It's Monday Feb 27

At first I thought I didn’t read much this week… but I guess I did better than I thought! Still a bit of a slow down from last week, though.

    Be sure to check out the other posts in this meme at Teach Mentor Texts. Of course, that might lead to an out of control wish list… but worse things have happened.

Finally wrote up my thoughts on Wonder:  http://bit.ly/wqjem8

Newbery Challenge – Nerdbery Update

The Cat Who Went to Heaven (1931)  It was cute, and sweet, and short. An artist is commissioned to paint Buddha for a local temple. It will make his career, and keep him from starving to death. As the story of Buddha goes, all the animals except for cats came to receive his blessing on his death bed. The cat wasn’t welcome, because of her self-righteous attitude. Yet the artist’s cat seems to be intent on making her way into his painting. The story is set as a series of vignettes of the life of Buddha, interspersed into the story of the artist creating his work. As I don’t know the true stories of Buddhism, I don’t know how accurate these stories are. While I still don’t quite see it as award winning material, this was one of the better early Newbery books as far as readability and my interest level were concerned.

Adventurous and Funny:

The Genius Files – Never Say Genius – by Dan Gutman

This is a fun romp with entertaining co-protagonists, Coke and Pepsi. The twins are both exceptionally bright, and have been recruited into the Genius Files organization. Coke has a perfect memory, and his sister’s analytical skills are constantly required to decode the secret ciphers they receive. This is the second part of their cross country RV trip with their parents. They face death in the form of being dipped in boiling oil like french fries and hypothermia while dunked in ice cream. Kids will like the randomly goofy facts about America tossed in as their mom collects information for her website Amazing, but True.

Comics and Graphic Novels for Kids:  If you are looking for good suggestions for kids in this area, you can check out the pinboard I started on Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/lleullin/comics-and-graphic-novels-for-kids/

Bone: Out From Boneville (vol 1). I finally made the time to read this much loved comic. Yes, it is fabulous! It has fun characters, lots of humor, and just the right level of creepiness. Off to check out the next!

Princeless issue #1: I’m going to sing the praises of this one. Princeless is a wonderfully funny and bright story of Adrienne who is stuck in a tower and finds a way out on her own to rescue her sisters from their towers. The first of four issues (so far), I think it strikes just the right note for boys and girls. Yes, there is a lot of pink, but there are also dragons. There is even a short story about the prince who tries to rescue our princess at the end. The first four will be collected as a trade to be released in April. I will definitely be buying it for my classroom.  I formally reviewed it for Fandom Post http://www.fandompost.com/2012/02/22/princeless-1-review/

Anya’s Ghost: I’m about halfway through this one. Definitely a graphic novel for the older set (there is smoking, drinking, swearing). I’m really enjoying this story, though. More details next week once I’m done.

For me:

Finished Heir to the Empire. It’s a Star Wars extended universe book, featuring the characters from the original series like Han, Leia, and Luke. I adore “hearing” their voices again. I also love some of the new characters introduced like Mara Jade. Very fun! I’m just wondering why it took me so long to read any of these books! I’m a huge Star Wars fan!

Still reading Pathfinder by Orson Scott Card. 

(my other blog site died during March, so I'm trying to move them all over here slowly but surely)

Wonder - by R.J. Palacio (A Review)

My twitter feed has been filled for weeks with my #nerdybookclub friends proclaiming #thewonderofwonder – so I just had to check it out for myself. With that much buzz, I was honestly concerned that it wouldn’t meet my expectations. I was joyfully surprised that I loved it as much as the hype said I would.

Wonder is the story of a fifth grade boy named Auggie (August) with a genetic disorder. He can’t hide his differences from the world because they are stamped on his face for all to see. He spends his elementary years being homeschooled, due to the intense schedule of surgeries required to help him even be able to eat and breathe properly. In fifth grade, his parents decide it is time for him to start to interact more with kids his own age, though they know it will be incredibly stressful. 

Kids can be mean, though, right? What follows is Auggie’s story of that year, but it is also a tale of other children struggling to fit in.  

What made this book so Wonderful? (Sorry, I just couldn’t help myself)

-        -   Realistic Kids. There were no “bad guys”, just children. Some were kind to Auggie right from the start, and some weren’t. Throughout the story, though, the author gives us insights into each child. We get to see how even the popular kids struggle with their self-worth, hiding things about themselves that they fear will get them teased or shunned.

  -   Shifting point of view during the telling of the story. Really, it was that shifting point of view that helped create my first point. We see life from Auggie’s perspective, but we also hear from his sister, the kids in his school, and even his sister’s boyfriend and friend. I felt like this gave a more well-rounded story than if the author had just given me Auggie’s take on his school year.

 -   Pop culture references. Okay, so I’m a Star Wars fan, and that may have influenced me slightly on this point. The references included a lot more than just Star Wars, though. Wonder includes shout outs to Bone, Avatar, Star Wars, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and more. Yes – this may keep the story from “aging” well. Seriously, though, I think it’s more important that it connects with the kids who are reading it NOW. Kids love these references (and so do I), and that’s what will help hook them and help them connect with the children in this story.

-    Life lessons. No one wants a lecture. Wonder, though, infuses the concepts of tolerance and the idea that it is good to “act just a little kinder than is necessary” throughout an interesting tale. Kids and adults can spark conversations about how even the most popular kids often feel like they are wearing masks, and that everyone struggles to find their place. In a world where intolerance and bullying seems like the norm, this story is a way to open our eyes to the kindness that also runs deeply in each child.

** 

Were there flaws? Sure. I had a bit of trouble with one of the character sections. I loved Justin, but the lack of capital letters in his entire portion of the book made the teacher/editor in me cringe. I wanted more about Summer, and I would have liked a bit more information about Julian as well. Also, some of the information the school administration shared via emails would probably violate some privacy laws. Honestly, though, these small concerns were just a blip on the radar.

I got to read the book courtesy of Netgalley, which is a fabulous resource for bloggers and teachers. It gave me a chance to read it first and decide if it is right for my students. Not only did I read it almost nonstop, starting on a Sunday night and finishing it up on Monday morning, but I immediately started to think about how I could get enough copies of it for my classroom to be able to use it for reading groups and discussion. I decided to go with just a few copies to circulate for this year. Hopefully it will come out in paperback soon so I can invest in a small group set, though.

Buy this book to read yourself. Buy this book to use as a read aloud or in a small group. Talk to your children and students about kindness, and see what they can tell you in return.

It's Monday Feb 20

    

Be sure to check out the other posts in this meme. Of course, that might lead to an out of control wish list… but worse things have happened.   Teach Mentor Texts    This was a really busy week of reading. I don't fully realize how much I read until I write it all down. Sheesh, no wonder I didn't get much else done! 

Nerdbery Project –

I completed the 20s by finishing Trumpeter of Krakow. This was probably the first book from the Newbery Challenge that felt like it was approaching a modern tale. There was an actual plot, with some almost science fiction like elements. I loved the alchemy parts, and I can see kids enjoying it. It wouldn’t make any top ten (or fifty) lists today, but I didn’t feel like I needed several extra cups of coffee (or toothpicks under my eyelids) to make it through this one.

Number the Stars

I needed a little break from the early Newbery books, so I chose an old favorite that I haven’t read in a few years. Simple text with a powerful message about family, love, and courage. If, by some remote chance, you haven’t read it yet…. You should put this on your list.

Comics / Graphic Novels :  If you are looking for good suggestions for kids in this area, you can check out the pinboard I started on Pinterest this week: http://pinterest.com/lleullin/comics-and-graphic-novels-for-kids/

Batman The Brave and the Bold – Volume 1: This is a nice superhero tale for the younger crowd. It is based on the cartoon series, so it may be a way to hook those viewers into reading. I’m used to tales where Batman and Superman don’t quite get along, but this series shows them more as buddies. It’s a fun take on their relationship, focusing on the way their unique strengths complement one another. It’s actually a series of several distinct stories, focusing on different heroes and villains. Very fun! http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/277504121

Lunch Ladies: League of Librarians:   My son brought this home from the library this week and handed it to me, insisting that I read it. It was silly and fun, and I enjoyed it. Read my (short) review here on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/279683643

Hereville: How Mirka got her Sword – by Barry Deutsch . This is the tale of an orthodox Jewish girl who wants to be a dragon slayer. A student had this out from our building library on Friday and had just finished it. She suggested I read it, and I’m so very glad that I did. This was amazing, and I highly recommend it. It would pair beautifully with a multicultural unit, or with a viewing of Fiddler on the Roof. Read my (short) review here on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/279696991 

Love and Capes volume 2: If you are a fan of superheroes and also like romantic comedies, this is for you! Heck, if you JUST like supers or romantic comedy, check it out. The adventures of The Crusader and his girlfriend/fiancé/wife Abby are sweet and funny. I can see this appealing to kids in upper elementary on up as well.  I’m not sure how available this one is in hard copy, but I read it on the Comixology app on my iPad. It’s available for just digital reading on the Comixology website as well.

The Writing of Friends:

Helping a friend with suggestions for a novella she is writing and wants to pitch. I love her work, and I’m just hoping my ideas are helpful. Her story is for adults, and is about a woman in Nazi Germany helping her friend escape.  Working on this was one of the reasons I selected Number the Stars for a Newbery book for my weekly reading.

Nerdy Book Club Recommendations:

Wonder: I finally got my hands on a copy of Wonder. I requested it on Netgalley, really not thinking I’d be approved. My blog-o-presence isn’t really that big. But I got it yesterday, and I’m almost done it as I type this now (8:18 Monday morning). Wow. I need to pull my thoughts together to write a real review, and I need to decide how to share this with my students. All my reading groups are rather large, so I can’t truly afford to buy enough copies to use it for a reading group. I want to, though, I really do. Touching, real, hopeful. Put it on the top of your TBR pile, seriously.

Science Fiction:

Still working on the Orson Scott Card (Pathfinder) and the Star Wars book (Heir to the Empire) from last week. Those are for my own reading pleasure, so they sometimes end up behind the other books in line when I’m reading. I need to get my butt on the elliptical more, since I tend to read eBooks there and my Star Wars book is on my Kindle app. (It’s easier to do that, since I can increase the font size). 

Of Trumpets and Stars..

Newbery Update!  Nerdbery Challenge

My “It’s Monday” posts have included some details on my Newbery Challenge progress, but it seems like it’s time to give a bit more detail on the last few books I’ve finished. The two books I’m including here celebrate both courage and the tendency of people to expand their definition of family to include the friends and neighbors that surround them.

The Trumpeter of Krakow: by Eric P. Kelly (1929)

I celebrated finishing the end of the 1920s with this one.  My school librarian was able to hook me up with this title. Several of the other books weren’t available in our building.

I have to say this was an enjoyable read. Up until this point, I had trouble understanding why the book was selected for the award. While it’s not nearly the style of book that would win today, I actually felt some connection to the characters in this tale. The children in the story show courage and strength, and look out for one another. I didn’t need to drag myself through the story, or bribe myself with another book on my pile to finish it.

There was some suspense, some mystery, and even a hint of the kind of supernatural plot elements that would appeal to the readers of today. Heck, just the tie in with the philosopher’s stone would be enough of a plug to convince some of my Harry Potter and Nicholas Flamel fans to give it a whirl.  

I can see having at least some of my students give this book a try. It’s the first one since the Voyages of Doctor Doolittle that gets that stamp of approval. (And yes, one of my fifth grade students did start his own version of the challenge, and he did read Voyages. I’m so proud!)

Remember when I said I was “altering the deal”? I originally planned to just count the Newbery books I read in order, starting in 1922. Yeah, that wasn’t working out for me. I decided to go ahead and count the other Newbery books I read along the way even if they weren’t in the right chronological order.

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry  (1990)

I have read this book many times over the years, and I love it every time. I decided to put this one into my challenge right now because I read Hereville (a graphic novel about an Orthodox Jewish family) and I was reading the work of a friend set in Nazi Germany.

With its simple structure and easy to follow language, Number the Stars packs a wallop in the emotional category. A reminder of both the best and worst parts of humanity, this book is a wonderfully accessible way to introduce kids to the horrors of our past while also emphasizing the ways that regular people fought back against the evil.

I completely understand why this book won a Newbery. It is everything good literature should be. A strong story combined with lesson about life and the world that help us teach our children to be strong, capable, and loving. 

It's Monday Feb 13

This is my first venture into the "It's Monday" scene... I hope I'm doing it right!

Visit the hosts of the meme at Teach Mentor Texts. 
It was a relatively slow reading week for me. I think I got out of the gate quickly in January (I completed 9 Newbery books, including 4 from the 20s and some more recent ones) and slowed down a bit recently. 











Graphic Novels / Comics
I did try to start up a specific pin board on Pinterest devoted to graphic novels and comics for kids. I'll try to indicate what age band the books there are best for, as not all of them will be appropriate for the under 5th (or 6th) grade crew. Check out my board and let me know (via comments here, there, or Twitter @mselke01) what else I should add. Working on that board got me reading some graphic novels this past week:

Amulet 2 and Amulet 3 - These are fabulous graphic novels! I had to wrestle them out of my students' hands so I could have a shot at them. Highly recommended. Fun art and a strong female protagonist. 


I'm currently reading Gladstone's School for World Conquerors - a graphic novel about a school for villains. My sons have each read it about 5 times over the weekend, and I keep having to steal it back from them to finish it. 


Nerdbery Challenge:
I'm working my way through Trumpeter of Krakow (1929). I'm enjoying it, which is a nice change from some of the others from the 20s. 


For me:


Pathfinder - by Orson Scott Card. This is classified as YA (but could easily be just for strong upper elementary). It's a science fiction book. Hasn't been my favorite by him so far, but I'm enjoying it as a break from the 20s Newbery books.


Star Wars - The Thrawn Trilogy book 1. I'm a huge Star Wars fan, but haven't really read many of the books.


Comics:
This week's favorites were Batgirl #6, Star Wars Dawn of the Jedi #1 (It comes out this week, but I had an early review copy), and Love and Capes volume 2. (I included Love and Capes in my pinboard for comics for kids. It's a romantic comedy style that could appeal to upper elementary kids through high school)


Bedtime Reading with my sons (second and fourth graders)


Wrinkle in Time (Yes, again). I just read it in January, but my second grade son will be going to see it as a play in May. I decided he should experience the book first, so we are reading it together at bedtime. He declared it "a bit boring at the beginning", but is hooked now. 


Lost Hero - Riordan. This is my older son's bedtime reading choice. Of course, he's read it about 4 times already so he keeps spoiling it for me. He also keeps saying lines aloud with his favorite character (Leo) and giggling. Too cute. 


My goal for this week is to try to wrap up some of the books I'm in the middle of before starting more! 

Tessering Back to A Wrinkle in Time

(This post was a guest "Retro Review" on The Nerdy Book Club)

A Wrinkle in Time – by Madeleine L’Engle

“It was a dark and stormy night”.

Stick with me now, friends. It may be a cliché, but it’s the start of one of the books that have lingered in my soul since elementary school. Judging by the posts that I have read here on Nerdy Book Club, and by the many references to L’Engle’s tale in recent novels, I’m not the only one. As we celebrate the 50^th anniversary of the 1963 Newbery winner, I’d like to take a moment to encourage you to join Meg, Charles Wallace, and Calvin on their first adventure.

Meg is a typical teenager who is struggling to learn how to live in her own skin. Her life is made more difficult, however, by all the ways in which she’s considerably less than typical. Her father, a world renowned scientist, has disappeared. Her beloved little brother, Charles Wallace, is five and won’t even speak in public, which makes everyone think he’s mentally deficient. Yet his advanced vocabulary and ability to read the thoughts and emotions of his mother and sister show that he’s anything but slow witted.

It could be the start of just another ordinary tale, but that stormy night is the beginning of an amazing adventure. The storm blows the first of three bizarre women into Meg’s life; women who reveal that her father needs their help. In his zeal to experiment with something called a “tesseract” – a method for traveling instantaneously across any distance – Mr. Murry has been captured in a world devoured by the dark power of the Black Thing. Meg, Charles Wallace, and their new friend Calvin must journey across time and space to save him. Along the way they experience many worlds. Some are filled with beauty and some with conformity and despair.

Madeleine L’Engle crafted a book that yields up new treasures every time I read it. As a preteen, Meg’s struggles to accept herself helped me face the same challenges. As a young adult, I gloried in the lessons about individuality and nonconformity. As a teacher and a mother, I identify more strongly with Mrs. Murry now. I just completed my most recent re-read, and what jumped out at me this time was the way Meg is desperately trying to grow up and move beyond her need to rely on her parents to solve all of her problems. Is it any surprise that I’m currently the parent of a child who is about to begin his own journey toward independence?

A Wrinkle in Time is a story where women can be scientists and mothers, teenage boys can be empathic communicators, and girls can be gifted mathematicians yet still struggle in school. It’s a book about young people growing up and learning to accept the way they are – strengths and flaws alike. It’s a glorious tale of the battle of good versus evil. It’s an anthem to love, to family, to friendship, and to hope. Wherever you are right now in your life - child or adult, teacher or student, male or female – you can find something in this tale that speaks to you. I know I do, every time. 

Horses and Pigeons and Cows... oh *yawn*

It's that time again - time for my weekly, fascinating, Newbery Challenge update!

Smoky the CowHorse by Will James (Newbery 1927)

I started this book with high hopes. I mean, who could mess up a horse book, right? I have very fond memories of my third grade teacher (hello, Miss Sink) reading Misty of Chincoteague to us each day after recess while I ate sunflower seeds.  It’s been a while, but I’m pretty sure I loved Black Stallion too.

I’ll be honest; I couldn’t get into the dialect. I don’t mind reading books that are written in dialect, or books that ignore a few conventions along the way. Jennifer Holm does a great job in her May Amelia books, even though she never uses quotation marks and uses unconventional capitalization. In her books, it helps me hear the breathless style of a child speaking. In this book, I just found it distracting.

Another complaint was that I never really connected to the “main character”. Smoky is supposed to be the main character, but I just didn’t care. The horse is born, captured and branded, and is “broken” by a cowboy who attaches to him in the first half of the book. Yet, I didn’t really care. It was halfway through before anything interesting happened. By then, it was just too late.

In its defense, it was a lot better than most of the other Newbery books of the twenties. I could actually see a child reading this book, especially if they were “horse kids”. I just don’t see it appealing much past that, and it didn’t capture my attention or my heart.

Gay Neck: A Story of a Pigeon by Dhan Gopal Mukerji   (Newbery 1928)

Okay - bird is born, trained, escapes a few times... this was ground breaking literature?

While the writing style wasn't as hard to read as some of the other early Newbery books, I still didn't find it appealing. There were times when the bird "told his own story". Now, I'm a huge fan of many of the animal character books out there. I loved Rats of NIMH, and I enjoyed Familiars. This? Not so much. I'm not sure why, but there just wasn't much of a voice to the pigeon.

There were scenes from World War 1 - but not enough that it made me feel like I was interested in the story. There were a few beautiful scenes in the Himalayas, but not enough to really draw me in. Then there were the times when he spent several pages just explaining birds to me.

Most "entertaining" part? When the author wrapped up the book by stating that he wasn't going to  "spin out a sermon at the end of this story" and then proceeded to write a paragraph telling us not to hate or be fearful, but instead to live a life of courage. 

Seriously, if I don't get the lesson from the story, it's not worth explaining it to me at the end. 

If you are Bert - you'll love this book. If you aren't enthralled by birds, you may want to pass.