It's Monday! What are you reading? 12/2/13

During my Thanksgiving vacation, I had some time to read, write, and think. It was really good to have a day open with stacks of books ready for me. I had some trouble deciding what to read at first because I had so many choices, but I think I reached for what I needed. Sometimes I think the books find us as readers, don't you?

I read several books, but the books I want to share with you are:

ELECTRIC BEN by Robert Byrd
DIAL (PENGUIN) 2013

This is a picture book about Benjamin Franklin that is filled with information presented in a very lively way. If you haven't read some good children's nonfiction lately, take a look at this one and you'll get a taste of the great stuff that's being published today.

SERAFINA'S PROMISE by Ann E. Burg
SCHOLASTIC 2013

This is a beautifully written novel in verse. I was captivated by it completely. It reminded me of INSIDE OUT AND BACK AGAIN and HOME OF THE BRAVE. I highly recommend it, and it will stay with me forever. In fact, I know it deserves a reread.

ONE CRAZY SUMMER by Rita Williams-Garcia
HARPER COLLINS 2010

I should have read this one a long time ago. I guess you could call it one of my "book gaps". It's historical fiction set in the late 60s, and when you read it, you'll understand why it has four stickers on the cover. I loved the sisters and especially Delphine (main character)--who told us her story so well.

I connected with each character in these books in different ways. As a reader, I found something in each that I could take with me or make me better. Each also left me in awe of the talent of authors today. I am grateful to them for working so hard to bring great stories to us.

As readers, we find what we need in books. That's why we keep reaching for them.

What are you reading this week?

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? 5/13/13

It's Monday, and it's time to look back at the reading I've done for the week. I join other teachers & librarians in this meme,  and it's hosted by my friends Jen and Kellee over at Teach Mentor Texts . 

I have a break between semesters, so I'm catching up on reading time. I am also trying to read as many of the nominees from the Texas Bluebonnet Award Master List for 2013-2014. I only need a few more.

What I read this week:

TOUCH BLUE by Cynthia Lord (See previous post for a review).
Published: 8/1/10
Published by: Scholastic Press

ABE LINCOLN CROSSES A CREEK: A TALL THINK TALE by Deborah Hopkinson; illustrated by John Hendrix
Published: 9/9/08
Published by: Schwartz and Wade

ZEBRA FOREST BY Adina Rishe Gewirtz
Published: 4/9/13
Published by: Candlewick Press

GUM GIRL! Book 1: Chews Your Destiny by Rhode Montijo  (ARC)
Publication date: 7/9/13
Published by: Hyperion Books

TUA AND THE ELEPHANT  by R.P. Harris
Published 4/8/12
Published by: Chronicle Books

What I'm reading this week:

• HERO'S GUIDE TO STORMING THE CASTLE (MG) by Christopher Healy
• ELEANOR AND PARK by Rainbow Rowell (YA)

What are YOU reading?

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? 5/6/13

On Mondays I join a meme called "It's Monday! What Are You Reading?" It's hosted by my friends Jen and Kellee over at Teach Mentor Texts and on Mondays it's a gathering place for teacher/librarian bloggers to share their reading for the week. You can also find these posts on Twitter via the #IMWAYR hashtag.

My classes for the semester ended this week, and even though school is super busy, I found some reading time at night. So I was able to finish some books this week:


I read:

I reviewed this one here. A very compelling read!

I love the Lunch Lady series and so do my students. My school book club celebrated School Lunch SuperHero Day on Friday. It was so fun!

Read my review in yesterday's post here.

I loved this one! I'll review it tomorrow!

This one is written by Cynthia Lord. She won a Newbery Honor Award for Rules in 2007.  This is a great book and it was also a gift from one of my very special friends in Maine (where this book is set).

This week I'm reading:

• THE HERO'S GUIDE TO STORMING THE CASTLE by Christopher Healy
• TUA AND THE ELEPHANT by R.P. Harris
• THE WIG IN THE WINDOW by Kristen Kittscher  

I must finish the Bluebonnets as soon as I can! Next year promises to be a very special school year, and this Bluebonnet list will be part of that! ;-)

What are YOU reading this week?

 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? 4/15/13

It's Monday! This day gets here before we know it! I usually join Jen and Kellee at Teach Mentor Texts on Mondays because my fellow teacher and librarian friends are all over there! They love to read like I do, and I always get the best titles from them.

This week:
I have two big projects due for library school at the end of the month, so I'm working diligently to complete them! I am consumed with learning and making my work better. This translates to learning for my students because I'm reading a lot of nonfiction and using strategies that I practice with myself and then teach my class. Interestingly, I'm learning about my own learning preferences,  and how important it is that I help my students do the same. I've discovered I need lots of space to work, that I like to change work areas, that white noise helps (thanks to my Infinite Storm app), and that I need frequent breaks. Do you know how YOU learn best?

My reading:

(Forgive my light reading this week! If I added my chapters and articles, it would look much different!)

What I read this week:

FOLLOW FOLLOW by Marilyn Singer and illustrated by Josee Massee
Published by: Dial
Published: 2/7/13
Pages: 32

Have you read (or heard of) MIRROR MIRROR by Marilyn Singer? This is the second book of reverso poems by this talented writer! MIRROR MIRROR was a Texas Bluebonnet Book Award nominee for 2011-2012. It's very popular with students because reading reverse poems is generally a very fun thing to do! This book is even more wonderful than the first. I first heard about it at the Penguin Book Buzz at ALA Midwinter and I was so excited about it. I still am. It's a perfect addition to my poetry month selections. The illustrations are split down the middle, and so are the poems, and seeing the two different sides is a feast for your eyes. My students read these aloud in pairs, and it was truly music to my ears. Each poem is based on a fairy tale, and Marilyn Singer includes a page at the end to tell about each one. (This became another great source for my students.) I especially loved "No Bigger Than Your Thumb" based on Thumbelina. One of my students summarized this fairy tale for me just because she wanted to, and because this book brought about that moment, I will truly never forget it! Add this one to your poetry collection as soon as you can!

TEA REX by Molly Idle
Published: 4/9/13
Published by: Viking Juvenile
Pages: 40

If you know Molly Idle's work, you know she's already written one of my favorite picture books of 2013: FLORA AND THE FLAMINGO. (Get this book as soon as possible: it's a treasure!)

Now, she's given us another treat with TEA REX. This is a delightful  picture book, and it brought me so much happiness! Have you ever hosted a party and had an expected guest? This book gives you advice for how to handle that situation. What is especially wonderful about this book is that the illustrations tell one part of the story while the text tells another. Visually, the page holds surprises for the attentive eye with the size and placement of both the text and the images.  The soft & sweet color palette reminded me of favorite confections, and I was very much inspired to have a tea party afterwards. I highly recommend TEA REX to you, and I will keep on looking for any book by Molly Idle.

Thanks to Penguin Kids for the book!

THE WATER CASTLE by Megan Frazer Blakemore

Published by: Walker & Company

Published: 1/8/13

Pages: 352

My chapter book for the week is now one of my new favorites.  This title has the look and feel of a classic reminding me of THE SECRET GARDEN (though the stories are different). THE WATER CASTLE came highly recommended to me at ALA Midwinter, and as soon as I started reading it, I could see why.

It's a mystery and at the same time, a family story. Ephraim's father has had a stroke, and his family has moved to Water Castle in Crystal Springs, Maine so that he can get treatment & care. Ephraim wants his dad to be better, and as he struggles to find help for him, he also takes a look at himself and how he fits in with his siblings. But the mystery comes from the setting. Why are the people of Crystal Springs so good at everything they do? Is the water in the castle magical? Two other kids join him in his search for a solution to the water mystery. A weaving of historical references and family legends enrich the plot in a charming way that keep the reader turning the pages. In fact, readers just might disappear in the Water Castle because they're so engaged in the story. I know I did.

This week I hope to read:

THE HERO'S GUIDE TO STORMING THE CASTLE by Christopher Healy

(The first book -- THE HERO'S GUIDE TO SAVING THE KINGDOM--is our current class read-aloud. So funny!) 

ONE CAME HOME by Amy Timberlake (It came highly

What are you reading this week?





It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

On Mondays I join Jen and Kelle over at Teach Mentor Texts in a meme called "It's Monday! What Are You Reading?".  I love connecting with other teacher/readers in this way! Stop by their blog to see more titles!

What I Read This Week:
Well, taking two library school courses this semester and teaching 4th grade has certainly kept me busy! I want to do so many things, and I rarely am ever doing nothing! With all that I have to do, I am determined to continue my reading--no matter what! Sometimes this involves me staying up late, but the books are always worth it.

So, with that said, I have to count it a victory that I could read 2 books this week.
Perhaps you will forgive me of this. Yes, I used to read more. But I had free nights every night. That is a memory!

But even though my free time is reduced  limited gone, my desire to read is even greater. So, after midnight, I read. In the a.m.'s before the first bell, I read. And sometimes at lunch, I sneak off to my school library and read.

It will all be worth it in the end. I'm enjoying my courses SO MUCH because I'm learning things I'm interested in, and I am challenged every day (which is EXACTLY what I want for my students). I am pushing myself to do things I have never done, and it compliments what I do in my classroom so perfectly.


Goal: Become an elementary school teacher-librarian
Path: MLS
Motivation: High
Learning: Continuous


So, here's what I read this week:

EVERY DAY AFTER by Laura Golden
Expected publication date: June 11, 2013
Publisher: Delacorte Press

This middle grade novel won't be released until June 11th, but you need to write down the title now. It's a novel set in the Depression, and the main character is a girl named Lizzie who faces hardships and trials in this difficult time period. It made me weep, and it broke my heart, but in a good makes-your-life better kind of way! I found it to be a very satisfying read. It's absolutely a beautiful story. Put it in your cart YESTERDAY.

STICK DOG by Tom Watson
Published: Jan. 8, 2013
Publisher: HarperCollins

This is a graphic novel narrated by a boy who creates a character named Stick Dog (the animal version of stick people). His art teacher doesn't think it's such great work, but this 4th grade teacher thinks its really funny and great! Stick Dog and his friends really want some juicy hamburgers, and they do some problem-solving to get them. It's a laugh-out loud book that I can't wait to share with my students.

Also, I'm excited about a new book to be released on Tuesday, Feb. 26th: AKA: Tomorrow!

 

 

THE FELLOWSHIP FOR ALIEN DETECTION by Kevin Emerson

Published by: HarperCollins

Publication date: Feb. 26, 2013

Pages: 432

Ages: 8-12

 

I'm super excited about this book! It's an alien mystery adventure! I'm one chapter in and I'm hooked! Reading this one late into the night!

 

What are YOU reading?

 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

It's Monday! I'm joining Jen and Kellee over at Teach Mentor Texts to share what we've been reading this week. I'm happy to take part in this meme!

Last week consisted of two after-school meetings, lots of work for library school, Valentine's Day, and a fabulous author visit (plus some side projects). So my leisure reading was limited.

Last week I read:

I Haiku You by Betsy Snyder

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers

Published: December 26, 2012

Hardcover, 32 pages

 

I loved this poetry collection of sweet haikus! We read these toether as a class on Valentine's Day, and it was the perfect book. It inspired my students to write haikus themselves.

 

 

A Tangle of Knots by Lisa Graff

Publisher: Philomel

Published: February 12, 2013

Hardcover, 288 pages

 

 

This book is a delightful collection of little mysteries that all connect in the end. The story is smoothly written, and the characters are so intriguing. There are people with Talents and there are people who are Fair. This book also includes wonderful cake recipes that match each character. I highly recommend it.

 

 

What I plan to read this week:

 

I will be reading textbook chapters and journal articles, but I will also treat myself to these:

 

Every Day After by Laura Golden

Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys

 

 

What are you reading this week? 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

Although I didn't get to participate last week, I usually join in with Jen and Kellee over at Teach Mentor Texts in their Monday meme called "It's Monday! What Are You Reading?" We join in to talk about our reading of the week and our reading plans.

This week, I read more than I thought I would! I had one late meeting, parent conferences, grad work, and various other deadlines. Somehow,  here and there, I found reading time. It wasn't as much as I'd like, but it was better than other weeks!  

What I read this week:

from goodreads.com

THE FANTASTIC FLYING BOOKS OF MR. MORRIS LESSMORE
by William Joyce

I absolutely adored this book! It's about the love of books in one man's life. Glorious illustrations and a delightful story! I cannot believe I hadn't read this one yet. I really need to get my own copy of this book. I sat in the library after school on Friday and read our school copy. I almost bought it at the book fair, but had to put it down after buying so many!

from goodreads.com

 From the Who Was? series, I read WHO WAS STEVE JOBS? (by Pam Pollack and Meg Belviso). I really love this biography series because they give you a lot of good informational text in a small manageable book. There are insets and diagrams, and my students really enjoy reading these! I picked this up at the Scholastic Book Fair along with several others in the series. I wish I had all of them!

WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE MOON
by Grace Lin

This Newbery Honor book is wonderful in so many ways. I highly recommend it! It's full of beautiful storytelling, and the illustrations (color) are stunning. I read Lin's new book STARRY RIVER OF THE SKY this summer, and then heard about this one. I will reread it. One of my students is reading it now. She and I have had great discussions about it.

What I'm reading now:

PRAIRIE EVERS by Ellen Airgood

I'm really enjoying this book about a 10-year old girl named Prairie. She's moved to a new place, started school after being home-schooled, and she really misses her grandmother. She's also raising chickens! I'm halfway through and finding it to be very delightful! She reminds me of a younger Hattie from Hattie Big Sky!

I really need to step up my reading! I have two months to achieve my Goodreads goal of 600 books (I am 256 books away). It seems a bit impossible to me, but I won't give up. I have until December 31st after all!

What are you reading this week?

It's Monday! What are you reading?

On Mondays, I join Jen and Kellee for a meme called: "It's Monday! What are you reading?" They blog over at Teach Mentor Texts.

My class wrapped up this week, so that meant more reading time---and all guilt-free! I think my summer has finally started!

What I read this week:

Leepike Ridge by N.D. Wilson
Published: 5/22/07
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Pages: 240

This was one interesting adventure! Thomas, an 11-year old boy, finds himself in an awful predicament. His father is dead, his mother copes alone, and he gets embroiled in a mystery involving treasure and evil treasure-hunters. Filled with suspense and just enough scary things to keep you interested, this book is a match for anyone looking for a book with unexpected twists. It wasn't easy for me to find a copy of this book, but I did. If you've read 100 Cupboards by N.D. Wilson, you will also like this book. This one is a bit more realistic, though.

Summer of the Gypsy Moths by Sara Pennypacker
This MG is one very curious book. There's one event that you won't believe (no spoilers here), and then the rest is the story of two girls (Stella and Angel) who need love, a home,  and someone to care for them.  The writing is really wonderful. It has the perfect summer setting (Cape Cod), so it's a timely book.  I read the book hoping the two girls would be okay, and asking myself how this one event could happen without anyone noticing.
Does every event in a book have to be believable? Or is that what makes a book enticing? I think it's a great discussion topic. It's getting Newbery buzz on Goodreads, so I thought I'd read it and see.

How Rocket Learned to Read
by Tad Hills
Rocket Writes a Story by Tad Hills

These wonderful books deserve their own blog post, so keep checking here in the coming weeks.

I also read Secrets from the Sleeping Bag by Rose Cooper. This was the third installment in the Blogtastic! series. These graphic novels are written in the style of Diary of A Wimpy Kid but the main character is a girl named Sofia.

What I'm reading now:
Splendors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz
(ARC from publisher: Candlewick Press)

10 Things Every Writer Needs to Know by Jeff Anderson
This books a great source for writing PD, but I'm reading it in bits. So much to take in here!

As soon as I can get into my building, I'll be blogging about my classroom set-up AND books.
What are you reading this week?