My Hometown, Fairy trees, and a touch of Charisma. It's Monday, What Are You Reading? July 6, 2015

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



My Hometown by Russell Griesmer

A nearly wordless tale of a boy who finds a magical newspaper that transports him through the 150 years of his town's history. The story is told through changing images and colors beginning in antique sepia tones and slowly evolving into bright colorful fall colors. I have a sneaking suspicion that the statue of the apparent town's founder may be behind the time travel newspaper. Wordless picture books are excellent tools in the classroom as they prompt rich discussion among students offering their own interpretations.

 

See my review of Piper Green and the Fairy Tree by Ellen Potter here
I really like this new early chapter book series. Imagine riding a school boat instead of a school bus. How cool!

 

My YA read this week in preparation of our 2016 Teen Bookfest by the Bay 
I had to postpone reading Charisma but have picked it up again. I really hope Jeanne Ryan is included in our author line up.  Charisma is intriguing and thought provoking.

I am reading many more books here and there as I catalog books for my library but these are the highlights this week.

TLA Here I Come! and I read some books this week. #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

I have been administering the TELPAS test and cataloging books this week like a maniac. 
I was determined to make sure my students all had plenty of challenging books to keep them busy next week while I am attending the Texas Library Association Conference. 

The Texas Library Association conference committees have created so many enticing sessions. I am so excited and really looking forward trying to make it to as many sessions as humanly possible. Of course the number one session that I plan to attend is the Nerdy Book Club session on Thursday.

Wondering  what you need to bring to TLA or need some questions answered? Librarian Jen Bigheart shares some TLA helpful hints here. Plus there is a YA/Kidlit meetup.

Several Coastal Bend librarians will be brainstorming at the President's Party as we share updates about our first Teen Book Fest by the Bay that is in the planning phase. 

In gearing up for the Nerdy Book Club session, I have been reading Duke by Kirby Larson, one of the Nerdy Book Club session presenters. Kirby spent a long time researching background information on war dogs and every day details that made up the WWII era.

Eleven year old Hobie's father is a soldier away fighting for his country. Hobie knows with a heavy heart that there is something more that he can do for his country beyond buying war stamps. He has a trained and highly intelligent German Shepard named Duke. The war department needs smart dogs to help the war effort but is Hobie able to let go of a friend so dear to him? Visit Kirby's Lane to learn more about this heart tugging historical fiction.

Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library is the next book in line for our #virtualbookclub chat coming up on April 21st at 8:00 EST. Snag a copy of the book and join us. We guarantee a great chat with fellow teachers, librarians, and book lovers.





Here is the book I am most excited to read soon. I recently finished The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau. It was a very exciting and interesting read in the same vein as Hunger Games, Divergent, and Battle Royal. Well, maybe not as violent as Battle Royal. That book was unnerving and I had to keep a cheat sheet to track all the fatalities in Battle Royal.






Have a wonderful reading week.

The Girl Who Could Fly

The Girl Who Could Fly by Victoria Forester
Awards: Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year; Booklist Editors' Choice; Utah Beehive Book Award Master List

Piper McCloud was born into a no-nonsense Lowland County family. Actually, while most children were born into the world, Piper "floated" into the world. Piper is not your average girl. She has an itch-an itch to fly. She closes her eyes, thinks of blue sky, and tells herself she is lighter than air and then she flies! Things are fairly smooth until the town picnic when Piper's secret comes out and she is quickly whisked away to a special high tech security learning center to join her new classmates who are just as talented as Piper in their own ways.

This is a sweet tale of a warm hearted girl who is happiest when she is among the clouds (as in Piper McCLOUD) The characters' names tend to reflect their personalities. There is Dr. HELLion who lives up to her name and a shrinking girl named Violet. The learning facility just happens to be named I.N.S.A.N.E. but that's all I can say.

This book was my "lunch break" read and I looked forward to it each day. I highly recommend The Girl Who Could Fly. It will have you wishing for the itch to fly.

Catching Fire!

Weeks of anticipation have finally ended, today I purchased a copy of "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins and read the first two chapters while leaning up against a wall at Barnes and Noble. I tried to be frugal, waiting patiently for my local library to make a copy available, but they were taking forever! I really just went in to B and N to get a sneak peek, but the book got really interesting, and the next thing I knew cha-ching! Another book for my over-crowded shelves. It will be displayed next to my Twilight series. I love the comparison between Bella and Edward and Katniss and Peeta, or maybe I should say Gale.

While I was waiting for the novel to come out, I did some background research and found the following resources. I can hardly wait for bedtime to crack open my book and see how life is in District 12, after the Hunger Games, is turning out for Katniss and Peeta.

Official web site of Suzanne Collins

Link to the Suzanne Collins interview on Scholastic's web site.

The Hunger Games games Play Tribute Trials or Trail by Fire

Thing 20: Explore YouTube and TeacherTube

YouTube

I GET FIRED UP!

I like motivational messages. They really get me fired up. Here is a short, yet sweet one.




I like to learn new things!

This is how I learned, and had fun, making a Diaper Cake.




TeacherTube

I created this one!

Please forgive me if I am not humble here. This is my first Teacher Tube video that I have submitted and I am feeling really good about having created it.
I will be using this to introduce the Texas Bluebonnet Nominees for 2009-2010 in conjunction with my kids-book-club wiki.



The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Click the above link to hear Suzanne reading an excerpt from chapter 11.


I pulled this clip from Scholastic's web site. I really liked this YA novel and am looking forward to the sequel which will be out September 1st. If you liked the Twilight Saga, you will find The Hunger Games fascinating.



And here is a YouTube video book report someone else created. This is one of the type of projects-video book talks-that I have planned for the upcoming school year.