Sunday, May 4, 2014

A Good Dose of YA Goes a Long Way #IMWAYR


 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 from Jen at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee and Ricki of Unleashing Readers and have become a regular linked up blog. Thanks #PLN
      
This has been a great week for YA reading. Maybe it's because I am having so much fun taking part in the #yalove chats every couple of weeks. This week we got creepy and pulled out our favorite ZOMBIE thrillers. I have been trying to read Dead City (book trailer) in between student hold pick ups in the library. I can't keep the title in long enough for me to read it. (middle grade novel)
I am currently reading Rot and Ruin by Jonathan Maberry but will have to give it up due to a student begging me for the only library copy. I am really enjoying the adventure. 
I also finished reading the fantasy-sci-fi thriller Midwinterblood by Marcus Sedgwick. Eric and Merle are destined to meet again seven times under seven different moons spanning many centuries. Their love is one that time cannot separate. I really liked how Sedgwick wove the stories together with the dialogue but I was baffled at times over the characters of Eric and Merle. I won't spoil the story for you. 




 Another wonderful read this week has been Laurie Halse Anderson's The Impossible Knife of Memory. If you are a fan of Rainbow Rowell's Eleanor and Park, then this is the book for you. It's powerful and moving.






I am also listening to Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. I believe the audiobook may have been the best choice for reading this book.  
The story switches between Clay, a boy who has received a set of cassette tapes to Hannah, a girl who has just committed suicide. Hannah is explaining why she has sent this set of tapes and a map to a list of people who have had an impact on her life, or rather ending her life. I am still at the beginning of this very mysterious and sad story.


My preschool and Kinder read alouds this week are Way Far Away on a Wild Safari by Jan Peck and Babies in the Bayou by Jim Arnosky (a genius).



Texas Bluebonnet Award nominees: 
Pickle: The (Formerly) Anonymous Prank Club of Fountain Point Middle School was such a fun read. My students have been asking for books on pranks ever since I book talked this juicy delight of a book. I just smile and say, "Oh wow, there were some prank books at the book fair-we should have bought some (not)."
My 2nd-5th grade students are really enjoying me reading aloud Texas Bluebonnet Award nominee Flora and Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo. This is a challenge because I am one of those librarians who do character voices and after reading 7 chapters per class for 4 grade levels, my voice gets quite strained. I hope I will be able to last until we finish the whole book before the school year ends.
Have a lovely reading week. I know I will!


16 comments:

  1. I really need to read Laurie Halse Anderson. Her books- particularly Speak- have been recommended to me so often by our customers!

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  2. The Impossible Knife of Memory is a very tastefully written story of a girl experiencing life with a father with PTSD.

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  3. I don't read a ton of YA, but I do love Laurei Halse Anderson's work. My class has enjoyed reading Pickle. I'll be your voice gets quite strained after reading Flora and Ulysses so much! Enjoy your week!

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    1. Thanks Gigi. I am actually going to try out some voice strengthening exercises.

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  4. I so loved The Impossible Knife of Memory - as with all Anderson books, this was so powerful and thoughtful. Good for you that you are going the distance and reading aloud Flora an Ulysses!

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  5. Do love Dead City and the sequel, but not a fan of 13 Reasons Why. Definitely too YA for middle school!

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    1. Judging by how popular Dead City is, I will have to get its sequel asap.

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  6. Such great books on your list! I really liked Thirteen Reasons Why and The Impossible Knife of Memory - sad, but good. I have Midwinterblood out from the library. I love that you do character voices! :-)

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    1. I am using a Muppet voice to answer your comment. Can you tell? Thank you for stopping by.

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  7. I NEED to read Flora & Ulysses soon! It's been sitting on my shelf patiently waiting for me to get it together and finally get around to reading it. ;)

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    1. Holy Bagumba! This malfeasance must be stopped and remedied quickly! I assigned my students to use the phrase Holy Bagumba and malfeasance five times over the weekend. I know I fit it in my conversations.

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  8. I'm don't read a lot of YA - but I have read (and loved) Flora and Ulysses - it's a winner! I wasn't sure when I discovered it had some graphic novel inserts but after the first few pages - I didn't even notice! I would love to hear your character voices! Heard lots about Impossible Knife - so I will be looking to read that one! Thank you!

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    1. I just hope I can keep up the read alouds. With so many back to back classes, it won't be easy. I am having so much fun with the vocabulary and want the kids to enjoy the silliness of it all. I told them the next few chapters involve a sack, a shovel, and the trunk of a car. They are so hooked!

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  9. I just know I have to start reading Flora & Ulysses soon - bought it last Christmas for my 12 year old girl, but we haven't gotten around to reading it yet. I've been hearing many great things about Rot & Ruin - I'd probably pick that one up. I think I own a copy of 13 Reasons Why - I know that it created a lot of buzz when it was first published. I hope I get to that one soonest. Have a great reading week too!

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  10. My throat hurts just thinking about reading so much out loud! I spend about an hour a day reading out loud to my kids and that's about my limit! I loved reading Flora & Ulysses out loud--really makes a great read-aloud. I don't think I would have loved the book nearly as much had I read it silently to myself. I'm hoping to finish Midwinterblood soon--started it but finding it a bit anemic. Hoping to read the new Laurie Halse Anderson this summer. Love her work!

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