It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

It is Monday and again I am joining in the meme over at Mentor Texts.

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This last week I've been reading...

First in a series by Morris Gleitzman about Felix and Zelda two children caught up in World War 11 in Poland.  They are on the run from the Nazis.  Each chapter begins with Once....

An amazing book, while it is a horrendous read in one way it is a heart warming one as well, and I love how Gleitzman adds humour to it.

Then....

I had a plan for me and Zelda
Pretend to be someone else
Find new parents
Be safe forever

Then the Nazis came

Another amazing book in this series, it takes up immediately from Once, so I was very pleased I didn't have to wait and could start it straight away.  However didn't like the ending!  So sad, so shocking.

This coming week I would like to plan to read Now the third in the series by Morris Gleitzman. However it is out at the library so I will need to wait.  In the meantime I will read   The Spindlers by Lauren Oliver.

Once

Once there was a beautiful fine autumn day and I decided to take a chair and read outside in the sunshine at morning break time and read the book Once by Morris Gleitzman.

I was interrupted a few times, I did up a five year old girl's shoes, she asked about my book,  I sorted out some trouble on the playground (even though I wasn't the duty teacher - all from my chair of course) and answered the questions about what I was reading to our TA and encouraged her to read the book too.

Once by Morris Gleitzman is a fabulous book. It is set in 1942 in Poland when the Nazis were exterminating the Jews.  I've read The Diary of Anne Frank, I've read aloud to my class years ago I Am David, and I have The Book Thief sitting on my table at home for over a year waiting to be read - and because I think it is set at the same time as Once I have been avoiding it!

Inside the front cover it says:

Once I escaped from an orphanage

 to find Mum and Dad.

Once I saved a girl called Zelda

 from a burning house.

Once I made a Nazi with a toothache laugh.

My name is Felix.

This is my story.

Morris Gleitzman has written an amazing story.  Felix is an innocent child caught up in the evils of that time and deeply affected by them.  He is courageous, responsible, innocent, imaginative  an ever hopeful story teller.  Zelda is a sweetheart and I love her constant refrain; "Don't you know anything?" that she says often to Felix.  Their care for each other is heart warming. What a hero and heroine.

For a long time Felix doesn't realise what is actually happening until one telling sentence: "I'm glad the other kids are excited because they haven't seen what I can see now that I've wiped my glasses."

This story is a deeply heart wrenching story, yet there is humour in Gleitzman's writing as he tells the story.  I am close to finishing it, but not quite.  When I do finish it I will move on to the second in this series, Then.

Do read it.

It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

It is Monday and again I am joining in the meme over at Mentor Texts.

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Insurgent
Virginia Roth
Second in Trilogy

Goodread's Summary
One choice can transform you--or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves--and herself--while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

This was a reread for me.  I had listened to the audio version, but decided I really needed to read it as well to follow it and prepare myself for the third one later in the year.  I enjoyed reading it, and once I got started I didn't take long. I found myself grappling with - Who is that now?  I was somewhat relieved to hear one of my students say she thought she would have to go back to the first book in a trilogy she is reading because she can't remember all the bits and pieces as she moves into reading the third.  I thought it was old age creeping in!  There is a buzz in my class about this trilogy and someone said they heard a movie is possibly being made?

Coming up I plan to read the second book in The Rosie Black Chronicles - Equinox by Lara Morgan.  Thankfully the third in this trilogy is published so it won't be too long before I read the third, and I only read the first a few weeks ago!

It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

It is Monday and again I am joining in the meme over at Mentor Texts.

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The Rosie Black Chronicles: Genesis
By Lara Morgan  (Australian author)
Walker Books:2010

Summary from Goodreads.
Five hundred years into the future, the world is a different place. The Melt has sunk most of the coastal cities and Newperth is divided into the haves, the “Centrals”; the have-nots, the “Bankers”; and the fringe dwellers, the “Ferals”.

Rosie Black is a Banker. When Rosie finds an unusual box, she has no idea of the grave consequences of her discovery. A mysterious organisation wants it – and will kill to get it.

Forced to rely on two strangers, Rosie is on the run. But who can she trust? Pip, the too attractive Feral, or the secretive man he calls boss?

This is a YA dystopian  science fiction book, full of action and adventure. While it begins on Earth, it moves to outer space and Mars.  It was recommended to me by one of my students.  It is the first of a trilogy and I will definitely read Equinox the next one very soon.   I think the third still not have been published. If students have enjoyed The Hunger Games or Divergent they will like this one.  I would say it is intended for slightly younger readers than those two books, however all ages will enjoy it.  A book I am happy to share with my Year 7 and 8 class.

This coming week I will be reading Bigger than a Bread Box by Laurel Snyder.

It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

It is Monday and again I am joining in the meme over at Mentor Texts.

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It has taken me a few weeks to get a book read! Back to school has meant being busy and a fuzzy tired head by the time I have some down time to read.

The 10 PM Question
Kate de Goldi  (NZ author)
Longacre Press 2008

Summary from Goodreads:
A warm, surprising, real and intelligent novel you will fall in love with. Frankie Parsons is twelve and has a rodent voice of worry nibbling in his head. His new friend - colourful, creative, talkative Sydney - has relentless, unavoidable questions of her own that force Frankie and his family to face up to things that have lain dormant for years.

This book was well written and worth reading.  Frankie reminded me a little of myself with his 'rodent voice of worry'.  Also I am partial to a happy ever after, as is Frankie and he doesn't get that.  However family secrets do eventually get explored.  That was satisfying and did mean that in another way Frankie did grow as he began to front up to the realities of his life.  

While he is a twelve year old, I still have to decide whether I put this in class library. At the moment I am leaning towards the not.  I'd rather students read it in a couple of years and fully appreciate it. I will lend it to a teacher friend who knows this age group and get her opinion before finally deciding.

At present I am reading The Rosie Black Chronicles: Genesis, by Lara Morgan. (Australian author). More about this when I have finished reading it.  

As professional reading I have Book Love by Penny Kittle on the go. About half way through and enjoying it.

It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

It is Monday and again I am joining in the meme over at Mentor Texts.

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Little Brother
Cory Doctorow
Harper Collins 2008.
Science Fiction: cyberpunk.

This book was recommended by one of my students.  On reading it I thought it was a book for someone older than a 13 year old. However I think said student would have followed it, understood it, at least as well as myself!

I checked it out from our local library.  I noticed on the inside cover that it had been presented to the library by Amnesty International NZ in 2008.

This is the story of Marcus who finds he is caught up in a terrorist attack, in the wrong place at the wrong time.  He is taken prisoner and subjected to torture.  When he is finally released he finds the USA is paranoid and the Homeland Security have taken over.  It's a police state and every movement is monitored.  He has been told to never tell anyone about how he was treated while imprisoned or he will be dealt with.

Marcus is one of those small people who stand up and do something.  He is cyber literate, and is able to organise a fight back.  As a character I loved him.

I didn't understand all the cyber stuff, but just enough to be able to follow the story.  It was a gripping story, one I had to read slowly to follow, but well worth it.  A book to make one think.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Jeff Kinney
Puffin 2007


I am probably the only one that hadn't read this!  However last year I bought the most recent one for the class, I thought it might hook in some reluctant readers.

I was surprised when some of my top readers fell on it with glee.  They had read all the previous ones.  They assured me a reader should start at the beginning, so I went back and bought the first four.  I'm hoping they will be book bait!
This was a quick and fun read, I can see why they are appealing and I chuckled my way through it.

This coming week I am reading The 10 pm Question by Kate de Goldi, a New Zealand author. It's been out awhile but I read about it somewhere and as I have sampled her writing with some other book I don't even remember, apart from the fact I liked it, I bought this book with some Christmas gift vouchers from a student.

It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

It is Monday and again I am joining in the meme over at Mentor Texts.

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This past week I read:

Guitar Highway Rose
Brigid Lowry
This edition 2004
First Published 1997
Teen Realistic Fiction
Setting: Western coast of Australia.


Firstly I was recommended to read this book by an 11 year old student of mine.  It was her top book for 2012.  Upon reading it, I loved it, however I did think perhaps 13 years and up would be a more suitable age. Miss 11 year old is a sophisticated reader and I could actually imagine her writing just such a creative and quirky book in a few years time, so I think the exception rather than the rule here.

This book has a seemingly ordinary plot, although a few surprises towards the end had me engaged to the finish. It is not the plot however that makes this book, rather it is the characters and the way in which the story is told.  A wide mix of writing forms are used, at first I found it a little disconcerting, but I was soon loving it.  Imagine this whole paragraph with out a capital or full stop. Every teacher's dread usually! There were paragraphs like this, taking the reader into the head of a 15 year old boy, and it worked. Other forms are diary, streams of consciousness, poetry, police notes..... and so it goes on.  The reader is taken into conversations and characters minds and feelings, hopes, nightmares.  In this way the story is told.

Middle School is Worse Than Meatloaf: A Year Told Through Stuff.
Jennifer L. Holm.
Published 2011.
Graphic Novel.


It will be interesting to see what my students make of this. They may find the handwriting a little disconcerting as we don't use that here in New Zealand, although it was taught here when I went to school. Now it is one that has no loops etc.  That's when we do teach it!

I liked the Dad in this story and when Ginny gets a mention for her science fair work on the brain, despite the dog eating it!

I have also started a book called Little Brother by Cory Doctorow, a science fiction - cyberpunk book. As I am about a quarter way through this will probably be my reading for the coming week. Again this was a book recommended by one of my students as her top book for the year.  

Happy reading to all for the week coming.

It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

It is Monday and again I am joining in the meme over at Mentor Texts.

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This week I read The Recruit, by British writer Robert Muchamore,  the first in the Cherub series, which was first published in about 2005.  I read this because I noticed a few of my boys were into this series.  They have now left my class and I wondered was this a series to push for boy readers coming into my class this year?

Simple answer, yes. It has action, adventure and spy missions.  I would label it in the 'easy' reading sphere in terms of reading ability needed.  A little like the Anthony Horowitz series, which is similar 'easy' reading.  It will hook in boys. There are a lot more in the series, with a second related series.

I would love to know of any similar 'easy' reading that is totally engrossing for girls. Surprisingly enough, I have a few girls I really need to 'hook in' to reading.

These holidays I seem to be reading books recommended by my students.  Having read a few posts this week about putting on your door what you are reading, I am looking forward to putting up on my classroom door what I read in the holidays and who recommended me to read them.

So this week I will be reading Guitar Highway Rose by Brigid Lowry, a New Zealand born author. This book is recommended to me by Simone, who is a very wide ranging reader, who is total nerd when it comes to reading! And I might add a talented musician, artist and writer!

Its Monday, What are you Reading?

It is Monday and again I am joining in the meme over at Mentor Texts.

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And so the final post of the year 2012.

This week I read One For the Murphys by Lynda Mullaly Hunt.  Oh my, what a wonderful book. What a story, that could just so pull at my heartstrings.  Did I need tissues? Yes. A very special book to end the year on. I began it with Okay for Now by Gary Schmidt and I end it with this one. As it happens for me, the two best of the year.






Plan for this week, something a little less draining! So, I am going to read The Recruit by Robert Muchamore. The very first in the Cherub series. Two of the boys in my class this year highly recommend this series, so I need to taste it so that I can steer others in the class towards it.

My Reading 2012

The year is coming to a close and it is time to look back on 2012.  This was my first year of really making an effort to read some books that my students might be reading or could read. Why did I never do this before I ask myself? The books are excellent and it has made a difference to the way we view books in our classroom.  There are already very independent book worms in my classroom, but others have began to come on board.  I have more of a feel for what might suit a particular student.

I achieved my goal of 75 books read for the year.  I would have been happy with 52, one for each week of the year, but some graphic novels were speedily read.  I will be setting 52 for 2013, I like to read adult books as well and am aiming for 100 in that field, so I need to be realistic with middle grade and YA books.

On Kevin Hodgson's blog I noticed he had pulled up the stats for his reading over the year.  I only started at Goodreads for my children's and YA books this year, but have had a separate one for last three years for my other reading.   ( Makes for a split personality at times, but I like to link with students on Goodreads with my 'teacher' account.)  Anyway I pulled up the stats and it was a bit of fun to look back over the year in that way.

I chose to clip a part that Okay for Now by Gary Schmidt on top, because that is the book I really love and remember with my heart the most from this year's reading,  Loved it. 

I could even see how many pages I had read!  16 787

It might not be as many pages as others, it doesn't matter, I am happy to do this much, plus by the end of the day I will have 224 pages to add to it from my final book of the year.  It's coming in very close to Okay For Now, which I began the year with, so One For the Murphys is right up there too.

Finally a look at the years in which the books were published that I read. I have some early dates because I did manage to get about 18 of the Newbery award books read.

The books have been very rewarding to read.  As a teacher I enjoyed some of the comments on the Christmas cards that I received  from my students, which showed they 'got' that I was reading.

A student who hates to be without a book wrote on the card, "from one book lover to another".

A student who has finally started to enjoy reading in 2012 ( have taught her for three years) wrote in the card, " Don't wary I won't stop reading in the holidays." and finally a student who I haven't been able to entice into a love of reading even though she can easily read says, "I will do some  Reading in the holidays when I can."  

I love the books and I love the students, so until 2013........ when it begins all over again.

It's Monday, What are You Reading?

It is Monday and again I am joining in the meme over at Mentor Texts.

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This week I read

Leviathan by Scott Westerfield.  This was my first ever from the Science Fiction steampunk genre. At the beginning of the year I didn't even know that steampunk existed!

This book was recommended to me by one of my students, Monique,  who was very enthusiastic about it.  The first two chapters I was beginning to wonder, then I saw a note from katsok on Goodreads under this book, saying she had taken a couple of chapters to get into it. Great little comment, because it encouraged me to keep going and I did enjoy it very much.  Lots of action and adventure.  I can see that some of my other students would enjoy it too. I am putting it on my list as a possible read aloud to the class for 2013. Will only not do that if something better comes along to take its place.

For the coming week all the books I want to read are out at the local library so I think I will start with One For the Murphys by Lynda Mullaly Hunt. I have seen many positive comments about this book so I am looking forward to it.  Lots of 5 stars from the readers I follow on Goodreads, and I see Donalyn Miller recommends tissues!

Being Christmas Eve - and a sweltering hot day here on the Kapiti Coast in New Zealand, I wish you all the blessings of the Christmas season. By the way a bit of snow just sounds heavenly at the moment!

It's Monday, What are you Reading?

It is Monday and again I am joining in the meme over at Mentor Texts.

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It's awhile since I took part in this, reading dwindled to a stop as the final term of the year encroached and writing reports and end of year functions took precedence.

This was my read aloud to the class book for this final term.  We had read Because of Mr Terupt in 2011 and were looking forward to this one.  I have to say it was a bit of a disappointment for me, it seemed to lack a main focus. However the students enjoyed it and I see one of them has given it four stars on Goodreads to my three stars.

Newbery winner for 2012 is where I became becalmed in my reading, so over the weekend I finished it.  As it is semi autobiographical, it read a little like a memoir. I enjoyed the humour and especially enjoyed the Grim Reaper visit to Mrs Dubicki's place. Also liked the relationship of Jack and  Miss Volker.  A possible read aloud for 2013. Will have to see what else I read over the summer holidays.






What to read next?  My bookworm students have some words of recommendation to me:
Monique says -

The most amazing book I’ve read is Gone. That’s the title by the way.  It took me awhile to read, as it is quite thick.  But it was DEFINITELY worth the time! The book is by Michael Grant, of whom I look up to greatly as an author. The book is the first of a series of five, these are the names of all the books, Gone, hunger, Lies, (I’m reading that one right now)  Plague and Fear.

I will not explain Gone, it’s too complex. Hence the reason for you to read it, otherwise you will never know.

Jordan says -
Another book I really enjoyed was one of my own books that I got given for my birthday. The second book in the cherub series, Class A.
This book is one of those ones when all you want to do is sit down and finish it off.  I would recommend finishing the first book in the series before you read this one.

Simone says -
Guitar Highway Rose by Brigid Lowry, a New Zealand author. She has a really unique and quirky way of writing that’s really interesting and I really enjoyed this book. Back in January this year I also read another book by her called Lots Of Love From Georgia. It is a really good book and I recommend you read some books by her. She wrote another book called Juicy Writing that you read out to the class last year for some writing study. There is some really good tips in there for writing and I really like all of the books by her that I’ve read, but Guitar Highway Rose was by far the best one yet :D

The Rosie Black Chronicles - Book one AND two. The first book, Genesis, was recommended to me by Carol, (librarian) and I really really enjoyed it, so much that I read the sequel, Equinox, which was equally as great. In November, the third book in the series came out, it’s called Dark Star, and I hope to get it for Christmas. But since it took ages to come out, I might need to reread the first two books so I get the hang of what’s happening because I forgot some stuff that may be required to be in your head for Dark Star. Other than that, a really great series :)

Teegan says -
My favourite books from this year were Little Brother by Cory Doctorow, The Scorpio Races by Jo Knowles, Divergent By Veronica Roth ( I didn’t like Insurgent that much) Ashes, Ashes by Jo Treggiari and Eve by Anna Carey. All these books except for Little brother are dystopian so I have come to the conclusion that this is my favourite genre. 

Me:
I have been given these recommendations and I will certainly follow up with Little Brother and Eve as Teegan suggests at some stage. In fact hoping to read all the suggestions!

For this week I am going to read:

Leviathan by Scott Westerfield, a favourite of Moniques.  She drew a calendar picture that is going to hang in the classroom for 2013, so I need to read the book so that I can interpret the picture!  She assures me it is good.

It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

It is Monday and again I am joining in the meme over at Mentor Texts.

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This past week I have been reading The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan.  It was the usual enjoyable roller coaster of:  into one challenge, out of it and into the next. I especially enjoyed the humour, and often found myself chuckling out loud.  As these characters age, a little more romance has been introduced! Of course in true style it ends with a cliff hanger.  I found I had to keep my wits about me as I read as there is so much to remember about relationships and gods....  One of my students is well prepared for this book, he has read the previous one a couple of times, so I am sure he is enjoying this one at the moment. In the meantime I have this one finished  and ready to go into the hands of another boy, who asked could he have it as soon as I had finished.  The boys in my class are the ones who enticed me into reading these books, now I am in the process of trying to get more girls hooked. I can't see why they wouldn't be.

My read for the coming week is Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos, this year's Newbery winner. I haven't read anything by him before so I am looking forward to it.

It's Monday - What are you Reading?

It is Monday and again I am joining in the meme over at Mentor Texts.

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Since I joined in with the meme last I have read:

The sequel to Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. This book was good but I wasn't as caught up in it as Roll of Thunder. I notice some of my students now reading Roll of Thunder, so maybe they will give this a go, possibly!

The Scorpio Races - I am sure lots of readers have loved this. The writing is very good and the story is as well. It just didn't appeal so much to me because of the violence.  However now having taken part in #titletalk chat just now, I think I will book talk it and see what happens in my class.  My class know I don't like gore in books - however they probably handle it better!









I am not sure what I am going to read in the coming week, I am hoping Rick Riordan's latest will be in our NZ shops tomorrow but not sure. If it is I will be reading The Mark of Athena. One of my students wants it after me - we are on spring break here, so I should have it read by time we go back to school.

It's Monday - What are You Reading?

t is Monday and again I am joining in the meme over at Mentor Texts.

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I managed two novels this week - mainly because they were short ones and I liked them so I had a bit of oomph to read them. They were:

Newbery winner - Island of the Blue Dophins by Scott O'Dell.  I didn't really expect to 'like' this one but I did.  There is something about a book that explores resilience and making it against the odds in the natural environment.

Another Newbery winner - Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George.  Well I didn't really expect o get wrapped up in this one either, but I did.  Again it explored resilience and making it in an environment with no other humans close. Both books had that feel of Hatchet by Gary Paulson.  I read this book in a day and I think sometime in the future I would like to read the follow up to this book.

While I am not the sort to want to face into the situations these two characters faced - believe me I wouldn't survive- however they both challenged me to be more resilient in the wild frontiers of my own life!



I also read Chapter 2 of 10 Things Every Writer Needs to Know which was about using mentor texts.  This chapter gave me more insight into using mentor texts and the way the author shared how he - Jeff Anderson - uses them has made me realise I need to do more of this, it will be a goal for my new school  year in 2013.  I'm from New Zealand remember, our school year closes in December.

What might I read this coming week, well I'm waiting on books, so I think I will read what I have sitting here: Let The Circle Be Unbroken by Mildred D. Taylor, the sequel to Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry.  The Scopio Races by Maggie Stievater has just arrived from Scholastic book club, so may also get into that.

It's Monday - What are you Reading?

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I read this and enjoyed it. I have a few more in the series that I will put into the class library and I hope some of the girls will enjoy it. Maybe I could talk some boys into it too!  They are so mad on the Greek Gods from the Rick Riordan books. Recently I put the George O'Connor graphic novels of the Greek Gods into the class library and they have been ambushed.  Pow! Very popular.

This was one of my Newbery challenges, I started with a little trepidation, readers seem to either love or hate it!  However while I was not head over heels in love with it I found it interesting. A somewhat mixture of genres - I was reminded of Lois Lowry and the The Giver with the idea of sameness and differences on the planet they go to to free their Dad.

It was a pleasure to read this 50th Edition and read about the author and see some of her drafting of the book at the end of the book.



This week I am going to read The Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder.  I have the whole set for the classroom, I am not sure if I will read them all, but would like to try a few for the sampling!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

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This past week I read Kira Kira by Cynthia Kadohata, 2005 Newbery Award Winner.  It was a great insight into what it might be like for an immigrant family in a new country. It was about family, hardship, courage and loss. 

I also read Sidekicks by Dan Santat - graphic novel.  This was a lot of fun and I enjoyed it, I know it will be popular in my class. I thought it incorporated some great values around loyalty, forgiveness and friendship.

This coming week it is going to be A Wrinkle in Time and I would like to read one of the Goddess Girls to sample them - probably Artemis the Loyal.

It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

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I read the third book in the Annals of the Western Shore trilogy - Powers by Ursula Le Guin.  Interesting trilogy, but would only recommend to those who are motivated to try U Le Guin with this series.

The 1948 Newbery read Winner The Twenty-One Balloons by William Pene du Bois.  This was a lot of fun and adventure -  great tall story.  I liked how it began at the end and then went back and told the story of howProfessor Sherman found himself floating in the Atlantic with 21 balloons.

I would happily recommend this to readers in my class.

This book was a quick and easy read and my first with the lunch lady. A load of fun and I hope some of my students really enjoy it.










In the coming week I plan to read Kira-Kira by C Kadohata, 2005 Newbery, noticed one of my students reading it, so thought I would grab it after her.  Probably another Lunch Lady book and then I am not sure. I see a notice from local library saying A Wrinkle in Time has become available for me to pick up - so I guess that's on the agenda too.

It's Monday - What Are You Reading?

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It is Monday and again I am joining in the meme over at Mentor Texts.
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I read the second in the Annals of the Western Shore trilogy - Voices by Ursula Le Guin. I didn't enjoy this as much as the first one, it is set about 15 or so years after the first book. We did meet up with the two main characters from the first book who have travelled widely since last met.

They arrive at a place that has been conquered by a people who believe reading is evil and all books have been banished and destroyed. Anyone found with a book is punishable by death.  Memer however along with her mentor still holds a library and she has learned to read. When Orrec and Gry arrive that is when life begins to change and the people unite and push back at their oppressors.

I also read the 2003 Newbery Medal book - Crispin The Cross of Lead by Avi. It was set in medieval England and told the story is about Crispin who has to be very on his guard as he escapes evil people who do not want him to live.  I enjoyed it, there are other books that follow in a series from this book, but I am not likely to read them at this point.

For the coming week I intend reading:  Powers by Ursula Le Guin - the third book in the trilogy.  If I have time I will also read another Newbery book - back to school this week for our third term of eleven weeks, so will wait and see how my stamina is by evening!