It's Monday! What Are Your Reading? Catching Up!

Here is my attempt to catch up on what I have been reading since school started - several weeks worth!  

One of the biggest gifts that I have received this school year so far, is the gift of working with Kindergarten students once again.  It has been four years since I have had this opportunity.  Sometimes  there is a flip side to good news - for me the flip is that, at this time, I won't be working with 4th and 5th grade readers.  I am a middle-grade book lover.  For sure I'd rather read a young YA book than an adult novel, so I won't give up my attempt to read as many of these novels as I possibly can. 

With this gift of reading with K kids, I am more determined to learn about the picture books I have been missing.  Here are just a few that I have read in the last few weeks...

Do Cows Meow?  and Do Crocs Kiss?  both by Salina Yoon.  These flap books are perfect for pre-k kids and many of the Ks I work with are learning to expand their English, so the simplicity of this text along with the excitement of the flaps should be a hit!

Oopsy, Teacher!  by Stephanie Calmenson - have loved Late for School, so I was thrilled to find this gem!  The message that teachers too make mistakes even though they can be trying their best is one that we need to continue to communicate with our students.  And who wouldn't love a book that features a creative teacher who turns a tough day into a party day? 

The Jungle Run by Tony Mitton - The bright cover pulled me to this book in the new book section of the library.  The clever and determined smallest animal perseveres even when all the other animals tell her she is too little.  Another great message for young listeners.

Laugh-Out -Loud Baby by Tony Johnston - Loved learning that there is a tradition in the Navajo culture to celebrate a baby's first laugh.  There is so much joy in this book.

I picked up The Great Unexpected by Sharon Creech and could not put it down until I finished it.  Sharon Creech never disappoints.  Truly.  I simply love her books.  I think readers will enjoy trying to solve the mystery of how all the characters will come together.  Great story of connectedness and definition of family.  While definition of family is a common theme it is one that I never grow tired of and Creech brings an ever twisting turning storyline as she speaks to this theme.  I also loved the fanciful traditional tales interwoven throughout the story.

I finished the last disc of Liar and Spy by Rebecca Stead.  I'll just say that driving isn't nearly as fulfilling as it was when those 4 discs were playing!  Another great read with themes of personal struggles and bullying, as well as family struggles.  Great look at how we meet adversity and deal in our own way.  The contrast of the two families the reader gets to know is intriguing.

I continue to try to keep up with at least a few adult fiction books which is always a challenge for me during the school year.  This week I finished Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry.  Our school book club chose this book and I had never read it.  I think what I loved the most about this book was that I didn't have it all figured out and that there were surprises for me.  I guess it felt good not to predict and solve the entire book before the last chapters.  This would be an important thought to keep with me as I conference with young readers.  I think sharing the joy of not being right in my predictions or not having it all figured out would make for interesting discussions.

Happy reading wishes to everyone!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

It has been a fabulous summer of reading so far.  Part of the joy is passing on books or titles to others and receiving titles from, thanks to technology, my ever widening reading community.  Recently Stella at My World-Mi Mundo posted about her experience as she finished See You at Harry's .  After hearing her and others talk about this book I knew I had to read it!  I read it in one day and immediately passed the book to a friend.  Last night I received a message from this friend saying, "Thanks for making me cry a ton today."  If you know me at all, then you know I went into paranoid mode!  Ah, finally, I realized I had not hurt her, rather the book had touched her.  A touching, deep read - many different layers of real  issues -  just get the tissues ready.

Several weeks ago I went out of my reading norm with Divergent.   While on a different level of intensity, I followed reading Divergent with a postapocalyptic YA The Prince Who Fell from the Sky.  It did feel good to move out of the comfort zone with both of these book and I loved them.  I think middle school and high school readers probably already know Divergent and are waiting for the 3rd book of this series!  I look forward to recommending The Prince Who Fell from the Sky to intermediate grade readers.

I am a huge fan of Deborah Wiles, her books just delight and reach me.  I have to say as I was reading Three Times Lucky, I was reminded of some of the Deborah Wiles characters who are unforgettable.  While the characters are uniquely each author's own, I just fell in love with the characters in Three Times Lucky easily as well.  I can't wait to share this book with 4th and 5th graders!  Sheila Turnage has created a book that makes you laugh, presents a mystery, offers memorable characters and reminds us how family is defined by our hearts.

Just a fun teacher note... the last time I blogged about Jake and Lily and mentioned that I knew just the twins who needed to read this book.  Funny thing, now every time I see these two the brother tells me how slow his sister reads and that it will be the end of the summer before he gets the book!  Yes, confirmed... the perfect twins for this twin/sibling book!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

This week I realize how dependent I am on the twitter, blogs and the Goodreads community especially Mock Newbery 2013.

 These networks have helped me to read some fantastic books that I would never have found on my own.   We can really celebrate how technology brings our teaching community together - glad to finally be joining in on a more participatory way!

My last post talked about how many YA books have parents who are missing in the young characters lives.  I felt like a was still on this theme a bit lately.  

Since that post, I finished  As Small as an Elephant.  This boy gets abandoned by his mother while they are on a camping trip.  For the most part the child remains sympathetic and understanding about his mother's condition.  What I loved about this story was that it reopens our eyes to the idea that things are not always as we think they are.  You witness this theme unfold with the main character's ah-ha moments, his moments of clarity.  


Fitting in the foster child theme I absolutely loved    One for the Murphys.  This book is beautifully written and warmed my heart.  I don't want to ruin the story for anyone but I have to share this quote from page 12: "The tone, the look on her face and the look on his, a gentle brush of his hair. A kiss on top of the head.  I struggle to decipher a foreign language.  She's looking at him like she's seeing the best thing ever. Even though he's done something wrong."  This is how I hope my face reads with my students every day - whether when giving a simple hello in the hall to instructional times.  This quote just struck a chord.  Kids know.


 After reading   Jake and Lily, I knew the perfect two people to share this book with - a set of twins in our 5th grade, boy/girl twins just like in the book.  I have read with these two in after school club and the brother is always trying to slam his sister.  I think he would truly love this book.  And possibly admit, if only to himself, his love for his twin sister.  This is a great story about growing up with the message of finding yourself rather than depending on others for your happiness. While the main characters are twins, many readers will be able to relate and grow from reading this book. There is a great side character in the book too, a self-admitted hippy grandfather who is very wise and quirky and adds a humorous dimension to the book. 


I just started Inside Out and Back Again.  I look forward to blogging next Monday about this book and any other reading I can squeeze in during our last week of school.  Until then... happy reading to all of you as you wrap up another school year.  

Here's to the Moms in Story and in Life

Thanks to Donalyn Miller at Nerdybookclub for calling for favorite book moms.  This call started me thinking about the moms in the books that I have most recently read and the role of the mom character in YA books.  My first reaction to her question was "Are there moms in the books I read?"  I giggled to myself as I posed that question because when our girls were growing up and we shared books I always teased them about how the mom was missing in the story.  I know you have noticed this pattern, the mom is either missing, unable to care for the young adult, or has passed away.  Our running joke was, 'and yet another mom killed off.'  My insightful friend explained to me that by leaving the mom out of the story the characters were free to adventure off into learning and experiencing, finding their own way - the story could take flight.  That makes sense to me.  I just finished reading The Summer of the Gypsy Moths, beautifully written and features two foster children - one mom died in an accident and the other is finding her way.  Meanwhile these two twelve year olds find their way without any adults.
I am just at the beginning of Small as an Elephant, but clearly this mom is missing.

But this is not always the case in YA and I'm glad for the exceptions, especially right now as I am reflecting on the mom characters and what that means to me as a mom.  I have been on a YA quest recently and some of these books have featured incredibly strong mothers.  The kind of mom that you hope you'd be under the same circumstances.  Here is a quick recap of just a few that have stood out:

The Mighty Miss Malone - This mom shows us that no matter what our circumstances, no matter how devastating, we should not compromise our values and we should not lose our faith.  I absolutely loved the lessons these parents instilled throughout the book.

In How to Save a Life the mom is grieving yet she puts her daughter first and listens to her daughter. Together they find a way to put their family back together.  

In Bystander, this single mom works hard to keep her family together and is in touch with her son's feelings and well being.  

The following two moms have to be on my favorite list.  I read Wonder and Out of My Mind as a comparing set- while different, there were strong similarities in these mothers.  They both teach us the truth of being who we are meant to be and to believe in our gifts and purpose.  As a mom, these mothers make me remember to rejoice in the gifts we each have and bring to our family.  I can only hope I would be as strong as they both are.

Thank goodness that not all the moms are missing in YA. There are beautiful moms.  Some quiet to the story, some central strength.  Many remind us to keep teaching and to keep believing.  Some remind us to give our kids some space, a lesson I need from time to time!

And stories remind us that we don't have to be a mom to be a mom! In my life I have been blessed to know that not all moms are "moms" some are aunts, friends, neighbors, teachers etc. who are superb at mothering.  We all know people like this.

So here is to the "moms" those in the stories we read and those in our lives.  These are the ladies who teach us, guide us, support us and remind us to find our way.

Noticing Literacy Moments

Day 27 SOL
Today was a fabulous day to just have a few peeks into human interactions with words and the power of words that touch your heart and bring us closer together.

I started my day with a teacher in my doorway so excited to share a book title with me. Wow, what a perfect morning greeting!

Before school started we had an optional meeting. The focus was on building relationships through reading. We were asked to bring a book or two that means something to you or your students. As so often happens, it seemed that the agenda was dual purposed as once we started talking about our books the relationships between us strengthened. There were so many cross-connections as people shared, as one teacher talked about a book, memories, ideas and thoughts were shared that wrapped us closer to the books and closer to one another. We talked about past classes, our own children, the power of read aloud and how books give us common language.

The next interaction I observed was a new student walking into a first grade classroom. The girl was of Chinese decent and the teacher had no idea if this student was new to the United States or not. As the child slowly advanced into the room to meet her teacher, the teacher extended her hand and said ni3 hao3 (pronounced knee how) and the child said hi! It was precious. The child with her anxious eyes seemed to quickly relax and smile, she saw the humor and felt the welcome.

Mid-day, in a fifth grade classroom one student who is ready to dig into a great book, he looks at me desperately from across the room, he shrugs his shoulders, he needs a book. I had lent a book to a teacher and I told him that it just might be the type of book he was looking for. Don’t be afraid I tell him; just go ask for the book. He left the room and returned with book in hand. I sat down next to him and introduced the book. Tried to pull him in with some of the humor of the book. I could not tell if he bought into the idea of reading this book or not. Just as I was leaving the room I observe him calling over a friend and sharing the sentences that I had pointed out and both boys are cracking up! I can’t wait to see what he thinks of the book – tomorrow will tell.

Later in the day, several emails fly through our building as we rejoice in our resident poet, Mary Lee's, next work.  We rally around her gift for words and are excited to read all the poetry written for kids.

All day, all around me, there are literacy moments to take in and celebrate.

Spring Break Reading

SOL Day 26

Spring break was outstanding, time spent with family, friends and great books. This year at the pool I noticed that my mom and aunt were reading a lot as well. Our friend who shared the trip with us read throughout our time together. Being surrounded by a reading community meant that it was okay to open your book at any time and get lost without feeling that you were unsocial, actually quite the opposite as we talked about our reading frequently.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I purchased Wonder and The One and Only Ivan for the trip. Neither of these books disappointed. When I first started Ivan I wondered how a book told by a Gorilla would grab me. Well it grabbed and never let go! I love Katherine Applegate’s books in this prose-type style. Amazing.

I cried so many times while reading Wonder that my husband said, “I don’t know if I should say sorry honey or I am glad you love your book!” This made me giggle and wipe my tears. How is it that YA books always touch so very deeply? I fell in love with the characters and was surprised when the chapters alternated narrators. I was not expecting this format but thought it was powerful.

I also finished Out of My Head. After listening to Sharon Draper at the Dublin Literacy Conference, many teachers on our staff are reading this book and will come together for a book talk. What a range of emotions I felt reading this one. And it was particularly interesting to read it right after Wonder. Actually, all three of these books teach us about compassion and celebrate what we can learn from one another and our unique gifts.

Finally, for the car ride I started Breadcrumbs. I have about 20 pages to go and if laundry and life weren’t calling me I would have this book completed too. I am intrigued whenever an author can weave classics into modern day. Brilliant so far!

There is just magic about books for readers starting in about grade 4, I call it YA but not sure that is the right label. These books just touch a place in my heart. Perhaps it is the honesty, the searching for life answers, the friendships, the struggles, or simply all of that and so much more. Maybe it is that writers who can write for YA are just that gifted and it is a good thing because these young readers deserve the very best. Whatever the reason, by far, these are my favorite books.

For my adult “reading” I listened to the first two Cd's of Little Bee while I was in the driver’s seat. You guessed it, my drive to school and back will be filled with this story.

I returned to school filled with new stories in my head and heart and all day I just wanted to share these books with readers of all ages.

Common Language

Speaking common language.


Recently I have had several nudges to make me think about spending time with people who "speak your language." In one context we were challenged to find people who have a common passion to bring positive change. In the second context we were challenged to think about how much you can grow from those around you who you don't always agree with. As always, both of these talks led me back to school.

It makes sense that at school, we gravitate to those who speak our language. For me, I align with people who are passionate about reading and writing. I love the language of those passionate about literacy, it is honoring of kids: their students' thinking, their efforts, their growth, and their struggles. They get excited about a new book or a snippet that a student has written, and they share it with other teachers. They celebrate minute and major student growth. And really, what is more honoring of kids than strong workshops and nudging literacy learning?

Good things come from common beliefs and common language. Good things come from questioning one another, once you have the security and trust of that common foundation. Sometimes when we ask hard questions at school, our very core can be challenged. But it is our common language that holds us together, our trust, and our strength that allows us to reconsider and reexamine, and most importantly take action.

Isn’t that exactly what we do in our classrooms? We build those strong foundations of language and expectations. Then we move forward together, digging deeper in our learning and thinking. We ask the questions that help young readers and writers to push their thinking and to take action.

I am going to be more mindful in my school community – am I only considering the opinions and thoughts of those who I have bonded with? Am I open to the challenges of change? Will I find ways to incorporate change yet be true to my beliefs, finding the balance? Will I be astute and open enough to really hear the hard questions?

Participating in the SOL challenge has strengthened my community of those who speak the same language. Thanks to each of you for sharing your stories and opening my world wider.

Anticipation!

Spring break is days away and no beach vacation would be complete without a visit to the bookstore for my undisturbed reading time.

Some of my vacation reading came from the library and my personal shelf. But the two books I chose at the bookstore I had to own. Both are books that I have been reading about a lot on Goodreads. These two titles keep coming up as contenders for the Newbery Award, on the Mock Newbery Group on Goodreads.  The first one is Wonder by R.J. Palacio.  I have it on reserve at the library but could not wait any longer and have to read it on break. The second book is The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate.  I absolutely loved Home of the Brave by this author,  and saying that I loved it is not strong enough as it is a book that is so beautifully written, I will never forget it.  From the reviews I have read,The One and Only Ivan will not disappoint.

I am so excited to have both of these books in my hands… well not really in my hands yet. Truth is I had to leave them both in my car. If I dare bring these books into the house, there is no way I will wait to read them until vacation. If those books leave my car now I won’t be packed for sure. But you can bet that one of the two books will be cracked open before the car leaves the driveway.

There is a big argument here for kids to have a stack of books on their desks or in a bin as they plan their next books to read. Having those books in front of you builds not only direction but also true anticipation.

What are you anticipating with excitement that is on your reading stack or reading list?Mock Newbery Group

One wish to share a book... granted

Last month at our book club gathering only about half of our group was able to attend. We did something that was quite out of the ordinary for our group without most members present, we made a decision to change the book for the next month. I had no idea at that time how impacted my life would be by that decision.

One member was reading Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand and highly suggested that we join her. After searching the availability of the book, for those of us who have not joined the e-readers world, we all agreed. I requested both the book and the CDs from the public library. The CDs became available first so I had an incredible journey waiting me every time I got into my car. Suddenly listening in my car was not enough; I started staying on the treadmill a few more minutes just to listen to the book. If you know me at all you are realizing what a powerful a read this is as I rarely get on the treadmill, let alone extend my exercise! You get the idea, this is some story. But that isn't even the best thing that happened by reading this book.

Little did I know on the day that we all agreed to read this book that it would be the answer to a wish I have had for a long time - for me and my husband to share a book that we both loved. I married a man who I adore. I couldn't ask for a better life with him but I have always wanted to share reading with him. Oh, he reads - about his business world and his hobbies. He reads the newspaper religiously. But we have never shared a book. I am not sure why but I left the first CD of Unbroken on the counter with a note. I thought he'd enjoy the first few chapters, the parts before the war. He picked up the first CD and that was that. He started asking me questions, trying to trick me into telling him what happened to the people in the story. Occasionally I'd almost give something away, as I was so excited to be talking to him about a book. He came home every night and talked about where he was in the story. Later, he slipped out of the family room and found quiet places to listen to yet another chapter, only then to find me to talk about the book. Even after all of these years together, we have found a new bond. Oh, the power of a story!

Tonight he finished the last CD. He told me that he was reminded of why he enjoyed reading books - making the characters his own. Wow! My only question now is what book will we share next?