It’s Monday – April 30th!

Wow, did we really hit the end of the month already? How exactly does time fly by so quickly?

Once again, I feel like I didn’t get as much read as I would like. But I’m thankful for my car ride and the audio books that I never thought I would like.

Check out the other posters - hosted by Teach Mentor Texts! 

Newbery:

(audio & April ReRead) The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. This book is absolutely amazing. I’ve read it twice, and this time I listened to it. If you haven’t read anything by Gaiman, you absolutely must try this one. Yes, it’s creepy. The story is set in a graveyard, and it begins with grisly murders (Though they aren’t described too gruesomely). What transpires, though, is a story about family, growing up, and finding where you belong. As an added bonus, Neil’s voice makes this audio something special.

(April ReRead) The Hero and the Crown – by Robin McKinley. This is a beautiful fantasy novel. If you love Graceling, but are afraid to hand it to the younger crowd, give this one a try. It has similar themes and beautiful prose, but treads more lightly with the romance.

Adult Fiction (though okay for high school, definitely)

Finding Home: Community in Apocalyptic Worlds. http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13067609-finding-home  I discovered this book of short stories through a review on Geek Dad. Since I had delved into the dystopian and post-apocalyptic genre study for a Teach Mentor Texts blog hop, this book jumped out at me. I finally had the chance to read it. Some of the stories were better than others, of course, but there were some really unique looks at how we could survive, thrive, and find our humanity again after “The end”.

Batty About Books:

Kathy and I are reading A World Without Heroes as our next buddy book. We’ll be splitting it into 5 sections since it is a long one. We should have our first post up this Friday. It’s good so far, but no Graceling! 

Perpetual Motion - Poem for April 29

(I'm behind on the prompts - still need to go back to prompt 27 and 28 - but this one jumped out at me so I grabbed the thought and ran with it.) 

Perpetual Motion

Pushing and shoving

Children vie for the

Front

Of the line

Heads tilted back in awe

Gazing up,

                And up

                                And up.

Safe adventures await

Zooming to the

Apex,

Descending

Repeating the

Journey over,

                And over,           

                                And over.

My adult self is bemused

Seeing my life in the

Wheel.

Cluttered Minds - Poem 26

The prompt was a disaster of a hoarder scene. I chose to look at that scene and see my own mind. Yes, that's a bit disturbing... and a little bit cool. Thanks again to Bud the Teacher for the prompt! 

“Cluttered minds”

Some minds are

Antique shops, or

Junk yards.

Cramming

Thoughts and Memories

Willy nilly into

Every neuron and synapse

Mathematical passions

Flights of Fancy

Conversations overheard

Wisps of dreams remembered

Colliding,

Crashing,

Creating.

In the incubator that is a

Cluttered mind

Unconventional - Poem 25

Another poem in response to a visual prompt from Bud the Teacher. Check it out! 


"Unconventional" 


Never one to bow
To the conventional
She insisted on stark
Contrast.

All her friends drove
Modern marvels, fully
Equipped with every convenience.
Economical at the pump.

She? Not she. Her conveyance
Was of historical value
Barely legal for her daily
Commute

A sturdy block of metal
Blacker than sin, with
An 8 track player and
Rear fins.

Why Sci Fi? - The Power of What If?

     The Power of “What if?”

Fantasy is an exercise bicycle for the mind. It might not take you anywhere, but it tones up the muscles that can. ~ Terry Pratchett

Our world is a rapidly changing place. Many studies show that our children need to be creative thinkers to survive the onslaught of all the newness. They will need to be able to problem solve and create solutions for problems that we don’t even know exist yet.

Science fiction and fantasy authors have been asking these questions since the start. The stories they tell are the perfect way to get kids to start thinking about creative solutions, even if the problems faced in the story are so outlandish (to us) that they may never happen. Engaging children in the conversations is a great way to train them into this kind of thinking. Try one of these and watch the minds in your classroom explode with possibilities.

What if robots continue to get smarter and smarter? This concept becomes less and less science fiction and more and more likely the further we progress in robotics. Isaac Asimov was the original master of the robotics genre. Before he came along, robots were seen as only threats to humanity. He brought in the three laws of robotics, and started to show how those robots could become useful, helpful, and valuable members of society. Not all authors see benevolent robots in our future, though. Sampling from the variety of possible futures gives students some insight into the long term implications of decisions we make today – a wonderful skill to help them make their own decisions in life. It is also a way to introduce sophisticated thoughts like “what makes us human?” and “what is sentience?”

What if the alien life that visits humanity is so dramatically different from us that we have no idea how to interact? Working through stories of alien contact is another great way to help us understand and honor differences. If students can learn to acknowledge that a culture without sight would have a different understanding of their world (like Aunt Beast in Wrinkle in Time), or that creatures living in a hive mentality would have vastly different values and society (like the Formics from Ender’s Game) – how much easier will it be for them to respect and honor such tiny differences that exist between humans?

What if we were able to get to another planet, system – or even galaxy? How could we do it? How would we survive? Hey, just having kids think about the vastness of space is pretty mind blowing. (Check out this amazing website - The Scale of the Universe - for some perspective.) If we traveled toward the very edge of existence, we’d never get there. The universe is expanding faster than we could possible move to reach the end. Try that bit of humbling on for size. The difficulties involved in finding and making it to a planet that could sustain us are inspiring, and the amazing nature of our life giving world may help generate a desire to respect and protect our planet in the hearts of the next generation.

Don’t relegate these important genres to the “if we get to it” pile!  Science fiction (and fantasy) books are a boundless source of creative inspiration for our students. They also can introduce and reinforce specific scientific concepts, deep philosophical and historical themes, and build sophisticated language.

Over the course of these posts, I’ll share more thoughts and some specific book reviews. These examples were primarily from the science fiction realm, so I’ll also share ideas that are more fantasy related.

(While you’re thinking about fantasy, also visit my blog posts discussing Graceling with my Batty About Books partner – Kathy “The Brain Lair”.) 

Stuff and Nonsense - Poem 24

Another poem based on the fun prompts from Bud the Teacher's site. This one was especially silly. 

"Stuff and Nonsense"

Come along with me,
my friends, and
We shall sup a cup of tea

Tea is the drink of choice,
You see, when
We discuss frivolity

Poppycock and balderdash
With a heaping side
Of blue who hash

When your cup of tea is done
Declare, “clean cup!” and
Move down one.

May stuff and nonsense fill your day
There really is no better way.

Or so the young ones seem to say,
So settle in all day and play.

Real Writing?

 Welcome back to the weekly Slice of Life! Now that I proved my tenacity at writing every day in the month of March, I come back each Tuesday to share my thoughts with the wonderful writers hosted by Two Writing Teachers. 
(before I get started, I'd like to update you all on the poem I shared as part of the March slice. Remember all the angst and belly aching over choosing a title? I finally settled on "First Frost" - as I was trying to reflect that moment in time when autumn turns to winter. Also, my poem was selected to be one of 8 teacher poems collected into a small publication for the PA writing and literature project. I'm going to pretend there were more than 8 teachers who entered their poems.)

Real Writing?

I just had the unmitigated joy of proctoring four days worth of state writing assessments for my fifth graders. They were troopers; staying focused on the task to the best of their ability. They created graphic organizers on their scratch paper, jotted down prewriting ideas, and dutifully read over their pieces before closing their books.

Yet it got me thinking. With the Slice of Life challenge in March and the Poetry challenge now in April, I’ve been “watching” my own process more carefully. How often do I “write to a prompt”? What does real life writing look like, and can those lovely state tests tell us about what those kids can really do?

Yes, I do write to prompts. Sometimes, that is. I’ve chosen to respond to the visual prompts on Bud the Teacher’s blog each day in April as part of the National Poetry Month celebration. Oh, wait… did you see the word CHOSEN in that sentence? I’ve also written blog posts to participate in the blog hops of friends and colleagues. Again, that was my choice. Those posts, however, were written to a theme – not to a prompt. I wrote about my reading life – Ode toa Geeky Reader. I wrote about my love of dystopian fiction. I shared my thoughts about creating a reading culture. How I chose to interpret those themes was left entirely up to me. Not only was the interpretation left up to me, but I had weeks to consider the theme and craft my post.

These fifth grade students, however, were given a simple prompt and about an hour to plan, write, and edit their work. Presumably we can determine the proficiency of each writer from a multiple choice section and two prompt pieces. Yes, the excellent writers will generally be able to do this. I was considered a strong writer in school, and I’m sure I would have been able to “show my stuff” in this kind of setting.

Is this really how we write, though? Should it be what we are teaching the students to handle? And if it isn’t how we actually write, why is this task what we’ll spend the fall analyzing? We’ll agonize over every poor score, every less than proficient indicator. How could we have gotten them to do better on this test? Honestly, is this the goal we should hold for ourselves and our students? Is there not a better way?

Tell me – when was the last time YOU were forced to write to a prompt in order to prove your proficiency at work? 

Poetry snippets - April 23

I have to admit, I struggled with today's prompt from Bud the Teacher. It is a beautiful image of a cloudy day on the beach, with beautiful sun breaking through the clouds. Two women huddle under an umbrella - which gives a splash of color to the scene. Yet I couldn't "settle" into a poem for it. Instead, I got two bits. 

1) A snippet of a poem about friendship. Not really satisfying, as it came to me with some rhyme and I just don't know where to go with it. 

"Friendship"

Splash of color in a dingy day.

Flash of a smile to light the way

Celebrating when things go well

Commiserating when it goes to hell

2) A haiku about the setting. 

Heavy clouds linger

Scattered golden rays announce

Sweet sunshine’s return

Ah well, can't win 'em all, right? I liked yesterday's poem much better. 

It's Monday, What are you reading - April 23rd

It’s Monday, what are you reading? Check out Teach Mentor Texts for other great books to add to your TBR list.

Umm… I have a confession to make. I hardly finished any books this week. I’m in the middle of a few, but I really only crossed the finish line on some short ones…

Picture Books:

Owl Moon by Jane Yolen– as part of my ReReading in April quest (and my desire to immerse myself in the glorious writing of a master craftsman), I read this lovely Caldecott winner. There’s a reason it’s a time honored classic in elementary schools.

Darth Vader and Son by Jeffrey Brown.  This was ADORABLE! If you are (or know) a Star Wars fan, this is the perfect gift. It’s a sweet and funny look at Darth as a good dad with Luke. Geeky inside jokes run rampant. I read it several times, so I’m counting it for the ReRead as well!

Graphic Novels

Giants Beware! By Jorge Aguirre  Wonderful, wonderful! Girls and boys will love this tale. Adventurous, amusing, and with a fun look at gender stereotypes of many kinds. My sons adored it, and it will make its way into my classroom on Monday. I anticipate serious arguments over who gets it first.

Foiled – by Jane Yolen.  Jane was inspired by her grandchildren, who fence, to create this tale. As is typical for her, she has a strong female lead and mixes in a hearty dose of fantasy. I loved the fencing references, but felt the switch from realistic to urban fantasy was a bit uneven. I’d classify it as early YA, and I don’t think I’ll be placing it in my classroom library. I did really love it, though!

Still in progress:

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (audio). Part of both my ReRead in April and my Newbery challenge, as well as my own personal quest to find the joy in audio books. If you haven’t heard Gaiman read, you absolutely need to move his work to the top of your list. Masterfully crafted, spooky and yet heartwarming. I adore this book so very, very much. 

The Hero and the Crown – by Robin McKinley   - This is part of my Newbery Challenge and a ReRead. I adore it, and I was hoping to finish it this weekend. Alas, it was left behind on my desk at work.

Son read alouds – A Swiftly Tilting Planet (L’Engle) and Lost Hero (Riordan)

Also – if you have read Graceling and want to join in the chatter, check out my blog and The Brain Lair for our joint discussion on the ending. Loved it! We started A World Without Heroes and we’ll begin our discussions on that NEXT week (taking a week off for other reads and conferences). 

Night - Poem 22

Night

Sometimes night falls

Before the

Journey’s end

Risking all we

Venture on

Through the darkness

With only the promise

Of dawn.

Siblings - Poem 21

Again, a poem inspired by the ongoing visual prompts from Bud the Teacher's blog. Come celebrate poetry month with us! 

Siblings

On any ordinary day

There is pushing and shoving,

Whining and grousing.

Tempers flare and sometimes

Fists fly.

Today, a wide grin

Replaces the surly stare.

He gazes raptly at

His older brother.

Shouting, cheering,

Reveling in each

Small victory.

Proudly he turns to the

Crowd.

Puffing up his chest he

Declares

“That’s my brother!”

If life is a song... Poem 20

Today's poem was inspired by the visual prompt on Bud the Teacher's blog of a woman belting out a song on stage. I was inspired, though, to write about another member of the band... 

If life is a song

Some are the drums

Steady and stalwart

Keeping the beat

Pounding and raucous

Or softly insistent

                Keeping the beat

Never faltering

Never wavering

                Keeping the beat

Then the spotlight shifts,

And it is solo time.

Even the stalwart,

The steady,

The softly insistent

Will shine.

Another Swing of the Pendulum - Poem 19

Another wonderful visual prompt from Bud the Teacher's blog. This one was an empty meeting room with a filled chalk board. After yet another week of state testing, though, I was feeling a bit jaded today. 

Empty room -

Empty words deface the board

Decisions made by those

With no real understanding of the

Day to day existence of those

Living in the trenches

They smiled

Pontificated

Swaggered and strutted

Buzz words swarming

New directives

New incentives

New penalties

Created

Another swing

Tick

Tock

of the pendulum

Tick

Tock

But who will really pay?

Graceling by Cashore - The End!

"Batty About Books" discusses Graceling  by Kristin Cashore -  the final chapters.  –

As with our previous posts, my blog is hosting my initial thoughts with Kathy’s responses (aka @thebrainlair). Her blog - The Brain Lair -  will host her initial thoughts with my responses. This is our last Graceling post, and then we’ll move on to A World Without Heroes! If you haven’t read the book – this is your formal SPOILER ALERT!

Maria: I can’t believe it’s the end! I feel like the ending was one big rush (not in a bad way) and that I didn’t write down nearly as many thoughts and ponderings as I did in the first three sections.
Kathy: Same here.  Even after I went back to reread, I didn’t have much to write down.

Maria: Okay, so I did have some thoughts. I’m not one to hold back on my observations and opinions, right?
Kathy: Ha!

Maria: I love the loyalty that Katsa inspires. When she arrives in the town and ask that storekeeper for help, there is no doubt that they will do everything they can to help her. What seems funny is how surprised she seems by this loyalty. With all that she has done, when she visits Osiris her soul is sure to be lighter than that feather – no matter what her faults have been.
Kathy: I think she still holds the belief that because she was Randa’s strong arm, she is a monster. I’m hoping that her going around training young girls in the art of fighting, will give her a sense of redemption. Randa really did a number on her, especially strong since they fear the Graced in the Middluns.

Maria: One thing I question is the fact that she still seems leery about letting those who love her assist her. Again, I’m brought back to the many superheroes I love.  Many of the women heroes (Buffy, Barbara Gordon, etc.) seem to understand that teamwork is the way to go. Katsa still seems to avoid letting others help her. I know she wants to look out for them, but I hope as she matures she grows in her ability to accept help for herself, and allow those who love her to choose their risks.
Kathy: Mostly I attribute this to her disbelief in her “superhero-ness”.  She has no faith in her own innate goodness and wonders that anyone would want to help her. Even in the council she was used as the weapon to subdue guards.  She’s only known people who want something from her.  Also, I even find it hard to accept help, or to admit I need it.  I was raised believing help is for the weak. It’s difficult for me to ask for it and even more difficult to accept it un-solicited! I have to downplay it, make a wisecrack, and only assent to a small portion of what I truly need! Hmm.. Must think about that!

Maria: Cold hearted, skeptical me … I still teared up when she learned about the significance of him gifting his ring to her. It made me wonder if we were going to go back and find him dead. Then I reminded myself that this isn’t Game of Thrones, and that I’m sure he was still alive! I find small symbolic items like that so powerful, and it’s a big part of what I love about fantasy novels.
Kathy: Sucker! Just kidding. My favorite part is when she tells Skye she’s going to beat Po’s reason for giving her the ring out of him.  Yes! Loved that!

Maria: Back on the Female Mentoring kick – I’m so pleased with the way Katsa has taken on her role as a leader and mentor for Bitterblue AND the other young women she encounters. This is a major plus for me as I read this with my newly rediscovered feminist glasses.
Kathy: Agreed!! She’s going to send Helda to Bitterblue and she’s going to all the Kingdom’s to teach the girls how to fight! That will also help her understand and appreciate her Grace as a gift, not a curse. She will also feel redeemed for the hurt she caused under Randa’s regime.  That could be another book, or at least an ebook short story! Are you listening Kristin Cashore?

Maria: The Leck resolution – Okay, I was disappointed with this part. It was just SO abrupt. I suspected something was wrong. Then BAM! It was over. I do like the fact that her contrary nature helped save them all (like Meg in Wrinkle in Time), and that it was the desire to protect Po that broke her free from Leck’s spell. So maybe that was the key – the pin – that kept Ashen and Bitterblue free of Leck’s manipulation? Though I can’t imagine that others didn’t also have the same motivation. I need more here, to really feel like this issue was fleshed out. I hope that the new novel gives me more backstory on this, because I think this is one of the few areas that I really found lacking.
Kathy: I wanted to know how he got Po’s family to come to castle. Also, how long does his influence last after he’s spoken.  I expected them to break immediately out of the spell, but it seemed to have many lingering effects. And yes, it was way too quick after such a build up! I think we spend more time in the mountains!

Maria: Then there is Po – safe and mostly sound. Yes, I did pick up very quickly that something was still wrong. Again, I think Cashore sprinkles clues lavishly – but the book is not really made for almost 40 year olds, right? She doesn’t do it heavy handedly, I don’t think, though I’d love to get an actual YA’s perspective on that. Okay – can I just say…. Po is DAREDEVIL! Yes, this is my superhero background kicking in full force again. Just like Daredevil, his blindness kicks into high gear all his other senses and gives him even more power. (Though Daredevil didn't have any superpowers before he lost his sight.) No, it’s not a bad thing. I don’t think there are a ton of heroes that use this plot device, and she does manage it well. I like his transformation as he learns to accept his new awareness, and how he stops fighting it.
Kathy: PO! So happy he isback. On the foreshadowing,  I think once I noticed what Cashore was doing, I really started to pick up on the clues because I was looking for them! The students haven’t once told me they felt it was predictable.  I think it’s a story you would normally read in a rush because it has great action and suspense.  We may have picked up things more keenly because we were taking notes! And, yes, we are a touch older. :)  I wonder how this heightened awareness will play out in Bitterblue.  Is there some sort of good reason that he has lost his sight or is this just a plot device?

Maria: The big questions when you come to the end of a book, though (especially when you know there is a sequel about to hit the bookstores) are about the “loose ends”.
1)      Will we end up with more about Giddon? I thought we’d moved past his parts of Katsa’s tale – but the fact that he was brought up again at the end makes me think that he may still have an impact on her life. Maybe he hasn’t really given up his pursuit of her. That’s sad, though, because it seemed obvious that he believes he can change her.
Kathy: Yes, I noticed that too. Why did Oll make a point to mention Giddon unless he is going to play another role.  They also said he spends more time at his estate and Randa’s looking for him a wife.  Is Bitterblue too young?
2)      What was Leck’s deal? It sounds like we hear some of this in Fire, but I find characters like this fascinating. What exactly makes a person so deeply evil? One of these days I’ll write a backstory tale for some of my favorite fairy tale villains too (like the witch in Rapunzel).
Kathy: I have read Fire and will not speak of it until you read it.  You are going to read it right? I remember loving the romance in that one...I hope some questions are answered in Bitterblue.  Maybe we can look this over again we read it!

Maria: I have Fire on my shelf! Yes, I think we should do a followup discussion once we’ve read Bitterblue and I’ve read Fire.

3)      What is the deal with Bitterblue? Why was she so very important to Leck? I’m hoping we get a lot more of this in the novel that releases in May!

Kathy: I have the ARC of Bitterblue and actually pre-ordered a copy because Cashore said the artwork is amazing. I do wonder what he wanted with her besides what was hinted at.  Does she have some latent superpowers? Not only was she super important to Leck but Katsa and Po are completely taken with her maturity and grace and mentions that she’s not like others.
Maria: For the record, here’s how I’ve kept track of my ideas as I read this book. The first few sections I used sticky notes. Sometimes I jotted notes on them, and sometimes they just held a spot. For the last section, I didn’t have any with me. So I resorted to the time honored tradition of jotting things down on an old envelope. 
Kathy: I will do more of that for the first book, actually, will Kindle the whole book so will take notes that way.  This time, I actually read the section, then went back and read the section again with pen in hand! I have a few of those moleskin like notebooks everywhere and I just pick them up and start writing as I’m reading. I may purchase some just for Batty.  So, technically, I’ve now read the book 3 times! This is what took me so long with my responses! I read the section twice in the week!!
Maria: So – are we moving on to A World Without Heroes next? This has been great! It’s such a different experience to read a book knowing that someone will be chatting with you about your impressions.
Kathy: A World Without Heroes is our next choice, yes! I haven’t had a chance to pick up the physical book yet and map out the reading.  Just set reminder to do that tomorrow! My ebook doesn’t have a table of contents.  It says it’s about 469 pages though! We may have to stretch this one to five weeks because I MUST start reading for my YHBA committee! 
Maria: Fridays absolutely work for me. I’m always working on comic reviews (and Wednesdays are new comics day, so I try get them done in time for release) and I write a Star Wars post for Thursdays. So Fridays would be great :)

So, my lovely readers (if, indeed, anyone is sharing this journey with Kathy and me)... what do you think? Did you enjoy Graceling? Leave us some thoughts about what you'd like to see us read after A World Without Heroes!

Summer Love, Long Ago. Poem 18

Dear summer love, from so long ago.

Our time was brief,

                So very brief

We talked

laughed,

       held hands.

Just a few days, really

A few conversations

A handful of kisses

Your view of me as mature,

                interesting,

                            attractive.

Changed me forever

When you disappeared,

I never got to thank you.

I hope you found love;

                Contentment;

                                And laughter

As I have.

Come Sail Away - Poem 17

(Again, my daily prompt comes from Bud the Teacher's site. Check out his prompts and all the other wonderful poems!) 

Come Sail Away

“There is no frigate like a book” – Emily Dickinson

Come along with me

To realms of imagination

We’ll sail across the sky

To Neverland and

never grow old

Or discover Ghulheim

beneath a grave

and cry out

To the Night-gaunts

for rescue.

Open a wardrobe door,

Barge onto Platform 9 and three quarters,

Fall into a rabbit hole.

Weave a world of magic with

Wands

Or words

Or dance

Or love.

Quest, seek, struggle, and grow.

Without leaving

The comforts of home,

And tea,

in your cozy

Hobbit hole

Sensitive Sons

It's "Slice of Life" day. I posted a piece of writing every day in March - and over the rest of the year we try to post every Tuesday.

Just a quick little reflection on the nature of sensitive sons.

Yes, we all claim we want to have boys who are more in touch in with their emotions, right? Well, some days I'm less sure of that than others.

I am the proud owner ... er.. mother of two highly sensitive boys. The oldest is 10, but has become incredibly moody (does puberty really start this early?). The other is 8, and is a button pusher. You know - the kind of child who can always find those buttons that make other people crazy? Ah, perhaps you are seeing the problem now, yes? The older son has REALLY easy to find buttons right now, and I get the brunt of the crazy.

Then we have the added joy of the change of the seasons, and the nearing of the end of the school year. Why are those two things problems for my sensitive sons, you ask?

Season changes mean clothing changes. Something as simple as going from jeans to shorts, or long sleeve shirts to short sleeves can spark an implosion when you have sensitive children. Nothing "feels right". Want to know how I spent my morning? I got the important job of sock shaver. The younger one felt like his socks were uncomfortable, so I turned them inside out and cut the excess fuzz out of the socks.

Yes, I want my sons to feel comfortable expressing their emotions. I want them to know it's okay to be upset - frustrated - or sad. The trick is helping them find a balance. As a child, no one really pestered me when I burst into tears (though I did have a few darling male elementary school teachers who were flummoxed and bewildered by my highly sensitive nature). As boys, though, I worry about them. Will they be teased? Will they be bullied? So, you see, they need to learn the fine art of hiding their sensitivities much sooner than I did.

Goofy Giggles - Poem 16

I decided to go for a rhyming poem today. My sons helped, both because these are all things they do and they actually gave me some ideas as I worked on it today! Thanks again to Bud the Teacher for a fun prompt for Poetry Month!

Goofy Giggles

Get a case of goofy giggles

Sing a song of cheese

Fingers dance as happy llama

Then whistle, if you please

Call every item in your desk

No other name than Bob

Fling your clothes across the floor

And be a big old slob.

That is how to be a kid -

At least it is today.

Perhaps in several hundred years

There will be a better way.

It’s Monday, What are you reading? April 16th

Time for my weekly update! 

Newbery

(audio) Miracles on Maple Hill – I’ll reflect on this one fully in a Newbery update post. Suffice it to say that I’ve enjoyed it, but it really drove home the way our culture has changed over the years. The gender roles are so old fashioned! There are times when the little girl who is the main character says things like “I’m so glad I’m not a boy. Boys can’t say stupid things.” The descriptions of nature in the text are lovely, though, and it has me curious about herbs and plants again.

Batty About Books (my book club with Kathy – aka @thebrainlair )

Graceling – by Kristin Cashore. I finished this one up this week. I loved it! You can check out my discussion with my book buddy on my blog. We’ll be discussing the ending this week.

A World Without Heroes – by Brandon Mull. I’m just starting this one up, as Kathy and I chose it as our next discussion book.

Read Alouds with my Sons

(a “reread” for April) Wind in the Door – we finished this one, and move on to Swiftly Tilting Planet. Jared is quite hooked on the Murry clan, and tends to read a few pages ahead each night once I’ve left him. He’s engaged and curious about the events and the science in the stories. I’m surprised, as I thought this would be too intense for his age. Hey, I’ll follow his lead, since I love these books.

Lost Hero – since I only read about 15 pages a night, this one is going to take a while! I do love Riordan’s writing style and his sense of humor. I love the fact that these books have caused a resurgence of interest in mythology in the current reading generation.

Comics and Graphic Novels

Light week here; really just the ones I review. I read the latest Buffy #8, the start of a new series called Alabaster Wolves (really, really cool!) and Dawn of the Jedi #3.

I’m anxiously awaiting my copy of Giants Beware! It is on the way to me right now. I was hoping I’d have it to read this weekend, but no such luck!

Picture Books

I don’t usually dedicate time to reading picture books, but Jen’s A-Okay challenge made up my mind. I grabbed some of my favorite Jane Yolen picture books to read.

Dove Isabeau. Gorgeous words, gorgeous images. This is a fairy tale of a young lady who is quiet and gentle, but loved by a king’s son for the “fire that lay beneath the skin”. When she is turned into a dragon by her wicked stepmother, that fire has no choice but to come to the surface. 

Tam Lin - another beauty. This one is based on a Scottish ballad that I love (you need to hear it!). I went through a Celtish folk music phase in college and discovered bands like Fairport Convention. This was one of my favorite ballads, so I was so excited to find it in picture book form. (for the record, there is also a really amazing chapter book based on it. I need to find that book again)

Should - Poem 15

Today's poem was sparked by the image of veggies accompanied by the words, "Go on.  It’s good for you.  What else would be good for you to be doing right now?" Check out Bud the Teacher's site daily in April for a prompt to try. 

Should

The weight of the shoulds

Rests on my shoulders,

Bending me over like

Atlas himself.

Some shoulds I roll up

The hill, only to sigh

Helplessly as they roll

Back down, and I begin

Again.

Some shoulds sit glaring at me

From corners, shelves, and

Alcoves.

Dusty, cobwebbed, and

covered with grime.

I refuse to live ruled

By the shoulds.

Yet dutifully I sharpen a pencil

And begin the day’s list.

Newbery Update April 15th

It's time for another Newbery Challenge Update! Check out Watch.Connect.Read for a description of this challenge.

I’m focusing on two types of Newbery books in April – rereads (part of my effort to join in with the Teacher Mentor Text “A-Okay toReread in April”) and audio books. I’ll be back on track with the earlier Newbery books in May. I left off at 1934.

The Midwife’s Apprentice by Karen Cushman  (1996)

     I love this book every time I read it. It's a quick and easy read, but with a lot of historical information. Not for the faint of heart - or the very young - as there is a decent amount of (not too gory) childbirth information in there!

     I'm fascinated by the middle ages and by herblore, so I just love this one! It’s a “starter” historical fiction, without a ton of heavy historical data, but I think it will hook readers into wanting to learn more about the time.

Miracles on Maple Hill  by Virginia Sorensen (1957)

(I listened to a full cast recording)  finished 4/14/12

     Sweet book, though it had some odd parts. It's funny how easily a realistic fiction can feel "dated".

The gender roles were so firmly fixed (though Marley does make some attempts to stand up for girls and their rights to get out there and do a few things boys do, it doesn't feel like the point of the story like it would if it were written today as historical fiction).

     The other thing that stood out was the author's consistent use of the adjective "queer". So often, so very often. Yes, I know it meant something different then, but it just really stood out. Again, clearly a realistic fiction written in that time and not historical fiction written now about that time.

     Still, compared to some of the other Newbery books I've slogged through, it was sweet and fun to read. I really enjoyed all the bits about the flowers and types of nature she saw. Excerpts could easily be used to go along with nature study units in science in elementary school.

Nourishment - Poem 14

Today's poem, in honor of poetry month, was inspired by the image of a happy child in the rain on Bud the Teacher's blog. 

Nourishment

“Into every life a little rain must fall”

Declared with a dour expression

By those who have forgotten

Simpler days

Stomping – this way and that –

Which gives the biggest splash?

Squishy galoshes

Head tilted back to catch

A drop on my tongue

Dance in the drizzle

Prance in the puddles

Caper in the cloudburst

Questing for rainbows?

No! Reveling in the raindrops

Secure in the knowledge

Of tomato soup and

Gooey grilled cheese

To drive away the chills

A-Okay to Reread in April – April 14, 2012

A-Okay to Reread in April – April 14, 2012

Ooo... I am loving this! Check out the “A-Okay to Reread in April” challenge at Teach Mentor Texts. This post started its life as a comment on second posting by Jen Vincent about her reading progress on this challenge. It was so long I decided to make it my very own post. My blog was feeling lonely.

***

So far I have reread Wind in the Door (I read it with my son, who is now obsessed with the Murry clan). I still adore how L'Engle blends some serious science into her science fiction, even though it is for kids. I also love the depth of her thoughts. In this book, Names are given incredible power - and knowing and understanding someone (faults and all) is the highest treasure. Love it!

I also reread Midwife's Apprentice. I'm using this April reread challenge to hit some of the Newberys I've already read, and counting it into my Newbery challenge. I've finished 19 of the 91 Newberys so far this year. Not bad for a "no stress" challenge.

Next on my plate are some Yolen picture books. I brought home some of my absolute favorites - Tam Lin, Dove Isabeau, and Ballad of the Pirate Queens. I also brought home her first graphic novel – The Last Dragon – which was my maiden voyage into reviewing for the Fandom Post. I may also tackle one of her chapter books as a reread this month.

Also, I'm about to go grab Graveyard Book as an audio (just got my email from Audible that I have my next credit). I absolutely adore that book - I've read it twice - and I'm looking forward to hearing Gaiman's voice narrate it. I'm currently listening to Miracles on Maple Hill (that's not a reread, but it was an inexpensive buy on Audible). 

Hmm... this was a long comment. I should make it my own post as well *chuckles* Big thanks to Jen (@mentortexts) for the encouragement to reread! Sometimes I feel like I need to keep moving on, but going back “home” is always a great feeling. 

Discovery - Poem 13

(This poem is the 13th of my April poems, all inspired by the visual prompts on Bud the Teacher's blog. Today's image was a black and white photo of a man and woman in a chemistry lab.) 

Discovery

It begins with a wondering.

An itchy, scratchy feeling in the

Back of a brain

“Why? How? What if?”

Sometimes there are

Sudden

Bursts

of inspiration

Mythical apples

Overflowing tubs

“Eureka!”

Sometimes the progress

is slow and painful and comes in fits and starts,

along with countless failures that could make

the bravest soul

descend

into despair.

Yet we soldier on into the

Unknown.

Women and men,

Young and old,

Boldly creating the future.

Uncovering the past

Answering each

“Why? How? What if?”

One little speck at a time.

Obsolete - Poem 12

Today's poem was inspired by an image of a slide rule on Bud the Teacher's blog. He's posting a visual prompt every day in honor of Poetry Month. 

Obsolete

Giggles and whispers

Creeping up the attic stairs

Garbed in gingham and lace

Creaks and echoes

Lifting the heavy oak lid

Intricately carved old chest

Nudges and pokes

“What are those things?”

Dusty and covered with grime

One girl holds up a small rectangle

Gleaming silver back with a

Shiny black front

The other gestures quickly,

Wiggling fingers with a single word

“Identify”

Resonant voice responds,

“Information device –

Obsolete”