It's Monday, July 22, 2013 What are you reading?

 It's Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme began by Sheila at Book Journeys as a way to share what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and what is in store for the upcoming week. It's also a great chance to see what others are reading. I first learned about it at Teach Mentor Texts. What a great web site!

15 minutes set on the timer. I have 15 minutes to write this post. Can I do it? Well, they don't call me Lightning Quick for nothing! This is a game I play to help me hurry up and accomplish a task quickly. Childish but works like a charm.

Finished up RUMP: The true story of Rumpelstiltskin by Liesl Shurtliff just in time for #virtualbookclub book chat tonight at 8 p.m. CST/ 9 p.m. EST. Join us! If it's your first book chat, try using tips from the post I wrote here.

What did I love about this book? I love adventure tales where the main character has to go on a journey to find himself only to find what he seeks is within himself the whole time. I love character development in books and have always been drawn to these types of books. Hmm, does that tell me something about myself?

Finished: Sidekicked by John David Anderson.
Check in tomorrow to see my book review of Sidekicked. AND..enter to win your own FREE signed hard copy from Walden Pond Press.

You are going to want this book!

 Read Alouds:

A Big Man Took My Ball by Mo Willems

Piggie finds a ball but then a BIG guy takes it. She needs a big guy to help her get her ball back and Gerald is a big enough guy for the job, or is he?

My favorite part of reading Elephant and Piggie books with kids is seeing who will be the first to spot Pigeon hiding in the pictures in the back of the book.

 

I spent a good amount of time sorting books by grade interest level the past couple of weeks for a volunteer supported early reading intervention program called the Early Bird Reader program. It is a wonderful program and I encourage you to adopt a similar program in your community. EBR on Facebook

While sorting books, some real cuties caught my eye so I had to stop and do a quick read through.  I don't even remember the titles but I know that a lot of children will be very happy to receive these wonderful book donations. CCISD librarians share our read aloud secrets with children in our schools and they, in turn, take books home to read to younger siblings who are not yet in school. The books become part of the home library to be enjoyed time and time again. The program runs for several months or until we run out of books.

Here is one title I can't forget. I Love You Stinky Face 

Books on the TBR stack:

Glory Be by Augusta Scattergood (started)

and these goodies too!

More  Spooky Texas Tales (for me}

For the boys: Sherlock Bones: missing cheese 

Transformers Prime: Decepticons in Disguise 

OK, did I make it in 15 minutes? Of course not but I bet I was close. I was interrupted but next time 

I will succeed! Have a terrific reading week!

It's Monday, What are You Reading? June 24, 2013

 

It's Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme began by Sheila at Book Journeys as a way to share what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and what is in store for the upcoming week. It's also a great chance to see what others are reading. I first learned about it at Teach Mentor Texts. 

Professional Development:

Notice and Note by Kylene Beers and Robert E. Probst

Well, the Notice and Note book club has finished and what a terrific three weeks of reading strategy learning it was. I was beginning to see signposts in everything I read and even as I watched Disney's Lion King.

Modeling a Reader's Conference

This week one of the university professors held a readers camp in my school library. Her reading diagnostic teacher's education students each were assigned a student with ages ranging from 1st grade to middle school. They are doing a great job with basic reading skills but it soon became apparent to me that they do not read typically children's books. When it came time to let a student select a book to take home for the weekend, they froze up and cast me desperate looks. I ambled over and modeled a reader's conference by asking each kid a little about their interests and the name of a book they had recently read. I always tried to get a little laugh out of them before launching into a book talk. I love how kids open up to grown ups when they can tell you are truly interested in and respect what they have to say. Reader's conferences are the best way I find to connect kids to book they will love.


What I read this week
 Science Fiction/Fantasy

Audio Books

I just finished my summer re-listen of Divergent by Veronica Roth. These are the books I will be listening to while I work this week. I am very excited to hear Navigating Early after my recent experience with Moon Over Manifest. Clare Vanderpool appears to be an author with endless talent.

Science Topic books I re-read this week:

A Storm Called Katrina

by Myron Uhlberg (2011)   Illustrated by Colin Bootman

Peachtree Publishers

 

When flood waters submerge their New Orleans neighborhood in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, a young cornet player and his parents evacuate their home and struggle to survive and stay together. 

Teaching Guide:A Storm Called Katrina

Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11 

by Brian Floca (2009)

Atheneum Books for Young Readers

The story of the Apollo 11 mission to the Moon -a story of leaving and returning

during the summer of 1969, and a story of home, seen whole, from far away by steady

astronauts in their great machines.

Discussion Guide: Moonshot

How to Clean a Hippopotamus
A Look at Unusual Animal Partnerships
by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page
Houghton Mifflin Books for Children (2010)

Watch the book trailer: How to Clean a Hippopotamus







Book on Deck: 
(if I can get the book loan from the nearby high school library)

I moved Keeping the Castle to the top of my #MustRead pile after hearing Nancy Pearl review it on NPR this past week. She also talked about the wonderfully delightful MG novel A Tangle of Knots by Lisa Graff. Listen to NPR: Nancy Pearl Scours The Shelves For Books You Might Have Missed

Keeping the Castle: a tale of romance, riches, and real estate
author: Patrice Kindl
YA Fiction
Book appeal: fans of Jane Austen literature and Downtown Abbey fans.

Summary: In order to support her family and maintain their ancient castle in Lesser Hoo, seventeen-year-old Althea bears the burden of finding a wealthy suitor who can remedy their financial problems.

















I am also looking forward to my first experience participating in Teachers Write beginning tomorrow. My primary goal is to improve my writing skills and learn to use more concise, meaningful language in my writing.

OCAL

I am always looking for new and exciting books to introduce my students to and welcome suggestions. Let me hear you book talk the best book you have read recently. I am all ears!