It's Monday, What are You Reading June 17, 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

N and N has been a very useful reading strategy professional development read. The authors offer helpful strategies to assist student's in identifying six important "signposts" or markers and through use of  six anchor questions. Along with reading N and N, I have been participating in the Twitter book study under the hashtag #nnnchat with the last chat taking place this Thursday, June 20th at 8 p.m. CST/9 EST. The first two chats were filled with insightful observations from a very diverse group of teachers, librarians, literacy coaches and reading advocates. 

This week I read:
Freaky Fast Frankie Joe
by Lutricia Clifton

What a wonderful story this is. The cover lacked so much personality that I have long neglected to read it even though it is on the 2013-2014 Texas Bluebonnet Award master list. I am looking forward to book talking it with students in the fall and am currently working on my Freaky Fast Frankie Joe lesson plans which I will eventually add to my 2013 Bluebonnet Book Club wiki.

I liked book chatting about this TBA nominee with @utalaniz, a fellow Texas librarian who is also engaged in reaching out to readers through state award nominated titles.




Hold Fast by Blue Balliett was so wonderful. The cover had not appealed to me in the beginning but I soon fell in love with this beautiful and adventure filled story. I HIGHLY recommend Hold Fast and it will be a prominent part on my 2013-2014 library collection.

I received great book chat feedback from these fellow book lovers: @shannonclark7, @kelleemoye, @utalaniz, @libraryfanatic, @middlegrdreads, @jluss @Lori_A-Carter



Library Hold List
I was very happy to receive notice this week that these two goodies had come available from my library Hold List. I am planning a quiet reading weekend. Ha! That will never happen but I still like to pretend. (update: as predicted, my twin daughters created much drama so total lack of sleep. Thanks goodness I can escape into books).

Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell  proved to be a delightful romance/social issue read. Unfortunately, this will not be a good match for my elementary school library but I will recommend it to my HS library buddies as a must have. My age definitely showed through as I was easily able to get the 80's references.

I had a lot of fun book chatting Eleanor and Park with @rainbowrowell @shannonclark7, @got_wanderlust, @mselke01, and @librarygrl2

Ok, now who is going to read a book with me this week? I start with Sapphire Blue and will be open to other suggestions. I am thinking something edgy-Emerald Atlas, Eleventh Plague, The 5th Wave, etc.


Sapphire Blue, by Kerstin Gier, is the sequel to Ruby Red, a science fiction fantasy involving time travel, I am just starting this title. I loved Ruby Red and look forward to reading Emerald Green as soon as it is released in America in October 2013. The series has been translated from German and a German version movie is in the works. 






Audio Books this week:

I like to listen to books at work. I read Divergent last year so decided to was time to re-visit the series as I go through my annual YA Summer Reads. This was one of my favorites and I look forward to reading Allegiant when it finally becomes available in 126 days!

I love to return to the Harry Potter series every year finishing up by Harry's and J. K. Rowling's birthdays on July 31st. This is my present to the duo. As I piddled around cleaning up my post-kids library this week, I listened and remembered all those great little tidbits that the HP movies were not able to squeeze in. One of my favorite parts is the Headless Hunt banquet that occurs in HP and the Chamber of Secrets. TRIVIA QUESTION: What year was Harry Potter born?

It is hard to believe that it's been 15 years since Harry Potter magically appeared in our literary world. I am looking forward to stocking my library shelves with the new updated cover September 2013. My library copies are barely holding themselves together due to all the love they receive. I kind of like the European version of HP and the Chamber of Secrets shown here on the right side of this page.

Very pretty! New cover of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Make a Magic Wand craft

Here is an amazing "make  your own magic wand" craft to help celebrate the new book cover.  

I am suggesting we create this activity at our next Librarian Hang Out. 

Source: majann.deviantart.com via Julee on Pinterest

It's Monday, What Are You Reading June 10, 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. 

This week was a continuation of library inventory which required mandatory stopping to "smell the roses"(books). The most wonderful part of inventory is getting to revisit books that you have forgotten on the shelves. Poor little books. I will find someone to love you when the students return in August. It is my belief that successful librarians are natural marketing geniuses. We know that a book will sit on a shelf until you advertise it through a book talk, promo poster, or referral. The minute you do so, WAP! the book becomes the hottest ticket in the library and fights almost break out to see who can check it out first. I admit I kind of like inciting this type of book riot.

Here are a few books that will be getting some book love:

Harry Potter series

Magical Links: 
Scholastic's The Stacks-Harry Potter has some magical games like lighting your wand. creating a magical creature, and Wizard's Duel. I played for a looonnnggg time.

J. K. Rowling talks about a continued world of Harry Potter. Pottermore

Pottermore web site




Charlie  Bone series
Scholastic The Stacks-Charlie Bone

I love this series with all the unusual talents that descendents of the Red King possess. 

Fairy Tales and Folk Tale section are also often overlooked because they are not in the same section with the E=Everyone books. This past year I made a special section divider and the 2nd graders really flocked to this 398.2 Dewey section where they also discovered nearby jewels in the 30 and 31 sections which includes many of the World Record, Trivia, Ripley's Believe It or Not, and Almanac books. 

My current reads:

I never realized how late it had gotten last night because I was so engrossed into Hold Fast. Now I am heavy eyed at work and can't wait to pick it up again. 

 

Hold Fast by Blue Balliett

(description from author website)

The mystery begins with a bizarre accident on a on a deserted, wintery street in Chicago. Now stir in old Langston Hughes book on rhythms, the Chicago Public Library's huge downtown building, a family of four that finds themselves in the midst of a spiraling nightmare, and the 2003 Antwerp Diamond Heist, the biggest in history.  You will meet Dash, Sum, Early, and Jubie...and many others living in a large city shelter. As dreams chase reality in a fearless yet sparkly search,11-year-old Early Pearl will take you on a ride not easily forgotten. 

Audio Book:

I am having so much fun re-listening to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone while I finish up library inventory.

My Library Hold List:

Sapphire Blue by Kerstin Gier

 Audio clip here

Gwen’s life has been a rollercoaster since she discovered she was the Ruby, the final member of the secret time-traveling Circle of Twelve. In between searching through history for the other time-travelers and asking for a bit of their blood (gross!), she’s been trying to figure out what all the mysteries and prophecies surrounding the Circle really mean.

At least Gwen has plenty of help. Her best friend Lesley follows every lead diligently on the Internet. James the ghost teaches Gwen how to fit in at an eighteenth century party. And Xemerius, the gargoyle demon who has been following Gwen since he caught her kissing Gideon in a church, offers advice oneverything. Oh, yes. And of course there is Gideon, the Diamond. One minute he’s very warm indeed; the next he’s freezing cold. Gwen’s not sure what’s going on there, but she’s pretty much destined to find out.

Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

Set over the course of one school year in 1985, this is the story of two star-crossed misfits-smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try it. 

I just love the start of summer and all its possibilities. I work through the summer but without the students around I can get a lot of cataloging, repairing, sorting, and implementing new ideas done. I move furniture around trying to find the just right feel of the space making it more reader friendly. Summer in my library gives me a chance to try out my crazier ideas between readers camps and tour groups that traipse through to get a good look at our unusual school. My favorite part is all the audio books that I get to listen to while I work. I just wish my local public libraries had better selections, 

Are you a fan of audio books too?

I am also seriously in need of an outstanding title to read Something with the whizz bang of last summer's Wonder, The One and Only Ivan, or Liar and Spy. Any suggestions?