Maria's Mélange

Shadowshaper by   Daniel José Older   ( @djolder ,  ghoststar.net ) If you missed it - we started by chatting about the cover of the book last week! Cover Appeal First Half discussion (pages 1-140) Check out the other half of the discussion at The Brain Lair Visit our Facebook page , comment here, or tweet us (@thebrainlair or @mariaselke with #BattyAboutBooks and/or #Shadowshaper) to join in the discussion! I love the fact that we chose a book that is being praised for how it represents elements of American life that are so different from my own life story. Since we often talk about the need for diverse books to provide us both windows and mirrors, I’m going to frame at least some of my thoughts around those two ideas. ** For those reading my blog who aren’t familiar with this framework**  Many think of diversity in literature giving us a window into lives that are different from our own (helping build connections, empathy, and un...

It's been a while since Batty About Books hit the trail. Last year seemed so crazy - so hectic - that we really didn't get a chance to read anything together. What would it take to get us moving? What kind of book would push us to get the band back together again? Well... take a LOOK at this one. Shadowshaper by Daniel José Older (Goodreads Author) Hardcover, 304 pages Published June 30th 2015 by Arthur A. Levine Books (first published January 1st 2015) ISBN 0545591619 (ISBN13: 9780545591614) (Join us on our blogs  (Kathy is at The Brain Lair ) , on  Facebook , or Tweet/IG with #BattyAboutBooks and/or #Shadowshaper. We'll post brief thoughts and quotes from the text during the week.) I'll admit, I had heard about this book before seeing the cover. There were rumbles about this being an intriguing storyline. When I saw the cover, though, I was hooked. FRONT: + The first thing that strikes me is the strength in that face. So often I feel lik...

So Long Gnop-Jiye by   Katrina Moore   (Goodreads Author) Paperback, 28 pages Published December 17th 2013 by Tate Publishing & Enterprises, L.L.C. ISBN 1630630640 (ISBN13: 9781630630645) Source: provided by the author for an honest review Goodreads Blurb: In So Long, Gnop-Jiye, a seven-year-old Chinese girl is forced to leave behind all of her dolls, friends, and her pet duck when her family moves to America. When she goes to her new school, she cannot even understand what her teacher is saying. She feels sad and scared in her new surroundings, until she learns that starting a new life means new opportunities. My Thoughts: This is a sweet story that will help students begin to understand that not all US immigrants arrived before the American Revolution! I also liked the fact that the Chinese family doesn't come to escape poverty - they were well off in China - but instead is fleeing a government that threatens their way of life. The immigratio...

Summer of the Mariposas Part 1 - The Departure A few weeks ago, we discussed our thoughts prior to reading. Cover Thoughts Due to life getting in the way, it took a little while before we could resume our discussion. Now the Batty About Books duo is back to chat about the first chunk of this lovely book. As usual, my thoughts are in purple with Kathy (aka The Brain Lair) in blue. My ponderings reside here, but don't miss checking out the other side of the conversation at The Brain Lair. Wow - what an impressive beginning! I have so many thoughts swirling around my head that I’m going to have to pick and choose or this post will be massive. Connections to Greek Mythology I’m torn about when to use this book with students. Do I do it after they have some Greek mythology background? I think the story will hold up well even if they miss these references, but students who are intrigued by the stories will delight in “myth spotting”. I don’t have enough Greek...