The books in the Game of Thrones series are so long and they are fantasy books.  I have not really ever been a fan of fantasy and this genre confuses me some.  I did really like the first season of the television series and would probably like the books, but I am intimidated by the genre conventions that I am not familiar with.  
The Lord of the Rings series is another intimidating series.  I am just not sure I will be able to love the way the fantasy books are written so I don’t pick them up.  

Too Long:

La Mano de Fatima by Idelfonso Falcones is another book in Spanish that I have on my shelf.  I really loved his first book La Catedral del Mar but it took a long time to get through and so will this one.  I read much slower in Spanish and this book is at least 900 pages long with tiny print.  
I am really intrigued by the premise of the book The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett.  However, this book is very long also.  I was lucky enough to find a copy in the clearance section of Half Price Books one day, but since it is paperback, the print is teeny tiny.  

Too Heartbreaking:

Every year I have at least one student who asks me if I have read this book.  Many students and colleagues have read it and found it to be a powerful book.  I just do not want to read about these awful things.  I am a master at avoiding stories that I think will be too sad (and sad movies too).  Some day I will read this one so that I can see what everyone is talking about but it will probably be something I avoid doing for some time to come.  

What books intimidate you?  Please share in the comments below.  

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? 7/1/13

It’s Monday! What are you reading? –From Picture Books to YA–is a weekly meme hosted by Jen and Kellee at Teach Mentor Texts.  Head over to their blog for links to many great blogs and a plethora of good book suggestions.

This week was a busy week for me.  I traveled out to CA last Friday to spend some time with my sister, brother-in-law and baby niece.  My sister had her last week off this week and starts back to work tomorrow.  I have the distinct pleasure of being the first person to provide daycare for my niece.  This week I spent a lot of the time I would usually spend reading just hanging out with my sister.  We spent a lot of our time watching fun reality shows that neither of our husbands like.  Sister bonding at its finest 😉
Did you see that there is a new show called Whodunnit?  I absolutely LOVE mysteries!!!  I can’t wait to see the murder mystery every week and the contestants participating in the crime solving.  It is like a really long murder mystery dinner show!  

Books I Finished This Week:

I got Dead Letter Office by Kira Snyder on NetGalley.  It is a really fun mystery with some supernatural elements.  What is unique about this one is the fact that it has a choose-your-own-adventure component to it.  At a few key moments in the book, the reader decides what the main character should do or who she should trust for advice.  I would be curious to go back and reread to see how the story goes if the other choices are made.  I think this is a fun idea and I really enjoyed this story.  There are going to be more in the series and I definitely will look for them when they come out.  I would recommend this one to middle school students and up.  
Scarlet by Marissa Meyer is phenomenal!  I read Cinder last year on a trip out here for my sister’s graduation from medical school.  I think I was a little distracted because I liked it but didn’t love it as much as many people did.  After reading Scarlet, I am kind of wondering what I was thinking.  I absolutely love the world that exists in these books.  I am very intrigued and I have a hard time imagining how things will work out in the end.  I love it when authors can make things so mysterious and suspenseful for me.  I love all of the characters and cannot wait until February 4th, 2014 when Cress comes out.  This is just such a creative premise…fairy tale characters in a very science fiction world…WOW!  

Books I am Currently Reading:

This is a long list because I seem to be very indecisive lately. I did not get a chance to listen to my audiobook of Through The Ever Night last week, so I am still working on getting through that one.  I am reading On Writing by Stephen King as part of my goals for Teachers Write.  I also got about halfway through Quiet by Susan Cain and will finish that this week.  The last book I am currently reading is Rump: The True Story of Rumplestiltskin by Liesl Shurtliff.  I felt that I needed a quick and light read so I could get through it quickly.  

What’s Next?

I have a pile of books I brought with me to get through.  I will probably pick up the fourth Pretty Little Liars book because I know it will go fast.  I also found Sorta Like a Rock Star by Matthew Quick at the library and am excited to read that one.  If I finish On Writing, I will start Everyday Editing by Jeff Anderson.  I read his newest book last summer and got to hear him speak in February so I look forward to reading about some practical strategies that I can incorporate into Writing Workshop.  
What are you reading?  Have a great reading week!

Unleashing Readers Blog Hop

I am so excited to be taking part in this blog hop today to support the launch of Unleashing Readers, a blog by Kellee Moye and Ricki Ginsberg.   Go check it out! It is going to be a wonderful resource for teachers.  On their blog, Kellee and Ricki will be sharing reviews of books and letting us know how they envision using the book.  This is a wonderful idea and I cannot wait to see all the great reviews they will do.

Part of the work on their blog will be to recommend books for different parts of the reading workshop.  They have defined four categories on their blog: read alouds, literature circle/book club books, close read/analysis books, and classroom library books.  To find out more about the different classifications go to this post on Unleashing Readers.

I was asked to share my favorite book in each of the categories listed here.  However, it is impossible for me to narrow my selections down to one choice so I have a few picks in each category.

 

Favorite read aloud title:

Nightjohn by Gary Paulsen is a short book that I like to use toward the beginning of the school year.  It is quite graphic but it lends itself to deep discussions about the way slaves were treated and the value of education.  I have read this one with multiple middle school classes and they have all been riveted by the story.  I like that it is nice and short also so we can get through it quickly.  
Wonder by RJ Palacio is a new favorite.  It is one that helps students learn about empathy and to think about the way they treat other people.  I like the way this book is written from different points of view throughout the book and it gives me a chance to talk about perspectives and voice.  

Favorite Close Read/Analysis book:

The Giver by Lois Lowry is an amazing book.  There are so many literary elements that could be discussed with this one.  There are also many themes and moral issues that can be discussed.  
In reading American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang, we talk about stereotypes and culture.  I combine the reading with a unit about graphic novels and we learn about the elements that comic makers use to write their books.  This book brings in Chinese folk tale elements as well and it is a chance to talk about traditional literature in different cultures.  
The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton is a book that has many elements which are ripe for discussion.  There are many spots throughout this novel that students can stop to notice changes taking place.  It is also a good book for comparing to the movie.

Favorite Literature Circle/Book Club book:

Tangerine is full of discussion points.  Students can relate to the main character and his moral dilemmas.
Tuck Everlasting brings up many interesting discussions. The idea of immortality is intriguing to many people.  The question of whether you would drink from that spring of water if you knew it gave you immortality is one that sparks a lot of debate.  However, it is better for literature groups because I have come across students who could not read this one for religious reasons.  
All books by Pamela Munoz Ryan are amazing books for discussion, but this one was particularly powerful.  There are a few instances in which the inferences a reader makes are crucial.  It was a great book for teaching this comprehension strategy to support a small group that was struggling with this concept.  
Cole is such a dynamic character and students really get into the story.  This is a great book for discussion because the character is so full of rage and students can really picture this kid.  It also is a great book for talking about how the character changes.

Favorite Book for the Classroom Library:

Inkheart is a favorite of mine.  I love the way that there is a love of books woven through this amazing story.  Every student should read this one, but it is long and intimidating for some.  

A Monster Calls is a wonderful book.  The story is heartbreaking and beautiful.  The artwork in this book is amazing as well.  
Students absolutely love this one.  I shared many of the dystopian series with my students this year, but this one was the favorite.  I think the length of the book makes it seem more manageable to my students.  This is one that all middle school classroom libraries should include.

Favorite Book Overall:

I have such a hard time with this question every time I am asked.  I don’t have one favorite book, I have multiple favorites!  I will narrow down the list to three books…just know that this kills me because there are so many others.  
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen.  Really I love all of Austen’s work. 
I was so impressed with the style of this book as well as with the story.  This is truly a literary  masterpiece and I absolutely love the book.  
Anne of Green Gables is a book that I devoured over and over again as a child/teen.  I shared the book with my grandmother and we also watched the PBS movies together multiple times.

What are your favorites?  Please share in the comments below.  

Top Ten Books I’ve Read so Far in 2013

I am joining in on this weekly meme hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. Each week there is a different top ten list topic.

This week’s top ten was difficult to narrow down. I have read some pretty spectacular books this year!  These books are all books that I would highly recommend.  

This is a beautiful story about courage and friendship during World War II.  I enjoyed how the author played with style.  It is a must-read for another perspective about this important time in history.

This book won a lot of awards in 2012.  They are all well-deserved.  I loved this story of friendship, but what I really loved was the family relationships that were sometimes messy but always full of love.

This one absolutely deserved the Printz award that it won.  It is dark and haunting and violent and quite graphic at times, but it is an amazing story.  The writing is lyrical and the story is intriguing.  I enjoyed learning more about Haiti through this book.

This one is just so intriguing.  It is part mystery, part science fiction, and completely compelling.  I read this in one sitting and can’t wait to read the next one.

This book was surprising in that the author came up with a whole new idea of dragons.  I love the world in this book and really loved Seraphina as a character.  I cannot imagine keeping such a big secret and it was interesting to see how things changed throughout the book.

The story in this book is such an important story for people to learn about.  The problem of homelessness in our nation and for young people is horrible and this book deals with a sensitive issue well.  The mystery in the book is suspenseful and the language is beautiful.  I loved the way that the book was a celebration of books and language…especially Langston Hughes’ work.

This book really made me think.  It is disturbing to imagine a world in which abortion is outlawed, but people can choose to “unwind” their teenage children.  The story is very interesting and was another one that I had a hard time putting down.

Assassins and intrigue abound in this book.  I am really excited to read the second book in this series.

This was such a great love story and just a fun travel story.  It really kept me wondering what was going to happen and I am interested to find out what will happen in the next book.

I read this book on netgalley before it came out.  It has since been released and I highly recommend it.  I loved how it gave me a glimpse of the world of martial arts, but it was most intriguing in the story of the psychological effects of surviving a traumatic experience.

Slice of Life–The Best Laid Plans

Ruth and Stacey at Two Writing Teachers
host the Slice of Life every Tuesday.

Lately I have really been reflecting about the way life turns out.  It seems to me that life plans can come and go and they never seem to work out exactly as one had wanted.  My big life plan was to fall in love and get married young so that I could be married a few years before having kids, but still have at least one child before turning 30.  I made this plan in high school (never mind that I did not even have a boyfriend until the summer after I graduated).

My life plan started out well.  I met my husband while studying abroad in Sevilla, Spain and brought him home with me.  I was 22 on my wedding day.  Then came the next part in the plan.  My husband was not so sure he wanted kids at first, but I worked on it  and he came around to the idea.  It took us about six or seven years of being married to get through all the speed bumps in the road.  It is another story for a different post, but lets just say that it took a LOT of work for my husband to feel at home in this country and for the two of us to feel like our marriage was centered and strong.

After this amount of time, I was ready to try for kids.  After all, we had the strong relationship and had had multiple years to enjoy our time together before changing everything.  Now was the time…and I could still have a baby before turning 30 if we hurried it up.  So, we starting trying.  And trying.  And trying.  After four years of trying to get pregnant, we finally decided to investigate what was going on.  I am pretty sure that we waited so long because we didn’t want to hear what we knew we would probably hear.  So two summers ago we obediently went through test after test and found out that the chances were awful for us to conceive.  I won’t go into details, but we had some tough decisions to make and we are still trying to figure out our path.  It was devastating for me, and still is, to think that I may end up having to settle for being childless.  This was not my plan.

Another thing that was not in the plan?  Being an auntie before being a mother.  My stepbrother and his wife had a baby boy a little over two years ago.  I love getting to spend time with my nephew.  He is such a ham and we enjoy family dinners together.  Now that he is talking more, his personality is really shining through.

Showing off his artwork on the phone.
My nephew and my husband.

And now, as of May 1st, I am an auntie again. This time it has been more special for me because it was my sister who was pregnant.  I spent a lot of sleepless nights worrying about her since she was very sick throughout her pregnancy.  But now she is healthy and we have a new baby girl in the family.  I came out to California to visit and to help out when my sister goes back to work next week.

Me, the baby, and my sister.

 Looking at these amazing kids, I am so blessed to be an aunt.  I will shower these two children with love and loud toys that annoy their parents.  And I will hope that their parents have a chance to get back at my husband and me in the future.  But for now, no more plans.  Summertime is perfect for lazy days with no plan and fun hanging out with a baby.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? 6/24

It’s Monday! What are you reading? –From Picture Books to YA–is a weekly meme hosted by Jen and Kellee at Teach Mentor Texts.  Head over to their blog for links to many great blogs and a plethora of good book suggestions.

It was so nice to really be able to read every day this week.  I traveled from Milwaukee to LA on Friday and had a ridiculous flight combination due to using points for my ticket.  Therefore, I had hours upon hours to read (and make up for the loss of sleep from a really early morning flight).  Yeah for summer #bookaday!  I am actually right on track with 10 books read and 10 days off so far.

Books I Finished This Week:

Darth Paper Strikes Back by Tom Angleberger is a funny and enjoyable book.  I like how the book continues in the same style as the first book.  I think that all of the situations that are represented in these books are very relatable for middle school students.  This series is not just for fans of Star Wars.  I would recommend this book to grades 4 and up.  
This is another funny book that middle school students will find to be realistic.  I really love the way these stories really show a quirky set of middle schoolers and their various problems.  I highly recommend the whole Origami Yoda series and will continue to encourage my students to read these books.  
At the library, earlier this week, I happened to come across this book. One of Those Hideous Books Where The Mom Dies by Sonya Sones is a great book. I knew it would be a quick read since it is a novel in verse.  I really enjoyed this story.  The author manages to take quite a serious story and make it feel light-hearted and uplifting.  I liked the way she gave a few surprise twists in the story.  I will be looking for this one to buy for my class library.  
I finished Notice and Note so that I would be able to participate in the last chat, but then I was unable to get to the chat.  I had some last minute things to do to prepare for my travels.  I love this book and will be including the teaching of signposts in my plans while working on redesigning my reading units this summer.  I will be very interested to see the book about nonfiction text as well.  This just makes so much sense and I am excited to apply my learning in the fall.  
Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn is a very dark psychological thriller, just as Gone Girl was.  I am not sure I really like her books because they are so dark.  The characters are kind of despicable and the world in her novels are so disturbing.  However, she is really good at crafting a clever mystery and surprising twists. I read this one because Flynn is one of the authors that will be at the literary seminar I will attend in January.  More about that in another post, but I will most likely read her other book sometime in the months before then.  
I don’t even know what to say about Code Name Verity.  It is such a beautiful and haunting story.  I love the way the author chose to tell this story.  It takes a little extra concentration at first to follow the stream of consciousness type writing, but then the story takes over.  I didn’t see many of the twists and turns coming and I love it when authors can surprise me like that.  This is a heartbreaking story about courage and friendship in an awful time.  I highly recommend this one to grades 8 and up (there are some graphic scenes).

Books I am currently reading:

I am still listening to Through the Ever Night and will probably finish it this week.  I have started a number of other books because of traveling and being here with my sister and the baby.  I only got about 10 pages into On Writing and I will want to get more of that read this week as we start Teachers Write.  I also read the first chapter of Quiet and already am having some a-ha moments.  I am reading The Dead Letter Office from netgalley and am enjoying the mystery.  I also started Scarlet and The Cutting Season.  I was feeling quite indecisive as you can see.  

What’s Next:

Since I just started most of the books I am currently reading, I have not given any thought to what comes next.  I do have some digital library loans so I suppose those will be first and then I will see what I feel like reading.  
What are you reading?  Happy reading!