A Long Walk To Water

A Long Walk To Water

by Linda Sue Park

In my quest to find diverse titles to add to my elementary classroom library, I read articles and wound up having intense conversations about the need for diverse books with educators across the country. The general consensus was that we needed to challenge ourselves to  read books that opened our minds to other cultures and ways of life. My challenge began with the book, A Long Walk To Remember by Linda Sue Park. 

I began reading as one of my students would, with a pack of sticky notes and a pencil by my side to jot down anything that stood out to me. This story is based on a true story and is a dual narrative told in two settings- one in Southern Sudan, 2008 about a young girl, Nya, and her family, and the other in Southern Sudan, 1985 following the life of a young boy named Salva. 

Nya is an eleven year old girl who must walk a great distance 8 hours a day to get drinkable water for her family. Nya and her family are of the Nuer tribe. "Her tribe, the Nuer, often fought with the rival Dinka tribe over the land surrounding the lake. Men and boys were hurt and even killed when the two groups clashed.So Nya and the rest of her village lived at the lake only during the five months of the dry season, when both tribes were so busy struggling for survival that the fighting occurred less often." (page 26)

Salva is a fortunate boy whose father is a successful man and worked as a judge in their village. Salva and his brothers were able to attend school, and his sisters stayed home with their mother learning how to take care of a home. The family had cows and the boys would also help with their care.A war had started a few years earlier as rebels from the southern part of Sudan were fighting against the government for religious freedom. "Most of the people who lived in the north were Muslim, and the government wanted all of Sudan to become a Muslim country- a place where the beliefs of Islam were followed." (page 6)  Salva's life took a terrible turn one day while at school and gunfire rang out bringing the war to his land and forever changing his life. 

As I read, I thought about my fifth grade students, just a year younger than Nya. Questions flooded my mind such as: How might they respond to her story- walking long distances merely to get enough clean water for her family? What would they think about Salva's plight? How might global awareness impact young minds? Would my students be able to empathize with Nya? With Salva? The impact this story had on me as not only an educator, but a wife, mother, and sister, was shocking. If I was so moved, how might this affect my students? Then I began to consider how important it is for students to care for what goes on outside of their town, city, state, and country. Might this awareness help develop young minds toward compassion, understanding, and service to others? At the very least, students may gain a deeper appreciation for what they have.  

 Salva's journey leads him to  the United States to a foster family. As I reached the point of his entrance into the U.S. and his introduction to his new family, I was overcome with compassion as he adapts to his new world, a world he has never experienced. I thought of the students I have had that are ten years old learning a new language and a new way of life coming to America. The English language- I am not sure we truly understand how difficult it is to learn. The amount of effort and desire that is necessary to be able to communicate on a basic level, let alone navigating the intricate slang, and informal language and dialects. 

This story is beautifully written and the twists and turns of both lives at times took my breath away. The dual narrative is amazingly brought together in the end. As I finished the last page of the author's message, I sat quietly in reflection of  the power of this story. There is always room in our hearts and minds to read and learn about the world around us- no matter what age we are. As an educator, I have a renewed commitment to find stories representing all people, all children, in hopes of offering my students characters that mirror their lives, as well as a window into the vast world in which we share. I am continuing my diverse reading and will share many more books, but for now I highly recommend this wonderful story. 

Math Doesn't Suck: How to survive middle school math without losing your mind or breaking a nail

by Danica McKellar

I'll admit that the title of this book is both catchy and a bit shocking. I guess I'll also have to admit that is what got my attention years ago when I purchased this book. Today, while I was rearranging books in one of my four bookcases (yes, I adore being surrounded by books), I came across this title and took some time to glance through it again. I quickly remembered how much I enjoyed this book.

If the author on the cover looks familiar, then you probably grew up watching the television series The Wonder Years as Danica played the character of Winnie in the show. What would this actress be able to teach us or our kids about math? As the book jacket states, "[Danica McKellar] is a summa cum laude graduate of UCLA with a degree in Mathematics. She has been honored in Britain's esteemed Journal of Physics and The New York Times for her work in mathematics, most notably for her role as coauthor of a groundbreaking mathematical physics theorem, which bears her name (The Chayes-McKellar-Winn Theorem)". Her credentials are impressive, and the book is a New York Times best seller. It is very well written, especially as it is geared toward middle school aged girls. 

The math concepts that are explained in the book include factors and multiples, fractions, decimals, percents, word problems, and pre-algebra. Each is broken down in a very kid-friendly manner with great real world examples to use as practice. This book also offers a "Trouble Shooting Guide" with topics such as "Where to Turn When You Don't Know What to Do" and "The Smart Girl's Resource Guide". 

The layout of the book also offers advice on pre-teen and up topics such as "Role Models" and "Testimonials" which are written by girls about how they used to feel about math and what they've accomplished. Quizzes are also include, but not the traditional type of quiz you may expect in a math book. For example, quiz number one asks "Are you a Mathophobe?" which is from expert psychologist RobynLandow, PhD, and is designed to help girls realize their inner feelings about math. The book is not meant to be a read from the beginning type of book. However, it really is a fun read, and I think it very well could be a help to any girl (I'd even say any pre-teen) to see math in a whole different light. 

   

**There is also a follow up book that I also own, Kiss my Math: Showing pre-algebra who's boss which I will review soon. 

Nothing Ever Happens on 90th Street 

by Roni Schotter and illustrated by Kyrsten Brooker

One can never really predict where or when they will come across a great mentor text. This summer I have been participating in Jennifer Serravallo's Summer Writing Camp. The first week was built around fiction writing and developing story elements. While several great strategies were shared from Jennifer's The Writing Strategies Book: Your Everything Guide to Developing Skilled Writers,  Nothing Ever Happens on 90th Street by Roni Schotter was shared as a mentor text. 

The story opens with the main character, a little girl named Eva, helplessly wondering how she would complete a writing assignment from school. Mrs. DeMarco, Eva's teacher, asked her to, "Write about what you know". As she sits on her front stairs listening to the usual sounds that are going on around her, Eva writes, "Nothing ever happens on 90th Street". 

As characters begin to enter the story, the reader soon realizes a lot happens on 90th street. Each character, from Mr. Chang, the owner of the newly opened "Seafood Emporium," Mr. Sim's an actor who and his cat "Olivier", Mr. Morley, the mousse maker, Alexis Leora, a dancer, Mrs. Martinez, a wonderful soup maker, Mrs. Friedman and baby Joshua, the pizza delivery man, to Sondra Saunderson, star of stage, screen, and soap opera, all add details to an ordinary day that become extraordinary. At the end of the story, the character of Mrs. Martinez says, "What an amazing day! Who would believe it? If only someone had written it all down!" Eva reveals that she has and shares her story with her neighbors. Of course, everyone praises Eva for her story, and in the end she claims that the story will be even better after she rewrites it. 

This book truly is a mentor text for writing as it will show students that even something that seems so familiar and ordinary to them can offer a world of ideas for a writing piece. The details that are provided, the adjectives, the dialogue, and the wonderful illustrations all help to create a story that will engage and invite students to return for another read. The end of the book is probably my favorite as Eva gives the idea of  revising her story to make it even better! 

As a teacher, using this text along with Jennifer Serravallos writing strategies such as asking yourself  "What if..." thinking about characters, setting, or a problem will help to spark ideas. Brainstorming ideas like sentence stems will give the students options and one or two may branch off into full blown fictional pieces. 

I would highly recommend Nothing Ever Happens on 90th Street  by Roni Schotter as a mentor text for teachable moments and inspiration for student writing. 

Qualities of Effective Teachers

Qualities of Effective Teachers 

2nd Edition

by James H. Stronge

As summer had arrived it was time to think about tackling the bucket list I had created for summer reading. Being a life long learner and avid reader of many genres in my personal reading, as well as the various texts in my professional reading, I noticed I had books in my personal library that were "must haves" in the moment that I never had the time to read. I came across James H. Stronge's book Qualities of Effective Teachers. While I consider myself to be an effective teacher, there is always that wonder of what others deem to be a "effective". I began to flip through the pages and came across a quote that captured my attention, "Implementing instruction is like opening night at the theater, where all the behind-the-scenes work is hidden and only the magic is seen by the audience." Wow! This quote seemed to resonate with me as it grabbed me with its poetic delivery. I put my reading list aside, sat on the floor next to my bookcase and began to read.

Its funny how when I read a professional text such as this my mind tends to place people I've taught with within the different scenarios given. So what does makes an effective teacher effective? The book opens with discussing teachers as individuals and as professionals and then proceeds to focus on aspects of the role of a teacher including practices and responsibilities. I was a bit intrigued when I read the section on "Educational Coursework and Effective Teaching". It made me think about the current state of education, with all of the hoops educators must jump through and mandates which seem to be impacting how many teaching candidates there are in the colleges today. Stronge wrote, "Studies support the finding that fully prepared teachers understand how students learn and what and how they need to be taught." While I do believe a solid teacher preparation background is necessary, I also believe it is not until you have experienced the daily happenings in a classroom that a teacher begins to learn what is needed to be fully prepared. I've had colleagues who came with glowing credentials from coursework, but had little to no idea of how to deal with the behavioral or emotional characteristics of the students in their classroom. Later in the chapter, teaching experience and teacher effectiveness are discussed where it is stated that, "Experienced teachers differ from rookie teachers in that they have attained expertise through real-life experiences, classroom practices, and time."

The book is research based and is broken into two parts. Part 1, "What it means to be an effective teacher" discusses topics such as prerequisites for effective teaching, teachers as individuals and professionals, and breaks into effective planning, organization, implement instruction, and monitoring instruction in regard to student progress and potential. Part 2, "Teacher Effectiveness: Resources you can use" is broken into three sections respectively, "Teacher Skills Assessment Checklists", "Teacher Responsibilities and Teacher Behaviors", and an "Annotated Bibliography".

What I really liked about this book was how it provided insight into the importance of a teacher's attitude toward teaching, as well as the importance of incorporating reflection into a teaching practice. Thought provoking resources are found in Part 2, Section I "Teacher Skills Assessment Checklists". Included are checklists for "The Teacher as a Person", "Classroom Management and Organization", "Planning and Organizing for Instruction", "Implementing Instruction", and "Monitoring Student Progress and Potential". In Section II, "Teacher Responsibilities and Teacher Behaviors", Stronge lists "Positive Qualities" and "Red Flags of ineffective Teaching" under various categories such as "Classroom Management and Organization" and "Planning and Organizing for Instruction". I found the checklists to be useful in reflecting upon my own practice.

Overall I would highly recommend reading this title. However, I read the 2nd edition, and there is now a 3rd edition available that offers updated resources (link to the book provided).

https://www.amazon.com/Qualities-Effective-Teachers-James-Stronge/dp/1416625860

Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea

I truly believe that the best way to find out about a book is through sharing our reading. This is a practice I use in my classroom as we all share out what we are currently reading. How lovely it was one afternoon when a former student stopped by after school to visit. It was during our conversation that it struck me how the impact of what we share as educators lives within our students long after they leave us. My student  had been wanting to come to  share a book that she had just read because it reminded her of her fifth grade class and me. 

"Me?" I asked. 

"Well, the teacher in the book is a man, but the way the students feel about him is the way we all feel about you," she replied. "Also, some of the characters in the story I could definitely put the face to from kids in our class."

Okay, not only did this student take the time to come visit me, but she was excited to share a book? This was a book I had to read. 

Because of Mr. Terrupt by Rob Buyea is the story of a fifth grade teacher who made a huge impact on the lives of his students. The story takes a tragic turn that makes the students learn some life lessons and come together. 

The students are a cast of characters that could easily be sitting in any fifth grade classroom. They include: Alexia, a mean girl with a past that later explains why she acts this way; Peter, a trouble maker/prankster who will surprise you when another side of him is revealed; Jessica, the new girl who is trying to fit in and adjust to her family situation; Luke, the student who is considered "the brain" and will teach you about "dollar words"; Anna, the shy, sensitive girl who has trouble standing up for herself; Danielle, the sensitive, chubby, plain girl who struggles with how she looks and prays to God often; and Jeffrey, who hates school and has a secret that is later revealed that explains his outlook. The teacher is Mr. Terupt who is the new fifth grade teacher who seems to be able to make all of his students feel welcomed and creates a classroom full of fun and learning. 

I've since read this book as a read aloud to my fifth grade class. It has provided a stage for many great conversations. I might add that it has also made a few students consider how they treat others. This book is the first of three Mr. Terupt books by Rob Buyea. 

Rob Buyea's website

It's Been A Long Time

Hello fellow book lovers! It's been a few years since I've posted to this blog, but I've been inspired over that last few weeks to return to writing every day. Through reflection, I realized that blogging about books, whether I read them for pleasure or professional reasons, is something I enjoy. I must be totally honest and share that I've been involved in many professional learning communities over that past few years that have truly helped me grow my teaching practice. While I've been a part of the Twitter community since 2009, I've recently connected with other wonderfully inspiring educators and literacy leaders through tweeting. The more tweets I read from trusted professionals I follow, the more connections I have made. Through this networking I've become a part of a Facebook group, "TeachWrite: A Tribe for Teachers of Writers & Teachers Who Write." Each day we are encouraged to write about anything. The post goes out asking, "What will you write today?" and the responses that follow are intriguing and range from writing a few sentences to  working on a dissertation. It is an amazing group that has renewed my desire to write more.

I have many books to share, but I've decided to start with three: a professional text, a book that has become a student favorite, and a book I am looking forward to reading. 

Professional Text:

The Book Whisperer Awakening the Inner Reader In Every Child by Donalyn Miller is a book that I keep returning to as a resource. The author's style of writing is like having a conversation. The information is presented using relatable scenarios, sharing her thought process along the way, and the idea of providing choice to our student readers to help instill a love of reading. Sharing her experiences of struggling with ways to teach reading, collegial conversations, and the professional texts read and workshops attended made this professional text an enjoyable read. Ms. Miller provides "Key Components of A Reading Workshop", the idea of "dormant readers" and "underground readers." Sharing her work with students, Ms. Miller provides "case study" insight into these readers, goal setting, provides examples of student work and survey responses which offer helpful and practical strategies to use in the classroom. The appendices at the end of the book are valuable resources, "Appendix A: The Care and Feeding of a Classroom Library" and "Appendix B: Ultimate Library List" and revisited often. 

A book that has become a classroom favorite:

Alice Hoffman has been one of my favorite authors as an adult reader for many years. I wrote about her book, Here On Earth a few years ago as a book I would highly recommend. Not realizing she wrote to a younger audience as well, I was so happy to come across her book Nightbird. This is a captivating story about a centuries-old curse, a family secret that must be  kept, and  a unique twelve year old girl named Twig. Because of this secret, Twig has never really had a real friend, but that is all about to change when she meets their neighbor Julia.  This story provides  a mix of mystical, magical, fantasy, family, and friendship  theme that has kept a few of my students begging for more independent reading time. 

A book I am looking forward to reading: 

  

The release date for this book is March, 2018. Here is a link to the author's website. www.loisletchford.com

Popular: A memoir- Vintage Wisdom for a Modern Geek

by Maya Van Wagenen

I can't believe it is just about the middle of August! This summer has been quite busy for me as I teach in a literacy program during the month of July. I'm always on the look out for "just right books" for my students, and I found some interesting reading for myself as I navigated through the local library's website. I actually stumbled upon the book Popular by Maya Van Wagenen as I read one of the librarian's blogs.

First of all, I think it is helpful to remember the old saying, "Don't judge a book by its cover". The cover has a paper doll theme and leads one to believe it is intended for a younger audience. Well, I guess that is not too far fetched as the author is a girl in her early teens. As I read further into the blog, which was from the library's "Readers Corner", I became intrigued with the concept of how the book came to be written.

In 1951 a book had been published by a young woman by the name of Betty Cornell, entitled Betty Cornell's Teenage Popularity Guide. It was an book that offered advice to teenage girls on ways to become well liked. Maya's father had come across the book at a thrift store and looked through the old torn pages reading the "outdated ideas." Considering it a piece of "vintage pop culture", Maya's father purchased the book. As the author describes, the book sat in her dad's office for years until being found by Maya's mom, who then gave the book to Maya. Discovering this book, and being encouraged by her mom, led to a wonderful adventure/experiment for Maya. Maya followed the advice in Betty's book for one year, her eighth grade year of middle school. She wrote about her journey, including her feelings and other's reactions, and soon discovers the true meaning of being "popular".

What I like best about this book is that it really makes me think about my own teenage years, as well as my students experiences. Being a kid can be hard and, sadly, outward appearance many times makes or breaks how people are viewed. I love the message of this memoir, the relationships Maya has with her family, friends/peers, and the connection she makes with Betty Cornell.

I would highly recommend this book to adults as well as pre-teens/teens. It is thought provoking and forces the reader to consider what truly is important in a person. Below is a link that will bring you to the Today Show's Book page featuring Popular from earlier this year, including an interview with the author.

http://www.today.com/books/popular-1960s-style-approach-becoming-cool-modern-world-2D79513955

If you decide to read Popular by Maya Van Wagenen, I'd love to hear from you!

READING BLOGS ON ALL SUBJECTS CAN BE VERY HELPFUL IN THE CLASSROOM

Now that summer has arrived, I have found some time to read and search for new ways to increase technology in my classroom. Believe it or not my search begins in my personal email account!  As a teacher, I subscribe to many newsletters and websites that send out some great links and ideas for educators. Unfortunately, during the school year, I tend to get bogged down with the daily instructional lesson planning, school email, etc. Some subscriptions go directly to my personal email account. If you're a teacher, you'll understand how easy it is to look at our personal accounts and say, "I'll read that later", and later turns out to be in the summer!

This morning I decided to get a cup of coffee and my laptop to begin my online reading/research. I found a great blog from "We Are Teachers" that I thought was very useful. The blog topic is "20 Simple Ideas for Teaching Math to a Classroom of Multi-Level Kids". This caught my eye as this year my grade level will no longer be differentiating our classrooms by switching for math class by level. Instead, each teacher will keep their homeroom and differentiate instruction for multiple math levels within the classroom. From the first of the twenty simple ideas,  integrate math into every part of your day, to the last, check for understanding frequently, I found this blog very useful and worthy of passing along. I am including the link below so that you may visit the blog.


http://www.weareteachers.com/community/blogs/weareteachersblog/blog-wat/2014/04/10/20-simple-ideas-for-teaching-math-to-a-classroom-of-multi-level-kids

Do you read any blogs that you feel offer great tips for the classroom?

Exciting News!

Last year I blogged about Luanne Rice's book, What Matters Most (February, 2013). On May 27th Luanne Rice's The Lemon Orchard is coming out in paperback. Even better, if you are part of a book club, Luanne offers a reading group guide for the book! There is also a Kindle edition available.

http://luannerice.net/lemon-orchard-reading-group-guide/



http://luannerice.net/lemon-orchard-paperback/
http://www.amazon.com/The-Lemon-Orchard-Luanne-Rice-ebook/dp/B00AEBESK8

The Lemon Orchard In Paperback 5/27/14

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A heartrending, timely love story of two people from seemingly different worlds—at once dramatic and romanticLuanne Rice is the beloved author of twenty-two New York Times bestsellers. In The Lemon Orchard, one of her most moving and accomplished works yet, Rice gives us an affirming story about the redemptive power of compassion, set in the sea- and citrus-scented air of the breathtaking Santa Monica Mountains.It’s been five years since Julia’s daughter died. When she arrives to housesit at her uncle’s home in Malibu, she longs only for peace. But to her surprise, Julia becomes drawn to Roberto, the handsome man from Mexico who oversees the lemon orchard. When Roberto reveals his own heartbreak, Julia recognizes his pain, but their stories have one striking difference: Roberto’s daughter was lost—and never found. What ensues is a page-turning search across the U.S. and Mexican border and a captivating novel of love, both enduring and unexpected. “Entrancing.” —People (***)   “Rice’s fans will appreciate the evocative setting and unconventional romance, as well as the harrowing . . . depictions of border crossing and the fascinating parallels drawn between Julia’s research interests (she studies the Irish who arrived in America over a century ago) and modern-day Mexican immigrants.” —Publishers Weekly PREORDER

      

 

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  The Lemon Orchard

  From bestselling author Luanne Rice—a captivating and sexy novel of love, both enduring and unexpected Buy the Book Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Books-a-Million 

Time sure flies when you have a busy classroom!

Hello fellow readers! It's been a while since I've had time to blog about books. Rest assured reading is abundant in my very busy classroom. I've incorporated a lot of technology into my classroom this year, starting with the 6 Ipads I was awarded after submitting a "proposal" of sorts as to how I'd incorporate using this form of technology in my classroom. Fast forward 8 months since being introduced to this tool and I can't imagine not having this technology as part of our daily routine! 

It seems everything has been bumped up exponentially with technology. Aside from the Ipads, I've introduced a new way to do read aloud in my classroom. Traditionally, after lunch each day, I would read to my class. Now, with my Eike projector and accessing my Kindle library on Google Cloud, my class reads "interactively". What does this mean? Well, I project the book onto my interactive whiteboard, and the students take over. One student uses my wireless mouse (yes, another form of technology I can't live without) and becomes the "host" for the reading during that time. They are in charge of choosing students to read and clicking on unknown words to discover their meaning (I love that feature that is included on  electronic books). 

Anyway, to get to the reason for my post today, I wanted to share two books that I use with my class during our study of Latin America. Author Pam Munoz Ryan has written two books that are traditionally well received by my fifth graders. Becoming Naomi Leon and Esperanza Rising are two stories that offer a nice thematic learning experience encompassing social studies and English Language Arts. On the Engage New York website you will find a complete unit using the novel Esperanza Rising.

http://www.engageny.org/resource/grade-5-ela-module-1-unit-3-lesson-2

Esperanza Rising and Becoming Naomi Leon. Both novels are written by Pam Munoz Ryan.The following links will provide you with information on each of the books.

http://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Naomi-Leon-Munoz-Ryan/dp/0439269970

http://www.kidsreads.com/reviews/becoming-naomi-leon

http://www.scholastic.com/esperanza/

http://www.amazon.com/Esperanza-Rising-Pam-Munoz-Ryan/dp/043912042X

Happy 238th Birthday Jane Austen!

Jane Austen, English novelist, was born on December 16, 1775 died on July 18, 1817.

1811-Sense and  Sensibility
1813 Pride and  Prejudice
1814 Mansfield Park
1815 Emma
1811 Persuasion (published after Jane's death)
1811 Northanger Abbey (published after Jane's death)
1817 Sanditon (unfinished work at the time of Jane's death)

Classic Jane Austen books

A Christmas Carol

by Charles Dickens

 

 

 

‘tis the season to be jolly! What a wonderful story to revisit during the Christmas season. The story is one of realizing how living a good life will provide us with the happiness we all seek. Many versions of this movie show over the days and weeks leading up to Christmas Day. The version I love is the 1938 version with Reginald Owen, usually shown on Turner Classic Movies channel. The technology in 1938 of course was minimal when it came to magical and ghostly beings appearing in a scene, but this early movie technology adds to the charm of the presentation. Each year I watch this movie I tell myself I need to read the classic story. I have a copy of The Oxford Illustrated Dickens Christmas Books with Original Illustrations on my bookshelf. I attempt each holiday season to take the book off the shelf and enjoy a good read by my fireplace. Unfortunately, with the hustle and bustle of the season, I never have finished the book. The book contains not only A Christmas Carol but other stories written by Charles Dickens (The Chimes, The Cricket on the Hearth, The Battle of Life, and The Haunted Man).  

 

It is amazing to me that A Christmas Carol was first published in 1843. When I sit back and consider the messages that resonate throughout the story, such as to treat your fellow man with respect, the importance of family, and the difference a charitable heart can make in another’s life, I realize that this story is truly timeless. Wouldn’t the world be a better place if we all made it a point to be kind to one another and help those in need throughout the year, not just during the holidays?

 

Once again, I am going to try to make the time to sit down and read this classic literature. I love the idea of reading words from over a century ago, and applying the message to present day. The final paragraph of A Christmas Carol reads, “He had no further intercourse with Spirits, but lived upon the Total Abstinence Principle, ever afterwards; and it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge. May that be truly said of us, and all of us! And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God bless us every one!”

 

 Classic Charles Dicken's books

Books That Are Soon To Become Movies

Today I read an online article about 14 best selling books that will soon be on the big screen. After reading the article, I thought it was worth posting on my blog to share with all of you. The link below will bring you to the article on Buzz Feed:

<a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/ariellecalderon/books-to-read-before-they-hit-the-big-screen?sub=2331123_1304302">this</a>

I am currently reading The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, one of the books mentioned in the article and set to be in movie theaters in January, 2014. This book was one of our town library's choices last summer and was a #1 New York Times Bestseller. The book is set in 1939, Nazi Germany during World War II. The main character is a girl named Liesel Meminger, who is "The Book Thief". Very early in the story, Liesel faces many traumatic events beginning with her brothers death, being abandoned by her mother, and, finally, being placed in foster care. Feeling like so much has been taken from her, Liesel feels justified in stealing books. Death has made itself known and continues to take control of the story as the first book Liesel steals is from the cemetery where her brother is buried, The Grave Digger's Handbook. Combined with the time period, having Death as the narrator of the story is very intriguing.

At this point, I don't want to say too much more until I've finished reading the book.  I will say that it is a page turner and the writing is magnificent! Below you will find a link with purchase information for The Book Thief. If you are currently reading or have read this book, let me know your thoughts!


http://www.amazon.com/The-Book-Thief-Markus-Zusak/dp/0375842209

Finding Treasures In Your Personal Library

Oh the joys of finding treasures in my personal library! The last time I blogged, I wrote about coming across a past summer read, Letters from Rifka by Karen Hesse. Well, today I decided to go through and organize more shelves in my bookcase. To my great delight, I found an old set of Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House on The Prairie series. The set was given to me by my mother-in-law several years ago and is from the early '70's. I felt like a kid as I lifted the book box from the back of my shelf and began to take out the first book in the series, Little House in The Big Woods.

I teach fifth grade, and I am always looking for "new", old books to share with my class. What is really neat about this series is that I remember as a kid watching the Little House on The Prairie television series and reading a few of the books in the series. I loved the story of the Ingalls family, and the setting of the 1800's. I especially liked the one room school house and thinking how fun it would be to be a teacher. I think it is important to share my personal reading history with my class. It helps the students to get some insight to what I like as a reader, as well as how books can really play an important role in our lives.

Today I decided to read through the series again, looking for story elements, and reliving life with the Ingalls. I think sharing books from a simpler time is essential for today's children. I'll blog as I read each book!

Question for you: What was your favorite book as a child?

http://www.littlehousebooks.com/books/bookdetail.cfm?ISBN13=9780061958274

Summer Reading

It has been a while since I blogged about books. This school year has flown by and I can't believe I am already embarking upon summer reading! In my search for great summer reads, I have come across books that I'd enjoyed in the past. Letters From Rifka by Karen Hesse is a book that I could read several times and still gain new insight with each read.

Karen Hesse's novel, Letters From Rifka,  is a children's historical novel  published by Holt in 1992. It features a Jewish family's emigration from Russia in 1919, to Belgium and ultimately to the U.S., from the perspective of daughter Rifka, based on the personal account by Hesse's great-aunt Lucille Avrutin. Hesse and Letters From Rifka  won the 2012 Phoenix Award from the Children's Literature Association, recognizing the best children's book published twenty years earlier that did not win a major award. In addition, Letters From Rifka won the 1993 National Jewish Book Award in the category of Children's Literature.The protagonist's name, Rifka, is the East European Jewish version of Rebecca. This book works nicely into a study of immigration, and the fear many families faced as they came to America in search of a better life. Rifka's family fled from their homeland of Russia during the Russian Civil War. to avoid persecution. She tells her story in a series of letters to a cousin who remains behind in Russia, written in the blank spaces of an edition of Pushkin's poetry. Rifka, her parents, and her brothers Nathan and Saul, escape Russia, hoping to join the three older sons who have been living in America for years. Along the way, they face cruel officials, typhus, hunger, theft, ringworm, and a separation that threatens to keep Rifka from ever rejoining her family. She is constantly reminded she must be clever and brave, but her true salvation can only come when she learns compassion. While she is stranded at Ellis Island, she finds she has a talent for nursing and for literature. I highly recommend this book to children in the intermediate/middle school grades, as well as adults.

What will you be reading this summer?

 

LuAnne Rice

What Matters Most

 

I always know that when I pick up a book written by Luanne Rice, I will be drawn into a wonderfully woven story. Last week I picked up a copy of What Matters Most, and I have once again found myself snuggled up with another fantastic book. The main character, Sister Bernadette Ignatius,  has returned to Ireland with her caretaker/friend Tom Kelly to search for the son they gave up many years ago.  Bernadette and Tom have a past filled with young love and desire, that came to a hault when Bernadette felt a calling to a vocation as Mother Superior at Star of the Sea Academy on the sea-tossed Connecticut shore. Her decision to give up their son and life as she knew it, also affected Tom. He wound up giving up his fortune and taking the job as caretaker at Star of the Sea, so that he could remain close to his beloved Bernie, knowing he could no longer have  herbut whom he never stopped loving. Bernie's calling may have changed the path of both of their lives, however, their journey together is far from over.

In Dublin, Ireland a young man named Seamus Sullivan is also dealing with finding his life's path and dreaming of being reunited with his own first love, the only “family” he’s ever known. They’d been inseparable growing up together at St. Augustine’s Children’s Home, until Kathleen Murphy’s parents claimed her and took her home to America. Years later, in a Newport mansion, Kathleen, now a grown woman, works as a maid and waits with a strong faith, for the miracle that will bring back the only boy she’s ever loved.

Miracles are in store for those who are brave enough to hope for what matters most...

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/what-matters-most-luanne-rice/1100259870

http://www.amazon.com/What-Matters-Most-Luanne-Rice/dp/0553589709

Reading about the real "Downton Abbey"

Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey: The Lost Legacy of Highclere Castle

The Countess of Carnarvon

Mud City by Deborah Ellis

Did Shauzia make it to Paris?

I have recently finished reading Parvana's Journey, the second book in The Breadwinner trilogy, to my fifth grade class. On Monday, I will begin to share the third book, Mud City.  I have shared this trilogy for the past six years and found that each time I do, my class becomes totally captivated with the story. What I really like about this series is the way the author, Deborah Ellis, provides both current and historical events with the a realistic story of family and friendship. Unfortunately, families and friendships have been ripped apart by the Taliban and their rule. At the conclusion of the first book, The Breadwinner, the reader was left wondering what would happen to Parvana, her father, and if Shauzia made it to France. Parvana and Shauzia made a pact to meet at the Eiffel Tower one day, which kept my students on edge wondering about the whereabouts of Shauzia. The second book, Parvana's Journey, followed Parvana on her journey to reunite her family. Throughout the second book, Parvana wrote journal entries to Shauzia and kept referring to the purple fields of France, hoping Shauzia reached her destination. The entries helped keep Shauzia a part of the story.

Mud City  continues the story of Shauzia. As the book opens, it becomes apparent that Shauzia has not made it to France. My students can't wait for me to begin reading this book to them, and they been making predictions ever since we finished reading Parvana's Journey.

I would really love to know if anyone else has shared this trilogy with their class. I will add a link to Barnes and Noble where you may order Mud City, as well as the other books from the Breadwinner trilogy.


http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mud-city-deborah-ellis/1102212817

Downton Abbey: You'll be hooked!

Have you heard about Downton Abbey?  

I always knew I enjoyed reading authors such as Jane Austen and Emily Bronte because of their traditional language and the charm of the English lifestyle of years gone by. A few weeks ago, I heard talk of a PBS series, Downton Abbey and became intrigued. While it is not a book, the show is well written. I've spent this past weekend watching the DVD's of seasons one and two so that I can enjoy the current season three.  Downton Abbey is actually the name of the house, which is an Edwardian mansion and park set in the North Yorkshire landscape. The story is set around the family of the Earl of Grantham and his family which includes his American wife and three daughters. His mother, the Dowager Countess of Grantham is the matriarch of the family and the resident know-it-all.

The setting is the early 1900's and begins with the sinking of the ship, the Titanic. This is an important element of the story because the Earl of Grantham is fearful that Downton Abbey will one day fall into the hands of a cousin he has never met due to a hierarchy. This cousin is said to have been a passenger on the Titanic and has drowned. The time period lends itself to high adventure, family drama, mystery, and romance.

The characters are intriguing and give insight to the sign of the times. The daughters, Mary, Edith, and Cybil, represent the different situations and problems that women found themselves in during the turn of the twentieth century. Women did not have the same rights as men, especially when it came to voting and position in society. The character of Mary is very risque as she has a moment in time with a Turkish male guest, who later winds up dying in a very inappropriate place. Edith is the daughter who is the "plain Jane" in the looks department. She longs to find the love of a man, and helps out in ways that only men usually would. Cybil is an original rebel for women's rights. The situations are thought provoking and make one want to learn more about the time period.

Period costumes, settings, issues, and family drama are just a few of the elements that make for such a captivating story. If you are a fan of English writers, or just love a rich, historical, family drama, check out Downton Abbey on your local PBS station.It is shown as a part of the Masterpiece Theater offerings (many times during the winter months Jane Austen's books are adapted for the screen on Masterpiece Theater).  I'd love to hear what others think about this continuing saga.

http://www.pbs.org

 http://www.itv.com/downtonabbey/

For Downton Abbey viewers, who is your favorite character or what is your favorite storyline?


For Jane Austen fans, What is your favorite Jane Austen novel and why?

 

Classroom pick: The Breadwinner  by Deborah Ellis

I recently began to read The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis to my fifth grade class. Each year I share this book, and the other books in the trilogy, with my class. When I consider the subject matter, I realize that the book deals with many difficult concepts. The unfair treatment of women and girls, as well as the severe treatment of the Taliban toward the people is written in a very realistic manner. I hope the following book review is helpful  I'd love to hear what others think of this book.

Review:

 

Author: Ellis, Deborah

The Breadwinner.

Illus. by Michael Solomon, c.2000, 170p

Description/Genre:

Chapter Book/Realistic/Young Adult Fiction

Summary: Twelve-year-old Parvana enjoyed going to school, living in a nice, loving home, and being a kid. That is until the Taliban--an extreme militia group that rules Afghanistan--took over the city of Kabul. Girls were forbidden to go to school and women from going to work. Women and girls are not even allowed out of the homes unless they are accompanied by a man. These days, Parvana only leaves her family's one room apartment to help her injured father get to the market, where she earns a small amount of money reading for those who cannot. When the Taliban bursts into their apartment one evening, Parvana's father is arrested. The family is unsure of how they will live without a man to earn money and go to the market with to get food. Then, they come up with an idea –now their survival depends on whether Parvana can convince the outside world that she is a boy.

Review:

I have been reading this book to my class for several years. The Breadwinner is a worthwhile, thought-provoking story that will inspire empathy for children like Parvana, who have grown up in the middle of a war. I am always amazed at the children’s reaction when I first introduce the book. They don’t seem too interested, and then after the first two chapters, the students don’t want me to stop reading. This book offers a great opportunity to write family stories, memories, and it also lends itself to a wonderful discussion about how lucky we are in to live in America.

Audience

- Intermediate grades