Inside Out & Back Again

Ha's story begins in Vietnam at her family's home. Through short free verse poems she tells of her family's rich traditions and the quiet times she enjoys with them. Yet, despite the peace and happiness Ha describes, the Vietnam War is raging in the background. Families are being torn apart, separated into North and South by the Communists. Ha's father is lost in the separation and the family hopes for his return every day.
As the war begins to move closer and closer to the family home, they must decide whether or not they will stay in Vietnam. They quickly decide to board a boat with the hopes of starting over in another country. After several excruciating days at sea in a crowded boat, the family arrives in America. There they wait for a sponsor family. The sponsor family brings them to Alabama, where the majority of Ha's story takes place. She must learn English, attend a new school, and adapt to the lifestyle that the family now has. Through the support of her family and a few close friends, Ha overcomes the grief of leaving Vietnam and overcomes several obstacles as she adjusts to her new home.
Inside Out & Back Again is based on the real life experiences of the author, Thanhha Lai. It is rich with imagery and provides opportunities to discuss empathy, friendship, and diversity. A book truly worthy of the 2011 National Book Award.

Read More

Yikes! It's been a while!!

It's hard to believe time has flown by so quickly since my last post. January has gone by in a blur. The last few months have been full of fantastic books. I'm just sorry I haven't been able to post about them. Here's a quickie run-down.
My summer teacher award project with our school media specialist was a hit. Together we reviewed over 50 titles and presented detailed "book hook" cards to support teachers as they match their students to books of appropriate levels and content. It felt good knowing that we were helping our colleagues help spread a love of reading.
In early January I treated myself to the "Chronicles of Harris Burdick" and "The Unwanteds". "The Unwanteds" was a recommendation from a college friend through facebook. What a hit! It's just like she said, Harry Potter meeting The Hunger Games. Magic, death, friendship, betrayal, good versus evil. I loved it! We now have two copies in our classroom and it is quickly making it's rounds through partners.
Fast forward to the end of January. The school reading incentive is in full swing and this year, teachers get to participate too! I signed up to read 5 books by mid-March. Not an easy task this time of year. Luckily the latest selection of Newbery contenders was released by Booksource and Scholastic. It wasn't hard to stock up on some great new titles. First up is "Breadcrumbs" by Anne Ursu. The language in this book is enchanting. The plot is complex and the vocabulary complex, possibly too hard for my 5th graders. Yet, I can't put it down. I'm glued to it and as a result, I'll have all 300-something pages read by this evening. I started it after breakfast. Next up, "Wonderstruck," by Brian Selznick. I'm not sure it will be able to stand up to it's brother, "Hugo Cabret" but only time will tell. Perhaps it will win the Caldecott? Or will it be the Newbery?
Books on deck: "A Dog's Way Home" by Pyron, "Lunch-Box Dream" by Tony Abbott, "Inside Out & Back Again" by Lai, and "Witch & Wizard" by James Patterson. (Please note, "Witch and Wizard" was recommended by a student and to my knowledge, is not a possible Newbery contender at this time!)

Happy Reading!!

Summer Reading ... How I'll Miss You

This summer was full of awesome books! I thoroughly enjoyed many great titles. Among my favorites were:
~Mockingbird by Katherine Erskine
~True, sort of.. by Katherine Hanigan
~Double Identity by Margaret Peterson Haddix
~Closed for the Season by Mary Downing Hahn
~Edgar Allan's Official Crime Fighting Notebook by Mary Amato
~Amalee by Dar Williams
~ The Fabled Fifth Graders of Aesop Elementary by Candace Fleming
~The Strange Case of the Origami Yoda by Tom Angelberger
~Maximum Ride, The Angel Experiment by James Patterson
~ The Grimm Legacy by Peggy Shulman
~ Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Stuart Little by Peggy Gifford

For my teacher friends at school, your BookHook Cards with detailed write-ups are coming soon!!

so TRUE

Katherine Hannigan, author of one of my latest favorite books comments on the teachers in her stories during an interview on amazon.com:
I write about great teachers like Ms. Washington (in Ida B) and Lionel Terwilliger (in True) because I know how important teachers are. On any weekday, many children will spend more time with their teacher than with their parents. And so much learning is happening in school—not just cognitive or motor stuff, but social and ethical stuff, too. When a teacher’s really good, kids are learning things like how to be decent people, how to do the right thing after doing lots of wrongs, and how to help one another be their best.

Thanks, Ms. Hannigan! I couldn't agree more!
(and if you haven't yet checked out True (...sort of) by Katherine Hannigan, I highly recommend it!)

Do fairy tales really come true?

Have you ever wondered if Cinderella's slippers really existed? What about magic carpets? Crystal balls? And if they are real, where might one keep an enchanted item? The Grimm Legacy by Peggy Shulman will take you on a fantastical journey and reveal the secrets behind the enchanted items featured in the Grimm Brother's fairy tales. This book is at the top of my list for fantasy favorites and I highly recommend it, even if you don't enjoy the genre. There is mystery, romance, suspense, and even a few annoying little siblings and over-bearing parents involved.

Summer Reading

This summer my reading goal is pretty lofty, 20 books of varying levels and genres, to share with my colleagues in the fall. I'm feeling pretty optimistic, although reading them has always been the easy part, it's writing them up that I struggle with!

Anyway, here's what I've read so far:
~ True (..sort of) by Katherine Hannigan (you may remember her from Ida B.)
~ Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Stuart Little by Peggy Gifford
~ Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine
~ Double Identity by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Books in progress:
~ Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins ( she wrote this series before Hunger Games)
~ Zorgamazoo by Robert Paul Weston

Books on deck:
~ Spaceheadz by Jon Scieszka
~ The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman
~ To Catch a Mermaid by Suzanne Selfors
~ The Wednesday Wars by Gary Schmidt

I'm always looking for suggestions, so please let me know if you've read any great books lately!!
Happy Reading :)
Miss D

touch blue

Feeling grateful for our Snow Day, I decided to show my appreciation by spending a few hours with a new book. It counted as "doing school work" and I was able to cuddle up on the couch with my kitties and stay warm. Touch Blue, a new release by Cynthia Lord, author of Rules. Tess, an 11 year old from Bethsaida, Maine, doesn't quite know what to expect when her family decides to take in a foster child, Aaron, from the mainland. Many of the families on the island have decided to take in foster children in order to increase enrollment at their local school, which is in danger of closing due to low enrollment. Yet, when Aaron arrives, things don't quite work out as Tess would like.

This is a story of hope and friendship, sparkling with small town charm. It warmed my heart and was the perfect way to spend a snowy afternoon.

Reading Plans

I am excited to have a little bit of time to read over break! After finishing the riveting Hunger Games Trilogy, I have some high expectations for the next few books I plan to read.
On my Winter Break reading list: The Red Blazer Girls, A Whole Nother Story, or The Postcard. I'm also hoping to get the second book to Chains , called Forge, for Christmas.

When the weather gets so cold and frightful, there's nothing I love more than cuddling up with a great book! Happy reading!!

Flipping for Flipped

Another great book!! It is no surprise Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen is being made into a movie. The story begins when Juli Baker's world is turned upside by the new boy next door, Bryce Loski. Fast forward years later to the eighth grade where both Bryce and Juli ride the emotional roller coaster of the teenage years. Flipped is sure to warm your heart and tell a story everyone can relate to!!

Flipped is written from two different voices, those of both Juli and Bryce.

Reading Marathon....

I am in LOVE with The Leanin' Dog. Sweet little Dessa-Dean is having all sorts of troubles after her mother dies until one day a dog, with a hurt leg, happens upon the cabin she lives in with her father. It has been days since she has left the porch of the cabin and her loneliness is starting to get the best of her. Will the mysterious dog stay? Can it help Dessa-Dean overcome her fears? This is an unexpected new favorite. I did not expect to enjoy it, but I highly recommend it!




Other summer reads... 39 Clues Book 1 (Finally!) by Rick Riordan - > fun!
Sounder (another finally!) by W. H. Armstrong -> a great classic
Highway Cats by Janet Taylor Lisle --> let me know what you think. It has a great theme, but it is a little odd!)

What I'm reading now... Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis

Great Books!

I have read many wonderful books so far this summer! The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins has to be my favorite so far. I must warn you, it is an intense book and can be violent at times. I felt such a connection with the characters, it was hard to put the book down. I would recommend this book for the advanced fifth grade reader and above. Rumor has it The Hunger Games will soon begin filming for a full length movie!



Looking for more adventure and a little less violence? Check out Football Hero by Tim Green. I first fell in love with his books after reading Football Genius. The characters are realistic and beg the reader to relate. I found Football Hero to have a faster pace than Football Genius. Life is not easy for Ty. He is a middle school student who longs to play like his college to pro football star brother, Thane. After losing both of his parents in a car accident and being sent to live with his unforgiving relatives, Ty must overcome more than one obstacle to be able to play for his middle school football team. Will it all work out for Ty? Read and find out!



How to Steal a Dog by Barbara O'Connor, is unlike any book I have read before. Georgina is a young girl who must learn to adapt when her father walks out and leaves the family homeless. As her life unravels, Georgina must find a way to help her mother find a home for their family. Stealing a dog with the hopes of claiming a reward becomes a last result for Georgina. It is difficult to compare How to Steal a Dog with the other books I've mentioned, but it should not be overlooked! Let me know what you think.

Savvy

Why did I wait so long to read Savvy?
I am in love with this book! On their thirteenth birthday, children discover their Savvy, and for Mississippi (Mibs) Beaumont, this birthday is like no other. Saying more would ruin the story, just trust me, you have to check out this book!

I had a hard time falling for...

....Falling In by Frances O'Roark Dowell!

It is a rare occasion when I purchase a hardcover book. Falling In looked magical when I saw it a few months ago at the Scholastic Book Fair and I decided I had to have it! Little red boots on the cover, an Alice in Wonderland appeal, and magical swirls caught my eye. Yet, it goes to prove, looks are decieving. Not until I reached chapter 32 (or so), did I find myself truly engaged in my reading. The adventure, or lack thereof, moves along slowly. The references to Alice in Wonderland and Hansel and Gretel are vague and do not offer much to support the story. Falling In did not have the instant hook I needed to fall in love as I have so many other times. This is not to say, however, there is not an audience for the story. Fantasy lovers, especially those enchanted by fairy tales, may find Falling In to be the perfect summer read. Let me know!

Inspiration

While reading for a graduate class assignment I stumbled upon a few quotes. One in particular caught my attention:

"It is not enough to simply teach children to read; we have to give them something worth reading. Something that will stretch their imaginations - something that will help them make sense of their own lives and encourage them to reach out toward people whose lives are quite different from their own"
~Katherine Paterson, 1995

Happy Summer!

After an incredible school year, summer has finally arrived! It was great year for books in Room 121. My students made a petition to have me arrested for purchasing too many books for the classroom. As a result, I had to buy even more!
Here are a few I plan to start first....
Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Savy by Ingrid Law
Flipped by Wendelin VanDraanen
When You Reach Me (this year's newbury) by Rebecca Stead (In progress)
Falling In by Francis O'Roarke Dowell (In progress)

Plus... I haven't even hit up the library yet!

Happy Reading!

So many books, so little time

It has been a busy semester at school, for the fifth graders and myself at graduate school! Yet, thanks to the conveniences of modern technology, I've managed to stay up on some of my reading while driving to and from work or class. If you haven't read the following titles, I more than recommend them, I insist you pick them up at your local library or bookstore and give them a try. They are just THAT good!

Firegirl by Tony Abbott -> A powerful story about a 7th grade boy who experiences what true friendship really means. Emotions run deep as the narrator details his experience getting to know "the new girl," who was badly burned in a terrible accident. When she begins 7th grade at the new school, many take their fear and turn it into rumors, hate, and lies. Yet, for a young man, he sees beyond her scars and wounded skin, and is able to see the power of a true friendship.



Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson -> The incredible story of a young slave girl, Isabelle, during the time of the Revolutionary War. After the death of her mother and master Isabelle and her sister Ruth are sold to a loyalist couple in New York. Facing a new home, new people and ultimately the loss of her mother, Isabelle is forced to make difficult decisions about her own freedom. Should she risk spying on her Tory master for the Patriots in an attempt to obtain freedom for herself and Ruth? So far, I can't quite put it down.

Another incredible story of facing adversity, Yellow Star was so good I could not put it down. Young Syvia is four years old when her family is forced into the Lodz Ghetto in Poland. Approximately 27,000 Jews were held against their will behind barbed fences with limited rations and terrible working conditions. Years later, 800 survive, 12 of them children. The power of this true account of a Holocaust survivor lies in the innocent perspective of the narrator, Syvia. Written in free verse poetry, Syvia's story is guaranteed to capture your heart and remind you of the harsh conditions suffered by all throughout the Holocaust.

Some more not so serious titles-- Hank Zipzer and Shredderman.... full of fun and adventure! I loved them both!!

Happy Reading!!

Sheep

First, there was Because of Winn-Dixie, then, A Dog's Life, and now Sheep. Dog stories that break your heart and make you want to rush to the nearest shelter and adopt one, two or maybe three, and bring them home to spoil them rotten. In Sheep, a brilliant border collie's adventures out on the road, alone in the harsh human world, gives us a different perspective on the life of a stray. From the Goat Man to the Circus to Raggedy Annie's house, the experiences of Shep (or Spot, Lucky, or any other name you'd like to give him) will warm your heart and keep you reading. In the end, I think Sheep may help us realize that we all have a need to wander a little before we find where we are truly meant to be.

Sheep is perfect for the dog lover, who enjoyed A Dog's Life and Because of Winn Dixie. A great read!

The Willoughbys

A quick read, The Willoughbys by Lois Lowry is entertaining and chock full of "old-fashion." Lowry alludes to well known stories of the past such as Mary Poppins, Anne of Green Gables, The Secret Garden and Pollyanna as she tells the tale of an odd couple, their 4 "old-fashioned" children, an old man and a baby. The pages are full of "old-fashioned" words: fortuitous, ignominious, glutinous, bilious, and my favorite, lugubrious. Aside from the vocabulary, which I was able to navigate with the help of Lowry's glossary of terms, the story was simple, familiar and predictable. The term parody fits the tone of this book perfectly. From the failed "Little Ruthie" candy bar, to the awful German the young boy uses ("Ach. I forgotzenplunkt. Sorrybrauten."), this story may not be as amusing to a fifth grader as it was to me. A useful biography of the "old-fashioned" stories is helpful for younger and less versed readers as they attempt to understand the references used by the characters in the book.
While I would recommend The Willoughbys, it may prove disappointing and seem very different for fans of Lois Lowry's more serious titles. Overall, this was a great read for a blustery, winter recess!

Fall Favorites

School has officially started! In between graduate classes and an awesome group of new 5th graders, there hasn't been much time for reading my favorite, young adult books. But, with Thanksgiving break just around the corner, I've come up with an ambitious list of titles I am just dying to check out!

~The Willoughbys by Lois Lowry
~ Football Champ by Tim Green
~ Diary of a Wimpy Kid Dog Days by Jeff Kinney
~ 39 Clues book 1 by Rick Riordan

Alright, so my list is a little unrealistic (even for me). Three days off from school with report cards due Monday isn't much time. But, let me tell you, I cannot wait to enjoy a little time combing through the pages of the pile of books gathering dust next to my nightstand.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Rules

Do you have rules at your house? Are they like these rules?

* No toys in the fish tank.

* If someone says "hi" you say "hi" back.

* Not everything worth keeping has to be useful.

* Sometimes people laugh when they like you. But sometimes they laugh to hurt you.

Catherine is a 12 year old who wants nothing more to fit in. She creates these rules to help her little brother David who has autism. This summer, Catherine's life changes with her new neighbor Kristi, a special friend, Jason, and more than enough adventures with David. This heartwarming story is perfect if your life is just a little bit less than normal!