It's Monday! What Are You Reading? November 25

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? From Picture Books to YA! 

It's Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journeys. 

Kellee Moye, of Unleashing Readers, and Jen of Teach Mentor Texts decided to give It's Monday! What Are You Reading? a kidlit focus. 

What I've finished since my last post:

MG/YA:

Eye of the Storm by Kate Messner

I have been a fan of Kate's since her first book, The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z. Unfortunately I've fallen a little behind in reading her books, lately, but I'll get caught up! I love Kate's writing. Her characters are real, her story lines are fun, and I can always confidently recommend her books to anyone! 

Adult:

Along the Way: The Journey of a Father and Son by Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez

I've been working on this one for a while, and gushing about it when ever I have the chance. Even if you are not as huge a fan of Martin Sheen as I am, this is such a beautiful book. The story of their respective journeys in the entertainment industry is fascinating, but their reflections on their choices and their relationship as fathers and sons are amazing. I highly recommend the audio- Martin and Emilio narrate.

What I'm currently reading:
I have several books in process right now and some I may end up abandoning until a future date when I can pick them up again. This is completely due to the constraints on my time and the limits on number of renews at the library and absolutely nothing to do with the books themselves.

YA:

The Reason I Jump by Naoki Higashida

Adult:

Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger's by John Elder Robison

And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini

I started with the print book and have switched to the audio because of library due dates. I love the audio because it is read by the author. 

Professional:

Pathways to the Common Core by Lucy Calkins, Mary Ehrenworth, Christopher Lehman

Reading in the Wild by Donalyn Miller

Teach Like a Pirate by Dave Burgess

Curriculum Re-reads:

Farewell to Manzanar by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston & James D. Houston

My juniors will start this book this week. We just finished Arthur Miller's The Crucible and will tie that and Farewell to Manzanar together with a discussion of the American Dream.

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

I will start this with my freshmen and sophomores after the Thanksgiving break. We are just now wrapping up Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet, which we have be reading through the lens of relationships. Among other themes in A Tale of Two Cities, we will be looking at our responsibility to our fellow man. 

Natalee Stotz is Head of High School at Windham Christian Academy in Windham, Maine. There she teaches English for grades 9-12 as well as Civics. She also advises the preK-12 school on curriculum, professional development, and literacy. Her passion is for connecting readers with books, and her goal is to create life-long readers. You can follow her on Twitter, @nataleestotz, or read her blog at nataleestotz.blogspot.com

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? November 11, 2013

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? From Picture Books to YA! 

It's Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journeys. 

Kellee Moye, of Unleashing Readers, and Jen of Teach Mentor Texts decided to give It's Monday! What Are You Reading? a kidlit focus. 

My reading time continues to be limited, but I try to carve out a few minutes here and there to read. One of the benefits of doing in class independent reading with my students is that I get to read. 

My Recent Reads:

Young Adult

One Came Home by Amy Timberlake

I really enjoyed this book set in 1871 Wisconsin. The main character, thirteen-year-old, Georgie, is a delightful, if at times frustrating, narrator. Georgie is a strong main female character, and reminds me very much of Mattie from True Grit.

Adult

The Silver Star by Jeannette Walls

Jeannette Walls is a talented writer and the story just seems to slip by you. I read The Glass Castle this summer and recognized much of Jeannette's own story in the story of Bean and Liz. At first I was concerned that it was going to be a recap of The Glass Castle, but it wasn't long before I was drawn into Bean's world and the unique characters.

My Current Reads:

Adult

And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini

The Kite Runner is one of my favorite novels, and I was eager to read this new novel. I'm just a little way into it and am captivated by the characters and the story telling. 

Along the Way: The Journey of a Father and Son by Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez with Hope Edelman

I've been listening to the audio of this book, which I absolutely love. I purchased the print copy for my husband. When it arrived Friday, I said, "Merry Christmas, Honey!" then took it back to read where I had left off with the audio. I love the comfortable way that Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez narrate the book and the lessons that they share from their life together. This is a beautiful book about the relationship between father and son.

Current Read Alouds with my classes:

9th grade

The Giver by Lois Lowry

No explanation needed here!

10th grade

Things Not Seen by Andrew Clements

Most people know Andrew Clements' middle grade books but his Things Trilogy is rather over-looked in my opinion. When I gave my 10th graders several books to choose from for our read aloud, this was their choice. 

11th & 12th grades

Variant by Robison Wells

Both my 11th and 12th grade classes were intrigued by the idea of being trapped in a private school that turns out to be completely different from what you thought it was going to be. We have had many discussions about what they think is really going on and why, and there have been many days when they wouldn't let me stop with just one chapter. I don't normally read sequels to my class, but I may make an exception with this series and read Feedback to them once we finish. I have already been told by several students that I have to read them the second one. 

Natalee Stotz is Head of High School at Windham Christian Academy in Windham, Maine. There she teaches English for grades 9-12 as well as Civics. She also advises the preK-12 school on curriculum, professional development, and literacy. Her passion is for connecting readers with books, and her goal is to create life-long readers. You can follow her on Twitter, @nataleestotz, or read her blog at nataleestotz.blogspot.com

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? October 28, 2013

Please visit the amazing blogs: Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers who host this terrific meme each week.

Please click on the picture to go to the book's page on Goodreads to learn more about it.

Picture Books

Spork

by Kyo Maclear

Illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault

Adorable little Spork is searching for his place in the world.  He's not a fork, nor a spoon and the other utensils shun him.  Until one day a messy "thing" arrives. 

I read this to my 4th graders and they loved it.  They especially liked guessing what the messy thing was and rooting for Spork to find self-acceptance. 

Not A Box 

by Antoinette Portis

Oh the wonders and possibilities of a simple, empty cardboard box.  In this book the rabbit uses the box as a spaceship, robot and a car just to name a few. 

Good for ages 4-8. 

Bob and Otto

by Robert O. Bruel

Illustrated by Nick Bruel

I was delighted to find this book at my library.  I love Nick Bruel's illustrations and after looking into it more, I discovered that Nick Bruel found this story his father had written after his father passed away. He made some minor changes and did the illustrations. 

This is a story of friendship.  Bob and Otto are great friends and enjoy spending their days together on the ground.  

You can read the book online at the site below.

http://us.macmillan.com/bobandotto/NickBruel

Good for grades K-3

Nonfiction Picture Book

 Harlem's Little Blackbird

by Renee Watson

Illustrated by Christian Robinson

This picture book biography is about Florence Mills, a singer/dancer from Harlem in the 1920's. She was lesser known than some more famous African-American performers of the time, but just as influential.  Strangely enough, there are no known audio or video recordings of her voice on record, so her story has been passed down by generations of story tellers. 

Good for grades 3-5.

Poetry

A Stick is an Excellent Thing

by Marilyn Singer

Illustrated by LeUyen Pham

This is a really fun book of short poetry to celebrate outdoor play.  It made me want to roll in some leaves and jump off a swing.  Good for grades 2-4.

Middle Grade

Fortunately, the Milk

by Neil Gaiman

Illustrated by Skottie Young

Although this book was not a favorite for me, many kids will enjoy it for it's over-the-top silliness. A father gets delayed bringing milk home for his two daughters.  The tale he tells about why he is late is the basis for the book. Traveling through time, being captured by pirates and rescued by a stegosaurus in a hot air balloon are just a few events from his tall tale.  The fun, messy illustrations are the best part of this book. 

Good for grades 3-4.

Currently Reading

Frog Burgers 

by Lee Mandel

The Graveyard Book 

by Neil Gaiman

Currently Listening

Waiting for Normal

by Leslie Connor

What Are You Reading Friends?

Gigi McAllister teaches at Great Falls Elementary. In her 21 years as an educator, she has taught K-6 special education for 10 years, spent one year at grade 5 and is currently in her 10th year of teaching 4th grade. She is serves on the executive board of the MRA and on the planning committee for nErDcamp Northern New England (have you signed up yet?) You can visit her blog (The Late Bloomer's Book Blog) where she posts about books, reading and classroom practices here. You can also find her on Twitter and on her professional Facebook page. 

It's Monday, What Are You Reading?- September, 30 21013

Please visit the amazing blogs: Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers who host this terrific meme each week.

Please click on a picture to go to the book's page on Goodreads where you can learn more about it.

With the craziness of the first weeks of school and my amazing time at NERA last weekend, I did not have time to post last week.  So, here are some of the books I have read lately.

Picture Books

Crankee Doodle
by Tom Angleberger

Crankee Doodle is hands down the funniest picture book I have read in a while.  I was actually laughing out loud.  Yankee Doodle is bored and cranky and wants something to do.  His trusty horse recommends that he "go to town". Well, "Crankee" doesn't want to go to town and he gives many funny reasons for not wanting to do so.  Then his horse suggests that maybe he could get a feather for his hat and it just keeps going from there. My 11 year-old daughter, Molly, also  loved this book. 

Have You Filled a Bucket Today?

by Carol McCloud

Every child need to hear this book.  The author writes about how everyone has an invisible "bucket" inside them.  When the bucket is filled up with positive thoughts and kindness a person feels happy.  When their bucket is empty or others dip into their bucket, they feel sad. I love this metaphor and I think kids will really understand what kindness does inside a person after reading it.  A MUST read!

Hello, My Name is Ruby

by Phillip C. Stead

Sweet, little Ruby is in search of friendship and her place in the world.  She is fearless and asks the other birds lots of questions including "Would you like to be my friend?"  This book would be a great addition to any collection about friendship, empathy or courage.  It also got the Molly 2 thumbs up.  She really felt for Ruby who faced rejection several times, but did not give up. 

Hank Finds an Egg

by Rebecca Dudley

This wordless book is too adorable not to share with children.  Hank finds an egg that has fallen from its nest. Hank shows great ingenuity and determination as he tries to put the egg back where it belongs.  The story is simple and lovely.  On the jacket I read that the author creates everything on each page by hand, right down to each tiny leaf.  This book got the seal of approval from Molly with a big "Awww that's so cute!"

Middle Grade

The Boy on the Porch

by Sharon Creech

My friend Justin Stygles, book talked this book at our MRA open house last week so I decided to pick it up. I am glad I did.  It is a very quick read because of its number of pages and because it is really interesting.  A sleeping boy is left on the porch of a childless couple, John and Marta.  The boy seems to be about 6 years old and is unable to speak.  The boy produces a note that asks the couple to take care of "Jacob" and they will return for him.  Goodhearted John and Marta take the boy in, but they do not report finding him to the authorities. There is a great undercurrent of suspense as the couple grows to love the boy and foster his unique musical and artistic talents.  Will his parents return for him? Should they tell the authorities?  Who do you root for?  I think this book would make a great book for late 4th through 6th grade.  It would certainly spark many important discussions. 

Currently Reading

Reading in the Wild

by Donalyn Miller

I was lucky to win an advanced reader's copy of The Book Whisperer's newest gem at the NERA conference last weekend and, so far, it is a fantastic as you would expect. 

Please read more about my NERA experience and how I met Donalyn Miller and Penny Kittle here. 

Gigi McAllister teaches at Great Falls Elementary. In her 21 years as an educator, she has taught K-6 special education for 10 years, spent one year at grade 5 and is currently in her 10th year of teaching 4th grade. She is serves on the executive board of the MRA and on the planning committee for nErDcamp Northern New England (have you signed up yet?) You can visit her blog (The Late Bloomer's Book Blog) where she posts about books, reading and classroom practices here. You can also find her on Twitter and on her professional Facebook page. 

It's Monday! What Are YOU Reading?

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey.

Be sure to also visit Jen at  Teach.Mentor.Text  and Kellee at  Unleashing Readers for blogs participating in the Picture Book to YA addition of It's Monday! What Are You Reading!

September appeared on the calendar much too quickly for my taste this year! With the beginning of a new school year comes lots of "firsts". The first day, the first read aloud, the first fire drill, the first...well, you get the idea! I do enjoy the fresh start September brings but unfortunately, that fresh start often sidetracks my reading time.  This year I'm making a conscious effort to maintain some sense of balance by making sure I carve out time for my own reading every single day. So far, so good! Here's a small peek of what my reading life has included, which are great considerations for middle grade teachers and readers.

 

The Blessing Cup 

Written & illustrated by Patricia Polacco 

Recommended: Grades 4 and up

This companion (actually it would be considered a prequel) to The Keeping Quilt is another moving tribute to Polacco's heritage. Anna is a young Russian Jewish girl growing up during a time of great uncertainty and turmoil, which she really doesn't understand. When her family is forced to leave their home and most of their possessions behind, the family tea set, a wedding gift to Anna's parents, is one of the very few things they are able to save. The tea set came with a wish that "anyone who drinks from this will have blessings from God. They will never know a day of hunger. Their lives will always have flavor. They will know love and joy and will never be poor". The tea set...and later just one cup, the blessing cup, become a symbol of love and family for generations to come.  This moving story of strength, courage, family, and perseverance is one that will invite rich discussions and many re-reads of yet another beautiful piece of writing from Patricia Polacco. 

You can visit Patricia Polacco's website here. 

Etched in Clay: The Life of Dave, Enslaved Potter and Poet

by Andrea Chang

I discovered this beautifully written novel in verse through my friend, Natalie Dias Lorenzi's blog, BiblioLinks. I'm so glad she shared this book and that I sought it out! This historical fiction novel tells what might have been Dave's story. I say *might* because so little is really known about him. But that's what makes it fiction after all! Told from various points of view, Andrea Chang has thoughtfully put together a story with well crafted word choice that creates an authentic tone for the uncertainty of that time period. Geared toward middle grade and young adult readers, the story is especially accessible to those striving readers in our classrooms. As many others have suggested, pairing this novel with Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave by Laban Carrick Hill, brings two formats, the novel in verse and the picture book, together in a powerful way. And just as an aside, because I adore her book SO much, if you haven't read Flying the Dragon by Natalie, please add it to your must read list! It was one of my top five 2012 titles last year!

You can visit Andrea Chang's website here.

You can visit Natalie Dias Lorenzi's website here.

The Joy of Planning: Designing Minilesson Cycles in Grades 3-6

by Franki Sibberson

This little book packs a lot of fantastic thinking between it's covers as Franki makes her planning process visible for all of us. She reinforces that importance of not only knowing our curriculum and the learning  standards we are being held accountable for, but more importantly, knowing our students as readers and writers. We can not loose sight of the fact that our lessons should be designed to be taught by us, the teachers, not by a corporation. We must remember that our job is to teach the reader, not the book! She includes ideas for exploring characters, learning about themes, and navigating non-fiction. Each chapter includes possible anchor charts, how you *might* teach it, questions you might ask, and possible follow-up. Written in a very reader friendly tone, it often felt as I was reading like Frank was sitting with me, having a conversation with me. I really appreciated her stance on this book, that it wasn't written to become another set of lessons, but rather an impetus to deeper, more thoughtful thinking about our planning. 

You can visit Franki's blog (co-written with Mary Lee Hahn) here.

So there you have it...a small peek into my reading life for this week! MRA members/readers would love to know what you’ve been reading! Leave us a comment and share your “must” read titles! 

Susan Dee has taught pre-k through 5th grade. In addition to working with young readers, she also teaches graduate courses for the University of Southern Maine’s Language, Literacy, and Culture Department.  She presents workshops on a variety of topics related to literacy learning for districts, as well as at state, regional, and national conferences.  Susan is co-founder and co-host of #MELit, Maine’s monthly Literacy Twitter Chat, Chairperson of #nErDcampNNE  and currently serves on the Executive Board of the Maine Reading Association. You can follow her on Twitter: @literacydocent.