It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

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

Hop on over and join in over at the Mentor Text Blog. Just click on the picture 
                                                 

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!

It's Monday - What are you Reading?

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

Hop on over and join in over at the Mentor Text Blog. Just click on the picture 
                                                 
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 You Reading?

Monday has come around again and I am joining in the meme over at Mentor Texts.
Hop on over and join in at the Mentor Text Blog. 

 I had a better reading week this past week, the week before was a bad week for reading with nothing finished.

The first book I finished this week was The Mighty Miss Malone by Christopher Paul Curtis. Very interesting and really liked Deza very much. A very courageous young girl. However if I had to choose between Doug Swieteck of Okay for Now or Deza, well I have to admit it would be Doug.







In New Zealand we have the NZ Post Book Awards. There are 5 nominations each in picture books,  non-fiction children's books, junior fiction and senior fiction.  The final choices will be made in May. They can be seen here.  NZ Post Shortlist.   Some of our students are reading them and then in May we have a local Mastermind quiz on the books among local schools.  It is a lot of hard work for them but also very rewarding. As I want to read these books as well some of my reading has been and will be these books.

Just Jack by Adele Broadbent is the story of Jack who leaves his home at 13yrs to become an apprentice jockey.  It is set in 1931 and includes the Napier earthquake. I enjoyed this book and rated it 4 stars.  Realistic and historical fiction.

This book is by Barbara Else and was also enjoyable. It started really well and left the reader with many questions to be answered. So it is both mystery and fantasy.  It is well written and for most of the book I was hooked. However by the end of it I was a little more disengaged. Everything ended very well tied up and I just got a little bored. I am interested to see what my students make of this one. I awarded it three stars.




For the coming week I plan to read:
Babymouse Cupcake Tycoon - Jennifer and M Holm
Amulet - Book One The Stonekeeper - K Kibuishi
And two NZ Post Award books -
The Flytrap Snaps by J Knox  and...
Kimble Bent - Malcontent.  By C Grosz

It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

Monday has come around again and I am joining in the meme over at Mentor Texts.
Hop on over and join in at the Mentor Text Blog.

In the past week I read Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu.  I wasn't sure if I would like it as I was not a fan of the story The Snow Queen growing up.  It was just a distant memory and I couldn't even recall the plot, just the distaste.

Breadcrumbs starts out as a realistic fiction novel but then becomes fantasy as it almost retells the story of the Snow Queen using the characters Jack and Hazel. I fell in love with both of them, so I was soon hooked into the story.  About half way through I had to stop and go look up the story of the Snow Queen.

On page 45 - 46 Jack talks about his drawing of a simple palace.  "There's a boy," Jack said.  "He's a normal boy.  Until one day he wakes up and no one can see him.  He's turned invisible.  And he tries everything, but nothing works.  So he goes there.......There's no one to look at him, and no one will ever come."  Jack has a hard time at home, his mother has gone into a depression - where she is not available to Jack.  He is an easy target for the Snow Queen.  Hazel too has her troubles with a father who really does not care about her and has to see a counsellor when she acts out at school.  At the end of the visit "He dismissed her, and Hazel poured concrete into the hollow parts.  Now she would be part girl,  part hardening gray sludge.  And no one would know the difference."  No "plastic flowers of words" really made a difference.

Yet it is Hazel who courageously goes after Jack and saves him and brings him back.  Her strong friendship with him matters.  As he turns to go home, "Jack hesitated still and Hazel wanted to say something comforting, give him some bright plastic flowers of words, but Jack would see them for what they were. Jack know how to see things."

To me the second part of the story was like a journey made within.  It is as if Jack has gone into inner territory of coldness and ugliness.  Hazel seeks him out there, bringing him back to reality, with no promise that all would now be okay.  Yet there is that strong bond of friendship that has broken through.  Hazel did come.

For the coming week I plan to read The Mighty Miss Malone by C P Curtis.  Looking forward to it.

It's Monday - What are You Reading?

Monday comes around fast.  It has been an extremely busy week, so I only found time to complete one book.  As usual I am joining in the blog hop over at Mentor Texts.

Hop on over and join in at the Mentor Text Blog.

The book I read was called Our Only May Amelia by Jennifer Holm.  It took me a little while to get into it and orientate myself.  Eventually I sorted out her many brothers and began to follow more easily.  

It gave a wonderful historical perspective of a young girl growing up in Nth Western America in the early twentieth century.  By mid-way through the book I was hooked and wanted to finish the remainder of it in one sitting.

I am looking forward to reading the sequel.

This week I am reading Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu.  Just started.  I hope I like it, however I was never a fan of the Snow Queen so I am a little anxious about that.

Its Monday, What are you Reading?

 We have returned to a new school year here in New Zealand and while the time allotted to reading has dwindled I still managed to read two books and finish an audio.  Every little counts and as my goal is generally one children's book a week I am very pleased.
Hop on over and join in at the Mentor Text Blog.

I am continuing to read the Newbery books that I can lay my hands on.  This is the 2007 award winner.  I enjoyed it, although I wouldn't personally buy it for the class library.  If a student wanted to read it they can access it from the local library as I did using my smart card. 

This was my second book of the week, the 2000 Newbery award winner.  This was the first Newbery book so far that I really liked.  Bud was an endearing character and I wanted to pick up the book any spare moment I had so I read it very quickly.  I chose it because I have The Mighty Miss Malone lined up ready to read in the near future.

This one is a young adult book and the first one in a trilogy.  I listened on audio and well.... I actually loved it.  It was a big stretch for me as a reader as I hadn't ventured into anything dystopian. I will be eagerly anticipating the second in the trilogy which I think comes out in May.








This coming week I hope to read Our Only May Amelia by Jennifer Holm and possibly Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu.

It's Monday. What are you Reading?

The Monday meme has come around very fast this week!  We are returning to a new school year here in New Zealand and suddenly the time allotted to reading has dwindled.  However every little counts and as my goal is generally one children's book a week I am meeting my quota.
Hop on over and join in at the Mentor Text Blog.

I read Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool.  This is the 2011 Newbery Award book.  I read this as an e-book borrowed from the library.  I won't be buying it for my class, while I enjoyed it I found it just didn't call to me to pick it up every spare moment.  I liked the main character Abilene, her story was interesting. I found a few unexpected surprises at the end and some expected. As an adult I liked the book, however I cannot muster up the energy to 'sell it' to my class.

I also started to listen to Divergent by Veronica Roth. This is a new genre for me, and a little challenge to be divergent in my reading! This will take me awhile and will update when read! I also read another 15% of the The Story of Mankind. 

Plans for the week coming.

15% more of The Story of Mankind.

The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron.

Continue listening to Divergent.

and all going well even might get to begin...

Bud not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis.

Happy reading week.

It's Monday - What Are You Reading?

Last week I started to join in with this Monday meme and as I visited some of the blogs I was just amazed at the reading that is happening among teachers and librarians.  It is inspiring, and while I know I will never be as passionate readers as they are - I certainly have no problem using my spare time to read.  

Hop on over and join in at the Mentor Text Bog.

The first book I read this week was Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan.  I had already 

watched the movie thinking that would possibly be a quick way to 'read' the first book.  However while I enjoyed the movie, I chose to read the book, and enjoyed it, especially the humour.

My next book was the 1968  Newbery Medal book, From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil  E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konisburg.  I found a rather pristine copy in our school library.  I'm hoping to make that look a little more hand used by the end of the year.  I was immediately drawn into the story and enjoyed the word by-play between Claudia and Jamie.  I identified early on with Claudia - page 10, "Claudia knew that it had to do with injustice.  She was the oldest child and only girl and the only girl was subject to a lot of injustice.  Perhaps it was because she had to both empty the dishwasher and set the table on the same night while her brothers got out of everything."  I wasn't the only girl, but I was the oldest, so I was sympathetic!

I loved Jamie too, inspite of being a 'tightwad' he was very endearing and he was an excellent foil to Claudia his sister.

Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village by Laura Amy Schlitz was my next book.  This book was the 2008 Newbery Medal book.  I was a little dubious as I picked it up, I wasn't sure if I would like it. It is a mixture of prose and poetry and can be performed for an audience. In fact that was the purpose of the author.  I soon became involved and enjoyed meeting the various characters.  The stories are told with humour and compassion.   It is set in medieval times and I can only say I am thankful I didn't live then.  I would see this book as a very useful resource if you were studying medieval times.  

Finally yesterday the graphic novel Babymouse Queen of the World arrived and I had my first introduction to her.  I thoroughly enjoyed it and chuckled away.  At first glimpse it seems easy reading, however I think the ideas the book explores will easily be relevant to my 10 -12 year olds.  I have a couple more coming in my National library collection - yes New Zealand teachers the library has some copies.  I look forward to introducing this to the girls in my class.  Anyone had experience of boys reading them?

What's on my reading list for the next week?

The Story of Mankind - this will be a slow read, just a small diet each day! The aim is to read it eventually as part of the Newbery challenge.

Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool - also part of the challenge and just have it for the week as an ebook from the library.

The Higher Power of Lucky.   Susan Patron  - also Newbery medal.

If there is time I then intend to read Bud Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis.  However this one might also be next week, as the count down to going back to school on the 31st January looms closer.  And of course those staff meetings that come before that.

World Read Aloud Day

World Read Aloud Day takes place on the 7th of March - a Wednesday.  If you want to know more, click on the picture below and read about it on the LitWorld's website.

My class and I will take part, unfortunately Wednesday is a day when they go to a Secondary school in the morning for such things as cooking, metal work etc.  So we will really only have the afternoon, and  we will make the most of that.  I will need to discuss with them what exactly we will do.

The thought of dedicating such a day has got me thinking about reading aloud.  I believe it's really important and I have always read aloud daily to my class.  While I never read aloud as a child to my younger siblings one of my sisters did and she entertained them with many a bed-time story.

When I went to primary (elementary) school in the '50's we had radio broadcasts. One such broadcast was a book that would be read aloud.  Only excerpts, that would make you want to go out and find the book. I loved listening.  I still listen to books on my ipod!

I have been teaching for around 37 years, so I guess that's a lot of books read aloud to my class over time. I don't remember most of them, although there are a few that stand out. Once when I was teaching 10 year olds, a girl brought to me a book called Momo by Michael Ende and asked me to read it to the class.  I did that, we were all totally in love with Momo and I remember to this day the sense of togetherness we shared and I remember the student who suggested the book.  She would now be nearing forty years of age!

Another time while teaching 8-9 year olds I read them The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton, one I had never read myself but one that my sister read to our siblings and they had all been enchanted by it.  Remembering that I picked out the book from the library - lots of pictures- and settled down to share it.  Not long into the book I had the children all inching closer and two of the 'tough' boys hanging over my shoulder ready to turn the pages.  I know Enid Blyton is a frowned upon author, with good reason, however when I was growing up she was my main diet as there was very little else available to me in my small New Zealand town.

Last year I read aloud Because of Mr Terupt by Rob Buyea and again there was that anticipation each day as we began to read and groans and pleadings to continue when I put it down.  I believe there has been mixed reviews to this book, however we are on the "we loved it" team.  I think it may be one of those books that really works best when read aloud.  We skyped the author and he read aloud to us the first page of the sequel.  We will be among the first to buy it, and I am sure he was rewarded by the spontaneous laughter that erupted from the class as he read.

About ten years ago I had a class of 11-12 year olds who just didn't like reading, nothing chosen suited. I heard about this wonderful new book out - Harry Potter - so I hurried to buy it and began reading it aloud. About a quarter way through the book I had to abandon it.  It did not take!  I was so disappointed and for many years was mystified as to why such a popular book did not work.  A few years back I read somewhere, someone writing that in their opinion Harry Potter was not a read aloud book. Who knows? It didn't work for me that year.  I could count on one hand the books that I have abandoned over the years so I guess that is remarkable.

When school starts back on the 31st of January in New Zealand, I am ready to go. I can't wait to begin sharing with my class "Okay for Now" by Gary D Schmidt.  I know my class and I know they will love this book as much as I do.

How about you?  What book really worked reading aloud to your class? Do you have one that you remember that just did not catch fire?

A Born Again Reader.

I have always been a reader, but not of children's literature.  Since exiting childhood I left that genre of books behind.  In fact as a child I was often mystified by my best friend's mother enjoying reading children's books. I have of course over the years of teaching read aloud many books to my class and have been touched by most of them.  There is nothing better than to share a book with a class where everyone is totally engaged.

Last year I was introduced to The Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller through twitter.  It was then than I decided I could read at least one children's book a week, and set out to do so.   I am pleased to say since about September last year I have honoured that commitment to myself.  I began to read some of the books my students were reading, and I was able to share some suggestions of ones I had read as well.  A whole new world began to open up for me and I became 'converted'.

During our summer break I have begun to follow the #nerdybookclub on twitter, and that has introduced me to wonderful possibilities in the world of book reading.  These people are really dedicated readers and have a wealth of knowledge between them, I sit as a novice at their feet and soak in as much as I can.  I have chosen to take part in the Newbery Challenge - see the link on the side bar.  I am going to take it slowly, and I have decided that rather than begin with the first book, I will begin with the later books and work backwards.  Not in order though, as I await books from the library I will take whatever comes first.

So each week I hope to take part in the What are You Reading Monday over at the blog Mentor Texts.

Last week I  read Flying Solo by Ralph Fletcher.  This is about a class of students and how they act and interact when their substitute teacher does not show up for the day.  They decide to run the class themselves and do so rather ably until there is a crisis.  As it turns out they handle this well, and change happens.

I think readers in my class will enjoy this one.

Okay for Now by Gary D. Schmidt was definitely my favourite of the week.  I read this as an e-book on my Kobo ereader, borrowed from our town library. That was a first for me too, as it is only very recently that our library has had this facility available.

This is the story of a middle grade boy who belongs to a poor family and has moved to a new area and school.  Doug Swieter will remain with me as a favourite character of all time.  I loved him and the book so much I have purchased it and intend it to be my first read aloud of the year to the class when we go back in two weeks. One small detail that entertained me was that the class at one time are set a project to do on New Zealand!

I loved this video which I watched after reading the book of Gary Schmidt talking about this book. He explains it far better than I could.

A Nest for Celeste by Henry Cole.  This is the story of a mouse and her search for a home and her friendships and challenges along the way. I had borrowed it from our local library via my Smartcard, again a new experience for me.  Some of our local libraries have teamed up and books can be reserved and send to the library of your choice for no cost.

Needless to say I have since bought the book.  There are students in my class who will love this book.  Again here follows a short video that will show you some of the art work in this wonderful book.

The last book that I read this week was a first as well.  My first graphic novel. Sure I have read plenty of comics in my time but no comic novel.  Although that reminds me I have a Diana Gabaldon graphic novel sitting on my shelf that I must read.  The book I did read was Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol.

Anya is a Russian American and struggles with who she is and how she is perceived.  Falling down a hole she meets up with a ghost from over ninety years back who also fell down the hole.

They escape the hole and over time form a bond, until things turn somewhat black and dark.  Finding her way through this darkness Anna also finds herself.

The art work is wonderful and the whole novel is well done.  I am not sure if I should release it into my classroom, I think perhaps Year 8 girls would benefit from it with discussion.  I have decided to ask our local town children's librarian to read it and give me her opinion.  She knows my class well as we visit there once a fortnight.

So that was my reading last week.  This week I have books on order for the Newbery challenge, but my experience is now that they take about a week to arrive.  In the meantime I will read Percy Jackson and the Lightening Thief by Rick Riordan.  The boys in my class have been fans of these books and I have heard them discussing them often.  I have read the first two in the second series but now feel compelled to go back and explore the first series.  

Sype with author Rob Buyea - author of 'because of mr terupt'

Over the last number of weeks I have been reading to my class, "because of mr terupt". The story is about some fifth graders and their teacher. A very special teacher. My class and I were enthralled by this book, each time I ended they would groan. I always seemed to end just at a place where we wanted to know what was going to happen! I didn't do that on purpose, I was reading the book for the first time along with the students. The book is written from the viewpoints of  seven students, and it is only when each character's voice is heard that the reader builds up the story. This is just one very clever aspect of this book.

Where did I hear about this book? I live in New Zealand and this book is not published in New Zealand or sold here. This is where the beauty of the internet comes into play. I read about it on The Two Writing Teacher's Blog. That post and its links made me want to read the book. My next decision was would I buy it on Kindle, or as a hold in your hand book. As I know that students often want to read the book for themselves after I have read it to them, I chose the hardback version. Great choice!

Then today we were able to meet Rob Buyea, the author of this outstanding book.  For a whole hour we were able to share with him our thoughts about the book and ask him questions.  It was a magical hour, and a great end to our first term for 2011.  I finished the day on a high. I owe my thanks to the Two Writing Teachers and also a teacher on Goodreads, who said he was open to skyping with classes.

To those of you who have had a skype with an author, I hope you share my excitement in our ability to do so these days, even if they live thousands of miles away, to those of you who haven't, do it, it is a wonderful experience. Hopefully it will switch my students into reading and writing even more than they are already.

Technicalities.
I did have some heart stopping moments as I am sure many of you identify with.  Our internet was working at lower capacity and slower than normal.  After sharing my anxieties with the Principal, we set up with his notebook, which linked with cable, rather than my wireless laptop.  The video reception was not perfect, we could see Rob well although there was some breaking up of the picture from time to time.  I had linked our computer to speakers so there was no trouble with sound!

There was some slight problems with accents.  New Zealanders have a very odd way of saying the short 'e' sound. (Don't tell Australians I said that!).  So we had a few laughs later about that.  However we were delighted. I am still on a high!!