My Childhood Revisited with Books
I’m always looking for “new” books (to her - many of hers are used) for Maeve. She loves books, and I want to encourage this reading habit developing. Browsing through Amazon I started thinking about the books that I loved growing up. Here are a few….
1.The Boxcar Children
I could pretend to be a boxcar child for HOURS!! A make shift bindle, some granola bars, and a creek in the backyard - that was an AWESOME afternoon!
2. Harriet the Spy
Oh, I wanted to be Harriet too. I remember being on vacation with my family and writing down everything I “spied” in a notebook. I still like to people watch…and am pretty nosy. However, I like to think of it as interesting in humanity.
3.Ramona Quimby, Age 8
I was once mistaken for the little girl who played Ramona in the old school movies. We had the same haircut and grape juice mustache.
4. Are You There God, It’s Me, Margaret
What young girl didn’t read this? Do they still nowadays? Probably not.
5. The Babysitter’s Club
Oh, how many groups of girls tried to start a babysitters club? I know I did. I didn’t even really like babsitting. (I thought it was scary being in someone else’s house at night.) I was totally addicted to these and would nearly faint with anticipation of the Super Special editions! I wanted to be Claudia.
6. Christopher Pike’s books (all of them)
I have a vivid memory of one character dying from eating a burger with finely ground glass in it. He bleed from the inside slowly. Maybe that is why I didn’t eat red meat for years.
Abraham Lincoln Award 2013 List
I discovered that the list for the Abraham Lincoln Award 2013 is already out. Score! Last year I had my juniors pick one to read independently. Next year I plan to have them read four of them so they can vote. I went down to our library today to check some out, but they were all already pulled for next year. Luckily, my librarian friend Alice gave me the hook up and let me check a bunch of them out for the summer. NIIIccceee!
2013 ABE AWARD MASTER LIST
Anna & the French Kiss Stephanie Perkins Speak 2010
Bruiser Neal Shusterman HarperCollins 2010
The Chosen One Carol Lynch Williams St. Martin 2009
Clockwork Angel Cassandra Clare Margaret K. McElderry 2010
Dark Song Gail Giles Little, Brown 2010
Finnikin of the Rock Melina Marchetta Candlewick 2010
The Help Kathryn Stockett Berkley 2009
Impossible Nancy Werlin Speak 2008
Impulse Ellen Hopkins Simon Pulse 2007
Leviathan Scott Westerfeld Simon Pulse 2009
Little Brother Cory Doctorow Tor 2008
Lockdown: Escape from Furnace Alexander G. Smith Farrar Straus Giroux 2009
Matched Ally Condie Speak 2010
The Monstrumologist Rick Yancey Simon & Schuster 2009
North of Beautiful Justina Chen Headley Little, Brown 2009
Paranormalcy Kiersten White Harper 2010
Rikers High Paul Volponi Speak 2010
Ship Breaker Paolo Bacigalupi Little, Brown 2010
The Sky is Everywhere Jandy Nelson Speak 2010
Thirteen Reasons Why Jay Asher Razorbill 2007
War Sebastian Junger Twelve 2010
Will Grayson, Will Grayson John Green & David Levithan Speak 2010
#23 - The Road by Cormac McCarthy
This is a reread for me. I read this a couple of years ago and was haunted by the book. Bill has read all of Cormac McCarthy’s books and my very favorite English teacher’s (Mr. O’Keefe) favorite book was All the Pretty Horses. However, this is the only McCarthy book I’ve read. I would really like to read more, but you have to be in a specific mood to read his writing I think.
I taught this book to my Jr. Academic Am. Lit. students. We read it in a week (it’s crunch time) and that was fine. The kids seemed to like it. Some LOVED it, some have already checked out from school, and some felt it was too weird. Seems like success to me.
I would hazard to say that this book has an even greater impact when read by a parent. I think I freaked out the kids trying to explain to them how MUCH THEIR PARENTS LOOOVVVEEEDD them…and would do anything for them….even protect them from cannibals!
I think this was a good choice to end the year with. It is a great introduction to Contemporary Literature and different from anything else we read. I do think that some of the kids will read more of his books or buy themselves a copy of this book. Love it!
#22 - MWF seeking BFF by Rachel Bertsche
Cute, quick read about a married woman’s search for friends after a move to Chicago. Her observations, interactions, and intentions were very relatable. I also loved that it happened in Chicago rather recently, so restaurant names, etc. are used that you can still go to this summer.
I am so lucky to have a wonderful group of friends from the different stages in my life (childhood, college, work, adult life…) and am so grateful for the new friends I’ve made in the past few years. I tell my seniors at the end of the year to never close themselves off to new people or new experiences (if they seem sane/safe/etc.) because you never know what the world has to offer you. It’s neat to think who else might be out there waiting to become my friend. (not in the creepy way like a stalker…that’s scary)
“I am a teacher”
“I am a teacher” by Kristin Cochran
I am a teacher.
I have broken up a fight, repeated instructions five times, opened eyes to symbolism, performed in a teacher rock band, and graded a stack of essays – all in the same day.
I have circled a group of crying teenagers and taught them how to handle failure with grace.
I have cried witnessing acts of greatness – big and small – that give me hope for our future.
I have read Hamlet no less than forty times – each time approaching it as though my first.
I have woken up in the middle of the night worried about a student (s) –
What more can I do? What more can I do? What more can we do?
I want
to say yes when my daughter asks if she should follow in my career footsteps
to be treated with respect by legislators and society
to afford a modest house, dance lessons for my daughter, vacations in the world classroom, occasional shopping sprees at Target, book, books, books
to feel truthful when telling my daughter that if she keeps her promises and does good work, she will be rewarded
to retire before I am too tired, too cynical, too burnt out to realize my career was important and beautiful
to have everyone experience the joy of a classroom of reluctant readers silently reading a book way past the allotted twenty minutes because they are suddenly caught up in the words
I want to be viewed as a teacher (professional, mentor, disciplinarian, comedian, champion, educator, second parent…), not the enemy.
#21 - Breathing Underwater by Alex Flinn
You know what I love? A book that kids love! And this book is one of those. I read this with my two Jr. Basic classes. I have NEVER seen them so into a book. The story centers on a 16 yr. old boy named Nick who has major anger problems and winds up in a court ordered family violence class. He also has to write in a journal about his experiences and obey his restraining order his ex-girlfriend has on him.
Is this a timeless piece of literature? No, no it isn’t. Is this the best written book ever? No, no it isn’t. Is this a book that can get 30 17 yr olds discussing, reading at home, and reading more by the author. Yes, yes it is. AMEN!
I even made my class cupcakes because I was so proud by how into the book they were!
Maeve - 3 years old
My girl turned 3 last week, and I had her answer 20 questions about her likes/favorites. I’m hoping to do this each birthday to see how she changes over the years. 3 is a difficult ages to get a straight answer out of….random things that cracked her up kept getting a starring role over the actual answers. I provided her answers in quotes and the parent certified answer afterwards. She is a love bug, a nut, a joy, and my heart. Happy Birthday Maeve! (Also, she was so excited to get so many books for her birthday! I love it!)
Maeve 3 years old
1. What is your favorite color?
“yellow”
2. What is your favorite toy?
“Dinosaurs” (?), “basketball” – (what?)
PlayDoh, kitchen/play food, puzzles, coloring
3. What is your favorite fruit?
“vegetables”
bananas, apples
4. What is your favorite tv show?
“The mouse movie” (the movie she got for her bday)
Super Why, Cat in the Hat, Calliou
5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch?
“beans”
6. What is your favorite outfit?
“Butterfly outfit” (?)
7. What is your favorite game?
“Play tag”
8. What is your favorite snack?
“Beans”
9. What is your favorite animal?
“giraffe”
monkey, peacock, cat
10. What is your favorite song?
“Tura Lura Lura” (mashed with Irish Eyes)
11. What is your favorite book?
“the mouse one”
Clifford, Dr. Seuss, Pinkilious, Fancy Nancy, Amelia Bedelia
12. Who is your best friend?
“Eva” (school friend)
13. What is your favorite cereal?
Cinnamon Toast Crunch
14. What is your favorite thing to do outside?
“Play outside”
15. What is your favorite drink?
“Milky milk”
apple juice, lemonade, whatever mama is drinking
16. What is your favorite holiday?
Halloween
17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night?
Friends, pacifier, sippy cup of water
18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast?
“beans”
French toast or cinnamon toast crunch
19. What do you want for dinner on your birthday?
“cake”
20. What do you want to be when you grow up?
“Princess”
ballerina, teacher
#18 - Unwind by Neal Shusterman
A quick read, YA, I’m cheating with a review from Amazon -
From School Library Journal
Starred Review. Grade 7 Up—Set in the future, the second civil war is fought over abortion. To end the war, a compromise is reached that ends the practice of abortion but creates an alternative called “unwinding.” Between the ages of 13 and 17, parents or guardians can choose to have their children unwound, which involves having every part of their bodies harvested to be “donated” to another person so, technically, they don’t really die. The complex and compelling plot follows three teens whose stories intertwine when they escape while on their way to the harvest camps. Fifteen-year-old Connor’s parents can no longer control him. Lev, a tithe, was raised by religious parents for the sole purpose of being unwound. Risa, a ward of the state, is a victim of shrinking budgets since she is not a talented enough musician to be kept alive. Neal Shusterman’s engrossing novel (S & S, 2007) is narrated in an even cadence and matter-of-fact tone that suits the author’s straightforward narrative style. His wide array of voices makes the involved story line, which is left wide open for what is sure to be an interesting sequel, easy to follow. This gripping, thought-provoking novel is guaranteed to lead to interesting discussions about abortion, adoption, organ donation, religion, politics, and health care.—Karen T. Bilton, Mary Jacobs Memorial Library, Rocky Hill, NJ
